First wedding gown done!

 So this is the part 3 to the Smelliot saga. It's not smelly, it's got a code name.(see Smelliot part 1 and smelliot part 2) My wonderful model came to try on the dress. Here is the before pictures 

And here are the after pictures:

I have my wonderful model blurred but you can see that's a smile. She said it was comfortable and she was happy.  Thank you lovely pretend bride!  To review what I did: I took out a side seam zipper and sewed it up. I then added a corset back, hemmed it in a front taper, and added a bustle. She looks great! I was so excited I jumped up and down.  

WHAT SMELLIOT TAUGHT ME:

1. My room was too full of stuff. I am moving nonbridal machines elsewhere to allow for lots of space for my cutting table, and other dress surfaces. 

2. The pocket doors gotta stay shut! I love my dogs but now my wedding lab has a baby gate. No dogs allowed. 

3. I really do love this. I mean it, I am so excited to keep going. I was embarrassed to tell former coworkers of my choice to leave nursing. Not anymore. I am humbly proud of my path!

4. I wish I would have finished it a little better. The corset back I put in to that delicate fabric ruching, I was too excited to get it just right and not mess up the detail. I did that but I didn't dye the corset to match the dress, it only matched the lining. So the ties look a little out of place. I don't think I want to remove it to dye it either, too delicate now. I learned something, do the color matching to the outside...but the mechanics it looks so good. The bustle is holding like a tank, but it's just meh.

5. More practice loading- this was my first everything. first wedding dress, first taper hem, first corset, first bustle, first pinning on a person.  I need more practice.

Thank you Smelliot, you taught me a lot. I will see you again someday soon.