This is the one “cheat” for this gown. Someone had given E a prom dress that she didn’t like, so I cut it apart and used the existing petticoats for her dress. This particular picture is the petticoats that are attached to the skirt lining. There is another layer of netting attached to the polyester underlining for the skirt (already in the gown), since we scavenged everything from the thrifted dress except the 3 layers of nylon net that comprised the original fashion fabric.
petticoats
A summer top
The second UFO is now a wearable garment. It’s about 9C outside – hence the big mommy-sized sweater!
Rosebuds in the buttons for the fly-away back and adjustable straps.
Front strap embroidery – bullion rose and rosebuds; detached chain leaves and fly-stitch stems & calyx.
I also managed to quickly put together a new petticoat, since DD3’s outgrown the previous one. I used a RTW tank, cut it off at what I thought was waist length (it’s stretched a bit since it’s been hanging around waiting for a nice day for photographs) and attached a four-tiered peasant skirt. The bottom tier is about 6 yards in width. I used remnants from previous petticoats for this one, so the top two layers are different weights of Egyptian cotton shirting, and the two bottom layers are Swiss broderie anglais, which I originally purchased because of the fabulous edging for the last now-too-small petticoat. 
I finished the bottom with white satin ribbon. And the Lelli Kelly’s are too small this year – a big disappointment in this house!
So, what have you been doing?
I’ve been sewing up a Scottish National dress, or a lilt dress, for a good friend’s daughter. 
It’s due on Friday, and includes a separate petticoat. I’ve made several petticoats over the last few years to go under all the dresses that I’ve smocked for my daughters. Little girls smocked dresses just look that extra bit more special when they’re supported by a petticoat.
I usually go by the guidelines in Australian Smocking & Embroidery #50 for girls’ petticoats. 
They have 3 options: a petticoat with a lycra bodice, half petticoat, or a petticoat with a purchased singlet (tank top). 
In my experience with girls and their petticoats, the version attached to a tank top stays in place guaranteed, and since this one will be used for Scottish 
dancing competition, I thought it would be the best option. No one wants their petticoat sliding down around their knees in the middle of a dance!
I worked backwards for this petticoat, beginning with 6 metres of eyelet trim, and calculating down to determine the length of each tier. In other words, 6m for the bottom ruffle, 4.5 m for the 3rd ruffle, etc. Petticoats are simple to make. It just takes a lot of thread. This one is of the same poly-cotton broadcloth that the dress is made of.
And I finally finished the embroidery on a UFO, which has been languishing in my life for the last 18 months or so.
I used to smock all my girls’ dresses when they were small. Some of the ones I bothered to photograph can be seen at my Tia Dia Needleworks Flickr site on the left. Some I sent to Haiti with my mom, who goes for about 6 months every year. But now that DD3 is 8 years old, the smocking just doesn’t seem stylishly appropriate somehow. I do miss it, though. I find it strangely calming after a stressful day of “mom taxi”. This particular dress was supposed to be for Easter a couple of years ago. It’s of white linen, and I have no idea whether DD3 will wear it, or it will go into storage for some other little person in the future. It’s supposed to have a peter pan collar and tulip shaped sleeves with embroidery, but I’m in doubt about both. I may make this into a sundress, or leave off the collar and bind the neckline. If it doesn’t have a peter pan collar, DD3 just might wear it next spring.
Mezzo Couture 