I built this dress, jacket, and skirt support for Cathy in the show. The dress is a lilac silk chiffon and is lined with a cream colored crepe de chine. The bodice has individually pleated 1/8 tucks pleated in a diagonal at center front and vertically at center back. The back of the dress is cartridge pleated to create a gentle shelf like effect made possible by the skirt support. The skirt support is basically a basque that closes with a busk at center front with a bum roll attached along the back. The train of the dress chevrons at center back because it is cut on bias. The lace appliqué was dyed by myself. I taught my stitcher, Becca Wood, how to free motion with the industrial using clear monofilament. The bustle was made “invisible” by putting hooks on backwards and putting an awl through the fabric so the hook could come out to the face. There are thread loops that the bustle hooks on to during her fight scene. The jacket is flatlined with a lightweight felt and is also lined. The jacket also has a triple bust dart at the front and a sweet little ruffled ducktail like back detail. The center front of the jacket has this delicate scalloped detail made possible by hand sewing gathering threads every inch on a bias piece strip and then pulling the gathering threads down.
