Gracie's Christmas Dress [Refashion]

Last year I poured my heart and soul into a special glittery Snowflake Dress for Grace's first Christmas.

Pretty Baby last Christmas :)

As I'd hoped, it did still fit this year. Unfortunately, the proportions were just funny. The high yoke with the super full skirt underneath looked too "infant" for my walking, talking little girl. But I'm mad in love with this fabric and concept - I'm not one to let it go to waste, especially 2 days before Christmas when my fabric budget is empty and the stash only holds cotton and a couple scraps from last year.

This year. Fits - but doesn't look good

So what's a good seamstress to do? Why, fussy cut a new bodice and replace it, of course! There was just enough satin fabric to pull this off. I literally had nothing worth keeping left - the last scraps went into the trash can. The sleeves are cut against the grain, but it's not enough to notice. I had to lose a couple inches of skirt at the waist due to the previous scalloped front, but it's still plenty long enough (maybe even for next year? A 3 year dress!)

Singing in the Christmas program

The bodice is the back-button shirt pattern with short sleeves taken from Heirloom Sewing for Jack and Jill by Martha Pullen. I was pleased that the "short" sleeves are elbow length - I prefer this look. I used bias cut strips of the cream from the underskirt to bind the sleeves and neckline. Since I only had the 2 buttons from the original bodice, I used those as decoration on the front and hid black snaps in the placket on the back. This is the original skirt which, after trimming off the scallops and arm holes, is just a big rectangle gathered on.
 

 My only disappointment is that in my haste to finish, I only used my pinking shears on the seams. Apparantly that isn't a good solution for satin - it frayed out and part of the waist seem has pulled separate at this point. Thankfully that happened right as we were packing into the car for home on Christmas eve, so she got through both church services without her dress falling apart. I have a couple scraps of satin bias left, and of course tons of cotton, so my plan is to go back after New Year's and encase the seams in bias. That should keep it sturdy - right? I'm pretty new to this whole satin thing. Cotton is definitely my friend.

Removing the stickers the big kids were to stand on

Oh! Can you see her giant hair flower? It's scrap organza from the skirt. I melted it over a candle. Way too much fun. Directions are here for my pyro friends with small girls. Or big girls - I made one for myself too so we matched :D

Family Picture Dress

 It's that time of year - family pictures! There is a reason I only try to get us all in the same place at the same time with coordinating outfits once a year. I seriously think I'm going to have my husband swap faces around using his editing software. In every picture, at least one person is grimacing, has their eyes closed, or is looking completely the wrong way. But! Gracie looks cute in a new dress!

Nice and long - this will fit forever!

 I drafted this jumper myself off of one from her closet. The only thing I changed was making it all around larger and longer so it will fit for a very long time. There is a yoked bodice that ends half-way down the armholes, then the skirt is a simple rectangle gathered onto that yoke, with scoops cut to complete the armholes. A ruffle at the bottom adds some fluff and weight to keep the dress down.

Giant pink buttons make me smile

I've had my eye on this cut of corduroy for a couple years, but I knew it was too juvenile to use for myself. Tada! It has now found a purpose in dressing my small princess. It's hard to see, but the flowers are actually tiny pink buttons. I'm planning on making a big hair flower to match with a large pink button center.

Oh... and in case you were wondering, this is the winner. Really.

The best of over 100 terrible pictures

My little snowflake :)

All the sudden I'm giving my sewing machine a much-needed work out :) Next up: A snowflake dress/pinafore for Little Miss to wear all winter! Forgive the terrible pictures, my model was (again) not in the mood to have her photo taken. One of these days...

  

I splurged a little on Black Friday. And by a little, I mean an awful lot. We were at Joann Fabrics over 2hr and walked out with a grand bag full of goodies. And then, I came home and indulged myself with a couple patterns I've had my eyes on for quite a while from the beautiful Lily Bird Studio. They're the perfect blend of classic and modern styling. Most patterns have a generous range of sizes and full photograph tutorials.

This particular pattern is called the "Birthday Party" dress. If you can't see in the pictures, there's an empire waistline just below the armholes where the skirt is ruffled on at about 2:1, then there is another hem ruffle again at 2:1. It's awfully fluffy by the end! Plus the shoulder ruffles, of course. And - believe it or not - I made absolutely no adaptations to the pattern other than cutting all one fabric instead of a combination of prints. Oh, and switching the buttons to snaps because button holes hate me. There are belt loops on the sides, but I haven't made a belt yet and we'll just see if I ever get around to it. It's pretty darling as is!

I am mad in love with this pattern. Which is good - it goes from sizes 1-8 so I'll be able to use it forever. Maybe not forever, but a good long while, at least until she outgrows the style :)

PS, I can't decide if it's a dress or a pinafore - technically a dress, but since it's snowflakes and short sleeves, it will never be worn without something underneath... historical fashionistas, can you explain the difference?

Pretty in Plaid

I've had a sewing block for a long time because Gracie has So. Many. Clothes. We've been blessed with multiple trash bags of hand-me-downs in good condition, and one of her grandmother's love languages is so clearly gifts - most frequently shown with cute outfits for Miss to wear. I'm ashamed to count the number of garments I've washed, folded, and then had sit there never worn until she outgrew them. But! We're finally towards the end of the bags, and she is in need of winter clothing. Also, now that her growth is slowing down, it's worth putting the energy into sewing darling little garments for her.

If you haven't found Pinterest... don't. It's a problem. I found it. I've been collecting girl's sewing tutorials for months now... and it's time to break them out! Inspiration is easy to find:

Oliver + S Jump rope dress

Libby Top tutorial, Craftiness is Not Optional

I've combined the two ideas above, plus a handful of other ideas I've seen in person and online, to create this cutie:

I followed the Libby Top tutorial almost exactly, incorporating my own styling while following the directions. I'm not a huge fan of white bibs, which is why I used the same fabric as the body of the dress except set on bias. The pockets are on bias, too, just for fun :) They're gathered like on the Oliver + S dress. And since I thought buttons would detract from the lines to compete with the pink bias trim, I opted for three little snaps hand sewn into the overlap on the bodice center front.

And a ruffle to make it dress length :) And pink bias trim from a scrap in my stash. It makes me so happy.

What? You don't wear butterfly wings when you play?

This is the first time I've drafted a sleeve from scratch. It frightened me to no end, but I think they turned out ok. And Gracie smiled, right before flinging herself down the slide. Little Miss was NOT interested in being photographed today so I'm afraid the pictures don't do it justice. It's *really* cute and I'm *really* going to the Joann's doorbuster sale Black Friday morning to buy more fabric to whip up a couple more.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Apron Inspiration

My mom wasn't an apron mom. We had a couple in the closet but they came out VERY rarely. She's just a clean baker :) Aprons were a thing of mystery; I saw them at the church suppers, and in old movies and photographs. But they were unnecessary to my way of life.

But I soon came to realize that I, on the other hand, am not a clean baker. And I seriously lack in the household motivation department.

It was a few years ago, when I was really starting to set up my own home, that I stumbled upon a blog that I've come back to time and time again: The Hillbilly Housewife. At the time, my main interest was the low-budget, real food meals. But one day, I found an article that changed the way I think entitled Apron Evangelism. She talks about how her boys were being insubordinate (of course, this was before Grace was even imagined) and how she just couldn't get motivated to clean her house. Until she made an apron:

Boy howdy, was I in for a surprise. In the mirror I saw a vision of the homemaker I have always strived to become staring back at me. Her cheery face glistened in the sunshine. Her hair tied up neatly in bun looked authoritative, and compassionate all at the same time. The apron covered several figure flaws and accentuated the fertile curves of the woman I saw in the mirror. This woman had purpose. She had status. She had clout. I stood there, contemplating the wonder of the homemaker that shone through my image in the mirror. “This is who I want to be” I told myself. “This is the Keeper of the home, with a capital ‘K’. ”

Well, then. If a simple piece of fabric could make me actually WANT to clean my house, it's worth a shot. And so began my love affair with aprons. Since then I've made a drawer full and even bought a book on the subject. But it's been a while. My "best" apron (functionality wise, at least) is really starting to show some wear. Time for a new one!

So... full skirt, deep pockets, pretty print... comfy, functionally, and best of all - upcycled! This material was a shower curtain that I loved. When we redid the bathroom, though, we went to one of those curved "hotel" rods that requires 2 curtains to get good coverage. This one was retired to my craft storage in wait for the perfect use. I have just enough to make an apron for Gracie that matches! Of course, she's too little now, but... someday... I've been having all kinds of crazy matching/coordinating outfit plans lately. Which is probably a really bad idea but kind of fun to think about all the same.

Blue birds with brown flowers. It makes me smile

Are you an apron lover? I don't think I'll ever go back!

Whooo loves you?

It's been one of those months. Just one thing after another after another. Some good, some bad, plently of neutral that still saps your energy. I don't want to get into it all, but know this: everyone's ok or very soon shall be :)

Last week I snuck off after bedtime to do a little sewing therapy for myself :) Sometimes when everything seems too much, disappearing to just create something is more soothing than I can put words to. Since we had a few specific needs around here - primarily in the diapering area - I was sewing "practical" rather than "just for fun," but who can complain when your fabric loves you! Aren't these owls just stinking cute?! I'm in love right back at them!


Simple pail liner



This is a specialty fabric called PUL. It's waterproof and a favorite in the cloth diaper community. It's one layer of polyester knit fuzed with a layer of laminiate. Any cloth diapers you buy on the market are most likely PUL. I've started collecting cuts for my big endeavor (lol, eventually). Most have to be bought online - but! - Joanns started selling a line right before Christmas! Every Joann's now has a few bolts of darling PUL available to home sewers, plus the accessories you need to make cloth diapers.



One size pocket diaper



Which, I of course, just had to make :) I'm trying out different patterns - this one is completely different than the one I showed off before. I like it better; it fits Grace better.



Pocket inner - look how professional!



I upgraded my inner, too, adding a strip of PUL at the waist to prevent wicking and changing to a better style pocket openning. And I used a soft fuzzy white microsuede this time - my favorite innner from the diapers I've purchased, so of course I want to use it on the ones I'm making.

Sewing therapy helps. So does leaving Grace with Grandma and disappearing overnight. One foot in front of the other. I miss you, blog buddies! May all be well in your world.

Black Jersey Travel Dress

Last weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to travel with about 20 other ladies from my Bible study group here in Springfield up to Milwaukee, WI, to attend a Bible conference. As we had to be in "business casual" dress for the weekend, I found the perfect excuse to make a new travel dress!
I've had this black jersey yardage around since I got pregnant. The original plan had been to make a maternity dress, but between work and volunteering and pregnancy and trying to keep the house running, not much sewing happened. So this lovely, heavy double-knit has been sitting around just itching for the perfect project to strike my fancy. I think I found it :) I've used this pattern before (but I can never remember the number) but out of a woven. It carries a little differently in the jersey but is still a good fit. I might add some elastic at the waist to help keep it from shifting around - that was my only complaint. I only finished this 10 days ago, and I've already found 3 occasions to wear it! Once at the conference (all day, a very long day, and it wore so beautifully), once to church, and once to a wedding (which is what these pictures are from). I will DEFINATELY be using this pattern again, with a few tweaks.
Oh, and this is #2 (Febuary) for my 12 in 2012 challenge. It's only March and I'm a month behind. Story of my life! I'm going to bust out some quick cotton sundresses to get back on track :)

Of Diapers and Dust Specks

Instead of sewing what I should be sewing - putting the hem and finishing hand work touches on my black knit dress - I went for double instant gratification. For those of you who don't know, I cloth diaper Gracie. And, I'm addicted. There's something so ridiculously cute about modern cloth diapers. They've got fun prints, soft fabrics, and who can resist the absolutely fluffy bums that result!? It was only a matter of time before my two loves (diapers and sewing) crash-course collided into each other. So when a local friend told me she had some extra waterproof fabric on hand (that her husband told her to get rid of), I was glad to assist her by getting it off her hands (while MY husband rolled his eyes at my quickly-growing pile). One naptime plus one cartoon later, I had THIS!

I've been eyeing this fabric since before Christmas. Who can resist the Ooga Boogas, also refered to by my charming, obliging husband, as the "Dust speck diaper." They may look like dust bunnies but they're just too cute!

I have some definite changes to make to the pattern - check out that super fluff Miss Grace is strutting! I couldn't put pants over this diaper if I tried. Not that I'd want to... then you couldn't see the dust specks! But for a free pattern (Sprout Snap, if anyone is interested) and 2 hours of time, I'm rather pleased :) Off to tweak the pattern then make more, at the benefit of my several cloth diapering friends with little girlies! After all, I have a whole yard of this stuff to use up!

Little Accomplishments

We're having one of those weeks.

Have you ever heard the term "frenemy"? It means someone who is both a friend and an enemy at the same time. We have a new "frenemy" in our house... Bubbles the Fish.

I'm not sure who decided that medical equipment should be cute, but Bubbles is the name of the face mask for our new nebulizer. Now that's something I never expected to have to purchase! But alas, last week Grace came down very hard with a respiratory infection and we were perscribed an inhaled medication. Do you know how hard it is to hold down a not-still-ever 9 month old for the 10 minutes it takes to inhale her medication, 4-5 times a day? We both nap afterwards. But I do have to say, Bubbles works. It may be sheer terror to use, but it works. She's bouncing back to health nicely.

My little blanket hoarder. She's got three underneath there. I bought multiples when I was expecting, and thankfully, she hasn't noticed yet that the other sides are different colors. And also, how come every baby sleeps with their tush up in the air? It makes for cute pictures, but it doesn't look comfy to me!

Due to the necessary chaos that comes with having a sicky, not much has gotten done. I've got a knit dress all fit and cut, ready to whip together. I got new waterproof fabric for a stack of cloth diapers. Still working away at Grace's baby quilt and my overly ambitious knit afghan that was supposed to be a wedding present in November. I did break through the overwhelming to-do list to finally dress Grace's dolly, though! The poor thing came with a diaper that didn't fit and a dress that was both ugly and ill-fitting. She's appropriately attired now in soft cotton flannel :)

Some weeks, it's the little things that count :)

12 in 2012

Last year I sewed a lot... but it was all for other people. Mostly Gracie :) And, why not?! She's little and cute... nothing had to be perfect... and if it didn't work, I hadn't invested too much time or money into anything because everything was little. She got dresses, a coat, cloth diapers; more things than she actually needed. I got a little carried away.

But for me? I never got around to sewing (except for a pair of PJ pants, but those hardly count).

So this year, I'm setting a challenge: I will sew 12 garments to cycle into my every day wardrobe during the year 2012. That is about one per month. I've got a couple bigger projects planned that may take longer than a month, so there will be some short ones mixed in, too. I'm excited by this challenge - I'm tired of my two pairs of ill-fitting "mom jeans" and a miscellaneous blend of other garments that don't fit well OR coordinate with anything else. In addition to my sewing projects, I'll be throwing out a lot of old things and making a couple of carefully chosen purchases so that hopefully by this time next year, dressing is both more fun and easier, with better results.

And, for almost the first time, I'm actually going to sew clothes out of the material they're supposed to be made from instead of quilter's cotton. Sigh. No wonder I don't like wearing the things I've made!

Here's my plan getting started:

• January: Black and white blazer from Simplicity 2652


• February: Black knit wrap dress (From a pattern I used a few years ago)


• March: Tunic blouse (Simplicity 2147) and pencil skirt


• April: 1940s swing dress from Sense and Sensibility (I'm so excited to do this one!)

And that's all I've got so far. Come summer I want to make some light weight every day dresses with full skirts so I can still get down on the floor with Grace. I like skirts and dresses, even rolling around on the floor: they tend to stay in place better than jeans, especially when I stand up again. I'm more comfy :)

I want to invite you to challenge yourself, too! What will you be sewing in 2012? I'd love to hear your plans for the year!

Grace's Snowflake Christmas Dress

I have waited what seems like forever to make a baby Christmas dress. Here's to a life-goal being completed!
I dreamed of a gown with so much fluff my sweet girl would be hard to hold. I wanted something that was a lovely blend of classic and modern; suitable for Christmas but beyond that into the rest of the winter - who wants to spend hours on a dress that will only be worn once?


I found Simplicity 2392, a reprint from the 1950s. So cute! And it was exactly what I was looking for :) I chose black satin for the top. The skirt is one layer of cream satin and one layer of sheer organza printed with glitter snowflakes. Can you see them?

Although I followed the back of the envelope in regards to sizing, the dress is huge (as you can probably tell). The only alteration I made was to lengthen the sleeves to be long - it is winter after all! As big as it is, I have high hopes this will fit NEXT Christmas as well. I know I can't put her in it on a regular Sunday because she'll destroy it in the nursery. Again, maybe when she's walking next year it will be more practical.

But practical or not, I most certainly had fun making it!

Action Shots: Grace's Coat

Because baby clothes are way cuter on the baby instead of the table :D

It's almost a pefect fit. Just a little loose, so it should fit throughout the cold season. This is a toddler size 1/2. LOL, I didn't even know they made a size 1/2!

You can see how the fullness hits just above her bum, and it only buttons to her waist. As wiggly as she is nowadays, this keeps everything nicely out of the way. And as Gillian suggested, I did skip the bow - there's enough going against me already trying to get this kid in a carseat. I don't need anything extra!

Fixing the Baby-Blanket-Bundle Problem [Gracie's New Coat]

Did you notice that it's finally November? Meaning it's finally cold, wet, and all around unpleasant outside here in the midwest? Oh yes. I envy the moms of tiny babies this time of year... throw a blanket or one of those special covers over a carseat and you're good to go. I get a little green-eyed at moms of toddlers and older, too... they can find coats, and their kids will maybe possibly be a little helpful getting the coat on. Not so here...

Our regular solution: Bundle and run.

Well, Miss Wiggles hasn't been tolerating being wrapped up in a blanket lately. She wants her hands free to touch and wave at absolutely everything. Since coats for babies are WAY too expensive for the amount of wear you get out of them (even the ones at Walmart were $45!), I graciously accepted a hand-me-down... in size 2T.

Her hands don't even come to the elbows. Not going to work (and her pants are long enough, Shaune just struggles holding her and keeping her clothes in place).

What a blessing grand-opening sales at Joann's are! Remember how I said I went a little crazy? I bought fabric, patterns, notions, and everything for (at last count) 10 different projects. The first, out of necessity, was a coat that FITS for Grace. I think it turned out darling!

I was trying to model this darling coat I found at BabyGap - cute, but more than I wanted to pay. So with some fleece and a basic coat pattern to work from, I got sketching and sewing. One night's worth of work, a little bit of learning when I realized my machine's buttonholess won't do fleece (I did my first by hand!), and some lovely PBS history house episodes on Youtube later, my daughter will no longer freeze. Just in time for relatives over the holiday :) Grand total: $6, all new materials.

The original has a bow on the back, but I haven't decided yet if I should do one. Thoughts?

May your Thanksgiving be warm and cheery!

A Long-Awaited Adventure!

Oh Boy! At long last, a Joann's worth shopping at has opened in my neighborhood. Well, it's about 5 miles away, right next to where Shaune works and I attend Bible study. Danger zone, in other words.
Today was tehir grand opening. You can BET I was there, shopping list in tow! I'm so excited. I finally got my sewing machine fixed last weekend (I broke it over a year ago when I was sewing too fast on a civil war petticoat) and have been working on organizing my fabric and pattern stash. I've been collecting lists of projects that I want/need to accomplish between now and Christmas. I scoured the add and selected coupons, then braved the excitement.
It was worse than "Black Friday." LOL.
Have you ever seen several hundred women... crafters... who have been deprived of a decent fabric store for quite a while? Our joann's stopped taking shipments in late August; Hobby Lobby and Hancock are just so junky (these ones at least). Mass pandemonium ensued when we ladies were finally able to get our fix.
I was there for an hour and a half. Just guess how many people got fabric cut during that time (you have to take a ticket, then a screen shows what number is currently being served). You'll never guess. 162! 162 women gathered around the poor cutters like a cage in the zoo. 162 carts stacked high with bolts of fabric. 162 husbands somewhere wringing their hands at the anticipated credit card bill!
But alas, I patiently waited my turn... got my 6 cuts of fabric and more patterns than I'm going to admit to you (they were only $1 each)... gathered MY tired husband (who insisted on coming along, but later regretted it)... and cleared out, having quite satisfied my fabric addiction for a long time... or until my Mom comes up to do it again on Sunday!

Happy Weekend!

Mama Gets Busy

Gracie learned to nap (sort of)! And started going to bed like a sweet baby, at 7pm! Everyone knows what that means... time to sew! And knit! And cook! It's fabulous. The best part is she's happier overall too because she's well rested.

That's my good girl :) Never too early to love books.

So I've been enjoying getting back to a little me-time, which allows me to be creative. I've missed making things. The first thing I made for Gracie was this sweet denim jumper, made from scraps of my absolute favorite skirt. I very loosely based it off a dress we got as a gift, but it's mostly pattern-less. I hate onesies on their own and pants look silly over cloth diapers, so we got a lot of wear out of this... in the 3 weeks it fit. My chunker is already in 9 MONTH CLOTHING! She's 14.5 lb or more by now... at 11 weeks.

Speaking of cloth diapering, the most annoying thing in our first couple weeks was that we only had disposable wipes. I'm not even going to tell you how many went through the wash, and how much of a pain it is to pull disintegrated wipe bits out of velcro. But I don't have to worry about that anymore! Voila, 2-sided flannel wipes. One side has polka dots... the other says "I love Mommy" and "I love Daddy." A much needed reminder when she's screaming through a diaper change! I made 30 for less than $5 AND got to learn my new-to-me serger. Good times.

Number 3 has to be my favorite project so far. I adore this little dress! I made it out of scraps, too, from my second favorite skirt. I wrote about it 2 years ago. Yes... Gracie and I totally matched the first time she wore this to church. I wish I'd gotten a picture, except maybe not: my skirt has been well worn over 2 years, while the scraps were stored and are still bright and crisp. Oh well. I LOVE this pattern (Simplicity 4243), but next time I have to make the neck bigger. Remember that 14.5lb baby? Yeah... she's already outgrown this one, too.

Maybe one of these days she'll slow down enough to wear a special dress more than once! In the meantime, I have a good friend due in about 3 weeks, so all these tinies are taking a vacation to the other side of town. Then back to me, for next time! It's so good to be back to "normal."

Blueberry's Butterfly Quilt

As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to make my little one a quilt. One that was bright and cuddly, perfect for a little person to play on and sleep under. Then we found out we were having a girl :) I would have been completely thrilled with a boy -- seriously! -- but there's just something fun about sewing for a little girl. I spent far longer than I should have at Joanne's Fabrics searching for the *perfect* fabric to make the *perfect* baby quilt for my little girl. And alas! Here is is:

Double Irish Chain is one of my all-time favorite blocks (I like the triple even more, but that was too many seams to match this time). I've always wanted to make it. So I did! God bless the women who came up with the rotary cutter and the strip-piecing method of quilting... without you, this would never have happened. I don't have the patience to match that many little squares. Goodness! Every time I make a quilt (and I ONLY strip piece), I get more and more respect for those ladies who pieced each individual little piece of the horribly complex quilts I've seen from the past. They're amazing.

I couldn't resist this butterfly print. It's lovely. The back is daisies and I'm going to applique a butterfly out of scraps along with the quilt label. The binding will be the royal blue like the inner border (and the tiniest butterflies! Can you see them?). And I have *just enough* of the butterfly print left over to make a little dress to bring Blueberry home in.

Here's where I'm struggling: As much as I LOOOOOVE to piece quilt tops (strip piece!), I actually dread the quilting part. I don't know why. I've only actually finished quilting one quilt. I've started a couple others and lost interest. I'm hoping that this time I have enough motivation -- and a deadline! -- to keep me going. I've decided to hand quilt since I've been having to spend a lot of time with my feet up. I hate being idle. This'll keep my hands busy.

I need your ideas. How should I go about quilting this? I was just going to straight stitch down the center of the pink chain and "in the ditch" along the borders, but I need SOMETHING for in the big butterfly squares. I'm at a total loss. And, I should probably do SOMETHING inside the big green border, too. Any thoughts? I'd appreciate it -- I'm clueless!

Trim Dilemma -- HELP!

I've nearly completed the bodice on my sheer dress. It's turning out really pretty. This is probably the first project I've entirely draped, instead of drafted. I love drafting... draping is quite a change of pace. I haven't decided yet if I like it... it kind of makes me nervous to throw a piece of fabric up on my dress form, add a couple pins, and start cutting away. It's been working alright so far -- I brought the back up a little too far, but it'll be easily fixable with a waist band.

Now, my dilemma... I am scared to death of trim. If you haven't noticed, all of my gowns are fairly simple. No lace... maybe a pintuck here or there... no ruffles. I'm frightened of trimming things wrong, so I just never trim at all. That leaves a very unfinished sort of look -- especially on this glamourous sheer gown! SO! I need your opinion!

This is the original:

I think I've already decided the elbow flounces are too much for me. Too out of my comfort zone. But I definately want to do that band around the yoke -- there's a matching one at about mid-calf on the skirt, too, which I'd love to include. Here's where I need your opinion. Lace trim? Or self-fabric flounces?

The trim has the benefit of being finished and just needing stitched on -- a valid concernt 2 days before the event. And the blue ribbon running through it matches PERFECTLY. However, it's polyester, and more attention getting. A self-fabric flounce matches with the original better... and requires much more work. I couldn't find a tiny edging lace like the original uses when I was at the store yesterday, so I'd have to hem. But it may be worth it... I'm at a total loss and am going to put the bodice aside until I get some feedback! The agony of wanting to be right!

So, PLEASE! Which do you prefer? Fabric, or lace?!