Pirates of the Caribbean: Shift Dress Complete

The first gown of the Halloween season is done! Here is a photo of my version of the shift that Elizabeth wears while stranded on the island with Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. I was pretty proud of those sewn eyelets, but the reality is they would have been a pain for whoever ended up wearing the dress. They were slightly too small for the cord I was using, they didn't allow for the lacing to move well, and I worried about whether the new owner would be able to remove them for washing the gown. So, I ended up installing metal eyelets after all--they will make the costume better overall, and the new owner happier overall, so that took precedence over movie accuracy.

And while we're talking about eyelets, I have put in a plug here for another eBayer, Faire Lady Designs (http://stores.ebay.com/FAIRE-LADY-DESIGNS). I bought a HomePro LR grommet setter from her, and it's a dream! I can't believe that I used those plier things to set eyelets before. This machine sets them so beautifully! And if you're looking for high quality eyelets and grommets, there's just no comparison--after buying some grommets from her and comparing the quality, I'll never buy the cheapie ones that you find on JoAnn's notions wall ever again. She ships fast (and doesn't overcharge you for it) and is great to work with. So if you're a costumer that does any kind of corset work, one of these machines and good quality grommets are a must--and her prices are the best I've found.

So the lacing's in (the ends of the laces are also finished--gotta love heat shrink tubing!) and this one is ready to go. It's a size 14 in sewing patterns, which means it will fit about a 36 inch bustline (keep in mind that's not the same as your bra size). As usual, I serged the bottom of this costume but will leave the final hemming to its owner so it fits her perfectly--I made it extra long to accomodate someone who may be quite tall. So here's the finished dress, with the Aztec medallion necklace that it will be eBayed with. If you'd like to be notified when this one is put up for auction, just let me know at dintarmawen@gmail.com.