Winterfest is coming

I've cut out and started stitching my blue wool shortgown, using the Past Patterns Lewis & Clark era bodice. I've made the pattern twice before, and am tweaking it a little as I've lost weight.  Hopefully I've guestimated it right, but as it's working class, not upper or middle it's less important to reach an ideal.
I literally cut the gown to fit the cloth. I laid out the bodice & sleeves as economically as possible and then cut what was left into 2 strips. 1 width wasn't going to be wide enough for the skirt section as I'm not slender. 2 widths may be too much, but it leaves a bit for patches or mending.

The part I'm not looking forward to is hemming it. shudder!  If I had some linen tape I'd face the hem with that to save my sanity, otherwise I may do a rolled hem and be done.  For my brain, any hand sewing is too much. All those who love it, my brain doesn't comprehend. Intellectually I get that there must be them just as there must be people who like waking up early, but I don't "feel" it.

Some pix of the short gown.  hand sewing = fashion layer neckline, skirt hem, 3 edges (whimpers).  If it wasn't for re-enacting I could just get away with blatting away on the wondrous mechanical beast.  I need to hem the neck edge before I can attach the shoulder strap (at front anyway). I just belted around the lining. Ain't nobody seeing that.


The diamond back is definitely there! and I kinda like that it's the first thing I stitch. Could do the handsewing of the neck edge hem, but pffft. Diamond!


And here's a shoulder strap pinned to the assembled front/back with linings.


I'm suspecting quite strongly that I won't get it done for Saturday, ie tomorrow. But I'll take it with me and hand sew as much as I need so it's fit to wear on Sunday. It's definitely winter here.  Winterfest is likely to be very soggy.