M was twirling delightedly in front of the mirror then she suddenly looked serious and said "mum, i hate to say this, but you do know the party's on saturday..?" :D

the basic dress is done, save a spot of finishing inside. i have yet to baste on the sleeves, draft/cut/baste the collar, or do anything about the apron or promised petticoat. the growth tucks are doing a great job of stiffening the hem of the skirt so it sticks out, but given how excited she was when i gave her my petticoat to try, it would be the perfect finishing touch.

my money's on me getting as far as the apron, but i think the petticoat may be a long time coming and if i don't get the collar done for saturday i'll skip it altogether. never say die, though, i'm still aiming to do the whole kaboodle. watch this space...