My commission, a blue dress

I have been lucky enough to have a commission. I am doing it for a friend, therefore, My pricing has been..friendly. I already posted on here the success of the stays made for said commission. Now onto the dress. She chose a blue on off-white printed flowers that looks like it was block printed. Here is the sleeve being hand sewed.

I draped the muslin on her, as I wanted it to be as accurate as possible. Considering that patterns need to be altered even if they are true to size, I figured I would just drape. I had never draped before and I did about three alterations to the draft, as well as draping and pinning the sleeves and have come up with a bodice that fits correctly, and covers the tattoos she has, with the exception of the sleeves, but I will be getting around that hump. Here is the back. I chose to do drawstrings, and we will be replacing the current ties with stronger ribbon as well as a third in the middle.

We are going for 1810 to 1812, since she will be playing a middle class widow in a reenactment in celebration of the anniversary of the War of 1812, and so as is, this dress is too plain. It's hard to know what someone of middle class would wear, especially since its America, which could be behind the Paris Fashions a couple of years, you wore what you could make unless you had the means to have a mantua maker. I have looked and looked and it just comes down to what the customers taste is. The one thing that HAS to be done is detachable sleeves. The question is...how should it attach? to the dress? or the chemise? I have decided that attaching to the underclothes will be easier to detach for evening activities. here is the sleeve

I have to make a couple executive decisions on the decoration and I think it will work out well. Can I just say tho, that the yellow silk is hard to work with. The sleeves had to be taken apart and a gusset put in...and the french seams worked well, but took forever as i had to do them by hand.

The yellow silk will adorn the bottom of the skirt and the neckline and a sash around the empire waist. More photos will follow. I should have it done later today. Who knows. I hope so, because I have another commission that needs to be done SOON! Respectfully yours, Mrs. Azevedo, Modiste and a Baronets Daughter.