Almost there....

I left off just needing to sew the side seams to get the dress to the point where I can take it to class for a fitting tomorrow.  As I start pinning it together, I realize that I sewed ALL FOUR POCKET PIECES to the wrong side of the fabric.  More ripping ensued.  At least these are rather short seams, and the pocket fronts are made from lining fabric and it is much easier to get the point of the ripper under the stitch without snagging the fabric.  

Finally I get it all together, and try it on.  With a few strategically placed pins to hold it together, it looks really nice.  And it fits!  Sorry there's no picture, but I can't take one of myself -- at least not easily.  With the last bit of energy I have, I put the bands on the sleeves (I told you I altered that pattern -- cut it into pieces, in fact) and then sew the sides.  

On one of the sleeves, the edges of the green band didn't align, so I RIPPED THAT SEAM OUT ... again.  My real problem with all this ripping is that I'm running out of thread!  I shouldn't have spun such a nice, fat bobbin to begin with.  

All this ripping and fussing reminds me of the sewing advice that has been handed down from generation to generation.  Great Meme said, "Don't take the style out when you put the stitches in."  Mom told me, "I'll make you the deal my mother (Grandmom) made me: I will rip for you, but you have to sew it right."  And Meme was the one who showed me how to turn a point, use a pin to pick out the fabric from the right side, and then use the handle of the scissors to pound the point flat so that it was nice and sharp.  

Anyway, I don't have the oomph to set sleeves into the dress, and I'd probably make a mistake which would have to be ripped out tomorrow... so I'm going to bed!