Finsihing the Sleeves

The sleeves were two of the things I had completed and decorated first. But I also knew that there would need to be more decoration put over top of them, based on the design. When I was fabric shopping I had found a very elaborate piece of lace that came in both pink and black. When I bought it, it was for the soul purpose of using on the sleeves. It was one of the most expensive cuts I bought so I didn't use it anywhere else so that I knew I would have enough. On the black bodice it worked so well, although as lace it had some irregularities that was a little difficult to work around but it turned out really well.

Without Sleeve Decoration

With Additional Sleeve Decoration

However when I went to apply the pink lace I wasn't entirely pleased with how it looked. Unfortunately it was a slightly different shade of pink to the laser cut decoration on the front and it stood out. It didn't look awful but I tried to see if there was another better looking option before I applied the lace. I decided my best course of action might be to use the same pink velvet for the sleeve. But I didn't know what to mount it on. When looking at my bodice I felt like maybe something a little lighter would tie it in with the skirt more, so I used a silk organza, one I had used a lot of in the skirt. Here is the comparison:

To me it is clear that the sleeve on the left is more successful. It has more movement and relates perfectly to the pink in the bodice. I also think the lightness of the organza also ties everything together neatly. Although it is slightly different to how I originally pictured it I think it is a great design decision.

Bodice with Finished Sleeves