First of all WOW, and Oh Dear God!!!

Just reading that made me hurt.

*Give Neena small curtsey*

So I trotted off to look at my pattern books, but almost everything is too late, I have this great book from amazon 'Authentic Victorian Dressmaking Techniques' but I think most of it might still be a little late for you, about twenty years or so. And although a lot of the advice is good, the chances are you know it already.

Are you doing this for fun?

The only advice I can give you is to keep playing with your mock up.
If anyone (and they don't often, I get a litle evil) asks me to make a dress I tend to use up every sheet in the house first pissing about, but then of course when you get the real fabric it hangs differently, stretches or not whatever might be the case, but at least you have a good idea about shapes.

Is the dress for you?
At least if it is you can keep trying bits on.

Lots and lots of good, good luck.
When it's done, I want to see major amounts of pictures.