Weekend at K.Line's

Somehow my posting vacation keeps being interrupted by, um, posting. So let's say I'm on half-time posting right now. I'm continually amazed by my motivation to write (even when taxed by everything else) and to communicate with y'all. Really, I miss you when I'm not posting, weird as that may sound. I mean, I can understand missing you when you're not posting - but when I'm not posting? Hmmm. Must be very attached to your comments :-)

I seem to be in a rather sewing-fixated phase - thank goodness based on the money I'm spending on this habit - but I feel a growing urge to show you some nice interiors and maybe a new Lingerie I Own piece. So don't give up in disgust if you are totally sick of K.Line the budding sewist.

Having said that, I'm about to embark on the Sewing Long Lost Weekend (or is that Lost Long Weekend?). As I said to my friend Jennifer, it's like a regular lost weekend but with more clothes rather than fewer!

On the list of items:

• Merkwaerdigh bra (This is a pattern I haven't tried. It seems fuller in the upper cup than the others, which is where I need the fabric. I may have to revise the sizing because this pattern is geared towards a larger range i.e. I'm on the cusp. But because I've been so disappointed with the other bras, and their lack of effectiveness with upper bust fullness, I'm going to give it a go.) Let's leave it to my kid to ask the tough questions i.e., Mummy, do you really think this one is going to work? I'm doing the upper cup in underlined lace (my new fancy products arrived and I've already fused the underlining to the lace), and the lower cups in indigo duoplex. None of the fabrics stretch (except the indigo powernet on the band), so fit perfection is the order of the day. I'd like to tell you I'm optimistic, but I strive for honesty on this blog...
  
  
• Pencil skirt from Vogue 8640. I've made the jacket and I love it. This skirt will be in a taupe herringbone (first time matching stripes) and a yellow lining. The pattern doesn't offer lining instructions so I'm going to make them up. I know, feel free to laugh perversely.
  
  
• Vogue 8413, retro-inspired dress in poly doubleknit. I'm going to make version B. I bought the fabric online very inexpensively. On receiving the goods, I can see why. If this thing turns out to be a muslin, it will most certainly irritate me from a time perspective, but I won't feel like I've sacrificed the world's most perfect fabric. I bought more doubleknit in the store this week - burnt orange poly blend - much nicer hand, and I'll use it for a second attempt / second garment (depending on how it goes). The dilemma with sewing stable knits (any knits) is that you can't use woven muslin to check it out for fit. You need to use another stable knit. Preferably one with similar properties because the drape is everything. I'm still debating the value of an FBA. I think there will be enough ease given the bias-cut bodice, to give the FBA a miss. I've done some measurements and I'm fairly sure. But built in ease (an element of fabric and pattern construction) is difficult to assess from a paper pattern.

The wild card additional sewing item: a Simplicity pattern I bought months ago for M. She's finally engaged with sewing and wants to make the v-neck, short sleeve, elastic waist top. I've told her she needs to trace the pattern today, including marking, for my review this eve. We'll see how that goes. We measured her last night and I was amazed to discover that she's a size 8, measure for measure. How odd to see someone actually conform exactly to the pattern numbers! Ah, kids.

I really hope she can keep her focus and work amicably with me to put this garment together. We tend to lock horns easily and her organizational skills are still under development. Given that I have so many personal objectives this weekend, I don't want to lose my patience.

In case you think this is an insane amount to accomplish in 4 days - it is, IMO - you should know that I've spent the last 2 weeks collecting the materials and tracing the patterns and cutting the muslins and the self-fabrics and considering the best methods of assembly based on pattern instruction and other sources. So my aim is to simply SEW on the weekend, not do all the lead up and prep which should, by then, be complete. Natch, sewing is largely unknowable to me, so it may be smooth sailing or a lot of high waves. We'll just have to wait and see.

That's me. Whachoo doin' this long weekend?