Meet the Muslin

I'm sure it won't shock you to learn that the methodical aspect of sewing, while it suits my inner organizer, really kills my "get it done NOW and celebrate with some booze" buzz. Honestly, I don't know how those ladies in the '50s (and '40s and '30s and so on) did it. I can't imagine listening to my radio shows while working on a machine with one straight stitch that might not even have backtacked. It would have turned me into a nutcase in no time flat. (I mean, those gals also had fluffy mashed potatoes and rack of lamb to prepare by 7 pm?! Who has time for this shit?)

And you know they were making all the newest things. Even the wives of young business tycoons-in-the-making probably couldn't have afforded the New Look (9-plus yards of fabric per tea dress?!) straight from France. Ready-to-wear wasn't the standard yet so, if you wanted something elegant and you couldn't afford a great tailor, it was on you and the Singer.

Imagine if you had lived early in the last century and really couldn't get with sewing. I mean, imagine you'd been trying since the age of 5 and you still couldn't wrap your brain around it. Imagine looking kind of like crap all the time as a result. Sort of makes you grateful for Club Monaco, no?

Anyway, enough of the tangent. Here I am, a modern lady, working with a vintage-feel Vogue pattern. It's a Vogue Very Easy (don't have a heart attack), and the experience has a retro feel. I've read that you don't fuck around with Vogue. The lazy sewist doesn't have a nice time with this line - the instructions are laborious, when they aren't lacking in detail (so I've heard). So far, I'm feeling alright, but then I've only got to the muslin:




Yeah, I made a whole fake garment, or 80 per cent so far anyway. Like I don't have about 30,000 other things to sew in my cache at the moment. I'm not big on the muslins (they're so painful prelude to a kiss) but a girl's gotta do what she's gotta do in order to assess fit. Of course, what I do to fix bad fit is more or less beyond me... (Everyone will tell you not to panic. There are books.)

I already have a hand-made high-waisted pencil skirt in the 3-season navy wool that I will use to make this final garment. Wouldn't it be great if they worked together like a suit? Wouldn't it be awesome if I actually made a suit? That would so impress the crap out of me.

Meh...

I've hit that moment of seasonal ennui that precludes me from doing anything lightly. I wander around in a bit of a stupor: the light says spring, the dull weather disagrees. It's all I can do to haul ass to the flower shop to spend a fortune on tulips which still aren't in season.

Although, sometimes when I look at them, I feel that bubbling solstice energy for a moment or two...

Update / Fabulous turn of events: Today is awesomely beautiful here and it's going to be warm (9 degrees C). I've got to go buy some more flowers and soak up the sun! With sunblock on, of course.

Not so hard to thrill me, yes?

Special Secret Fun Thing Coming Up

I have a great trick up my sleeve, peeps. And all you have to do is wait a few days to find out more.

Hint: It may benefit each and every one of you.

Other Hint: It involves shopping.

Have I said too much?? (Monday you can tell me if you guessed.)

Springtime on a Dress

Thanks to Erin at A Dress A Day, I have had the pleasure of imagining myself walking the sun-dappled streets of Rome (on my way to an inexplicably delicious meal including copious amounts of affordable, yet superior, red wine) in this gorgeous vintage number, available here:

In addition to being crepe, appliqued and navy - 3 of my fave attributes! - it's also a size large, which is rare (as we know) with the vintage finds.

If the measurements accord, then snap it up. It's a beautiful piece of living history.

The Stash

This arrived in the mail for me yesterday:

It's my latest batch of lingerie loot from Bra-Maker's Supply and ELingeriA (that's where the pattern is from). Note: I ordered one more bra pattern from ELingeriA, on back order, and the Kwik Sew 2100 undies pattern.

You can only assume I'm a total idiot for having spent a hideous amount of money - and, trust me, it was hideous, on supplies to make a garment which I've tried (and failed) at twice. At this rate, it would be cheaper to go and buy a Freya set and call it a day.

But I will not be daunted.

Nothing like having adequate supplies and patterns to give it another go when the inspiration strikes.

PS: Note that I have set myself a "no frittering challenge" which started Jan. 1 and will end April 1. The ban, such as it is, does not include sewing supplies, natch, or I would have had to break it 63 times so far. Truthfully, I don't really see the need to start clothing shopping even after April. I mean, I have as many clothes as I can bring myself to make - which is quite a few. Sewing goddess willing, pretty soon I'll be liberated even from the need to purchase sexy, structural bras and undies.

I spend as much as or (frankly, probably) more on fabric, patterns and notions as I ever did on RTW items. Of course, as I improve at sewing and figure out how to minimize the costs, the price of sewing will decrease substantively. Not the labour, mind you, but the cost of fixed variables. The day you go out and buy $150.00 on fabric(?!) (i.e. clothing before it becomes clothing) is really a trip. It's an extremely hopeful action.

Or crazy. :-)

Stair Styling

Look, this pattern works absolutely everywhere!

Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy

What's your take? Would you ever wallpaper your stair risers? In zebra?

Spring, where are you?

Let's try to find spring spirit - aka some energy - with this masterpiece of clean lines:

Photo courtesy of desiretoinspire.net

Oh, shock!, it appears to be a gorgeous urban garden...

Photo courtesy of desiretoinspire.net

Seems I'm very interested in dining tables right now.

How are you managing the end of winter, northern hemi friends?