Summer Sewing: A Jacket and Another Dress

I've got good news and less good news and I'm going to take the initiative to lead with the less good cuz why not get it over with? I remade the Hepworth dress, that which served as the backbone of the Appalachian milkmaid bridesmaid dress (made for my sister last year). I did it as I said I would, in contrasting fabric skirt/bodice, the bodice being stretch Japanese dot cotton and the skirt a great rayon denim in dark blue.

Let me say, my workmanship is stellar. Honestly, I could wear this thing inside out and it would look good. I used beautiful fabric, the properties of which I predicted fairly well. I took my time (well, the fucking pattern gave me a run for my money and it took 10 hours over 2 days). Point is, I had nowhere I had to be so it was, ahem, relaxing. When something didn't work, I ripped it back and fixed it (Lord, the tedium). There are about 8000 steps to making this thing and it doesn't even have sleeves?!

In the end, I put it on my dress form to photo for y'all and I was SO underwhelmed, I couldn't stand it. Admittedly, it looks like shit on the dress form (the trajectory of my bust is not adequately duplicated, by it, to show off the perfectly fitted princess-seamed bodice and you know I'm not taking a picture of myself this week). But seriously, it's the most boring dress on the planet. Last time I made this (over 63 muslins and a version for my sister), I thought it was the materials and colour schemes that brought out its conservative side. But honestly, it looks almost as boring in my sassy black dot / dark denim combo and I don't know how it's possible. There's just something weak about the Hepworth. Don't misunderstand - it's well-drafted; it's a good pattern if you like "suburban traditional". For me, alas, there's no edge.

One other thing: The fit is good. I mean, I could certainly continue to refine it if I made it again (though why would I?). I managed to produce a woven dress (yeah, with 10 per cent stretch woven fabric, but still) that fits pretty darned well. Isn't that my holy grail (sort of)? But I've just spent 4 paragraphs talking about something I can't be bothered to show you. So let's call this the not so good news.

The good news is that I also made the StyleArc Harper Jacket for the third time and I've really got the hang of it this time. Literally. (I gave away the other two versions to people who liked them as I wasn't convinced about a) the fit on me or b) the finishing techniques.)

One jacket 3 ways!

Open - which is actually very pretty and drapey on a real person. It doesn't grip on me like it does on the fabric dress form. Trust me, it's flattering.

Half-closed - I've opted to use the interior closure to show you this version (but you could do it either way)

Fully closed - this version has an interior eye (attached to the seam allowance on the right shoulder) and an exterior one (that pokes through the seam allowance on the left side). Both hooks are on the edges of the tails of the cardigan jacket.

 In case you want to see how the interior closure works, here you go:

The eye is attached to the seam allowance and the hook reaches up to hang from it. If you finish the seams, you can stitch the hooks directly onto the seam allowances at the bodice hem (where it meets the centre front) and you won't need to bother with the fabric patch (designed to rest over the top of the finished area to conceal the stitched closure). At least I think that's what it's supposed to do.

Note that I can't confirm this is how it's supposed to work. I find StyleArc instructions practically useless and their photos inevitably confuse me but I think this is what they were getting at.

The back:

A lot of peeps have indicated that they don't like the jacket closed for themselves but I find it very flattering and practical. I made this for Irish weather (which is apparently 16 degrees and partially cloudy, pretty well constantly).

Unfortunately you can't see how pretty the fabric is in real life. I got it for 10 bucks a metre (half price) at FabricLand. (It was one of the pieces I had to buy twice because I confused it for another material I needed 0.5 a metre of and, if I hadn't bought more, I'd only have had half a metre of it to work with). It's got great drape but it's really structured. And the colour is rich. This garment looks expensive, which is just how I like 'em.

On the topic of fit. I've written about this jacket on a number of occasions. Here you can see how it was originally way too long and big, but on the second go round (scroll down to the stripey version contained within the same post), I was starting to get a sense of the right proportions for me. The Harper fits VERY large, out of the envelope. You should size down and then be prepared to make it smaller still if you're slim in the arms or narrow in the shoulders.

My latest version is more compact still. I made the arms and shoulders a little bit narrower, shortened the height of the armscye and finished all the seams (turned them under), which shortened the overall length by another half inch. The pattern instructs that you leave all of the seams unfinished. Look, I like a raw seam as much as the next girl, but the outcome of NO finishing is that it looks, well, unfinished, like something you made using a beginner pattern. If you're new to sewing (though not too new) - this is a great pattern as written. Otherwise, it's easy enough to turn under a seam. I agree that the seams are long (and it's hard to keep the topstitching entirely consistent) but it really clarifies what finishing actually does for a garment. There's not much to look at on this jacket so every detail counts.

At any rate, while this isn't my most gorgeous stitching (it's adequate, but not perfect), the fit and fabric are great, which is all anyone's going to care about. I'm glad I gave this one another go.

Thoughts or feelings? Have you made either of these garments? Do you like the Harper?

Summer Crafting: Getting Somewhere with the Hepworth Dress

OK, this dress (as matronly as I EVER intend to wear) is not perfect by a long-shot, but it is, well, wearable. Moreover, the sloper, on the basis of what this muslin has taught me, is now in excellent shape:

No, I couldn't take a good photo to save my life the other day, but I've learned that people don't really care. They just like live-action shots, apparently, gorgeous or no. Alas, vanity is such a bitch.

Intriguingly, this version was almost lawn fodder. So close to being someone else's dress because, the v-neck was too long (aka puffing away from my chest and not sitting flat). Happily, some friends referred to the fix, shown below as, ahem, the deflated upper bust adjustment:

I invested precisely 10 minutes in making the alteration and sewing in 2 pin tucks on either side, where the gape was. I didn't remove the facing (just sewed it together with the outside fabric). I didn't use a ruler (I couldn't be bothered), I didn't make the stitching lovely (you can't see it). But, man, if it didn't fix the problem on the fly!

Everyone was all: I love that neck detail!

Note: I altered the pattern, for next time, to shorten the neck (closed dart) but to deepen the V, which is really still too high. This is an area where depth and length are very different things, though they seem one and the same.

Another problem, in this version of the dress, has been corrected on my newly-minted, hard-won (and sort of accidental) woven princess seam sloper, for the next go round:

See how the back bodice is still to long at the base of the armpit? It produces that little bubble (which is nowhere near the disaster, which occurred at the waistline, in the last version). I've fixed that by taking another dart wedge from the centre back seam tapering to nothing at the armscye. In total, I've removed 3 inches from the back length of this pattern and lengthened the front by 1.5 inches. Yes, peeps, that gives me a level waistline.

Finalement, Andrea (who took these pics at our recent photo shoot) and Sara were on about the fun photos, which was code for doing crazy things with facial expressions or arms. Given that this is the first time I've shaved my armpits in about 6 months, I'm all for showing them off: 

What do I think of this pattern?

• I have nothing but positive feedback about it, despite the challenges I faced, given my shape and proportions. It's beautifully drafted. It's highly wearable. I believe it will work on many bodies. It can be dressed up or down.

• Having said that, I do find this dress on the conservative side for me. It really does suit my sister's style more than mine - particularly if made in a conservative fabric (like this rayon challis). Next go, I will shorten it by an inch or two, and I intend to use contrasting fabrics for the bodice and skirt. I'm thinking of making it in more structured (vs drapey) wovens or stretch wovens.

• This pattern is drafted for a woven fabric and, despite the fact that I like to believe this challis has 10% stretch (to make me feel like fitting will be easier), I've been advised that I'm high on drugs. All the stretch in it is mechanical and it's minimal. 

• When next I use a stretch woven for the bodice, I'll need to confirm that it has good recovery and minimal stretch. I do have a swiss dot in black that fits that description and I think it would go well with a rayon "denim" skirt (the likes of which I used to make this wardrobe staple).

• While it's not overly flattering in the photos, it is a very lovely dress in action. I got lots of compliments on it - on fabric, cut and fit. I'll wear it, if only for the novelty, until I have a better fitting version.

So, thoughts or feelings? Would you make this dress? Do you like the fabric? Do you find it ridiculously conservative? Let's talk!

What Do You Call A Non-Success (When You're Not Interested in Failure)?

Work with me. This version of the Hepworth Dress is not, forgive the phrasing, worth getting hepped over.

What's worse is that the error is all mine. I altered the back bodice (removing the wedge from the centre back, tapering to nothing at side seams), and somehow thought it would be a good idea to add the length back in below the (smushed out) dart. I don't know why. I've never done it before.

So, amazingly, this thing fits pretty perfectly on me in the front bodice (sadly, not on the stupid waste-of-money dress form):

I modified the neckline to a high V. The dress, as drafted, has a very high jewel neckline.

The reason it's so gapey at the underarms parallel with the bust is that the bust on the dress form is not as projectile as mine. It's not exactly observable, but the bust needs more padding (than the dress form's) in order to fit at the side underarm.

Anyway, I'm not showing this to get praise. I will never wear this thing. My sister, if the other Hepworth fits, is about to inherit a second. Otherwise, it's lawn fodder.

Have a look at the back:

Yup, that's a dealbreaker.

Here's the thing - this (hopefully) will illustrate clearly the rationale behind my swayback adjustment as mitigator of the full bust adjustment:

• I need more length in the front bodice than the back. I actually added 1.5 inches to the front bodice and (when I redid the back alteration after this debac(k)le (ha!)) I removed 1.5 inches from the centre back length. That means that the centre front is 3 inches longer than the centre back. Of course, they come to the same length at the side seam or this alteration wouldn't work. BTW, the waist seam lies completely horizontal to the floor, so it works.

• My breasts project immediately and are very close set. My body, esp. my upper back, is narrow. They offset each other, to some extent - making my fitting issues easier than they otherwise would be. Mind you, if I were wider, the standard FBA (which doesn't work for me) would likely work much better. So maybe it's no easier...  Let's say it is a useful proportion for me in the absence of the one that suits the standard FBA.

• When I "FBA" princess seamed garments (only necessary with a woven or stretch woven bodice) I have to add a ton of extra width on the side front piece at a very specific area that quickly tapers to nothing above and below. I add practically no width to the front because my breasts are close-set and I don't want the move the seam off the apex. (Talk about nightmare easing. Trust me people, there are few who can ease a bust line seam like me.) What I do to offset the width on the side front is to is add a ton of length to the centre front. That way the seam that connects the side front to the front piece (the princess seam) is of equivalent length on both pieces. You've got to walk the seams to confirm...

I don't have a sway back at all. Years of yoga have beat that out of me (not that it was my shape tendency in the first place). But I do have a much longer front torso than back torso because my boobs are the inverse of the swayback - and then some! Sure, if I were wide or long waisted, I don't think this technique would work. But I'm not.

So, if you are short of waist, have proportionately close-set large breasts of immediate projection and you're narrow, consider this alteration and do let me know if it works for you!

But let's talk about the dress...

Now, onto Hepworth number 3. I've already cut out the fabric* and I'll sew it up next weekend. If it doesn't fit, after I threaten suicide, I imagine I'll make it again (though I really hope it doesn't come to that). I'm actually very close. And I'm simply not prepared to wear anything that doesn't fit almost perfectly. (Perfection is an illusion and I'm not into magic tricks.)

Now, do I like the dress? I don't know. It's borderline "suburban soccer mom", though (as drafted) it fits (sexily) 2 inches above my knee and I'm short. (BTW, if you are even of moderate height or long of leg - or you don't like showing off your legs - add at least 2 inches to the bottom...) Also, the V neck and boobs do downplay the suburban soccer element.

Here's the thing: I think I can work it. I don't know that this pattern does much to obviate the twee, but I can make it in another fabric once I perfect the fit. In a stiff fabric, this could look kind of Jetson. In a lace overlay, it could look very elegant. As is, with a slim cardigan and the right shoes it looks quite urban. Alas, I don't wear those shoes much these days, but that's not the point.

So here's to non-success that isn't failure!

Thoughts?

* Here's where having bought 3 yards of that rayon challis is going to stand me in good stead. Sorry to be utterly wasteful, but it's the cost of producing garments that fit well. I did have to cut out the back facing in another fabric (and I could care less, truthfully, it's the fun of handmade to be quirky). Anyway, I bought 3 yards of challis to muslin the Rosie top and I've used every square inch on the Hepworth. Hmmm...

Summer Crafting: The High-Level Plan

I could probably craft from now till October and not finish all of my imaginary projects. Alas, one's got to make choices - even with the leisure activities - so I've put together a list of sewing and knitting to take me from here till summer's end. 

Sewing

Hepworth Dress (Sinbad and Sailor):  

OK, this one was NOT on my list until last weekend. But, having made Allison's dress, and finding that the fit was unintentionally close to my dimensions, I cannot resist giving it a go. It helps that I've got a fabric I believe will work very well. I'm going to lead with this garment since I've just tackled a version and it's fresh in my memory. Also, it's very useful for summer weather. With a cropped cardigan, it's perfect for work or weekends.

Fabric:

Rayon Challis with 10% crosswise stretch from Fabrications Online

Rosie Top (StyleArc): 

Well, you know this one's been in play for quite a while. I ran out of fabric, then I had to make the "bridesmaid dress" (if we can call it that)... But it's time to return to this "reverse princess seam" top. (Note how the lines are convex rather than concave to the centre front of the top.)

I'm at the next muslin moment but, if this top fails again, I may well put it away for the summer. I'm not interested in arguing with my creative endeavours. Five muslins is enough, IMO.

Fabric:

Silk Crepe with 15% crosswise stretch from Fabrications Online

Originally, my intention was to muslin use the rayon crepe (above), and I likely still will. However, my intended fabric is a beautiful silk crepe, reminiscent of the one gifted to me by S, my fitting friend. Be assured, I will not cut into this until I'm confident about the garment fit.

Rachel Comey Pants - V1323 (VoguePatterns): 

These are the pants I've been dared to make by Sara. In truth, I like them, so I'm game. Really, who doesn't like elastic waistbands when they're used intentionally, and as a design feature. My hope is that the fitting isn't too tricky given that I've done some work on crotch curves with other stretch woven pants patterns.

Fabric: 

Royal Blue Stretch Broadcloth with 50% crosswise stretch

This broadcloth has a lot of stretch, though it is a woven (so it's suitable for these pants). As it happens, I am not overly thrilled with the weight of the fabric, or the quality. But I think it will work well for pants that need a very light hand.

Leather Tote (Making Leather Bags Craftsy Course): 

Well, I've talked this one up a lot. Now I've just got to make the thing! All of my notions, materials and gizmos are amassed. I'm truly excited to use my new roller foot. It's like Lego!

Materials:

Read more about these materials here...

Leather Skirt (from TNT high-waisted pencil skirt V8640): 

I've decided to cut my teeth on leather (as it were) with the bag (above). But once that's done, my goal is to make a sexy leather skirt. What better pattern to use than my standard high-waisted pencil? No need to reinvent the wheel...

Materials:

Read more about this lambskin from King Textiles in the Garment District

This absurdly gorgeous leather has a LOT of give because it is very soft lambskin. I do intend to line the skirt (at least partially) but that adds another element of complexity.

And if there's time...
 

My bonus pattern is the compelling Nettie body suit, which is SO my scene:

I seem to be very into the electric blues, lately, because this is the (long-loved) stash fabric I would likely use:

Jewel Blue modal (really, it's more purple than blue...) from Fabric Mart (I think)

Knitting

Aisance Cardigan (Kristen Johnstone): 

As you know, I'm currently working on this cardigan, a pattern I hope to complete before the end of June. As such, I'm including it in the Summer Crafting category. I figure, it spans the gap between spring and summer - and it is a substantial project.

Yarn:  

Shibui Staccato in Caffeine

Karner Wrap (Americo Original Design Team): July will be a wildcard month for me, from a crafting perspective, due to some interesting adventures I'm not at liberty to discuss (yet). Nonetheless, I do hope to have this stockinette shawl to keep my hands busy. Apparently it takes a very long time since it uses 1000 yards of laceweight yarn... Really, the pattern is not exciting. Mind you, the yarn is spectacular…

Yarn: 

Americo Original Abrazos Lace in Blue Ink from the Americo store in TO (the only one)

I never realized what a hub of amazing knitting options Toronto happens to be. Really, when it comes to yarn and leather, we have it going on! Americo, a store I've gone into on a few occasions, has never called to me the way it did on a recent visit. In the past, textured fibers have been a turn-off - as has cotton (a prevalent fiber in Americo yarns).  But I've lived to regret saying never, craft-wise, on a variety of occasions. Let's call this one of them.

See that amazing texture built into the yarn? It creates a distressed, almost burnout effect. And the colour is special - moody grey with blue subnotes. As you know, cotton is my least favourite knitting material on the planet (other than linen), but somehow, this cotton/bamboo blend has a beautiful drape (without being limp). It also has a nice feel – it’s not stringy.

And if there's time...

I'm utterly intrigued by this (small) garment, even if it is lacework:

Die Cut Vest by Sara Morris from Knit.Wear (the only knitting mag consistently worth buying, IMO)

It calls for a linen. That's not happening. I hate linen. It's like knitting with kitchen string. So who knows what I'd use instead? 

The Proviso
 

Needless to say, I reserve the right to change my mind. I mean, it's my freakin' hobby. In fact, since first I envisioned this list (a month ago), I've added to it, moved stuff around and removed the outliers. And who can say? I may decide that I don't feel like working indoors if the weather actually one day goes summery. 

Today's questions: Do you make a list of summer crafting projects? If yes, do you stick to it? And, while I'm asking... What do you think of my chosen projects? Which of these is your fave? Let's talk!

The Reveal: Bridesmaid Revisited

Apparently, this will be another of the posts wherein I will allude to my summer crafting plans, only to sidestep with another topic.

Here's the (hideous) bridesmaid dress I made for Allison:

Sorry, but it didn't fit on my (useless, wide-shouldered dress-form)...

Thanks to the backlight you can see the following booboos:

• I was correcting dart placement on the fly, so the left skirt dart is slightly misaligned from the princess seam bodice. This is NOT noticeable at all when the dress is being worn. Man, though, that's rookie.

• I misread the instructions for inserting the invisible zipper - in my defense, I've never made a dress like this before - so I didn't insert the zipper under the facing. I thought it seemed weird to face the garment and then reveal the zipper. It was only on second perusal of the instructions, that I realized I'd misread. Alas, given that there was no time or material to fuck with, I was loath to pull out a zipper that had already been picked once out of the original dress. Instead, I catch stitched the zip to the facing for a flat, if less than professional, finish. It's not noticeable when worn, of course.

Other Interesting Features of this Project:

• I forestalled near disaster on cutting the skirt too short (for boring reasons). I didn't have enough fabric to recut the skirt pieces, so I created a faux-waistband (the element that screwed with dart placement). I actually think it gives the dress a bit more of a "bridesmaid" feel. Note: It's not my fault that the bride opted for "Appalachian milkmaid" fabric. There's only so much one can do with it.

• I love this pattern. I love it so much that I'm making this dress for myself, with slight alterations (see below) next weekend. It's beautifully drafted and simple. The instructions are terrific - especially if you read them in a focused fashion.

• In an irony, while I haven't yet been able to draft a princess-seam sloper with the zest all of my mental energies and numerous attempts - and given that my body is available for fitting?! - this dress fits me almost perfectly in the bust. The apex, perfect. Seam alignment, perfect. Adequate room (but not too much) - perfect.

• This is the fabric I'll use:

• It's a lovely rayon challis from Fabrications Online. It's got a bit of heft, fantastic drape and about 10 percent of crosswise stretch. I got three yards to muslin the Rosie as many times as required, but it's a very nice fabric to (likely) throw away and it would be perfect for this pattern.

• I've made the following Kristin-required changes to the pattern I originally altered for Allison (a size that grades from a 10 to a 12, with many mods, of course). For me:
• I made the upper bust slightly less full.
• I lowered the V neck by another inch. The original pattern calls for a high-jewel neck, which I like, but as I'd already altered the neck to suit my sister's preference, it's just as easy to stick with it.
• I raised the front armscye slightly and wedged out a bit of fabric - like a tiny dart, which then I closed.
• I increased the waist size by an inch.
• I kept the bodice and skirt length of the version photoed above, but I got rid of the 3" band. Instead, I added 1.5 inches to the bottom of the bodice and 1.5 inches to the top of the skirt.
• I removed a wedge of fabric from the lower back, tapering to nothing at the side-seams. I don't have a sway back, but I do that adjustment because it allows me keep length in the bodice (where I need it). It's like an inverse FBA, that allows me to be less extreme in my FBAs.

• Here's the deal, peeps: That bodice is drafted for a projected bust that isn't overly high. If you're flat and young, keep that in mind. If you're my age, happy day! I should say that the alteration I made for Allison (whose full bust is 36" - 2 inches smaller than mine - and it fits me nonetheless) was to increase the size of the side front piece both at the side seam and at the princess seam side. I also included a tiny bit of extra fabric on the front piece, at the bust apex, but the majority of my changes were on that side front piece. That's what moved the princess seam front and centre - something that's necessary when your boobs go straight out, not towards the sides. I went off-road with that side front piece, effectively it's a size 12 at the armscye, approximately the largest pattern size at the apex (that's a 16 I think), tapering to a size 10 at the bottom. However, it was a very easy fix because I graded between sizes using the available multi-size cut lines, something I rarely do. Of course, I also had to lengthen the front pieces to allow for curve below the bust apex.

• Truly, it is so easy to overdo an FBA. Less is more, especially if you are narrow and projected. The less you alter the front piece, the better. Let the side front piece pick up the slack. I also find it completely bizarre that I used someone else's measurements, not myself, to fit this dress. I think it's fair to say, my fitting skills have much developing to do :-)

In Which I Invoke Rolling Stones Lyrics as a Herald of Sewing Good Fortune

Have you ever sewn something fitted for someone whose body you did not have access to for fitting purposes?

That's where I find myself at the moment, about to cut into a precious small amount of irreplaceable (if hideous) fabric for that bridesmaid dress my sister needs.

To remind you, this is the pattern I've modified to suit her dimensions:

Here's the thing, I got ever conceivable measurement from my sister. Nipple to nipple span, check. Height of bust apex, check. Side seam to nipple, check. Width and length of everything, check.

But as we know, in sewing, the end is not merely the sum of mathy parts.

I haven't yet cracked the code to make a woven princess bodice for myself. It seems grandiose to imagine I'll be able to do it for someone else, in another country, even if that someone else has a bust measurement in the realm of the original pattern dimensions (concurrent with her upper bust size).

The thing about princess seams is that they have to fall in the right spot. If you're fairly straight, you won't diverge much from the pattern-drafter's original schematic. But when you have curves - and my sister, while not outrageously bust-curvy has an interesting array of shape considerations in the bodice due to a proportionately wide back - then you're best served by trying and altering (as many times as it takes). Guess who doesn't have that luxury?

Look, no point in having cut paralysis. This dress has to get made and go back to America asap. If it doesn't fit well, too bad. Allison already made the choice to trust my version* of this dress over the one she received from an Etsy dressmaker who made a dress style other than the one my sister ordered, with inappropriate lines (in light of the measurements the dressmaker had originally requested). Those measurements weren't suitable for an empire-waisted, gathered skirt, high v neck made of freakin' quilting cotton. And not even the good kind. You can only imagine how horrid that end result was, if I'm willing to a) sew for someone other than me who b) isn't on hand to fit and c) to use a fabric that offends my every sensibility. Note: I like quilting cotton just fine - for baby dresses and, um, quilts.

I'm not naive. Good will does not a fitted garment make. Even the kind of good will supported by numerous measurements reflected (sewing goddess willing, accurately) in an altered paper pattern. If this does not succeed, it will not be for lack of effort on my part. I've spent hours debating the numbers, purchased a pattern, modified the pattern, resuscitated half of the pre-existing dress by painstakingly picking out seams. I haven't even started making the thing, which as we know, with my pace, is bound to take the full weekend. Mind you, if it doesn't succeed, effort won't matter. It'll still be a half-assed looking dress. And let's face it, it's not starting on a high note.

So, I'm hoping for a bit of providence. I would be so grateful for a gentle breeze of sewing kismet.

As my classic rock partners in craft so often remind me: You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.

*This is sister-lingo for: she begged me relentlessly until I couldn't possibly say no without being the worst human being on the planet.

Dress Up

Sometimes, when you need a simple, armscye-princess seam, sleeveless A-line dress pattern, you get lucky:

New Sinbad and Sailor Hepworth Dress

I thought I was going to have to hack this from a variety of patterns, for the bridesmaid dress I'm remaking for my sister, given that I never make woven dresses so I have no relevant patterns lying around. The wedding she's going to is on June 7 and I've got to finish this and get it back to North Carolina in time. That means I have to send it back by May 15 at the latest. Don't have time to order a pattern, I thought (given that they all take 2 weeks to arrive, somehow). No pattern stores remain downtown anymore.

But here we have a nice pdf, all ready to go. I do hope that this process goes smoothly. I've only got one shot to get it right...