Lady in the House

OK, Lovelies, here's a close up of the Lady Grey Coat, constructed via the incredible Lady Grey Sew Along. Do you think it would have killed the photography gods to give me a few good shots of my face?!?

At any rate, in the interests of forestalling mutiny (y'all have been the most patient crowd ever), I present to you the finished product:

FYI, the collar isn't generally wonky, I just smushed it up by accident in this shot...

Is it me, or is all you can focus on here the stray hair stuck on the belt?

I pick stitched both sides of this freakin' collar - because first off I did the wrong side by accident?! Fortunately, you can't see my efforts on either side (cuz they're not particularly good).

This shot points out how I'm going to have to put a snap at the bottom of the right lapel, above my left hand, because the fabric is just too plentiful there. It needs to be stabilized against my chest.

This shot is specifically to show off my WendyB asterisk ring!

The bound button hole that actually worked well. There's another I don't intend to show you!

So there you go. Please say some good things - or some constructive ones - because this freakin' thing clocked in at 100 plus hours of labour (though still estimate another hour to go by the time I snap it an catch stitch the ribbon hem to the fashion fabric hem) and about $175.00.

To answer a popular question: Do I like it, now that it's done?

Well, that's not a fast answer. I do like it more than I did a couple of weeks ago (thank the sewing goddess) when I wanted to hurl it across the room. I suspect, some of my dislike was related to my tremendous sewing-fatigue. When I signed up for the sew along, it was my goal to learn. On that level, I achieved and then exceeded my every expectation. However, from the get-go, I didn't particularly jibe with the pattern. Don't get me wrong, I see it's appeal and I do think it's a lovely shape. But I felt it was an exaggerated silhouette, and I didn't know how that would work on me.

I haven't seen every sew-alonger, finished result as yet, but I will say that I think the coat looks particularly fabulous on women of stature. I think if you have lots of shape - curves and height and substance - the silhouette exaggeration is not overwhelming, but sassy and sexy.

I'm a smallish person with large breasts - of course, you've been living under a blog rock if you don't know that about me now :-) I think this coat is shapely on me, but still a bit much, dare I say vaguely clownish. The body feels too big. I can't move the buttons any farther over (i.e. to narrow it up) than I have without distorting the mid-line of the coat, so I'm relying on the belt and (eventually) a snap to give it more skim.

But never mind my error (arguably, I should have noted this in the muslin stage - though my canvas cotton didn't give any evidence of this challenge in the final garment). The lapels and collar are just large. I suspected they'd be large for me, even before I started. I minimized them somewhat, and still I think they're large for me.

Furthermore, the sew-in interfacing, in addition to the 8 panel princess seam shape, means that the peplum is extreme (more so than these shots indicate). I don't mind this, but I have hourglass proportions. If one were rather endowed of hips and bum, I'd carefully consider using fusible interfacing only, or of working with fabrics that are thinner and drapier than the boucle wool I used.

Would I make it again? No. (Though who needs two of any coat, in truth!)

Will I wear it? Damn straight. I'll wear it and I'll brag about it. I've nicknamed it the "Judy Jetson Jacket", in honour of the crazy peplum.

Would I recommend it? To a woman of a specific shape, or to someone who naturally loves its cut, definitely. Just make sure to follow the sew along, for tips, and to cut your lining longer than the instructions direct - or you'll be adding some ribbon to the bottom of it to extend the lining length.

So now I put it to you. Have you made this coat? If yes, what are your thoughts? If no, would you like to make it (or would you wear it if you found it in a store)?

A Little Bit of Info...

As mentioned, it's been a super acquisitive time in the K-Line household. Never mind paying off vacation and back-to-school expenses - I'm talking about the 4 new patterns, new Panache lingerie set, 4 new books, new bra-making supplies (over and above the Bra Components ones) and the freakin' Babylock Imagine serger (previously mentioned)!

Somehow my subconscious thought this top-of-the-line piece of machinery would actually know how to sew my preferred garments by osmosis. Alas, I'm on a whole new learning curve. Thank goodness I like learning. And curves.

I can't talk about everything in this post. My mind is going in so many circles I have whiplash. I'm also insanely busy at work. So I'm still on blog break... But somehow I am compelled to write, just a little.

One of the patterns I bought is this one:


The reason? I'm about to embark upon this sew along, hosted by Gertie:


(I know, am I high on drugs?! Like I don't have enough to do and learn without adding tailoring to the equation - and an advanced pattern?)

Look, I figure when 100 plus people are making the same thing, the wavelength is strong, my friends. I'm counting on success because there will be so much information flowing, it would be stupid not to get on the tailoring bandwagon via this experience.

Of course, there will be more on this as the details emerge...

But really I want to tell you about a few new sewing books that are BLOWING my mind:

Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket

This one is going to save my ass, not only in making the coat, but when I make this (another of the new patterns I've bought):

Vogue 8333, Petite Jacket, Claire Shaeffer

Then, continuing on the Claire Shaeffer riff, there's:

Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide

Ounce for ounce, this might be the most useful sewing book I've ever seen, because it explains absolutely everything about every fabric you could ever want to sew with. Don't know what it is on the bolt? Her burn test diagnostics will distinguish between microfibres - that's how detailed this thing is. Want to know how to take care of your garment? No worries. How about best way to sew and treat the fabric? She's got it covered.

My (rather inebriated) husband was SO fascinated by it that we read passages for 3 hours last night. And he doesn't even care about sewing. In his words: this is the book to get you through the next apocalypse.

And finally:

Claire Shaeffer, Couture Sewing Techniques

I know, yet another Shaeffer book. But the woman is amazing! This one is a fun peek in on the beautiful couture techniques developed and utilized by such designers as Dior and Balenciaga. You know, it's a little light reading :-)

Anyone read these? Are you doing the Gertie sew along? Anyone doing the Gertie sew along in Toronto, by any chance?? Thoughts and feelings about any of this? Do share, please.

Under Construction

Here's the latest thing that's driving me to distraction...

The photo is of my inside-out muslin (a prototype made of cheap cotton) and, gotta say, it's not going outrageously well right now. The pattern instructions are, um, brief - so I've been trawling the net for assistance from anyone who's made it before.

I'm gaining a small amount of traction, thanks hongkongshopper, but I've still got to figure out (without being instructed) how to face the yoked waistband. If anyone reading can advise, I'll take your help and give you kisses.

The broader issue is that it doesn't fit at all on me like it does on the pattern model (a drawing of all things!). Of course, it's not done and muslin doesn't drape like the fashion fabric. However, it seems I've cut it too large. Fortunately, I can widen the seam allowance to make smaller the finished product (hopefully this will work).

I'm all about accepting "standard body measurements" (used in sewing) and in not making things too small because I prefer the number on the (metaphoric) tag. But I think I may have gone overboard.

As you can see, there's no way around being a beginner, except to keep on. That's what I remind myself... Like hourly.

Top of Mind

Disclaimer: This new cowl top took a zillion hours and 2 full tries to to come together. Yes, I spent an extra 25 bucks on emergency cab fare to go spend another 15 bucks on fabric, resulting in my free pattern top costing approximately $60.00 when you factor in the tax.

Oh, and then there's the 20 hours of my life I'm never getting back - not to mention at least 5 hours of Scott's life.

Seriously, 3/4 of the way through this project, we started laughing compulsively because we couldn't fathom how any human being could do this for a living. It's SO FUCKING HARD - so unyieldingly brain-hurting every step of the way. I mean, we like to think we're pretty smart and we were jelly.

The pattern was free, and I think its lines are beautiful, so I guess I shouldn't complain about how mediocre the guide was. Note to reader: When instructions say "Skill required: Back neck facing", pay attention. And if you don't know what that is but how bad could it be, presume the answer is: pretty fucking bad.

The garment sports a shallow cowl, as you can see, and the fabric is gorgeous - a bitch to maneuver, but so solid and yet with give. All the shots below make it seem black, but it's a deep navy blue. I tried to overexpose a bit so that, despite the mid afternoon dusk, you can still make out some of the details. I've left the sleeves unfinished (knit doesn't fray and the lines were cut clean by a rotary blade) for a bit of interest.

(Oh, who am I kidding, I just didn't have it in me to hem them. Which takes nothing away from the fact that it works nonetheless.)





Please say nice things to keep me from completely giving up on this insanely challenging pursuit.

Built By Kristin*

*And Scott

If you know anything about sewing, this effort might seem juvenile. But consider: It represents our first attempt at a) reading and cutting a pattern b) cutting out fabric c) machine sewing d) understanding the mechanics of a machine and e) interpreting sewing terminology (another freakin' language).

And if you think I'm going to show you the inner seams you are high on drugs.

Love it - But then I'm Biased aka Sewing Puns Are Endless

FabricLand is the coolest place. Seriously. And sort of scary too.

Nicole and I decided to get there early last Saturday - our plans thwarted by a once-in-a-decade power out in the Hudson's Bay Centre. We arrived and the place was closed. Till noon.

While we waited we talked about sewing books and other stuff and even checked out Holt's recently raised "holiday display". Yes, Holt Renfrew had its Xmas shit out in full form on Halloween day:



It's entirely whack, I realize.

Brief aside: You really should check it out because the yummies (candy, tea, chocolate, coffee etc.) are entirely beautiful and special. The irritating SA stopped me from taking photos because "it's against the store's policy". I guess so is free publicity. Whatevs.

But back to FabricLand: There used to be one on every corner. Now there is but one downtown location. I guess, in light of this, it shouldn't surprise me that it was packed to the gills (esp given the power out inconvenience) but I was shocked to find so many shoppers! And a good third of them were men?! (Really, I didn't imagine anyone sewed anymore, much less men.) Hideously, the power problem meant the store was literally 30 degrees celsius. It was torture with our winter coats and all the crap we were amassing as we browsed. Alas, we perservered.

I'll cut to the chase, in case fabric shopping doesn't thrill you: We found a really helpful SA who spent 2 hours with us giving us pointers on everything from suitable patterns to how to iron on interfacing. She was terrific. And I got this discount card (20 bucks) that instantly saved me 3x that amount. And I bought a lot of stuff.

I realize that it's not within everyone's means to kit out all at once, and it's certainly not in everyone's philosophy. But I really believe that it's key to being ready to learn. If I a) don't know what I'm doing and b) haven't developed skill then I really need all the help I can get, no?

The beautiful thing is that, being so well-equipped from the excursion - I had all I required to get going on a pattern. I bought 2 - a simple a-line skirt (and denim with which to sew it) and a jersey shell (with a subdued peacock blue wool blend knit). I opted to start with the skirt, though both purported to be equally easy, because I didn't have any experience with jersey - or ANYTHING for that matter - and, as yet, I had not purchased a walking foot (a gadget to help with this kind of sewing in lieu of a serger).

The skirt, a New Look pattern, was called "Easy 1 Hour!". It took me 15. But who's counting. I'd never sewn a stitch before I started and it took me hours to figure out my machine and do testing and read stuff and look dumbfounded at the horrendously badly-written technical directions. And then there was the time required to feel my feelings. Of inadequacy.

At this point I have to give mega props to Scott who went through the entire adventure as a true partner. Every time I considered hurling the machine out the window, he suggested beating it with a hammer instead. :-) Seriously, he figured out all the crazy instructions and the machine and made half of the finished product.

This process hasn't been easy, per se, but it's been so interesting and exciting I can get with the confusion. In fact, having made one skirt, I decided to start on another immediately after. Yes, the week of a huge work project-deadline, I opted to spend a night measuring and cutting a skirt for M. I want to give it to her for Xmas. The pattern is similar (from the same packet) but a diff model (in the tiniest size). Don't even get me started on pattern sizing. You know why Marilyn Monroe was a size 12 in 1960 - because that's what a freakin' size 4 is now. I've heard this countless times, but only now do I fully understand it.

Question: I could write a post or 2 about the "best way" (i.e. my way!) to buy things to support your new sewing habit. But maybe this is less than interesting to y'all who have no intention of ever taking up sewing. Let me know. That could grate like sandpaper on a disengaged audience. Thoughts?

Homemade Pate Feuilletee Palmiers (All the taste, None of the Look - Yet)*

Let's focus on the beautiful story here: Young girl goes to pastry shop, eats palmiers, has life-changing food experience. As the girl grows, she searches out palmiers in other cities (Paris, New York, Montreal etc). Her love of the delicate, flaky, home made puff pastry (aka pate feuilletee) persists. Sometimes though, to be honest, she finds the bakery product inferior. Too tough. Not enough caramelization.

Girl reads lots of foodie books (she hates that word, btw) and feels that making homemade puff pastry seems insanely challenging. She avoids it for precisely 39 years. Whereupon she reads an amazing post at Canelle et Vanille (she can't link to it specifically because when you compare those photos to hers it will be too painful for her ego). It inspires her the way only gorgeous photos can. Plus, she has really bad PMS and any chance of a pound of butter in something one can eat in one sitting is wholly irresistible. She starts by using store bought stuff and, happily - counter intuitively, the finished product is lovely and professional. She takes no photos because the speed with which she consumes it is legendary. She feels like an impostor, using store bought crap to make beautiful pastry. She gets bold, culls 6 different recipes from 6 different chef-like books and blogs, and gets to work. 8 hours later, she produces these from scratch:

Yes, my friends, that girl is me.

OK, I can tell you exactly where I went wrong. It wasn't in the making of the dough - which BTW was much easier than I expected if just as time consuming. It was in the final roll out. If you'd like to talk about the ins and outs of pastry making, feel free to email because - seriously - I can get with that. You could also check out my 8000 tweets on this topic. Satisfying reading!

The thing is, when you make your own pate, it's much more expansive (with an "a") than the frozen, pre-made kind. It's also much less happy to roll out right after it's gone through an extensive, day long, roll and turn process. I think it would have been better to let it sit in the fridge overnight and done the baking a day later. Another possibility is that I just didn't roll it as carefully, given it's elastic / spring back texture, as I should have.

Oh, and then I overcooked it - just by moments, but that was enough to cause near disaster. Again, the store bought stuff cooks at a much higher temp before browning. Must be the vegetable oil vs. butter composition.

It is ABSOLUTELY delish though. Though entirely hideous, I think it's up there with the tastiest puff pastry I've ever had. Of course, this might be because I inhaled it, as fresh as could be, right out of the oven. Or because I'm very invested. Then again, I might just have a future as a pastry chef :-) OK, let me work on it.

PS: I started with a small volume of dough because I had no idea how it was going to go. In future, I will definitely make 3 times this amount. Because, if I'm going to spend all day rolling butter between a galette, I want enough to freeze it for later.

PPS: For a good tutorial on making the dough, check out Joe Pastry. This guy really knows what he's doing!

*My apologies to all French people. Seriously, I gotta figure out how to add the accents into my French words...

In Which We Display Our Awesome DIY Skill...

Oooh, that title sucked you in, yes? The DIY in question is the recovering of my dining room chairs. Brief history:

• They were first purchased, with matching table in 2000.
• 2 of the 6 chairs have arms (they're the fancy ones).
• I do love the wood - and the modern but traditional feeling of the set, but the bland, cream seat covers were in really bad shape and they were soooooo 2000.
• My goal was to spend no money. (I realize that this goal, while laudable, was stupid. And I'm firmly against figuring out how much it would have cost to outsource the job, because if it isn't $1000.00, I'm going to feel like it would have been a good deal.)

It is technically inaccurate for me to suggest that I am displaying my own skill. This is more about showing the ripe, luscious fruits of team work. Because all of the expertise, such as it was, came from my friend Nicole (frequent blog presence) who is a) so detail oriented it's insane and b) taking actual sewing courses. Very good features in a DIY partner, might I add.

Just so we're clear, that I too have certain talents, the fabric choice was mine (it's no great departure, I realize) and I was the one who intimated it couldn't possibly be that hard to reupholster 6 chair seats. I mean, what's better than saving money while being creative and getting together with a friend all to improve the beauty of your home and gain blog fodder?

Note to reader: Do not try this at home. Just don't. However much it costs to outsource reupholstery to professionals with hydraulic staple guns and ergonomic workspace, call it a bargain. (FYI, this is analagous to my frequent and sage advice - as a woman who just barely survived a home birth - to take the freakin' drugs.) Of course, if you are a princess of home handiness - much like if you are an earth mother with a cervix that just loves to efface easily - then, by all means ignore me.

Now, I'm going to walk you through this process but this is NOT a tutorial. If you want one of those, go to Apartment Therapy or one of the 8 zillion posts that will give you the step-by-step. And, though very helpful, when you trust them with the chairs on which you eat your dinner, note that they will not advise you about the mysterious (and complicated) technique for folding the new fabric around the corners so that they are a) beautiful/tight and b) thin enough so you can rescrew the seat cover down on the chair frame.

Yes, I know this because we had to redo 4 of the 6 chairs. Largely using our imagination.

Also, please note that while I didn't love the process, I value it for having taught me new things and for giving me an opportunity to work incredibly functionally with someone else who shares my work style (something that rarely happens with me and home projects). Also, the final result is entirely, 100% excellent. So it's hard for me to be hateful of the experience. I'm just trying to give you the real story so that when your neck freezes up and you can't move your arms for 2 day, you won't come back to this blog suggesting I made it seem like puppies and flowers.

Here's the original product (one of the fancy chairs with the arms). I know, it's far too bland to be my chair:

First, we removed the seats from the frame:

Then we made a paper pattern of the seat which provided for 3 inches of extra folding fabric on each side... Yes, for the notetakers, that is zebra pattern:

Next we took the pattern and laid it on the fabric. We used the floor as a set square. The most key thing was to make sure the predominant stripe would lie perfectly centred and move towards the front of the chair:

Here's a closeup of the fabric with the sewing chalk lines. That's how we traced the pattern prior to cutting the fabric to the appropriate size...

The part whose difficulty you can't possibly appreciate, unless you've done this for yourself, is the staple and folding part. This took approximately 40 minutes per chair. Hundreds of staples were sacrificed in the making of this seat cover...

Closeup of the re-done corners. See how the fabric pulls diagonally from the corner towards the centre of the chair? (Email me if you ever decide to do this. I can explain in detail.):

And voila - pretty final product:


The cost:
Fabric - $100.00
Staple gun - $60.00
Staples - $5.00
Scotchguard - $15.00
Time: 4 people hours to get the fabric / 16 people hours to do the work = 20 hours

What do you think??

Courage

It's a hideous day here - damp, cool, raining like a banshee. One of the fringe benefits of recording my every thought in this blog for the last couple of years is that I've come to understand how fully my mood depends on sunshine. This is more than slightly unfortunate given my geographic location.

At any rate, we've just returned from dropping M off at the school bus. She's on her way to camp!

I've spent much of the last decade acting as educator (along with nurturer, protector, disciplinarian, conscience, nag), so it's a table turner what M has taught me today. This little 9 year old just got on a bus with a whole bunch of kids she's never met to go an hour and a half away from home (and keep in mind she gets so carsick that Gravol and bags play a part in every road trip) to see a new location she can barely imagine with no hope of return for 2 weeks. She's never been away from us before (save sleep overs). She's never been to camp. She's such an urban kid that cows and silos are the stuff of movies where spiders talk to pigs and eventually come to an untimely demise.

Talk about defining the spirit of adventure. Every person who's ever undertaken a great risk for a great gain learned that skill through early experience. I'm so hopeful that my baby will be rewarded by some fabulous memories for her courageous leap.

(Now on with the debauchery and dining out!)

Giving You the Smokey Eye

OK, I meant to show you some "real pictures" of my NYE forays into the world of makeup, but my husband is horrendously sick and was not up to being my photog last night. Turns out, my father got - and still has - this really, really terrible bug and then my mother got it and now Scott has it and it's actually rather scary. I've never seen my husband like this... (Update: He just advised that he believes it is the flu. Flu is serious, you know.) It's like 2008 had to get in one last dig.

Of course, if you know me and you know anything about my legendary germ-phobia, you might imagine I'd be paralyzed with fear right now. I mean, I am forcing my child to put on hand-sanitizer (organic lavender, thank you) every 10 minutes and no one is allowed to touch knobs of any sort, but I'm holding it together. I'm sure you're very relieved for me :-) What a strange holiday it's been.

But I can see this post is going to be like an episode of the Simpson's, starting out on one topic and meandering to 12 others before the denouement.

For starters, meet the smokey eye:


My hands really are that huge, in case you were wondering.

Let me say that it took me 15 minutes to put on the eyes - it was my third time ever, the other two having occurred in the last 10 days. Theretofore, I had only ever worn mascara, when I can be bothered, which is either all the time or never. I actually think I have talent. Just putting on liquid eyeliner is hardcore. When I revealed my look to my friend, Sandra, with whom I was spending the evening outside of the zone of sickness (yes, I left a sick person at home. But you have to understand it was free babysitting on NYE!), her first question was: Why didn't you do the bottom lid?

Um, I didn't know you're supposed to do the bottom lid. I skip over the makeup part in fashion mags.

So she advised that you need to put shadow on the bottom too - and mascara?!? - and she lent me her Dior palette, which I would ordinarily never share but I'd had a glass of wine and I was feeling bad ass. And I updated the bottom lid and I looked smokier!

Update: Sandra called me this morning to advise that she's got an eye infection in both eyes. Seriously. And I don't know if I gave it to her. But so far I'm good. Could 2009 be the year I dodge the flu and makeup-sharing induced eye inflammation???

I told you this post was going to be all over the map.

The punchline is about how I came by the makeup. Well, peeps, I'm an influencer. As I'm sure you know, this means I've been contacted by a third-party agency to "try out and speak about" a particular product. In this case, the product is L'Oreal Paris Double Extension Beauty Tubes Mascara. BTW, I am under no obligation to talk about it. And, should I decide to talk, I can say whatever I like.

I've decided to talk. Influentially. But I think I should save it for the next email. Cuz if I were you, still reading this, I'd probably need to make dinner by now.

What I Wore

OK, no one is ever going to accuse this of being the most flattering photo, but I tried to do one of Sal's scarf tying techniques and something went somewhat amiss. I've been told sometimes I don't follow instruction so well :-) Sal: I will try harder tomorrow.

PS: Sal's taking her act on the road. Check out her new column at Capessa...

Spring Cleaning

I've decided to implement some fantastic things I learned at a social networking conference yesterday while taking advantage of the fact that my husband and daughter are out for a day trip in the suburbs. But man, it doesn't leave a lot of time to blog...

This morning, I had a great vintage shopping experience involving a whole outfit - shoes to belt to dress - for a hundred bucks. And the shoes are designer. You will certainly hear about it - and see photos - as soon as I organize my google reader and figure out del.iciou.us and Twitter.

I know y'all don't need work sponsored conferences to stay up on the tech, y'all being the modern generation. But do cut me some slack, pls: As you may know I spend all my free time shopping :-)