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 :-)

Ties that Bind

Yesterday late afternoon, Sara and Andrea came by for an impromptu knitting-with-Rioja session in the back garden.

Yes, you read that correctly. We sat in the outside world. For 2 hours. And the sun was shining. And there was a vaguely green quality around us. And the wine was delicious. The snacks were gobbled heartily (always a good sign). So often, I am reminded that life is good. What's better than excellent conversation with friends, food, wine, sun (but shade to sit in) and occupied hands?

Well, there were gifts!

Andrea presented us with the most gorgeous knitting bags I've ever seen:

This one's mine - stupidly I didn't photograph Sara's...

The bags are plush with batting (to protect knitting) and big enough to hold a sweater - though somehow they are so compact.

And just to blow your freakin' mind, Andrea silk screened the fabric to create those gorgeous images. (And each bag was made with completely different silk screened art?!?!?)

I have to say, I've received many beautiful and wonderful gifts in my life, but this one has a special place in the pantheon. Not only is it utterly creative, perfectly-made, practical and lovely - but it was hand-crafted for me with forethought and kindness. This is something I'll use every day, and every time I use it I will feel the friendship with which it was made.

Honestly, I seem to have so many big-feeling reasons to cry these days...

I'll leave you on a more trivial note. The bridesmaid dress is coming along:

Isn't this a treat fabric for a 41-year old bridesmaid??

I did have a near disaster (for stupid reasons, too boring to discuss): I cut the skirt too short (from the original reclaimed skirt). I then realized I didn't have enough fabric to recut it. So I got imaginative and added a 3-inch strip to the waistline of all the skirt pieces. You'd think it would look horrible, but it's actually an interesting design feature - skirt darts notwithstanding.

I sense this thing is going to be too big in the bust for Allison - in an act of extreme irony, I may have nailed my own princess seam woven bodice while trying to make one for someone else... (It's unclear at this point, I used her measurements!!, so Allison - if you're reading - don't freak out. It would be a miracle if this thing fit you perfectly. I'm aiming for slightly too big over too small, however. Just so you don't look like a sausage...)

Furthermore, I love this pattern. It's so nicely drafted - and the instructions are excellent. It's not complex but the results are elegant (or they would be with a fantastic fabric).

That's my weekend so far...

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.

Spring Knitting: Aisance Cardigan

It would serve us well were I to put together a detailed post to tell you all about my spring and summer crafting plans. But that would take organization, and I'm more busy doing things than writing about them these days.

Needless to say, there will be sewing and knitting and this summer, my express goal is to learn new skills. The leather bag is one sewing project (techique: sewing with leather). Completion of the Rosie top (one that fits) is another (technique: fitting woven bodice sloper).

As it happens, I am overwhelmed with creative ideas. Maybe it's on account of moving from the kind of dead winter that wracked the back off of my century home (let's not talk about what that entails and how much it's likely going to cost to fix) into a spring that still feels a bit like winter (but with more light). Maybe it's because I haven't had a headache - of any description - for 3 months, the longest I've gone without being addled with head pain in more than three years.

I'm loath even to mention that because I cannot bring myself to get attached to a pain-free head. But just to keep it real, in the exact moment my headaches disappeared (on a dime), I discovered a new symptom on the bumpy road of perimenopause. I've been dealing with rather wretched digestive issues that impinge on my physical freedom in a totally new-to-me way. Estrogen balance influences serotonin levels and serotonin lives mostly in two places: the brain and the gut. On the plus side, everyone agrees that it's better to go from having crushing migraines to digestive misery than the other way around. And we have a game plan for dealing with the latter.

But I digress...

Here's the sweater I'm knitting right now:

Aisance by Kristen Johnstone

After finishing the Svalbard - a sweater I had misgivings about on the basis of shape - I realize that it's my go-to hand knit these days. Sure, the shape may not be my most naturally flattering, but it works in my wardrobe.

This is another yarn hog pattern - one which I have not cheaped out on. I've gone with this silk-merino blend:

Shibui Staccato in Caffeine

BTW, this is another project that Sara and Andrea and I will undertake as a mini-KAL (in our own time). They've also bought this yarn, which is phenomenal, for what it's worth. I have to wait to see how it wears, before I weigh in definitively, but the bloom and drape of the fabric it makes are perfect for the Aisance. It's fantastic looking yarn that does not grow overly when blocked, that doesn't get cloudy (a propensity of silk yarn which I hate), and that looks like a million bucks.

On the topic of local sourcing, the three of us got this yarn from Ewe Knit (our LYS) which stocks an array of colours (intriguingly, at the best price we've been able to find for the brand). Claudia, the owner, has special-ordered out-of-stock colours for Andrea and Sara, which is why I've got the head start.

A couple of things I'll say about the Aisance:

This pattern is delicious to knit - a bit interesting, but not overly. Perfect for TV or chatting with friends... I will say, however, that I wish I hadn't followed the directions at the start - those for making the neckband. As far as I'm concerned, provisional cast on is a terrible method to use with rib - as, by nature, it always creates a jog in stitches (see this useful post for information about why that's the case). You won't notice it with blocked stockinette, but this method is totally observable on the rib back-neck of this sweater - in much the way a seam would be. Mind you, at least a seam would make the join strong! Furthermore, this method means that one creates two different slip-stitch edges on each side of the cardigan - something that offends my sense of order completely. I've strongly recommended to Sara and Andrea to simply seam the centre back,which will mitigate both of these issues. Too late for me, alas.

Re: provisional cast on - and I taught myself to crochet for the privilege of completely irritating the crap out of myself - I can imagine that there are times when this method is just the thing. However, I think those times are far and few between. I've used it twice in the 3 years I've been knitting and I've been unimpressed both times...

Having said all of this, I do appreciate the way the sweater comes together - not dissimilarly to the Svalbard in its construction (though FAR more easily). You don't need to knit the band at the end - a very tedious way to finish a sweater, I assure you - instead you knit it as you go. And the back of the sweater has both rib stitch and shaping, to give it an excellent stability and an elegant line. I'm really hope I called the size right, and that this finished garment will become a summer staple.

Today's questions: What are your thoughts about provisional cast on (doing it, the result it achieves etc.)? What do you think of this sweater pattern? And have you worked with Shibui yarns? Thoughts or feelings? Let's talk!

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...

Making a Leather Bag: An Intro

Shortly I will compose a post about my summer sewing plans, but in the meanwhile, let's have a look at one of the projects on the list. I know it's putting the cart before the horse but, hey, it's my horse and my cart and I can do what I want!

After being sucked in by the lure of leather-working - and on the advice of many, I signed up for the Craftsy Course: Making Leather Bags, taught by Don Morin. Fun fact: He's a TO guy. Apparently, when it comes to the bag-making community (independent vendors, teachers etc.), Toronto is where it's at. Who knew? What I will say is that this is the best course I've ever taken from Craftsy and it's worth it to buy at full price. Mind you, wait for a sale.

The happy accident is that many of the resources, required to make a bag, reside within my city.

Sara, Andrea and I have decided to make the tote that Don teaches in the Craftsy class. It looks like this:

Do I like totes? No. Will I use it? I don't know. But I do sense that the best way to learn something is to follow the instructions. I don't want to complicate what might be a complicated undertaking by going off road with a different pattern.

Besides, I think I've fancied up this boring bag by choosing some sexy materials:

• The main bag will be made from that textured, snake-skin style pigskin.
• The trim will be made from that awesome slate blue lambskin - the colour is insanely gorgeous but you can't see it here. Sara and I are going to share this skin because it's much larger than is required for the bag and the leather store doesn't cut into skins.
• The lining is nylon (which you need because leather will rot natural fabrics and threads). I think it gives an extra layer of style-complexity to the main skin and it's perfectly in the colour family...

My walking foot has now arrived. The roller foot is on its way - as is my stabilizing cold tape and my brayer and a few other gizmos. I still need to procure certain other tools before I begin and natch, I need to make that bridesmaid dress for Allison, but I'm hoping to get started over the long weekend, if the stars align.

So, whatcha think?

Clementine

I had no idea that going to my 25th high school reunion would have an impact of extreme emotional - nay, psychic - recalibration. Trust me, if I had, I would most definitely have stayed away.What an irony, that the place which made me the articulate intellectual that I am, has reduced me to mush. I'm going to call this an opportunity and turn my mind to other things for a while. Crying incessantly is SO bad for the face.

I stood amongst my peers - amongst generations of St. Clement's girls - the ones still in uniform transposed against the women who graduated in 1944 and I felt a connection that caused physical pain. The present merged with the past - as in some fantasy film about the quantum multiverse - in such a way that I could not repress emotion. I could not. I was powerless against the surge and I am (for all my extroversion) extremely emotionally composed. I have to be, because the table of emotion I generally restrain is so gripping that it takes me under hard whenever it has the chance.

My former classmates are just what they were raised to be (though stating it is entirely reductionist): iron-strong, intelligent, insightful women affecting small or large changes in our world. They also continue to be (to a one) hilarious, pragmatic, honest women who cannot shut up. Lord, at dinner, 17 of us sounded like a convention of hundreds. How often does one have the luxury to experience a small nervous collapse amongst others, having not seen those others for a quarter century (in some cases), and be met with total comprehension and the perfect response.

I'll just say this, if I can squeeze it out in some sensical manner: The penalty for infinite potential is action. You make choices in life - many great choices, some bad choices. I am not speaking about judgement or regret. I'm speaking of the reality of finite possibility, of which we are so blissfully unaware in childhood. Time goes by and you can't keep everything close in your heart. There are too many things competing for attention. But occasionally, something forces you to see the things that have fallen away. To truly see them for the losses they are - just as you see all you have maintained and accomplished for the gains. Grief and joy merge and you are brought into the fold.

This, after the worst winter ever. It's amazing I can string together a sentence. And I truly hope I can make some sense of this over time. Because where I'm at now is the chasm.