Sometimes, you just don't know how things will turn out.....

In the 11th hour, the decision was made to draft my patterns, instead of trying to fit into a commercial pattern.  I have two outfits with options, and now desperately need a shawl....  This was my first outfit...

Hmmmm

Not sure about this top..... maybe this one is better.

This is the second, this is actually a morphed pattern from a t-shirt I made a few years back.  I borrowed the knot from the pattern and draped the skirt for fullness.

The fabric is a bit light, so when the event is over, it may become my night gown.

Just by coincedence, both the black top and the black dress have a knot at the bust.  It's just the best solution for a full bust.

Now back to hand rolling these hems....

OOP Vogue 1893 Carolina Herrera Muslin

When it rains it pours, years have passed where I have not needed a formal gown.  This month I need two.  Today and through the weekend, some patterns will be auditioned in muslin.  I will need to complete them both by next Friday :).

Here is the first...

The muslin has already had a first fitting, and it's not bad. A few tweaks, and now it's time to add the sleeves, and decide if the flounces will be added.  So far, the top fits well, but I am hoping that the sleeves are a slim fit.  I had thought that if this version, without the flounces, could stand on it's own, that would be a good dress.

Trying not to make a judgement on the skirt until the flounces are on, and second guessing if this will be a good silhouette.  Flounces will add visual bulk, even in a light fabric.  A drop waist would probably be better for my body type.   It's is neither an a line, or a full skirt.  It does have the advantage of giving me a lot of leg room.

This looks better on.  If you are wondering where the other back pieces are, I left them off for now,  it's a lot of layers to pin together.

This is where you can see the detail.

Advance? or move on to the next contender.... tune in tomorrow to find out!

Well that was embarrasing, my last post was posted about two years ago...... I need to clean up my blog.

I guess I owe you more pics, of something not previously posted.  This was a built in, in the sewing room. 

The counter was particle board, and was warped and expanding.  Someone must have put a drink down somewhere.  The doors had gaps, the paint job was yellowing. It was pretty sad, so it was all taken out, sanded, filled, primed and painted, and finally reinstalled.  New shelves, doors and knobs.

I know, I know, you should never drink and sew.  I'm not condoning it, I just needed a place for my mismatched glasses.....

The countertop was just installed today, I'm really happy with it.

Sewing is next I promise....

I'll be back sewing and posting soon, but I've been busy....

I don't think many sewists give themselves credit for how what we do, the skills we acquire sewing transfer into other areas.  Do not limit yourselves, you know more than you think. 

I made a drastic decision four years ago to move from a city to the country.  Proper country, with a well and septic tank, wildlife (and I'm including the neighbors), and open sky, and stars at night.  I bought a fixer upper, with two homes on it, and I'm just about finished.  So briefly, this is what I've been working on, with a very patient brother. This was the smaller of the two properties.

kitchen, before.... honestly it doesn't look too bad, except for that ant pile around the front door.

Now you would think that I could live with these cabinets, but they were pretty nasty.  The tile was cracked in more than one place, missing in others, and just bleh.  In the end, I couldn't get a dishwasher in the space, without removing the entire bottom cabinet.

I really did try to sand and repaint the top doors, but they had ripped out hardware in the center of the doors, which had left an indentation, and some of the hinges were just barely holding onto material.

All doors were replaced, and bottom cabinets only, then a few coats of paint on everything with new knobs, and appliances, and here we are.

The bottom cabinets are Ikea, the counter top from Lumber Liquidators, and the doors for all of the cabinets are from Sherr, the knobs were from the Habitat store, at $1.00 a piece, the farmhouse sink was rescued from Craigslist and powder coated.

The kitty and I have been living here for almost the last 3 years.  The big house was the epic project.  No pics of that yet, but maybe in 2019.

In the meantime, I need two formal gowns, and have to get up to speed with my sewing.


More to come....