Doll Brown finished!

Although I'm seriously considering changing its name to Velvet Misery.  My dears, you have no idea of the scope of my sufferings.  First of all, the velvet kept slipping.  I tried basting every which way with pins, hand basting, and even stapling the damn pieces together and still they slipped.  I had the best luck with iron-on basting strips, in places where they could be used, and a combination of hand basting and swearing everywhere else.  That was the worst.  Then there was the problem of getting the band to line up properly in front.  That was the worst, too.  Finally there was the horrific pin injury to my finger that laid me up for a whole afternoon, and also gave me a good Thanksgiving day story.

Anyway, here are place marker pictures.  There is nowhere in the house I can take a good picture, and if I took Dahlia outside as I usually do, both she and the jacket would be in Commencement Bay within 10 minutes, it's so windy out today.

Doll Brown, step two

Every thing is cut out and marked, and I've started putting it all together.  Doesn't look like much yet.

Doll Brown

I can't believe I'm starting a new project so soon after Misery.  But then, Sis and I have an agreement that when this ensemble (jacket, skirt and blouse) is finished we are going to try out the new cocktail lounge at Nordstrom.  Now there's an incentive!

So a new jacket, using Marcy Tilton's Vogue 8620, which I made once before.  This time, however, I started by doing a double high round back alteration, something I should have done the first time.

The fabric is a heavy brown cotton with a narrow stripe, which I bought last month at Nancy's.

Puyallup Sewing Expo Day 2

Hi Annie! What a fun day we had shopping and people-watching. I'm glad you wore your Vogue 8620, so that we could show off to the Tilton sisters! Here is a (very poor) picture of my version in gray denim:

And a few pictures of the patterns from Silhouette, Sewing Workshop and Louise Cutting that will be my sewing projects in the coming months:

Of course I bought fabric too! As it turns out, all from Marcy Tilton.

A beautiful lime/gold silk dupioni (it's hard to show the color correctly).

Also a mocha/latte/espresso animal-print brocade and a black/silver pinstripe cotton stretch. Jackets? Skirts? We Shall See.

AND - cool slotted wooden holders for my rulers and bone folders. A large one for the cutting table and a smaller one for next to the sewing maching!

Thanks for going with me and driving us all about - it was fun! But now I need a nap....

Hi Sis!  We did have fun, even though silly Me forgot both her money and her credit cards!  So thanks for buying my dvds for me.  (Pay you back soon!)

 

State of the jacket II

We have sleeves!

Tomorrow I will hem it, tack down this and that, and give it a good pressing.  Then maybe I will wear it to the Expo.

State of the jacket

Here are front and back views of the current state of the jacket (Vogue 8620).  I think it is going to be gorgeous, but it hasn't been without its problems.  Yesterday I had to soak out a small blood stain (sharp pins!), and today I found a couple for spots.  I am suffering for this jacket!

It still needs sleeves and hem, and the facing needs to be tacked down.  It should be ready to wear to the Sewing Expo in Puyallup, although it will probably be to cold to wear it.  Hope to see you all there!

Pretty pockets

Once the pocket edges are bound it's time to attach them to the lower front.  This is what I did:  first I stitched in the ditch on the wrong side right up next to the binding, using a basting stitch and orange thread in the bobbin.

This gave me a neat line on the right side to stitch over.  It worked perfectly!  The real trick, though, is to play the 1812 Overture.  With the Marseillaise and the booming cannons you can't help but be successful, and each pocket took exactly once through the overture (i.e. 15 minutes), including pulling out the basting threads.

Finished pocket:

Marcy Tilton jacket

I'm moving slowly along with Vogue 8620.  At the moment it is just a sort of capelet.

This morning I bound the edges of the pockets.  One of the things I really like about this pattern is the bias binding template.  I know it's not hard to do, but it's nice to have it already done for me.  Anyway, here is a pair of pretty pockets.  These go on the inside and are outlined in topstitching on the outside.

Hi Sis!  Well, I haven't finished Silver Moon either!  Instead I'm starting what I hope will be a less troublesome project.

I'm copying your jacket!  The fabric is a fairly stiff gray cotton with a fine rib, which I bought at Nancy's some time ago.  I have it cut out, except for the bias binding to finish inside edges.  Tomorrow I'll start sewing.