Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sew-along lack of progress, but a new project in the wings


I confess I'm not making much progress on the Crepe Sew-Along project. I have made it as far as tracing my size from the pattern onto vilene and cutting those out (photographic evidence below). I'd forgotten that the leaning, tracing, and cutting really flares my lower back, even when I paced it out into short periods. It's kind of put me off doing the next step of tracing the pattern out onto the muslin. I may perhaps need to enlist the help of the Cunning Plans Dept to do the tracing and cutting. Then I can get to some actual piecing together and fitting, which will lead to actual sewing.


In the meantime, I've signed up for another project. Towards the end of last year I decided to buy myself a Christmas present and signed up to a Vintage Style Swimsuit class, run by Thread Den. I thought it would be an excellent way to kick me in to some sewing if I had to turn up to actual classes. And I've not really sewn with stretch fabric much, or even attempted swimwear, so I thought it would be a good challenge.

Imagine my dismay when I was phoned a few days before the class to be advised that unfortunately they didn't have enough numbers for the class to run. Not to be dissuaded from my plan to use classes to kick my sewing butt in gear, I have picked another class - Screen Siren 1960's Frock - which uses this Butterick pattern B6582.

I ordered the pattern online last week and hopefully it will arrive this week before the class starts on Sunday. I also need to buy fabric. I'm undecided on which version to do. Do I go for the full-skirted version in a light, summery fabric? Or the sheath dress in a darker, evening tone? I'm tempted to go for the sheath dress as that will require more fitting and I'll be grateful to have someone on hand to help with that. I can always make the full-skirted version after the class. I think I shall have to have a little expedition to the Brunswick fabric shops to see what jumps out and grabs me.

In other news, my boss gave me The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean when I saw her the other day. She picked it up because she thought it would be the sort of book I'd like. I then realised that it is written by Erin from A Dress a Day, who I've been following for a couple of years now. I just finished reading it this afternoon and loved it. A beautiful story, I recommend it to anyone with a deep, heart-felt passion for the clothes of yesteryear.