tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70825089435366707092024-03-19T00:11:21.395-04:00StraightJacket Muse A sewing machine, teaching jackets and their friends to play nicely together.Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-90154530024675823382016-03-18T19:09:00.002-04:002016-03-19T18:54:21.134-04:00Black and white and, um, pink??? yellow??? reddish??? all overAs I was starting the above title, I was naturally reminded of an old Communist era joke, what's black and white and red all over? Pravda (the official newspaper of the Soviet juggernaut). And that of course brought to mind the quip that there is no news in Izvestiya and no truth in Pravda. Tee hee. Shows my age if nothing else. But I digress....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxcAPHkiOwVP_BIWu_xr8-nbszVbhlcVNCUeAox6Fb0whzBMqKZWmvMWQjxN72y3TplQcaH5a4O9J7aVvoMvO0FlFR7XoqjoACeQx1HldORdFClGTyuP8tR62GAjmAGlQcUa9zrmo3adT/s1600/20160306-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxcAPHkiOwVP_BIWu_xr8-nbszVbhlcVNCUeAox6Fb0whzBMqKZWmvMWQjxN72y3TplQcaH5a4O9J7aVvoMvO0FlFR7XoqjoACeQx1HldORdFClGTyuP8tR62GAjmAGlQcUa9zrmo3adT/s400/20160306-14.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Velvet trousers and lace top, accessorized with silk scarf and bass flute. <br />
Photo by the lovely Kyoko of <a href="http://www.corgimarkphotography.com/" target="_blank">CorgiMark Photography</a> </td></tr>
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This has been an eventful couple of months. After an absence of two and a half years, I've returned to work, so my available sewing time and after hours stamina have both taken a huge hit. Guess why I haven't had time to post? <br />
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Since I have to be reasonably presentable at work, I suddenly began to feel most keenly the lack of clothing that actually fits the me that I am today, 25 lbs less than a year ago (and that's after regaining quite a bit). It's shocking how awful one looks in trousers that used to fit but now sag off jutting hipbones and flap around skinny thighs. Never mind all my lovely jackets that are several sizes too large - one wants to weep. But hehey, I am svelte with a vengeance. <br />
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So I decided that this sorry situation needed to be rectified in a hurry. Out came my Jalie trousers pattern 2908, redrafted down from my previous V to a crazy small P, and a couple of trouser-weight black wools from stash. One, a very nice somewhat beefy twill with a little stretch actually started out grey, but such an ugly utilitarian grey that I promptly threw it into a pot with some Jacquard acid dye and turned it black, the best colour of all. Grey, btw, is the hardest colour of all - it's never absolutely neutral, there's always some colour cast on it or another - purple, green, blue, impossible! Add to those two a beautiful stretch poly velvet on sale at my local store, and in quick order I had three pairs of black slacks, two for work, one for my musical evenings, from the same pattern. <br />
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Before sewing these three I made an executive decision: no front fly on any of them, thank you. I put a center back invisible zipper in the two work-worthy wools, and made the velvet slacks on an elastic waistband. You can imagine how very much this simplified construction, can't you? All feel great in wearing, and I love their smooth feminine fronts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9jbQ3z0y5aSuzBpullj8tgH6EUiilZoy3Qt38quYvlCylTr9IgNMJJ-_N6PLlpYLfyrWaKYWkfciU44_WiCE2sVGysLuGcqMpjegJyhzN-PUTHxhWSRelE7u__7UXINNxQ-XcQH_0OKS/s1600/20160306-16+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9jbQ3z0y5aSuzBpullj8tgH6EUiilZoy3Qt38quYvlCylTr9IgNMJJ-_N6PLlpYLfyrWaKYWkfciU44_WiCE2sVGysLuGcqMpjegJyhzN-PUTHxhWSRelE7u__7UXINNxQ-XcQH_0OKS/s400/20160306-16+cropped.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Photo by the lovely Kyoko of </span><a href="http://www.corgimarkphotography.com/" style="font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">CorgiMark Photography</a><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></td></tr>
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The lacy top is based on the Jalie tee pattern 2805. It's hard to see the neckline in the above photo, but I basically cut it a teeny bit wider than the pattern and then just turned the raw edge under and stitched it down with a zig zag; I didn't want the headache of using self fabric binding (very uneven, being a stretch lace) nor a heavy binding overwhelming the lightness of the fabric. <br />
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So, an easy black and white look that can - and does - take me anywhere.<br />
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As a little teaser of what's coming, I'm working on another fun little Jalie zip jacket, pattern 2795 (zip front jacket and hoodie), out of a very funky wool knit from Emma One Sock. I made some changes to the pattern: basically, since I wanted to preserve the design of the knit to the utmost, I combined the centre and side pattern pieces of both front and back. Today, I spent the afternoon prepping two front zip pockets: first I created two narrow rectangles using silk organza, then hand stitched the zippers and trim into them. This fabric has beautiful selvage, which I used to its utmost along the CF next to the zipper, and as trim for the pockets. Here's what the lower fronts will look like: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Hi3UopaOXhBkmL2hz6vGtBbv1RAX5_r51QUXIsxb7qmkMd2EEUN6N_v-ZjDwbfHHjYyYkIJqw-fFbmZMnWqpuZBSn3UXGEv0Z-4wM7slrXgOou8OwrzJj8Q_iCuVW54uEntsbKAkryEn/s1600/IMG_3947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Hi3UopaOXhBkmL2hz6vGtBbv1RAX5_r51QUXIsxb7qmkMd2EEUN6N_v-ZjDwbfHHjYyYkIJqw-fFbmZMnWqpuZBSn3UXGEv0Z-4wM7slrXgOou8OwrzJj8Q_iCuVW54uEntsbKAkryEn/s400/IMG_3947.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cute, right? Before putting in the lower sleeve/side seams, I'm also going to add hidden zip pockets to the insides of these fronts. I made one of these inner pockets - yes, just one, on the left - in the<a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2012/03/jalie-jacket-revisited.html" target="_blank"> last version of this pattern I made</a>, and it's been invaluable. Money, passport - close to my heart and utterly invisible and inaccessible. Every easy wear jacket you intent to travel with needs one of those. <br />
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Working away!<br />
:)Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-33382673651333794232016-01-29T06:27:00.002-05:002016-01-29T15:49:44.959-05:00More sewing aids: sleeve and tailor's boardsI was so pleased with the <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2016/01/sidetracked-how-i-wound-up-making.html" target="_blank">results of my most recent sewing-related woodworking effort</a>, that I decided to complete my collection of sewing related items while the woodworking tools were all out. You know how it is... one thing leads to another. <br />
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Now, I do have a purchased sleeve board - a rickety folding little thing that collapses if you so much as look at it, never mind press a heavy iron to it. A source of constant annoyance and frustration. <br />
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I do love the internet as a resource. Just do an image search for "<a href="https://www.google.ca/search?q=sleeve+board+for+ironing&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6vcOy78_KAhUhmYMKHYsyCloQ_AUIBygB&biw=1280&bih=675" target="_blank">sleeve board for ironing</a>", and up pop all sorts of versions. I based mine loosely on the free board pattern available from <a href="https://www.fearlessmakers.com/how-to-make-sleeve-board/" target="_blank">Fearless Makers</a>. <br />
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My version is made out of native Canadian hardwood: sugar maple, 7/8" thick. It's 25.5" long on the tapered side, and 22" on the other, and both are 5.5" wide at the widest point. I also made the taper somewhat narrower than the pattern, thinking that with very small wrists and thus small cuffs and sleeve openings, a very small taper might be particularly useful for me: <br />
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Both faces will be covered with batting and cotton to serve as ironing surfaces.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhjQPOELwBawtZKEKWCNV_Rugm5EvJoulfKppQ1wX5-eLl5uPPQFwATkDEf4QHD6RGf_ewLJUOtddMew1lJaBAslrd6hr5KZIF7p2zciOPf2k7rQ7__YzzV4bViaqoqbMKeUV3WXA9giq2/s1600/IMG_3926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhjQPOELwBawtZKEKWCNV_Rugm5EvJoulfKppQ1wX5-eLl5uPPQFwATkDEf4QHD6RGf_ewLJUOtddMew1lJaBAslrd6hr5KZIF7p2zciOPf2k7rQ7__YzzV4bViaqoqbMKeUV3WXA9giq2/s320/IMG_3926.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'll be the first to admit that I have a teeny tiny tendency to over-engineer things. Of course I did that here too. While the pattern calls for a single thickness of board for the support bridge, mine is made out of a doubled thickness: I was afraid a single piece just wouldn't provide enough stability in use, especially as I wanted to avoid using screws to hold it all together. The flat boards are simply bonded to the bridge with high strength wood glue, Titebond III; I felt that the double width of the support bridge was necessary to provide plenty of surface for the glue to grip. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzr6IhK2uOZnx6KUBORsqT7X8xCp1NwpodugBXwTh_zIUJI8IcJPg2vvD-6QENhrua77Kooc5mhQn35p7ZvVkX55QoJnExea-avkSFt454jhGRQ03sDoER6f6hWkcuSSNBFlCYzI9703jq/s1600/IMG_3927b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzr6IhK2uOZnx6KUBORsqT7X8xCp1NwpodugBXwTh_zIUJI8IcJPg2vvD-6QENhrua77Kooc5mhQn35p7ZvVkX55QoJnExea-avkSFt454jhGRQ03sDoER6f6hWkcuSSNBFlCYzI9703jq/s320/IMG_3927b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wanted to have the finished item look, well, finished, rather than made of raw wood - so I used a router to round off the edges of the bridge, and stained and varnished the non-functional, visible surfaces while leaving the surfaces which will be covered with batting and cotton, in the raw state. </div>
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The second, and final sewing item I made is a <a href="https://www.google.ca/search?q=tailor%27s+board&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=675&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwink4bS4s7KAhXjs4MKHZVOC-cQ_AUIBigB" target="_blank">tailor's board</a>. I based mine - again, with modifications - on a pattern published in this <a href="http://www2.ca.uky.edu/hes/fcs/FACTSHTS/CT-MMB-214.pdf" target="_blank">University of Kentucky pressing equipment document</a>. My main modification was to ensure both main pieces were the same length along their longest axis (they're not in the pattern). I also put them together differently than what you'll see in internet photos: whereas in all available versions out there the tapered points on the two main boards are oriented in the same direction, I made them point in opposite directions. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmYEnn8b8rckrlb6oVBFWoOPav7ZhdegEQrMUwgLpfqnfWOyJQvW7OREQkYia59zUrv_5islMhCC1VI8KQpSReyu9ktIJMO-a0BO_df0EWmQDvwgnvOTu7LaHdliuF80DEOMmCqyJeupj/s1600/IMG_3928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmYEnn8b8rckrlb6oVBFWoOPav7ZhdegEQrMUwgLpfqnfWOyJQvW7OREQkYia59zUrv_5islMhCC1VI8KQpSReyu9ktIJMO-a0BO_df0EWmQDvwgnvOTu7LaHdliuF80DEOMmCqyJeupj/s320/IMG_3928.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Why would I do that?! Well, I'm right handed, so I hold the iron in the right hand and iron from right to left. Thus, I want to have the boards oriented with the points to the left while I'm using them, and the area in front of them clear for my left hand to manipulate the garment piece.</div>
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So, flat surface in use:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiaUVobN0wDZ0qisW_cZseFw0EdC2JGQd6pIjUmLhOS2YGtR3Zy1q91hJD5QT6CQK7JLEAXcsO969fZw3XC4VliTjOemynyVbpBEp0kq8T-YfCSbC73jkQT-XbRbF3DvijNN5rdFZe7BU/s1600/IMG_3931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiaUVobN0wDZ0qisW_cZseFw0EdC2JGQd6pIjUmLhOS2YGtR3Zy1q91hJD5QT6CQK7JLEAXcsO969fZw3XC4VliTjOemynyVbpBEp0kq8T-YfCSbC73jkQT-XbRbF3DvijNN5rdFZe7BU/s320/IMG_3931.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And, curved surface in use: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdZBH5xiTaNLmyIsNw1J3N9WR2tBud-6iKQq89RfItIucGcSVg9u87Z9Wkw2uie1HaVVXpclzEF6xV3ewKNdUwkoqt5FVLkXYKudDQ-a4asUvO9UreLiE6ZDtotzDGM-tvoMYvg-OCgZ_/s1600/IMG_3932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdZBH5xiTaNLmyIsNw1J3N9WR2tBud-6iKQq89RfItIucGcSVg9u87Z9Wkw2uie1HaVVXpclzEF6xV3ewKNdUwkoqt5FVLkXYKudDQ-a4asUvO9UreLiE6ZDtotzDGM-tvoMYvg-OCgZ_/s320/IMG_3932.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also, I put the pieces together in such a way that there are three points of support when the board stands upright, making it very stable. This way, I can use the curved end to press sleeve heads.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOXBjkqmVqDPwVqnTr2WIwCFYWrqV-EAXwgcBQ6hap0TRaYsjju5tOsOvA8oKfJ6Qx0gA1c8ytnZCkHjcpvmuJUmNKCiunFDTxEYeEv5lcSrLjupbPJLp35QRkqu6crg-lqHYxs2MDC9k/s1600/IMG_3934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOXBjkqmVqDPwVqnTr2WIwCFYWrqV-EAXwgcBQ6hap0TRaYsjju5tOsOvA8oKfJ6Qx0gA1c8ytnZCkHjcpvmuJUmNKCiunFDTxEYeEv5lcSrLjupbPJLp35QRkqu6crg-lqHYxs2MDC9k/s320/IMG_3934.JPG" width="271" /></a></div>
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The pieces are fastened together with glue and dowels - no screws. </div>
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You probably can't see the wood details, which is a pity. I found a beautiful little piece of bird's eye maple for this project. Very pretty. It'll be just a delight to use and admire its grain while ironing! </div>
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As a bonus, I got myself a wee little mini-clapper out of the effort: it's the removed (jig-sawed out) part of the support bridge of the sleeve board. I just didn't have the heart to throw it in the fire... so I sanded it down and kept it instead. </div>
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Now it's back to regular programming, aka sewing!</div>
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Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-5810833261595210382016-01-14T08:48:00.002-05:002016-01-14T09:04:35.364-05:00Sidetracked! How I wound up making sewing aidsIt all started about six weeks ago - a kind of Advent plan for the New Year. As I was carrying my instruments to a rehearsal gig, I realized that I really need to streamline the experience. Better than that, I realized I have the wherewithal to do something about it! You already saw the new soft padded carrying case I made for my recorders - aka straight wooden baroque flutes. Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, and Handel, not to mention many other composers of that period, wrote for these flutes - the modern metal flute didn't exist in those days. Neither did the clarinet or saxophone for that matter, but that's another story... And the side blown wooden flute kinda came into its own with Mozart ( Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pagge-e-e-e-eeeno!) who, funnily enough, detested the flute but wrote exquisite music for it.<br />
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So I decided to apply my "soft materials engineering" (sewing) skills to a little hard materials task: making a portable yet <u>very stable</u> music stand. One that will stay upright and prevent my delicate wooden toys from crashing to the floor in the hustle and bustle of being bumped by an inattentive musician in a large group. <br />
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A quick trip to the local hardware store, a narrow oak board and a few dowels, and a little elbow grease, gave me this:<br />
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A recorder stand!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxKS_U9kZdGw7hJ192YAXD5K9GjyyYvBjGTO0y6Ejnqqq_TLmqW-vavKcIaWkSHuNh9R1zx1gXK1YBqfEobSR0KsfrFJAKt3-s_kgsTrza7PQ52FYH3p_-QEzjeaHEhX0iDufizcT15Ri/s1600/IMG_3919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxKS_U9kZdGw7hJ192YAXD5K9GjyyYvBjGTO0y6Ejnqqq_TLmqW-vavKcIaWkSHuNh9R1zx1gXK1YBqfEobSR0KsfrFJAKt3-s_kgsTrza7PQ52FYH3p_-QEzjeaHEhX0iDufizcT15Ri/s320/IMG_3919.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The lower part of the base, folded flat above, rotates out when in use:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbwn9pISP3Jc6zt_NGe1ylEm1jbLsW4WBv4KInpDfdKPwxQBHqjLbPZ9SCl9o9sWxKwSaqgwRmgafAfXXrvrM4ZuNVSvKkDKizyDN1sgaxmpygusuBrOxHq9-9ZVQrI7q7L5Tqy6_Ytbl/s1600/IMG_3921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbwn9pISP3Jc6zt_NGe1ylEm1jbLsW4WBv4KInpDfdKPwxQBHqjLbPZ9SCl9o9sWxKwSaqgwRmgafAfXXrvrM4ZuNVSvKkDKizyDN1sgaxmpygusuBrOxHq9-9ZVQrI7q7L5Tqy6_Ytbl/s320/IMG_3921.JPG" width="202" /></a></div>
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That's three sopranos, two tenors, two altos, and a sopranino. </div>
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This is a very stable, completely non-tippy, happy musician configuration. :D</div>
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Then I made a base for my modern instruments: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uk53BjAUXl8aOdJq3Vhn2zz43GlckOqGRQwAlNpQsJWqwFhBxLHTpeXmogkSWI0NMumtNNd0FQLrdWQbfwBMiU6LeyEBHo-6RYP_xv3Ke_jireQbcsEm54qlyTZU6a8xUx9IM-QWM80f/s1600/IMG_3922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uk53BjAUXl8aOdJq3Vhn2zz43GlckOqGRQwAlNpQsJWqwFhBxLHTpeXmogkSWI0NMumtNNd0FQLrdWQbfwBMiU6LeyEBHo-6RYP_xv3Ke_jireQbcsEm54qlyTZU6a8xUx9IM-QWM80f/s320/IMG_3922.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The base is rosewood, so it's naturally heavy. Since it isn't intended for travel, it doesn't need a cross piece. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpb6W4GCeVN5tR0nQbDPfJwYRwT9-AuZJFjxneLP1KbSRbFAc7ltB8N6aU9KIkIV3vYzCUOUYdGdWSKidYEEzzOgcq-CXiP1nNSsxSYGtyBzjqoQUQSeb3AUNLgfEb2d3oVRPBqzmW7gu/s1600/IMG_3923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpb6W4GCeVN5tR0nQbDPfJwYRwT9-AuZJFjxneLP1KbSRbFAc7ltB8N6aU9KIkIV3vYzCUOUYdGdWSKidYEEzzOgcq-CXiP1nNSsxSYGtyBzjqoQUQSeb3AUNLgfEb2d3oVRPBqzmW7gu/s320/IMG_3923.JPG" width="177" /></a></div>
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It can hold a clarinet, up to three flutes, a spare flute head, and, in a cunning little hole at left, a tuning fork! </div>
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(keep reading, I'll get to the sewing part soon....)</div>
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You know how one thing leads to another? I was chatting with a relative who also plays recorders in a chamber group, and she mentioned she doesn't have a protective case for them. Or a stand. </div>
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Digs to the rescue: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XKKvHrGnvwplcQV6dPOQRKcR0W_KLhyphenhyphenacd8coWL9V5lGnDvf76LO0BEEl-nAxyC0AO0GlRx7or09rUjrAG_ui2_sz2ApW51BYAOBr2T5IfdwDZY_5_7aIv8WbNDaq-tzAh2CJVG6Fc6y/s1600/IMG_3916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XKKvHrGnvwplcQV6dPOQRKcR0W_KLhyphenhyphenacd8coWL9V5lGnDvf76LO0BEEl-nAxyC0AO0GlRx7or09rUjrAG_ui2_sz2ApW51BYAOBr2T5IfdwDZY_5_7aIv8WbNDaq-tzAh2CJVG6Fc6y/s320/IMG_3916.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yMHRD2D_pE-_yrulHf1bAcE2iIeQ4ZNCDMzgkoQ2WEQAFXQbr4BIQLaIMVnFIZm2CMVfSY4lHNhqAipoZARe5nUHSWOpW9Av4Nmn2RyqFlvKDDm1LZIDmZPBQU3mRMhs2hhido4nx1KF/s1600/IMG_3917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yMHRD2D_pE-_yrulHf1bAcE2iIeQ4ZNCDMzgkoQ2WEQAFXQbr4BIQLaIMVnFIZm2CMVfSY4lHNhqAipoZARe5nUHSWOpW9Av4Nmn2RyqFlvKDDm1LZIDmZPBQU3mRMhs2hhido4nx1KF/s320/IMG_3917.JPG" width="196" /></a></div>
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The carrying case is designed so the alto recorder can be stowed without being disassembled. </div>
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I also made her a matching padded velvet bag with a flat bottom and drawstrings to carry both the stand and the recorders. </div>
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Then I made a stand for my bass flute:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_7AStj5nZQIlCdAavwkiqFpsKozrKnLe5HkRaZel_wfK3hcEnn9tgJluMlHWpsdewXVdll3eu4mKdS04nmfJYT5o0OvtCqQkj33MruawwYQUSjGkJrKL3NEHDeP8hjjbAhfPTJPpg4vw/s1600/IMG_3914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_7AStj5nZQIlCdAavwkiqFpsKozrKnLe5HkRaZel_wfK3hcEnn9tgJluMlHWpsdewXVdll3eu4mKdS04nmfJYT5o0OvtCqQkj33MruawwYQUSjGkJrKL3NEHDeP8hjjbAhfPTJPpg4vw/s320/IMG_3914.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The base is made out of morado, a dense and heavy Bolivian rosewood. It's big enough that I can add pegs for a regular C flute and an alto flute without compromising its stability. There's actually quite a bit of woodworking in this little item, as the original piece of morado was a narrow board. I had to plane the sides very flat, dowel and glue them together, cut to shape, sand, sand, and sand.... The vertical dowel is inset into the base, glued in, and secured with a large counter-sunk bolt from below. </div>
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Bass flute??? Oh, people, it's a thing of beauty: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvOOOVABUVfBmXIKBOBCBf5_dMZlulnLGERaBfEGhKQNUJDDMJTTPor4D85mN4TEs1yya-RXzJBzA5CWjdNaJVPIWPjB_CMuCeBRpRXumt-_Y5R3M5pwlexwBtsrqW5hIm6b4GCjQ5CeJ/s1600/IMG_3915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvOOOVABUVfBmXIKBOBCBf5_dMZlulnLGERaBfEGhKQNUJDDMJTTPor4D85mN4TEs1yya-RXzJBzA5CWjdNaJVPIWPjB_CMuCeBRpRXumt-_Y5R3M5pwlexwBtsrqW5hIm6b4GCjQ5CeJ/s320/IMG_3915.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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On to sewing!</div>
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I discovered a wonderful new wood store nearby when researching the materials for these things, and... one thing led to another. I thought to myself, there are a few sewing things I've always felt the lack of. Like a clapper and a point turner. </div>
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So I made them. </div>
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For these two items, I picked a South American hardwood called jatoba, aka Brazilian cherry. It's nothing like a cherry tree: its only similarity to cherry is its colour, which also resembles a light shade of teak. The wood is very dense (thus heavy), and very hard, so it keeps edges and points very well. Jatoba is a very common large tree, used for things like railroad ties. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xy56cUATQf-B-40Wucu8JyyXlHGLr5slNpbYCnqlmLHElbKpTV7YBESGQYuEwYmKma0g23rXH4BI0Mabek9pIgtJE5gCG_OvOQAFJNWGe4vOzSOTA8E0h5ddtA0zjqyqrxmPzuAKGMW7/s1600/IMG_3910.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xy56cUATQf-B-40Wucu8JyyXlHGLr5slNpbYCnqlmLHElbKpTV7YBESGQYuEwYmKma0g23rXH4BI0Mabek9pIgtJE5gCG_OvOQAFJNWGe4vOzSOTA8E0h5ddtA0zjqyqrxmPzuAKGMW7/s320/IMG_3910.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The clapper is made of a double layer of the board, 13" (33 cm) long, 2.5" at the wide end, 2" at the narrow end, and 2" high. It weighs 2 lbs 6 oz (1.1 kg). I still want to add grooves along the sides to help with grasping it, but.... my routing skills are rudimentary, and I'll want to build a jig to hold the clapper in place and guide the router in a straight line... so it may be some time before I dare to apply a cutting blade to this very lovely hunk of very smooth wood. </div>
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Here's my new point turner: a useful little piece of modern sculpture!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tyequdw-Nj539_JbKyiFTBCNw1XNoNUEGBAJ3fjFOUoj8MpFCBcfK8-S1WYuNnJQl96DJSBzotNDmBi4dEVgnIteOMVqerNP2bBmmDFUvGy_Xwru33aCY6GLfp6webQ6pJc2O88hynGw/s1600/IMG_3912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tyequdw-Nj539_JbKyiFTBCNw1XNoNUEGBAJ3fjFOUoj8MpFCBcfK8-S1WYuNnJQl96DJSBzotNDmBi4dEVgnIteOMVqerNP2bBmmDFUvGy_Xwru33aCY6GLfp6webQ6pJc2O88hynGw/s320/IMG_3912.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm willing to hazard a guess that might be the only jatoba point turner in existence.....</div>
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I freehand designed this one. The top is 13 3/8" long. The base is 11" x 4.5": very useful for clapping down entire items like pockets. The hole in the middle, is 2 1/4" in diameter, perfect for grabbing it. The whole thing weighs a whopping 3 lbs 9 oz (1.6 kg). Everything is held together with glue and dowels - no screws. </div>
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Both pieces are sanded very, very smooth: 120, 220, 320, 400, and 600 grit. That's the natural colour of the wood, too - since they're intended to be used with fabric and a hot steamy iron, I couldn't (and won't) oil or varnish the wood in any way. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8q4QE4KvmfLNg_GptuH-fCWGEbJsIQ6skL7VvNKahG-50MnsIbjUlEIDV_WWXGvAkwxOaFBhYV3yWdBAhkLVkmJLTbeA1QTZYQKglWDDZlngMKwB8c4k5AaxXF-3-E61HJ31IbfmZB2h/s1600/IMG_3909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8q4QE4KvmfLNg_GptuH-fCWGEbJsIQ6skL7VvNKahG-50MnsIbjUlEIDV_WWXGvAkwxOaFBhYV3yWdBAhkLVkmJLTbeA1QTZYQKglWDDZlngMKwB8c4k5AaxXF-3-E61HJ31IbfmZB2h/s320/IMG_3909.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I got only a short (and inexpensive!) length of board for this project, 33" overall. My stingy pattern layout skills allowed me to lay out the parts in such a way that I made the two pieces above and still have a 7" square board to serve as another instrument stand. Very efficient use of materials, if I do say so... </div>
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More sewing aids in the works.... Hint: I'm on a roll!</div>
Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-35943612474652982802016-01-01T12:07:00.000-05:002016-01-01T12:07:23.746-05:00Pendleton coat: the inner workingsThe moment I acquired the Pendleton Wool from Ann, I began pondering its ultimate shape: a short(ish) coat - and collecting materials for it.<br />
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As I'd mentioned, the wool fabric is very soft, very spongy, and very, very breathable. The Arctic wind will blow through it as easily as my own wee breath. So it needs plenty of invisible support to make it both sturdy and winter worthy.<br />
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The support will come in the shape of interfacing, underlining, and interlining. <br />
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1. Interfacing - either fusible or sewn-in - serves to provide substance for the fabric in areas of greatest wear and visibility: hems, vertical edges, collars, lapels.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I opted for fusible interfacing for the collar (upper and lower), full fronts and front facings, and all hems. I also opted for welt pockets, and interfaced the pocket locations, which you can see in the photo below. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSYhtTxRjzmV0NhW2svRF2VryVvmK_KHEOp0QDwsbKnmd2hlB3uIW1SIy0HNZnGteV4CurcB7C9h-mU0Ty-yiKTRl0Z6rfYzTlDu9OQOyBpx8L_aT-Tm8TlYk5vhJzq6OG8ZhDBHl4Lwl/s1600/IMG_3832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSYhtTxRjzmV0NhW2svRF2VryVvmK_KHEOp0QDwsbKnmd2hlB3uIW1SIy0HNZnGteV4CurcB7C9h-mU0Ty-yiKTRl0Z6rfYzTlDu9OQOyBpx8L_aT-Tm8TlYk5vhJzq6OG8ZhDBHl4Lwl/s320/IMG_3832.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Both upper and under collar are interfaced: the under collar is cut on the bias and bias-interfaced with regular woven interfacing, while the upper collar is also bias interfaced with fusible horsehair canvas. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrfIOYxPLYFpQtTGfykWuAWB47rr2RtiOAjm8Ks8bslcnIP3LqVDOLaBisBMxgaF36SClFuUjze7stDVprGKhcx9Fwr5kt3jBofFEKDbLFJ-Wy7uIo1PeO2VHatyYHk_kiHQ9kuH_kuv9/s1600/IMG_3836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrfIOYxPLYFpQtTGfykWuAWB47rr2RtiOAjm8Ks8bslcnIP3LqVDOLaBisBMxgaF36SClFuUjze7stDVprGKhcx9Fwr5kt3jBofFEKDbLFJ-Wy7uIo1PeO2VHatyYHk_kiHQ9kuH_kuv9/s320/IMG_3836.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDZGnjly3Plo-768NBKBWO5alituvoypCHP5CTKq-OvBjOIG85hWhIvj9fnHixqxgOl90hELPYlDETiP_9QMid_nFU4S7vPfcYu4RL4hYOWLVPEDDSGLE-M7zC161SZccZrQis6BlxUE0/s1600/IMG_3838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDZGnjly3Plo-768NBKBWO5alituvoypCHP5CTKq-OvBjOIG85hWhIvj9fnHixqxgOl90hELPYlDETiP_9QMid_nFU4S7vPfcYu4RL4hYOWLVPEDDSGLE-M7zC161SZccZrQis6BlxUE0/s320/IMG_3838.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Above is another instance of photos being invaluable in assessing one's progress. Do you notice the tiny discrepancy in the pattern at the collar points? After seeing this, I flipped the collar back inside out and re-sewed the right corner to better match the left. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC4W-dNzskss57JcsbApMK_f8IZSww1XDf4mCo5Ib7jiVEItgnLzScPZhvXSPHzczJDNAT67DwjHjS-TFWr6kySlpCyrMbvRtMxNzWG_84qPCQFptz1XlFwUZoc8LkBZ6w4NRVAHu4pR6/s1600/IMG_3839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC4W-dNzskss57JcsbApMK_f8IZSww1XDf4mCo5Ib7jiVEItgnLzScPZhvXSPHzczJDNAT67DwjHjS-TFWr6kySlpCyrMbvRtMxNzWG_84qPCQFptz1XlFwUZoc8LkBZ6w4NRVAHu4pR6/s320/IMG_3839.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Collar pinned onto the body, just to approximate the way it'll look when finished. </div>
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2. The underlining of a garment is sandwiched to the wrong side of the fashion fabric and and they are sewn together as one. That way, the underlining supports the body of the fashion fabric without actually being attached to the face of it, as is the case for interfacing. Indoor garments such as dresses, skirts, or jackets, are often underlined with lightweight cotton or, if more body is required, silk organza.<br />
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In this coat, the upper backs and side fronts are underlined with a polyester tie silk from the shoulders to the waist. This supports the fabric and prevents it from stretching out of shape in areas that always experience the most stress - just think of the pulling and tugging you give a coat as you put it on and then move in it. I chose the poly tie silk because it's more tightly woven than the cotton broadcloth I'd normally use to underline an indoor jacket. Thus, this underlining also provides some wind blockage where most needed: the core of the wearer's (mine!) body.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnj0OkWcfh2KQZpbwZsI22J7eAUS4QtulvNf3PS0r4j4_HwsmZCEmGeSndxHOhaatJAWm6TZtQROiT-DFAedqYDav_UP2YZOaqem2bf0XgIzugbXRA5e1G737oQTDxa-BAWLb39qbiz1rt/s1600/IMG_3908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnj0OkWcfh2KQZpbwZsI22J7eAUS4QtulvNf3PS0r4j4_HwsmZCEmGeSndxHOhaatJAWm6TZtQROiT-DFAedqYDav_UP2YZOaqem2bf0XgIzugbXRA5e1G737oQTDxa-BAWLb39qbiz1rt/s400/IMG_3908.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The above underlining might look like it's on the bias, but it's not - the design is oriented diagonally, that's all. <br />
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3. The interlining, or the insulating layer between the outer fabric and the lining, is the critical component that will make this coat a warm one. Of the three outdoor winter coats I've made previously, two were perfectly interlined for warmth, and I love wearing them. Until last week, the third (the coral cashmere) was interlined in a seriously substandard fashion, an error that was badly in need of a correction. This is a lesson I won't forget in a hurry.<br />
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For the current project, I opted for <a href="http://www.discoverytrekking.com/pdfs/Windpro(1).pdf" target="_blank">windpro</a>, a high insulation value technical fabric from Polartec. It's highly water repellent while being breathable, blocks 80% of the wind, and provides warmth without (much) weight or bulk. I got it from <a href="http://www.discoverytrekking.com/fabric" target="_blank">Discovery Trekking Outfitters</a> - a company that makes high performance outdoor clothing and sells its excess fabrics. They're located in Campbell River, BC.<br />
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As you see, the coat's now in progress. So far everything's machine basted or hand basted together, and fit tested. I'll discuss the pattern and fit in the next post.<br />
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Happy 2016 to all and sundry!Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-37394081261585329892015-12-26T12:19:00.004-05:002015-12-26T18:56:50.337-05:00The Pendleton coat's lining: dare to try!Whenever I can, I try to use a fun patterned silk to line my coats and jackets. But for this one, I didn't have any silk charmeuse in the right colour way. So I grabbed a light-medium warm grey bemberg rayon during a members' sale at my local fabric store. Bemberg is usually expensive, so this was a great grab.<br />
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When I got it home, it became apparent that the tone of the rayon's greyness was a tad too warm for the grey of the fashion fabric; more beigey than grey, in fact. Lesson: <b><u>always</u> </b>take a swatch of your fabric when shopping for matching fabric. Head shake at self here....<br />
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You'd be completely justified to roll your eyes in my general general direction, and say: get over yourself, woman! for pity's sake, who looks at lining?! <br />
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Well.... I do. Every time I put the garment on, and then every time I take it off. And we sew for ourselves, right? <br />
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You already see what's coming here: another dye job, right? Right! But this one, with a difference: rather than just plain stove top immersion dyeing, I decided to try for a pattern. I've long been reading about shibori techniques, but have not yet dared to try any. I've never done anything patterned before, in fact. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to attempt a never-before-tried experiment: whatever the aesthetic effect, the lining <u>will</u> be wearable, since it'll be quite invisible to the world at large. Indeed, a very safe experiment.<br />
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To connect with the pattern of the fashion fabric, I decided on a rectangularish-squarish-patterned tie dye. I concertina-pleated the lining and then tightly tied narrow bands across the pleats. Both the pleat widths and the tie intervals are about 6", or 15 cm.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBumwMNuMctofC-g4dXYrFq6n-mFmPpA8c_dif5Sn7ke8VSIcWYAl3FqfL8EzNR9NotqBT7B00-n0cK2azkjd8G2SOcUZ13DUA2TWIy_Q00_USg5PNiK6plxEAWEMweP7FTbiO7ISrZlwU/s1600/IMG_3903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBumwMNuMctofC-g4dXYrFq6n-mFmPpA8c_dif5Sn7ke8VSIcWYAl3FqfL8EzNR9NotqBT7B00-n0cK2azkjd8G2SOcUZ13DUA2TWIy_Q00_USg5PNiK6plxEAWEMweP7FTbiO7ISrZlwU/s320/IMG_3903.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I then soaked the tied fabric in a warm solution of soda ash and salt - this improves the dye molecules bonding with the fabric. Squeezing out the solution, I placed my wet, tied fabric roll on an inverted aluminum cookie sheet in the sink, and squirted dye over it from a squeeze bottle.<br />
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I used two dyes: Rit liquid dye in navy as the main player, and black instant set Colorhue dye as a finishing touch.<br />
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After applying the dyes to my fabric roll, I placed it in a glass bowl, wrapped the lot with thick plastic, microwaved for a total of three minutes, waited for it all to cool, rinsed in the sink, then machine washed in cold water with plenty of soap.<br />
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I had no idea what to expect. But I hoped that the navy dye will at the very least cool down the beigey tone of the lining's original colour, and thus bring it a little closer to my conception of how the colour of the lining ought to play with the grey of the pendleton. And I knew that the result will be rather subtle, being dark navy on top of mid-tone beige. I like subtle. <br />
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The result? I'm delighted! Tickled! Amazed! I got an unexpected, regular yet very organic pattern, with colours that are mainly cool purplish blue on top of the beige. It also appears that the Colourhue dye reacted with the aluminum pan and gave some greenish-tealish tones to the final result. The edges of the pleats absorbed more of the dye and created dark horizontal lines, while the ties across the pleats (which prevented the dye from reaching in) created soft light coloured vertical lines. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYblp5PfboVnrEhS0q94TxiG2M9P-p9pRRimeGdXBqtcH57gqdKjlv1BhCbK3ALcM0kdGi4kREfeZBTmSF5NkpvkqNhsX_Hs8FUBcEB1q-UIgW71yHoNQUuGwB-2-ttSU4XIreuyvjvU-K/s1600/Dyed+lining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYblp5PfboVnrEhS0q94TxiG2M9P-p9pRRimeGdXBqtcH57gqdKjlv1BhCbK3ALcM0kdGi4kREfeZBTmSF5NkpvkqNhsX_Hs8FUBcEB1q-UIgW71yHoNQUuGwB-2-ttSU4XIreuyvjvU-K/s400/Dyed+lining.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'll be very happy to have this unusual wacky lining inside my very regularly patterned coat!<br />
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It's so easy to say to oneself, I wish I could, but I don't know how, I've never done it, therefore I can't.<br />
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And that's why the last word today belongs to Gary Trudeau: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CWEOL4eAT8W4zhvJbongDtIFJBgslXyE6lLhlHNJj0lZXoJyyKPFvEY0qCHC0T6OBuc4KZgYIMe_9M1Q17TvDa1QIAbA0dif3CWAC1hrDH6y_DksOOb9wBusrdphaup3w6ZZatwSE-EO/s1600/Doonsbury+cartoon+21-02-1974.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CWEOL4eAT8W4zhvJbongDtIFJBgslXyE6lLhlHNJj0lZXoJyyKPFvEY0qCHC0T6OBuc4KZgYIMe_9M1Q17TvDa1QIAbA0dif3CWAC1hrDH6y_DksOOb9wBusrdphaup3w6ZZatwSE-EO/s400/Doonsbury+cartoon+21-02-1974.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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Amazingly, I remember reading <b>and loving</b> this strip when it was first published:</div>
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21st February 1974. </div>
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Even then, its message resonated with me: dare to try. </div>
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Dare to aim higher!</div>
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Dare to be bold! </div>
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Just do it. </div>
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Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-60436150589575669812015-12-22T08:33:00.001-05:002015-12-22T10:17:00.795-05:00Invisible sewingWe all do it: sewing that isn't "pour moi" - isn't "couture" - and typically, isn't (and isn't supposed to be) visible to the world at large. Stuff that's too pedestrian - quotidien - even yawn-worthy to some - to blog about. And yet, it's basic and needful sewing that improves our daily existence and grounds us into the world we live in.<br />
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For example: during the last six months I created: </div>
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- a Canadian winter-worthy king-sized duvet. I started with the shell of a former double-sized duvet, and added 7" wide channels of new ticking on three sides of the original. Four (yes, FOUR!!!!) pounds of duck down from an Ontario supplier later.... and.... I now have a super-warm king sized down duvet that one simply cannot buy <b>anywhere</b>, no matter the price..... It's unique... and amazing to snuggle under..........<br />
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- four king-sized pillows. Starting with new pillow ticking from my local Fabricland, I made four king size (20" x 30") cases, and then filled them with a pillow-appropriate down/feather mix from the same supplier. About 1.5 lbs per pillow: perfect!!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0Z4b7QB7vPQJ2Dp8HJu44NDWTxDrvIM0o9n4n5kQ8cwe5B4GqNgaDGAE682DwwQkSgU_VlKegKCtW7g20Q2hn5JYN0KRSsTqnxVtE7xuZAFySelCkbwICrLDbjn-3PnoVQkwImo2d86Z/s1600/IMG_3848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0Z4b7QB7vPQJ2Dp8HJu44NDWTxDrvIM0o9n4n5kQ8cwe5B4GqNgaDGAE682DwwQkSgU_VlKegKCtW7g20Q2hn5JYN0KRSsTqnxVtE7xuZAFySelCkbwICrLDbjn-3PnoVQkwImo2d86Z/s400/IMG_3848.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New duvet and pillows, and several fleece and cotton pillow cases</td></tr>
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- fleece cases for above pillows: during the last couple of years when I was temporarily bald, I couldn't bear to sleep on a plain cotton pillow: just too c-c-c-cold!!! My bald head needed the warmth and softness of fleece. This year, though I now have hair again, I made a gazillion fleece pillow cases for me and mine. They make yummy winter bedding..... and perfect little Christmas gifts.</div>
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- cotton pillow cases for the above pillows, from a re-purposed cotton sheet: when a high quality, high thread count fitted sheet unexpectedly developed a rip in one tiny spot, I cut it up into five king-sized pillow cases, instead of throwing it out. How thrifty of me!<br />
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- an instrument case: if you looked at my quickie blog bio, you might have noticed the word "musician". Woodwinds are my thing: flutes, recorders, clarinets. In this instance, I created a soft travel case for four of my larger (tenor and alto) recorders. I pieced it from cotton velvet remnants, and lined it with the softest fleece in my stash. With its multiple jewel tones, the case has a nice renaissance-baroque vibe to it. Very musically appropriate!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal5VDQM3JGwWXcyDbYqmyfTBM9hWDiu5GrTaHVPPMBpeBkx1PDLos7MwzgJM5sT9j6bxQf7P0aDHBlS1siKQdEsuAjtIeLo3s6hEK4o6WGXrctnqs97YI5JW8a_boX2xPKYncjQTfYhNt/s1600/IMG_3846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal5VDQM3JGwWXcyDbYqmyfTBM9hWDiu5GrTaHVPPMBpeBkx1PDLos7MwzgJM5sT9j6bxQf7P0aDHBlS1siKQdEsuAjtIeLo3s6hEK4o6WGXrctnqs97YI5JW8a_boX2xPKYncjQTfYhNt/s400/IMG_3846.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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- several simple fleece shells for my small external hard drives, and one for my hard flute case. A double-padded fleece case for my little point and shoot camera so it's protected from the other denizens of my purse; as an added bonus, it's a nice bright rosy red, which makes it easy to spot anywhere. Basic black has its place, but a little colour makes for a fantastic exclamation point in one's life.<br />
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- re-fitted clothing: I'm doing this a lot these days. As an example, my darling mom, who lives not very far away, recently gave me a pair of slacks and two yummy wool sweaters. We're nearly the same height, but I'm the skinny-minny of the family, so all of her hand-me-overs have to be sized down a lot to fit me. She pin-fitted the slacks on me, and then basted the new sides and new (much lowered) waistband placement. In the case of the sweaters, I reduced the shoulder width by removing the sleeves and moving them in towards the shoulder and then narrowed the seam lines of both sleeves and sides. <br />
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- a warm fleece interlining to my <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2009/11/inaugurated-with-some-random-thoughts.html" target="_blank">coral cashmere coat</a>. For some inexplicable reason, I left my brain on the bedside table on the day I was creating the lining for this garment, and made it without appropriate winter insulation. What was I thinking??? nay, I clearly wasn't thinking at all. As a result, though stylish and a favourite to wear, it was never quite warm enough. So, with winter almost here and the need to wear the coat again fast approaching, I pulled out the pattern, and created an interlining out of a thick poly fleece, using the back, side panel, side front, and top of the sleeve pattern pieces. I then flipped the lining inside out and hand stitched the warm interlining to the sewing allowances of the back neckline, front facings, and sleeves. In the next few days, I'll also move the snaps over a couple of inches to snug it up a bit.<br />
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In other news, I'm already working on my new pendleton check wool coat. I'll post on that in a few days. <br />
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And, since it's almost here, let me wish a very Merry Christmas to everyone! Most unusually, it'll be a green one here in the capital of the Great White North. </div>
Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-45908506562330852452015-12-09T23:59:00.000-05:002015-12-09T23:59:48.670-05:00The AA jumpsuit - a successful knockoff!AA? Sure! except in this instance it refers not to the evil brew, but 'Murrican Apparel.<br />
A jumpsuit isn't the sort of thing I'd ever think of for myself. And yet....<br />
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The backstory here is that my daughter modeled for me a new garment she'd just bought. And she looked deliciously adorable in it. So, being that we're very close in size, I tried it on. Better than that, I examined it inside and out, and... you guessed it: decided I too could not only wear one but make it too.<br />
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Copying a garment typically involves tracing each part, sometimes with cling film (plastic food wrap, whatever you call it these days - the stuff used to be called saran wrap back in the days). Instead of doing that (with one exception*), I simply sketched the garment and then described its dimensions. In four pages of excruciating detail.<br />
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Then, based on these measurements, I drafted the pattern pieces. <br />
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*The exception is the pants leg: I traced the outside pants leg from waist to hem and the inside leg from crotch to hem. I still had to describe some of the dimensions, but this gave me a very good basis for the overall shape of the trouser part of the garment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KwRhigBNQEkFA-_bsCYLcfGYIucPlOaryeYZPXuNnRK2_AT1pi-zbEWgOooL4JXZT3J9bUBVFImVH_BEZttwBbV3QDyH2sOFK2HNfg8_E9ylioSoSF7YCzV3UA8O18Wa7_cXMSv8k9dT/s1600/Jumpsuit+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KwRhigBNQEkFA-_bsCYLcfGYIucPlOaryeYZPXuNnRK2_AT1pi-zbEWgOooL4JXZT3J9bUBVFImVH_BEZttwBbV3QDyH2sOFK2HNfg8_E9ylioSoSF7YCzV3UA8O18Wa7_cXMSv8k9dT/s320/Jumpsuit+Front.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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Pleats abound in this suit, front! back! top! bottom! So in describing it, I was careful to note not just the placement of each pleat but also its length, depth and direction. <br />
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For example, three deep and long pleats on each shoulder - front and back. Bodice pleats at the waistline. Four front pleats on the trousers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYwKoqfNXMl6KCstoBkfdMyW9eNP3DFwnc7mxS50eKp_FwKUmDBlWKTMFNPNeaa0EONtWhyphenhyphendhh8iGOmLbuVpuLSuuZ-a5BPUQklrxFtfDX2s2Knh9bslufNkvvk73QC7o3TJn5q6m_n9n/s1600/Jumpsuit+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYwKoqfNXMl6KCstoBkfdMyW9eNP3DFwnc7mxS50eKp_FwKUmDBlWKTMFNPNeaa0EONtWhyphenhyphendhh8iGOmLbuVpuLSuuZ-a5BPUQklrxFtfDX2s2Knh9bslufNkvvk73QC7o3TJn5q6m_n9n/s320/Jumpsuit+Back.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Three long and deep pleats at the back shoulders, and shirred back waist. </div>
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Two deep side seam pockets; the top of each is caught in the front waist seam. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrrs88vmNxOROOlKUzxzjmMt1P7-SN0s2qkVE48ySlcTh_w8i5V7c33x_45xsciia-Nsc3QMLKqrrXuTTOes1KJHrNGspCpCvrgbbR57bPPiA7zzpOynTza0CtgO4Ljzst_CaPxRAMy3D/s1600/Jumpsuit+side.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrrs88vmNxOROOlKUzxzjmMt1P7-SN0s2qkVE48ySlcTh_w8i5V7c33x_45xsciia-Nsc3QMLKqrrXuTTOes1KJHrNGspCpCvrgbbR57bPPiA7zzpOynTza0CtgO4Ljzst_CaPxRAMy3D/s320/Jumpsuit+side.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
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The left side seam is one long zipper, all the way from the armscye to about mid-thigh. The zipper runs behind the side seam pocket. Figuring out how to put these things together was quite a trick of mental gymnastics ... the pattern I drafted obviously didn't come with any assembly instructions!<br />
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I made a few small but important changes to the garment that improved its fit and overall proportions:<br />
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I shortened the bodice by 1 cm and the trouser crotch length by 2 cm, but lengthened the trouser leg. <br />
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I narrowed the outside shoulder line by about 2 cm and shaped the armscye. The original had a very unattractive straight armscye that created excess of fabric puddling around the armpits, especially in the back.<br />
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I oriented the front pattern pieces so the CF diagonal crossover is on the straight grain (i.e., no bias stretching or rippling) , plus I took out a gape dart, shifted to the bottom of the pattern piece, from the CF diagonal. This really improved the fit of the CF in comparison with the original, in which the bodice noticeably gaped open. The original was also a bit too long waisted for me and my daughter - we're borderline petites - so that also contributed to the original's gaposis.<br />
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There's no gaposis in my bodice <b>at all</b>. </div>
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I'm just about ready to tackle my new coat now. So stay tuned...</div>
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Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-25231009737513193732015-11-03T08:52:00.000-05:002015-11-03T08:52:34.239-05:00Musings on a new coat projectAaaaahhhhh! Late fall.... my garden is rapidly going underground, the outdoor temps maxing out at barely-there double digits, time for winter tires and Christmas prep rapidly abeckonin', and first flurries of the season already behind us. I can just about smell the first world-blanketing snowstorm in the air. <br />
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So it shouldn't be surprising to have one's fancy turn to thoughts of coats. Winter coats, yea! Who amongst you is also thinking of making one? <br />
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A short while ago Ann of <a href="http://sewbabynews.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">SewbabyNews</a> had a de-stashing sale. How could I possibly NOT try to help a fellow blogger, especially one with whom I already had some charming exchanges in the past? I bought two of her wools (thank you, Ann!): a beautiful cream-grey-blue pendleton check in coating weight and a totally fab genuine Black Watch tartan in what in my climate goes as dress weight. <br />
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I've made a few coats. Way, way back when. Like, if you can believe it, three of them in 2008, as part of the <a href="http://coatsewalong.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Great Coat Sewalong</a>. Seriously?! Have I been blogging for 7, count' em, s-e-v-e-n, years?! I don't believe it myself.<br />
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Not counting my more recent fall/spring trench of a couple of years ago, my me-made coats are:<br />
1. <a href="http://www.finickypatterns.com/collections/jackets-outerwear/products/womens-lined-coat-pattern-mccalls-5247-button-front-stand-up-collar-size-14-to-22-uncut" target="_blank">McCall's 5247</a> (Scott ancient black and white tartan) indoor topper<br />
2. <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/16208" target="_blank">Burda 7856</a> red/black herringbone blanket cocoon short coat<br />
3.<a href="https://www.google.ca/search?q=vogue+1266&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CBwQsARqFQoTCIev-quu68gCFce4HgodgCICvA&biw=1280&bih=675#imgrc=oCHTUjBks83x2M%3A" target="_blank">Vogue 1266</a> wool-cashmere black-grey pinstripe Siege of Stalingrad heavy long winter coat<br />
4. <a href="http://www.burdastyle.de/chameleon/mediapool/thumbs/0/96/Ganz-schoen-elegant-Mode-3_400x400-ID150534-dbe96e234c5aa4ed50681e3f0dc3529a.jpg" target="_blank">Burda 09-2009-115</a> coral-coloured cashmere "is that a bathrobe?" modern cut light winter coat<br />
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So it's high time I made another coat, right? Of course right.<br />
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Considering that I'm on a fabric fast (cough, cough, the less said about that the better - falling off the wagon feels sooo good, right?) and thus morally obligated to not increase the size of my stash, it behoves me to make something out of those two recently arrived luscious wools before they begin to languish. <br />
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I have exactly 2.5 m of the pendleton, in standard (150 cm) width.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't this a real winter beauty?</td></tr>
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And I'm considering one of these three patterns: Butterick 5145, Vogue 8548, and Vogue 7978.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSduCKWyjqs3PgkAeH5tWsYxn4J73BqlsfkFwjZGsFK1ATb33P2_Oj7hl28RjoSBocuZfyDAfH-7QqGfX9zhUCN2ku1szD6YtE-xX19XpDJZlOJC24jKzdf3Hxa1H0roDokvChc6NSWKTE/s1600/IMG_3765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSduCKWyjqs3PgkAeH5tWsYxn4J73BqlsfkFwjZGsFK1ATb33P2_Oj7hl28RjoSBocuZfyDAfH-7QqGfX9zhUCN2ku1szD6YtE-xX19XpDJZlOJC24jKzdf3Hxa1H0roDokvChc6NSWKTE/s400/IMG_3765.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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They just happen to be some of the coat patterns in my collection. All have a slightly A-line shape. All have a stand-up collar version, too, to which I've been attracted of late. Two of the three have a raised waistline with variations on the armscye princess bodice shaping. The Butterick has that in the back, with darts in the front bodice - and darts might well work better with the check than those curving princess seams. I'm very conscious that whatever pattern I choose should look good with checks. Checks are always something of a challenge, what with needing to be matched in both horizontal and vertical directions!<br />
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I've always adored version A of V8548 (the yellow one), but for a Canadian winter, seriously?! I have to laugh at the very idea. Those princess sleeves would give my skinny birdbone wrists frostbite every time every time I stepped outdoors, and the huge funnel would collect a shovelful of snow down my back just in the time it takes for me to walk from the bus stop home. Still, that pattern would make one rockin' office frock.<br />
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I'm less inclined towards the shoulder princess V7978, yet at the same time do like the off-centre, Asian vibe closure on version B. Only perhaps not with this fabric, hmm? Kinda too many cultural references in one garment.<br />
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Just to verify that my fabric length will yield a coat of my desired length: something a little above the knee - I placed the Butterick pattern pieces on the fabric. So far so good - but that was without attempting to matching the check. But at least I know that a coat is a very doable idea for the fabric.<br />
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So, OK, let's discuss the fabric. The pendleton is a soft, spongy, fairly loose, easy to breathe through wool. Beautiful, but it's not a melton: not terribly resistant to being pulled out of shape, and certainly insufficient by itself to keep me warm or protected from the wind. So a discussion of interfacing, underlining, interlining, and various shape retention methods is in order....<br />
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All in good time. I'm going to go slow on this project. Right now I'm not in a position to do any sewing whatsoever, having just submitted to hand surgery on my dominant hand for the second time in two months. Can't hold scissors! Come to think of it, can't hold anything. But I can peck-type with my other hand! The enforced idleness is an encouragement to review the construction choices I made for my other coats, and plan appropriately for this one.<br />
<br />Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-66331528088941435852015-10-23T10:20:00.001-04:002015-10-23T13:02:08.131-04:00My version of the Shingle Dress: Vogue 8904<div>
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Every now and again, there comes along a pattern that catches fire and takes everyone's fancy. This is one of them.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-OxPtISfpZOizk8oRkIdZHu_BliF2Ngojfv17WNOnO4BI-z82AVqltTDFDGZzfLfM2XShaOMV2UTRVqLLOpl9dNK3olCMiV4VP7ohizKySofxNhl8FXJfXF4YkZslS8WNUOCWMiZSSnB/s1600/IMG_3729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-OxPtISfpZOizk8oRkIdZHu_BliF2Ngojfv17WNOnO4BI-z82AVqltTDFDGZzfLfM2XShaOMV2UTRVqLLOpl9dNK3olCMiV4VP7ohizKySofxNhl8FXJfXF4YkZslS8WNUOCWMiZSSnB/s320/IMG_3729.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Seemingly a very simple shift knit dress, it's made unique by those newfangled, off-to-starboard-off-to-port angled panels over the front and (hooray!) back. Like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluenose" target="_blank">Bluenose </a>ploughing through a sou'easter with handsome Captain <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_Walters" target="_blank">Angus Walters</a> at her helm.<br />
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With this one, Marcy Tilton hit it way, way out of the park.<br />
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Once again I applaud the great resource that is <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/reviewgallery" target="_blank">Pattern Review</a>. When I started to think of making this dress, I took a nice long look at the versions already posted there - <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/search.pl?search=search&patternid=59860" target="_blank">at last count, 52 reviews</a>. All made within two years of the pattern's release. They allowed me to look at very many versions and ponder at my leisure what it was that I liked, and why, and how, I liked it. Quite the luxury. </div>
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I decided what I wanted: </div>
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- knee length: not mid-thigh nor mid-calf </div>
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- stripes - oh yes those stripes - the shingles shine at their best when those stripes make your eyes go all dizzy with their <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.84px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">moiré</span></span></div>
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- all five panels, on a knee length dress; the pattern uses four panels on an above-the-knee length and five on a midi</div>
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- all shingle stripes, including the bottom one, oriented (more or less) horizontally</div>
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- each panel ending on a dark stripe</div>
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- long sleeves, cut so the stripes run vertically</div>
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- widened shoulders on the dress</div>
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Taking my desire to fit all five panels into my shorter than standard shoulder to knee height, I began by shortening the underdress pattern piece by about 2 cm in the middle of each "shingle", and then shortening each shingle to match. I then asked my fashion designer mom - she's a wicked seamstress with a mouthful of pins! - to pin-fit the sides and to take out a horizontal fisheye dart just above my behind to remove any back waist puddling. <br />
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Getting each pair of front and back panels to match exactly seemed to take forever. This seemingly easy peasy quick little frock is anything but. Everything seemed to take forever: like ensuring all panels were symmetrically spaced; finishing/hemming and aligning each front and back panel pair - and then, matching all these damned little stripes along the side seams. Agony and arrrgh! I pinned said seams till they looked like line-dancing hedgehogs; machine basted, checked, ripped, repinned, rebasted, re-checked, re-ripped.... and repinned...... and again.... and again.... There were sections that I must've re-done four or five times. The human eye is capable of noticing a mis-match of much less than a millimeter - so once I decided that these side seams were going to be matched, dammit, it was a verrrry long afternoon of following through, spitting pins all the way. </div>
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Hokay. </div>
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Am I happy with the result? Yes. For a pull-on tee, it's a very cute and unusual frock. All out of 1 m of lingerie lining (the base under-dress) and 2 m of a very beefy, textured poly knit. Perhaps not the best fabric choice for this pattern, as those overlapping shingles result in very many layers in the side seams, especially at each shingle's hem. The hems are a simple fold over with an invisible zigzag along each dark stripe.<br />
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The best part, though? He heh. I got a long sleeved tee out of the remnant. <br />
Using the same pattern, and the scraps, I whipped up this tee before the rest of my family were up this morning - hey, the pattern and all its makings were already on my table!<br />
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My son said, "you look verrhy Frrhench!" <br />
My hubs added dryly, "very <a href="https://defensedanslarue.wordpress.com/history/the-dirty-tricks-of-the-french-apache/" target="_blank">French Apache</a>".<br />
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Zut alors! Vraiement?!<br />
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I was really sick to death of being all couture by this point, so after the initial matching of the stripes at the side seams, I let them do their own thing. </div>
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The sleeves are pieced. Just because. For fun. </div>
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Love the dissonance of the sleeves. The upper left one is cut on the bias. </div>
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I raised the front and back necklines 1/4", and used a dark stripe for the binding.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQxKyfUvLSKjc2cZf-O9ESxAY74BxhOFLbvOlTtkY4ZohToomk6zD69qwVDXHDJKKvEhvu6YGj3IUn5Ng-KbxhQl7lfLKzYMUQTkSlgG_ewZLhmXEC-1qNMynkUId0l8GXxoOK4px-IVs/s1600/IMG_3717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQxKyfUvLSKjc2cZf-O9ESxAY74BxhOFLbvOlTtkY4ZohToomk6zD69qwVDXHDJKKvEhvu6YGj3IUn5Ng-KbxhQl7lfLKzYMUQTkSlgG_ewZLhmXEC-1qNMynkUId0l8GXxoOK4px-IVs/s320/IMG_3717.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Really takes me back to my teenage sailing days. Need - more - stripey - tees. </div>
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Here's a modern version of a French Apache dance. Warning for the sensitive - it's very, very politically incorrect. But very good. </div>
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Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-4932315311968309702015-10-15T17:25:00.000-04:002015-10-16T18:43:07.006-04:00Gil Brandao wrap blouseSince I make lots of sleeveless tops that are loose, lightweight and non-clingy (think silk crepe de chine) this body-hugging wrap blouse pattern - and its intriguing description - was something new for my repertoire.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWFJWgNZBlP32JLnLnPbraLOAWTj_lcF9j10Xc2aTN-RQEc5jEOP-LRxDPj1zbI_JFol_0jIHDXCgK1_g9RGSaw40YQtLCX4mKcKwN8LQ541SbCsIgFmxIcLUhJDEG5X1JSOuD9-L-Si9/s1600/Blouse+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWFJWgNZBlP32JLnLnPbraLOAWTj_lcF9j10Xc2aTN-RQEc5jEOP-LRxDPj1zbI_JFol_0jIHDXCgK1_g9RGSaw40YQtLCX4mKcKwN8LQ541SbCsIgFmxIcLUhJDEG5X1JSOuD9-L-Si9/s320/Blouse+front.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gil Brandao wrap blouse</td></tr>
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The body-hugging look certainly is a departure from my norm: my son, upon seeing it said, ooo, fancy! are you going out somewhere special tonight? which surprised me to no end.<br />
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Its pattern is published in a <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/78084241/25-Modelos-de-Blusas-e-Blusoes-Gil-Brandao" target="_blank">book of Gil Brandao's designs</a>, and is reviewed, with a scale drawing of the pattern, at Studio Faro's blog as <a href="http://www.studiofaro.com/well-suited/pattern-puzzle-gil-brandao-wrap-blouse" target="_blank">one of their pattern puzzle entries</a>. Thank you, Anita!<br />
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I looked at the pattern and thought, if I'm to make a wearable item here, I have to consider how to finish all the edges. In the <a href="http://www.studiofaro.com/images/blog/GB_draft_wm_med.jpg" target="_blank">original design</a> (I don't want to embed it here without permission) the armscye is a deep and narrow wedge, and I worried that I wouldn't be able to finish it nicely, what with binding in two directions in such a tight corner. My solution? I added a side seam to it:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiImxLfkv752hoK7n3GH5GBG65ETcJIslHjr9-D23-2wEUmlOaSAFkuAbpS1qa96y744K0pPviio5O8aEryyd2gsSo2_q7ANPiCPCEnHcoLkrIMf7xEWXSSlK0ZFhT2zwTrXOs7RRYM9W6/s1600/IMG_8899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiImxLfkv752hoK7n3GH5GBG65ETcJIslHjr9-D23-2wEUmlOaSAFkuAbpS1qa96y744K0pPviio5O8aEryyd2gsSo2_q7ANPiCPCEnHcoLkrIMf7xEWXSSlK0ZFhT2zwTrXOs7RRYM9W6/s320/IMG_8899.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now each side of the armscye (the armscye is that deep vertical "dart" between the two pieces) had its own seam allowance that continued all the way down the side seam, and finishing said edges became easy. For a nice clean finish, I turned all SA's over twice to make a narrow hem along all edges and edgestitched. There was a lot of basting involved, but the end result was very much worth the time. As it turned out, at 115 cm, my fabric was too narrow to create the entire garment out of one piece, so the side seam was a necessity.<br />
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End of story? Not quite. When I tried it on, I realized that this design exposes lots of belly flesh unless worn with/over a very high waisted bottom. I don't wear high waisted bottoms. This also demanded a solution, so I added a lower panel to the under-lapping (left) side of the wrap: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiRemwBO0MCgBRBJClbnur9HJtvBxGBsN09z9w7-yC7eY2_PHvotORYZqYVtDysmeGEXrz5B3NqkyDiO9m-iGI6kk3UAfDOozuJyh-bSMdf8W2vHpTFdkCCKBENs8wQtM8ZwF1yymJcsv/s1600/Wrap+top+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiRemwBO0MCgBRBJClbnur9HJtvBxGBsN09z9w7-yC7eY2_PHvotORYZqYVtDysmeGEXrz5B3NqkyDiO9m-iGI6kk3UAfDOozuJyh-bSMdf8W2vHpTFdkCCKBENs8wQtM8ZwF1yymJcsv/s320/Wrap+top+front.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fun little winter project!</td></tr>
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The advantage of this added panel is that, since it's separate from the back lower panel from the waist down, it can be tucked inside slacks or a skirt. Now both my modesty and Gil's original concept of a body-hugging front with a little back peplum are preserved: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7DCXIkdDoUVls84CzLX8-HLCXsc5Iv13B2L-_Ekvlur2bDliFsvkQxLB_ESNOXr1_L8wa3o3fVGkg285Kwls1_ePVfzNebPCxDHVxVUEeoIGWHp5GMr7ySs3haNcqkmxBfRaN5IxJpF1/s1600/IMG_3351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7DCXIkdDoUVls84CzLX8-HLCXsc5Iv13B2L-_Ekvlur2bDliFsvkQxLB_ESNOXr1_L8wa3o3fVGkg285Kwls1_ePVfzNebPCxDHVxVUEeoIGWHp5GMr7ySs3haNcqkmxBfRaN5IxJpF1/s320/IMG_3351.JPG" width="206" /></a> </div>
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It's definitely wearable! It'll look great over a nice flowy black midi skirt, won't it? And, original design notwithstanding, I'd probably tuck that back panel inside as well. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpK7m_xymnZczbzSq4K54G88x-z8faYPmemq8u_HYBGe4LOfsMbb4nWKQzeud0BVx8nsxnSpkWnJqvciqPljdeXq-8Pu5IyMEZDCwzUIm7Pb5zJAiSc5IR5eJWIxtsj1TXyfqbz7kkqgZq/s1600/Wrap+blouse+Side+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpK7m_xymnZczbzSq4K54G88x-z8faYPmemq8u_HYBGe4LOfsMbb4nWKQzeud0BVx8nsxnSpkWnJqvciqPljdeXq-8Pu5IyMEZDCwzUIm7Pb5zJAiSc5IR5eJWIxtsj1TXyfqbz7kkqgZq/s320/Wrap+blouse+Side+view.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side seam and armscye bust dart clearly visible. The side seam's lower end could be raised so the lower panels split at, not below, the waistline</td></tr>
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If I was to make it again, I might make some small adjustments, to wit: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1gNXffebNYw4dQmrbjQ6C20qXaJhjO2ayHjAE7a0vqNhkJYGwRKcoOv1uFuilimRqLwdO83pXS6MHL72aY2x0UEPbo-J7qSc9jH7oK9j66LwbqtYMkb4H7hpXiDJ0GqvWbHEF3ausdqd/s1600/Wrap+blouse+alterations.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1gNXffebNYw4dQmrbjQ6C20qXaJhjO2ayHjAE7a0vqNhkJYGwRKcoOv1uFuilimRqLwdO83pXS6MHL72aY2x0UEPbo-J7qSc9jH7oK9j66LwbqtYMkb4H7hpXiDJ0GqvWbHEF3ausdqd/s320/Wrap+blouse+alterations.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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1. raise the upper front; 2. shorten (drop) the upper back, so the "shoulder corner seams" are a little further back; 3. narrow the back a little; 4. raise the waistline aka point of separation of the front and back peplums; and of course, 5. add the front peplum for belly coverage. But these are minor.<br />
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Do you may recognize the fabric? it's a very pretty lightweight silk crepe from, I think, Fabric Mart, bought many years ago. It responds very well to the stretching punishment of being a wrap!<br />
<br />Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-75216075516332591532015-10-09T14:23:00.000-04:002015-10-11T08:18:25.099-04:00Layered top pattern design - two finished versionsNow that the summer season is well and truly over and our thoughts begin to run to wools and coats, I want to close the loop on this <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2015/09/layered-tank-top-knockoff-initial.html" target="_blank">layered top design</a>. Here's my second, more whimsical version: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXy2iqgsOQvugaEMIluZwwNJ11Y_Sv1gGwOwoN1iqCJw6jqcyLIH9f2SB-cc4-RUocG-TNV9Sdc01OIIXNEYEII8yk_RheOnh_bAChBC8ZRDTGMcIUI0tbr8bmALUQTP85Y7yU4FOnNrcg/s1600/IMG_3671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXy2iqgsOQvugaEMIluZwwNJ11Y_Sv1gGwOwoN1iqCJw6jqcyLIH9f2SB-cc4-RUocG-TNV9Sdc01OIIXNEYEII8yk_RheOnh_bAChBC8ZRDTGMcIUI0tbr8bmALUQTP85Y7yU4FOnNrcg/s320/IMG_3671.JPG" width="244" /></a></div>
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This version has a little more front coverage, more back flare, is a little longer in front, and significantly longer in the back. You can see these changes below in the main piece of the pattern:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUDeaMqyMBjH5iWknmfyKNmTWDFkKiXJImFJYf0YwM9XCS8bHXqmeJtroXR8Ha5VQZpoSvq4lXNOdh97jvC1uPFSt6idlCvsV-F2DCrPN9BCOoL9oqwsqIItMTftKc1pfk1kOg79D8n4v/s1600/IMG_3623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUDeaMqyMBjH5iWknmfyKNmTWDFkKiXJImFJYf0YwM9XCS8bHXqmeJtroXR8Ha5VQZpoSvq4lXNOdh97jvC1uPFSt6idlCvsV-F2DCrPN9BCOoL9oqwsqIItMTftKc1pfk1kOg79D8n4v/s320/IMG_3623.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The biggest change is in the back, where I slashed and spread the pattern. I did this to explore the design possibilities of this funny striped cotton. To wit: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8yNRm0y_pvZNSb7lAb_Q9fmSdzXhsb0PuUbvOeqmQbrT6GXNp-PfkCxuAFQtxZm9AxtpG5h5GIfW3ae6ucHHBSxq0cij7944XK9apii6ohyphenhyphenYHNdS89rFWbOCztijhrgcessHYTd2DqTM/s1600/IMG_3668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8yNRm0y_pvZNSb7lAb_Q9fmSdzXhsb0PuUbvOeqmQbrT6GXNp-PfkCxuAFQtxZm9AxtpG5h5GIfW3ae6ucHHBSxq0cij7944XK9apii6ohyphenhyphenYHNdS89rFWbOCztijhrgcessHYTd2DqTM/s320/IMG_3668.JPG" width="262" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTi_CsUQiufqjgDB8zALKmA_0fXiaY-K5Pqe8C6nza9k_WS89yS63T4ims7GIijC1gKMD2a6e7-m_sBURaX9yK4EFRBtwSc0QsX-gu9rMUo9AoKVsA1CAa0Ml3XOUHHzqJm79pFej26F1/s1600/IMG_3676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTi_CsUQiufqjgDB8zALKmA_0fXiaY-K5Pqe8C6nza9k_WS89yS63T4ims7GIijC1gKMD2a6e7-m_sBURaX9yK4EFRBtwSc0QsX-gu9rMUo9AoKVsA1CAa0Ml3XOUHHzqJm79pFej26F1/s320/IMG_3676.JPG" width="241" /></a><br />
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This revision came to me as I was playing with the yellow versions - I thought, it has an ever so faint whiff of a Balenciaga dress, so let's build on that. You've all heard of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crist%C3%B3bal_Balenciaga" target="_blank">Cristobal Balenciaga</a>, right? The (no longer) living god of couture, active from the 1940's to the early 70's? So many of his designs favoured the high-low look, had a strong back flare, and avoided the natural waistline like the plague:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-zpcuWEPte35e5xGazSMWYUa9lPf-UIxOQFSDPAWaZw3CIL9vn8BvJRIlcX6XoM0ylmiA0jveD5tc0iDH-WQMAM0UcgSVlgSTCGg3O5cP4mQW8Z9nEblOZ7z1GN0EtIGuFZbQDV1FR7x/s1600/Balenciaga+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-zpcuWEPte35e5xGazSMWYUa9lPf-UIxOQFSDPAWaZw3CIL9vn8BvJRIlcX6XoM0ylmiA0jveD5tc0iDH-WQMAM0UcgSVlgSTCGg3O5cP4mQW8Z9nEblOZ7z1GN0EtIGuFZbQDV1FR7x/s320/Balenciaga+dress.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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Each time I look at these I think his fundamental inspiration was the Italian Rennaissance:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X6ZyTL4q-yxGfJy0I4K-CfeI1k-_WFIbfx3HT28ZwJtLdvodxPaxACQ_YoaMTjIVjCUQVNVT9k_yhYEUlpXbU7L19LZ1t2meBlf_l-3GZHwUv9z9zegBKpucWe5nQ6mJ3vGKnXvoxt92/s1600/italianblue014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X6ZyTL4q-yxGfJy0I4K-CfeI1k-_WFIbfx3HT28ZwJtLdvodxPaxACQ_YoaMTjIVjCUQVNVT9k_yhYEUlpXbU7L19LZ1t2meBlf_l-3GZHwUv9z9zegBKpucWe5nQ6mJ3vGKnXvoxt92/s320/italianblue014.jpg" width="195" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1RGKKKUgf-A3Md5VlXuTZWt2j9WtHYmPIuIt_h0cV9SWFgcUZ-iq_iNtffw5neepUVFHpBKOJONZkGFKyoRY7jQ40Ma9P9ft1IsXYmKJf34UigvfXnj0P2QlHYzTgvagKaMAv-BPaqNc/s1600/italian_dress__giornea_by_verdaera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1RGKKKUgf-A3Md5VlXuTZWt2j9WtHYmPIuIt_h0cV9SWFgcUZ-iq_iNtffw5neepUVFHpBKOJONZkGFKyoRY7jQ40Ma9P9ft1IsXYmKJf34UigvfXnj0P2QlHYzTgvagKaMAv-BPaqNc/s320/italian_dress__giornea_by_verdaera.jpg" width="228" /></a><br />
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Not in the details of course, but certainly in the silhouette he evoked.<br />
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My first, yellow, finished version, also had a teensy little bit of that:<br />
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...and it had a lot less coverage in the front! Perfect for those who wish to show off that bellybutton piercing, eh? (really, does anyone still do that? it seems so <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.2px;">passé</span>....</span>)<br />
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I'm going to leave this subject in highlighting the very many similar versions that strutted the runways last month for Spring 2016:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbc39iFy_aTxZ1w7mG3WAf4oCbbbYXs2h_EnAdAh24dHnLU3IFMKopX3fGIHQbEABlDV9tpwAeCKnDRWlPMhDYcnQXelgRwy3O5ZlaGKnO16z5UVPNhS0cClPXvhLRvXgrGsj3_NyT7SDM/s1600/edeline-lee-spring-2016-022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbc39iFy_aTxZ1w7mG3WAf4oCbbbYXs2h_EnAdAh24dHnLU3IFMKopX3fGIHQbEABlDV9tpwAeCKnDRWlPMhDYcnQXelgRwy3O5ZlaGKnO16z5UVPNhS0cClPXvhLRvXgrGsj3_NyT7SDM/s400/edeline-lee-spring-2016-022.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that: the bare belly look!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuZzT9uBB_cC5ZC287nYKHOeYNrsv-ESou20lsLlnxEvoYa5ZXk7vVrOCfgBNBe1f_ot1Chby4yRVUY1onN5A-cH9L9iHamohaTjmVF1oCP0d-aTRW2p0chyndJy4Q-Aa8y-T69IDixAf/s1600/osklen-rtw-spring-2016-024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuZzT9uBB_cC5ZC287nYKHOeYNrsv-ESou20lsLlnxEvoYa5ZXk7vVrOCfgBNBe1f_ot1Chby4yRVUY1onN5A-cH9L9iHamohaTjmVF1oCP0d-aTRW2p0chyndJy4Q-Aa8y-T69IDixAf/s320/osklen-rtw-spring-2016-024.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunic length with pleated shoulder detail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcA9YgS_QaYGIOLm6XRiDkDqh-51ylLObKahsAAsDsYB5lucKbDD9vC7s6joOkNSUNNVOaUyrIxpbKo7L1tVL-hM8AjcUOjveBDDLFxf9fJxeCLYgyCy4J-JII28bZ5e3Js8IEnu_7QGL/s1600/1205-Spring2016-Look9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcA9YgS_QaYGIOLm6XRiDkDqh-51ylLObKahsAAsDsYB5lucKbDD9vC7s6joOkNSUNNVOaUyrIxpbKo7L1tVL-hM8AjcUOjveBDDLFxf9fJxeCLYgyCy4J-JII28bZ5e3Js8IEnu_7QGL/s320/1205-Spring2016-Look9.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a flap pocket</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVY5JyVkz1kbxmm9KF1-uxFyLKBQ3Q_g8N-mgY7IAXiFdCXI3d8MTdUvi0izPeBzycmn2ohdac31TtZoVjf1JbhO4mnReJTTlB0BUfAsI1o1PMzspFL1EVng3xMJZwCMENgpghglvduv0b/s1600/1205-Spring2016-Look+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVY5JyVkz1kbxmm9KF1-uxFyLKBQ3Q_g8N-mgY7IAXiFdCXI3d8MTdUvi0izPeBzycmn2ohdac31TtZoVjf1JbhO4mnReJTTlB0BUfAsI1o1PMzspFL1EVng3xMJZwCMENgpghglvduv0b/s320/1205-Spring2016-Look+10.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a boucle or sweater knit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT060CWUTnByJlJv69mR5r2zRAJTLGcQdZensWEa7DoEieJulZC80seWy2jzDtsh5CG7mc9sMohVNwW_l0y4c6FnPH-dZczMwqtoDSA-FqHNkCs-lRAXPoqGxxUe_V7GbzTpuOIzFrHKCd/s1600/1205-Spring2016-Look+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT060CWUTnByJlJv69mR5r2zRAJTLGcQdZensWEa7DoEieJulZC80seWy2jzDtsh5CG7mc9sMohVNwW_l0y4c6FnPH-dZczMwqtoDSA-FqHNkCs-lRAXPoqGxxUe_V7GbzTpuOIzFrHKCd/s320/1205-Spring2016-Look+17.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And even in leather, over a maxi.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I make my wearable version(s), I'm thinking not of leather but a semi-sheer stretch chiffon, to highlight the overlapping and the unusual seaming. Or a stiffish poly-rayon brocade, to make that back flare stand out and the Renaissance vibe ring out loud. <br />
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The last word belongs to Balenciaga after all - here's one of from his very own design house, from a runway show of many, many years ago (I found it a couple of days ago.... go figure: everything old is new again!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpZ6mBILM6CD546pvo-vY6zWj_x33tbXUCvG9C5GQqb4LzbaFVXzgZQqV6Vqs27zISPdSLJp2Uqa9L1ozcFLG021AnL5LoC6294j0APVE_ucHl1CT2yXLU8PMGxn5S9n15VlnS21Ffmp3/s1600/balenciaga_019_1366-450x675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpZ6mBILM6CD546pvo-vY6zWj_x33tbXUCvG9C5GQqb4LzbaFVXzgZQqV6Vqs27zISPdSLJp2Uqa9L1ozcFLG021AnL5LoC6294j0APVE_ucHl1CT2yXLU8PMGxn5S9n15VlnS21Ffmp3/s400/balenciaga_019_1366-450x675.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a little modesty button at lower CF. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-17769656904467510422015-10-07T20:29:00.001-04:002015-10-08T00:05:44.780-04:00Purple Passion Peplum = a two piece dressThis is the story of a nice little two-piece dress that just happened! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlc6j_j7CLNyMz3GPxNCGlv-b8MnYwvjSyXFXP3SBHECZq-qe4c5udu0L_7GFDDn7vgT0vYyDcbmNGV_P3HHq8sEGr_gIUcA25szWZ__4y9pcNnNpDiSHfe0vnHMM4_UN2AuLOIq96h-w/s1600/PPP-front1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlc6j_j7CLNyMz3GPxNCGlv-b8MnYwvjSyXFXP3SBHECZq-qe4c5udu0L_7GFDDn7vgT0vYyDcbmNGV_P3HHq8sEGr_gIUcA25szWZ__4y9pcNnNpDiSHfe0vnHMM4_UN2AuLOIq96h-w/s320/PPP-front1.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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I'd meant to grab a skirt's length of this intriguing shirred cotton-rayon jacquard from EmmaOneSock, but before I got my nerve up high enough to break my fabric fast (ahem!), the last bit of it got sold out from under my mouse click. Darn, I thought, and, eternal optimist that I am, checked for it on roll ends. Success!!! well, sort of - the roll end was a two-er: two lengths of a skirt, not one. Oh hang it, in for a penny, in for a pound, rationalized she... and a two piece dress was born.<br />
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The skirt was easy: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA-hqu14PBrFL2HM4Vd6E_Zzc0CEyglOO-aX0S0G-8j2LIqLaegsYaZzDpq26VeS4vJwVCc6s9lppAB3vwQ7JypYSE6ICIqrjvVNolWu_56QRTwyU9F3uJN4pxBsxdyvQbBep6usBJT_i/s1600/IMG_3595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA-hqu14PBrFL2HM4Vd6E_Zzc0CEyglOO-aX0S0G-8j2LIqLaegsYaZzDpq26VeS4vJwVCc6s9lppAB3vwQ7JypYSE6ICIqrjvVNolWu_56QRTwyU9F3uJN4pxBsxdyvQbBep6usBJT_i/s320/IMG_3595.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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sew the selvedges together, serge the upper raw edge, turn it down, insert 3/4" non-roll elastic, press and stitch a double-turn narrow hem: done!</div>
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The blouse turned out to be a bit more of a process. </div>
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The first version was the result of two main moves:<br />
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1. cut off and flip the upper heavy-jacquard yoke so it's colour-reversed with the skirt's bottom. Not a huge difference from far away, but it seems brighter that way at close view. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_-F1Zv9Z7DS5LN8L2zRhoWJoMN79RCwCxM2Us9pXX7jSKZAbUnL5AvRKqwPhoFkPfE9W3SZZQuhwOyTd2gmzLhld6YuBdl6lJLWNyrDWFcyw5jPVkDteGJ7AxGWh-kqV3AtszWhTFETq/s1600/IMG_3456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_-F1Zv9Z7DS5LN8L2zRhoWJoMN79RCwCxM2Us9pXX7jSKZAbUnL5AvRKqwPhoFkPfE9W3SZZQuhwOyTd2gmzLhld6YuBdl6lJLWNyrDWFcyw5jPVkDteGJ7AxGWh-kqV3AtszWhTFETq/s320/IMG_3456.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The skirt is exactly like the right half of this pic. The blouse has the <span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">reversed (at lower left) yoke over the shoulders and the same</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> purple (at upper right) main part. Clear as mud?</span></td></tr>
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2. remove about half of the shirring from the lower waist area. I'm a shortie, and thus very short waisted. A six inch tall waistline stretching down to my nether regions would look very strange indeed. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLK-X6HgG5QCF4zq_Fm1-nbR0k-PzLeCbTFh2yCx5jdZeVTSPYfOpQf0_4n4H5v9xzbycN_9NsKAtBXVnZLGFFCsGY_Ezxf2h9n8QdrTJb25uygnUvSPMBX_qPEzHkc4hpZrxnYth9-c9I/s1600/IMG_3455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLK-X6HgG5QCF4zq_Fm1-nbR0k-PzLeCbTFh2yCx5jdZeVTSPYfOpQf0_4n4H5v9xzbycN_9NsKAtBXVnZLGFFCsGY_Ezxf2h9n8QdrTJb25uygnUvSPMBX_qPEzHkc4hpZrxnYth9-c9I/s320/IMG_3455.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I also curved down the off shoulder part of the blouse's shoulder seam for a cap-sleeve effect (otherwise the yoke would've stuck out to the sides like a piece of flat cardboard) and, though this isn't visible in the photo below nor on me, curved down slightly the neckline opening both in the front and the back:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHbcPbCXc59ZhJbRqFXsNYB54NT79gw2Wc_BsrqRKfjAI8M1jyA-4fftd_Ed7bW0SVTLc-jc86qUY_acHY9wOFoei4RW5kLo6s-L5TyX2cnVOtsYZO0bki4v9Vvl1i6BBw8h9Ipdi1hsb/s1600/IMG_3601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHbcPbCXc59ZhJbRqFXsNYB54NT79gw2Wc_BsrqRKfjAI8M1jyA-4fftd_Ed7bW0SVTLc-jc86qUY_acHY9wOFoei4RW5kLo6s-L5TyX2cnVOtsYZO0bki4v9Vvl1i6BBw8h9Ipdi1hsb/s320/IMG_3601.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Done, I thought, and took some end-of-project photos. </div>
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And here, my dear friends, is where blogging becomes invaluable. Perhaps not for you, the readers - you tell me! - but emphatically so for the blogger: if not for the fact that I wanted to show you this me-made easy-peasy no-pattern outfit here, I'd not have photo'ged it, and I'd not have had the opportunity to see it on little ole me in the harsh light of day. Especially not its back. </div>
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To my eyes, the front looked okay - perhaps a little top-long, but tolerable: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NEJHhf3y905rzucpGSzFAyAJEV9TLXeDn2jLw5-hpLEJh-C9H-aWMGZBhb7B4i2iWqOGWFbVQODeOxD4OXWSmxFddDos8JO6pgN7bUd3r5HocthotejB_gYNw2WpYr5I5Kw48VnJgXI4/s1600/IMG_3583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NEJHhf3y905rzucpGSzFAyAJEV9TLXeDn2jLw5-hpLEJh-C9H-aWMGZBhb7B4i2iWqOGWFbVQODeOxD4OXWSmxFddDos8JO6pgN7bUd3r5HocthotejB_gYNw2WpYr5I5Kw48VnJgXI4/s320/IMG_3583.JPG" width="165" /></a></div>
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I mean, really: on a live person, in motion, in often dubious lighting, seated behind a table perhaps, and, almost guaranteed, not through the eyes of another sewer - yes, acceptable IRL (in real life). But the back of the blouse, which I'd never have looked at if not for said photos, <strike>said</strike> screamed to me, I belong on a much bigger woman!!!! At 30,000 feet!!! In free-fall!!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCzTIguHpcIuihsTZ4m-PxTNY9j8O06FTUO5PD9viQOmRxnY_fcvCaG4r3JUp0nW8IoXE0fWJKg7-i1NY7IrMtt3IDv1mMJyxVeOe71JvxVhq_Jzy5G-2aRrVDBZWDDHlb_l-h93ORFEa/s1600/IMG_3594b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCzTIguHpcIuihsTZ4m-PxTNY9j8O06FTUO5PD9viQOmRxnY_fcvCaG4r3JUp0nW8IoXE0fWJKg7-i1NY7IrMtt3IDv1mMJyxVeOe71JvxVhq_Jzy5G-2aRrVDBZWDDHlb_l-h93ORFEa/s320/IMG_3594b.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
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Back to the drawing board....</div>
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Stage two saw me undo the lower yoke seam and shorten the below-yoke part of the blouse by 1.5" in the front and 2" in the back, and add two vertical darts in the back, each of which had a 1.5" bite out of the fabric at its (the dart's) widest, just above the shirring. Here's the result: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrK-0xV6ty23_rLQGMPryWqF0JXEsGEzgcbSd-G_pLd2Uo81kl5dBbdd7v1_64LG_dyamRdcmoO0No1z5V_uNM8xCpXGgVO6NkJlkh6wHlgmm2tDgkiTVv33lm0D-DzclpjpWa2cq7o-OO/s1600/IMG_3638b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrK-0xV6ty23_rLQGMPryWqF0JXEsGEzgcbSd-G_pLd2Uo81kl5dBbdd7v1_64LG_dyamRdcmoO0No1z5V_uNM8xCpXGgVO6NkJlkh6wHlgmm2tDgkiTVv33lm0D-DzclpjpWa2cq7o-OO/s320/IMG_3638b.jpg" width="174" /></a></div>
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It may look a little uneven, but that's just my "heavy backpack over my raised left shoulder" lousy posture. In close-up, the darts are even: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFrc8wSj-xo5i28Qm9A12FEIST0tk2KgfmqR4bpae8EUmnNYR29cFxuG3c5UWSZTb7ieilW5Nvl_WIJZ1HMcfNpILo4UkqtzDHI25U55NzxsPxpsW1fwqTnx7Hn2b2UfR5wm1XB4PcTvk/s1600/IMG_3642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFrc8wSj-xo5i28Qm9A12FEIST0tk2KgfmqR4bpae8EUmnNYR29cFxuG3c5UWSZTb7ieilW5Nvl_WIJZ1HMcfNpILo4UkqtzDHI25U55NzxsPxpsW1fwqTnx7Hn2b2UfR5wm1XB4PcTvk/s320/IMG_3642.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I <strike>hope</strike> think you'll agree that they've brought the back's flapping parachute back down to solid ground.<br />
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The changes are subtle - perhaps too subtle for a real-life interlocutor to notice; after all, people don't usually talk to your back. Still, they're sufficiently significant to make the difference to me: the difference between an "almost but not quite wearable closet orphan" and a "rockin' two-piece <strike>LBD</strike> LPD"! I'm SO going to wear this baby: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7SRA8dOGsxBTYVbdBsv6JPOtowMLhIdX1pseqO8yNtolBav4i6vSM4oJLWzMHaUgE70BufydNut_ryWIS11EbfvJ8-WY88UA0GCEjBRBnL_-XU7BvkcsjH9liXy6XmUkRMWhHqYTqlrY/s1600/IMG_3655b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7SRA8dOGsxBTYVbdBsv6JPOtowMLhIdX1pseqO8yNtolBav4i6vSM4oJLWzMHaUgE70BufydNut_ryWIS11EbfvJ8-WY88UA0GCEjBRBnL_-XU7BvkcsjH9liXy6XmUkRMWhHqYTqlrY/s320/IMG_3655b.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>
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:) </div>
Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-74854041889950487162015-09-27T04:07:00.000-04:002015-09-27T10:30:30.666-04:00Shooting the moon Those of you in eastern North America that follow the media have perhaps taken note that today - the 27th of September 2015 - we'll have the very rare treat of a <a href="http://earthsky.org/tonight/most-super-supermoon-of-2015-on-september-28" target="_blank">supermoon </a>total eclipse. A supermoon, aka harvest moon, is a perigee full moon, that, by virtue of being closest to the Earth, appears to us larger than usual. Heh, the celestial body doesn't actually change size, of course. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn5rS-7VEf0YhTTL1ibBzig7hMVtfLvR_RXnwZ2qM__U42ze1GofYcuPLllBRy_Nvx-v0StahgPNpqCs-sspDp_z2BqtUUSP34Fd888TLm1YUA5tiDSYRScnVu2xbGr8PSu_O-PysPmlx/s1600/Eclipse-08-11-2003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn5rS-7VEf0YhTTL1ibBzig7hMVtfLvR_RXnwZ2qM__U42ze1GofYcuPLllBRy_Nvx-v0StahgPNpqCs-sspDp_z2BqtUUSP34Fd888TLm1YUA5tiDSYRScnVu2xbGr8PSu_O-PysPmlx/s400/Eclipse-08-11-2003.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a single stitch of the little lunar observer's clothing was made by me.</td></tr>
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Back in 2003 I created this photo-montage of the November 8th lunar eclipse, and it was published by the BBC. Seriously? that tickled me more than the publication of all my academic papers put together. </div>
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In anticipation of today's event, hubby and I have been practising photographing the beast these last few days. We use two telescopes: a teeny tiny 260mm one (about the same as a 400 mm telephoto camera lens) for full face pics, and a 6" heavy for close-ups.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_v5oYpF3dPyWSXE0PQXvn6QiReVQoKqnoFResiwEZtp5EIbdfE97fLY-GCHwS6M0E6rvSGG4sTHPwurhIbtArePIQz7m9N1H1CYBjUXb4mKWpOkLbjEQG7i8ROFYo5LCe6ntYAo3KJDws/s1600/DSC_0096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_v5oYpF3dPyWSXE0PQXvn6QiReVQoKqnoFResiwEZtp5EIbdfE97fLY-GCHwS6M0E6rvSGG4sTHPwurhIbtArePIQz7m9N1H1CYBjUXb4mKWpOkLbjEQG7i8ROFYo5LCe6ntYAo3KJDws/s320/DSC_0096.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I dragged all the digital cameras, new and old, big and small, kicking around our house (stuff accumulates, you know) and tried various approaches. You can see the moon getting fuller and fuller each day, from the 23rd to the 26th:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RVuqSS6Yhi6yw17UQQnmDdADE8mJqw5XL8YCe7ddNMyCfAoBSdEtAkW6JKbFhlbGfFw5UTncagzTJ3MHPjLxXFDU12qxWtN_nE-f7vbUyOMmhpi_rJaCx6rqYHluXTOt0S74nbtJAdrp/s1600/23rd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RVuqSS6Yhi6yw17UQQnmDdADE8mJqw5XL8YCe7ddNMyCfAoBSdEtAkW6JKbFhlbGfFw5UTncagzTJ3MHPjLxXFDU12qxWtN_nE-f7vbUyOMmhpi_rJaCx6rqYHluXTOt0S74nbtJAdrp/s200/23rd.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFqjpNEXbJSQ9T1OwnBOWhEGwvKmmADlHbr3Y9-kaZLLJPM2mmfjClQufajGxnlDl5bJ0RQmBNKogZ9oOS8DSCkC2Oq_L9eQ8wYM8V6TkVKDx0L6EkeGmmvfcvettlRuHz6xwDpFUsTJX/s1600/24th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFqjpNEXbJSQ9T1OwnBOWhEGwvKmmADlHbr3Y9-kaZLLJPM2mmfjClQufajGxnlDl5bJ0RQmBNKogZ9oOS8DSCkC2Oq_L9eQ8wYM8V6TkVKDx0L6EkeGmmvfcvettlRuHz6xwDpFUsTJX/s200/24th.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxVI2Emfr6ol6itXOg7ip2GID_12ms_jviA5N6bxqXGgDYFkkSi1vTiJm3zXs2f3VpjuzrRCqMyOFvNLqQ6Con-LVBPLNUtjwBSjFASfFXW_6UmtK_Wo3Lc69pA2Bp_RS9AlgRX6kS9SU/s1600/25th-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxVI2Emfr6ol6itXOg7ip2GID_12ms_jviA5N6bxqXGgDYFkkSi1vTiJm3zXs2f3VpjuzrRCqMyOFvNLqQ6Con-LVBPLNUtjwBSjFASfFXW_6UmtK_Wo3Lc69pA2Bp_RS9AlgRX6kS9SU/s200/25th-b.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMUWuOjz1RwJ2bzLbTGm-Ho_JjzDV_wUGv2jSOY0Y4anznxjyphvVlVMcjHM1qZ9X3FsPE3a7cSY4tHC60V7w59Fsqza6Hb8jNhHrCw5BBAEIqzxXCVkfyX6PxO7qJfPRioz57nDU5vmR/s1600/26th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMUWuOjz1RwJ2bzLbTGm-Ho_JjzDV_wUGv2jSOY0Y4anznxjyphvVlVMcjHM1qZ9X3FsPE3a7cSY4tHC60V7w59Fsqza6Hb8jNhHrCw5BBAEIqzxXCVkfyX6PxO7qJfPRioz57nDU5vmR/s320/26th.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The close-ups, though? You can practically see the Apollo lunar landers. Almost. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KnMmnw5BfYkiyJX8Oda8A8ujOIaB8-GtR2sqcMjDmzefzesJiPzA0QmvWvjlI3a-2E-q8wz7eAjqN-tx9JFGO5rHoqB0bxwBI7gwq6TFXbhw7NSAUgDN3dSiwkE-rlwZoo7Jf5nb2odr/s1600/Copernicus+crater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KnMmnw5BfYkiyJX8Oda8A8ujOIaB8-GtR2sqcMjDmzefzesJiPzA0QmvWvjlI3a-2E-q8wz7eAjqN-tx9JFGO5rHoqB0bxwBI7gwq6TFXbhw7NSAUgDN3dSiwkE-rlwZoo7Jf5nb2odr/s320/Copernicus+crater.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copernicus and Kepler craters</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Je9OpHyl66OUAT0cmttOO6oFFT4hH-8lVlsrDU6lhtGbX8IBgJbO3rk8NGQ7Vh_f0vVN7mP6TdWXMxn4k4rLgQLJH4YD09CBmpn_JelMZqt1YV5bhZIbqL-y0oJ8ET-pnsiZsY4g98n_/s1600/Tycho+crater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Je9OpHyl66OUAT0cmttOO6oFFT4hH-8lVlsrDU6lhtGbX8IBgJbO3rk8NGQ7Vh_f0vVN7mP6TdWXMxn4k4rLgQLJH4YD09CBmpn_JelMZqt1YV5bhZIbqL-y0oJ8ET-pnsiZsY4g98n_/s320/Tycho+crater.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The giant Tycho crater</td></tr>
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These are straight out of the camera, unimproved, unstacked single shots. Not bad for a pair of backyard rank amateurs.... </div>
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So, what does this have to do with sewing, you might ask? Lots! The moon is such a huge part of humanity's culture from the beginnings of time that, well, need I enumerate? Like, just for example, it's the basis of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_calendar" target="_blank">number of calendars</a>:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3W9jJDo3U1lTGYfLc3axw5X30icEBU2VwAqgv1cx71Kz8Au8CD1JIwD3saC7sOgSllrQug1j2dIrCyjenu3J9UiaVxA8y3iorXIi3AQmjPr8a0ZbQGIkU5PpXV0ysr4iNZUdfXGJXxYLN/s1600/stone-assyrian-calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3W9jJDo3U1lTGYfLc3axw5X30icEBU2VwAqgv1cx71Kz8Au8CD1JIwD3saC7sOgSllrQug1j2dIrCyjenu3J9UiaVxA8y3iorXIi3AQmjPr8a0ZbQGIkU5PpXV0ysr4iNZUdfXGJXxYLN/s1600/stone-assyrian-calendar.jpg" /></a></div>
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a frequent subject in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lunar_deities" target="_blank">mythology</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf" target="_blank">folklore</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_in_fiction" target="_blank">literature</a>:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeSDe7X5ooJmjB3KTob7zUmogdAYxaroMNf8oMA_obAXEthbMmzXJbof11mx7mONA5W_9ov1yHQPijqz6QJ7ZvRFVjVyIn9dJ-V7CY0pqJAoD-63MKffj1mb_bbeTYs_NR_QH93LyQZrj/s1600/Robert+A.+Heinlein_1966_The+Moon+Is+A+Harsh+Mistress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeSDe7X5ooJmjB3KTob7zUmogdAYxaroMNf8oMA_obAXEthbMmzXJbof11mx7mONA5W_9ov1yHQPijqz6QJ7ZvRFVjVyIn9dJ-V7CY0pqJAoD-63MKffj1mb_bbeTYs_NR_QH93LyQZrj/s320/Robert+A.+Heinlein_1966_The+Moon+Is+A+Harsh+Mistress.jpg" width="186" /></a></div>
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and in music: </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4Tr0otuiQuU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4Tr0otuiQuU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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(if Mr. Beethoven isn't to your liking, have a listen to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea2WoUtbzuw" target="_blank">Debussy</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tYu_LaNx9E" target="_blank">Pink Floyd</a>)</div>
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And in sewing? we find moon buttons: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadL6n2QYpiO8uepvHe3_MGkI4a-y5IE1nOznuYUHmhzZz7w2UImGubAg_cnOnhC6daTY7Ps9G8l8lgvkTuKmYvH0_Lk6DoH3lukBpBQFfGwXKqMoOcyvij4RKsAwooXxz-CSaMDvqtF8u/s1600/Moon+buttons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadL6n2QYpiO8uepvHe3_MGkI4a-y5IE1nOznuYUHmhzZz7w2UImGubAg_cnOnhC6daTY7Ps9G8l8lgvkTuKmYvH0_Lk6DoH3lukBpBQFfGwXKqMoOcyvij4RKsAwooXxz-CSaMDvqtF8u/s320/Moon+buttons.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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moon pillows to sew:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrzVsIrZb5quRbg7BYto-dYSA4GqV-XcacVFJ8jmalial07nxviseRTVismdcWa_2PSctsIRs14Ef6PNgccR3tJKdLBw8LolNGf2FJ5xI73RrIFjaLeeAbwvHQXzbg-wFKe0Afsc9lWMV/s1600/Moon+pillow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrzVsIrZb5quRbg7BYto-dYSA4GqV-XcacVFJ8jmalial07nxviseRTVismdcWa_2PSctsIRs14Ef6PNgccR3tJKdLBw8LolNGf2FJ5xI73RrIFjaLeeAbwvHQXzbg-wFKe0Afsc9lWMV/s320/Moon+pillow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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moon quilts to piece:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd22YuabR-mTbJRZ9eHiuhWad8Msl2qB4dKuH91FF3XgTksfnOy4hrhyObUWw6rGIkfl4G3F9ZBRGjziddzMzLpizMn45f8J6BOWCijOqt_VRsH2uUa_rr5vQEsP4i_LeuA0kg2FhGS99Z/s1600/Moon+phases+quilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd22YuabR-mTbJRZ9eHiuhWad8Msl2qB4dKuH91FF3XgTksfnOy4hrhyObUWw6rGIkfl4G3F9ZBRGjziddzMzLpizMn45f8J6BOWCijOqt_VRsH2uUa_rr5vQEsP4i_LeuA0kg2FhGS99Z/s320/Moon+phases+quilt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Described as "phases of the moon", but it sure looks like stages of a solar eclipse to me.</td></tr>
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moon pants to sew up: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGQbDY287PancgTUQKQkmnVU1nqQSM8LXi0NA4ze8oCaX23sP2Ct4CzPegWATSI8GClgLTi_X2ADYCY-GCEH9HPCXX6CrryxkQnkwPatw-XUAYUVQ-YUv16So7K-eNESUe8Eto52-ajER/s1600/Moon+pants+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGQbDY287PancgTUQKQkmnVU1nqQSM8LXi0NA4ze8oCaX23sP2Ct4CzPegWATSI8GClgLTi_X2ADYCY-GCEH9HPCXX6CrryxkQnkwPatw-XUAYUVQ-YUv16So7K-eNESUe8Eto52-ajER/s200/Moon+pants+pattern.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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and, with Hallowe'en coming, Sailor Moon costumes for all the little darlings in your life!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFNx2SdD8k0-SMT0t6jSy3hx7fuh9bKzxhkmDe-SKc0s6lYor1bUDPVxswyxcHXTA7gSK9EX4iJllsobf0QtfIf7BlpxgTqseHUjrlm879-hAEYy5-QFQRxXd8PQFPAbu5RlfC1NOxveK/s1600/Sailor+Moon+costume+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFNx2SdD8k0-SMT0t6jSy3hx7fuh9bKzxhkmDe-SKc0s6lYor1bUDPVxswyxcHXTA7gSK9EX4iJllsobf0QtfIf7BlpxgTqseHUjrlm879-hAEYy5-QFQRxXd8PQFPAbu5RlfC1NOxveK/s320/Sailor+Moon+costume+pattern.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The full moon is almost upon us... </div>
Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-60053162875084614642015-09-16T18:16:00.000-04:002015-09-24T10:33:13.945-04:00Layered top knockoff - initial pattern developmentSleeveless tops, anyone? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO048EgFXfjsQMMZTElal1BYA0IBTWVtxHH8gYBRNcEr6CqD3T0ikhoHR-YdfnNx-skV6je1PDsudI4bigLyabwG69ch_enmGCydgzy38WfJDxbwmtqR8EdsH7xGq64KilNy-hwjZcuRZp/s1600/Ta-daaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO048EgFXfjsQMMZTElal1BYA0IBTWVtxHH8gYBRNcEr6CqD3T0ikhoHR-YdfnNx-skV6je1PDsudI4bigLyabwG69ch_enmGCydgzy38WfJDxbwmtqR8EdsH7xGq64KilNy-hwjZcuRZp/s320/Ta-daaa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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They're my go-to summertime wear. I've developed my own top pattern, both with and without a side bust dart, and frequently tinker with it to make the end product more interesting. Like cutting on the bias, or adding pleats, for example. I've also experimented with <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2010/11/slicing-and-dicing-simple-tnt.html" target="_blank">overlapping</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-EEaJA2i7j2qL35FLPYQ_gtZ1eX3-2nSY9ZqmxZx9NDFWvIZkufLQDUVarp48qPB1BjtVpcAOtGG0MbRpy4PWZ6hgCYzYp0dUN9zS6R2pnzt06XLT7DLXANfzfvVH989qSFBq2c594vv/s1600/IMG_4187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-EEaJA2i7j2qL35FLPYQ_gtZ1eX3-2nSY9ZqmxZx9NDFWvIZkufLQDUVarp48qPB1BjtVpcAOtGG0MbRpy4PWZ6hgCYzYp0dUN9zS6R2pnzt06XLT7DLXANfzfvVH989qSFBq2c594vv/s1600/IMG_4187.JPG" /></a></div>
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and <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2010/11/experiment-in-draping.html" target="_blank">layering</a>, here with shoulder pleats: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6sffYgY2xinUqJEmvHpuJst_guKHOLZYUV-8Pl7yIU59cAwpQq9ykn6ISq4Rt0NnIyUnj_zEh1p9Uy2wvvDhyphenhyphenmreIKC4WqpLHLgjMT8gYrUf7ozujytGS886n92wxYlj88axrBXUzLZu/s1600/IMG_4222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6sffYgY2xinUqJEmvHpuJst_guKHOLZYUV-8Pl7yIU59cAwpQq9ykn6ISq4Rt0NnIyUnj_zEh1p9Uy2wvvDhyphenhyphenmreIKC4WqpLHLgjMT8gYrUf7ozujytGS886n92wxYlj88axrBXUzLZu/s1600/IMG_4222.JPG" /></a></div>
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So when I saw this Vionnet top: </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMeIfR4xMO56PhhZFLCYHdGGzzqmUDidu_pyqErKZXWFeg0LtcxNF9CukdH68IxS7stUCRwOfukuaqzS4oaiZ0GXy31cgXn2bHPSVJfEyBc-Oni0BZ5wLn66iA71u5odg4qRZ_jsHZwXV/s1600/vionnet-white-layered-tank-side.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMeIfR4xMO56PhhZFLCYHdGGzzqmUDidu_pyqErKZXWFeg0LtcxNF9CukdH68IxS7stUCRwOfukuaqzS4oaiZ0GXy31cgXn2bHPSVJfEyBc-Oni0BZ5wLn66iA71u5odg4qRZ_jsHZwXV/s320/vionnet-white-layered-tank-side.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CD$806 - ouch!</td></tr>
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I thought, hmm, that's an interesting variation - and then, could I make it? Drafting the front panel piece and attaching two of them to an ordinary back pattern piece seems simple enough, right? It would be, but that's only half the story. Look at the unusual seaming going on at the back: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraBriWCDJ-LNev2bSEan-uh6c_qqN7xh9vIsyveDKzlWxSjgdM15vrQUj94rlx_7oTnqtR-oBaP2NF35xIgrgwtavlRdu6QA_btRzcuBZzHap0_NJAvWkHqxyKrNsi0oUerIfPTryX5oE/s1600/vionnet-white-layered-tank-back.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraBriWCDJ-LNev2bSEan-uh6c_qqN7xh9vIsyveDKzlWxSjgdM15vrQUj94rlx_7oTnqtR-oBaP2NF35xIgrgwtavlRdu6QA_btRzcuBZzHap0_NJAvWkHqxyKrNsi0oUerIfPTryX5oE/s320/vionnet-white-layered-tank-back.jpeg" width="239" /></a></div>
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It has really interesting implications for the top's construction. Those shoulder yokes, for example? I'm guessing they're not just decorative but functional too, that each is a continuous extension of the front panel, with no shoulder seam. The diagonal seam from the armscye to the waist may also be an extension of the front panel around to the back: which would imply that there's no side seam either. Those were the two assumptions I went with. </div>
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I started with a little schematic and sketched the one-shoulder diagonal panel:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtvEuKGE5CY5ITElZuJwPC2leqAVEWFdi19U8WNo6D1Hl45k6linQPuHhE0YVWvZdT281mY3k_t4efNPK-37fQav0Ud_cHwx4Wzoj2HCgC2tbt-cjLNx4vdb_NR5SL43oLhZsxDAAfqCr/s1600/IMG_3283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtvEuKGE5CY5ITElZuJwPC2leqAVEWFdi19U8WNo6D1Hl45k6linQPuHhE0YVWvZdT281mY3k_t4efNPK-37fQav0Ud_cHwx4Wzoj2HCgC2tbt-cjLNx4vdb_NR5SL43oLhZsxDAAfqCr/s320/IMG_3283.JPG" width="224" /></a></div>
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Then cut out two of them. Voila! the front:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFau-o8CP7Lp5gKEuHQOCStZ3_WZzB2qlWCfpHfliO1QczspBP5m6aPnheVSDZOscegXBg7WKQ4vWu6RIz3WlYBBWhVmEsjprhPnHqGdiuAVGtpix4HXImSFfvnBSX4YqHD-ncacWC5vh/s1600/IMG_3286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFau-o8CP7Lp5gKEuHQOCStZ3_WZzB2qlWCfpHfliO1QczspBP5m6aPnheVSDZOscegXBg7WKQ4vWu6RIz3WlYBBWhVmEsjprhPnHqGdiuAVGtpix4HXImSFfvnBSX4YqHD-ncacWC5vh/s320/IMG_3286.JPG" width="287" /></a><br />
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Starting with the same top schematic I sketched in the back seam lines, straightening the lines of the armscye a little for that futuristic aesthetic: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAW9_T5BgYG_8b-41Dssv4OzjO21zp2xDd9-AS0-RQXof2SOUKmnbhCDGnHlcyUOQPYAzAVeue4QkE2vr-Mg7yT5Xsk9HKApFTVn8DKziQJhyR_aHUMUqhAKtM4tB7fe-8AR4G1o73Py6/s1600/IMG_3284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAW9_T5BgYG_8b-41Dssv4OzjO21zp2xDd9-AS0-RQXof2SOUKmnbhCDGnHlcyUOQPYAzAVeue4QkE2vr-Mg7yT5Xsk9HKApFTVn8DKziQJhyR_aHUMUqhAKtM4tB7fe-8AR4G1o73Py6/s320/IMG_3284.JPG" width="305" /></a></div>
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The CB seam is useful if a sway back adjustment is desired, which is hinted at in the above layout.</div>
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Laying the front and back pieces on top of each other, the pattern pieces do look as they should - a tank top.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintx7pj6hUFniM8seob4nL_3YPVBoFvWOfalrmfu7c7cvvN7t9u1YSHsmCaYaxZFSsZAd21w6zfX5oiOeWI-xVU3LQLJDknLRYCxiCyfuydX8so_DiiNUAkyhkTyMGeoOM6ccNDnhE_Ai2/s1600/IMG_3288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintx7pj6hUFniM8seob4nL_3YPVBoFvWOfalrmfu7c7cvvN7t9u1YSHsmCaYaxZFSsZAd21w6zfX5oiOeWI-xVU3LQLJDknLRYCxiCyfuydX8so_DiiNUAkyhkTyMGeoOM6ccNDnhE_Ai2/s320/IMG_3288.JPG" width="297" /></a></div>
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But when they're rearranged - combining the upper back shoulder yoke and lower back peplum pieces with the front panel, the pattern pieces look pretty extraordinary: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v6V1PpjNurrtOyWUgSwVfPVKtOr4lz0rvz9OQXtt94tCVFLew0evmyofHZb3IdYyJAHsywI5AONfrKlM2RhysJyrAFhq3wOjf93__sDL02jugEqpOpVffEQzHylSwD9m4w0fS03ZG-CK/s1600/IMG_3285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7v6V1PpjNurrtOyWUgSwVfPVKtOr4lz0rvz9OQXtt94tCVFLew0evmyofHZb3IdYyJAHsywI5AONfrKlM2RhysJyrAFhq3wOjf93__sDL02jugEqpOpVffEQzHylSwD9m4w0fS03ZG-CK/s320/IMG_3285.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Two pieces of each are required for the top; the CB seam would be at right in the above pic. You wouldn't think you could possibly sew together something so odd and make a little top out of it, would you? </div>
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My first proof of concept pattern pieces looked a little more complex:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QJM9JxVAYwYD9X6Yd1UnKYRVd75l3svKLVg45tqRQrmAGCV_2ljKsB1knOB_6szT-_n0IG106szIAikG2nvY4zndtkU-0DhDzAi52Hj_a5vkQBE4yVPiagiiw04rWfZCt5Q5zmYRG3S9/s1600/Pattern+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QJM9JxVAYwYD9X6Yd1UnKYRVd75l3svKLVg45tqRQrmAGCV_2ljKsB1knOB_6szT-_n0IG106szIAikG2nvY4zndtkU-0DhDzAi52Hj_a5vkQBE4yVPiagiiw04rWfZCt5Q5zmYRG3S9/s320/Pattern+A.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Look at that: I created <strike>a monster</strike> a rooster!!! But it was drawn exactly on my TNT tank top, so I thought, OK, let's see how this works... And... it does!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sm5m_QhS86gHJ8h-Ew1igQp4b_zqLVw4uEfRSK9Tht9FjXRWpg48sfkS373DiXupgbIugC3Ze5rbms3NJw03jj1T6q1BG0eP6ExCuwnbNG3tJTfbfl74GtvdWIlMuG_JOt9-8YezrZlr/s1600/Front1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sm5m_QhS86gHJ8h-Ew1igQp4b_zqLVw4uEfRSK9Tht9FjXRWpg48sfkS373DiXupgbIugC3Ze5rbms3NJw03jj1T6q1BG0eP6ExCuwnbNG3tJTfbfl74GtvdWIlMuG_JOt9-8YezrZlr/s320/Front1.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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The SA's are unfinished in the above, so it's pretty close round the neck and under the arms, and (thanks to a tiny drafting error on my part) it needs a bit more room round the hips to make those front panels more floaty. The eagle-eyed amongst you may notice that the shoulder "straps" are of different widths: I added a sliver of fabric to the left shoulder to round out that odd corner created at the shoulder seam point, where the outside front and back pieces met. And it's also notable that this design demands a bra with straps that are set closer to centre than what I'm wearing. Peekage is not a look I favour (yuck!), and I wouldn't actually wear this design until I found a suitable undergarment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzZ0j8IEhd4omCnRV9vAUtNoEASI2mRYwhdzgGyZHElWdvLUUIvzEwOaE3OCYm5LnAO7Gm6jTIof5Yg-sH7-U3PXB2Dn1svj96Sr7CGaLzrAv4OWuGP6o9FbWq6uO6xNx16-RHKBBfgpq/s1600/Back1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzZ0j8IEhd4omCnRV9vAUtNoEASI2mRYwhdzgGyZHElWdvLUUIvzEwOaE3OCYm5LnAO7Gm6jTIof5Yg-sH7-U3PXB2Dn1svj96Sr7CGaLzrAv4OWuGP6o9FbWq6uO6xNx16-RHKBBfgpq/s320/Back1.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
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The back is very close to the original. The shoulder yokes <strike>could</strike> should be decreased in width and shortened vertically, and the diagonal peplum seam raised a bit. One important functional difference is that the original has a CB invisible zipper, but my top doesn't. When you try to pull it on with both arms, the neckline closes up - a function of those loosely hanging overlapping panels. So getting into it is a funny sequence: first the right arm, then the head, then the left arm, then you shimmy the whole thing down. The zipper is truly unnecessary. </div>
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More to come, after I've worked through these revisions. </div>
Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-79754803074407833562015-09-12T14:20:00.002-04:002015-09-14T15:33:18.225-04:00One seam unisex PJ - with pattern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhV8H49pTzCgW5syJopC8yw1VjjOaBP9vKO4Ze7gRJyM6OB7e8W6LZN7UZiUpMJeiJBb4JIFHE-SEvL4J7ADgT2GrXrkPGmVH7xUEz7yCGL21OUR_hUyxEdXoqmEBkYtX2wJ_OYYDui72/s1600/PJ+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhV8H49pTzCgW5syJopC8yw1VjjOaBP9vKO4Ze7gRJyM6OB7e8W6LZN7UZiUpMJeiJBb4JIFHE-SEvL4J7ADgT2GrXrkPGmVH7xUEz7yCGL21OUR_hUyxEdXoqmEBkYtX2wJ_OYYDui72/s320/PJ+front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My guys have few sartorial needs, and I'm very seldom called upon to sew for them. Here's one pyjama outfit I've made for both of them several times - and once already blogged about, albeit in a very cursory fashion, <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2012/04/family-love-in.html" target="_blank">here</a>. That was three and a half years ago - indeed time doth fly. The boy was in dire need of a new one.</div>
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I return to this self drafted pattern because it's very simple and makes for very comfortable at home wear with breathability and plenty of coverage. Depending on the fabric, a pattern like this could serve anyone. My dimensions, below, are for a medium-large guy, but scale it down only a little and make in cotton eyelet or lace, and the outfit could so easily serve as beach or garden party wear on any one of us gals. </div>
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This outfit uses 3.25 m of fabric, and took an afternoon to make. </div>
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The blouse:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sJRyfVdkjVrd-1aJn5epIAtsuiYCuDVce8T9I_vLR08rwB1e9A4IxX-YXC3xKCUmJfXYtbSeoHm89BA8W6Kas-JA7vyFrX96nLZ_m-D1yAJpzZJYmBQOH4KMIbZGogwV9fSgzwrRNP5P/s1600/PJ+blouse+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sJRyfVdkjVrd-1aJn5epIAtsuiYCuDVce8T9I_vLR08rwB1e9A4IxX-YXC3xKCUmJfXYtbSeoHm89BA8W6Kas-JA7vyFrX96nLZ_m-D1yAJpzZJYmBQOH4KMIbZGogwV9fSgzwrRNP5P/s400/PJ+blouse+pattern.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
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I designed the pattern to take advantage of narrow widths of fabrics such as silks and cotton batiks, or, in this case, African wax print cloth - in each case about 110 cm wide. The blouse uses the entire width of the fabric, with the selvedges at the sleeve hems. It's made from just two rectangles of cloth, joined by a single horizontal seam at upper chest level. The shoulder line is a fold of the back piece. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHg2FSmlIzcprQ6Qj70G3ycop0kjqVwIf68ZC-BAeH3WpdSqYzg154aHHWXwAirSt_i4DzUs2ocFEKt15G7RrlzpHuCpHaHougCR-8nntUiQ9HhUGTGJhaDYmah4d1a58wIRNqh2MU02VO/s1600/PJ+blouse+schematic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHg2FSmlIzcprQ6Qj70G3ycop0kjqVwIf68ZC-BAeH3WpdSqYzg154aHHWXwAirSt_i4DzUs2ocFEKt15G7RrlzpHuCpHaHougCR-8nntUiQ9HhUGTGJhaDYmah4d1a58wIRNqh2MU02VO/s320/PJ+blouse+schematic.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blouse pattern pieces. </td></tr>
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Construction is extremely simple: first, cut out the neckline triangle and bind it; I use an 8 cm wide non-bias strip with no interfacing and 1 cm SA's, so the finished width of this kimono-ish binding is 3 cm. I then sew together the front and back rectangles of cloth at the horizontal chest seam, matching selvedge edges. To permanently flatten down the SA, I top stitch it. I then fold the piece together at the shoulder line, pin and draw in the side seam lines, using a small (13 cm diameter) plate for the underarm curve, and sew them, <u>before</u> cutting the sides, stopping 19 cm from the bottom for the side vents. To make finishing the vents easier, I serge each SA of the side seams separately. Since the sleeves end on the selvedge, they're hemmed with only a single fold; the bottom hem is doubly folded. An easy variation on this basic is to make the front hem 3 or 4 cm shorter than the back. </div>
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The shorts: </div>
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The now sadly worn out green shorts, originally one-seams, were made literally an eyeblink before my son got his pubescent growth spurt. Overnight, they became too tight in the seat. So I grabbed a remnant and added a 6 cm wide side panel to each leg. Here's how it looked in wear:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6RHRe0k6aQ1dPJrfpjoaAmVC195M2zxH0GJWqXo5KHC8Cc0GHRJ6Izfh5kI0mYKWXuR-eC1e-T_rRpeT2Xjn0gJJiuJm2nWtg7z0UJ-GCp-tKT4CrfvfOIKpcgzRgNizhNQW7Svu7NHT/s1600/IMG_3262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6RHRe0k6aQ1dPJrfpjoaAmVC195M2zxH0GJWqXo5KHC8Cc0GHRJ6Izfh5kI0mYKWXuR-eC1e-T_rRpeT2Xjn0gJJiuJm2nWtg7z0UJ-GCp-tKT4CrfvfOIKpcgzRgNizhNQW7Svu7NHT/s320/IMG_3262.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I cut the old pair apart and used one side to pattern the new, once again no-side-seam, version: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsxb7lt7Ub7nmBgxvRYU3mS9DCo8hxyIIr7MJr_T8CfH0oY-tCmHFPSVAMxHlS64f8h386YoJZktWDvO01T8BHH6CtG-b02xZww3b1LRyB9vo3fgudgd03FtYwb18hvBJRpevDQfurSSt/s1600/One+seam+short.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsxb7lt7Ub7nmBgxvRYU3mS9DCo8hxyIIr7MJr_T8CfH0oY-tCmHFPSVAMxHlS64f8h386YoJZktWDvO01T8BHH6CtG-b02xZww3b1LRyB9vo3fgudgd03FtYwb18hvBJRpevDQfurSSt/s320/One+seam+short.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can just barely see the chalked cutting line, with a 1 cm SA all around. So the wearer can tell front from back, the shorts have a (sewn shut, non-functional) front fly, which is also (barely) visible chalked in at extreme right of the above pic. You could thus make it a functional fly, but my fellas are adamant that they do NOT want it. Really, the only important sewing line in this pattern is the inseam, as you want to make sure that the hem-to-crotch lengths (at right and left in the pic) are the same. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvZ3oVxjlwO89Gg9UnW7iHPXFGX-Bsipi8O3UAScqZLr7AvK5gk-sb_Utan6172uu0vFPStcEqf8mZOQxUY6NEssseJq7VQ3ixlPEIPn41Z_hKKfAbMKNDt5GaEEtsiSWGA7LLh91y5X0/s1600/PJ+blouse+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvZ3oVxjlwO89Gg9UnW7iHPXFGX-Bsipi8O3UAScqZLr7AvK5gk-sb_Utan6172uu0vFPStcEqf8mZOQxUY6NEssseJq7VQ3ixlPEIPn41Z_hKKfAbMKNDt5GaEEtsiSWGA7LLh91y5X0/s320/PJ+blouse+back.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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The Boy sure didn't want to be photographed! I do like this image though, as it shows the blouse side seam curve, and the length of the shorts. And the great wax print! I was just tickled when my local Fabricland acquired these wax prints. I have a love affair of long standing with African cloth, so much so that there's something downright Proustian - as in, <a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%80_la_recherche_du_temps_perdu" target="_blank">A la recherche du temps perdu</a> - in this little project.</div>
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Back in my academic days I was the Mr. Spock (scientist in residence) at archaeological digs in northern Ghana. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jjRqq1_adOUYj8pj6W5ozcgDfOj4OmEW0PmkzFJeSFs9KT8382OIEVU1ux6vYY3pQIkFEq5UkT1lAlaJnTyuKZyp8c9C90QUxd-sS2PgsMR_zsvOKQXio3GqCowNURBoLqwJppff5O2u/s1600/Digs-at-Birimi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jjRqq1_adOUYj8pj6W5ozcgDfOj4OmEW0PmkzFJeSFs9KT8382OIEVU1ux6vYY3pQIkFEq5UkT1lAlaJnTyuKZyp8c9C90QUxd-sS2PgsMR_zsvOKQXio3GqCowNURBoLqwJppff5O2u/s320/Digs-at-Birimi.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's me at lower left, wearing a Madras check shirt that I did NOT make!</td></tr>
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One season, the women of the project, and ours was a gal-dominated project, commissioned the local seamstresses to make us outfits out of local wax print cloth. As we sojourned in a tiny little village in the Ghanaian boonies where electricity was not widely available, all the sewing was - and, I suspect, still is - done on foot-pedal Singer machines that would count as antiques here. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJYQzovWU3t7DRmu4Jk1evPbDRjBaZRx_qSgXRFbI14iD5WCOCKNT2G2my6lOV2K2_v4Nntd0X-b9bfRR2nN6CGNal9MGjVkcMy2KnR-HTUxI5hpG2X6mgO2h8kxMoclHUGFQ8rgZA78y/s1600/Cnda-hs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJYQzovWU3t7DRmu4Jk1evPbDRjBaZRx_qSgXRFbI14iD5WCOCKNT2G2my6lOV2K2_v4Nntd0X-b9bfRR2nN6CGNal9MGjVkcMy2KnR-HTUxI5hpG2X6mgO2h8kxMoclHUGFQ8rgZA78y/s400/Cnda-hs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here I am with our dig's employees and a slew of local kids, in my two-piece wax print dress. We called our compound - built from scratch by the project on an empty piece of land just outside the village - Canada House. It included a one room hut for each of the project's members; mine is at extreme left here, with the red window frame. Inside, there was just enough room for a mattress on the floor with mosquito netting tucked around its edges, a tiny stool, and a bit of dung-smoothed floor for a suitcase. We'd spend the long dark tropical evenings playing scrabble by kerosene lamp under a gloriously brilliant Milky Way, fortifying ourselves with G&T's, the best anti-malarial favoured by all visitors to Africa. It worked: I didn't get that dreadful parasite even once. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MDcFnEpt7QqKgSzZSPDEBDlCJM9iBduA7ZfJM2IV9M5GE6A3ftjSrQFZ7GIwRAddHW6g4BQM1OrFLO7qjY2zoMjF76fS3vtB3JI-f6vVTNCSuqFskAE89zy-SOTY6Pni-8qWETyxCWE2/s1600/FULANI.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MDcFnEpt7QqKgSzZSPDEBDlCJM9iBduA7ZfJM2IV9M5GE6A3ftjSrQFZ7GIwRAddHW6g4BQM1OrFLO7qjY2zoMjF76fS3vtB3JI-f6vVTNCSuqFskAE89zy-SOTY6Pni-8qWETyxCWE2/s320/FULANI.JPG" width="261" /></a></div>
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This gorgeous young man, a Fulani from Nigeria, worked with us at the dig. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9HoyKJSfD_dNThWpPsV2I8GT5LSvoSxnwAho9ORc3C45qML8BwX0txAiEb60mr6injh4WmJWVSRBpeIzR5snvCb-Abs_HAg5PHRtTNjcvCr-sN2fSqJ37KNwIiZ1JlHoaCX0eF1VAAYK/s1600/GhanaDoll-Dot98b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9HoyKJSfD_dNThWpPsV2I8GT5LSvoSxnwAho9ORc3C45qML8BwX0txAiEb60mr6injh4WmJWVSRBpeIzR5snvCb-Abs_HAg5PHRtTNjcvCr-sN2fSqJ37KNwIiZ1JlHoaCX0eF1VAAYK/s320/GhanaDoll-Dot98b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Each year, I brought home some amazing genuine kente cloth. I used the one above - a classic design - as the background for a conference presentations of my results from the dig. Kente cloth weaving is a fascinating subject best left for another time.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39tXpkVVYBEqYdHxmuLAV72UBV3JD9_WhadgG32aKFstOr5akFVy84jGkVksKPH6lkIlWOzuNLOfGc2-Ebv_lcHCK6bBAm77lbg9oJDOaUWkrHd1qpVnWmFnMBMWzlS5RF0nD462ornwU/s1600/Ghan-wav.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39tXpkVVYBEqYdHxmuLAV72UBV3JD9_WhadgG32aKFstOr5akFVy84jGkVksKPH6lkIlWOzuNLOfGc2-Ebv_lcHCK6bBAm77lbg9oJDOaUWkrHd1qpVnWmFnMBMWzlS5RF0nD462ornwU/s400/Ghan-wav.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So long, everyone!</div>
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Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-5623201066533730392015-09-09T17:43:00.002-04:002015-10-09T19:56:47.212-04:00Lovely, lovely linen jacket<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uxhCPN5DISTI5ESKyzqzDTGcE1h9VLHGgWhQpE9k5YpeaPd66GO5SVXJdzLezTMPJzeZWXGQ3pFgbQ_OyyWrhXXvRU9vC8wG1xboaiUfqESPNYLHdLQSA7HornypY46u-NX9Lj8bxAeA/s1600/IMG_3249a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uxhCPN5DISTI5ESKyzqzDTGcE1h9VLHGgWhQpE9k5YpeaPd66GO5SVXJdzLezTMPJzeZWXGQ3pFgbQ_OyyWrhXXvRU9vC8wG1xboaiUfqESPNYLHdLQSA7HornypY46u-NX9Lj8bxAeA/s320/IMG_3249a.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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Not a whole lot of sewing has been going on chez Straightjacket recently, but I did make this little jacket early this summer, from fabric I'd had in stash for a year or so - I seem to recall it's from Emma One Sock. Just fell in love with this colourful print and had to have it! Whereas in winter I tend to go for quite a subdued look, in summer I love it when my clothes reflect the wondrous riot of colour nature provides us. </div>
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I wanted a little jacket with simple lines that wouldn't cut into the fabric's painterly print too much, so I went trawling through my collection of patterns for something very unstructured. New Look 6619 fits the bill perfectly - it has a side panel instead of side seams, a one piece back, one piece fronts, and - quel horreur! - a one piece sleeve (with a sewn-on cuff). Normally I prefer to sew a two piece sleeve, but as this sleeve was intended to be a short one, I didn't think it would matter. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23VQnlKGoSBAlhrgYICCSJmXv62RvU1THimoaShABM15xvsFnPHJ7tLGVxPIBIBxQXUKtNeoTEGUxi7INhk1WE1URXJpALto2i_mfPpLc5iDm-mg_SiofNXyBcjvOEULtVbC7cbgaJhTJ/s1600/IMG_3259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23VQnlKGoSBAlhrgYICCSJmXv62RvU1THimoaShABM15xvsFnPHJ7tLGVxPIBIBxQXUKtNeoTEGUxi7INhk1WE1URXJpALto2i_mfPpLc5iDm-mg_SiofNXyBcjvOEULtVbC7cbgaJhTJ/s320/IMG_3259.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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This pattern isn't available at the regular NL outlets any more but you can still find it at the usual other places, and even if not, there are other similarly loose fitting patterns out there....<br />
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I made version F, with the low stand-up collar, in which the fronts meet but do not overlap. My collar falls short of CF by design - and I omitted the extensive topstitching. </div>
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I'd made some unlined linen jackets in recent years, in preparation for my stints in the extreme heat of Afghanistan, and they served me well there, but this one is intended to be worn in the much cooler - and heavily air conditioned! - spaces of Ottawa. So I was very pleased upon opening the envelope to learn that this jacket was designed to be lined, and has separate front facing and lining pattern pieces. Not that the lack of these would have prevent me from lining it - I'd just have drafted these myself from the front pattern piece. But still. All to the good. </div>
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To give the jacket's front a little visual interest and make it more functional, I added horizontal double welt pockets:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIYl6xJimJtmgYfpaQaFQ9g1OPVNEu4nDZ1R-6ppV2VHNGGwTrZvW6HtDYeTRcxLKgXskXtvjl4P_LPADlEtdTr7M031O2xtrN4bwJfuv70WHdwKt1ebTfv463Sc4m6EZFBWrSNYsrRcJ/s1600/IMG_3238a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIYl6xJimJtmgYfpaQaFQ9g1OPVNEu4nDZ1R-6ppV2VHNGGwTrZvW6HtDYeTRcxLKgXskXtvjl4P_LPADlEtdTr7M031O2xtrN4bwJfuv70WHdwKt1ebTfv463Sc4m6EZFBWrSNYsrRcJ/s320/IMG_3238a.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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Front details: </div>
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One single big retro button with self fabric loop....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUssVjZbqfQL3dVzyGj2ZPvHlkMT7bis1aMvlDhdXV2YMsDfcvMQZxsaxg41EodAgUC3F_L_aICodr_hVCHGgWfVRj3uvOnTHQ-8TzZ0_BhKOwbISCd2rlwIxXglEb4hrauQqoEjTUVgTS/s1600/IMG_3258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUssVjZbqfQL3dVzyGj2ZPvHlkMT7bis1aMvlDhdXV2YMsDfcvMQZxsaxg41EodAgUC3F_L_aICodr_hVCHGgWfVRj3uvOnTHQ-8TzZ0_BhKOwbISCd2rlwIxXglEb4hrauQqoEjTUVgTS/s320/IMG_3258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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...and the said double welt pockets:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeA3lVAwxjkHCAuyXOldVuk703nc7kcggaU6KKPY6x1FFdN5TWP5vxtwYo96OaBYoS9lAjmpKTn5fnAZG4xr_eL39MFLRDjWt3erY3GVHiNGyWBffu_CpF5vYzToF7FFt2Oy_nQrJiXHc0/s1600/IMG_3257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeA3lVAwxjkHCAuyXOldVuk703nc7kcggaU6KKPY6x1FFdN5TWP5vxtwYo96OaBYoS9lAjmpKTn5fnAZG4xr_eL39MFLRDjWt3erY3GVHiNGyWBffu_CpF5vYzToF7FFt2Oy_nQrJiXHc0/s320/IMG_3257.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Side panel: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkJKjaZWCz3oUsVwWFCm-ThYU14qgQNFE1OWXRIz8wL1AlwGOhyphenhyphen0zCziTU_8wA9Kd3lCxiTzEZUaz9b4c-X2wJ-uMX096F2oi8ysnOhx0N8cEhyphenhyphenERdLBsH2FV4hQAiIeOXBkAFPEhYPng/s1600/IMG_3242a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkJKjaZWCz3oUsVwWFCm-ThYU14qgQNFE1OWXRIz8wL1AlwGOhyphenhyphen0zCziTU_8wA9Kd3lCxiTzEZUaz9b4c-X2wJ-uMX096F2oi8ysnOhx0N8cEhyphenhyphenERdLBsH2FV4hQAiIeOXBkAFPEhYPng/s320/IMG_3242a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The b<span style="text-align: center;">ack, with the floral design in all its uninterrupted glory: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNH72TwXVuiDMRUxCHHmoLQL3cRrdzhUwFqD41vA4A1BwIo0jWPlvuYb9_uimWNMIxIi65h49bEYeu2BnbVX9LJigOxm27i-T-U90_6odw7cd5Zo6hZWPMJqWrz0jdvbyvvbZIgtf990v4/s1600/IMG_3252a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNH72TwXVuiDMRUxCHHmoLQL3cRrdzhUwFqD41vA4A1BwIo0jWPlvuYb9_uimWNMIxIi65h49bEYeu2BnbVX9LJigOxm27i-T-U90_6odw7cd5Zo6hZWPMJqWrz0jdvbyvvbZIgtf990v4/s320/IMG_3252a.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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In my sewing, I always try to improve - which means that from one project to the next there may be new approaches. This time, I underlined (aka sew-in interfaced) the whole garment, including the sleeves and front facings, with cotton broadcloth. I wanted more body to the linen, and to give it support that would decrease its notorious tendency to wrinkle the minute you throw it a glance. </div>
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It's lined with bemberg rayon, in a lovely royal blue: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPWiQuCS82ygK33UtYfi8A2krwAQ2PJfzP1G1wbzvIO4zbbFJoge7AWE-clvkyL4eTYQQ6HLnqMg7NPjbuWSTRDmz_qEF5QmjY1r7BPyUrKiWK6DAt9j2qeV58w1vubKpbQiain3wSB7s/s1600/IMG_3253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPWiQuCS82ygK33UtYfi8A2krwAQ2PJfzP1G1wbzvIO4zbbFJoge7AWE-clvkyL4eTYQQ6HLnqMg7NPjbuWSTRDmz_qEF5QmjY1r7BPyUrKiWK6DAt9j2qeV58w1vubKpbQiain3wSB7s/s320/IMG_3253.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I first created the entire lining plus front facing plus hem facing (the hem facing was my own alteration of the pattern) as one whole item. That's how the front facing+hem facing connection came to be so nicely and tidily machine sewed. I then sorta bagged it: finishing only the neckline and sleeve lining hems by hand. </div>
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I have enough of this lovely linen left for a matching skirt, but I'll wait till next summer to make that. Why? well, as the saying goes, sew for the body you have now. This summer I dropped a few too many pounds, though not intentionally, and I'm hoping that by next warm season the scale will have rebounded at least a tad. So it would be very foolish of me to sew a skirt now that may not fit me next year. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigp72-zp6SgdNqxFberxdK7KTfRgFV9rgw_eygCy0OYu8x4S-w6JFDw9qBsQfRC_I-f8-oMg3L2OdOqUXxY6A94FoLWc8apcNrD1LcQMecPUbqtJsXzt1FIdPjA8ewVZthugUTDILs89no/s1600/IMG_3240a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigp72-zp6SgdNqxFberxdK7KTfRgFV9rgw_eygCy0OYu8x4S-w6JFDw9qBsQfRC_I-f8-oMg3L2OdOqUXxY6A94FoLWc8apcNrD1LcQMecPUbqtJsXzt1FIdPjA8ewVZthugUTDILs89no/s320/IMG_3240a.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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In the meantime, the jacket looks pretty nice on top of black & white. :)</div>
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Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-71620290247129750412015-02-26T10:04:00.000-05:002015-02-26T10:04:37.151-05:00Kay and her amazing knitting machineKay <a href="http://kaythesewinglawyer.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">the Sewing Lawyer</a> and I enjoyed an afternoon together this week chez elle (thank you, Kay), and I came away just blown away by her new toy, the Passat knitting machine. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJS8aT6mFbmQMZ0Ma-w-xftXRV8HDmYi5Ao87LA0qdPV3e_ZUH9cj-YeKmEr30Drs5UzqHLve0cxjftEu_vgV6DnhdLA9kju1kVM3FPjlPjr7C8-QYP3VUBEXBn0lX1mTsUJfxtvpp2eSH/s1600/Kay+knits+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJS8aT6mFbmQMZ0Ma-w-xftXRV8HDmYi5Ao87LA0qdPV3e_ZUH9cj-YeKmEr30Drs5UzqHLve0cxjftEu_vgV6DnhdLA9kju1kVM3FPjlPjr7C8-QYP3VUBEXBn0lX1mTsUJfxtvpp2eSH/s1600/Kay+knits+1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Being a total sci and tech nerd, I love to see excellent engineering in action. The inventiveness and engineering that goes into the idea of knitting by machine, and then getting this idea translated into a piece of technology suitable for a home environment footprint is pretty staggering. My hat off to the Swiss that made this toy, and, I found out once I got home, are STILL making it, now computerized as are so many of our everyday use items: sewing machines... sergers.... <br />
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Kay's machine dates from the 1980s, so it's strictly manual, and not even electric. As I understand it, all stitch and tension changes are done by turning just four dials on the two green panels of the travelling head, and all knitting is done by pushing the head, using the handle on the front panel, back and forth across the bed. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5bkrGpNmQpku7J4zCVai81miofqJIRLdHccQCRkjjwk0Yv-IYI-KzbW-EeBniKV3eGhmiYu9pj-juqxYlK3hTxm8qG7YxxOGNkjBN0bUh7q-k1om-aMG6DsWKlJa7Xj3AwGe5BBkBw9Q/s1600/Kay+knits+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5bkrGpNmQpku7J4zCVai81miofqJIRLdHccQCRkjjwk0Yv-IYI-KzbW-EeBniKV3eGhmiYu9pj-juqxYlK3hTxm8qG7YxxOGNkjBN0bUh7q-k1om-aMG6DsWKlJa7Xj3AwGe5BBkBw9Q/s1600/Kay+knits+2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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In an eyeblink - a minute, no more - Kay knitted up a "little" example of about 40 x 4 cm for me, in a thick double stitch. Pretty amazing, I thought - but then she showed me this swatch:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumW180s8163XRCs4zuncch2mSATHl9yHQuB-HmcLf7BFVTSgLoVc2PUf59-3_vy633AGFZC-_DShKB3K0y08YQB1u6fz-de6rkGa8H65x6e27u_CifdLMb8vJRl6F5BpIZksDwHpd27up/s1600/Kays+swatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumW180s8163XRCs4zuncch2mSATHl9yHQuB-HmcLf7BFVTSgLoVc2PUf59-3_vy633AGFZC-_DShKB3K0y08YQB1u6fz-de6rkGa8H65x6e27u_CifdLMb8vJRl6F5BpIZksDwHpd27up/s1600/Kays+swatch.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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This was done using two very thin yarns, but in all cases except the very top and bottom bands, the <strike>stitching</strike> oops my slip is showing, knitting, is so complex that you get a very lofty, thick, doubleknit, in gorgeous patterns. I love the idea of a thick knit using thin yarn, because it results in such a springy, air-trapping, warm cloth. <br />
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Way to go, Kay - methinks it's time to rename yourself as the "Knitting and Sewing Lawyer"?<br />
<br />Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-60408238683422313162015-02-21T15:46:00.000-05:002015-02-27T08:34:19.842-05:00Experiment! Triangle drape dress, take one.<br />
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I'm trying to shift my sewing to a<br />
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more adventurous, more exploratory mode. I've plenty of jackets now, so it's time. <br />
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For a long time now I've been interested in draping. My first self-drafted attempt is this super-easy <a href="http://studiofaro-wellsuited.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/pattern-puzzle-triangle-drape-dress.html" target="_blank">triangle dress from Studio Faro</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioI8vGKmmwVqGao8sijqHcDAIFccAQci2JQhELc_fJAJZqp6vD9b7jrs74Q7G3T1PQYYi3RwxqOX9gaNxPzhcs_hhQlMUQB14IuUFQojpDOfAiY2qrKaXbd9cCOsV6c-f7D65w8cgMmvLZ/s1600/Triangle+dress+drape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioI8vGKmmwVqGao8sijqHcDAIFccAQci2JQhELc_fJAJZqp6vD9b7jrs74Q7G3T1PQYYi3RwxqOX9gaNxPzhcs_hhQlMUQB14IuUFQojpDOfAiY2qrKaXbd9cCOsV6c-f7D65w8cgMmvLZ/s1600/Triangle+dress+drape.jpg" height="320" width="258" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Triangle? The pattern piece is actually a pentahedron (or a tetrahedron if you ignore the neckline) - </span><span style="text-align: center;">a bit of geometric pedantry here, sorry!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifI4lFCn_UoVZCF6KUd2ODO44HOdKTFsrTrTSB1lsedKlTq7vIGeLMHmkYsxC6RbIX8pm1piKFDz3nz6tmkPzoaU4A91Z6oIYyk0uADbIQ9FKoH3KQ14qVpIXy3ohTdH_jd-LoWpbCLbgr/s1600/Triangle+dress-pattern+piece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifI4lFCn_UoVZCF6KUd2ODO44HOdKTFsrTrTSB1lsedKlTq7vIGeLMHmkYsxC6RbIX8pm1piKFDz3nz6tmkPzoaU4A91Z6oIYyk0uADbIQ9FKoH3KQ14qVpIXy3ohTdH_jd-LoWpbCLbgr/s1600/Triangle+dress-pattern+piece.jpg" height="320" width="183" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tape lies along CF, but this is completely misleading,<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADFnASJTw3Mx305qzVQfQgz_atW849oKwpKYJB1yChV52AoPfVmATS7zmkZlEf8__bw84rEk19L5o1_KdaFdBmOKj7KmWXWuBGxRdcE3lcaMTWMzqwekg0EK5ngNp-aS9tCySJqvPb-6B/s1600/Triangle+pattern+laid+on+fold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADFnASJTw3Mx305qzVQfQgz_atW849oKwpKYJB1yChV52AoPfVmATS7zmkZlEf8__bw84rEk19L5o1_KdaFdBmOKj7KmWXWuBGxRdcE3lcaMTWMzqwekg0EK5ngNp-aS9tCySJqvPb-6B/s1600/Triangle+pattern+laid+on+fold.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a knit, the side lies on SG fold</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFH2juMlhlEOuflUZhA7u1bVKA6KWmDwkbUDsdN8T4Bu6IWAjE5b-AWbBgW_c83V4rNm5t_AJpaINQz1yf2JRQdVKavWUJUbzcGglxiEuaC1QJspz9G4opInxuBmt2YTxiqyhX_M1KTJQO/s1600/Triangle+pattern+piece+bias+layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFH2juMlhlEOuflUZhA7u1bVKA6KWmDwkbUDsdN8T4Bu6IWAjE5b-AWbBgW_c83V4rNm5t_AJpaINQz1yf2JRQdVKavWUJUbzcGglxiEuaC1QJspz9G4opInxuBmt2YTxiqyhX_M1KTJQO/s1600/Triangle+pattern+piece+bias+layout.jpg" height="320" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a woven, the side is on a bias fold</td></tr>
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and the look of the finished product isn't triangular either:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4Oo94kv4gxSBZUk-nTerLNT4QR26WBl1-FS-J4V1qhxSq5CjyoYRishW6qAlXyUvyO5zCVbMpsUlRNfcKEQnJVFxC77LjoKbz2EQG8LfNFTHreSSOkefEV4C18L0fYplmoOHej0kJlQY/s1600/Triangle+dress+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4Oo94kv4gxSBZUk-nTerLNT4QR26WBl1-FS-J4V1qhxSq5CjyoYRishW6qAlXyUvyO5zCVbMpsUlRNfcKEQnJVFxC77LjoKbz2EQG8LfNFTHreSSOkefEV4C18L0fYplmoOHej0kJlQY/s1600/Triangle+dress+front.jpg" height="312" width="320" /></a></div>
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Since I'm short, I drafted my pattern piece narrower and shorter than suggested. I was a bit worried that all that fabric would overwhelm me if it went far below my knees. So, it's short - a tad above my comfort zone. But despite that, it does have that interesting bit of draping over the hips, which was the whole idea in the first place. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHUVAHPwe3wX5u7mMlkKME2l9jaQKYcEOFs7F5n0UIRV7tkBdeSEH9JEWTh7M_KR1MQeZSCRUqc-JRUwhm0d-Q2m2mtcyfu615Q9r2i6QFec0bCbdedYwV3RxEEAyCTrvF2OLy3Pg_tBA/s1600/Triangle+dress+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHUVAHPwe3wX5u7mMlkKME2l9jaQKYcEOFs7F5n0UIRV7tkBdeSEH9JEWTh7M_KR1MQeZSCRUqc-JRUwhm0d-Q2m2mtcyfu615Q9r2i6QFec0bCbdedYwV3RxEEAyCTrvF2OLy3Pg_tBA/s1600/Triangle+dress+back.jpg" height="304" width="320" /></a></div>
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How did it work out? Pretty well for a first try. A bit of trial and error was in order with the shoulder seaming, to make the peekaboo effect visible, and to make the "armscye" of the shoulder seam comfortably wide for my arm.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5yWeFLOohOrWRSQUFb0xz-1z5M8IT1mw2kHPDsxpqLixczCBApcibOdcvPRseDNOKL8Q6ybpcyu4T1mmZzPKXsQh5krmdDQ6zCrLQSRdUqtexIlK_oNMiNDtveOggGR6Hn11aHQVUE1d/s1600/Triangle+dress+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5yWeFLOohOrWRSQUFb0xz-1z5M8IT1mw2kHPDsxpqLixczCBApcibOdcvPRseDNOKL8Q6ybpcyu4T1mmZzPKXsQh5krmdDQ6zCrLQSRdUqtexIlK_oNMiNDtveOggGR6Hn11aHQVUE1d/s1600/Triangle+dress+side.jpg" height="400" width="276" /></a></div>
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How do I feel about it? I like it! It'll be a great beach cover-up, and perfect for a walk along the shore, be it in southern California or somewhere overlooking the Mediterranean...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii9YVJ41r5b-h946gm1yJfcuh7c-YL_7MpCC_IqKox-V_nB-nVCUDB178FKJKzDjRI4Q5pN2JlI39KY67Cbjngf13Ks9Ao1rw3RdtiNtVPltJCh2Fvrfh_He-NqFqZuX2pKcMf2IwhITx/s1600/Having+a+ball-small.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii9YVJ41r5b-h946gm1yJfcuh7c-YL_7MpCC_IqKox-V_nB-nVCUDB178FKJKzDjRI4Q5pN2JlI39KY67Cbjngf13Ks9Ao1rw3RdtiNtVPltJCh2Fvrfh_He-NqFqZuX2pKcMf2IwhITx/s1600/Having+a+ball-small.png" height="344" width="640" /></a></div>
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....and it's absolutely perfect for a bit of GWN summer fun when the temps rise to a balmy -5C: Our white beaches are to die for.... and the "sand" sticks together so well....</div>
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All in all, a perfect experiment. I bought 2 m of a lightweight poly knit for this experiment, and have enough left over for either a conventional slip-on dress or a long sleeved tee. I'm already planning the next iteration. The pattern piece has been widened about 7 cm along the shoulder seam and lengthened by 10 cm. At first I though of bias-cut silk chiffon, but have since reconsidered, and will attempt it in a simple rayon knit. So stay tuned!</div>
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Experiment! Cole Porter's marvellous nod to all scientists, rendered beautifully by Kevin Kline in the 2004 film De-Lovely: </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/slYExz44k0Q/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/slYExz44k0Q?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe>Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-51244794384715680352015-02-14T18:27:00.001-05:002015-02-14T19:06:12.601-05:00Black matelasse skirt suit: it's the bomb!Back to regular programming! Whew - those itty bitty little booties really took me out of my comfort zone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94TWV0KL5WQHJAhYI5I6_f_CAwiKNwcsOgHrSWUaTF0u2AL-EplBRUAkPcPimpH8mYsUvL9ij7zW1Id37TkbTDVyFr5MmceJxXmEArNgW0au-w3hyS1Opvnd1CJpPzc_GVDwPnyCzlbvA/s1600/Black+front1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94TWV0KL5WQHJAhYI5I6_f_CAwiKNwcsOgHrSWUaTF0u2AL-EplBRUAkPcPimpH8mYsUvL9ij7zW1Id37TkbTDVyFr5MmceJxXmEArNgW0au-w3hyS1Opvnd1CJpPzc_GVDwPnyCzlbvA/s1600/Black+front1.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></div>
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My black wool matelasse (wool-nylon blend from Mood), outfit is done, done, and done. You already <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2015/01/floral-blouse-or-when-fabric-determines.html" target="_blank">saw the blouse</a> I made to go with it. The fabric is super interesting - not nearly as wooly as a wool boucl<span style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #1b0431;">é</span>, but not smooth like a rayon-poly or cotton matelasse or jacquard. It's a solid black, but the shiny parts reflect light, making them appear greyer in photos, which creates tons of texture. It looks flocked, but isn't: that texture is created by thick wooly threads woven right in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLlVU5URyVRnJo-JSy0gO_rDnR3vTGOY0QbRiKTKafee8hb8y6nSaCXA3FTY97clsYHcKYdsWsWpJXcA9I_XJnnEa2PNVnRYvISPtkWmdled8Be8k2boquPnuEmQdbAyxyZCoTQrdMRB2/s1600/Fabric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLlVU5URyVRnJo-JSy0gO_rDnR3vTGOY0QbRiKTKafee8hb8y6nSaCXA3FTY97clsYHcKYdsWsWpJXcA9I_XJnnEa2PNVnRYvISPtkWmdled8Be8k2boquPnuEmQdbAyxyZCoTQrdMRB2/s1600/Fabric.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></div>
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I chose Vogue 7975, as I'd just <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2015/02/revisions-1-red-boucle-jacket.html" target="_blank">"revised" my red boucl<span style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #1b0431;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">é </span></span> Chanel jacket</a>, so the pattern was at hand. I'd used it twice before, for the red Chanel, and also my <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2014/02/brown-blue-cashmere-suit-stashbusting.html" target="_blank">brown-shot-with-blue-and-gold cashmere</a> one. This time, I was determined to see if I could finally and once for all make it my own, turn it into a TNT straight out of the envelope. </div>
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Hah! Does the phrase "hoist by her own petard" (see bottom of post for the ultimate example) say anything to you? Influenced by a friend (yes I'm looking at YOU, you know who you are!!!), I decided to make a petite alteration above the bust. It's a salutary tale of two different bodies: for her, a perfect move. For me, not so great. What it did was make the armscye tight, and I had to enlarge it back to its original size. I'm slowly coming to the realization that the correct petite alteration for me - I do need it, since I'm a shortie - is just below the armscye, across the back to the side seam and tapering to nothing at the bust point. N-e-e-e-e-xt time.....</div>
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Successful alterations, anyone? I wanted a working and visible sleeve vent, so split the upper sleeve in half. I also wondered about Claire Shaeffer's new Chanel jacket variation, <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v8804-products-22886.php?page_id=4444" target="_blank">V8804</a>, in which she places the front upper sleeve on a slight bias. So I did that too: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rlBksQ8ul4fj3s2Zny4tBsYyoTHhDTXqdAaC9trOgsMxc0ZnULghUk61tC7YsPNgnv1RgpMhXcK0ji3-fBeQlOZF6dCBOqGzI4hsgl8UcZKfif2cwDP8HF7gZ1HGiNy5nyu3W-Hnfbcd/s1600/Fabric+layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rlBksQ8ul4fj3s2Zny4tBsYyoTHhDTXqdAaC9trOgsMxc0ZnULghUk61tC7YsPNgnv1RgpMhXcK0ji3-fBeQlOZF6dCBOqGzI4hsgl8UcZKfif2cwDP8HF7gZ1HGiNy5nyu3W-Hnfbcd/s1600/Fabric+layout.jpg" height="400" width="250" /></a></div>
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I don't think that made any functional difference to the sleeve, but then again, it did no harm either. In a typical even patterned or tweedy fabric it would offer a nice bias textural variation, but in this fabric it was invisible. </div>
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To modernize the jacket a tad and distance myself from the suspicion that I used home dec fabric (quel horreur!), I used leather-look snaps on the sleeve vents plus one at CF waistline: </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFA5Phyphenhyphen0VQQCnZ0ecyvZpEj8mT4BrrfZzM-MRpzzf7WNcAizZ_JjFec6IdMthQhwVuTfdvGGgiLI03urQ060rfNZ9hHEnfURhZ-aE5y6AoMr8q2ohZwNB_VRfNFYEiO8TEVtgurs5x7eGD/s1600/Buckle+-+sleeve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFA5Phyphenhyphen0VQQCnZ0ecyvZpEj8mT4BrrfZzM-MRpzzf7WNcAizZ_JjFec6IdMthQhwVuTfdvGGgiLI03urQ060rfNZ9hHEnfURhZ-aE5y6AoMr8q2ohZwNB_VRfNFYEiO8TEVtgurs5x7eGD/s1600/Buckle+-+sleeve.jpg" height="320" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Look Ma, no buttonholes! But quite a bit of laborious hand sewing instead.... </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF-1bk327UrsL34SXkTDNZbge8kKUEVveyIAn-qgnWnRIL_UXfDuEQ5IdjWZ6IT8hwk0uEdaq531WKvO7heOV6xmLtFl7jwKiw0ZfbXYrwcZFSYZReovMgwOJzz-2bDT90z95SfN-Jb8j/s1600/Black+back1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF-1bk327UrsL34SXkTDNZbge8kKUEVveyIAn-qgnWnRIL_UXfDuEQ5IdjWZ6IT8hwk0uEdaq531WKvO7heOV6xmLtFl7jwKiw0ZfbXYrwcZFSYZReovMgwOJzz-2bDT90z95SfN-Jb8j/s1600/Black+back1.jpg" height="320" width="253" /></a></div>
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The skirt is the double-vented, princess seamed <a href="http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v7937-products-600.php?page_id=263" target="_blank">V7937</a> (yes, <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2015/01/lace-overlay-skirt-suit-finished.html" target="_blank">again</a>). </div>
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A good black skirt is a perfect basic, wearable with anything and everything.</div>
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One more thing? Did you notice the collar on my jacket? But.... V7975 doesn't have one. Right. The collar's a bit of an afterthought. Originally, the jacket was meant to be collarless, with Chanel-like trim. Midway through construction I decided the fabric pattern wouldn't lend itself to trim, being already very busy. So, I grabbed the collar from my fave Chanel-like pattern, New Look 6516. And added self fabric front facings instead of lining to the edge. Done!</div>
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All told, 2.5 yards of fabric, 3 yards of silk charmeuse (<a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2015/01/floral-blouse-or-when-fabric-determines.html" target="_blank">jacket lining and matching blouse</a>), 0.75 m of black rayon lining for the skirt, all from the stash. For a change and a softer silhouette, I omitted shoulder pads this time.</div>
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And here, as promised, is the ultimate of being hoist by your own petard, the final few seconds of Dr. Strangelove (Or How I Learned to Love The Bomb), with the voice of the incomparable Dame Vera Lynn:</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snTaSJk0n_Y" target="_blank">This clip</a> gives you the whole "Kong Rides the Bomb" final segment of the movie, with a very young James "The Amazing Voice" Earl Jones at the controls, instantly recognizable once he speaks. </div>
Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-36193858703541139012015-02-12T08:49:00.003-05:002015-02-17T19:11:56.230-05:00Revisions 1: red bouclé jacketThe last few times I tried to wear my red boucl<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">é</span> Chanel jacket, I had to abandon the inclination. I shrunk a little in the last few years, and was simply swimming in it.<br />
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So recently I took the time to "revise" it. I took off the trim, removed the front zip, opened the lining, and then took it in - a lot. The key alteration was taking in the upper shoulder princess lines above the bust point. The pattern is drafted for a bust whose fullness seems to begin right at the shoulder - I kid you not. My body has a definite hollow between the clavicle and the bust, so without alterations there was quite a lot of pooching of fabric in that area. I was happy to wrestle that issue into submission and transfer the change - once and for all - onto the pattern pieces. I also removed a lot from the waist at each of the seams - front, side, and back, taking in the sides all the way to the hip.<br />
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Then I put it all back together. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0AGv2KnoXefUQDcMge0bD0TSh8ViDQklnah87z-16n1NvoU7TLIOK_DsxMUPOVko4DYCB4bzxZ8fogKufjB3pnA4SLnfkDuHey8fPCgyknlRL0NvrV6ZrC8llKMKodX8L_JvR5vqwiri/s1600/Revised+Red+jacket+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0AGv2KnoXefUQDcMge0bD0TSh8ViDQklnah87z-16n1NvoU7TLIOK_DsxMUPOVko4DYCB4bzxZ8fogKufjB3pnA4SLnfkDuHey8fPCgyknlRL0NvrV6ZrC8llKMKodX8L_JvR5vqwiri/s1600/Revised+Red+jacket+front.jpg" height="320" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh10VjDOsKMFFSoqcG8S5Yt-saSN7EtYPftXKe4KtoF0fTiC17Zk_Owt7OFfw4jp997E_6rf2BUatBwq6kLNIyLVbik2TLsNmUBuY05mizlN_h77CNljNJmG2kjbtUhyphenhyphenLGRs1bZI_3acgZ/s1600/Revised+Red+jacket+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh10VjDOsKMFFSoqcG8S5Yt-saSN7EtYPftXKe4KtoF0fTiC17Zk_Owt7OFfw4jp997E_6rf2BUatBwq6kLNIyLVbik2TLsNmUBuY05mizlN_h77CNljNJmG2kjbtUhyphenhyphenLGRs1bZI_3acgZ/s1600/Revised+Red+jacket+back.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="193" /></a></div>
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For comparison, here's a collage of the first look, with the original hooks, before I replaced them with a zip:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZVCxC9Xv3V10Ltk-OVsUlCdExd5Jv86oRpz39SVOnCIDhDxMlGv6Xu4ngR77zH2VTMtZm8XTRRNLgqIWWRIUr8v1oE_sykK5GrYzm-0iXfLHABGKAmWPUwYK6zYlFPb5qHC4hs_Q6p9P/s1600/Old+size1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZVCxC9Xv3V10Ltk-OVsUlCdExd5Jv86oRpz39SVOnCIDhDxMlGv6Xu4ngR77zH2VTMtZm8XTRRNLgqIWWRIUr8v1oE_sykK5GrYzm-0iXfLHABGKAmWPUwYK6zYlFPb5qHC4hs_Q6p9P/s1600/Old+size1.jpg" height="115" width="400" /></a></div>
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Driven by my desire for change, I removed all the armscye trim and moved the secondary little pockets to their conventional Chanel locations. Without the trim, the shoulder line suddenly seems much wider, doesn't it? <br />
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The nice thing about this revision? not only do I have a jacket that fits me better, but the zipper tape is correctly concealed beneath the lining. Shames me to admit it, but I was too lazy to open the lining when I replaced the hooks with zipper in the first place. Much happier now. Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-20457416915508762782015-02-10T15:20:00.001-05:002015-02-10T15:20:45.489-05:00Booties for baby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQhBb21AVbQxpfS8VDJk5Ye2sKH1dlOuO8lmAk1g0z7qYUShd7dGwB9jLyk2O-qF8j0jBn0AECm6AgdIiUNl-nU342-DLjsM2LMM2nwPP7qu72J3X8V6MorJMlgpCW6h69yIo246VL9dt/s1600/Booties.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQhBb21AVbQxpfS8VDJk5Ye2sKH1dlOuO8lmAk1g0z7qYUShd7dGwB9jLyk2O-qF8j0jBn0AECm6AgdIiUNl-nU342-DLjsM2LMM2nwPP7qu72J3X8V6MorJMlgpCW6h69yIo246VL9dt/s1600/Booties.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></div>
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Wow I can't believe I actually made these. This <a href="http://blog.misusu.co/p/diy-projects/reversible-baby-booties/" target="_blank">utterly charming pattern</a> is by <a href="http://blog.misusu.co/about/" target="_blank">Misusu</a>, a lovely and generous person whose work typically focuses on the youngest amongst us, but who has also recently made available a very interesting blouse pattern (more on that below).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVQQarKM29H42PVqqDDIrATjuUplyscMSqbBgITERZLyhE3Z3x6x4T5XbIuwoLsX4SEkkMInKnTN102hQCWXQb7JV-vQqe1eJJ5jQ2TZNFtT9Ml37jzRu6utRQJvs_g4KzkteCHTK0o-7/s1600/Sixty+toes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVQQarKM29H42PVqqDDIrATjuUplyscMSqbBgITERZLyhE3Z3x6x4T5XbIuwoLsX4SEkkMInKnTN102hQCWXQb7JV-vQqe1eJJ5jQ2TZNFtT9Ml37jzRu6utRQJvs_g4KzkteCHTK0o-7/s1600/Sixty+toes.jpg" height="142" width="400" /></a></div>
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This downloadable pattern comes with several sizes already pre-drawn, which will allow your crafting prowess to keep up with the growing infant. Using some cotton remnants, I made the size 10 (10 cm long sole), which is about 3 months size. The instructions that come with the pattern are great - the only change I made is to attach the back tab to the outer part of the bootie before sewing the inner and outer ones together. This makes it easier to turn and sew that last seam line smoothly.<br />
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Now, about the blouse? <a href="http://sewtawdry.blogspot.ca/2015/02/misusu-shirt.html" target="_blank">Audrey</a> had made it recently, and it was her discussion and very pretty result that led me to <a href="http://blog.misusu.co/p/archive/downton-abbey-inspired-shirt/" target="_blank">its pattern</a>, which in turn led me to the booties. The blouse looks like something I'd love to make; even more, I love the opportunity to draft the pattern from scratch based on the dimensions Misusu gives, again, in downloadable form. What a great idea! it saves printing all these pages to tape together, and makes us stretch our abilities just a tad.<br />
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Thank you, Misusu, for your very real contributions to our sewing.<br />
<br />Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-19470355808956635232015-02-05T11:13:00.001-05:002015-09-26T19:03:06.706-04:00We're having a baby!Yessss!!! Laugh at me, do. Of course I'll not be the one to give birth. I'll be the wicked step-grandmother; I've been practicing for the role for well over half of my SD's lives, as their wicked stepmom. So I'll be a very good evil (ok, maybe not totally evil), wicked old granny, mwahahahah! I'm already dusting off my copy of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_Grimm" target="_blank">Brothers Grimm</a>, as a refresher of the frightening magic and very pc-uncorrect tricks that ugly old hags are expected to perform on all the yummy, delicious, trusting, naive youth who happen to stumble into their clutches. The best and most complete version is "<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5314" target="_blank">Household Tales of the Brothers Grimm</a>", which has all 200 tales and 10 legends. You can read these delightfully wicked little pieces online. Trust me, there's not a whiff of boring old saccharine Disney in any of them! And when you finish the Grimm offering, you can move on to peruse the remaining 45,999 books at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gutenberg" target="_blank">Gutenberg Project</a>, (<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/">https://www.gutenberg.org/</a>). If you could read just one book per day, it'll take you only 126 years to get through the entire collection. But that's only if you're able to read in every language on offer; if you're limited, like most of us, to only three or four languages, you may be able to whittle the time to oh, maybe just a little over 100 years. <br />
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The other great thing about the Gutenberg Project? it has a small <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/browse/categories/4" target="_blank">collection of sheet music</a>. Once you've browsed through that, move on to the <a href="http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page" target="_blank">Petrucci Music Library</a>: 300,000 scores! Now that's just the thing to soothe the savage beast after the all wickedness awoken by those German fairy tales. <br />
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I'm feeling very sentimental about this little impending arrival. My youngest is the last of a large gaggle of kids and cousins of his generation, a Benjamin of our extended family in the truest sense of the Old Testament allusion. It seems in no time flat he's gone from a squiggly little moppet to an independent young man who turns wheelies on snowpack and likes to discuss physics - today, heat transfer equations - with his mother (I kid you not). What's 16 years? An eyeblink. The <a href="http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/where/" target="_blank">Voyager spacecraft</a> - both of them - have been out there, telling us ever more about the outer solar system and beyond, for nearly 40 years. And they're still talking. The New Horizons spaceship has been flying towards Pluto for 9 years, just so it can take better pictures of it, our last, littlest, demoted to dwarf status itty bitty planet, than can the Hubble with its ultra expensive corrective specs. After 9 years, it's <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/press/2015/february/nasa-spacecraft-returns-new-images-of-pluto-en-route-to-historic-encounter/#.VNOEtSuzFYA" target="_blank">almost there</a>: what's 200 million kilometers between friends?! Poor little Pluto will reveal its pouting face to the cameras in July, right around the same time that the new little one we're anticipating will face the lens and flash of our own. <br />
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Being a practical sort of wicked grandma to be, I already made the little tyke a blankie. Well, actually, I made two. I like making these for the new arrivals - and have been ever since my own kids became more than just a twinkle in their father's eyes. I'm persuaded that this is a form of practice towards a quilt that keeps hinting at its existence somewhere in my retirement (if I ever get there...). <br />
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Here are two of my youngsters with one of the smaller blankets I made. The blanket reflects my love of things tartan, being a Nova Scotia tartan in cotton flannel, and my other love of strong contrasts, here the surprising association of blue and red - hence the red poly fleece. I bound it in shiny satin ribbon to offer some tactile and visual stimulation to my tiny boy.<br />
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Did you know that Canada and each of its provinces and territories <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_tartans_of_Canada" target="_blank">has a tartan pattern</a>? It's the heritage of our early Scottish immigration! I made several tartan-inspired blankets and sheets for him around that time. The largest of the lot, at 1 x 1.5m, in a nice New Brunswick tartan, remains the topper on his bed to this day.<br />
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I went with conventional baby-themed colours this time, because that's what was available - I don't stash baby stuff supplies. Both blankets are a sandwich of soft poly fleece on one side and a cotton or cotton blend flannel on the other, prewashed/predried in hot water/hot dryer before assembly. I decided not to bind the blankets, but sewed the layers together right sides together, flipped them out through a small opening, and then topstitched around the edge with a small, tight zigzag to flatten it, favouring the stretchier fleece a little towards the cotton side. <br />
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The smaller blanket is a meter square, with one corner cut away and used to create a hood at the opposite end. For a very little tyke, that makes for a nice warm swaddling configuration, with the infant's head under the little hoodie:<br />
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But, you know, they don't stay swaddled for long! Within a year or so, they begin to run around and make us believe they're Superbaby, or a Magician, and then such a blanket becomes the perfect no-hands, no potentially lethal ties, magical cape: </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's pouting because I told him he'll have to give it back. Such a bad mom I am.</td></tr>
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The second blanket, at 1.5 x 1.5 m, is more of a play area/picnic rug/big bed item.<br />
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Because of its larger area, I quilted the two layers together to prevent sliding and bunching. I also added a bunch of scrap fabrics and ribbons to one edge to encourage the developing youngster to explore the limits of his blankie-verse. Today, a ribbon; tomorrow, who knows, a new galaxy? And why not? The <a href="http://billsnyderastrophotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/M31-SRO-HaLRGB-Mosaic-2nd-align-composit-PS1-work3-Flat-3of3-Finial-for-Web-50-percent-NL-.jpg" target="_blank">Andromeda </a>is only a couple million light years away.<br />
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Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-13674248419979686502015-01-31T17:32:00.000-05:002015-01-31T18:28:20.727-05:00Humour in styleWhen I was young, my mother was a children's fashion designer in a big textile firm in my home city, which, btw, has a history of textile production of over 150 years. She practiced her skills on her daughters, as do many of us here on our own younger generation. Some of her creations I recall fondly; others, like what were probably the very first mini skirts in the city, were so fashion forward that the merciless teasing I got from my schoolmates far outlived the garment itself: oh yeah. <br />
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But despite - or maybe because of - that early exposure to the unusual in fashion, I love fashion shows. I love the goofiness of them. The layers and layers of fabric. The bizarre texture and colour combos. The crazy hair and the over the top makeup - oh, the makeup!!! The models strutting down the runway sporting terrific tops and nothing except their knickers below the waist. My husband, when first exposed to this little clich<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">é</span></span>, went, wha-a-a.a..a...? I had to explain to him that it's a common trick designed to focus the eye on the sole garment on the gal. Ya sure of that, he grinned. <br />
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Things are heating up on the Style.com <a href="http://www.style.com/fashion-shows" target="_blank">fashion shows</a> scene. The <a href="http://www.style.com/fashion-shows/spring-2015-couture" target="_blank">spring '15 couture</a> collections had their reveal last week. I shall not belabour all of them; there aren't many designers in the couture section, so you can click through them all in no time flat. But do, do, do NOT miss these two:<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashion-shows/spring-2015-couture/viktor-rolf/collection/1" target="_blank">Viktor & Rolf</a>. I call it "Demeter vacations in Afghanistan"<br />
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By way of explanation, Demeter is the Greek goddess of the harvest, and Afghanistan is the world's prime cultivator of the opium poppy (and therefore heroin). And these gals are shoulders deep in poppy blooms. The tragic association aside (did V&R realize? no telling), I am enchanted by these whimsical outfits, the "skirt as top" approach, the over the top structure, the frothy petticoats, the way the flat fabric flowers transform into three dimensional blooms. Just fun, fun, fun. And so easy to translate into a street worthy fifties-retro summer frock.</div>
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The second must-see is <a href="http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashion-shows/spring-2015-couture/jean-paul-gaultier/collection/1" target="_blank">Jean Paul Gaultier</a>. Whereas most garments we wear are as symmetrical as a Rorschach inkblot, JPG went all out for "fashion <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomer" target="_blank">isomer</a> extreme". Not all of his garments in this collection demonstrate this duality, but many do. How clever, I thought: you get to play with the jigsaw aspect of garment construction: same bodice, different skirt treatments; same shape, different structure, fabrics, details; etc., and you get to show twice as many ideas on half the budget and runway time. How original, and how frugal of him. It says, "I love what I do so much, I just NEED to show you more..." I love this. </div>
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Oh do look at the whole collection: we can all learn so much from JPG's presentation. </div>
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In closing, for stuff that's eminently wearable, I want to point you to the <a href="http://www.style.com/fashion-shows/copenhagen-fall-2015" target="_blank">Copenhagen</a> collections. I like them. Because they're aimed at people needing to bundle up for six months of the year and still look good? You said it! </div>
Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-54852670098401593042015-01-24T15:45:00.001-05:002015-01-24T16:44:16.403-05:00Floral blouse, or: when fabric determines the pattern<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEA2vpxtzwRprIN2pH7dvVI6yaY69tzsKkAc2AjnLIwiqOVsHUtaPLcXyTL5rmeuI2S055gT5r2BxnHg8pEpmhocEEePvATn5xDdu6AlUTLKYrmf6GGJ_QKZjvm6Pq97OU2i6KlZRxtXFm/s1600/Chrysanthemum+fabric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEA2vpxtzwRprIN2pH7dvVI6yaY69tzsKkAc2AjnLIwiqOVsHUtaPLcXyTL5rmeuI2S055gT5r2BxnHg8pEpmhocEEePvATn5xDdu6AlUTLKYrmf6GGJ_QKZjvm6Pq97OU2i6KlZRxtXFm/s1600/Chrysanthemum+fabric.jpg" height="640" width="320" /></a><br />
Normally, I decide on a garment first, find a likely pattern, and only then seek the fabric for it. In this instance, though, I looked at the fabric and thought, this can be made interesting.<br />
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I had 3 yds of this silk charmeuse, and used some of it to line a jacket. This remnant - about 1.5 m - is just enough for a long sleeved blouse.<br />
The print, as you see, has some peculiarities - I highlighted one of them with the two orange pins and the ruler. Also, there's only one flower-free border along the selvedge (shown): the chryssies are printed all the way to the selvedge on the other side. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwsO3zcNMLi-X1rFap7DE_qX1-HYbHKP2XhZ4KgesDDfQG38bZktGHEbgx8qnL_E96zDXq6Yyop0wSuhMqMuLViB4g56PDpyo2PMgF1dGhsG-h_-AFo5z1XcCMV3BCe_m4Ejxnx8te6Sg/s1600/Chrysanthemum+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwsO3zcNMLi-X1rFap7DE_qX1-HYbHKP2XhZ4KgesDDfQG38bZktGHEbgx8qnL_E96zDXq6Yyop0wSuhMqMuLViB4g56PDpyo2PMgF1dGhsG-h_-AFo5z1XcCMV3BCe_m4Ejxnx8te6Sg/s1600/Chrysanthemum+closeup.jpg" height="320" width="295" /></a>The print has a nice small scale abstract as background. Since I'm not much of a florals type of person, I chose to highlight the flower-free edge in my blouse. Two widths of the abstract-only edge along the front, when worn under a jacket, would conceal the flowers completely.</div>
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Since the fabric demanded a pattern with a CF seam, <span style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #29303b; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Burda </span><a href="http://osinka.ru/Zhurnaly/2011/burda/burda_10/slides/03.html" style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #956839; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">10-2011-128</a>, which I'd <a href="http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.ca/2014/02/silk-blouses-im-on-streak.html" target="_blank">used</a> recently to make three blouses, was an obvious choice. I'd already altered the Burda pattern at the shoulder and armscye from the dropped shoulder sleeve to a standard set in sleeve. To make this blouse a little different than the other three, I now altered the pattern further:</div>
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1. dropped the shoulder seam 4 cm towards the front </div>
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2. added two pleats to the upper front panels at the above seam</div>
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3. converted the collar ties to a stand-up collar</div>
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4. finished the front neckline with a facing </div>
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5. widened the sleeve and shortened it to bracelet length, finishing it with a 22.5 cm/9" circumference closed cuff (no buttonholes!!!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FrhNxEbfvTi91EHg45AfHlUd804y2nXwvr_9wDZVn3dzp1PBlabcrb6f94ehEX842IyYHhfSvZHxuBsspk-F-zW_ZAummc2ELsJTzk5bhnxfLnwZ30ydPscRXNvQq1am2zUk86YwqPa_/s1600/Chrysanthemum+blouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FrhNxEbfvTi91EHg45AfHlUd804y2nXwvr_9wDZVn3dzp1PBlabcrb6f94ehEX842IyYHhfSvZHxuBsspk-F-zW_ZAummc2ELsJTzk5bhnxfLnwZ30ydPscRXNvQq1am2zUk86YwqPa_/s1600/Chrysanthemum+blouse.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_eTRmG6PBCyIjuTVzr6_5Tn7HSy0BDrP3gbRB2jxgZNoEnq1jCalbxORwZv5Mcu1heeYcIfgqe6IFq8J7wTD8X5tBbRRFtx3lKtG1fQHvhwaizvXbE5Mt7IKOXkob5kmRJHNNqdBBKqS/s1600/Burda+blouse+with+ties.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_eTRmG6PBCyIjuTVzr6_5Tn7HSy0BDrP3gbRB2jxgZNoEnq1jCalbxORwZv5Mcu1heeYcIfgqe6IFq8J7wTD8X5tBbRRFtx3lKtG1fQHvhwaizvXbE5Mt7IKOXkob5kmRJHNNqdBBKqS/s1600/Burda+blouse+with+ties.gif" /></a></div>
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Burda pattern at left, my alteration at right. The green lines at the front and on the collar mark use of the flower-free selvedge. At 1.5 m, there was exactly enough of that selvedge for the two front panels and the collar. The collar is a simple rectangle, folded in half lengthways. </div>
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I find it much easier to alter a successfully used pattern for small variations like these than to hunt for and test an entirely new one that's as likely as not to come with its own set of new size and fit issues.</div>
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Even though the fabric was narrow, I was able to lay out the pieces in such a way as to preserve a continuous strip along the floral selvedge. I turned that into a scarf, of course!<br />
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And here's the result: a two-tone front...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXjoN7iNR6t1_FIpXnJV29IwZBAtoEqIU1Z1bTNoRIdWofZt-qMS9USVR1j1HyMlV6NbIbuPFK72KVBOd033DHGH-VReRsxNoRZHNcK-CC6_55naLgFMYPHfn5Ar094sk618nOObbEZwM/s1600/Blouse+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXjoN7iNR6t1_FIpXnJV29IwZBAtoEqIU1Z1bTNoRIdWofZt-qMS9USVR1j1HyMlV6NbIbuPFK72KVBOd033DHGH-VReRsxNoRZHNcK-CC6_55naLgFMYPHfn5Ar094sk618nOObbEZwM/s1600/Blouse+front.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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...and a very chrysanthemum back:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Yphdd49zwy5kpzuO-JaJqxTDkkMIGOa-F44Zzqbgwe3thDlN70bavxejI32Wq4zXZbnaQWvapt70aX9nXimo22JmmsiDkCTSCfFh69omOv9n2lzED8kRVmWP1LQ1ObYrpTH_9YUDCdHw/s1600/Blouse+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Yphdd49zwy5kpzuO-JaJqxTDkkMIGOa-F44Zzqbgwe3thDlN70bavxejI32Wq4zXZbnaQWvapt70aX9nXimo22JmmsiDkCTSCfFh69omOv9n2lzED8kRVmWP1LQ1ObYrpTH_9YUDCdHw/s1600/Blouse+back.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></div>
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The stand up collar, neck opening, and the chrysanthemums give it a faintly Japanese vibe, which I like a lot.</div>
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But under a jacket, we're very serious indeed:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OyqlLgmXuS-GJNqHsGgDnyjMIR1Dzn9wTfHqPnsVrPMueW2pwyutOS-hL_1bUVv9ZBhQNcNNqiZyOmubwwx-7GeyhhpedVuT7ga-oIEwztmcTPWbIbB9ZC1iFxvLxEZgxWkTe-o4W8tm/s1600/Under+jacket+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OyqlLgmXuS-GJNqHsGgDnyjMIR1Dzn9wTfHqPnsVrPMueW2pwyutOS-hL_1bUVv9ZBhQNcNNqiZyOmubwwx-7GeyhhpedVuT7ga-oIEwztmcTPWbIbB9ZC1iFxvLxEZgxWkTe-o4W8tm/s1600/Under+jacket+1.jpg" height="320" width="217" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">...where </span>the blooms only play peekaboo:<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sGm-6KjMi6BeNwCnELW3fzHgQ6ptPjpEYv16zQGXvgvfNA80wNtCFXKxRWeEZunxpbCBcu6MSHJ3qW6C_XWjGCOs5RQgYGQDvkGgtQSOka9VQkCKkN1H-a2JJquqc3P7c6dn4kf6Yj-e/s1600/Under+jacket+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sGm-6KjMi6BeNwCnELW3fzHgQ6ptPjpEYv16zQGXvgvfNA80wNtCFXKxRWeEZunxpbCBcu6MSHJ3qW6C_XWjGCOs5RQgYGQDvkGgtQSOka9VQkCKkN1H-a2JJquqc3P7c6dn4kf6Yj-e/s1600/Under+jacket+2.jpg" height="320" width="251" /></a></div>
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that is, until you flash'em: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQIu2vlHvaxg5dGPEseGP0O3Gm6YVniPqwgRj38o0gEDi6T9jtnREI1qtlffyhHMjPTHPN74qQXXYCvcoQcvFSasLdpugSvfx0atu2cglw5ULAggnjTQ66rMzIk5PjXSENdjRXUCZuppw/s1600/Under+jacket+3+open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQIu2vlHvaxg5dGPEseGP0O3Gm6YVniPqwgRj38o0gEDi6T9jtnREI1qtlffyhHMjPTHPN74qQXXYCvcoQcvFSasLdpugSvfx0atu2cglw5ULAggnjTQ66rMzIk5PjXSENdjRXUCZuppw/s1600/Under+jacket+3+open.jpg" height="266" width="320" /></a></div>
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Both blouse and jacket play nicely with the matching scarf:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIej_ptu9hNX14IvR1QwD9edzmLGtjj7oPda72tZMBan_c6mIr0n5MGmNsWq_8mtNgJMURUSrqQ7T11Na7Cm_qaiv-xRE3Q1sq5Sp3CRncTbSHR-9O_lbxIqQnvBKXfuTau3d0bXKIJZm/s1600/Blouse+with+scarf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIej_ptu9hNX14IvR1QwD9edzmLGtjj7oPda72tZMBan_c6mIr0n5MGmNsWq_8mtNgJMURUSrqQ7T11Na7Cm_qaiv-xRE3Q1sq5Sp3CRncTbSHR-9O_lbxIqQnvBKXfuTau3d0bXKIJZm/s1600/Blouse+with+scarf.jpg" height="320" width="286" /></a></div>
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Styled with chunky modern silverware to reassure myself that I haven't fallen into a Victorian time warp.</div>
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Are we done yet??? It's c-c-c-cold!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXlkJ3DZ4mk_XRQAkmBDEvlKVfjaU9ge3ClYA_Cd5I4tSmoAHghWRBmbwVuXbVFZQhX8ko99iXtMIGRTIbAhsZK_fGgu_9QZMiwrze8rvUzC1To-78ETxii1vMoA1NbXnzLmUNHFpCTLz/s1600/Jacket+with+scarf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXlkJ3DZ4mk_XRQAkmBDEvlKVfjaU9ge3ClYA_Cd5I4tSmoAHghWRBmbwVuXbVFZQhX8ko99iXtMIGRTIbAhsZK_fGgu_9QZMiwrze8rvUzC1To-78ETxii1vMoA1NbXnzLmUNHFpCTLz/s1600/Jacket+with+scarf.jpg" height="400" width="271" /></a></div>
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A moment like this, when I get to decide on one small item to fit in with my personal style, is what makes sewing so rewarding to me. </div>
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Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082508943536670709.post-17243435858383644302015-01-21T20:10:00.000-05:002015-01-21T20:18:44.061-05:00Tradition: an appreciation of a personal antiqueToday I'd like to highlight what is unquestionably the oldest article of clothing I possess.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E1viDffUo_-YZ9MKZDc2M4lfj-uy9ISCKhQ32PG4dirXvEzhQTWpB1pj6stMZ71aDeYLv6DuoWKDygqRHECIVvbs4jOpdvJDsDkw-DwItcUJFoB3UMcy9UfMzK7m6U7Vrxt56PhfEp7N/s1600/Front1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E1viDffUo_-YZ9MKZDc2M4lfj-uy9ISCKhQ32PG4dirXvEzhQTWpB1pj6stMZ71aDeYLv6DuoWKDygqRHECIVvbs4jOpdvJDsDkw-DwItcUJFoB3UMcy9UfMzK7m6U7Vrxt56PhfEp7N/s1600/Front1.jpg" height="400" width="257" /></a></div>
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It's called a "<i><b>kożuszek góralski</b></i>", and is a natural sheepskin shearling short coat, decorated in the tradition of Poland's highlanders (<i>górale)</i>, residents of Podhale, the High Tatra mountains of southern Poland. My family really loved that part of the country, and we spent many holidays there. I learned to ski in Zakopane, and hiked my little legs off around Morskie Oko, a very deep little lake whose name translates as Eye of the Sea - cue legend of a super-long underground tunnel connecting the lake to the sea - situated in one of the most picturesque valleys in the high mountains.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNYUXWk9viFbxqLiPEfbeOzh_AqgMg3RPB31jQX7yj7RkvLgLJ_MvlZb1d6i7RXODCy4DF4LaJ69XjDu1EUjU1j6rM1v7U6sfCAeyNrjCu5-ZfCIP8JbqMaSbPJcQknKqegXu6x9dO88d/s1600/45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNYUXWk9viFbxqLiPEfbeOzh_AqgMg3RPB31jQX7yj7RkvLgLJ_MvlZb1d6i7RXODCy4DF4LaJ69XjDu1EUjU1j6rM1v7U6sfCAeyNrjCu5-ZfCIP8JbqMaSbPJcQknKqegXu6x9dO88d/s1600/45.jpg" height="252" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is yours truly and my beautiful young Mom, many, many years ago, at the Old Chalet in Morskie Oko. It was early spring, and all the young people staying at the chalet, my parents included, used the roof of the porch as their tanning bed, the men in nothing but their briefs (I rememer that oh so well). That hooded plaid coat that I'm wearing in the photo was made from a thick wool blanket </span><span style="font-size: small;">by Mom</span><span style="font-size: small;">: I get my sewing fingers honestly ;)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLy64_3NQRu3AgmanqGX4lFUAdHYEHMQ5ghwu-0-Wnc6cgozD1xBBJ02ypP8VcL1OB7B9XiIxPNsX7zeDIHgyve4R11k00NgZgXK3s4e6uJwH_xepE3M3OB7VE4GOQvuQhBotXXutIa1s/s1600/Morskie+Oko+Stare+Schronisko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLy64_3NQRu3AgmanqGX4lFUAdHYEHMQ5ghwu-0-Wnc6cgozD1xBBJ02ypP8VcL1OB7B9XiIxPNsX7zeDIHgyve4R11k00NgZgXK3s4e6uJwH_xepE3M3OB7VE4GOQvuQhBotXXutIa1s/s1600/Morskie+Oko+Stare+Schronisko.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Look at that! I found this recent pic of the Old Chalet on the web. Amazing, eh what?! The photo of Mom and me above encompasses the porch and the left window. I have NO idea why the chalet is surrounded by this enormous madding crowd; the place was practically deserted when we were there. </span></td></tr>
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Poland, by the way, has a very rich traditional ethnic dress culture. If I was to compare it to anything, I'd say the country's ethnic dress is almost as diverse and instantly informative as the tartan tradition of Scotland. However, whereas tartans are for the most part reflective of family names, the Polish folk garb reflects regional divisions. Just take a look, aren't these gorgeous? I love that the men's outfits are every bit as delightful and ornate as the ladies'.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTLFMzYtm-RcV-WhpahcjYsh-54uiw7bAer_U6LttgiiBkEg_87q_jpubkE3oXujAZWyvYlLemBcL7XPt3YafQspUXIMLleaRVVe5mUxt8w8-8uDx2X04coduNG_Id3eoPSMMtxtxUS_2/s1600/1sym.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTLFMzYtm-RcV-WhpahcjYsh-54uiw7bAer_U6LttgiiBkEg_87q_jpubkE3oXujAZWyvYlLemBcL7XPt3YafQspUXIMLleaRVVe5mUxt8w8-8uDx2X04coduNG_Id3eoPSMMtxtxUS_2/s1600/1sym.jpg" height="400" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I claim the</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">łowicki style (second row from top, at right) by birth, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">and the </span><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">krakowski </span><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">(third row from top, centre)</span><b style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">by descent</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">. </span></span></div>
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But that's just the very basics; the regions have their subdivisions, and there are gazillions of wonderfully diverse variations on the main regional themes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuYpeaN27cT05Gvk9J4UmoTDSKKaxwbLukiM1zsOeEnrqSLj2NxBxC_ID2NrmJ6tNS_nEqane0IjP6OFHakX7ld57C7gj7RnduYLgXYKuwM8dBT9xs-S5km9mMHCWiyhONIC-ktPDSRJX/s1600/mapapol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuYpeaN27cT05Gvk9J4UmoTDSKKaxwbLukiM1zsOeEnrqSLj2NxBxC_ID2NrmJ6tNS_nEqane0IjP6OFHakX7ld57C7gj7RnduYLgXYKuwM8dBT9xs-S5km9mMHCWiyhONIC-ktPDSRJX/s1600/mapapol.jpg" height="363" width="400" /></a></div>
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An aside: to fully appreciate those costumes, you really have to see them in motion. If you scroll down to the end of this post, you'll find a few links to some really dynamic, professional performances of Polish folklore.<br />
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My <b><i>kożuszek</i> </b>dates from 1969: a gift from my mother as we were leaving for Canada (thanks, Mom!) Though not yet a teenager at the time, I stopped growing early and was almost fully grown by then, so its fit today is just about the same as when it was brand new.<br />
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In researching this subject on the internet, I was able to find just a single very tiny icon of a <b><i>kożuszek</i> </b>that appeared - at least at its miniscule scale, at left below - very similar to mine, at right:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoaT8FL5ccaTVXVgLepDKX7tVMnt5tpk5td_3bVM7_aEXnXuWnd9o3ax6oBVRt_71VHhXtkZnPylZmNcSdYOTb3FuIi1fXHYnOw93bsC78O_VBFZbgABRrOVK0JBxSyUfZbJrVq9orsv7/s1600/Kozuszek1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoaT8FL5ccaTVXVgLepDKX7tVMnt5tpk5td_3bVM7_aEXnXuWnd9o3ax6oBVRt_71VHhXtkZnPylZmNcSdYOTb3FuIi1fXHYnOw93bsC78O_VBFZbgABRrOVK0JBxSyUfZbJrVq9orsv7/s1600/Kozuszek1.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWR_Bd8FspACp2T3SbHhLnKM7QWsXGcX7rLuWSLwYluoGTaI15Q_EL5KdAqY1O5G-P5h_S1PBOVsENzL7UWxZwzsaVWLsjfaw-VLiIfDWZwYid8goZP9Dhr8aZuEXwMbfu5muQX8ug3Y1/s1600/Open1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWR_Bd8FspACp2T3SbHhLnKM7QWsXGcX7rLuWSLwYluoGTaI15Q_EL5KdAqY1O5G-P5h_S1PBOVsENzL7UWxZwzsaVWLsjfaw-VLiIfDWZwYid8goZP9Dhr8aZuEXwMbfu5muQX8ug3Y1/s1600/Open1.jpg" height="200" width="179" /></a></div>
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I <a href="http://archiwumallegro.pl/kozuszek_kozuch_goralski_zabytkowy_lata_60te-880745031.html" target="_blank">chased the link</a> to discover that it was a "for sale" entry from five years ago, advertised as "antique, patterned on the style used for the Polish Olympic team in the 1960s". The date certainly fits! Unfortunately, the icon's link to a larger photo no longer exists, so I couldn't verify its similarity to mine in detail. <br />
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I <a href="http://www.olimpijski.pl/pl/181,grenoble-1968.html#/pl/85,dane-teleadresowe.html" target="_blank">dug around some more</a> and discovered - aha! - that it was at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble when the Polish team's beautifully embroidered shearling coats made a fabulous impression on the world. The Poles didn't bring home a single medal from that event, but damn, they must've been a stylish looking lot. Ironically, they didn't bring their <i><b>kożuszki </b></i>home either, but flogged them locally for the to-them-astronomical sum of $200 (think Iron Curtain economics). Good for them, I say - free enterprise rocks.<br />
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My search for a photo or video of the team has yielded only this photo of the team's coach in a very nice shearling:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs6VT05Nbbyg-5ignIH-praHyuQoMKtQ7rtivYRCmOkksycf98sRjg2P89J_RvBzohhOxMtkSRWyrDBEXIIRTCnSFFYvcCSYFy9rDJ1UzPIcO0q1ucuuDt2P-5ZT5MX7hVyHCxxC_HAGE/s1600/Trener_Ryszard_Gurbowicz+i+Jadwiga+Damse+na+igrzyskach+w+Grenoble+1968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs6VT05Nbbyg-5ignIH-praHyuQoMKtQ7rtivYRCmOkksycf98sRjg2P89J_RvBzohhOxMtkSRWyrDBEXIIRTCnSFFYvcCSYFy9rDJ1UzPIcO0q1ucuuDt2P-5ZT5MX7hVyHCxxC_HAGE/s1600/Trener_Ryszard_Gurbowicz+i+Jadwiga+Damse+na+igrzyskach+w+Grenoble+1968.JPG" height="320" width="218" /></a></div>
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Although his coat does have traditional embroidery, the embroidery is utterly unlike mine, and with the huge hood on its back, the coat itself is very atypical. So I feel that I'm still no closer to finding out what the coats of the '68 Olympians looked like, and whether mine is at all similar to them. It would be nice to know, if only for the historical perspective.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZdvWbvr0Tc7FuvLGg5a4M3sEZEixhyphenhyphensTRyp8XF_SU3nKxPFiaAegd-T6J0RDB0e10nW7kN1pApLaGLSUgYD_YJkkx3wpTOoRasIyQIaKt8m0a5ihyawffO4QEE-wLg-Boh7UdRnxbAdw/s1600/Back1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZdvWbvr0Tc7FuvLGg5a4M3sEZEixhyphenhyphensTRyp8XF_SU3nKxPFiaAegd-T6J0RDB0e10nW7kN1pApLaGLSUgYD_YJkkx3wpTOoRasIyQIaKt8m0a5ihyawffO4QEE-wLg-Boh7UdRnxbAdw/s1600/Back1.jpg" height="400" width="316" /></a></div>
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My <b><i>kożuszek</i> </b>is in far from perfect condition. Apart from the scuffing of its embroidery due to normal wear and tear (yes, I did wear it for the first couple of winters here, though it really isn't adequate as winter wear in Canada's severe climate), its fur has begun to separate from the leather. Limited lifetime of the tanning process, I suppose. At any rate, it's no longer wearable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnIdui7v19_dpFJebgGROvUNIggSpHZ4wDEdqBcqBii7Quo3PbPhw-AMse_KhkA2ddjTOStnPpH1bXXeosRzJdPF3JPX8PxZQm0JVSzoeFTsDlHnl18CCd-QOpb09yf3F0_68Q5OPkU4f/s1600/Sleeve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnIdui7v19_dpFJebgGROvUNIggSpHZ4wDEdqBcqBii7Quo3PbPhw-AMse_KhkA2ddjTOStnPpH1bXXeosRzJdPF3JPX8PxZQm0JVSzoeFTsDlHnl18CCd-QOpb09yf3F0_68Q5OPkU4f/s1600/Sleeve.jpg" height="194" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'd like to preserve it somehow, as the original workmanship was really beautiful and it's unique. My internet search showed me that other examples from that period are practically nonexistent. There are similarly embroidered sleeveless shearling vests, <b style="font-style: italic;">serdaki (</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">see <span style="background-color: #fff9e7;"><a href="https://www.google.ca/search?q=serdak+goralski&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS532US532&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=675&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=pzO4VO24EMKKyAS_pYGQCQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=serdak+g%C3%B3ralski&imgdii=_" target="_blank">serdak góralski</a>)</span> </span>, but full on long sleeved embroidered coats are rare indeed.<br />
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I'm thinking of picking or cutting the garment apart and creating a series of framed pictures of the embroidered sections.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6QOIsnRT1ekeS3fEvKFdBpJ0GC4-o-nkizpIYB9ABANeV3hTA2dJNUmIbISeV5lopQliW2V-S3P_t5BdBxlSg7lcwiTfd_3a5jXLqaUimhtH2ce4gM2gLrljNzQISLqyy1YZIBbtOTVS/s1600/Embroidery-back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6QOIsnRT1ekeS3fEvKFdBpJ0GC4-o-nkizpIYB9ABANeV3hTA2dJNUmIbISeV5lopQliW2V-S3P_t5BdBxlSg7lcwiTfd_3a5jXLqaUimhtH2ce4gM2gLrljNzQISLqyy1YZIBbtOTVS/s1600/Embroidery-back.jpg" height="315" width="400" /></a></div>
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Much of the cross stitch on the back and shoulder trim, and some of the stitching holding the leather <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">appliqué</span></span> have rubbed away so I'd have to undertake some repair work, but that strikes me as a relatively easy if painstaking task. Because the fur is falling out, it could perhaps be removed entirely (?) and replaced by facsimile trim made of faux shearling. Or I could use felt or some similar wooly cloth to allude to the original fur in a somewhat more abstract way; a slavish recreation may not be necessary.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaJpJ_v6VR_l1BG9t0wZIqMjnOc4v797g4f51Gc0xk8erDsOK-fhEU3lvZ_LCbSBSpI8A421t4XYgEIrz4aF1j6uVk7Pk5mdKGg5d9xCRGET16S3n7TcTzVFoM7oyPyzun6HV8AUIiXLt/s1600/Right+pocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaJpJ_v6VR_l1BG9t0wZIqMjnOc4v797g4f51Gc0xk8erDsOK-fhEU3lvZ_LCbSBSpI8A421t4XYgEIrz4aF1j6uVk7Pk5mdKGg5d9xCRGET16S3n7TcTzVFoM7oyPyzun6HV8AUIiXLt/s1600/Right+pocket.jpg" height="200" width="187" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApd9ImIwhkEAN83aMNgpEyBFmDOmG-g4aMlwM5Y0OTqMhoZwqhj6SvlTcdv_vgWvrBWRE5FxIUtOzejSW3vjxhQgjCbzjLoA2DOdFY7AB8AkH02On3Y5i4T8ZpXjXibT82XMs9otLlyQV/s1600/Left+pocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApd9ImIwhkEAN83aMNgpEyBFmDOmG-g4aMlwM5Y0OTqMhoZwqhj6SvlTcdv_vgWvrBWRE5FxIUtOzejSW3vjxhQgjCbzjLoA2DOdFY7AB8AkH02On3Y5i4T8ZpXjXibT82XMs9otLlyQV/s1600/Left+pocket.jpg" height="170" width="200" /></a></div>
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Anyway, I'm throwing this idea out there to see if any of you might be willing to voice your opinion and give me some advice on how to proceed. It's a tricky thing - on the one hand I'd like to be respectful of the item - on the other, it offers no artistic benefit nor personal joy to me while hanging in a closet. And really, curating it in its original form is not really an option, as it has already begun to disintegrate; a process that's bound to continue. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPvf3pXZd_ZgrANwOz694ozq6n8DimoyZKsdTurIhDDVlcIjyhewIkuziLCzR2IiE3C_ePzZnckFnm7eIXUkyPOE2bqRFNPkqIRkcjBmde1Mi0nGJzBDpHA3uweLla47NWno3ONenE3qT/s1600/Lower+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPvf3pXZd_ZgrANwOz694ozq6n8DimoyZKsdTurIhDDVlcIjyhewIkuziLCzR2IiE3C_ePzZnckFnm7eIXUkyPOE2bqRFNPkqIRkcjBmde1Mi0nGJzBDpHA3uweLla47NWno3ONenE3qT/s1600/Lower+back.jpg" height="142" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you got this far, here is some fab folk dancing for you that show off the folk costumes as they ought to be seen:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OeQ6jYzt6cM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
It starts with a song medley, but about 1m 20s into the video they begin to dance, and at 2 minutes a different set of costumes of the same region (Krakow) enters the scene.<br />
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For a unique look, not to mention pure athleticism and boy on boy competitiveness, you can't beat the dances of Podhale:<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Above, the real fun begins at 2m 50s.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">And finally, a </span>dance of the central region; it begins with a very beautiful, very lyrical duet:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-ACssKlZc1U?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Thanks for reading!<br />
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<br />Digshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146986269769790807noreply@blogger.com10