1 December 2011

What's On My Sewing Table...

... lots of plans, that's what!




Taking a pattern drafting course is dangerous. It opens up so many possibilities, so many different styles of piecing together fabric, it's enough to send you into a crippling panic. In one day we'll wizz through options for closures, collars and cuffs, and I emerge from my class bursting with ideas, wanting to make EVERYTHING, but not being able to make a decision about where to start. There are simply too many options and I end up doing nothing at all!

So my new strategy is to start with one basic design and build on it gradually to produce a series of variations. I started with a fairly simple bodice for my Refashioned Lace Blouse, which I then adapted into the Teal Button Back Blouse by adding a yoke, puffed sleeves and Peter Pan collar. Next I want to add pintucks to the yoke and try a different collar (TBC - ideas?) and longer sleeves, using a chocolate brown polka dot mystery fabric. I'm then going to add gathers under the bodice and lengthen the blouse into a smock dress, using a lovely blue and white Ikat fabric. I'm hoping this smock will make me look like a Toast model warming her hands on a mug of organic coffee as she gazes at the ocean view from her window. In reality it might just make me look like I'm pregnant, but we'll see.

What's on your sewing table?

[Soundtrack: 'Dinosaur Sex' by Emmy the Great]