Ripped Pin-Tuck Skirt
I love wearing this skirt because it is so comfortable and cute. My most recent wearing unfortunately didn't end well. The lining got caught in the invisible zipper and would NOT budge. The only thing I could do to free the lining was to tear it.
Sigh. I suppose I could save the skirt by taking out the lining and putting in a new one. But that would mean that I'd actually have to do it. Maybe next summer...
McCall's 6559
I made two versions of this dress. Unfortunately I didn't get to save the first dress because I burned a nice big hole in the fabric while applying steam-a-seam. Note to self: cotton-poly blends and heat do *not* mix. I will spare you the melted details. In fact, I think I already threw it away. I used a size 14, shortened the shoulders by about 1.5 inches, and lopped off about 3 inches of length. On the next version, I will raise the neckline an inch and take off another inch in length.
I use two hangers to prevent the shoulders from stretching out from the weight of the dress.
I made another version of this pattern; I think the count is now up to four. I didn't do anything special here except to line it, face the waist with petersham (like the others), and put the flounce on the other side.
Simplicity 2422
I finished this a while ago as well, but neglected to take pictures. It's a cute little jacket that is perfect for summer. The jacket is 98% complete; I need to add two buttonholes and sew on the buttons. I might make another one for early fall. I wrote a blog post but need to take and upload a few more pictures before posting. In the meantime, here's the jacket with the linen skirt and the McCall's dress.
I resumed work on my Lady Grey coat. I started this last fall but got sidetracked with other projects. Since I want to wear this coat this year, it would be a good idea to finish it before it gets cold! I am following Gertie's 2010 sew along and instructions on how to properly tailor a coat. Let me tell you, this is definitely no weekend project. One has to be very patient and have many moments of zen to undertake a project like this. I thought about interlining the coat with lambs wool but decided to use some flannel-backed lining instead. Here are a couple of progress shots.
I am at the point where I need to sew the pockets and lining but as I don't have what I need, I am currently stalled. Until I get the lining, I will jump ahead and start working on shaping the collar.
Fall 6PAC (more like a case, really, if you saw my storyboard)
I hope to sew another 6PAC for fall since my summer 6PAC was a fail. Even though I got three of the six garments completed, my sewjo quickly sank after I ruined one of my fabrics by incorrectly cutting out the pattern. Initially, I was going to use a brown, cream, and orange palette. Instead, I decided to go the nontraditional fall colour route and use grey, white, and magenta.
My storyboard is still in limbo, though I do have several patterns on my radar. I am actually thinking of joining the Mini Wardrobe contest on PR in September. Before I start cutting and sewing, I'll wait until the rules come out to see if it's something I want to do.
Non-Sewing Updates
New Car
My 13-year old Nissan finally bit the dust; the timing chain broke, thus rendering me car-less. That wasn't so bad considering that I was out of the country for two weeks. But when I got back, man, let me tell you. Not having a car while living in the city sucks. I am thankful and ever grateful to my dear friend Rasheedah who carted me around the city to help me look for a car. She even drove me to Toledo when I saw a used Honda that I liked. She did this while working full time and caring for her family of three kids and a husband. What a doll!
I finally got a car and am happy with it. It's not a Nissan, but has 6-speed manual transmission and a few nice features. I really like Honda but this was the best choice for now. Maybe in a couple of years, I'll trade it in for something else.
Summertime in the City
Summertime in the city is filled with all kinds of activities. And since I now have reliable transportation, I've been taking full advantage of all the city has to offer.
The 20th Annual Concert of Colours was held at the beginning of July and featured a diverse collection of musical interests - totally free of charge. I got to see Tito Puente Jr., Musique Noire, Joe Reilly (local artist), and the 5th Don Was All City Jazz Revue. The Jazz Revue was FANTASTIC!! Joan and Marcus Belgrave, Gayelynn McKinney, James Carter were just a few of the artists to grace the stage of Orchestra Hall. What a weekend!
This past weekend, I went to see Eric Benet and Ledisi at an outdoor amphitheatre. It was a wonderful concert and a great chance to enjoy good music on the riverfront.
Pottery
Even though I haven't updated my pottery page with new pieces, I have spent a lot of time in the studio. I made several pieces and did as much as I am going to do with my 16-piece dish set. So far, I've made 12 of the 16 pieces: four coffee mugs, four plates, and four bowls. The annoying and uber-frustrating (but maybe cool to someone else) thing is that I used the same glaze on every piece and none of them look the same. The coffee mugs are all shiny, the bowls are a perfect application of the glaze, and the plates are brown and dull. What the hell, man? I'm over dishes for now and will work on something else when I return to the studio in September. For now, I need a break.
Whew!! That's a wrap! Until next time, be well!
L
