dressing gown

After updating my nightgown pattern and style, I started to wish for a dressing gown.  Part of it was due to the linen that I chose for the nightgown.  It was not very heavy.  But the style of the nightgown is such that I have a tendency to live in it a bit in the morning.  It is really more of a simple dress pattern.  I am so not surprised.

But due to the lightness of the linen, I just needed something for a bit of warmth.  A sweater could be an option but most sweaters are falling apart and I have not replaced them.  I wanted something that I could wrap around myself and would be as long as the nightgown.  I became obsessed with having a dressing gown.  I took out the nightgown pattern, which is a dress pattern, and a kimono pattern and got to work.

I also had a few interruptions.  Koda Bear is learning to sew on my sewing machine.  I hopefully hide how anxious this makes me.  Both due to his fingers and the age of my machine.  He asks about every time I sit down to sew.  I usually have to finish a seam but then I let him.  I am going to need to set aside fabric for random stitching.

With all the help, I have a dressing gown.  This picture was taken early in my wearing of it.  I find that I do not tie it as tightly any more.  I usually tie it at the side and it looks more like a kimono, flowing vest style.  The weight of the linen is nice because it is heavier.

It is just a garment that pleases me.  I would not mind finding more of the linen for a regular day dress either.  Or a nightgown.  But I think this is more due to the lines of dressing gown and the colour.  It really speaks to me.  I wear it everyday.  It is nice say that about something you make.  But that means I will wear it out which is also frustrating.  

But that is life.

market bags

I seem to be making a few shopping bags recently.  I have been making them as I make prototypes for other things.

I know these turn out.  They are success.  It is positive.  Yeah me!  Prototypes are hard because I think I have everything in place and it is not quite right.  I have to make another.  Or alter.  But ends up being making another.  Today I just wish things to go well.  Between pain and life, that is where I am at.  

But it will get better because it does.  And I will keep making shopping bags.  The first two are already in my Etsy shop.  The third will be soon.  Maybe not today.  I have dealt with some unpleasantness on Etsy.  Just people being rude.  I am going to stay away from now on today.  Tomorrow is a different day.  

vest experiment

Anthony Bourdain narrated a group of short videos last year about artisans.  The tailor was very inspiring to me.  He also wore a vest that was very inspiring to my Beloved.  I started working on it last October.

I found a pattern.  I made the muslin with alterations to fit better and be more of the style that was wished for.  I used stash fabric for this first pass.

Part of what took so long is that I worked on the interfacing by hand.  There are not a lot of free moments in my life to work on things like this.  For example, sweaters and shrugs take forever for me because I both make the yarn and make them.  All by hand.  

I have always disliked working with interfacings.  I purchased horse hair interfacing for this vest and I can now say I do not hate working with interfacing.  Things I actually thought would be harder, like buttonholes, were not.  It is odd.  Now, my buttonholes are not perfect but they were easier!

I created the welt pockets as requested to keep metal and wood shavings out of the pockets.

I lined the vest with some pretty cotton fabric I had.  

The vest looks nice.  Though I still need to improve my buttonholes.  I need to remember to buy buttonhole thread.  It fits well.  But even though all the fabric was from my stash, I think my Beloved thinks it is currently too nice to wear.  It was supposed to be for work in his shop but . . .  Oh well.  That is life.  It makes me laugh.

I can share the pictures now

Last November, I offered to put a wedding dress together in the matter of about four days.  Those were very long days.  But the dress got done and the bride was in tears when she saw it.  It was nicer then the one she had purchased that the seamstress who was supposed to be altering it never could seem to alter.  Or release.  The first time she put it on so I could see what would need to be altered and what the hemming would need to be, the bride glowed.  She was very pleased.

I can see every mistake.  But that is because I wished it to be perfect and it was not.  Not the bride could tell.  The initials embroidered in blue inside the bodice were part of the tears.

You will notice that the front is higher then most people would wish.  The bride was terrified that she would trip over the dress and was planning on wearing Converse tennis shoes during the reception.  She did not trip.   She was afraid she would rip the dress right off of herself.  I made sure that was not going to happen!

Overall, I was pleased.  I got thanked profusely.  I am told that I can ask the mother of the bride any favour I may ever need.  They really thought there was not going to be a dress to wear.  There was a dress.  Many other things went wrong with this wedding but since the dress was done and loved, nothing else mattered.  That is a win.

It was a lovely wedding.

Christmas continued

Because we are taking the bear back, I am trying to finish some Christmas stocking stuffers that I have not gotten done yet.  Yes, this is my life.  I all but decided that I need to start working a little bit each week on Christmas for the year instead of the month.  It may be more successful.  Even after I finish this bit, there is one last piece I wish to finish.  Then, I will start again.

This whole month has been this way for me.  I find that I feel like I am a crazy person for all I do.  Instead of picking up mustard from the store, I ferment my own.  Instead of buying what, I make what.  But then, I "sit" myself down (actually, I am usually working on something) and think about my actions.  Think about where my life is, where I wished my life to be long ago, and where it is going.  

There is very little I would wish to change.  I always wanted to life off grid, making everything for myself.  I wanted to live in southeast Alaska.  When I am telling myself I am a crazy person, I admit to myself that within the parameters that my life is currently, I am living the life I wanted.  I think part of it is that I am already missing Koda bear.  Who is really not so small anymore.  I am getting as many hugs and whale kisses as I can so I can store up.