I bought 2.5m of wool blend plaid in Paris in 2016, and have been saving it to make a Chanel-style cardigan jacket with couture construction methods. It has been laid out, and panels cut out painstakingly, and now I am thread-tracing the seamlines dutifully according to the Claire Shaeffer book (which I borrowed from the library for the zillionth time).
I am exceedingly anxious about this jacket, which is a bad way to be when I’m sewing because I end up overthinking and overworking things. It’s like the more important the fabric is, the more likely I am to get fussy and screw things up. This is why I often sew with kind of crappy fabric, and I really need to get past this.
I wasn’t happy with the way it looked on the dress form the first time I pinned it together. I haven’t thread-traced the back pieces yet so I’ll finish that up this weekend, along with the sleeves. And then I have to quilt the lining (a polyester crepe because Mama don’t have the moolah for silk). This was supposed to be done in time for the Saanich Fair this year, but the last two weeks have been rather preoccupied with relationship complications that have sapped my will to do anything. I’m hoping that is smoothed out now and I can return to my sewing list with energy and verve.
Speaking of the Saanich Fair, I dropped off my entries this evening. I haven’t got photos (or good enough photos) of all the entries right now, but here is my favourite:
I bought this fabric on a whim (on sale, of course) because these are two of my favourite colours, and I really wanted to make myself a Pretty Thing. I’m single now for the first time in 22 years and this little slip is a luxurious pleasure intended to make me feel proud of myself, not lonely and frumpy like I was starting to feel. I am also super proud that I draped it on my dress form and figured out all of the construction details entirely by myself. Bias-cut isn’t something to be sneezed at, and I DID IT. YAY ME.
I’ll get pics of the other entries when I get them back from the fair. There are some really beautiful things in there, I am proud to say.
That is all for tonight!
