****** UPDATE BELOW ******
Would you believe that I am attending a "garden party" (replete with floppy hats and ALL WHITE) in mid-October? Sure it's for Nana's 80th birthday, but please...
So while I normally would not be caught dead OR alive in all white, here is what I'm making for the
I'm making the short-sleeved jacket and the skirt in winter white. The skirt will be crepe-backed satin (loverly) and the jacket is in a stretch twill with a lovely tone on tone strip. I'll post progress updates as I go along. If I can get a wearable muslin done before the end of September, I might enter it in the sewing contest. We'll see.
As far as a wearable muslin goes, I scored this FABULOUS olive green moleskin (fake ultrasuede?) for $1 per yard. You heard it right folks! The fabric only cost me 50 cents more than the decorative button for the jacket. WHEE. It's such an awesome find.
I did a sneaky thing today. I went to FedEx Kinko's and had the entire pattern copied on their HUGE format copier. That way I have something durable to work with while I'm re-drafting to fit my 5'2" 171.5 pound self. Then once I get it the way I want it, I can transfer to my own pattern paper. I hate tissue paper with the fire of a thousand suns. Which is to say, only slightly less than buttonholes. Which I will have to do for this outfit. Egads. Once I get to that point, I'll be relying on the experts here to walk me through the Valley of the Shadow of Buttonholes. And I DO fear them!
****** UPDATE 9/5/07******
I'm 98% done modifying the pattern to fit my measurements. Working with the stiff paper from Kinko's has been EXCELLENT since it doesn't shift or wrinkle that much. One small hitch has developed: two pieces didn't copy well. One I was able to fix (mostly straight lines) but the other (jacket back) I was not able to fix. So now I have to hie me off to Kinko's AGAIN with three small children in tow to get it fixed. Once that is done, I will have my pieces ready to try out on the green moleskin fabric. Hoorah! I believe I shall drop the kidlets at the Y with their daddy and go from there. Then I can sneak over to Qdoba for a treat. Just don't tell, ok?
****** UPDATE 9/6/07******
Back from Kinko's last night too late to do more, but was able to get the ONE piece redone with about 15 minutes of fiddling with the large format machine. Here's a tip for anyone who wants to do this... Make sure your pattern is smooth and flat. That machine HATES pattern tissue with wrinkles. Now I'm off to mod the last piece and start cutting. Keep your fingers crossed girls! I'm (secretly) terrified of this project since I've never made grown up clothes before with any success. Kids? Yup. Dolls? Yup. AUGH! Off I go...