Sew Weekly: Obi Project Management

Obi Project Management & Bias Cording Que

Day 1.5
I am tired.  I keep loosing my Dicky Body, Obi Bow is now where to be found.  However, here is where it's at:
I'm still not completely cut, but close to it.  This swanky robe has turned into quite the stash-buster.  There are little piles of kimono all over the apartment.

Do-Pile Breakdown:

1. Obi Project Management + Bias Stripping Que
2. Items Cut, but awaiting interfacing
3. Kimono Body #1 (hung)
4. Kimono Body #2 (Haori) awaiting cutting
5. Sleeves, Kimono Body #1 awaiting thread marking
6. Kimono Body #1 Lining awaiting cutting
7. Sash possibilities
8. Linings of all sleeves in process of being cut, Kimono #1 and Haori
9. Dicky Body pile

Awaiting center back seam.  I wish the center back matched better than this, but I use what I have.   Traditional kimono all seem to match all the way around.
Now, how on Earth to get it done in time??  At this point it comes down to one thing: if I can get the sleeves made to the first kimono, it all falls into place.  Which brings me to mentioning this corset by The Dreamstress: I was originally going to line the sleeves with the green flannel.  (I had to get the flannel to match the lime green silk that was gifted to me about 10 years ago.) But then I remembered the Cymbidium Orchid corset, and the pink inside/green outside.  I found enough old pink bengaline in my stash to line my sleeves and it just became that much better.  Thanks, Dreamstress!

Sew Weekly: Academy Awards

So, this week on the Sew Weekly, the theme is any movie that been up for or won an Academy Award.  I ran through my favorite movies that are in periods that I lean toward: Cold Mountain (no time to make a full corset and a blouse); Roman Holiday - (cute period, but again, waist needs a cinch) 7th Heaven - great silent film, but I don't have the fabric on hand to make that simple frock.  And so it went.  I had to select my movie based on fabric on hand, and I had the poly chiffon and a few yards of lime green silk.  Then, Red Tag fabric went back on sale and I located the same poly chiffon - enough to make a robe.  That sealed the deal: Memoirs of a Geisha.

 I have two different patterns for kimono - Simplicity 4080 and Folkwear 129 already pre-cut.  This should be a snap!

Day One: I cut out all of the pieces I need to Simplicity 4080.  Not bad, and not too many.  Which means I'll have a swanky vintage-looking bombshell houserobe in no time.  Or, at least, under deadline.
These are all of the pieces I didn't need:

After I cut out the silk for the obi, I found some red braid to use as the tie that I thought would be perfect.  We'd used it at our wedding for our hand-fasting, and I figured I'd make good use of it.  Except the instructions say to glue it onto the silk.  I'm not going to do that.  They also say to make a slip knot, but I don't remember what that is.  I looked it up in my trusty Girl Scout Handbook from 1972.  It didn't really explain it there, either.  Here is how to tie the slip knot for Simplicity 4080.

Pat's Stripes Dress

I confess to having this ultra-80‘s-cool, red & black stripe in my hoard of fabric since sometime in 1990.  I first purchased it to make my boyfriend at the time, Pat, a tunic or something.  Then, we broke up and I still had 7 yards of it.  I stuffed it in a bag at the back of my closet.  We got back together. Then, we broke up.  Then, we moved in together.  Great! One red & black tunic and a matching dress coming right up!  Then, we broke up, yet again.  Back into my closet it went, un-cut. 

Suddenly, in the mid-2000‘s, Pat passed away. And so, this 6-7 yard hunk of fabric that essentially reminded me so much of him got shoved to the very bottom of my stash.  I thought I might Etsy it someday, but I never did.

This is my second attempt at “Red” this week.  The first attempt requires a zipper which I just don’t feel like buying because I know I have one someplace and time is getting short.  I didn’t think I had any more red fabric to work with, but I looked under my table and there was a this bag filled with stripes.  Next to it was a fresh pattern that called for stretch knit fabric.  Serendipitous!

The actual fit and measurements on the pattern envelope get a straight-up ‘F’.  I keep my current measurements taped to my door for easy reference.  I select multi-sized patterns and cut the lower half on the larger sizes, and cut the bust line according to whatever Simplicity/McCalls/Burda/Vogue says I am today.  The girls fell right out in a test fitting, so I recut the bust pieces larger, messed them up in the serger, and re-cut again.

Did I mention I hate re-do’s??  And re-re-do’s???  I mean, of the same project, of course!

Pattern: Khaliah Ali Collection Simplicity 2947

Fabric: Long-held stash, elastic & thread: stash; etc.

Mods: Added micro-netting to the bust-line to vamp it up a bit.

Final Cost: $3.53:  $1 for the pattern; $2.53 for a netting remnant (purchased about 10 years ago, tag still on) 

Time to Complete: Forever

Wore: For photos

Wear Again: Yes! after the sleeves have been re-set so they don’t fall off

Make again: Yes!  (but not from stripes)

Little Purse Prorotype

This little purse came from work, we'll be making these soon as a class.

Happy Valentine's Day!

First thing,  I made a sweet, romantic treasury over on Etsy:
Purples,  of course!

DownUnder: Boho Paisley Muumuu

First, I'd like to say I did not start out to make a muumuu of any sort.  It turned into one, I'm guessing because it drapes from the bust line which is never a good thing on me.  It didn't take too long.  I nabbed the fabric from WalMart the previous evening and ran a pre-wash.

 I actually sort of like the fabric even though it's not my normal style.  I wish it matched better in the center front, but I was in a hurry and didn't line my fold up correctly.

Pattern: Simplicity It's So Easy!  E2034
Time to Complete: About 5 hours
Worn: Not yet.  Only for the pictures.
Fit: 8.5 on a 10 point scale.  Not much to worry about here except the bust facing.
Mods: I added vintage lace to the bottom because it seemed to need something.
Make Again: Yes
Cost: Pattern $1.89; Fabric: $9; Notions: Vintage lace from stash
Final Cost: $10.89