An odd and ends day

I just got a call from my husband, off in Deception Bay in the land where the sun doesn't really ever set this time of year. The place they are at of course doesn't have hotels so the company brought in a cruise ship for them to stay on - he said he had smoked salmon and Brie for breakfast. He claims he will be back in three weeks.


Mr. Rascal and I are a bit of a random force left to our own devices. Thisis what we did yesterday with a few of the usual revelations.


I started knitting a baby blanket for the new baby that is due in October, changing Miss Scarlett's only child status. It will take me that long and they better start having some good stuff on TV. Last night I watched TV like a man, with one hand on the remote.

I also thought a lot about Carolyn's Vogue 1179 and Rachelle's many gorgeous versions so, although I had cut out Vogue 1250, not wanting to be the last person to make this dress in the world - although I wish now I had waited until this morning and read Debbie Cook's detailed flat pattern alteration advice, I decided to make another 1179 for myself. My first version really is my favourite dress of the season.


Here it is in a rayon knit familiar to those who stalk Fabricmart, on my dress form since the photographer is at the North Pole:

While I made this, and was once again just so pleased with what an absolutely flattering dress this is on, it got me thinking about my step-daughter's wedding next month. BTW I hate the "step" term. Cinderella has ruined that phrase for me. My step children are really great people and have been totally wonderful to me since the day I met them. There is nothing "step" about us.


Anyway, as I have said before, this is going to be a very small group. Just five of us, at a very nice inn with a fantastic and small dining room. I was thinking of wearing a dress I already own but I decided that was a disservice to my step-daughter, the only one who is not having the big white wedding, as if it was not important enough for a new outfit. As a result I have been wearing my head out trying to figure what to wear. Dress up clothes are often not my favourites, it is the time I start trying to dress like someone else or for some occasion that isn't me and it doesn't work.


Then I thought why not make this dress in something fancier? 


It is in fact a dress that my husband has told me I look sexy in which is pretty good for something that is like a night gown to wear. But then again this is the same person who loves the polar fleece pajamas with the embroidered snow flakes that my mother gave me for Christmas - he thinks those are cool.


So I created a vision in my head of this dress and drove around to our 1.5 fabric stores to try to match it.


Don't you just wish you had a real fabric store that matched the one in your head? I was thinking sort of silk knit and all I could see was polyester crepe de chine and kiddie prints.


The only knit that caught my eye was this one:

Yes I know, the ladies in the fabric store thought the same thing - they were kind of lobbying for lilac once they knew it was a wedding.


However this is essentially a dinner at a restaurant. I am going to make it up and if it gets the thumbs down I will wear it anyway elsewhere.


Which brings me to prints and identity.


Women over the age of 40 around here dress sort of preppy plain and as they get older it gets more tasteful and quiet. I believe the word is classic. Problem is I really, really love prints, and colour. 


And I am a person who has worn out one side of her jaw from talking too much. What are you going to do?


O.K. off to the sewing room.

Vogue 1179

If you are like me you keep an eye on blogs and sewers that seem to sew things that are particularly wearable to you. Some sewers I admire for their expertise, and some seem to find patterns that would work for me too.


So I took notice when both Myra and Adrienne raved about Vogue 1179. They are right. This one is a winner.


This pattern is also rare among designer patterns in that it actually looks so much better on a real woman with curves than on Miss Size Zero in the pattern book. On her it hangs like a rag, on me it skims and makes me looks slimmer than I am. Of course all I can show you here is my version on a hanger. The official photographer is in a van (full of fabric) on the road from Tennessee to home - but I promise when he is here there will be a full photo shoot.

I used one of Fabricmart's bamboo knits and followed the pattern exactly, no alteration except adding the usual 3 inches in length. You will note that this has a huge hem 4" which is a good idea as it helps the fabric hang better, more weight. I used my coverhem, which was one of the best investments I  ever made, but had to put some washable stablilizer under the wrong side so the twin stitches didn't tunnel.


IMO option this fast and easy sew is one of the great patterns of all time - can't imagine how anyone couldn't look great in it. How's that for a pattern review?


It was also nice to get back to a real pattern again after my walk on the impromptu side - just wish I had more time to tackle something more ambitious right now, but this one will be perfect for my holiday in May.