A Perfect Match

Some Aprils are so warm that you're tempted to plant spring flowers early only "they" say not before the long weekend in May due to the possibility of a sudden spring frost. Hmm... maybe they meant a spring snow fall. This is getting ridiculous. It snowed all morning yesterday. We won't be doing coffee in these chairs any time soon.




It took me a bit to get in the flow of cleaning since I hadn't done it for almost two months due to the hired and now fired housekeepers BUT... the house was all shiny clean by noon and in the afternoon, I sewed.




This paisley print knit has been in stash for at least two years. I'm not sure what I had in mind, probably nothing specific, only I bought two meters when I usually get one and a half for a t-shirt. That leaves me enough to make a matching panty and bra set... sometime... in the future... I'll throw the remnants in my lingerie box. Make that boxes. My lingerie collection seems to be the current recipient of scraps. I'm up to two boxes heading for three.




Working with my T & T t-shirt pattern, I copied the neckline from the Vogue 8390 wrap top and then curved the hemline to match. The Vogue top was wider due to the gathers at the shoulders and felt loose when I made the muslin. The T & T is narrower and should work better. I eliminated the shoulder gathers.




Excuse the double lines. It makes it a bit confusing to see what I'm doing here but... the squiggled out lines were the original set and the straight lines are my second choice. The first ones were too uniform and straight across. The second ones are 1" apart at the bottom of the image and 2" apart at the top. These designate the position of the pleats which could also be outside darts or gathers depending on how I want to pull the side together. I'm starting with pleats.




To draft the pattern, you cut up to but not through the stitching line on the opposite side. I put a bit of tape there so the paper won't tear. Then you...




... separate the openings by the width of the desired pleat - in my case 1" - and then insert wedges of paper to create the new shape. The opposite edge will begin to curve up. To reshape it you clip through the seam allowance up to the point of the wedge and tape that side securely.




To get the shape of the pattern's side seam, the pleats are pinned in the direction they will be sewn. This is really important, especially when using wider pleats and pleats along a curved edge. Along the side seam, it doesn't make as big a difference however...




... on some, when you cut on the seam line and then unfold the pleats, the resulting edge has quite an exaggerated series of hills and valleys. Yesterday, I finished drafting the pattern and cut out the pieces ready to sew. Then, I wrote this posting and some emails, talked to my daughter, read, and admired my...




... pretty nails. Aren't these fun? They are almost the same green as the lining fabric for my dress. I may need this color again for the grad weekend especially as the ceremonies are on my birthday and lime green is my favourite color. It seems like a perfect match.

I'm working five hours today. Tomorrow, Howard and I are going for a long drive to pick up some things for him, some for me, and do some shopping. It's mostly an excuse to be together especially as he's going to Guatemala in early May for two weeks. Sunday is Easter. I've invited three young men to join us for dinner. That makes six male appetites. I'll need to make PLENTY of food. Monday, I'm working all day. I'm not sure if there will be a post or not. Definitely on Tuesday and hopefully I will have a t-shirt to show you. Have a great weekend.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - The cross