Sunday 16 August 2015

Not Really Sewing Weather

Holy Smokes it's been hot here! (Please note: that is not a complaint, it is a comment. When I say "Holy Smokes it's been cold here!", that is a complaint.) Never the less, the heat has not been conducive to sewing. When you can break a sweat standing still wearing nothing but a sports bra and a loose cotton skirt, that's hot. And we don't have air conditioning so the house was about 31 degrees C yesterday. (I usually close the windows early in the morning so the house, cooled overnight, usually stays at about 26C, but yesterday we were out longer than I thought -hence the 31 degrees.) One further comment? Our high yesterday was 33C with a humidex of 46C. We prairie folk are not used to that kind of humidity.

Anyway, enough blather. I have managed to sew two other versions of my prototypes.
One is another Oakridge with the back narrowed by an inch (do you like my mix of metric and Imperial measurements? Confusing, eh? Welcome to my life) but next time I might only do 3/4 of an inch, which was my original plan.

I've noticed people don't pay much attention to prints. I've worn this blouse a couple of times but no one noticed the spectacles until the second go round. Maybe they're distracted by the single red button. The one-of button was semi-intentional. I needed one more button but didn't have enough of the grey ones and red seemed like a good choice.

The other is a second version of the Edith blouse with a collar and an increase in the back width of about 3/4 of an inch. (Since one cannot destroy or create matter, I figure I am keeping the archaic laws of physics in balance with these changes.)
My lazy photography; no human model. Here Edith 2 is freshly washed and not yet dry, hanging on my clothesline with the vine monstrosity in the background.

Hopefully we will have a few more weeks of summer, so I plan to make a few more to test my modification ideas. Tho' first I want to finish (ok, start, {I've been dithering over which pattern to use}) a dress for my cousin's 60th birthday party next weekend.

4 comments:

  1. Oh these both look really good! I have a similar check I am intending to use for a sleeveless blouse; your photo has convinced me! I was very impressed with all your prior muslin-Ing and have resolved to make more before rushing in and then trying to fit!

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  2. Thank you!
    There are so many colours in that blouse I can wear it with anything.

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  3. You're so funny. Love the patterns, as usual. I have exactly the same issue with Imperial and metric, having grown up with both of course. When I run I think in miles, so it drives me crazy talking with "newer vintage" runners who refer to km pace. :) I also mash up measurements in cooking as the Imperial are more natural but my boyfriend being continental European thinks in grams and the like. Likewise with temperature (though I think of myself as merely "flexible" in this regard, to communicate with both Americans and Europeans :)). I also think about my body size in inches, though best friend C. always refers to body measurements in cm, which again drives me crazy. I remember being weighed for a marathon in England, in "stone"...

    Re. the red button...just last night I was at a concert and while looking up at the stage I noticed that the trombonist in front of me was wearing a shirt with a bottom buttonhole bound in red thread. It was strange as it was a dark grey silk-cotton shirt with a contrast placket. The other buttons and buttonholes were more muted and the buttonholes vertical. The red buttonhole was below the placket and horizontal. I spent a lot of time thinking about whether it was added later to close the bottom of the shirt as he was wearing it untucked, or if it was a "design feature." And then I realized that he might think I was staring at his...and I stopped debating...

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    Replies
    1. I suspect he might have been flattered if he thought you were starting at his... My guy friends have made occasional oblique jokes about such things.

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