I am the queen of quick and dirty sewing. I can usually make myself a dress in about 20 minutes flat. In garments I make for myself I am willing to tolerate a certain amount of wonky not quite right.
My friend Shelly called me a few weeks ago and asked me me if I would be willing to make her a silk shell to go with a beautiful embroidered silk jacket that she was planning to wear at a wedding. Shelley had gone shopping for an appropriate top to wear with the jacket. What she found was expensive and badly made.
I agreed to make her the top. I understood that this would not be a quick and dirty sewing job but careful and precise work.
Shelley and I went fabric shopping together and at Rosen & Chadick. Shelley chose a beautiful navy blue four ply silk. for those of you who don’t know all that much about silk…
Four Ply Silk
Four ply silk is a heavier version of silk crepe made with four ply yarn. A four ply yarn is made from twisting together four individual yarn strands. The resulting fabric is medium to heavy weight, smooth and flat, with a crepe finish and a good deal of luster. The fabric tailors and drapes beautifully and is a favorite for bridal usage.
It’s really nice stuff. It’s also fairly expensive. Let me correct that. It’s expensive.
Most of the people that I know who sew clothing sew muslins, that is, practice garments before they cut into expensive yardage. I have never made a muslin.
For Shelley’s top I made not one, not two but four muslins. I finally got the fit tweaked properly.
I was them ready to cut into the fabric. I had cut a pattern out of cardstock. I weighted my pattern down with what in the sewing world are known as pattern weights and what in my pantry are known as tuna cans.
In the making of this top did things that I normally don’t do at all. I basted the sleeves into the armscye. I know, this is a given for most people who sew. I just plunk the sleeve into the arm ho;e and merrily sew away. The truth is, normally my slap dash methods work perfectly well for me.
I had a slight perverse pleasure in the obsessive striving for perfection. The shirt is completed.
Shelley is pleased with it.
Frankly, I do prefer my usual methods. It is nice though to realize that I do know how to work slowly and carefully.
Last night we ate the perfect springtime dinner.
A big salad and some home made tzibbile pleztle, the eastern European version of an onion Focaccia.
My friend Shelly called me a few weeks ago and asked me me if I would be willing to make her a silk shell to go with a beautiful embroidered silk jacket that she was planning to wear at a wedding. Shelley had gone shopping for an appropriate top to wear with the jacket. What she found was expensive and badly made.
I agreed to make her the top. I understood that this would not be a quick and dirty sewing job but careful and precise work.
Shelley and I went fabric shopping together and at Rosen & Chadick. Shelley chose a beautiful navy blue four ply silk. for those of you who don’t know all that much about silk…
Four Ply Silk
Four ply silk is a heavier version of silk crepe made with four ply yarn. A four ply yarn is made from twisting together four individual yarn strands. The resulting fabric is medium to heavy weight, smooth and flat, with a crepe finish and a good deal of luster. The fabric tailors and drapes beautifully and is a favorite for bridal usage.
It’s really nice stuff. It’s also fairly expensive. Let me correct that. It’s expensive.
Most of the people that I know who sew clothing sew muslins, that is, practice garments before they cut into expensive yardage. I have never made a muslin.
For Shelley’s top I made not one, not two but four muslins. I finally got the fit tweaked properly.
I was them ready to cut into the fabric. I had cut a pattern out of cardstock. I weighted my pattern down with what in the sewing world are known as pattern weights and what in my pantry are known as tuna cans.
In the making of this top did things that I normally don’t do at all. I basted the sleeves into the armscye. I know, this is a given for most people who sew. I just plunk the sleeve into the arm ho;e and merrily sew away. The truth is, normally my slap dash methods work perfectly well for me.
I had a slight perverse pleasure in the obsessive striving for perfection. The shirt is completed.
Shelley is pleased with it.
Frankly, I do prefer my usual methods. It is nice though to realize that I do know how to work slowly and carefully.
Last night we ate the perfect springtime dinner.
A big salad and some home made tzibbile pleztle, the eastern European version of an onion Focaccia.
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