Completely Atypical

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.
SAM_2326

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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sarah in nyc

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