Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Shirt Progress

It's a shirt!  I have spent so long on this project just trusting the books--"yes, David Page Coffin's Shirtmaking, of course a yoke should extend no further than the fullness of the shoulderblade; yes, Dress Pattern Designing, unquestionably that is what a collar ought to look like"--that to see it actually come together is just heartwarming.  It's like that moment when a baby's cute useless legs become functional walking machines.  Or something like that.


(As you can see, my shoebox system is still in play.)


Doesn't Dottie look handsome?


Also, I baked this peach cobbler the other day.  Super easy: four chopped large peaches, half a cup of sugar, a splash of sherry, and a nice cakey cobbler topping, 375-degree oven for forty-five minutes.  I do not peel my peaches because I think they are better this way.


XOXO
Jessie

3 comments:

  1. Hi just wanted to say I've been reading your blog, and I like it. I was able to order one of your recommend books from the library, which is amazing because usually their outdated stock is a detriment.
    I agree how unfortunate Joann's is as far as garment fabrics. So many chinese quilting calicos. So few garment linens and rayons :(
    Have you checked out britex fabrics? It was my favorite Union Square store when I lived in SF and now they're online. SO MANY BUTTONS. And fancy fabrics!

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  2. Thanks! Joann's is a crapshoot--I've found that by picking carefully through the quilting fabric, I can find one or two things that are close enough to garment weight as makes no difference. These tend to be extraordinarily cheap--I have fabric for two more of these shirts and none of them have cost more than six bucks total including buttons. However, sometimes you just want a nice soft quality fabric, you know?

    It's funny you should mention Britex--they blogged about my pencil skirt tutorial last week, which was the first I'd heard of them. The wools look amazing though. What do they do best?

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  3. They have way more stuff IRL than online but I recall they had a whole floor or wool suiting (bespoke menswear quality, all weights) and best of all they had couture fabrics... These amazing silks, prints and fancies at way high prices. My everyday wardrobe is solid-city and lately I've been really attracted to prints, especially swirls and asymmetricals. So seeing all those silky, metallic-thread masterpieces stacked together is really something.
    I am such a dork I realized after I commented that I found your blog FROM britex @_@
    However the floor-of-notions is really something. I've only really bought braid and sequins there (I didn't start to sew until recently) but they have a lot of bridal lace and buckles and a rainbow of both feather and marabou boas, you name it. Online they have an extra-cute selection of elastic trim, fwiw.
    Mostly I (originally) wanted to say I admire your enthusiasm and I relate to your voice. Let me put it this way. Where I live most of the home sewers are Mennonites, who wear homemade floral dresses (exclusively) with socks and hiking boots. And little religious hats.

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