Youth

Youth.

I couldn’t think of a better title. Not that it matters much. This animal’s youth is somewhat idyllic. Meandering from garden to yard, enjoying the bounty of the city. An unnatural existence but the only one this young creature and her small family has ever known.

They are naturally watchful of their spaces. A loud noise a block off will send them into hiding. Instinct and instinct alone. It serves them well. They prosper as a species though they are not gathering in herds but only small family groups – easier to find safety in the city.

Yet as I watch this small family prosper in this urban setting I can’t help but wonder on the fate of all creatures outside of human species. These creatures, great and small, can not vote, they usually only add to the economy upon their death and can not stop the destruction of their home. There is little political will when it comes to saving our global home.

We, those of us alive today, may be the last generation on earth to see wildlife at all. Whether it be the birds in the sky, an insect on a flower or mammals wandering across the horizon.

Maybe it we try hard, we can slow it down.

Plant a tree, actually plant 3! One will most likely die and will nourishes the remaining two. Until the trees mature, let open spaces go wild. No insecticides, no herbicides, just water, a few feathers (my ninety two year old Gran’s recipe for growing tomatoes – a feather under the roots!) and a thank you for helping the human species overcome it’s own immaturity towards our only home.

It doesn’t sound like much but every little bit helps. I think that we can move forward, increase the economy, increase our natural habitat and live in a very modern world.

To do this, we must first look at how we view our only home – the great (late?) planet earth a little differently than before.

He who has the most in the end will not win this race. Really. I have yet to witness anyone leaving this planet with any of the latest appliances, cell phones (astronauts always come back so they do not count), the fastest car or brightest diamond.

Chief Dan George once said that all we should leave behind is our shadow. Use only what we need and no more.

This is hard to do when you a part of this society. The latest and greatest fad of electronic, clothing, accessories, furnishing et el have very demanding places in this society.

I have my thoughts on this but not today. My thoughts on recycling, up cycling, reducing, reusing and longevity.

Now for my Jacket

austerity101

I tried it on for fit and it is good! It will feel better when the outside temperature is below 10C! It is now neatly folded in my cedar chest for the duration of summer.

The Starting Point:

I am good a finding what I need. Sometimes it is not what I want but I do find it fills my needs. I have been picking up fabric at the local thrift shops for years. I have many large pieces of wool for just such a project.

To make my jacket I first needed to resize the pattern for my mature figure. Just adding an inch to the pattern only worked with the hips and bust. As the original pattern is for the wearer of corsets the waist needed to come in. And not just in – the sides needed to be graded with shoulders being left at…

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The Muslin Jacket has a new home

My muslin Jacket from the traveling suite has a new home today.

It was a pretty good fit with only a little tightness to the back. My friend is net shy so I promised to hide the face details. She was happy with it and wanted to pay for it but it was scrap I was happy that it found a good home.

The sewing Room;

It is actually the kitchen table – the room is packed away for each dinner.

I shortened the skirt a bit with pin tucks at the bottom. There are a few places that the folds are out of sync with the strips and I will work on them over the weekend – maybe!

I found this on Bells Archives as article in the CBC news online. It is the traveling suite 1002, same sleeves, cuffs and two rows of buttons and in plaid.

The lining is finish.

The lining is now finished. Now on to the wool!

Traveling Suite 1002

The finished look is .

My partner has made it known that each piece is nice on it’s own and together they don’t quite work. From a distance it works. And as each is in effect only a muslin worked from the fabric stash, it works. The skirt can be worn for more formal occasions of which I never attend so it will end up as a donation.

The pattern is easy to use, the cut is good. An intermediate sewer will have no problems with either of these pieces. I loved putting it together.

I like the fit across the shoulders – it works for my broad shoulders. The waist on the jacket can work as is but can use a little more tapering for a more modern look. The front has a nice look though I do not recommend plaid unless you are able to match the pattern. I ended up lining the jacket as it is for a friend however I did not think of this until after I had done the button holes and top stitching. So the lining was attached with a quick slipstitch.

The belt is just a tie that I had kicking around as my black belt is currently hiding in a safe place. The contrast works for these photos.

I had a lot of fun with these patterns and I look forward to the next piece.

Cathy

The traveling Jacket- 1002

The traveling suit – 1002 – 1912 Sewing Project

Again, the cut is wonderful. More so if you actually wore corsets! I know I don`t so I will have do modernize the final piece. Todays fashion allow for closer fitting clothing so when I took the initial measurements I decided not to change the size but sew and see what I get. For my muslin I used a wad of wool blend that I purchased it at the thrift store for 8$. This thrift shop find unfortunately was scrap from someone else’s sewing project and was only large rectangular pieces. Luckily suited this jacket for size and weight.

It looks good.

The back looks like a rectangle and needs to be shaped more at the waist to be modernized.

The front at the waist can benefit from some tweaking to better show the waist. I have yet to add the belt loops and make a belt.

The sleeves are a nice cut and the gather at the top give a sharp look at the shoulders.

Now to finish.

almost done!

The traveling skirt – 1002

What I like is the cut and ease of placement of the seams. They fit well. I have been pondering the skirt as it larger in what I am used to in overall fit for these old patterns.

Keep in mind that this a traveling skirt i believe that it is to be worn over the better clothing. I have a habit (sometimes good sometimes not!) of not reading the instructions and only following the cut of the cloth as my guide. This has led me in this case to not finishing the left fount seam as instructed. I have placed small strips for strength for the finishing leaving the seam open with either buttons or hooks & eyes to keep it closed. When I look at the picture of the completed garment what comes to mind is a left opening overskirt with buttons to keep the skirt closed on the left side panel.

For my muslin I used some gray woven strip. I felt that the lines in the fabric would encourage any flaws in the original pattern. When cutting the skirt I was short 4 inches in length for the back, so I doubled the amount of width needed and created a back ruffle. Not per the pattern but as it for the muslin, it could survive the embellishment.

I enjoyed this construction. The high waist was easily tamed with a waistband elastic zigzagged on to the edge and top stitched into place. I may change it at a later date. I have placed hooks and eyes for closures and they work around the waist well but closer to the bottom they will be problematic. I will look to placing buttons there and will wait until the jacket is all but finished to add this detail.

The fit on me is somewhat large. Could have been my fuzzy math in sizing the pattern or it could be that it was expected that there would be a bustle in the back side and an additional skirt or two underneath. I will continue the contemplation of this while I size the jacket.