April Sewing Progress

T.S. Eliot once wrote, "April is the cruelest month," and I believe he was speaking of his spring sewing plans, too.  Perhaps he overcommitted himself as well, and things were coming crashing down around. Maybe he also had spent a small fortune on fabric and was afraid he'd just ruined a nice cut of Nani Iro Pocho.

It's totally plausible, but no, these things have happened to me.

I had pretty big plans for April.  I was going to make an April Rhodes Staple Dress, a Colette Laurel (for the contest, natch), and a Sewaholic Minoru.  And I had to design my do.Good Stitches circle's quilt this month.  And those were just sewing plans--let's not discuss personal or gardening schedules.

Things have been falling apart pretty steadily, however.  First, let me say how much I dislike PDF patterns.  I know they're convenient, and I know they're really inexpensive for small pattern companies.  I love small pattern companies and support them wholeheartedly (and always go to them first before the Big 4), but oh my goodness PDFs are the devil.  I had problems printing and assembling both the Staple Dress and Laurel.  Eventually I assembled my Staple dress (only to watch Puddin' eat it days later) but I gave up on the Laurel.  My printer spat out half the pages at an 85% scale for no discernible reason, and I took it as a sign.  Besides, I was only going to make the dress to be in the contest, and after reading about armscythe problems and being concerned about the length, I decided it was time to call it a day.

I did start and almost finish my Staple Dress, however.  I bought a really nice piece of Nani Iro polka dot Pocho from Miss Matatabi and imagined myself wearing this to farmer's markets and on vacations and doing all these things that I never do because I have other things to do instead.  The double-gauze was a bitch and clung together, stretched itself out, what-have-you--just enough to make me want to cry at my kitchen table.

I also had major fit problems.  I have narrow shoulders and a short waist as it is, but I had to repeatedly adjust the pieces to get something that didn't fall off.  I guess I should have made a smaller size, but seeing as how my measurements fit the medium, I thought I was safe?  Learn from me, kids: make a muslin.  I am terrible at that.

The final straw was when I noticed my shirring was having little-to-no effect on the shape of the dress.  Knowing what battles to pick, I gave in and grabbed my seam ripper.  Thankfully I can salvage the fabric and turn the skirt into an actual skirt or something, and the bodice that has been shirred can always be incorporated into a quilt.  It isn't ideal, but it's the silver lining.

Boo, you whore.

My Minoru has been a source of constant stress as well.  I had altered the pattern because, according to my measurements (which were begrudgingly taken by my helpful fiance), the jacket was about four inches too long and the sleeves would be hanging off my fingertips by six inches.  After folding, marking, and taping (but thankfully not cutting!), I had my mom check my lines before I dove right into my Liberty lining and organic canvas twill.  Yeah--I didn't need to alter it.  It would fit fine, maybe an inch too long.  So awesome, right?  All that anxiety for nothing.  I'm glad I didn't cut, but damn, it's no wonder I haven't been sleeping lately.

I do plan on cutting out the Minoru tonight.  I leave for Chicago in t-less than a month, and I need to get going.  

However, despite all my sad sewing news, I have been rocking in the garden lately:

Cucumbers!  We planted these six days ago.  I need to get a trellis for each!

I read that radishes should be kept in a bowl of cold water.  Is this correct?  The greens look...sad.

So I guess you can't be awesome at everything all the time.  Lesson learned, Emily, and take it slow.  But it is time to clear off the table and start on my jacket.  It won't cut itself...(unless things start getting more depressing with my progress, and then I might join it!)