Ta daa

Drum roll please....

Here is the finished Marfy 1444. Not perfect, but since the lining went in it seems to have decided to behave a bit more nicely and I don't think its looking quite as wrinkly as before. I had to lighten some of the photos so they aren't quite representative of the real colour of the tweed. I finally (after only three years) found out how to make my camera take close up shots... I knew it had the ability to do it, I just couldn't work out how. Really, who would think the icon would be a flower? Anyway, having found this icon, I will now be able to bore everyone with button pictures. I love buttons, and these are particularly pretty in my opinion. This photo shows the button on the tab at the pocket.

I was so pleased to get this done, and not being willing to be beaten by a mere bit of fabric, I have got the fabric for my next version sitting on the ironing board waiting to be steamed. This time, I've taken no chances with fabric distortion... for the first time I've used a trick shown by Shannon at Hungry Zombie Couture. I washed my wool in cold water (by hand) then spun it dry (on 1600 rpm, so not gently), and then dried it in the tumble drier on cool (I turned it up to hot for ten minutes toward the end). I will steam it next, then air it. If that doesn't cure it of wanting to distort, nothing will. I thought it might get slightly more solid with all this treatment, but it doesn't seem to have done. I might add, that if it had done so, I wouldn't have been upset, and I was fairly careful to monitor what was going on.

So now, I have to decide on interfacings, and I can go forward with version two. Since the "One Fabric-wool" contest is beginning on 01 November, on Pattern Review, I shall not cut until then. I haven't really decided if I am going to enter the contest, but if I wait to cut until the start date, this gives me the option.

Meanwhile, the 2010 SWAP has been announced on Stitchers Guild and I am busily ransacking my stash cupboard and pattern boxes to decide what I want to do for that and making lots and lots of lists. I have some ideas though the rules don't lend themselves very easily to the kind of layering that I most prefer. However, I have a cunning plan for that. I should have enough fabric for both this 2nd version jacket and a skirt to match if I am careful. So, if I make the jacket before the SWAP, but make the skirt as part of the SWAP, I will have a suit at the end of the four months. Then my additional item for the SWAP will probably be the jacket I make in my tailoring course. I do, however, need to check that doing that would be acceptable within the rules. Then, I just need to fit in one extra jacket and a coat in order to cover the garments I need for winter/early spring. So I suppose that means between now and Boxing Day, I have two jackets and a coat to make. Hmmm. Not sure I'll get the coat done.

I have a reasonably large stash, but for some reason, I don't seem to have quite the fabric I need for the SWAP. Funny that. Looks like I will need to go shopping again.