Another for the pot….

Flowing with momentum that began with the Maggie Dress inspiration,

I decided to tackle Alabama Channin's A-Line Dress.

This pattern is found on a CD included with Natalie's latest book, 

Sewing Patterns

Learning from my last endeavor with the Maggie Dress, I found it fairly easy to have my local printing shop upload the CD and print off the simple pattern.

I have to note that since the print shop had never done this before, it did take them a few tries to execute the large scale pattern.

They were as happy to persist as I was prepared to be patient.

I chose to use an inexpensive

 PFD (prepared for dye) cotton jersey from  Dharma Trading Company for the short dress version.

I've sewn more than a few pieces from the A/C collection and found I needed to alter all of them in one way or another.

Making a sample is the best way to figure this out, especially if you plan to embellish with layers and appliqué.

I made a slight change to this pattern….

Although it looks VERY nice in this photo, the v-neck was a little too severe for me…

so I chose to round it out a bit….

This fabric from Dharma is very white with a sort of blueish tinge and has less drape than the buttery Alabama Chanin Organic Cotton Jersey, but it is forgivable at $4.58 USD per yard.

I also think it is still a little too full in the skirt, which might disappear when made with the softer drape of the A/C cotton jersey. 

 This one has pockets, which I LOVE, and was VERY easy and quick to stitch together.

I plan to pop this into the dye pot along with the Maggie Tunic and a long skirt I made.

I'm thinking Indigo.

Still aways off.

Satisfied….

From the moment my head hit the pillow last night I was determined to take a walk today.

With all the buzz about snow in the northeast, I know I was to be blessed with another beautiful day today here in Albuquerque. It isn't always like this, but today it hit 64 degrees F.  

So, with my tasks completed to my satisfaction, I set out on what turned out to be a VERY long and lazy walk to the river. 

'The Rio Grande'

On the way,  I was happy to locate a labyrinth I'd been introduced to during the solstice.

Built by women artists after a huge fire engulfed the bosque many years ago, it's still cared for and used by many. 

I was alone. Set my intention, and spent some quiet time there with the hum of Coors Boulevard whispering from the other side of the ridge.

I had stopped by the nature center headquarters before heading down here on my walk and thought how fortunate we are that there are a passionate and dedicated group of people who protect and preserve this land and it's creatures.

perhaps sometimes,

from it's self.

The beginning of this year has been very busy for me as usual. And in addition to grappling for new health insurance (don't get me started), and applying for Social Security Benefits (yikes!) I engaged in an Ayurvedic cleanse called a Panchakarma which left me listless and 10 pounds lighter.

Now I'm sort of back to myself and forging ahead (amidst a major financial adjustment) to fulfill my commitment to COMPLETE my renovation project.

In the mean time, during the days that didn't allow me to focus on that, 

I completed 

THESE!

So yes. Today I'm very...

SATISFIED.

S-L-O-W....making

Done - Finished -Fini

you can see it's inception here, here and here

Stop the presses!!!........

Hold your horses!!!

or the other famous cliché

"It's always best to make a sample before you start a time consuming project"

If you've been following along, a while ago I began a project where I decided to re-make a well loved dress of mine.

I also decided to stitch it up a la Alabama/Chanin style....

using her beautiful organic cotton jersey 

and

 hand cutting the stencil called Anna's Garden with the intention to use a 

 negative reverse appliqué technique found in her beautiful book
Alabama Studio Sewing + Design.

Not to mention I will sew the garment by hand,

which goes without saying if you are familiar with Natalie Chanin's trademark techniques.

To proceed with caution seemed to be a good thing.

I have been reluctant to begin stitching, so I decided to make two samples.  

This is where it gets a little 'odd'.   I 'thought' I was making a sample to see if I'd like to use off white or gray thread.  And while I was stitching up the pattern sample with the off white thread....

The way it said to in the book....

I then decided that I liked the off white thread well enough,

but what I wasn't sure about were the instructions to stitch 1/8" within the design

and cut away 1/8" outside the design.  

So I made my next sample

stitching 'on' the design lines......

and cutting away 1/8" from that.

The detail is slightly different.....

But OH what a difference in the end.

The A/C way with the 1/4" reveal became a little too 'floppy' and less 'sturdy' looking after I rinsed it.

And I liked the second way better.  It felt more substantial and finished....less casual looking.

Now I can proceed with confidence.  

My way.

The bad news is that the new technique is even more tedious to cut away.  

What else is new.

"It's always something."

or as my Mom used to say....

"It hurts to be beautiful."

*BTW: I used a gray marking spray that quickly disolves in cool water. That part worked great.