Randomness

Good Lord.  It's the end of November, and I've only managed to blog once this month.  I have been sewing, I swear, but this project is taking me forever.  I'd originally thought I'd wear my new coat for a trip to Christmas in the Park on the 14th with E's cub scout troop.  That didn't happen.  Then I thought I'd be able to wear it on vacation to Branson.  Um, that didn't happen either.  Then, I thought, ooh, maybe I'll be able to wear it on the 8th grade field trip to see A Christmas Carol at the Rep.  Nope.  Thanksgiving?  Nope.  So much for self-imposed deadlines and overly-optimistic time constructs.

I'm still plugging away, but getting ever closer.  In lieu of having a finished project to show--as it may yet be a while--here's a random list of good things over the past month.

• Light keeper Pro--it may actually involve magic.  I don't know how it works, but it does.  And you get to shoot your offending lights.

• Girl, Stolen--my students encouraged me to read this, so I'm doing our assigned project over it. Yes, I read young-adult fiction.  Yes, I actually do the projects I assign, too.  Is that weird? 

• The Way Way Back--my  husband picked this up from the Redbox last night, and it was freakin' hilarious.  Cringe-worthy, relatable, and laugh-out-loud funny.

• These patterns, which I picked up for 50 cents each.  Don't know when/if I'll actually get around to making them.  Maybe if I ever finish this coat, and about 50 other projects.  That wrap dress is sheer perversity.

• This post, I Want to Be What She's Wearing, from author Jenny Crusie, on characters and clothing. Yes, that's from Call the Midwife. I really wanted a picture from the final scene of season 2, episode 8, where Jenny climbs on the back of the scooter in a great blue skirt, but gave up looking for it.

So, that's been November.  I'm thankful for so many things, not the least of which includes family and friends, and the ability to do so much, and I know December is going to pass equally fast.  Hope everyone else is enjoying the season as much as we will.  : )

The Blueberry Picking Dress

So, Fall for Cotton? Done.  Did I fall?  Um, yes. 

This cotton is so soft and drapey.  Maybe it's softened with age?

I found it at an antique store a couple of weeks ago, and at a grand total of $3.50 for the lot, I went with it.  This print reminds me of blueberries, and I just feel like I should be out in the garden picking fruit.  Maybe barefoot, maybe not--only if the yard's been pooper-scooped recently.

Work?  No, I'll just supervise.

The Facts:

Fabric: 100% cotton, vintage, 3+ yards and 35" wide; ivory cotton lawn for bodice underlining

Pattern: Colette Parfait (gifted from Suzy in swap)

Notions: 4 7/8" white buttons (new), 2 1/2" clear buttons from stash, invisible zip

Total cost: $3.50 for fabric + $4.00 for white buttons

Construction notes:

• I did a small bust adjustment to grade down to a B-cup courtesy of Sew L.A.
• I graded from a six at the top of waistline to 8 at the bottom of the waistline, then to a 10 at the hips.
• I underlined the bodice with ivory cotton voile, then slip-stitched the facings flat to the underlining
• I did not sew buttonholes on pockets: they're not handy if they're buttoned shut
• I used bigger buttons--7/8"--and 1/2" clear ones under tabs
• I made top button hole on tab horizontal (no room for a vertical one)
• I faced the hem with a 2" wide bias strip, then top-stitched it flat--the unhemmed skirt was exactly the length I wanted, so next time I will hopefully remember to lengthen the skirt pieces.
• I could probably shorten the straps a smidge, I don't remember right now if I traced them at a six or an eight, but they could stand a little shortening
• The six-gore skirt really worked well with the narrow fabric width!

 On a completely unrelated note, I always love browsing through catalogs, but I'm beginning to think that part of the reason I love catalog shopping so much is the pictures.  Those catalog models always seem to have such glamorous lives.

Wait.  Cool enough for stockings, but no coat needed?

How clean is that desk?  

And don't get me started on the Athleta catalog.  I just want to live wherever it is they shoot pictures.

I think it's not just the clothes (which don't get me wrong, they're fabulous), it's the whole life.  I think I'm as seduced by the backdrops as I am the actual clothes. I try to make a point to picture the clothes in my kitchen making mac and cheese, getting cough medicine at my local grocery store, or while waiting in the drive-thru as a little litmus test: is it the dress/skirt/pants/shirt I love, or is it just the imagined lifestyle?

In any case, here is how I really wear my clothes: 

Standing outside in the middle of street while my kids play...

...and getting super sweet hugs and loud wet kisses.

And I'm good with that.

Bucket List: Kansas City Historic Garment District Museum

 

Three great things about the Kansas City Historic Garment District Museum:

1. Pictures are allowed.
2. If you have clean hands, you can touch anything you want.
3. Ann Brownfield, who worked as a designer in the district for 30 years, is on-hand for guided tours. Seriously, that alone should count for about 99.9% of your reason to go.

Why has it taken me so long to finally go?

1. Well, its hours vary by season.  Its currently open Fridays and Saturdays from 10-3, through the end of September, or by appointment. Because it's not a large museum, spring and summer dresses are currently on display; they'll switch out dresses for the holidays.
2. I needed to go with someone who wouldn't be ready to leave after 30 minutes *cough cough*
3. Um.  I don't know.  Life's busy and all that.

Wait.  You didn't know Kansas City had a garment district?  

After World War I, and through the 1940s, the area employed over 4,000 persons and boasted that 1 out of every 7 women in the U.S. purchased a garment designed and made in Kansas City. The garment manufacturing industry was the second largest employer of any industry in Kansas City.

http://www.kcgarmentmuseum.org/history/

The city's number 1 employer? That would have been the stockyards.

If you're the type of person who hates looking at other people's vacation photos, I'm sorry in advance. 

(read: here they come...)

Vintage machines and cutting tools

Designed by Valentino, but sewn here in Kansas City.  TWA was headquartered here until 1964.  

close up of cut work...how cool is that?

cotton dress with matching bolero

detail of fabric print

  

wool coat

 1/2 size dress; with photo below of designer

 silk halter dress with bolero

Ann Brownfield, the curator, has been accepting donations of dresses for the museum collection for about a decade.  Each donation came with a story about who wore it, where it was purchased, and what events it was worn to, so she can tell stories about every item, and then some.  I would have loved to hear more about her design process and traveling for purchasing fabrics, though.

My takeaways? 

How many companies today publish yearbooks of their employees?

Although they did have sergers, a lot of garments had seams that were pinked, pinked and overcast, or hand-hemmed.  Personally, I'm feeling better about seam finishing.

I also finally learned the differences between pattern sizing for juniors, missy, and 1/2 size.

So, are you wondering why Kansas City doesn't have a garment district anymore? 

The clothing manufacturers here in KC did not sell to the large department stores; they couldn't produce the amount of stock need for large department stores within the time frame.  Salesmen sold to smaller Mom-and-Pop stores all around the country, and as those stores closed, the garment manufacturers dwindled, too. I guess I never thought about how the closing of smaller stores would impact producers. 

If you've time to kill on the internets:

Kansas City Historic Garment District Museum 

We Were Hanging by a Thread, Ann Brownfield's book about the garment industry

KSHB Fox 41 news clip about the museum

Nelly Don, KC native

KC Public Library video series Meet the Past: Nell Donnelly (27 minutes)

And last, but not least, who wouldn't want to visit the park with a giant statue of a needle and button?

I finished my project for the Sew Weekly Reunion, too, and will be posting those later this week!