Mr Postman, bring me a dream.....

Look what showed up in the mail today! Yeah! I had been very reluctant to buy the fitting book Susan recommended but only because it is $91. However, I just gave in and got it. I will let you know how I like it when I find some time to flip through it.
Also from eBay I got my silk Belding Corticelli silk thread, yeah, that was really expensive too.

First fitting

Well the first fitting has left me with a lot of questions with no answers. So I am researching my fitting books to cone up with sone possible solutions to the issues I am encountering.

Muslin cut out

Well I got my muslin cut out. I am grateful for Susan's advice to pin it all down before cutting it out otherwise I would have run out of muslin. I thought I had plenty and expected to have extra, but that was not the case.
The sleeve was a little tricky. I combined the two sleeve pieces as Susan showed but to get the stitching lines to match the grain lines were not parallel on the two pieces. So I made sure the grain lines were parallel and did the best I could to get the stitching lines to match. I will see how it turns out when I see it together. I will also consider an elbow dart and sew the dart at the top of the shoulder.

My body double and the beginning

Well with the help of a friend I now have a duct tape dress form -my body double. I would love to be making this couture dress for my BFF but since she lives 2100 miles away I am making this for myself. It poses some challenges to fit yourself but a dress form will greatly help with that. I would like a Uniquely You form but the duct tape version was $170 less expensive. I would rather buy really nice fabric for my dress at this point.
The fabric store had a 50% off sale on notions so I also got tonight two more Olfa mats that perfectly fit my cutting table. As Susan Khalje would say that was a "gift from the sewing gods". I agree.
So now that I have my table ready and my body double with all my measurements I am ready to start to work with my pattern! I am making view F, but may make it long sleeve and do a complete lace overlay. I am sure the lace will be a huge challenge but I know Susan will help me along the way!

There is a fabric SALE!

Well, I suppose the retail industry likes to celebrate our vetrans by getting consumers to spend money.  Kind of sad, really, but it is society as we know it.  Remember please to thank those vetrans in your life today.


A chain fabric store is having a sale and so this evening I will be going and getting a couple more items needed to begin my couture sewing class.  I have watched all the lessons through, hours of information! Now I am nearly ready to begin.  With the help of a friend I made a duct tape dress form last weekend, tonight at the sale I am going to pick up some more muslin and get started.  I also started to shop for fabric for the dress.  Susan Khalje, my instructor, told me to cut off the scalloped edge of the lace overlay then re-attach it when I figure out the hem line.  It took my breath away! How could you do that?
So through more instruction from her, and a lot of online research on Threads Magazine, I see that it is indeed possible.  I am excited to see a beautiful garmet turned out from this process.

Couture

Picture by SusanKhalje.com

Couture is such a loosely used word.  I looked it up on Pinterest, and one picture showed a muscled older man without his shirt on?!  That is NOT couture.  Couture is a method of fine sewing - beautiful fabrics, construction, details, proper fit, etc...  Couture should not be screen printed on the side leg of a pair of sweatpants available at a store in the mall.  Couture should be respected and studied, for it is a form of art. 
Through this online class given my a master couture dress maker, Susan Khalje, I have come to honor and respect this form of sewing.  I aspire to make my garments with more care and detail just as she does.  I hope to be able to finish a fine dress with the class and next year take her one week class in Baltimore to learn even more.  All of my sewing for years is geared toward sewing wedding dresses for my 3 daughters someday, I hope to live up to the couture art form of dress making.