Quart coat sneak peek and follow up to Random Threads # 10

Sewing vocabulary - everyone has an opinion!  That was fun to read the responses to my last post, Random Threads # 10, where I tossed off a paragraph on the words we use to talk about our sewing. The "make" debate has strong views on all sides and I enjoy a good lexicography brawl. I will stick to using the terms sewing projects, or finished garments but I think make is making inroads, ha ha.

For you coat enthusiasts, here is a sneak peek at the Quart coat I am currently sewing using a wool plaid. The pattern is from Pauline Alice patterns, and I seriously love the pleats. I did have a few grumbles when laying out the pattern, I mean plaid - what was I thinking? but it is seriously gorgeous and will look great. And you know I love plaid, so it's worth the trouble. More details in a post when it is finished but for now a look at where it stands. All pleated and the main pieces sewn together. Clapper nearby as you can see, wool + pleats = need for some type of wood block when pressing.

Yes, I marked the pieces with tailor's tacks to do the pleats. I enjoy doing them.! A little tedious but something like a nice math puzzle, pattern markings all even and measured perfectly, so it pleated up very well. The yellow thread is the tailor's tacks, and now the pleats are basted closed with the red thread. They will stay basted closed until I am ready to press again and hem. 

I had a new post on the Craftsy sewing blog on Sunday, which is all about cutting out fabric when you don't have the right amount. Something we are all familiar with, right?

As it happens when I was writing that post, I was sewing up a Sewaholic Renfrew top in luscious silk jersey and didn't have the required amount of yardage so it illustrated the issue perfectly. I think the pattern calls for 2.25 yards of 60" to make the Cowl neck version, and I had about 1.75 yards. I was making this for a sewing client (she of the very good taste in fabric, see here and here) and she wanted it to be longer, more like a tunic plus with long sleeves. So I played around with the layout and some careful cutting, and was lucky enough to get it out of the yardage, although it is not yet hemmed as you can see.  Silk jersey feels so great to wear, I will admit not the easiest to sew, but the colors are fantastic. 

So that's what is going around here. Rumor of rain today which did not appear - a few daffodils getting ready to bloom but otherwise the season is feeling very strange. We are turning into SoCal around here. But with fog. 

Hope you are surviving winter wherever you are, Happy Sewing, Beth

and a SunnyGal garden photo. This big shrub sits next to the garden gate and I never really notice it all year except for maybe two weeks, when the tiny flowers bloom and it gives off the most heavenly fragrance. I had to search on line and compare lots of shrubbery to decide that it is Viburnum. I think?

You gardeners will let me know. The little flowers turn into tiny yellow berries and it gets a little garden love from me this week as it is about the only thing blooming.