Real sewing and real winter

The first week of a new year always feels a bit celebratory and filled with anticipation for me. "How is this new year going to be different," I ask myself. The weather seemed to be tuned into that and gave us some uncharacteristic cold weather in the form of snow and ice, which was fine with me. I had no place to go and loved the very soft, peaceful snowfall. It doesn't happen very often here.

Yesterday it all turned to ice and only the very foolhardy were out in that. No school, no garbage pickup, no mail. I went only from house to studio and even that was a careful, don'tletmefalldon'tletmefalldon'tletmefall tiptoe across the icy bridge and path. It felt like a good day for a special project. Hidden away in the loft I had 3 yards of indigo blue Japanese fabric, purchased at least 5 years ago. I had a pattern I bought several weeks ago, the day the STASH group went out for our annual Christmas lunch. They were a match and I set to work making a long, loose-fitting top that I'm sure I will enjoy next summer, as well as for a trip south we have planned.

I like the simplicity and ease of the design, but dark as that fabric is it seemed that the detail of the set in "bib" might be lost, so I made a length of very small orange piping, which worked out well, I think. I felt inordinately satisfied with this project, and it felt good to do what felt like "real" sewing. There was a time when I did a lot of garment sewing for myself, my kids, even for Ray, but I no longer have the patience for the details like zippers and buttonholes and collars and cuffs. It is nice to finish something in one sitting and nice to make something soft and simple and unfussy. I ended last year with a simple canvas apron and started this year with this project. Maybe it's a trend...

Note: I recently discovered this British pattern company online and was considering ordering one of their patterns, then the very next day, when my friends and I were browsing the shops near the restaurant where we had lunch, there they were—the very patterns I had seen online. Fate. I took it as a sign. I really like the designs and the pattern and instructions are well-done. I even like the odd black and white cover photos of the wrinkled garment, which seemed to put some people off. They aren't cheap, but a good find, in my opinion.

 

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