Still Here!

Miss me? I've dropped off the radar lately because I've been really busy. I'm still working on the Chanel jacket, but it's slow going and I don't think you'd be interested in seeing my catchstitching. I will have some things to start to show soon. I'm also starting to plan some coordinates to build a spring wardrobe around the jacket. Man, that sounds suspiciously like a SWAP, doesn't it? Nah, I'm too scattered for that!

I also got some news this week that knocked me for a loop. Not a change in status, but some results came back that indicate that I might want to have some other treatments than what was originally planned. That sucks. So one of the coordinates (or maybe two or three) is going to be an Hermes scarf. I already told DH that's what I would like for Valentine's day. Sigh...

But hey! On a much more fun front, save the date and stash away your pennies! Susan Khalje is coming to Gorgeous Fabrics' studio in Billerica, MA (just outside Boston) to hold her Couture Sewing School. It's a 6 day course that runs from May 24 to May 29, 2010. I've taken classes with Susan and she is one of the best, if not the, best teacher I've ever worked with. Here's the description of the class from Susan's website:

At the Couture Sewing School, 6 intensive days are devoted to creating your garment - it can be sophisticated day wear, evening wear, a wedding gown, the little black dress - the choice is yours. It can be for yourself, for a friend, or it can be a sample. You'll be incorporating into your project the couture techniques and details that go into Susan Khalje's exquisite garments.

You'll prepare a muslin ahead of time, and after Susan perfects the fit, you'll begin working on your garment. In addition to specific work on your garment, time is taken each morning to learn a battery of couture techniques. Business issues are included as well - Susan ran a very successful couture business for over 25 years - and she shares her expertise during a special evening session. 

To find out more and to sign up, Check it out at Susan's New Website (which, BTW is absolutely gorgeous!)

I'll post pictures of the Chanel Jacket as soon as I have something worth showing.

Slow Progress

Thank you, first off, for all the wonderful well wishes and prayers. I'm really touched and grateful! Now, on to sewing!

Yes, I have actually been working on the Chanel jacket. But as you probably guessed from my lack of posts, it's been slower going than I had anticipated. There are two reasons for that. First is that I have been rushing about trying to catch up from losing two days (and then some) to general anesthesia and recovery. The second is that my energy level is just now getting back to where it normally is. I decided to get zen about it and not rush. It will be done before spring, which is when I need it.

So where am I? Seaming and catchstitching! I've been slowly getting the seams of the jacket sewn. This takes more time and care than usual because the lining is already attached, so I need to make sure I keep it out of the way. Also, before I start stitching the pieces together, I've been tying off all the quilting on the lining side. You'd be surprised how much time that adds. But it's worth it. This baby is going to be, as Susan Khalje puts it, the world's most luxurious cardigan.

Let's talk a little about the process that goes into making this type of jacket. The first thing I did was to make a fitting muslin. Once I had perfected the fit of that, I ripped it apart and used the muslin pieces as the pattern for the final jacket. To do this, I removed all the seam allowances, and with Phyllis' help, thread traced the stitching lines. You can see one of the resulting pieces here.

Notice that the seam allowances are really, really wide. I will trim them down later (sooner in the armscye), but for now, they are at least an inch to two inches. I observed something really interesting in Susan's class: a lot of folks had a really hard time wrapping their heads around the idea of wide seam allowances and seam allowances of varied widths. I think it's because we're taught from the moment we thread our first needle that seam allowance are 5/8" wide, and we are warned never to stray from that by the sewing pattern companies. But in reality, the seam allowance means nothing. It's the stitching line that is important. If you know where you will be putting the needle into the fabric, the seam allowance is just extra. You can make it as wide or as narrow as you like. Changing your focus from the cutting line to the stitching line gives you more leeway for lots of stuff. You can use a really ravely fabric (like I am here) without worrying about it unraveling into your stitching line. You can give yourself wiggle room for alterations down the line. Once you free yourself from the seam allowances a whole lot of possibilities open up to you. The important thing is to match the stitching lines:

Once you have sewn the pieces together you can go back and trim/finish the seam allowances the way you prefer.

That's where it's at today. I'll work on it more this afternoon and hopefully have the shell sewn together by the end of the weekend. Hopefully...

Parting shot - Fuzzies
This fabric (a Linton tweed) tends to shed little pieces. My lint roller has been seeing a lot of use.

This isn't the worst of it. After trimming one seam, both I and my ironing board were covered. Ah, the things we do for couture!

Happy sewing!

Negative!!!

I never thought in my life I would be happy to get a negative report. But the nodes came back clean and the margins are all clear. Now it's time to heal, then the follow up starts and then I'll get on with my life! Not like it has stopped me. Remember - get your annual mammogram ladies. It could save your life.

The Chanel jacket is coming slowly. I'm catchstitching all the seam allowances on the boucle so they don't ravel, and that adds a lot of time to the process. But it's coming. Pictures this afternoon, I promise.

Working on...

The Chanel jacket! I finally started putting needle to fabric. And of course, I promptly had to un-put needle to fabric, after I managed to catch the lining in the seam. D'oh!!! Anyway, it's starting to take shape, and I'll post pictures later.

And what can I say? The Ravens deserved to win. It's been that kind of a year for the Pats. Sigh...

Now, I can root against the Jets and for the Colts (sorry Baltimore). And I have all my Sundays free until Superbowl, so that's good too.

Words of Warning

You know, when you get home from the hospital after surgery, they give you a list of things you can and can't do. You can (in my case anyway):

• Eat a normal diet
• Take a shower
• Rest as much as possible for the first 24 hours
  
• Resume limited physical activity after 24 hours, increasing as you feel better
• Remove dressings after 48 hours

You cannot: 

• Drive for at least several days
• Drink alcohol
• Lift anything
  
• Make legal decisions for at least 24 hours after the anesthesia wears off

Nowhere in any of the post-op instructions do they warn you of the dangers of reading David Sedaris' book, When You are Engulfed in Flames, specifically the section on the Stadium Buddy. They say that laughter is the best medicine, but let me tell you: that book is hazardous to your health on a good day, never mind if you had someone slice into your abdomen two days prior! I was laughing so hard I was crying, for more than one reason.

Today, Phyllis is coming up to visit. I'm feeling well enough that I might try to get some work done on the Chanel jacket. The under sleeves are cut on the bias. I think I'll sew the sleeves together so they don't stretch out too much. We'll see how my energy holds up. What I'd really like is to get out and take a short walk before the snow starts later today. This is the tough part; I don't know how to gauge how much to do.

Parting Shot - Guard Dog:

Hoover, hard at work keeping his world safe.