Getting there!

I've been working on my dress this week. Monday night I stitched the fitting shell and cut out the fabric. Tuesday night I cut out the lining. Last night, I sewed the body of the dress together, basted the pleats and tried it on. It fits perfectly. It really pays to make a muslin. It certainly beats ripping out the $60 a yard fabric! The fabric is a polyester brocade with a herringbone background by Dana Buchman. I was apprehensive about using polyester. I tend to hate synthetics. This stuff handles like a dream and the pleats press in really well which I didn't expect. I guess you get what you pay for! Of course, I took a fairly easy dress and complicated things. I decided to line it. I just can't see getting designer fabric then skimping on the construction. Tonight, I am stitching the lining and setting in the sleeves then tomorrow night I will hem it. I always line with Ambiance bemberg rayon. It has a really silky feeling against the skin. I will post photos of the dress when it is completed!

The SKC knit along has been decided. It will be a double with Bella Paquita and Giselle, both designed by Marnie Maclean. I had bought the yarn for Bella Paquita before--a new yarn by Elann called Incense which is 50% merino, 25% silk, 25% bamboo. I'm not so motivated to start that one yet. The whole thing is graphed and I just don't feel like dealing with that.


I love Giselle though and I want to make that when I've finished the baby set. I ordered some Handmaiden Double Sea Silk for this one. This is a new yarn and is the DK weight of the famous Sea Silk. Both yarns are 70% silk, 30% Seacell. I am making the shorter sweater with the crochet trim, using periwinkle Double Sea Silk and doing the crochet trim in ebony Sea Silk which is fingering weight. This yarn is stunning! It is really soft and has an incredible sheen. It doesn't seem to have that sticky feeling that silk typically has. Simply beautiful stuff!


That's really it for now. I have to get to my dress! More updates later!

Bushism of the day:
"My trip to Asia begins here in Japan for an important reason. It begins here because for a century and a half now, America and Japan have formed one of the great and enduring alliances of modern times. From that alliance has come an era of peace in the Pacific." —George W. Bush, who apparently forgot about a little something called World War II, Tokyo, Feb. 18, 2002

Kitty Cam: From the archives--Cosmo takes time out from his world of high fashion to go to a masquerade party!