Return to the dress form

I want to start with a shoutout to Maria who helped me put the Pattern Review contest "badge" on my cover page of the blog, and who makes luscious clothes! Here is a link to her most recent jacket.

For me, I have returned to the dress form. I took advice from the sewists at Pattern Review, and decided not to unstitch the first one, but start over. As visions of $$$ danced in my head, (interfacing costs $18 a metre and I need about 3) I decided that they were probably right. One commenter mentioned that the unstitching would be tedious (but maybe not with my lovely stitch ripper); and another recommended using a plainer fabric in order to better see the lines when fitting an item. I am not sure what kind of fitting magic those lovely people think me capable of, but I am pleased they have the confidence. I am the sewist who for MANY years has mainly sewn from the pattern, with occasional disappointments, but generally without much trouble. 

lovely colour?

So Sunday was my lucky day - interfacing was 50% off!

I managed to interface my new fabric, and cut out the pattern on the weekend, in spite of the mountain of grading I had to do. I am going to keep the base pieces (with the zipper in it), and the inner support structure from the original rendition. For the main fabric I am using the bed-sheet that I used to make the facing for the housecoat. I had a bit of a surprise after measuring one layer, and turning it over to double it. Of course - the reason this bed sheet (high thread-count cotton, only somewhat older than the pandemic) was out of commission was because of a hole and severe wearing out in one spot...

The colour is flesh tone. No, really, my flesh tone. Pale pink... Already messed up a bit - drawing one of the notches on the fabric instead of the inside. And then I did it again on a front and centre piece. 

I am being VERY careful with my seam allowance, however!

Using the original base

Hoping to finish the sewing on the weekend. As well as another project...