Lots of things going on at FehrTrade Towers, so it’s time for an update roundup!
Peplum top
After my last post outlining the lining instructions, there will be no points for guessing that this is coming along shortly! I’ve just got to handstitch the hem and the bottom of the lining and it’s finished, hurrah. Perhaps if I’m speedy I can wear it to the V&A Ballgowns exhibit meetup Karen is planning?
Bacchus half marathon costume
As part of my preparation/reward for my marathon training, I signed up to run the Bacchus half marathon this weekend. Not many people are familiar with this race, but it’s been rated exceptionally highly on Runner’s World, and the clue might lie somewhere in the description: a half-trail, half-road, fancy dress (costumed) race through a vineyard in Surrey with wine tasting every 2 miles, plus a free glass of wine and hog roast at the end. See why I signed up??
I’m regularly running much further than half marathon distance in my training runs, so even though this is only my second half marathon, I’m not that concerned about the distance, so instead I concentrated on the costume, making sure it’s entirely wicking and running-friendly!
I’m sure it will surprise none of you that I’ve also made another Jalie running skirt. Or, err, to be precise, two more, since I made another black one in parallel with my Bacchus one and forgot to photograph it! And a top based on my knit sloper (which I’m still tweaking after running in my sequin top for a few months now).
Here’s further insight into my brain when sewing off-pattern: my plans, scribbled instructions and a tech sketch, plus the kerchief pieces I drafted to match my running sloper:
I’m not ashamed to admit I did a little dance and bragged to Twitter when I did the coverstitch binding on these armholes. So proud!
(Yes, I did follow my own tips and refreshed my memory before I started!)
All this plus a little white cap to be pinned on my head… Guessed it yet? I’m going to be a sailor girl!
Disco Fabric
James is totally the best husband ever – I came home to find he’d bought me fabric as a surprise! And not just any fabric, no – get a load of this!
Yes, that’s incredibly loud disco fabric (or, to the geeky amoungst us, a black lycra base with silver foil fused on to give me appearance of sequins) – his favourite clothing shop uses this in some of its apparel, and offered the fabric for sale, too, so customers could DIY with it.
He bought two lengths of 2 yards each, so there’s plenty there for both him and me to wear…
How much would I love it if other shops did that, too?? Kudos, BetaBrand!!
The reversible smoking jacket
On hiatus since May, I’m finally starting work on James’s reversible smoking jacket again. I got as far as cutting out the shell pieces and starting the bound buttonholes, but got sidelined by drydock and other limitations, and he was unlikely to wear a wool jacket in the summer anyway. But I’ve promised him it’s next on my sewing list after the peplum top, and it may turn out to have a disco interior rather than brocade anyway now!