Muslins, muslins everywhere…

…but not the time to sew!

I’ve had an incredibly busy week and weekend, between my whirlwind social life, an influx of new work at the office, hardcore boat DIY, moorings duties, and keeping up with my running, so I’ve hardly had any time to step foot in my sewing room, let alone sew! It doesn’t help that pattern drafting moves at a glacial pace as compared to just tracing off a pattern and sewing it up!

If you remember, I’m using Pattern Magic and the Bunka draft to revisit pattern drafting. So far I’ve made my bodice sloper and drafted up this variation from the first Pattern Magic book, “Tying a Bow D”.

This is one of about five designs across the books that I’d really like to make, but it’s also by far the simplest draft so I thought it’d be a good place to start. The only difference is that I want to a dress from this instead of a blouse, so I’ve also drafted up a skirt sloper and am just now starting to match up the darts to the bodice and insert some flare to make it usable for a nice shirtdress.

…but not the time to sew!

I’ve had an incredibly busy week and weekend, between my whirlwind social life, an influx of new work at the office, hardcore boat DIY, moorings duties, and keeping up with my running, so I’ve hardly had any time to step foot in my sewing room, let alone sew! It doesn’t help that pattern drafting moves at a glacial pace as compared to just tracing off a pattern and sewing it up!

If you remember, I’m using Pattern Magic and the Bunka draft to revisit pattern drafting. So far I’ve made my bodice sloper and drafted up this variation from the first Pattern Magic book, “Tying a Bow D”.

This is one of about five designs across the books that I’d really like to make, but it’s also by far the simplest draft so I thought it’d be a good place to start. The only difference is that I want to a dress from this instead of a blouse, so I’ve also drafted up a skirt sloper and am just now starting to match up the darts to the bodice and insert some flare to make it usable for a nice shirtdress.

I just feel like I’ve been sewing with muslin for ages now, and it didn’t help that I ran out midway through (though how many of you can just buy more muslin on your walk home from work without even deviating from your normal route?? The Brick Lane fabric stores are good for some things!). James also asked me to try a trouser pattern for him, so I’ve also been sewing up a muslin for Burda magazine 04/2010 #129, too (minus all the cargo pockets and weird crotch circle!). Nevermind that he’s gone and bought a bunch of trews in the sales now, but at least it means I’m not under any time pressure to sew his up.

I have one or two summer fabrics I’d really like to sew out of my stash before Fall, but I don’t really need any summer clothes this year so that’s also contributing to my rut. I feel like if I can just push through with this drafting and get those few summer garments done, then I can start in on all the fun Fall fashions (like my trenchcoat!). I also need to make a quick cover for my new KitchenAid mixer, which I broke out of its box this weekend to make my first ever batch of macarons! I’m totally not the kind of person to sew “cozies” for kitchen appliances, but it’s living out in the open and a cover means I won’t have to wash the dust off every time I use it!

In any case, I’m hoping that putting this boring, slow work in on the muslin now will reap rewards not only in this project but in the future when I go to draft more. Like many other sewing techniques, I have a feeling that drafting gets easier and quicker the more you practice…

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