Mostly Sewing Natter

My idea for storing skirt hikes is successful. They were already on (essentially) very short belts in a bin in the front entry, so I scrounged up some not-for-climbing-carabiners (formerly for sale along with leather key fobs), and I’ve hung the belts up from the edge of the metal shelving in the front entry. Now it’s easy to grab the right one, and frees up space in the bin. 

I was home sick Thursday and Friday (and also Tuesday) last week, and cut out a bunch of Halloween doll clothes, from the recently purchased fabric and the stash of stuff I’d previously bought. I tinkered with my patterns (which exist only as numbers in a spreadsheet) so hopefully this batch will fit American Girl dolls better. A couple kosode have seams up the center back, to use some pieces of fabric that were sufficiently long, but not wide enough, except for veeeeerrrry thin dolls. 

I’d bought some black broadcloth for a project that probably won’t happen, and used that for a few things. I got the machine-sewing done, and started the hand-sewing, which involves folding and creasing and pinning. WTF was I thinking when I bought it??? (JoAnn’s Symphony Broadcloth, 65% polyester, 35% cotton)  Horrible horrible stuff. Really thin, my hair-clippy things won’t hold it at all, even three layers plus a layer of quilter’s cotton. Enthusiastically frays (although not as bad as brocades). Won’t hold a crease. BLEAH!  

Yes, I am a fiber snob. I despise most man-made fibers. So sue me.

I finished one kosode where I used the broadcloth for the collar, and am finishing another one where I machine-sewed on some more for trim, and have the collar of it.  But I’m going to toss the two under-kosode I cut out of the broadcloth, and send the rest, about 4 yards, away to a relative who might be able to use it. Last night I poked in the dining room and found some black-on-black floral cotton I knew I had, and at lunchtime I did some on-line shopping and ordered some solid black 100% “quilter’s cotton” and a print of grey swirlies on black, also 100% cotton. I picked them up on the way home, and can cut out new under-kosode from fabric that won’t make me crazy. Much better!