First Year Part 2: Dream Wardrobe + this Weekend

Last year when I started this blog, besides starting a garden, I also wanted a Dream Wardrobe.  I've been sewing clothes off and on for the last 15 years but in the last 3 years, it's been full on sewing for others.  It's been fun.  For a while after graduating from undergrad, I was super burnt out with clothing design and sewing all together but recently, especially as I've noticed that clothing quality and styles have changed and that nothing freaking fits me, I've become more interested in pattern making and sewing again.  Over the holiday break, I was actually able to start on a cape.  Here's what it looked like before:

Front

I had to take it apart and re-design the cape.  The boyfriend said it looked like a bag.  Here's what it looks like now...

Front

Back

In my previous Dream Wardrobe post, I had decided not to add a lining, but of course, in the process I changed my mind.  I feel linings just raise the quality of a garment.  It makes it much nicer to wear a dress or jacket if it's lined nicely.  Anyway, so I picked a red lining fabric as you can see peaking out the bottom of the cape and I am now in the process of finishing that today. So what did I end up doing?

I pretty much used tailor's chalk and eye-balled where I wanted a front and back yoke and cut apart the entire cape.  Then I added triangular pieces into the sides, basically giant gores. That was pretty easy. The difficult part now is trying to align the arm slits of the lining with the arm slits that I had originally made prior to taking apart the whole thing.  I definitely have to take breaks since my sewing machine is on the fritz.  So far she's hanging in there and I think I'll be able to finish my cape this weekend and continue with some of the other projects that I have to start/finish.  I'll be bringing offerings to the sewing gods today. 

Also this weekend, Amazon came through!!  I had ordered Passion flower seeds and fabric grow pots!
This morning I started the germination process of the passion flower seeds. Apparently, they can be started using a moist paper towel.  I've never grown passion flower but I chose a variety that was supposed to be indigenous to the southeast; a variety called Maypop.  I guess they grow wild down here.  I also decided that instead of buying plastic or ceramic planters, I would try fabric grow bags!  Considering I seem to move every 2 to 3 years, I wanted to find some way to container garden without collecting tons of large containers that I would have to move later or throw out.  Fabric pots seemed to be the answer.  They can be re-used and are totally collapsible.  They take up so little space! And they come in various sizes.  I bought several 5 gallon grow bags.

 

I have a busy weekend ahead.  I'm so glad it's a beautiful, sunny day! Better get to work!