Workroom Notes No.7: Working While Seated
Lots of wedding activity the last two weeks – which is why there hasn’t been a Workroom Notes post for a couple weeks – followed by traveling back with a foot injury to boot, so this week will be somewhat gentle.
I tumbled to the ground like a sack of potatoes while out on a walk with my brother, and my ankle swelled up bigger than a tennis ball. Putting any weight on it makes the swelling grow bigger as well as being more painful. Ouch.
So no standing and pattern cutting for me this week. Luckily there is plenty of computer based work to get done in the workroom, I have my dress form back in action so can ‘sit and drape’ and there’s some gentle hand sewing for wedding items that will keep the foot raised on the sofa.
This Week’s 5 Main Goals
In order to make sure I do keep up the ‘rest’ part of recovery, I’ll be keeping the goals light this week, and mostly computer based. This isn’t a bad thing as I have plenty of editing that can be done.
Goal No.1: Finish recording the first two weeks of lessons for A Pattern of Your Own online course.
Goal No.2: Plan how I will apply the embellished lace to the corset for my wedding gown.
Goal No.3: Finish my Me Made Garment project I worked on as an example for the online course.
Goal No.4: Tweak the cheeky shorts pattern.
Goal No.5: Transfer the changes from bridesmaid dress toiles.
I’m reading those goals and recognising that at the moment, some are a tad unrealistic until the foot heals. So I’ll aim to complete goals 1, 2 and 4 first as they can be done seated, before tackling 5 and then 3.
A Pattern of Your Own
This is top priority, as it’s the most requested course from me, and I want everything to be done by late July so I have August ‘off’ for the wedding.
It’s available for pre-order now, and starts on the 29th June with ‘orientation’ week, so if you’ve ever wanted to start making patterns of your own, do take a look!
Sunday Update: Put back the start date by 1 week as no sooner did this post go live than an extreme heatwave struck and there was no hope of working in that heat. 😔
Wedding Corset Design
I ordered some stunning embellished lace from a company in the UK while there, along with the fabric for Groom and Best Man waistcoats. I had expected it to arrive before Groom leaves on Monday, but it looks like that is not going to happen as it was shipped a few days later than expected. Sigh.
So for now, I’ll use the sample I have to plan where the fabric will go on the bodice and applying it will move to the top of the agenda in a couple of weeks when it does finally arrive. Below is an example sample but not the actual fabric. Consider it a teaser! 😉
Wednesday Update: The fabric arrived before D left for NL, and I got to really admire it on Tuesday in daylight. It’s gorgeous, but I do not think I have enough!
Me Made Garment Project
The project I’m working on for my Design & Make your First Me Made Garment course is a summer wrap top in the straw yellow linen than my Ninni shorts are made from. I thought it would work great to wear them together, but will also look fab with my white wide legged trousers and more.
I’m at the stage where I just need to cut and sew it, though the pattern mods I made could use a retoile – so hopefully my foot will be more usable later in the week to complete it!
Friday Update: The changes to the pattern really do require a new toile of pattern. It’s cut in calico and will be sewn over the weekend when the heat breaks.
Cheeky Shorts Pattern
The pattern is close to being perfect, but there are one or two tweaks I need to make so that I can use it to combine project 5 and 6 inside my Creative Dressmaking membership. I’m excited about this, and plan to use the same red linen as the shirt project, so I have a ‘co-ord’ set!
The plan is to use fabric weaving to create a fun pair of summer shorts – photo of what I’m thinking below. Fingers crossed!
Saturday Update: The pattern has been tweaked. Not I need to start creating the fabric strips!
Bridesmaid Dress Patterns
I need to transfer the changes from Sophie’s and Sarah’s bridesmaid dress toiles to their patterns.
Sophie’s Dress
I draped the design directly onto Sophie (12 years old) when in the UK, as I felt the Deer & Doe pattern I’m using for Clio and Sarah would be too ‘old’ for her.
I had such fun draping directly, and Sophie seemed to enjoy it too. After I’d done all the marking, I took it back to my Pa’s and transferred the pattern to paper before recutting it in fresh fabric for a second fitting, which also went very well.
I’ve got notes on changes that need to happen, and will work on those this week. I’ll probably create a separate post – and maybe a YouTube video update? – sharing the progress!
Sarah’s Dress
I sewed Sarah’s toile using supplied measurements, and was very happy with how it fit. She is a very active person, so I do need to take it in a little at the sides for less ease, but the back fit perfectly and there’s just a small change needed to the princess seam shaping as well.
Overall the fittings went great, and it’s only minor tweaks needed. I still need to do Clio’s dress (Maid of Honour) and am starting to feel a little panicky about it, but I have her measurements in hand now, so fingers crossed!
So I should be able to order the fabric for the dresses shortly…
Sunday Update: I spent a day hiding away from the 38ºc heat, laying horizontal and close to the floor, researching fabric options. I am torn, but I’ll share more about that in my dedicated Bridesmaid dress progress post.
Other Possible Workroom Projects
You know I like a good list of projects on the go, so of course there are a few more I’d like to tackle if time allows.
Groom & Best Man Waistcoats
I can’t actually make these until the fabric arrives from the UK, but I can at last make the best man’s pattern and toile now that I have his measurements. Yay!
The fabric below was an option on the table, until I saw the price – £129.07 +VAT! – so that quickly got set aside!
By the way, I am not panicking at all that the wedding is in now less than 10 weeks. NOT PANICKING AT ALL!
Update: I did sew the toile for David’s waistcoat earlier in the week and did a fitting. We are loving it!
Trigg Shorts for David
I attempted these in week 5 but time was not on my side. It’s become a tradition for me to make a new pair each summer for David, and as the weather has warmed up I know he’d appreciate another, fresher pair.
Not sure what fabric I’d use though, will have to take a look through my stash!
Update: Did not happen, as sewing in the heatwave was a non-starter!
Shirt Refashion Project
When I was in the UK, my dad gave me a cotton shirt that he rarely wore. It’s a maroon and white gingham and I feel like it would be a great refashion project. I could have fun draping with it on my recently reunited K&L dress form… which I could use seated… but it really is not a priority!
Update: This project was put on the back burner as an idea, because the shirt actually fits me, and is wearable as is. Will see how often I wear it before I do anything to it.
Double Circle Skirt
This has been sitting around in my ‘to finish’ pile for so long. All it needs is the hem sewing, but it is VAST being a double circle skirt.
It would be fabulous though for swooshing about in the summer, as it’s made from a stunning blue linen.
Right, I think that’s plenty to be getting on with. I’ve recently started a new TikTok account as I got locked out of my original one, so if you want to see more of what I get up to in the workroom, follow along over there!
Let me know what you’re up to this coming week? I’ll be adding updates throughout the week as my Workroom goals progress!
And if you’ve missed previous posts, my Workroom notes series is all in one place here.
