Dreams and schemes for a mini wardrobe

Wearing my linen work jeans around the property for chores has made me want MORE!  More linen work clothes!  And then, right before a stronger-than-normal summer storm hit the other evening, inspiration hit me first.

For over a year now, my precious linen/cotton denim chambray has hovered near the top of the fabric piles, and sitting close to it in my imagination is of course Simplicity 8447, the Rosie the Riveter overalls, along with two blouses and the pants without the overall bib.  I now intend to make the pants in a heavy linen from Fabrics-Store (in the patriot blue color), get those fit well, then the overalls, the regular blouse in a medium blue handkerchief linen I think I got from Fabric Mart more than a few years ago.

While I was pulling out the overalls pattern, I grabbed up Simplicity 8243, a 1940s sportswear pattern with a short sleeve blouse that caught my eye when Mom and I were doing some shopping the day after son's wedding up in Chicago.  I have some red bandana paisley cotton from WalMart I think would be cute.

Today, the rules for the PatternReview.com mini wardrobe contest were posted, and it is work themed ... but you need 5 garments to create 6 looks.  Oh, and all five must be cut and sewn between 1 September and 30 September.  I hit on an idea for a fifth garment this afternoon, if it's ruled as a garment: Simplicity 4282, view C vest style apron, and I'll tweak the pockets to make it an egg-gathering apron.  The pockets are more to the side, so I'll be able to scrinch down to get the egg laid in the smallest part of the corner of a tractor, because you know there's always one hen who must make it an obstacle course for you.

So, that's my inspiration and plans.  Now the big question is: how long will it take me to sew all these up?  Only one way to find out.

M6051 apron finished and being used

I decided to get my backside in gear this morning and finished up my apron from McCall 6051 ... and since hubby was occupied when I finished it, I decided to put it to use while cleaning up the kitchen a bit.  There is a water spot on the pocket ... but here are pics after it protected my clothing from washing dishes and cleaning the counter and stove:

And a back-side view.  I had to crop the top half of my face off due to glasses glare, but that's okay because y'all don't really want to see what kind of not-morning person I tend to be.  Hubby thinks the apron is cute ... and suggested a French maid uniform next.  Ummm ... probably not this year!  LOL

The pattern is an easy apron, with nothing new technique-wise, and should have only taken me a day or two if I had been up to full speed this week.  For a few minutes, I thought pleating the ruffles on might be better ... but I had already run gathering stitches and had already pinned the matching notches and points, so I just went ahead with the gathering.

It'll protect my corsets and blouses from flying popping bacon grease and various sauces and condiments ...

McCall's 6051 apron progress pics

I took these pics before my nap and supper, but hemming the ruffle panels isn't that exciting of a pic ... but here is how my apron is progressing:

The ties match Mathilda's blue a bit too well, but I think the straps and ties turned out pretty good.  As usual, I am doing things out of order in relation to the printed instructions: I made the ties and straps at the same time, so I only needed to cuss once when I couldn't find my bodkin to turn them!  A fabric marker worked in the pinch, although the cap kept trying to come off when I tried to get it back out.

I'm beginning to think this print is charmed ... once again I got lucky on centering the main motif.  This makes me two-for-two on this print ... and I still have more left!

The sound of silence? Not quite

I haven't posted since the very beginning of the week.  For the first half of the week, that was because my back was bothering me and I didn't wish to inflict my crankiness on the blogosphere ... I tried to work on the apron during it and made so very little progress ... it may be a quick and easy project under normal circumstances, but cutting anything out of fabric with back pain is akin to torture.  Things got a little better on Wednesday, so all the pieces *are* cut out.

I was starting to put the apron together Thursday, when a box arrived in the afternoon ... yes, another from FabricMart!  Then Thursday evening hubby took me out to dinner then we scooted down the road for a little shopping: I dropped him off at Hobby Lobby then ventured down to Hancock with a calendar coupon and sales flyer in my hot little hands, with my intended target being the linen selection that had just gone on 50% off sale ... and the coupon giving me an additional 50% off that!

It's rare for me to escape Hancock without unplanned fabrics jumping into my cart ... and this was no exception as they already had four tables set up for their unannounced "clean sweep" sale.  Best of all, the gems were on the $1/yd table:

Very front is 110" wide sheeting ... only 1-1/4 yd left on the table but that's enough to make four pillowcases.  Left front will be a new simple skirt, as I am certain I have a cotton to make a matching pink tunic or blouse!  The olive and maroon cotton will be a shirt for hubby ... who at first didn't like the fabric but last night was asking if that will be the next garment I make.  That big white blob is my actual target: handkerchief weight 100% linen I got for only $4/yd ... I took all 7 yards and 25 inches Hancock had left.  The best part is leftovers and decent sized scraps can be made into monogrammed and embroidered hankies as gifts ...

The FM box:

Linens to left, cottons to the right ... and stuck in the middle is a rayon challis whose colors I could not resist.  (apologies to Stealers Wheel)  This box ended up having a couple surprises: the beige cotton I had thought would be shirting fabric is actually a nice sturdy bottomweight that will make ME killer shorts or capris (emphasis on ME since son doesn't like it).  And that grey-looking salt-and-pepper linen on the bottom left washed up a bit coarser than I anticipated, but will make the absolute perfect summer blazer to wear over a classic blouse in that awesome tidal blue "couture"/heirloom quality linen that I pretty much splurged on just to see what it was like.

So yesterday I was bouncing between the sewing area and the laundry area, trying to get all these new fabrics prewashed along with a few previous acquisitions to round out laundry loads.  The apron is close to done, but it should gets its own post.

It's time for an apron

Yesterday I remarked that after spending about three and a half weeks making my corset (which I am wearing today!) I want my next project to be quick and easy instant gratification.  Rebecca from Wannabe mentioned one of her favorites: an apron, and that had been what I was thinking after an incident last week involving flying popping bacon grease and considerable cussing.  I did the cussing, not the bacon.  The bacon's aim was a little too good ...

So, apron it is!  I have two apron patterns: a pretty Butterick from their costume section (translation: it's an historical pattern), and a McCall's one labelled "home dec" because the pattern set also includes bins and hangers and an ironing board cover:

Maggie made this apron during the stash contest, and said it was pretty easy (minus mystery fabric issues).  Since this is my first try at an apron, I figured I should start off with the easier pattern this time.  LOL  I do have a history of tackling the difficult patterns first ...

And yes, this is more of that Delft print cotton duck I used on my waist corset/back brace back in December, and part of the six-pack of cotton ducks I scored on the Black Friday sale with visions of corsets, jackets, and grocery bags dancing in my mind at the cutting table.  I'm planning to use the solid blue for the straps, ties, pocket, and upper ruffle, with the print for the body and lower ruffle.

Let's see just how quick and easy aprons really are ....