On Good Friday I pulled out the light blue Robert Kauffman linen blend I got from Fabric.com and decided to make the wrap jacket-ish piece in the front of the Everyday wear book. However the sparkly idea of using linen completely blinded me to the fact that the light blue wrap that ties in the back might look, well, like a hospital gown. When I finished, I decided to let the hem of the sleeves out a bit. Still not right. So then I added lace to the sleeves. Better. It really didn't help that the original pattern tied in the back, so I cut one tie to about two-thirds the length it was and let the ties lie across the front of the garment before tying at the side. It gave it a little more shape than a hospital gown. I'm ok with it now, but jewelry and hair really make the difference when I wear this, I think. I'll say I'm going for a minimalist, feng-shui feel when I wear sandals with it, and minimalist chic with heels. Even after is has seen several wears and wardrobe combinations, I'm still ambivalent towards it.
On the up-side, it has pockets.
I really enjoyed working with linen again, especially since it did not involve pirate/Shakespearean shirts. The stiffness and weight made things so easy. The excess of unnecessary wrinkling made sure to balance that out, though :)
When my family came over for the Easter weekend we made a family trip to McKay's used bookstore. If there is something the Gatewood family loves collectively, its a used book store. Of course, they had a sewing section, which was dwarfed by a colossal amount of books on knitting. I found a book on lining things and one on drafting a party dress. "Whoa, there. Isn't that a little ambitious for your current level?" I thought. "Meh. I can dream. $3.50 is hardly something to argue about, anyway."
I have also graduated and have begun the Great Job Search. Although I have applied to several jobs, one is particular as a grant writer's proof reader and office assistant looks right up my alley. Application opens in early June, so I'll be spending this week brushing up on grant-writing and preparing a resume. It does feel a little weird to move back home to a considerably smaller town without those who I have become closest to over the last few years. Time to carve out a new space for myself. I will definitely have time to work on writing and sewing with a more committed attitude until I have saved enough for my Masters degree.
I have also begun to read
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking and The Song of Fire and Ice series upon which HBO's Game of Thrones is based. Both of these books are satisfying to read: I'm getting back into my old fantasy groove
and reveling in my introversion in an extroverted society. Life is good. I have also decided to purge my room, so that it looks more like a bedroom than a storage unit. Until next time,
Happy Sewing!
