"The Wedding Dress" an update

I am honestly getting somewhere on The Dress! I thought I would update - but this is more of an "how I started" update- does that make it a prequel?

I found this photo of Kate while we were fabric shopping in Toronto. While it is not the fabric we ended up going with - it gives a good idea of where we want to go.

Here is the start of our "design (divine???!!!) inspiration wall. Note the lovely teal and lime green wall. I say it adds to the designer feel! annnd some of the pattern design changes I made. We reshaped the bodice front to a sweetheart neckline, and the bodice back to incorporate a lower gradually curved lace up back instead of a straight across zip/button back. I really must visit Kate's friend Laura to examine her lace up back for spacing reccomendations.
The bodice turned out FABULOUS!!!!! Cotton batiste covering with a cotton flannel underlining. I forgot to count the boning - I used a combination of rigaline (too lazy to check the spelling!) and some metal spriral boning. I think there are 11 or 13 pieces altogether. It fit like a dream the first time around!
And now the crinoline. I was making one however it was not "poufy enough"- kate's words. I gave in and bought one off of Ebay. We decided to go with the Extra Full one - why, I will never know! I think we were thinking vendors would "cheat" on their idea of full- but they did not! It came in a teensy tiny bag. Already we have soaked and straightened it 3 times - it may take a few more tries to get it wrinkle free! I am going to add some length. Even though Kate is not tall, it is about 4 inches too short and I remember someone (on Pattern review?) mentioning that if the crinoline is not long enough, the fashion fabric tends to swoop under when walking.
Oh yes - here is the crinoline..
Whew- enough for now. Tempting you .....I have the fabric sewn, and the seams almost seamfinished. You can see it later!

How did I end up with TWO sewing rooms??!!!

Honestly - it was a gradual thing. I have a great sewing room on the main floor of the house. Built in cabinetry, huge window, room for 3 machines and 2 dress forms. I share half of the room with myself and our business office- 2 computers, three printers and a fax machine. The cabinetry was actually designed for us and featured at a local home and garden show as a "office and craft room"

So why 2 sewing rooms?

Well you all know that Kate is getting married in October. And I am making her dress. And my dress. And Laurens dress.

Perhaps you didn't know that her husband to be works for us. Neither he nor Kate wanted him to see the dress before "The big day" With the anticipation that I would only have one child home for the summer, I decided to designate the small bedroom as "the Wedding Room" I set it up with my extra machine, Kates desk from University and some storage area. It is a GREAT little room - I can disappear and no one remembers where I am.

However - Lauren - who graduates from High School in a few weeks- had originally decided to work at a resort in BC for the summer/fall and put off going to University for a year. All of a sudden she changed her mind and is staying home for the summer and heading off to Carleton in Ottawa in the fall. Of course needs a bed. Then Micaela decided she needed to come home from Vancouver as she is missing us all too much - another bed needed. WELL GIRLS- you will have to do some room sharing for a while. I do remember on our Europe trip when we stayed at the convent- you all were afraid to have your own rooms because you were used to sharing. Well it's sharing time again 'cause I want my 2 sewing rooms!!!!

Fabric and lovely children

What a crazy weather we are having. Yesterday was beautiful, HOT and sunny - that is until my tee-off time. THEN it poured rain. My golf partner- rain or shine unless there is lightning- which there was- decided to forgo the golfing and go straight to the 19th hole - refreshments! We chatted a while then I headed home to clean the office. To reward myself, I pulled out Simplicity 4076 which is the scoop neck with gathers tshirt. I cleaned the office, cut out fabric and sewed the tee all while watching "Dream Girls". BTW not as great a movie as I had anticipated, but the music made it worth the watch. So I ended up with this- Completely wearable- I am going to make the next one a couple of inches longer and do something to make the sleeves more fitted.
I finally got a photo of the fabric I got in Vancouver. No more kitschy souvenir purchases for me on vacation- a nice length of fabric please and thank-you.
I want to make a jacket from it - I need to find a nice fitted but with not too many pieces - pattern.
I found this note on the kitchen table last week. It is so nice to have Kate back home for a while after her being away for 4 years. She is so good to Lauren- most of the time! I think it is hard for Laur being the youngest - and feeling left behind. Kate likes to plan adventures for the two of them - whether it is a hike or a movie or wedding planning- what a sweet young lady she has become!

My big suprise - and it was successful!

I just got back from a surprise visit to Micaela (daughter #2) in Vancouver. Her wonderful, generous boyfriend helped me arrange the surprise. It was so funny to knock on her door at 1am and have her blurt out "MOM- what are YOU doing here"!
We had a perfect week - even the heavy misty days could not stop us. I also got to spend time with my best friend Katrin who was in Vancouver presenting a paper. Silly me- the pictures are on my other computer - but I will post some for sure.
My absolute favourite place that we visited was Bowen Island- It is a 20 minute ferry ride from West Van and I sooooo want to move there- I can see a unique fabric store or town theatre there for sure. I DID call home and tell them to put a For Sale sign up before I got home - but no one listened to me.
I checked out some Vancouvervfabric stores on PatternReview, and managed to get to Elegance Fabric Of course I could not leave there without buying something! I decided on a beautiful Italian cotton in a reversible black and white geometric design for a jacket, and some blue lining fabric for my wool denim from Ann at GeorgeousThings.
I wonder if one can change their blog name? I have decided that seamingly simple sounds too juvenile- There was a shop on (you guessed it) Bowen Island that had the owners name, then underneath was "goldsmith, silversmith, songsmith" I loved it (and it was much better than the van I saw once "Eileen's Bakery and Taxidermy" ouch!
So does "Fabricsmith" sound like it may work? Fashionsmith? couturesmith? hmmm I will have to think on that.

Kallisti quilts

- Is that not a cute quilt?
Another website! Perhaps this is an omen that I have not spent enough time at the sewing machine lately! I did finish a lovely pair of wool pants today though- pics and review to follow later.
Kallisti quilts has uber-lovely fabrics. Leah (who seems to have an adversion to sewing machines) even downloaded a quilt photo to use as our computer display.
I will try to link the URL- hmm for some reason I cannot get hyperlink to work - here is the addy instead http://www.kallistiquilts.com/
The organization of the site is not great- you have to do some digging to find some of the fabrics- I like the Japanese ones best. They would make a great handbag.
Oh yes- a Canadian company- Michelle is (I believe) near Waterloo, Ontario (an hour west of Toronto for all you non Cans)
Lots to do this week- bottling wine for KAtes wedding, our inagural baseball game on Wednesday(go Survivors!) and I think Gordon Lightfoot is in London at the Aeolian Hall on Thursday if anyone is interested....
Later Gator