Shirt, Skirt, Suit and Wool

There it is - the finished shirt. It's very casual - he'll likely only wear it cycling. But that's what it was made for - cycling. It's very lightweight cotton seersucker and will billow in the breeze created while riding. If it ever gets hot again here, he'll enjoy wearing it, even if he does think it's a little too bright (it does look a lot more Yellow and Green in real life!).

Ever since the last Darrell Thomas newsletter, I have been thinking about the beautiful designer wool I bought and had stashed in the original DT paper bag, complete with lining and zipper and buttons. I know I bought it while I was still working downtown so that means it was before 2004. I hauled it out (I think there is about 3 metres of it) and decided to WASH it. I hate having to dry clean clothes so I washed it. I know! But I am brave. I put it on the gentle cycle with cold water and only for about 10 minutes. THEN -- I put it in the dryer. I KNOW! But it survived, even if it is a tiny bit fluffy now. I think a good steam pressing will take care of fluffy. See? It still looks lovely. It is a very dark navy. I was having fears about cutting into it but now that I've washed and dried it, that fear is subsiding. Instead, I am excited about making a suit with a jacket and skirt and maybe a third piece, depending on how much fabric I end up with.

I am going to use McCall's pattern 3796 view C or D without any pockets. I have made both views and this jacket fits me very nicely without any altering.

Here it is in raw silk, which I also bought at Darrell Thomas. I made the tiny piping that runs along the lapels and around the pockets.

This raw silk fabric I didn't dare wash so when it gets dirty (which isn't yet) I will dry clean it. I figured however, that wool, which grows on sturdy sheep, ought to be able to stand washing.

In the meantime however, in anticipation of it getting HOT again, I am going to whip up yet another of my flippy summer skirts. I got this fabric recently on sale and it is nicely polished cotton with a tiny bit of Lycra in it. I didn't need the Lycra but got it for the colours. Doesn't it look like something you'd see in Japanese animation on the Internet? Because the skirt panels are cut on the bias, the pattern lines of white daisies will run diagonally across each panel, instead of up and down. I think that will be okay. It's only going to be for casual wear anyway. But it will give me time to work up my courage to cut up the wool.