February [Lost at Sea} dress progress

I had a really productive day at my friends. First I used her white overlocker (she has one set up with white thread and a second set up in dark blue) do finish every possible edge of the Lost at Sea dress.  Then I overlaid the yoke on the bodice front and edge stitched that in navy.

Then I sitched the under bust darts; pressed all the bodice darts so I could stitch the shoulder seams; stitched those seams and made the sleeves. I also got the skirt side seams stitched, and cut out the interfacing for the front bodice facing. Reminded myself that I need to interface the fake skirt front to support that keeping shape and the uncut buttonholes etc.

I tidied all that up and got out her dark blue overlocker, where I finished all the edges I could for the martini dress (where is the bodice fronts? and button/zip) and all the edges I could of the lobster dress bodice/sleeves. I would have done the lobster skirt also, except those seams aren't stitched yet. I'm going to do those tonight.

I was also going to mock the bodice for my next dress, but as I couldn't locate the fabric in the disaster zone that's my sewing room, I decided not to spend any energy on that. I swear that for weeks it's been sitting on top of a fabric pile mocking me. After chatting we came to the conclusion that it's in a corner of a pocket universe with the buttons/neck band/front of the martini dress. If I ignore them they might appear!

Unrelated to clothing I have a single curtain I made in 1988 for the bedroom I had in Surry Hills. It was a narrow window so I only needed a single drop. I've loved wistaria for a very long time, and Sanderson UK had a cotton sateen with rose/wisteria so I splashed the cash. My very first ever job after school was in a custom curtain workroom of a furnishing store. I'd finished high school with good results was told I was "too qualified" for an office job. I think they thought I'd quit and go to university, but I was very shy as well as introverted in those days. Definitely lacked the confidence to do it without any family support - emotional if not financial - and that would never happen. Leaving to go to another city for uni wasn't the issue, but the "you can do it" encouragement.

Anyway back on topic, I spent 2.5 years making curtains, so I made a full length drop and lined it which saved the it from sun damage. I kept that single curtain since mid 1990 even though I had no use for it. Wisteria!!!  The print is definitely dated and there's more wisteria than rose, and it's in very good condition. I've realised that it will make new cushion/bolster covers for my chaise and chair. I even have piping cord somewhere, and long white zippers that I can also use. This isn't a priority unless I need a simple hit for motivation or feel good factor.

oopsie, also known as dyeing didn't go as planned

Here's the before of the gaudy blanket, after rinse/spinning so that it's damp for dyeing. It's no more nor less in your face than when dry.

Then I added the gray dye, and should have listened to my gut feeling of dissolve it in hot water likewise the salt. I didn't because the instructions I skimmed for dying in the machine said not to ... but of course in a top loader then you can add the hot water to agitate before adding the item. My machine also is water conservative, so I switched wash settings a couple of times to increase the wash part of the cycle to about 45 minutes.   The grayed green is exactly what I want, however it's not an even colour ... in real life I don't mind it so much but in the photo it's a bit embarrassing.  Ah well, I've never wanted to live in a pristine Vogue Living style even though this is a bit further away from that than I'd like.