Fabrics, Patterns, and lack of sewing

There has.precious little sewing the past two days; in fact the only action the sewing machine has seen has been mending and alterations, two of my least favorite tasks.  Generally speaking I would rather make something new than mend anything.  Unfortunately that is rarely practical.

Michael Bearman of Michael’s Fabrics  called on Tuesday and said he had some wonderful Agnona double faced cashmere in coating weights and asked if I was interested in seeing swatches.  Of course I said yes.  I immediately thought of some of the lovely coats and jackets done by Ralph Rucci in double faced cashmere and wondered if would be able to do something inspired by those creations.  The swatches arrived today, I promised to send them back, so they will go back tomorrow.  Unfortunately the fabrics are heavier than I imagined.  I knew they were coatings but I was thinking of a more plush drapey coating and these are thicker and a little stiffer than I wanted.  They are wonderful quality though and come in some absolutely delicious colors.  I admit I am tempted.  But I have far too many coats as it is.

There is one swatch in a kind of chestnut and black which reminds me of a jacket I made a few years ago, the fall Susie Denison got married.  It was chestnut and charcoal gray, merino wool instead of cashmere, but about the same weight and hand of these cashmere swatches. I took it with me to Washington State for the wedding and I wore it a lot that winter, a simple straight jacket, reversible, with a turn-back collar that showed the contrast and cuffs that turned up.  For some odd reason I did not wear it much last winter though, I don’t remember why.  I was looking at it the other day while I was sorting through the closet and made a note to myself to wear it more this year as it goes with so many things in my wardrobe and is so simple and elegant.

I also received the new Marfy catalog this week, on Tuesday, and I need to refine my choices and place an order for the patterns I like.  I will probably order several.  I love seeing new shapes and seaming and looking at how they are done.  I am not convinced that I will ever become someone who will draft most of my own patterns.  I love playing with other people’s ideas too much.  Anyway the Marfy patterns are so well drafted that I love using them and have no qualms about ordering  these patterns.  I will not regret a one.  I want to place the order this week as I know that orders slack off after the catalogs are mailed and this was the second batch sent out.  I missed the first batch by ordering too late.  I had the mistaken idea in my head that I had a standing order and it would just come.  Well, I know better now.