I finally found the pattern for Miriam’s pants, after some
searching because I had not put it in the pattern folder for the pattern I had
used. It was in a reasonable place but I
did not label it so there was still a bit of shuffling and comparing to other
patterns before I was certain I had the right thing. Once I marked the darts I labeled the pattern
and marked it clearly so I can use it in the future.
Having found that pattern in a box filled with odd tracings
of various garments that I hope to recreate someday, and other similar half-drawings
of patterns I gathered them all up today, spread out each tracing or pattern,
and clearly marked the alterations or traced them squarely and neatly so that
they can be used as future patterns and templates.
There was a favorite top of Miriam’s I had traced off years
ago, but never really neatened up the lines or labeled the pieces. It took a little effort to figure out what
was what. Now I have neat lines, clear
marks, and pieces that are labeled and go together. I am still undecided as to whether I like the
thin fiberglass material “soil separator paper” better than paper. It doesn’t tear or wrinkle; it sticks to
fabric better, but it is harder to see the writing and notes on it. I suppose if I buy a different kind of
marking pen that might work better. If
anyone reading this has an opinion or preference on this let me know.
There were also a couple of patterns I had traced and/or
altered and I had made rough notes as to the corrections, cryptic things like
“move dart 1” left”, and “raise shoulder ½” on right, 1” on left”, but had
never gotten around to actually fixing the pattern and re-tracing it with the
corrections. I am sure I just got busy,
or I had to move my stuff off the kitchen island to make dinner and I didn’t
get back to it.
The kitchen island is the most heavily used piece of
furniture in our house. I cook a
lot. It is right at the top of the
stairs from the garage so everything coming into the house gets deposited there
before it is transferred elsewhere. G
likes to stand in the kitchen and read the papers on the island. The cardboard is tied up for recycling there,
as it is a big surface. G also likes to
bring the press down from my sewing room and iron his shirts on the island,
hopefully while I am puttering about making dinner.
One of the reason’s I want a cutting table in my sewing room
is that I don’t have to schedule “island time” for myself. Whether or not this will actually make me
more efficient and encourage me to finish the projects I have started, whether
or not I will actually label things and put them away, or if instead I will
continue to pile things up and move on to new projects before I have finished
the old all has yet to be seen. I do
know I will continue to sew either way. I cut on the floor and sewed on the card table or the coffee table or
the dining table, wherever I could find, for years. I use the island. I use my sewing room. I am very fortunate to have a room to
sew. I don’t feel guilty, even when I am
not using it. We have the house, the
kids are grown. The rooms don’t just
disappear when the children move out; the parents just kind of expand their
activities to fill all the available nooks and crannies.