May 1st, Vogue 9133

It's my birthday today and here I am with my "Serious Grilling Weber Starter Kit" which is either a sign summer is coming or Mr Carmencitab's hint at what he'd like to eat.

I should really make this again AS intended, which is in a nice yellow knit. I have been walking around fabric stores with this pattern in hand for years, yes I carry my patterns, looking for a suitable knit and so far, I've had no luck. I would love to make the combo dress-coat and go to lunch. It does look like the perfect lunch outfit. As it is, in a light japanese cotton plaid with paisley print, it's stiff and really, I should go looking for a belt.

Good Idea : Me-Made-May!!!

While procrastinating and reading all the sewing tips and ideas and articles on the Interweb, I stumbled accross this great idea that Zoe had over at So Zo : wear a garment you have made every day in May. The idea is soooo fab, that the Flickr Group now has 43 members.

I chose to do the lite version, where I'll wear one thing I have made everyday.

I dusted up my Flickr account in preparation, downloaded the iPhone app for instant 'in situ' updates and might even put up a widget on here if I don't procrastinate too much about it!

I am psyched!

Vogue Couturier Jean Muir 2883

I have a thing for Jean Muir patterns, I really like making them. They are very complicated, beautifully drafted, very feminine and when I made this one, in 2003, Jojovich-Hawk was the new fashion house and I thought they were heavily borrowing.

The only change I made to the pattern is that I put in an invisible zipper but, this was before I got the wonderful plastic invisible zipper foot, so it's a little askew.

I love this dress, I made it out of a really soft rayon knit that feels really good on the skin, but I hardly ever wear it, it makes me look like a grieving widow.

I wore it yesterday though, for yesterday I went to Noëlle's funeral. Noëlle was a fine woman, one of the first person to be very nice to me when I moved here and I will forever be thankful for her warm welcome.

Sewing in Paris

PHOTO DE LAURENCE TARQUIN VON THOMAS

So you are in Paris, France. You've just spent a whole day in Marché St-Pierre and your stash is this much higher and you want to start sewing right away? Go to Canal St-Martin and drop by The Sweat Shop, a "couture café", a cybercafé for seamstresses. It's got a cutting table, 10 Singer workstations you can rent by the hour, coffee and cake. What else do you need?