Initially I found a free baby pinafore pattern, but after I printed and cut out the pattern tissue, I couldn’t tell if it would be big enough or not. So I decided to take the safe route and buy a pattern.

I chose the pattern tissue from M2213, view D (in size small) to cut the fabric and the lining, but then I sewed it together as I wanted. The original pattern has open side seams with fabric ties, but I didn’t like that design, so I simply sewed it as a pinafore with buttoned shoulder straps. It took me longer to cut the fabric than to sew it together, but perhaps that’s because I hate cutting out fabric. The odd thing is, I hate cutting out fabric so much that I often put the project aside indefinitely after I finish cutting because I am so sick of it by that point. Maybe I hate cutting because I have so many projects cut but never sewn!

The lining is a lightweight cotton gingham from my fabric stash. Although it doesn’t exactly match, I decided it was unlikely people would notice the lining. I had some cute baby buttons in my button box, but decided to go with the plainest buttons possible: 3/4″ navy blue, shank buttons. Plain definitely looks best, methinks.

I can’t tell you whether or not I’m happy with the finished product since I haven’t seen what it looks like in action, but if it fits properly, I’ll be very happy with it. Her mother says it is still a bit big for her now, so maybe she’ll grow into it by Spring.

It’s such a soft corduroy that I’m tempted to get some more to make something for myself. I have a few scraps left over, so maybe I could put those to good use.

I’ve wandered around Denver, its north metro area (Westminster, Broomfield, Louisville, Superior), and Boulder. In summary, the good food can be found in lower downtown Denver and in Boulder. We have good shopping right here, down the street, in Broomfield and Superior. From now on I plan to avoid Westminster if possible. A side note here that I was mistaken in thinking that Colorado is a state full of rich, white people.

So what do you want to know about the place? Would you like to know where to peruse a full selection of French magazines in a warm, cozy bookshop? If so, I recommend Tattered Cover Book Store. Would you like to watch a movie at a theater full of teenagers, lacking in sufficient parking, and with an absent valet? If so, then I recommend AMC Westminster Promenade 24. Would you like to have a delicious and authentic Ethiopian supper? Then I recommend Ras Kassa’s Ethiopia Restaurant in Boulder. Would you like to shop for fabric and yarn in a locally owned shop that specializes in eco-friendly and socially conscious yarns? Then I recommend Fancy Tiger Crafts.

Fancy Tiger Crafts, in Denver on the border of Speer and Baker neighborhoods, is a fairly small shop with lots to explore. I especially enjoyed their sewing sections, including lots of books and patterns. They have those really cute Amy Butler patterns which I cannot afford. I loved all their unique and modern oilcloth, so come springtime, I plan to make an outdoor table cloth and chair covers on my balcony café table. For now I purchased some Cascade Yarns Eco Alpaca and a cute, cute, cute yard of pincord corduroy (22 wale per inch), printed with matroiska dolls and ponies. What should I make with my new treasures?

ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT I BOUGHT?

Patience!

First I have to confess to you I’m engaging in crazy behavior by joining the Chanel Sew-Along, a group of sewists who are all working to create their own Chanel style jacket by November 15th-ish. I decided to join because I need an unnecessary and unachievable deadline on my shoulders at the same time I’m starting a new job (with travel required). Perfectly sensible, I think. It takes a professional, experienced couture tailor about 100-150 hours to create one of these masterpieces, so I guestimate it’ll take me about 700 hours. This is fun, isn’t it?

OK, your patience has now paid off. Here’s what I got at Textile Fabrics:

• Cotton-blend tweedy fabric for my Chanel jacket.
• Silk lining fabric in olive.
• Silk thread, olive for seaming and white for basting.
• Pins for silk.
• Trim.
• Long, thin basting needles.

I still have a lot to do before I’ll be ready to cut any fabric:

• Get a real dress form.
• Decide on the pattern. (I have almost decided on using Vogue 8259 with modifications for the neck and button band.)
• Read up on Chanel jacket making and on Chanel herself: books, articles, and blogs. For someone who hasn’t sewn much, I have a ton of resources on hand, including several Threads magazines and Couture Sewing Techniques by Shaeffer.
• Buy a walking foot. I will call my local Viking dealer tomorrow and inquire about it.
• Find some awesome buttons.
• Figure out how to do an customised FBA for myself. Ugh, I need a lot of adjustments here and I’ve never been able to do it with great success.
• Buy a good muslin for mocking up my jacket.

For a muslin fabric, I asked the ladies at Textile Fabric for a suggestion on an inexpensive fabric type similar to my cotton-blend. They looked at me like I was an alien, so I guess I’m on my own for this one. I’ll search my stash first to see if I can find something of a similar weight, but I may end up going back to Tennessee for another quick fabric trip.

• Project Details: An all cotton sun hat to save my hair from any more fading.
• Pattern: This hat was made from Vogue pattern 7600 (V7600).
• Fabric: As called for, I used 100% cotton: Alexander Henry’s “All Cotton” in blue 1696A.
• Lining: I used some light moss green batiste from my mom’s scraps.
• Notions: ribbon. The pattern envelope didn’t call for ribbon, so this notion was a surprise in the instructions. I used some ⅞” striped, brown ribbon I had on hand.



• Pattern Description: There are four hats in this pattern by Patricia Underwood. I chose the hat designed with a large brim and a flat top crown. There’s a lotta lotta topstitching that’s both decorative and functional. This pattern uses quite a bit of fabric and interfacing because you have to cut out big, round pieces.
• FO looks like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope? Yes, I think my finished hat does look like the pattern envelope hat although I can’t get my brim to turn up so evenly. It’s all in the topstitching, methinks.



• Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, the instructions were easy enough to follow, but the notions list was incomplete.
• My particular likes / dislikes about the pattern: I forgot to read the pre-instructions, so I stitched a seam or two before I realized the seam allowance is ½” instead of ⅝”. It was easy enough to fix since I caught my mistake early. I don’t like incomplete notions lists, but I do like all the topstitching even though it took me about 2 hours to do it all. I think it looks great with the brim turned up, but if you leave the brim straight, it is very floppy.



• My pattern alterations / design changes: No mods! Can you believe it?
• Would I sew it again or recommend it to others? Yes, I think I would sew this sun hat pattern again. (I don’t think I’d ever sew the turban in this pattern.) I made the smallest size (21 ½” head circumference) even though my head circumference is 21 ¾”. It’s a smidgeon too tight, so I may make the medium size next time (22 ½”).