Tracy Reese eat your heart out

I have to set aside the two Jazz Hall skirts for a while and take a breather. If you sew or have a hobby that involves something whereby you put something together or whatever, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Sometimes things just go wrong and the best thing you can do is STEP AWAY FROM THE BLEEPING PROJECT.

So I prepared to cut out my next January project, the Kristen dress from Burdastyle in a lavender pinstripe tropical wool.

Only, I just couldn't do it.

See, I spent my lunch hour yesterday at Hancock's, collecting my ten Vogue patterns that are on sale through Sunday for $3.99. When they typically retail for $30, that's a great deal.

Nine out of the ten I picked up are designer patterns. I sat staring at the Kristen pattern printout and the fabrics, and knowing in my gut that it just wasn't the right dress for that fabric, I glanced over at my new pile of patterns. Looky who jumped out at me! Vogue 1092.



I know this Tracy Reese pattern is labeled Advanced, which usually means "Hey, unless you have a degree in tailoring and clothing construction and have spent twenty years interning for Ralph Lauren don't even attempt this pattern," but I'm not scared. The stripes! It's perfect for this fabric.

I had one teensy tiny problem. I only had maybe two and half yards of lavender stripe, and to do both the skirt and the jacket I needed at least three and a half, according to the pattern.

I wasn't dissuaded. I cut out the pattern pieces and started laying them out. I decided the skirt was more important to me, and something I'll wear more often, so I cut that first, being extremely careful to waste not one inch of fabric.

Then I started looking through the remaining pattern pieces for the jacket. I set aside lining pieces, and there were three things left - facings and sleeve stays. Voila! These could be made out of a different fabric than the stripe and the only person who would know is someone who would see me in a dressing room somewhere. And they might think it was done on purpose to be flashy.

So here I sit, with my Tracy Reese skirt and jacket ensemble cut out and ready to go. The rules are you always start with the hardest piece first. I will be breaking the rules on this one, and making the skirt first. After all, I need some instant gratification and a relief from the frustration of the stinking Jazz Hall skirt.

- H