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24 November 2011

S.A.B.L.E.


While browsing through the sewing lawyer's blog I discovered there's a name for it. What I have, or rather, the state I'm in. This state of having way more fabrics and things than can realistically be made and finished within my lifetime, even if I worked at it every day. It's S.A.B.L.E. Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy. Oi!

Am I there? I have about 6,000 days until I reach the same age at which my mother died. I think I have ~200 fabrics. That gives me about 30 days per fabric. That's not SABLE yet!! Woohooo!!! In fact, it is about right, at my current level of cluelessness it does take me about 1 month to make each item I attempt. Of course if I add the ~70 yarns in my knitting stash I'm down to a bit over 20 days for each project... Or if I am not as lucky as my mother and my time comes sooner...

Back to positive thoughts, let these good news not be an excuse to go on a shopping spree. Keep focused: one garment at a time. One beautiful item at a time.

Later that day... yup, it sounded too good to be true and it was. Saying "about 200" is true only if "about" means "85% off"! I just counted the fabrics in my stash and the number is about 378 (a few fabric lengths might be hiding here and there). So, with this revised figure I'm down to ~15 days per fabric and given my current level of cluelessness that is not realistic.

So there you have it, I am veering dangerously close to SABLE. Oh wait! This doesn't count all the gorgeous clothes from my mom that I hope to alter to fit! ... Ugh ...

Then it's official, I'm fully in SABLE territory.

Sigh...

I did see some rather ugly fabrics during my stash check. Maybe I can donate some to the charity shop...

20 November 2011

Plumbago long summer dress

My name is Lucia. I am a fabricholic. I buy and buy fabrics and never finish anything. Here is to changing that!

I have a great long summer dress by Evan Picone. It is so comfy and yet can still look stylish even in 40C weather. But I bought it sometime in 1997-98 and its age is beginning to show. I shouldn't complain, I throw it in the washer... delicate cycle, but still. Anyway, I bought a nice border print in plumbago blue around the same time (yes, I know, shame on me) and it is time to make a replacement for my dear old Evan Picone.

I copied the original using cotton muslin, corrected the trace of the curves a bit and voila! There are front and back darts at the waist, and only three seams: sides and back. Not much to it. The dress is lined and there are neck and armhole facings.

The blue border print is more fluid than the original fabric, but it still hangs nicely on me (a pear who cannot wear anything clingy around the hips!). I love it! If only the summer could get here faster... Come to think of it, I have another border print (black scribbles on gray, with a Japanese vibe) that I might want to use for another copy of the trusty old Evan Picone...