Just another Sunday at our house...

Happy Sunday, readers!  Here's what's happening at this very moment at Chez MPB:

Michael is in an iPhone 4 trance from which he should emerge any day now.  In his defense, he just received it.

At his feet, Willy and Freddy nap and digest their morning meal.  Can't last long enough!

And what of me?

Studying, studying, studying for the big exam!

Yesterday I went back to the fabric store in search of the perfect poly chiffon for the yoke of my McCall Twenties dress.  But my favorite fabric dive was closed!  So I had to shop elsewhere.  I realize why people shop at normal fabric stores.  You ask for pink poly chiffon and that's exactly what they show you; you don't dig among the remnant bolts and hope for the best.  But you pay for the convenience.

I bought one yard of this:



It's a salmony pink sheer poly chiffon (Or is it poly organza?  Is there a difference?).  It's diaphanous but also quite sturdy, with lovely drape.  In fact, I'm thinking of doing not only the yoke with it, but the sleeves as well.  Do you like that idea or should I do the sleeves in the dotted chiffon?



Nice, right?  (The sheer chiffon photographs bluish there but they match extremely well in normal light.)

I've been experimenting with a lot of different seam finishes.  First, I tried various commercial double-folded bias.





These were too heavy.  Self-fabric bias works best.



I think if I use any bias, rather than fold over and topstitch, I'll stitch it to the outside, right sides together, fold it over, and then catch stitch it by hand on the inside.  I don't like topstitching, even with matching thread, for this dress.  (We're talking primarily about the neckline.)

I also like this (see below), which is just folding the edge over and stitching, leaving a clean raw edge on the inside.  Would that make me a bad person?   I like it because it's light, especially for that extra panel under the waistline that creates the lovely drapey effect, as well as the long sash.



I'll probably reinforce critical seams with rayon Hug Snug stay tape if need be.

As for the main seams, I'm not sure.  The front and back panels have underlining, and I may just have plain seams and finish them in a simple and light way; nothing fancy.



That's it for today, readers!  Michael seems to be emerging from his stupor, so I should check in with him; at least to say hi.   Hopefully I'll make some progress on "Polly Chiffon" today.

Have a great day, everybody!

Little librarians, take heed...