The Cashmere Jacket, Just Starting

Nancy Zieman lit my fire. For the past two weeks she has been teaching the Pivot and Slide method of fitting on her program. Watch mine on Public TV. I discovered this method of fit years ago from her earlier programs. I am so glad that she is presenting it again. I feel it is a method that is easy and provides success for most fitting issues. When I started using her method way back when, I finally was able to make sewn clothing that fit.

I started by taking my measurements. It's been a while (blush). Do we really want to know our measurements? After the trauma of increased post menopausal waistline, no growth in the hips, yippee, and some sagging boobiolas, we were ready to go with a size 6, per Ms. Nancy. I made my chart and it let me know how many inches, actually less than inches, to add to each of the twelve vertical seams. Aren't those princess seams special?

First I cut out and ironed every piece needed for the size 6 jacket. Then I traced around it with a blue pen onto what I thought was PatternEase. Turns out it was Decor Bond. That's OK because it was all DH's fault for not putting a new lightbulb in my back storage room. I think he thinks I won't put any more fabric back there if he keeps it in the dark! After I traced around every pattern piece I got out my pins and my pinnable mat and laid the actual pattern pieces over the tracings. I pinned. I pivoted. I slid. I used my second pen, a red one, just like Nancy said, to trace the new cutting line. I had so many adjustments to do that I wondered if this would really work. I think it did.

Next step, at least the way I do it, is to take what should have been Pattern Ease and stitch it together with a 4.5 stitch just like I was making the jacket. Then came the try on, the look in the mirror, and the thankful smile that Nancy was right, or at least it seems so far.

The cashmere coat has now turned into a jacket, which is fine. I also changed patterns to Simplicity 2812. There really is no view as this pattern gives you the options of various bodices and pocket treatments. I am doing the brown quilted one in the center. I like the vertical lines of the pocket welts, the princess seams, raised waistline, and the stand up collar. It is also a classic design, so worthy of the cashmere. Once the coat is done I will decide if I want a fur collar or just a fur hat. I am leaning toward a fabric collar and the fox fur hat. At the rate I am going on this project, Ole Man Winter will have me wanting a fur collar and hat!.......

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We had some dreary rainy weather yesterday. Around noon I got in the car to hit our tiny post office, catch up on gossip, and pick up the mail. I usually back track right back to the house but decided to drive the loop around our little village of three hundred fifty people. This road reaches a point where it turns to dirt for a few miles and there is not a home around. I thought the view of this misty, orange crowned road was just gorgeous. Time to share.(enlarge to appreciate)..................Bunny