I lost my sewmojo this week. In theory I could have started on the seams for the farthingale as I'd wanted to do but I just wasn't feeling the love. As the boyf packed his flip flops and jetted off to sunny San Diego, I was planning on a quiet weekend a deux, just me and the Megs, walking and resting and generally behaving ourselves so that there would be not repeats of wonky-T week. None of my online purchases had arrived, I was going to be seriously boring, walk the dog and watch TV.
But instead I have had a lovely, busy day. I got the jobs done; clean bedding, hoovered and dusted and not an unironed piece of clothing in sight. I found paint in garage and finally freshened up all our walls, a promise I've been promising myself for about 6 months now. My dear friend GG stopped by with his wife and boys, as did JB and her two offspring. GG's wife would like chooks so we had a quick Chicken 101, the girls behaved beautifully, apart from a little accident down my trousers!, before piling indoors for tea and biscuits. Five children, four adults, three chooks, Megs, Rascal and a rogue hamster... it was glorious chaos for an hour or so but lovely to have a house full of happy toddlers and laughter. As they left, the postman arrived, with all my parcels including gorgeous new jeans that fit like a glove and my supplies for the farthingale, more later. I spent my afternoon at the antiques market, browsing and talking. Cold weather brings out the chat in people, in between picking up a set of shelves for the 10yr old I heard a ghost story, some gossip, and got a great lead on some antique cabinet knobs; four of which I will be putting up on the bedroom door as hooks. I even got myself a freebie; a lovely doorknob, once brass, but now grey and blue with age. Too "poor" to sell, to lovely to leave... we compromised and I've given it a good home. One winter's walk in the woods with Megs later, and Iwas finally happy to settle and sew.
I ironed all of the seams (six in total) on the farthingale flat.
I then trimmed one side back to 2-4mm from the seam.
I then folded the untrimmed side back over the trimmed side to cover it, tucked it under the trimmed edge and pressed. I slip-stitched it in place. One flat fell seam. Due the way the pattern is cut, three of the seams, as per the one shown in the pictures, had selvedge edges. These I did not tuck under, and neither did I slip stitch them... I cheated and machined them instead. Mixing the old and the new...? Ok, cheating, but 132" of slip stitching was enough, I didn't want to double it if I didn't have to!
Now, back to my deliveries. My parcel from Vena Cava arrived and at first I thought it couldn't contain the boning for the farthingale, it was too small. But, it did. When they described their new boning as small, they meant small. When I read 2.5mm wide, I should have had my eyesight and my brain checked! How I thought that meant something approximating 25mm I just don't know... classic fail! And then I'd ordered 35mm ribbon, to use as a "snug fit" casing for the boning, I'm afraid I got the giggles.
All that said, it is beautifully light, but strong. I love the brass connectors. The ribbon will still work, I will just sew a narrower channel in it for the boning... my oops can become a detail. And most importantly, it's here and the seam are sewn; I can get to work and see if this boning really will do want it needs to do.
In the meantime, the promised snow has arrived. I am tucked up in bed, dobe asleep at my side (currently chasing rabbits in her sleep I think), watching it fall. Sweet dreams everyone.
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