Hitting the Presses

I did something today that I haven't in years-- I purchased a fashion magazine. It was a nice, thick special issue that promised to provide more inspiration per dollar than anything else I could find. Every now and again I realize that I haven't checked in with the rest of the world enough to know how the things I'm pursuing would compare to popular opinion. Also, the truth is, I work best with magazines. I'll find a piece of a picture that will spark my imagination, pair it with something else that's been floating around in my brain, and suddenly I've got something new and fun that I'm pretty sure will be fashionable.

But! I certainly wouldn't consider taking out a subscription. I guess I consider myself creatively independent enough to be able to check in a few times a year to find out the prominent palettes and silhouettes, and make it from there on my own. I think I would feel weighted down and overwhelmed if I succumbed to the need to follow everything that's happening every minute with everyone else. Because if I started, I know I'd be that way. This keeps my mind free for new things.

I also caved because fall is coming! After years of school shopping, August is the time that I crave new clothes--and ballpoint pens and bedsets. So in the next few posts, I'll try to finish out my run of summer thoughts, and move into the more luxurious flavors of autumn. I'm thinking maybe harlequin prints, if you want to learn to make them.

liv-cate

Creative Salsa! On Tomatoes, Tunics, and anything else I can think of

Today is for making salsa! I'm currently searching for some recipes with peaches, mango, and pineapple, as well as the normal tomato variety. I wanted to do some canning, but for simplicity's sake, I think it's going to end up in the freezer.

But before I go, I'm going to include the pattern for the medieval tunic I am wearing, which I have decided makes a cute and comfortable nightshirt you can wear alone or with lounge pants.

Medieval Tunic

You will need 2-2 1/2 yards of a light to medium weight woven fabric, matching thread, and an optional yard of ribbon. 45 inches should be a good fabric width, any other will simply lengthen or shorten your sleeves. The softer the fabric, the better it will look, since this design is very loosely fitted. For a pretty neckline, just search the net to learn more about medieval embroidery methods.

A yard of fabric should give you plenty of length, or you can choose the place on your thigh where you want the tunic hem to fall and measure down to it from your shoulder. Add 3 inches and/or round up to the nearest 1/4 yard. You can always shorten it later.

1: Right sides together, fold your fabric in half widthwise, with the selvage edges running down both sides. The foldline will be your neckhole and the center of your sleeves.

2: Measure around your hips, adding 3 inches or more. (3 in. will give you a rather slim fit around the hips. If you're nervous about it, add 5 or even 7 in. for a looser fit and cut it in as needed later.) Divide this measurement in half, and center it on the bottom of your fabric, drawing lines straight up toward the top fold.

3: Measure around the widest part of your upper arm, adding 2-3 inches. Divide this number in half and measure down from the fold at both sides, drawing a line straight in towards the sides.

4: On one side of the excess fabric, mark a 5 in. x 5 in. square (gusset).

5: Cut out your pieces!

6: Attach gusset squares to shirt at underarm corner, connecting front and back. Pin front to back at gusset corners, sleeve edge and bottom edge. Stitch arm and side seams from gusset corner to end. Trim sleeves to desired length. Turn raw edges of sleeves 1/4 in. and bottom hem 1/2 inch.

Front view gusset

Side view gusset

7: Lay shirt out flat again, still inside out. Mark a half-circle app. 8 in. diameter (depending on the size of your neck, I use a small salad plate as a template, hehe) around the center point of the top fold. Cut through both layers. On front side, make a vertical slit about 6 in. long, or until the shirt slips easily over your head when putting it on. Turn raw edge of circle under 1/4 in. and top of slit 1/2 in., tapering down to nothing at the end of the cut. Stitch.


OR: Fold your ribbon in half and use to encase fabric edges, starting and ending at bottom front of opening. Stitch down near ribbon edge. Use a small, decorative stitch to cover ribbon ends at front.


For a bolder look:

A: Leave bottom hem unfinished. Wearing your shirt, mark where it hits your waist, sew side seams only from underarm to that point, and measure from there to the bottom edge. Take the 2 layers you cut your gussets from, laid out just as they were before, one over the other, measure and cut a rectangle 10 in. wide x the measurement you just made. Pin the sides of the rectangles together. Cut diagonally from one corner to another. Stitch sides where pinned, creating 2 triangular gores 19 in. wide at the bottom. Attach each gore to front and back at side edges. This version look best when worn with a belt.

B: When laying out fabric, make original marks as directed. Leave out gusset squares. Then measure out from underarm corner 2 in. at a 45 degree angle, mark. Shorten sleeve measurement at side by an inch or more. Redraw lines from new sleeve mark to new underarm mark, and down to original bottom edge. Round out underarm corner with the lip of a small plastic cup as a template. Cut, sew side seams, trim sleeves, hem edges, and cut neck as directed.

Hurray!