The Shawl Collared Vest - R

Someone slap me when I think "I can whip this out in a day" again. I struggled with the welt pocket with flap and finally ditched the pattern instructions and did my own thing.  I didn't like the lining showing, it wasn't a true welt pocket and I had to make a top flap instead of a bottom flap to cover my mistakes, but here's where it's at so far.   Seems we had a discussion about this....and yes, I am refering to not waiting to start in case it's more difficult than you expect.....

I'm having a bit of a problem melding the two materials together because I bought STRETCH charmeuse instead of regular charmeuse.  I'm making it work.  I also bought a new sewing machine.  My old one had been acting up during  this entire process and needs to go into the shop, but with all the sewing I've got on my plate, I didn't want to give it up for a week.  Besides, I never really liked the way it "plain 'ole sewed" as opposed to the embroidery functions.  It really was designed more for embroidery and less for sewing.  Lisa found me a Janome Magnolia 7318 on sale on Amazon and I bit.  It was delivered on Saturday and I'm in love with it already. Now I'll be able to babysit the embroidery machine while I sew something else. Or have a different color of thread in each machine.  Or two different needles, or.......

The shawl collar came together pretty well.  I only put it on upside down once and caught that before I stitched.  What is with me lately, putting things on backwards or upside down?  It's as if I can't recognize geometry in space anymore.  Weird.

We found a shirt for Roger at a "vintage" store in Berkeley, got it home, washed it, then found a tear in it.  The vest will cover it and I'll put some fabric glue on it.  The cuffs are French, which isn't period, but I don't have time to make him a period correct shirt right now. It is slightly large on him, which I like.

So, here's where I stand: Waiting for dye for bonnet ribbon, working on vest, cutting out Frock Coat this week and taking the machine in to be fixed and maybe finish the corset?. Oh, yeah, and get some exercise in, while I'm at it.  No problem!

I couldn't resist playing with Esmerelda as she stood in the living room.  All the decoration is just pinned on as a first draft of how she could end up.