Zoot Suit Pursuit: Day ... something

I've been awake for 27 hours.

The suit is done. Half an hour before Shoryl absolutely had to have it.

Pictures later.

G'night.

Zoot Suit Pursuit: Day 5 & 6

Let's just all agree that days 5 and 6 didn't exist, shall we?

Because otherwise, we'd have to face the startling possibility that an experienced and otherwise competent seamstress could sew the same zipper in incorrectly three different times - in three different ways over the course of two days.

And that's just too horrible to contemplate.



(Though the finished fly is indeed a thing of beauty.)

Zoot Suit Pursuit: Day 4

There are things you think about when starting a new costume: how will it fit, how do I make a men's suit for a woman, how the heck does a fly work, anyway? And then there are things you don't ask yourself until you've actually begun:

How do you see white stitches on white, textured fabric?



Why doesn't my serger have a thread catcher like Every Other serger?



When is Reivyn going to get tired of watching, and actually attempt to pounce the serger? (And if you click to look at the larger image, you'll see that Dan actually caught me glaring at her...)



Why does it look like I've accomplished so little? (Pockets and pleats, and that's about it.)



Wow, watching Mom sew is tiring...



(Tomorrow I'll tell you about the modifications I've made so far to the pattern. Generally speaking - remarkably few.)

Zoot Suit Pursuit: Day 3

The mockup has been completed (well, as completed as a mockup gets, anyway), fitted, and abandoned. However, it did fulfill its intended purpose: it showed me that I was cutting out a size that was too small. Mrph. Apparently, pattern designers think men don't have hips. Which is fine with me. However, considering this is for Shoryl, who has hips, some adjustments had to be made.

So I'm going up a few sizes, and going from there. And, because I'm insane, I'm not making another mockup, I'm just cutting directly from the fabric now. In theory, all I'll need to do is take the pants in a bit if they're too large. In theory. (Gods, I hate theories.)

To add a bit of complexity (because, y'know, who doesn't need more complexity...) since the suit is going to be white, I don't trust any of my marking pens. So I'm taking time to sew all the little "large dots" and "small dots" and "fold lines" so I'll know where they all are.



We're well into "why the hell do I do this to myself" territory now...

Zoot Suit Pursuit: Day 2

(My thanks to Guinifer for supplying a title that amuses me. :) )

So. I was going to take a day off to sew something other than the zoot suit, right?

Well, that was the plan. But in the blur that my days have become, I managed to buy hand quilting thread rather than thread that can actually be useful. In my sewing machine. So I had another day of work on the suit.

The mockup for the jacket is done:



It doesn't look like much, and it isn't not really. It's just about all the outer pieces that I need to fit it, and that's it. And I hate to say this, but ... Well, this is actually a pretty decent pattern. If you were to line it (which I am) and maybe check the fit of the dart fronts (which I am), this is a pretty good looking jacket.

Except for the collars. The collars do this ... thing. I can't describe it, and I'm still not certain what it is they're doing, despite trying the thing on when my flat patterning skills were defeated. (And that was funny. Shoryl is a small woman. I ... am not.)



I'm confident that I'll be able to figure this out when I'm actually making it (kinda), though it might take more than one try...

Tonight, at least, I will be taking a break from the suit. Then tomorrow is Solstice with Shoryl, and Friday is Solstice with the Temple. Then Saturday begins the week-long insanity so Shoryl will have a suit by New Year's.

I think I need a little lie down.

Zoot Suit Pursuit: Day 1

(Okay, I'm trying to come up with a clever title for this costume diary, but I'm at a loss so far. Suggestions?)

Yesterday, I actually got started. There are 8 possible sewing days between now and delivery. Anybody in a betting mood?

So. Pattern purchased:



As always with commercial costume patterns, this is merely a starting spot. It is, in fact, just a really convenient way for me to know what all the pieces are shaped like. And the idiosyncrasies that pattern companies have never fail to amuse me. Did you know that neither the jacket nor the pants are actually lined, but the fly is? Seriously. And the pants pockets. Suffice to say, their priorities are not mine.

And as always, Step 1 commenced:



Gods above, I hate cutting. Hate it with a passion. Shoryl says I need to become rich and famous overnight so I can hire a cutter draper. I am so there. Seriously. Hate cutting.

Three hours later, I had this:



A pile of white cotton scraps pattern pieces that will someday become a mock-up. Because I am not making this suit without trying to figure it out first.

And that was the entirety of Day 1: cutting. Three solid hours of cutting. On the up side, Shoryl and I discovered that 3 hours is just about what a full charge on her cell takes. Because I was not about to suffer alone.

8 days. Really. I'm insane...

(Please excuse me while I go take care of a different sewing project. Due Friday. What, why are you laughing?)

Hey, remember me?

Hi! It's your crazy costumer-knitter-accountant! School is done as of tomorrow, so I'm going to sit down and relax for the month I have off, right?

...

Right.

If you thought Reconstructing Wonka or the 8-Day Fest Special was insane, try this one on for size:

Shoryl wants a zoot suit. By New Year's Eve. I will be beginning sewing on the 19th.



The fabric has been purchased (the pattern has not). And, just to add complexity, we have a kitten that's never encountered sewing before to deal with, and a brand new serger I don't know how to use. I'll be making fully lined, tailored suit pants and a jacket. The shirts, ties, and handkerchiefs will come later. And she's on her own for accessories. I'm not that insane.

Yes, Christmas is in there, somewhere. Who wants to bet that I'll be sewing at holiday parties?

No, this doesn't even count as Day 0. Just a friendly note to convince y'all that I'm not dead, just still crazy.

Aarlene, I know you're laughing right now.