Prep and more prep

Every day I get more comfortable with the notion of being focused next year – and my plan of four vests still feels good. This weekend, I’m spending time with Jeane again (and she’s going to come and play with us here, too!) and we talked about The Plan, The Vests and ways to narrow it down even more. I’m now thinking about a single pattern. Each vest will be cut and constructed in the same manner and that allows for another bit of learning – experiencing how each fabric has it’s own requirements when becoming a garment. Ease, finishing, etc. are all driven in some part by the fabric; these four vests will help me to get my head around that part of the process. Tomorrow morning we’ll draft the vest pattern and my homework between now and January 1 will be to cut and sew the toile, and possibly a finished piece from commercial fabric, so that I have my “control”. It will be a simple waistcoat – fronts lined, the back either the lining fabric or something else (I could do otherwise, if I chose), v-neck. A perfect canvas for experimenting. We’re also talking a bit about starting to narrow the experiment further and I think that I’ll start with one that is wool, one that is linen. The first one because it’s comfortable and I feel confident about being able to sort it and the second because I’m nervous and it’s almost totally new. That should bracket things nicely. It’s also an excuse to get out the dyes. It feels like the plan is coming together nicely. And thinking about this focused, directed weaving was so wonderful that I ran an extra mile today. Because I missed my turn. Because I was happy at the thought of doing the work. Thanks for the kick in the butt, Lynn.