1932 Draped Wrap and Cape: Pattern Review

1932 Draped Wrap and Cape: Pattern Review

I understand from the pattern proprietor that this pattern was reviewed in Threads magazine in January 2006. They sewed up the wrap in a silk lace that was beautiful. So, if you have that issue or can hunt it down, see what they have to say. Their insight may compliment (or refute) mine. In fact, if you do find the review I would love to see what they said and their photos of the finished product. Please consider sending a scan of it my way. You can email me here.

Pattern Description:
The pattern comes from my favorite company Decades of Style. As the pattern envelope says "This fabulous draped wrap and cape is a vintage style from the sophisticated early 1930s that's perfectly at home today."

I created the draped hip wrap, with a sleeve on one side and a cape treatment on the other. The sleeve is 3/4 length with a bell shape the widens at the exit. The boat neck-style neckline provides a great opportunity to show off your favorite vintage or antique brooch. The pattern is snug-fitting and designed to be worn as a light wrap and not over many layers.

It is a very unique design that (in theory) will work well with everything from jeans to formal evening wear.

Pattern Sizing:
I sewed a size C, designed for up to a 46 inch bust. That is my high bust measurement, but I am also broad shouldered and large busted and I wish I would have opted to sew size D, designed for a 49-55 inch bust. The final wrap was too small for my frame. The pattern ended up fitting my narrow-shouldered mother, probably a 38 inch bust and a size 12 in modern clothing.

The wrap is a very snug fit, so consider sizing up a few sizes. It MUST fit your shoulder width in order to drape as it should, which means you may want to go a few sizes up if you have a broad figure. You will also want to cut a muslin in a draping fabric to test before you cut into anything expensive.

As the pattern envelope says "Choose your size carefully. It makes a difference! "

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing it?
Nope. Sadly my finished product did not have the glamor and easy draping fit shown on the pattern envelope. The front cape treatment did not wrap around the front neck and lay over the shoulder as the pattern illustration describes. You can see images of the in progress garment frustrating me with its ill fit wrapping earlier in my blog here.

I wrote Decades of Style for advice during the fitting process and they kindly wrote back with words of honest reflection and encouragement. They said, "In all honesty, the pattern just did not work the way the illustration showed it – with the ends wrapping around the neck and fitting all smooth and beautiful... I (pattern designer) ended up wearing mine by tying the free ends together in the front either at the waist or up slightly towards my shoulder. It made the wrap look completely different from the illustration but it was still attractive and unusual."

Were the instructions easy to follow?
As with all Decades of Style instructions, I found them well organized, easy to follow, and complete. The large illustrations of each phase of the process make it easy to follow along, even without much sewing experience.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Likes: The concept. The simplicity of the design. The utterly unique vintage style.

Dislikes: Well, the disparity between the pattern illustration and the final fit is a huge disappointment. It is like false advertising when a pattern illustration looks differently from the final product.

The fit of the wrap is very difficult, especially around the shoulders and the bust. For my large busted figure, I just could not make it work. This is not necessarily a flaw of the pattern, but rather a flaw of my shape in combo with the wrap.

Additionally, even on my narrow and smaller mother, the wrap still pulls on the body as it is worn. As mentioned, the final product fits my mother very nicely and she has adopted the garment and is modeling in these photos. Unfortunately, as she wears the well-fitting wrap, it still pulls on the body. The inside of the wrap that attaches underneath her sleeved arms to hold the garment closed wants to pull askew forward. Something about the physics of the long wrap portion makes the garment want to shift out of whack. I am not an expert seamstress, so I have not exactly figured out what is happening or how to fix it, but I do know that this wrap is the kind of piece that will need constantly adjusted while wearing to keep it in place. That is never the optimal situation.

Fabric Used:
The pattern suggests to choose a fabric with a nice drape, anything from velvet to wool, or possibly a corduroy or fleece. I choose a beautiful and softly draping gray wool dotted with flecks of green, red, blue and yellow. For the lining I used a very high quality burgundy rayon. Both were purchased from Elfriede's Fine Fabrics in Boulder, Colorado. It is the only place I want to buy fabric these days, and I don't even live in Colorado! Her staff is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful and she stocks only the highest quality clothing materials. Plus, she has an array of buttons that would make even a non-sewer squeal with delight. The wool worked well for this project, although something with even a looser and softer drape would proably have been even better.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
I ended up putting gathers in the lining rather than darts. Truth be told, at one point I did indeed have darts sewn into that darned rayon lining, but I sewed them in backwards. I had to rip them all out, leaving a bit of a mess in the fabric. My patience level was low, and I am not sure the fabric would have survived additional pinning and restitching of the darts, so I opted to run a gathering stitch the length of the darted area and pull it down to size. It appears to have worked well, and I would almost recommend this as an alternative to darting the lining in the first place. "Why make darts when you don't have to?" is my motto.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
No. I am such a loyal Decades of Style fan that it pains me to say this, but this is not a pattern I recommend. It is just as well I guess, because the pattern is no longer available. It's officially out of print (although with careful searching you can find it still at 3rd party vendors).

Conclusion:
This pattern is a great idea but a flop in its original form. With modification it can bcome a lovely wrap with unique style. A muslin in a draping fabric is a must, and don't forget to watch your shoulder fit carefully.


p.s. I grew up with a Portuguese Water dog - Henry - who looked JUST like this lovely little puppy my Mom sat with in the park for this photo. They are the nicest, sweetest, calmest, most loyal animals. My dad is proud to say that he knew how great Water Dogs were long before Obama did, so he now considers himself trendsetter. My brain went into a time warp when I saw this picture because that dog looks just like Henry did, right down to the red leash and collar and black floppy hair in the eyes. Our Henry has been gone for about a year and a half now and we miss him. So every time we see a Portuguese Water dog we like to stop and say hello and pat their head. It is a little bit like being with Henry again.

Everybody's Favorite Claire McCardell - progress.

Everybody's Favorite Claire McCardell has taken me on a roller coaster of emotions this week. Last week I made my first muslin with hopeful excitement. Then it did not fit quite right and I become a bit despondent. I pulled out my Fit for Real People and started perusing the alterations, wondering what I needed to do to reach a flattering silhouette. But it all seemed so daunting. The muslin looked like an oversize straight jacket. Granted, the muslin still needed a full bust adjustment to even out the proportions, but even with a longer bodice and deeper darts, I still had this issue of an odd armpit fit and too much fabric across the upper chest (see images below for proof). I almost gave up. Almost.

Luckily Threads Magazine and my weekly sewing class restored my faith. Threads is offering a fitting DVD preview with the current issue, and you can find the preview online as well. My "ah-ha" moment came in watching the "Fitting the Torso" section specifically on "Fitting the Shoulders." It turns out that an incorrect fit in the shoulder "rise" can cause many problems in the chest and upper back that look like bust fit issues, but are really shoulder fit issues. Simply increasing or decreasing the slope of the shoulder patter can correct the fit.

Inspired, my sewing instructor Lovita traced my shoulder silhouette on some butcher paper on the wall and we created a shoulder map. In laying the pattern against my shoulder map as instructed in the video, we indeed found disparity between the two. In turns out that my shoulders have a more severe downward slope than the pattern, and there is a good couple of inches of excess fabric between the pattern's should slope and mine. This accounts for the pouches of fabric gathering over my bust line!

We did some other measuring, and we think that my back is a smaller pattern size than my front by a size or two. Also, we already know the pattern will require a full bust adjustment AND a full waist adjustment.

So, I went to Kinkos yesterday and for $12 I had the front and back pattern pieces copied twice, to give me the freedom to slash, spread, move and modify without fear. I am taking today off from work and plan to do some alterations (just as soon as I get back from the gym, which is yet another way to try and make patterns fit. Wink.). The next step will be to trace the altered pattern piece onto a soft fabric tracing material to construct a lightweight muslin. This will give me something form fitting to allow for final alterations. Next, I will sew a full blown fabric muslin from this altered fabric pattern, make any final changes, and FINALLY move onto my well fitting final garment.

I am invigorated and again hopeful that I can make this dress work. Claire McCardell was after all a genius of simple and flattering design, and I would be honored to wear her dress. I have two versions of it planned in my mind already. One will become my little black dress and include the full 3/4 sleeves and the fitted straight skirt with the pleats in the back. I will make this in a high quality raw silk dupioni. Second, I would like to make the cap sleeved version with a fuller circle or semi-circle skirt in a seersucker, maybe a purple and white or blue and white. And if I get this really well fitted, I also envision making the bodice only a few times over in different shirting materials for work tops. Oh Claire McCardell, you are destine to become not just everyone's favorite, but also MY favorite too!

Areas of poofing and pulling due to excess shoulder material.

Lauren's getting hitched.

My lovely friend Lauren's is getting hitched in a few short weeks, so we had to have a bridal shower of course. Sunday I co-hosted an intimate champagne brunch with our friend Melissa in honor of Lauren. Friends dropped by for games, food, and of course gifts. On the menu, we served:

Blueberry Muffins
Ham and Gruyere Quiche
Individual French Toast Casseroles
Prosciutto-wrapped Grilled Asparagus
Fresh Berries with Lemon Curd
Frosted Brownies
Cigar Cookies
Mimosas
Cafe au Laits

The menu was lovely, and just perfect for a brunch like this. The quiche can be made a few hours before the party and served room temperature. The muffins can bake a day ahead. The brownies were baked and frosted the night before and cut and displayed just before guests arrived. Also, the french toast casserole is prepared and chilled overnight, so it can be popped in the oven as guests arrive and effortlessly served warm straight from the oven. And finally, the lemon curd is made the day before to chill and set.

I had never made a lemon curd before, but I think it is the perfect accent for a spring brunch. I am now on the quest for the perfect lemon curd. It is such a delicious and beautiful food with such an abysmal name. It is a shame really. I mean, by definition curd is the thick remains from coagulated milk, and I am sure you agree that anything coagulated is pretty gross. But Lemon Curd is utterly delicious, and far from gross. With its sunny yellow color, silky rich texture, and tart and sweet flavor, it embodies the essence of spring. When I served it up on Sunday I almost felt like tulips and iris and daffodils and small fuzzy bunnies and little downy chicks should spring from the bowl of curd. That is how much it reminds me of spring.

The food was delicious and I am proud it was all homemade (except the cigar cookies!). But the best part was champagne in the morning. I probably drank 5 mimosa throughout the party. That would explain why I broke my hubby's favorite mug as I did the dishes later that afternoon, and why I had a headache at 5:30. Drinking early in the day is a once in a while treat that always reminds me why I am not a day drinker. There is a reason most people like to binge and then sleep it off. Coming down from a buzz is just not that comfortable.

A pretty engagement ring on a pretty bride-to-be.

A slightly dirty, very funny wedding mad lib over mimosas.

French Toast Casserole

This is close adaptation to a Paula Dean recipe from the Food Network website, with some slight modifications. The recipe is incredibly rich, and I think it would be entirely feasible to cut back on quite a bit of the fat. First, swap the half-and-half and milk portions and use more milk. The real kicker is the two sticks of butter in the topping. I think you could cut that in half and only serve each person a tablespoon of butter rather than a whole quarter stick. I mean, I know butter is delicious, but that is just gluttonous.

I have left the recipe in its original form intended for a full casserole dish, but for my individual casseroles I cubed the bread and constructed each serving it its own ramekin. I ladled the liquid eveninly amond the dishes and refriderated covered individually. I baked them together on a baking sheet for 20 minutes until they were puffy as the recipe describes. They were perfect! It yields one casserole dish or eight individual servings.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt
• Praline Topping, recipe follows
• Maple syrup

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Post party, my pumps on the floor.

The new girl in the house.

Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado, let me introduce you to the newest little lady in my life. I like to call her Mrs. White, although her birth name in full is White 622. And I am not sure if she would want me to tell you this, as she is a bit shy about her age and origins, but I bought her from Ebay. I know, I know, don't judge her for that! The truth is that she came 100% tuned, cleaned, and ready to stitch. She may not be the newest machine on the block, and she certainly does not have the computer aptitude of younger machines, but she has aged gracefully with white-ish gray silver coloring so classic and becoming on an older lady. She also has a bit of the extra weight you would imagine an older Mrs. White to carry, and when I try to lug her to sewing class it takes two hands and a grunt to lift her into my trunk. No matter, she will either burn off the extra pounds as I sew with her or we will love her regardless of her heft.

She also comes with the experience and expertise common to those with time under their belts. Look at all those stitches! She sews both regular AND stretch (although I can't lie, I tried sewing the stretch this weekend and couldn't really tell a difference. What is stretch sewing?). She can make little scallops and triangles and stitches that look like a EKG monitor. I have the Decades of Style Girl Friday Blouse on my things-to-sew-soon lineup, and I think Mrs. White will be invaluable in decorating the collar.

My old trusty little lady Singer Stylemate 347 is back there too, completely healed and in prime sewing condition. She was on her deathbed just a few short months ago, but I am pleased to say that a trip to Gromes's Sewing Machine Repair in San Antonio healed her good as new. It turns out her timing was off somehow. The technician marveled it could be off so much, as the old Singers are usually very stable. I may never know what threw her into her timing tizzy, but I can tell you that I am happy to have her back. You can tell I like her, as I spent more to repair her than she is technically valued at, but you can hardly put a price on an old tried and true girlfriend, now can you?

Now I get them both of these ladies out on the weekends and set them up side by side. It's like a little sewing circle on my kitchen table with all the girls invited! It is great, I can have them each threaded for a different project and swap between as the mood strikes. The past few weeks have been too busy for sewing, with lots of work projects and family visits, but I am itchin' to sew, and I have fabric, patterns, and inspiration all lined up. So it won't be long until you see the fruits of our labors posted here. Stay tuned, just like these little ladies

A not-so-light but ever-so-good Cassoulet.

Sam and I have a new red pot. It is made of cast iron and enamel, and it matches our red tea kettle and our red spatulas. Naturally, the new red dutch oven deserved a special inaugural cooking, so we made cassoulet.

A cassoulet is, essentially, a really fancy French chili made with the very best ingredients. Now I am sure I just made some fabulouse dead French chef roll over in their grave for saying that, but it is true. A cassoulet is very simply a huge pot of meat and beans, cooked together to form a thick broth and a melding of flavors. It is delicious. Like, really really delicious. The kind of delicious that makes you feel guilty with every bite, but simultaneously sends you back to the kitchen for seconds, and perhaps thirds.

It is good. Melt in your mouth good. Meat falling tenderly from the bone good. I will go so far to say that this cassoulet is even eat-leftovers-out-of-the-pot-cold-in-the-glow-of-the-fridge-light-late-at-night-when-you-know-you-shouldn't-because-you-already-brushed-your-teeth good. And as we all know, that is about as good as it gets.

And what makes it so good, you may ask? First, it's made with the finest ingredients, including bacon, lamb, and duck. Second, it utilized each ingredient for its full flavor value. And yes, when I say full flavor value I am talking about the flavor of fat. To draw out these flavors, first you cook bacon until crispy in your enamel pot. Then, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and brown your lamb cubes in the bacon drippings. Then, remove the lamb and render the fat from your duck breasts in the lamb drippings. Then, naturally, fry your diced onion in the duck fat. Lastly, add in all of the cooked meats, plus sausage, and cook on a low temp under chicken broth for several hours. For a last step you fold in tender and earthy white beans, I suppose to provide some fiber and a counterpoint to the rich flavor of all the fats. All in all, you are left with the most delightful fancy French chili, er, cassoulet you have ever tasted.

Cassoulet
from Cooking Light magazine, January 2009

This classic is the definition of heartiness. It's got creamy beans, luscious duck, spicy sausage, and plenty of garlic, all in a one-pot meal. It cooks for a long time, but a batch made over the weekend will last for days without complaints. Cassoulet serves a large gathering, and leftovers reheat well. Spicy precooked Italian sausage or Polish kielbasa are a close match to the lively garlic sausage from southwestern France traditionally used in this dish. Cassoulet can be prepared two days ahead and refrigerated. Top with breadcrumbs and finish in the oven before serving.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup salt
• 6 (8-ounce) duck leg quarters
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 thick-cut bacon slices, sliced crosswise into (1/2-inch-thick) strips
• 1 (3/4-pound) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into (1-inch) cubes
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup no-salt-added tomato puree
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 4 (15-ounce) cans organic Great Northern beans, drained
• 8 ounces cooked spicy Italian sausage, diagonally sliced
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

Preparation

1. Rub salt evenly over duck; cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook 7 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan using a slotted spoon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add lamb to drippings in pan; cook 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove lamb from pan, and set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 300°.

4. Rinse duck with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Add half of duck, skin side down, to pan; cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until golden brown. Turn duck over, and cook 10 minutes or until browned and fat under skin is melted. Remove duck from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining duck, reserving 1 tablespoon duck fat; set duck aside. Add onion and pepper to pan; cook 7 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato puree and garlic; cook 1 minute. Return lamb to pan. Nestle duck into lamb mixture; add broth and 2 cups water. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours or until lamb and duck are very tender. Remove duck from pan; let stand until tepid. Remove skin from duck; discard. Cut duck legs in half through the joint. Return duck to lamb mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.

5. Increase oven temperature to 375°.

6. Stir 2 cans of beans into lamb mixture. Add bacon, sausage, and duck; top mixture with remaining 2 cans of beans. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over top. Cover and cook 1 hour and 10 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 20 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Wine note: Traditionally, a rustic red from the south of France—a wine with the requisite meatiness and earthiness to mirror the duck and beans—is served with cassoulet. The Cooking Light recipe editor Karen MacNeil loves the Perrin & Fils Gigondas "La Gille" 2005 (Gigondas, France), $28, which is seductively earthy and has wonderful flavors of cherry jam.

Hey Cupcake!

If there is anything that can make a cupcake taste even better, it's ordering it from the window of an airstream trailer, then eating it curbside on South Congress (in Austin), all while watching the hip, beautiful people walk by. Mmmmm, mmmmmmm, it's good.

We purchased two cupcakes the last time we were in Austin - a chocolate cupcake with pink butter cream frosting, and a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting (using the buy one get one free coupon). Both were everything a cupcake should be - moist, sweet, cakey, and precariously balancing a hefty tophat of frosting. Plus, for a small fee, the friendly server injected my cupcake with a substantial squirt of real whipped cream. Hostess cupcakes, you are put to shame!

I am infatuated with this trailer food movement. Austin boasts several airstream trailer eateries that I adore, including a creperie and a snow cone stand. The best part of the airstream setup in each instance is the simplicity of the location. I can't sugarcoat this, Hey Cupcake! inhabits what otherwise is just a dirt lot on the corner of a busy street. At night and after the close of business, the place looks more like the illicit camp of squatting hillbillies than a reputable dining establishment. But during the daylight, the long line stretching around the lot overshadow the ambiance of the local and hint at the delicacies within. The atmosphere is casual, just order your cupcake and squat on the curb for a quick indulgence.

And thanks to the wonder of email marketing, I just got word that Hey Cupcake! is pre-ordering Valentine's Day sweets. You can be my valentine if you bring me a red velvet with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles (but you will never be as sweet as my true Valentine, featured below as he fits an entire cupcake into his mouth).

Asymmetrical Folds Skirt: Pattern Review

Well, would you look at me? I FINALLY finished sewing another garment. This one was, for the most part, a piece of cake. I started the project over Christmas break when I had two weeks off from work, and I completed almost all of it on my own. However, the button holes proved tricky on my vintage machines and I had to wait and call in the assistance of the Alamo Stitchin' Post to put the finishing touches on it last weekend. But now this beauty is finished and ready for wearing. My parents are coming at the end of the month and I think I will take them out for a night on the town in this little green lovely. Don't forget to peak at the lining in the photos below.

Asymmetrical Folds Skirt: Pattern Review

Pattern Description:
The pattern comes from the inaugural issue of Stitch magazine, a new publication from Quilting Arts that is "A special issue devoted to the creative possibilities of sewing wearables, home décor, accessories, and gifts." The skirt is featured on the cover, and from page 39 in the magazine "Add a modern twist to the classic wrap skirt by working all the angles. Asymmetrical folds that button down the side, the shaped hem, and contrast lining guarantee you'll be a standout in any crowd."

In more descriptive words, the skirt is a take on the basic wrap with more decorative closure, including a four-buttons detail securing the outer wrap to the base of the skirt along the thigh. Each buttonhole is made near the edge of the skirt, through folds of doubled over fabric. Part of the lining thus shows with each fold, and the hem is raised asymmetrically into a gentle arc as a result of the doubling-up of layers on the edge. Think of the asymmetrical folds and buttons as large scale ruching, as they achieve a flattering gather and drape of fabric across the midsection.

Pattern Sizing:
The skirt comes in five sizes XS (26 3/4 inch waist) to XL (38 1/2 inch waist). I found the sizing to run very large, which almost never happens. I made a muslin and added several extra inches on each pattern piece to accommodate my wide waist (My own waist measurement is significantly greater than the pattern's XL). However I ended up taking off almost all of the additional inches to keep the seams in line with my hips and the wrap closure where it should on the outer thigh. I think the pattern runs very big. I recommend at least doing a rough guess tissue fitting to measure your size before you cut fabric.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing it?
Absolutely. Down to the last stitch.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
The skirt is simple, as were the instructions. The most difficult part of the instructions is tracing the skirt pattern from the enclosed multi-pattern insert. This was my first time tracing a pattern from a magazine insert, and holy moly, finding the appropriate markings on the insert felt like brain surgery.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Likes: I just love the drape and style of the skirt. The pretty Grecian-style drapes along the mid section camouflage a poochy, and the asymmetry creates a nice visual line down to the calf. The cut is flattering for all shapes and sizes. I like that the pattern was a piece of cake to cut and sew, with only three major elements plus facings. I lined my entire skirt in a rose print, rather than only adding facings, so I also love having the secret pleasure of a pretty lining peaking through. What fun!

Dislikes: I hated tracing the pattern from the magazine foldout, but luckily a simple A-line wrap uses very few pieces and is a simple shape. Even with the pain of tracing, I adore the fact that the pattern came with the magazine at such a responsible price, so I can't complain too much.

Fabric Used:
I strayed into synthetics for this project, something I almost never do, but I loved the color, pattern, and texture of my materials. The outside of the skirt is a deep green polyester velvet. The inside is a synthetic "silky" bold rose print that is less slippery than rayon or silk, but still very soft for a lining.

This was my first time working with either material, and the velvet proved challenging 1) because it slipped everywhere as I sewed, so I had to pin baste the heck out of it to keep a 1/2 seam allowance from slipping to a 1/16 seam allowance, 2) because it also made a very thick base for buttonholes when doubled over in the folds (see closeup photo). I actually had to take my skirt to a local shop to have the buttonholes made on a brand new Husqvarna Viking machine. Even then it took several hours of practice to find a machine that could stitch through the thick, slippery folds. Nonetheless, I have been craving a velvet skirt and I am pleased with the final product.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
An important heads up – the pattern pieces for the skirt facing and interfacing are shorter than the actual skirt, but they should be the same. Make sure you measure and make adjustments before cutting out the facing pieces. A formal correction is available on the Stitch website at http://quiltingarts.com/stitch/corrections/winter08.html.

With that said, I lined the entire skirt rather than only lining the facing area. I liked the rose print silky fabric so much, and wanted to keep the entire skirt very formal. Velvet and synthetic "silk" have so much drape that I feared the lining would flop about if not anchored to the entire skirt, so I opted for full lining. Plus, it is just so lavish and fun to have a skirt with an inside that looks as beautiful as the outside. Now I don't mind if my wrap flies up a bit or slides apart a bit as I walk or sit, in fact I welcome a bit of the lining to show more!

As mentioned in the sizing section, I also attempted to size up the skirt to meet my measurements by adding a few inches to each piece, but found it too big, so I sized back down to the XL as designed. The XL ended up fitting perfectly.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, and I had better sew it again. I spent at least five hours tracing the pattern from the magazine insert, resizing, adjusting, sewing the muslin, and retracing the final pattern. The actual skirt only took about an hour and a half to sew, including hemming (not including the button holes, but that a whole other story). In order to make my efforts worth the time, I BETTER sew it again!

I actually look forward to sewing this in a crisper cotton with a solid facing or lining. The cover of Stitch magazine features a grey cotton/silk blend skirt with bright yellow facing, and the color just pops. It is beautiful. This skirt needs a bold lining to highlight the design details. I am wondering if a pattern would also be fun. I have some Alexander Henry yellow and green bird fabric I have been itching to use, so it might become my new summer wrap.

Conclusion:
This is a fun and simple skirt with more personality than your average wrap. I think it works for work, dress up, and play depending on fabric. Best yet, it is a great project for beginners that offers more style than the average beginner project.


Photos courtesy of my wonderful husband. He knows how to make me look good. :) Thanks Sam!

My atomic print aspirations.

Next up in my rotation is this lovely full skirted shirt dress of sorts, made out of this fun and happy red, white, and blue cloth. I love the fabric. It is an old duvet cover I picked up at the thrift store for $5, so I am using it for the muslin, in secret hopes that it can double as a real dress upon completion. I think the print might count as a "1950's atomic print" although I have to confess that I honestly do not know what that means. From what I can tell, "atomic print" means a semi-busy, smallish, colorful, geometrically inspired print that must in some way look futuristic to a 1950's mindset. I think the futuristic part is important...that's the best I can come up with, as I imagine the 1950's seamstress to believe anything seeming nuclear related was futuristic.

I really lucked out on this pattern, it is a size 46, bust 48 inches, and exactly my size in its original form. Plus, it is vintage, has a circle skirt, and doesn't involve set in sleeves or a sewn-on collar. I am in heaven! All of my 1950's day dress fantasies may come true with this garment. I am excited for the skirt. As you can see from the photo it is constructed with panels at the hips and a center panel that angles in down the center. I hope it is simultaneously slimming AND gives the illusion that I have fuller hips and an hour glass shape.

Starting this dress comes with the price of abandoning an older project. After careful though and quite a bit of time in front of a mirror, I am going to abandon my early 1960's dress with the pleated gathers from earlier this fall. It was my first full bust adjustment, and I did work incredibly hard to achieve the soft gathers at the shoulders and bust, but the more I try on the muslin, the more I feel like I am dressing as a Mormon fundamentalist's polygamous wife, and that is NEVER the look I am going for. So, for now the project is scrapped. It is a shame to waste so many hours on a project that will not reach fruition, but it is an even bigger shame to waste $70 and five yards of beautiful fabric. I hope to recycle the fabric originally purchased for this dress into the atomic print's pattern. I think it will be a good summertime dress.

As you can see below I already conducted a full bust adjustment on the bodice front, and after adding a few inches to the skirt I think I will be in business and ready to sew. All I need is to get my hands on a cutting table and a rolling blade, and consider this dress as good as finished. I think I will use french seem binding, even though this is only a muslin. I feel that good about the pattern.

I should not get too excited, as I have become superstitious that the level of my excitement somehow correlates to the difficulty of the dress. The more excited I am, the less likely the garment will work out on my body or with my skills. However, this just has lots of promise. Think positive thoughts for me.

The power of suggestion.

This January's Bon Appetit magazine featured "Trends of the Year" and noted "anything with an egg on top" as the dish of the year, saying "Fried or poached, the incredible, affordable egg is topping all kinds of dishes, from fettuccine carbonara to pizza to frisée salad with hollandaise." In my house it's no different. I love a good something with an egg on top. I have been known to eat them on asparagus, on my burgers, and on their own. A a young woman with borderline high cholesterol, I should probably cut back on this indulgence, but they are just so good. And every time I see a recipe with a fried egg I can hardly resist. That is what brings you the photo above and the recipe below.

Eggs, well they are wonderful. I knew that already. So when I saw a recipe online a few months ago featuring a fried egg on top, I was intrigued. But the recipe also called for kale. Unlike eggs, kale is brand new to me. However after trying it, I am pleased to say that just like eggs, kale is wonderful. And it seems to be popular too. Either I am becoming more aware of the green, or it is receiving more attention lately. I first became aware of it thanks to the recipe feature in the photo above. This photo features boiled kale with a fried egg, a recipe that seemed to spread through the internet like wildfire when one outstanding food blogger, Orangette, posted a recipe, which was then referenced and expanded on by New York Times food blogger Bitten. Bon Appetit featured kale as a prime ingredient this February, and its uses and recipes continue to pop up on line here, here, and here (yes, the blog is indeed named after kale). I am especially pleased by this article on kale describing how to make it one of your refrigerator staples.

It took a lot of convincing to open Sam up to the idea of boiled kale and egg on toast, but my insistence finally won and we made the dish this Monday to much satisfaction. Kale is quickly becoming a new favorite in our lives, and as our winter CSA subscription starts this month I hope kale will be abundant in the bundle.

I'm not sure it is appropriate for me to offer the boiled kale with fried egg recipe here, as it was most decidedly NOT my own volition and creativity that inspired its manifestation in my kitchen (however I do encourage you to follow some links and find the recipe for yourself). So instead, I will offer you a recently enjoyed fried egg recipe and encourage you to pursue the boiled kale through its deserving proponents, both Orangette and Bitten of the New York Times.

Fettuccine Carbonara with Fried Eggs
By Jill Silverman Hough in Bon Appetit, January 2009
4 servings

As the recipe author notes "The fried eggs add extra unctuousness to a clever carbonara." If you, like me, are unsure of what "unctuousness" means, let me share. Unctuousness means, literally, "of the nature of or characteristic of an unguent or salve; oily; greasy." Alternatively, unctuousness can mean "excessively smooth, suave, or smug." I am not sure I agree with either definition in regard to this egg, as I found the egg to be rich, creamy, and very comforting. I rarely like to imagine my food as a salve. However, I can buy into the suave descriptor, as the egg was indeed "smoothly agreeable and polite." It played well with the other elements of the dish. The moral of this story, the carbonara is amazing, the lofty adjective's a professional writer used to describe it are not. Make the dish and forget the word unctuousness.

Ingredients
8 large eggs
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 oz thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), finely chopped
12 oz egg fettuccine
1 medium bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Preparation
Whisk 4 eggs, both cheeses, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl; set aside. Cook pancetta in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to small bowl. Reserve skillet with drippings.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender (about 3 minutes less than package directions); add broccoli rabe. Cook just until broccoli rabe is crisp-tender and pasta is tender, about 3 minutes longer. Drain pasta-broccoli rabe mixture, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return hot pasta-broccoli rabe mixture to pot (off heat). Immediately add egg-cheese mixture, pancetta, and 1/4 cup hot cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls to moisten as needed. Season to taste with salt and more pepper, if desired. Cover to keep warm.

Heat skillet with drippings over medium heat. Crack remaining 4 eggs into skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until whites are opaque, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn eggs over; cook just until whites are set but yolks are still soft, about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat.

Top pasta with eggs and serve.

The 65 degree oeuf.

Oeuf is French for egg, and when an egg tastes like this, you will think you are eating the finest in complicated French cooking. But really, this egg is perhaps one of the simplest culinary masterpieces you will ever achieve in your own kitchen. It's the 65 degree egg.

What is it about the egg that makes it so special? From a chef's standpoint, it can be hard to define. Eggs are inexpensive, simple, satisfying, full of protein, and fundamental to so many complex dishes. And that is where the science comes in. From the scientist's perspective, the fat and protein structure of the egg makes possible culinary magic in all types of dishes. The proteins in the whites help to raise a batter in baking, the yolk acts as an emulsifier in dressing. Together, the proteins help give texture, firmness, and structure to dishes. And better yet, on their own or dressed up with a few other ingredients, eggs can create an entire meal. Best of all, the egg is spectacular on its own with nothing more than seasoning. Especially when it is a 65 degree egg (or 149 degrees, in Fahrenheit).

This is little miracle arrived courtesy of a small aside in The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper cookbook. To my delight, the cookbook features an entire section on eggs. Sam and I were flipping through it yesterday afternoon looking for dinner recipes. I came across a sidebar describing the 65 degree egg. The dish was described so beautifully. As Lynn Rosetta Casper and Sally Swift describe, "It is like nothing you have ever tasted. The white is custard-y and the yolk is soft and yielding, basically melting in your mouth...You will be enchanted."

Credit for the creation goes to chemist and self-proclaimed molecular gastronomer Hervé This, who spent time researching hard boiled eggs. During his studies, he hearkened back to an old Jewish dish involving an egg baked for hours in a dying fire. This dish became the precursor to his 65 degree (Celsius) egg.

It sounded so special, and the instructions were so simple, we made it right then and there. We weren't even hungry... yet. We made our egg in the toaster oven. Our old gas oven won't hold a light below 250 degrees, and this recipe calls for only 149 degrees. It turns out the 150 is the minimum our toaster oven demands to remain powered, anything less and my little red light clicks off with the heat. But luckily, 150 degrees is just perfect for these divine little eggs. It's good to remember that Salmonella bites the dust at 140 degrees, so you will be safe with this egg, even if the texture is softer and silkier than any other egg you have tasted.

As you can see from the photo, I don't think our little oeufs came of of the shell as perfectly as the recipe intended, but it was our first try after all. And while it may not look entirely flawless, the taste was almost near perfection. It was as though we had done something complicated and difficult to the egg to achieve the texture. Truly, the whites were a custard, absolutely like what you would expect from a pots de creme or creme brule, but without the sugar. The yolk was pure silk, very smooth and lacking any graininess or stickiness. It was amazing, truly amazing.

The only downside to these eggs is that they are not quick enough for a simple breakfast. To enjoy this delight you must be thinking in advance, as they require a good two hours or more in the oven. But, the wait is worth it. The book suggests serving these next to a salad or with a bundle of asparagus. We ate ours alone, but I can also see it spread on toast with a sprinkle of chives and a bit of course chopped and fried panchetta for lunch, or served with a pasta that calls for a fried egg.

Any way you serve it, you will be amazed. And with such a simple, affordable ingredient, you can even stand to make it right now for snack in a few hours. Go ahead, be impulsive like we were and make the egg right now.

The 65 degree Egg
from the Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper
adapted from Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor

Ingredients: Eggs, as many as you would like to eat or serve immediately.

Instructions: Put a thermometer in the oven . Set the oven at just below 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Ideally the oven will be at 149 degrees, but not lower. Give the oven 20 minutes to preheat. Put your eggs on the oven rack. Go do something else fun for a few hours. If the oven goes a few degrees over the temperature, don't worry. They can handle up to 10 degrees over 150, but they loose the custard-like texture with every degree over 150. After a few hours, take out the eggs. Gently crack the shell and ease out the egg, taking care not to puncture it.

Oh my puddin'.

“The proof of an idea is not to be sought in the soundness of the man fathering it, but in the soundness of the idea itself. One asks of a pudding, not if the cook who offers it is a good woman, but if the pudding itself is good.” Henry Louis Mencken

In this case, I believe both the goodness of the woman and the goodness of the pudding to be sound. I am indeed a good woman, and more important still, my pudding was very, VERY good. The proof is in the pudding, you might say. And the proof that this pudding is delicious is the fact that we made the recipe for guests not once, but twice this weekend. It is that good. In fact I think this pudding has initiate a a new phase of good, henceforth to be known as twice-in-one-weekend-good.

The pudding is good for two reasons. Well, really its good for three if you count the obvious reason that it involves peanut butter and chocolate. But I will assume you all already knew that was part of what made it good, so we will just focus on the two reasons. First, preparation is Simple, with a capital S. Simpler than boxed cake even. Just mix dry ingredients into milk and cream, boil on a stove briefly, add the main ingredient of either peanut butter or chocolate, and serve. No egg yolks, no complicated measurements or fancy techniques, just quick and simple preparation. Secondly, the pudding is rich, thick, and firm almost instantly. For a well-planned dinner party last Friday we made the pudding the night before to set overnight and it was great. Then, for an impromptu dinner party on Saturday I made the pudding on a whim with only two hours to set and it was still great. I even licked the bowl still warm from the stove and it was set.

The only thing to note, in regard to setting, is that the pudding lumps quickly once it starts to set. If you have it served while still liquid, it sets silky smooth. But, if you let it start to set as you are still serving and stirring, expect some lumps. But do not fret, if you dish up your pudding with speed and alacrity after removing from heat, you will be just fine.

I think I am now a pudding addict. This week alone I have started stockpiling pudding recipes with the intention of making pudding every weekend. How about this lemon pudding served in a unique presentation? It would be so cute for a Easter brunch or a baby shower. Or what about this orange tapioca pudding feature orange flavor in four different incarnations: zest, juice, liqueur, and fresh pieces of the fruit? Or this watermelon pudding feature so much fresh fruit and perfect for the summertime?

So many puddings, so few weekends. At least there are only two and a half more days until Friday.


Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Pudding
from Bon Appetite December 2008

The recipe suggest that you serve the puddings in clear dishes to show off the distinct layers, and I agree. I didn't have any beautiful clear dishes in my china cabinet, so I purchased a dozen half-pint mason jars at the grocery store for $5.39 and it made the most adorable presentation. Also, the second time through I decreased the sugar in the milk chocolate pudding by half (only 3 tablespoons) because I like a deep chocolate flavor, and the sugar was diluting the cocoa. You can top with fresh whipped cream, but it does not add much to a dish. I recomend skipping it. And if Kate, the queen of homemade whipped cream, is the one suggesting you omit whipped cream, you better believe it does not add much.

Peanut butter pudding:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup creamy (smooth) natural peanut butter (made with only peanuts and salt)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate pudding:

• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 ounces imported milk chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Peanut butter pudding:
Whisk first 3 ingredients in large saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in milk, then cream. Whisk over medium heat until mixture comes to boil. Then boil until thick, whisking constantly, about 30 seconds. Whisk in peanut butter; boil until thick again, whisking often, about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla. Divide pudding among six 1-cup glasses or dishes (generous 1/3 cup each). Chill uncovered while preparing chocolate pudding.

For chocolate pudding:
Whisk first 4 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk, then cream. Whisk over medium heat until mixture comes to boil. Boil until thick, whisking constantly, about 30 seconds. Add chopped chocolate. Boil until chocolate melts and pudding is thick again, whisking often, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla. Cool pudding 5 minutes. Spoon atop peanut butter pudding, dividing equally (about 1/3 cup each). Chill puddings uncovered until cold, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

One little sock dog.

This little sock dock is a hand-made toy, and so very cute. The project is from Sock and Glove: Creating Charming Softy Friends from Cast-off Socks and Gloves by Miyako Kanamori. The book includes instructions for making thirteen wonderful sock and glove toys, including a monkey, dog, cat, pony, piglet, elephant and bunny. This year the Trinity University Women's Club Sewing Group (TUWCSG, for short), of which I am a member, created handmade stuffed toys to donate to the local children's shelter. This guy was one, and he is so cute he was hard to give up, even to very deserving and needy child.

I LOVE this little sock dog, and I am also a big fan of the sock monkeys featured in the book. But you must be careful with sock monkeys, I have learned, because sock monkeys with bad eyebrows look just plain mean. Its something about the furrowing eyebrows. The monkey ends up looking less like a friendly Curious George and more like an angry chimp kept cooped up too long in an unregulated Mexican zoo. If you are interested in creating your own sock monkey look no farther than some instrucitons here, and keep an light hand on those eyebrows.

This year the Sewing Group wasn't very sophisticated or efficient in our toy-making plan. A few women in the group worked on the toys project by project, and an even fewer number of us took care of all the finishing work. I personally embroidered the faces on about ten felt teddy bears, and the experience clarified why we outsource so much labor to China. It's hard (and not much fun) to embroidered little smiling mouths assembly line style.

It is fun, however, to complete a project like a sock dog from start to finish. That is why next year I would like to spearhead this great idea to host an open house sock monkey project to create toys for the shelter. I will seek sock donations from a generous company, perhaps SmartWool out of Boulder Colorado (since I know they make fun, quality socks and have a history of corporate generousity), and then invite the entire Trinity community to attend the Monkey Party. I think I will serve banana bread and coffee. Guests will arrive for the two hour event and pick out a pair of socks and an instructions packet. I will have experienced sock moneky sewers available to oversee and help. Then over the course of two hours every guest will make their own monkey from start until finish, and I will photograph every attendee with their finished product. Anything not completed by the end of the party will be finished by the "experts." If all goes accourding to plan, we will have a at least two dozen or more sock monkeys completed by the end of the party, ready for little arms in need. I love it, I can hardly wait until next holiday season!