I Got Nothing

Did I sew yesterday? Is the lining in? Um … about 2 seams, and no. It just turned into a day of errands and then DS#1 wanted to take me and his brother out for a late lunch so how could I refuse that? My last errand of the evening was to Joann's to grab that Simplicity 3631 pattern while it was on sale (and, ahem, 9 others), some thread, and to look at buttons. I'll be soliciting button opinions a little later.

I'm quite happy with some of my new patterns (I'll list them later) — at least in theory right now. We'll see how they work with my actual and not theoretical body. I was pleasantly surprised to see lots in the new counter book that aren't on the website yet and I bought a few of them. I have to say that going back to work is going to be very bad for my stash. I'm looking at a whole new world of fabric and patterns. Things that never even caught my eye before. Uh oh.

Oh, and speaking of the pattern counter books … I was so frustrated with them last night since I'm used to looking at patterns on the internet. The books really should show front and back line drawings on the pattern page, as well as fabric requirements (knit vs. woven) and even maybe yardage. What a pain to have to pull a pattern and then open the info sheet just to see the line drawings because even the envelopes sometimes don't have clear representations of both front and back views.

And finally an observation about the Project Runway line. I *hate* the way they're doing yardage requirements and not labeling the different views A, B, C, etc. First, the yardage requirements have you add up X for this bodice plus Y for that sleeve plus Z for this collar. And they do not add up correctly. I *know* that a simple dress won't take 3 yds of fabric. Sheesh. But would someone else who is new to sewing? Or will they end up with way more fabric and cash outlay than necessary? I say no, and yes.

But it's the lack of labels for the different options that made me the craziest. I like to look at the drawings for the pattern pieces and match them up to the different views. You know, the list under the pattern drawings that shows piece #12 is View A sleeve. That sort of thing. Except with these PR patterns, it's piece #12 is for "bodice with round collar and two buttons." Arghhh. I have to then study the line drawings to figure out which one actually IS the one that has a bodice with a round collar and two buttons. And then I have to do it *each time* because there's no way my brain remembers such a description for each and every view when I'm flipping back and forth between line drawings and pattern pieces. It reminded of the puzzles in Highlights magazine from the dentist office waiting rooms of my childhood — Which One Of These Is Different? That was my favorite feature in the magazine. On a pattern sheet, not so much.

I understand the general concept of what Simplicity is doing with the PR patterns. They want the sewer to feel more free to make choices, to *not* be stuck in a box thinking they have to make View A and cannot interchange the sleeves for View B. I think that's a good thing. But I know there's got to be a better way to do that.

Today I will finish the jacket while I dream of using one of my new patterns. I just have to decide which one.