Packed and Off to Paris!

Hard to believe, but it all fit in the packing units shown above.  Top to bottom, lingerie, T's/Tops, Sweaters/Vests, Pants/Skirt.  I'll be living out of these for the next 3 weeks...

Finished the Raincoat!

Can't show the garment as it is a prototype for a future pattern.  I used one of the pleated raincoat fabrics we had earlier this fall, sorry, sold out.  Purple on the right side, black on the reverse.  I used the black side.  Or so I thought, in the light it is black tinged with purple, like a beetle or a crow's wing.  

I love it...am going to add purples to my wardrobe.

The fabric was a bit of a challenge, the pleating caused it to be stretchy/bouncy and there was a time I did not know if it would continue to 'grow'.  It does not, but has a bit of a bounce when I walk.  

Pressing the polyester was a dicey until I started using the clapper.  That made all the difference.  I'd press a section, pound lightly and let the clapper rest in place until the fabric cooled.  

I built  inside pockets into the coat.  The pleating hides the stitching on the outside.  These pockets stitch onto the side pockets so everything stays flat.

The dots on the buttons were too white/shiny, so painted them with a mix of dye-na-flow paint and thinned black fabric paint.  

Off to Paris this afternoon...magic words.  I'll be blogging and reporting in the upcoming weeks.

À bientôt