My Life as a Pattern Tester

So, in early April I volunteered to be a pattern tester.  The main requirement were that I need to follow the directions and be able to express any problems and identify typos, etc.   Also I need to do it sooner rather than later.  The pattern that I'm testing is the Laughing Moon Pleated Wrapper (#120).  On Saturday (4/27) I received my pattern in the mail.  After much squeeeeing and jumping up and down, I started reading to find out how much fabric I need etc. leading to the following post:

April 27:  So with complete lack of forethought, I volunteered to be a pattern tester. For some reason my stash does NOT have 8.5 yards of cotton calico. I have taffeta, velvet and muslin. No calico.

 I went to the local fabric store (Joann's) to search for fabric, unfortunately every fabric I liked was not enough.  It did not help that most bolts in that section are 8 yards... nonetheless, I found a pretty fabric (only 6.5 yards) that I think I can use.  I will need a coordinating fabric for the yoke and maybe some of the hem and the belt.  Those are however design choices that will necessitate deviating from the instructions a bit.

I started cutting out the pattern pieces and noted any differences in labeling etc from the printed instructions. after a search for scissors that are allowed to cut paper, I set forth!  LM provided a lovely cutting layout diagram, but as I didn't have the proper yardage, I had to make some changes.  The first was that if I cut out the sleeves first, then the skirts, I could use a coordinating fabric for the yoke, belt and piping.  Also, I'm thinking of a hem treatment that wasn't in the original design so that will go on last.

April 28th:  Its the silly things that save fabric. For example the finished length of the dress is 64 inches. My CB to Floor measurement is *only* 57.5. I have a habit of making my Dickens dresses floor length without petticoats and letting my hoops/petticoats raise it to walking length. So *some* of my worry about fabric is dealt with from the start. I need to lop 6.5 inches off EACH skirt panel. I can save 2/3 of a yard this way! woohoo!

I should amend that thought as the dress progressed, belted the un-hemmed length is 2-3 inches off the floor.  (Live and learn I always say.)  Unbelted tho - it just hits the floor.  So maybe I should have only taken out 3 inches.

April 29:  not feeling well so I stayed home. I decided in my random moments of feeling better to cut out the main pane of the dress. Because I didn't buy enough fabric, I'm needing to be careful I know that I will have to piece at least some of it. I cut out the front panels first so I could get them in one piece. The back panels only need 9 more inches. woo-hoo! That's easily made up in the left overs from the side from cutting out such long pieces!

The dress is going together quickly and I think that I'll be done by Sunday making this a 7 day dress, most of which was done in the evenings after work.

Some places where I deviated from the pattern and instructions.

1. I hand pleated the skirt into the yoke instead of following the markings as I used a size 26 skirt and a size 22 yoke.  I *did* try to keep as close to the diagram as I could.

2. I used coordinating fabric for the piping, belt and sleeve lining.  I like that it breaks up the print some and (to me) looks more authentic as I can't imaging making a work dress out of new material.  A morning dress for upper class ladies sure!  That is not what I'm going for.

3. I'm adding a hem treatment.  I am using the coordinating fabric to add a band around the hem.  This was common during the period for a number of reasons.  It hid old raggedy hems.  It allows a longer hem.  In the correct colors it hides dirt.  And (most importantly) breaks up the print again.

Other thoughts on the pattern

1. The pattern calls for stitching down the pleats at the waist.  I have not yet done that, but I can see how it would keep the pleats nice in the bodice area.

2. I believe with piecing that it would be possible to get this dress out of the 6.5 yards of fabric I had.

3. Everyone needs to know their belted CB to Floor measurement.

PS.  I stalled a bit on the dress as my hands gave out on the buttonholes... also, I haven't completed the belt (I find I like the look of the dress with my leather belt)  I will continue to work to finish it so I can wear it at CosCo.

essentially done (except for buttons and button holes and a belt)

PPS. - If I can get the button holes done by the end of August - this can be a HSF submission!!!

PPPS - I promise to post more photos when done.

Costume Build List (Part One)

Also known as The UnEnding List of Things to Do, But Make Me Happy So They Are Worth It.

So I took some time to sit down and write out all my projects.  I have two lists.  One if for myself and another is for Dickens.  My list includes projects for me, gifts and projects for Victoria and Meghan (They mostly need prodding to work on their projects but still its use of my machine.)  The projects for Charlie are lower priority, mostly because the are things for him to wear with Victoria...

This list does not include other sewing related tasks such as
Historical Sew Fortnightly (but I think some will apply!)
Attending Costume College
Helping Meghan Move
Moving Victoria's Room
Re-Instating my Sewing Room

Some items have deadlines (Dickens related things)- others do not (ie Kana has been a to-do for a couple of years now)

MY LIST

• Corded Petticoats (3? - one for each of the girls)
• Queen of Hearts (Two parts - repair and make another)
• Alice Cape - blue with white stripes (note to self - purchase 1' white grosgrain - ~20-30 yards)
• Alice muff - white rabbit fur of course 
• Sash for green stripe regency dress
• overdress (regency)
• pelisse
• curacao
• Pink Plaid
• Green Kirtle
• Chemise -Regency long sleeve
• 30's Dress (I will commission this one, but I have fabric..)
• 50's Dress
• Florentine (not yet finished, but technically wearable)
• Quilted Petticoat
• Round Gown
• Pantalettes (Alice, QoH, and a spare one or two)
• Pirate shirt (Victoria*)
• Blue Kirtle (Victoria)
• Breeches (Charlie)
• Coat (Charlie) - Actually he should have a couple Victorian, Revolutionary, and Regency
• Kana (Victoria)
• Belle Steampunk (Victoria*)
• Tricorns (cuz pirates amirite?)
• Blue Dress (Meghan*)
• Pantalettes (Meghan*)
• dino corset (Meghan - tudor style*)
• rapunzel corset (Meghan - 18th century style*)
• steampunk corset (Meghan - underbust*)

Its not much right?

Feral Cats

Recently I've been having a problem with the feral cat population in my neighborhood.  I live near a park and own 4 cats that are indoor/outdoor cats.  The choice to allow my cats outside actually came about as a result of owning a dog.  I have cats of varying ages (one is almost 6 months old and the oldest is 11).  All have been sterilized and all are up to date on their shots.

A bit of background. I was brought up near a busy highway on 2.5 acres of land in a rural setting.  I have had to handle both wild animals, feral animals and the poor animals that get dropped off because their owners don't want them anymore.  I have regularly either participated in capturing an animal and taking it to town to the shelter so it could be adopted.  Or watched as my father had to shoot (he used the term "put down") a sick animal that could have hurt one of our farm animals. I have had my share of pets that were easy to get along with and pets that weren't.  We often caught cats, had them fixed and returned them to our home where they became OUTSIDE cats (mostly because they didn't want to come inside).  We would have been happy to let them in and kept the door cracked and the heater going in a section of the barn during cold weather.

My problem isn't with the feral cats themselves, but with the volunteer that feeds them.  He or she is apparently a member of the Solano Feral Cat Group.  Below is an excerpt from their website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mission Statement

The Solano Feral Cat Group is a volunteer based, 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping Solano County's homeless cat population. Our mission is to improve the lives of feral and homeless cats living in Solano County by humanely stopping their breeding through Trap-Neuter-Return(TNR). With TNR, feral cats are humanely trapped, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and returned to their original location. The breeding stops, and the behaviors associated with mating stops (spraying, fighting, yowling). TNR is the only effective, humane, and long term solution in controlling feral cat populations. Our mission is also to protect the welfare of cats, and to promote the humane treatment and well being of these animals by:

• Offering monthly, low cost spay/neuter clinics for feral, stray, and pet cats.
• Educate the public about the plight of stray and feral cats and the need to spay/neuter and microchip pets.
• Support feral cat caretakers and gain recognition of the beneficial role they perform.
• Promote the adoption of long-term, caretaker-based solutions regarding feral cats.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note that the mission statement makes no reference to the fact that they regularly feed feral cat populations.  Or that there are ENTIRE sections of the website devoted to the care and keeping of feral cats.

In general I support the mission of the particular group, but there is one section where these folks and I differ. FEEDING THE CATS.  In my humble opinion this simply encourages MORE cats.  And they do so RIGHT BEHIND OTHER PEOPLES HOMES.  Now, I know I wasn't brought up in a PETA-influenced household (however we ALWAYS treated animals humanely),but this part of what the folks do seems just like finding rats in a field and directing them towards someones home.  Because while cats are much friendlier pests than mice or rats, feral cats are STILL PESTS.

My main problem is that my oldest cat has a history of urinary tract infections (2 of them) and one of the ways I monitor his health is to feed him specific food.  I can't do that if someone else starts feeding him.  Nor is it easy to keep him away from random food when someone places 4 or 5 bowls of food under the trees on the other side of my fence.  As a responsible pet owner, I keep my pets up-to-date on their vaccinations; I feed and water them regularly, I clean up their feces, I TRY to keep them collared (more on this later) and I try to make my home SO INVITING that they would never want to leave.  All I ask is that strangers stop feeding my pets.

I'm sure the volunteer has made friends with my animals.  She has chastised me for not collaring them.  I have tried collaring my cats.  I ended up buying a new collar EVERY WEEK.  Since I can't afford that I've decided that the next time I take the cats in for shots, they (or at least the young ones) will get tagged electronically.

Here is the part that makes this entire situation harder for me.  The volunteer told me on the phone that she is on disability and spends all her money feeding stray cats.  She also told me that she moved where she feeds them because she was getting complaints from her neighbors.  She told me that she got in trouble with her landlord because the feral cat population in our park started moving in to her apartment complex.  WHAT???

So you engage in activities that YOU KNOW irritate the folks in your neighborhood and you cannot afford.  This does not make sense to me.   As a matter of fact - except for the fact they are not in her home - this smacks of one of those awful Animal Hoarder episodes on TV.

If anyone has recommendations as to what I can do now that a feral cat population has been moved to my back yard I would appreciate it.  And please note that I cannot keep my cats inside unless I get rid of my dog.

*edited for grammar...