Simplicity 2367 progress.

[sapotesews]

Left to do:

- Pin and cut out lining fabric. (badly, but no one will see it. I also had to experiment with 2/3rds folds because my lining cloth is 45".

New item: wind bobbins with perfectly matching thread I got this morning. She didn't charge me for the extra spool! I love that store so much.. I should probably buy more than two bobbins. I had to cut a bunch of green off of this one.

- Stay-stitch skirt upper edges. (Also stay-stitch lining upper edges.)

- Stitch skirt front and back seams; chalk-mark "front" and "back". Press, please. (Same to lining, actually).

New item: flat-fell all non-zipper seams - I'll work out the zipper seam when I get there.

- With right sides together, stitch front of skirt to back of skirt at side seams, leaving open above notch on the left for zipper. Back-stitch at notch to reinforce seam. This is a good time to check that the skirt more or less fits. (same with lining.)

New item: stitched the lining to the skirt the whole way around within the seam allowance that will be covered by the yoke; it's lovely.

THIS IS THE PART WHERE YOU MAKE THE YOKE

- Stitch yoke pieces to each other at RIGHT side seam but NOT LEFT side seam due to eventual zipper.

- With RIGHT sides together, pin skirt to yoke, matching centers and RIGHT (i.e. non-zipper) side seams. I would assume that I'm going to sandwich the lining in here. I've already jettisoned the pockets and the belt loops for being too difficult, so by god I'm keeping the lining.

Stitch, TRY ON, trim seam, press seam towards yoke.

NOW WE'RE DOING YOKE FACING.

- With right sides together, stitch yoke facing sections together along RIGHT (non-zipper) side seam. At this point the instructions say to finish the edge of the yoke facing that's going to eventually be down on the inside, by doing a 1/4 inch hem, or zig-zagging, or overlocking. The point is to keep the yoke facing from fraying, or, for that matter, itching. I can probably manage something along these lines, even if I just wind up using the damn hem scallop foot that I can't get enough of.

At this point the instructions say "pin facing to garment" but I'm pretty sure what they mean is "pin yoke facing to yoke, right sides together, so that it sticks up in the air."

- Turn facing to inside and press. The finished edge of the facing seam will extend a little bit past the yoke-to-skirt seam, and that's the point. Pin this facing in place by putting the pins on the OUTSIDE (instructions specify in all-caps). On outside "stitch in the ditch" (haha) of yoke seam to attach facing on inside.

The instructions say "baste raw edges together" but I am not sure at all what they mean. Do they mean the zipper side? I can do that.

ZIPPER STUFF STARTS HERE

- Attach the zipper. This part sucks. "Press under 5/8" on LEFT front opening edge and 1/2" on LEFT back opening edge. (Because I am TOTALLY CAPABLE of discerning EIGHTHS OF INCHES at this point in my crafty development.)

Pin LEFT back edge to zipper tape (all the LEFTS here just mean DO NOT FUCK UP AND PUT THE ZIPPER ON THE SIDE WHERE THERE IS NO ZIPPER), pressing pressed edge close to zipper teeth and tab end of zipper 3/8/ below upper edge of opening. Turn upper end of zipper tape over seam allowance. Baste. (... Upper end of zipper tape?)

Pin and baste LEFT (not the wrong side) front edge to zipper tape, lapping LEFT back 1/8" over LEFT back (WHAT THE FUCK). Turn upper end of zipper tape over seam allowance (what seam allowance? The diagram makes it look like you put the inside of the zipper tape under the bit of skirt fabric you just basted down, which makes sense.)

Baste. Stitch as basted, using an adjustable zipper foot (I don't even know if I have one of those, so I imagine I will use a normal foot type foot.)

Sew a hook and eye at upper edge when garment is finished.

I should probably iron something at this point. I swear to god, sewing should mostly be called "cutting", "pinning", and "ironing." The fun bit where you use a nifty machine to put pieces together with thread is like 10% of total time spent.

HEMMING

- Hem facing, using as opportunity to practice hemming.

- Hem garment itself.

- Iron some more shit, you know you've gotta.

- Holy shit done.

These are retyped instructions, since I am terrible at following pretty much all technical writing ever. I don't think I'm going to get anything besides retyping these done this morning, or in fact today, as it is my birthday and hopefully I will later be eating cake.

I keep having to remind myself that I will fit all these steps in my head eventually and they will seem like second nature. I also originally thought that I was capable of a garment a week, and I think I am, but I would have to do it every single day no breaks at my present skill level, and I have other things to do with my free time. I think sewing every third day is more realistic; I think I can get things done in seven sewing days, but the number of sewing days I've got is going to vary. I still want to get my sewing plan pushed through with some alacrity, though, partially because having a schedule keeps me from putting off learning the hard parts, like zipper insertion and proper hemming.

Also, I managed to buy the right zipper color without bringing along a fabric sample, but the thread I got is a little too dark, so I have to make it to the sewing store (maybe tomorrow morning?) before I can do any visible stitching. So at most I can cut out and construct the lining before the weekend.