For my 1919 dress, I began by draping an idea on my dress form, then draping a pattern on my friend.  Next, I put a bunch of work into sewing the bodice.  So far, so thoughtful and meticulous. 

By contrast, the skirt is quickly applied, the waistband hurriedly top-stitched, and the finishing touches done at breakneck speed with my friend standing around in stockings and our ride waiting in the car! 

Which is to say that I finish just in time for the murder mystery evening...

Here are the materials I've gathered for the making of my friend's 1919 dress.  In the top row, from left to right, we have the sheer white fabric, the blue dress fabric, the lining fabric, some flesh-colored lightweight knit (lingerie fabric), the pattern pieces and a scrap of lace.  The bottom row is the lace from my friend's mom's wedding dress.  All my stash fabrics are pre-washed, so there's never anything between me and sudden sewing inspiration. 

For two reasons, I'd like to document a basic, sew from a pattern project.  First, because I haven't shown the whole process here before, and someone might be interested.  Second, I am trying to keep better track of my time as I work. 

Since I've recently started a new job with a dress code requiring sleeves, I shall make myself some long-sleeved shirts! 

The next part of the leather costume was the leather jacket.  I suggested starting with an existing jacket and modifying it, so we went to Goodwill and picked up a black leather jacket.  Being a motorcycle jacket, it had the following features:

• leather, to protect against road rash in case of fall
• tight snaps at wrists and elastic at the waist to prevent wind from getting in and ballooning the coat
• double closures: a CF zipper to close the coat, and a double-breasted snapped closure to keep wind from getting in at the zipper.

It was very 1980s style, with raglan sleeves.  Since my client is big boned, the cuffs were too tight to snap shut on him, but the rest fit. 

My favorite kind of project is when someone gives me an idea or assignment, and then lets me make it how I want.  If the idea is unusual enough, I am stretched by trying to make it, and I learn new techniques.  One repeat customer of mine always gives me such projects.  One time his inspiration was "the nineteen-eighties, super-artificial, and kind of Japanese".  I combined this with "Neelix from Star Trek Voyager" and came up with a red vinyl jacket that closed diagonally across the chest with red pleather details reminiscent of a Japanese fan.  I had never worked with vinyl or pleather before, so that was new!  Nor had I ever altered a pattern like that, or made anything like it. 

In October 2017, he approached me with a new idea, for album cover art, and as always, it was my favorite kind of project. 

The next UFO checked off my list!  A friend whom I described this project to waxed poetic about it, trying to decide if it was a "melusine dress" or "ondine gown".  "Mermaid rag, haddock frock," I quipped back.  Though it's watery, fishy, and beautiful, there are no sprites or fairies on this garment, so "fish dress" is fine by me.  My poetry is in the dress, not the name. 

So!  The denim blazer saga concludes!  It began with Simplicity 7954, made up in charcoal denim, requiring some changes to the paper pattern to make it fit my sister, but I couldn't be sure of the changes because my sister was far away.  The result looked really cool on a manikin, less well-fitted in person.  But not bad for sewing long distance...

But recently I visited my sister, and decided to make the darn thing fit properly!  So I armed myself with seam ripper and went, once more, unto the breach...