Cutting Line Designs: Pure and Simple Shell, First Look

I finally completed my first Pure and Simple Shell last night, having first started with this pattern back in July. I'll do my best to add a photo of it on me tomorrow.

Although I don't really care for the term "wearable muslin," basically that's what this is. I'd tested the fit with an actual muslin before (which was too small), tossed it, and decided to just size up and cross my fingers that it would work. I ended up making a straight Medium with a couple of minor adjustments: I tweaked the bust darts a little so they're in the right place and don't look like Madonna, and I also shortened the torso so the top ends in a more flattering place for me. I felt like the first muslin was just a bit too long on my 5'4" short waisted figure.

I used some more of the JoAnn's polyester faille that I used for the border print Tango Skirt. This time, the fabric handled better, probably because I was using the proper lengthwise-grain layout vs. the cross-grain required for the border print. This piece was leftover from a skirt I made several years ago.

This was the first Cutting Line pattern I've sewn, and I must say that I really liked it. Louise writes excellent instructions and the pattern pieces include some refinements that enhance the completed top. I'll be making more shells from it--it's a style that will look nice under a jacket. And besides, I've invested a lot of effort in it so I might as well benefit from my efforts to date.

Reply to nanny2cole

Corrected 10/31/09 to add a couple of clarifications.

Reader nanny2cole is trying to figure out the formula on Leslie's Broomstick Skirt that I posted a while ago:

HELP!!! I got the formula to arive at "X=" but I don't understand how to get to "Y=". Y= (W/2 - 2X) /3. Am I suppose to double "X"? I'm a little lost.

Well, yes and no. OK, you've selected the 10 panel version.
W/2 = width of fabric divided by 2.
2x = x multiplied by 2, in other words, the width of the top edge of the panel.

Let's do an example with numbers:
W= 44"
W/2 = 22"
Let's just assume that x = 4", so 2x = 8"
22"- 8" = 14"
14"/3 = 4.67". This is Y.

So OK, you've got X = 4" and Y = 4.67" and you're ready to draw the pattern piece:

On your pattern paper, draw a long straight line equal to L, your desired skirt length plus 1 inch. This will be the center of your trapezoid and will be on the straight of grain when placed on your fabric. At one end of the line measure out at right angles your calculated distance x. Make a big dot. Do this on both sides of the line and connect the dots.

At the opposite side of line L, perform the same operation, but use your calculated y value this time. You should have a figure that looks like the capital letter "I" but with the base wider than the top. Connect each top dot with a bottom dots and you should see a trapezoid. Using the example above, the top of the trapezoid will be x times 2, or 8 inches. The bottom of the trapezoid will be y times 2, or 9.34 inches.

Yes, it's a long and skinny piece, considering that the finished length of my skirt is 35-1/2 inches. And it's designed to fit the width of your fabric, which is why the width of the fabric comes into the formula.

Another Home Improvement: Cat Door

I realize that a lot of people believe cats should be 100% inside creatures. However, both of my cats are old (10 and 19), and they've been indoor/outdoor their entire lives. I don't see changing anything at this point.

In particular, Smudge loves to hang out in his back yard at night, so DF has been the doorman since moving in. And he's tired of it. So we ordered a sliding glass door panel that includes a cat door. It was installed Thursday.

There is definitely a learning curve involved. Although the kitties have a cat door for their litter box area, they are resisting this one. That's why the flaps are taped up, to get them used to the concept. The plan is to put the flaps down once they are loving their in/out privileges. Cats don't like change. Even change that's good.

*****

On the sewing front, I got more done on the Pure and Simple Shell! The neckline and armholes are complete and the hem is pressed up. Next up: hemming, followed by side seams. Yes, you read that right. The order of sewing is a little different than most patterns, but I'll do it Louise Cutting's way since this is her pattern.

Other Projects

I picked up a Wine Enthusiast bulletin board kit when Linen and Things went under last fall and had its liquidation sale. Since then, I've been saving corks, no mean feat when quality winemakers are moving to screw top bottles. I recently determined that I finally had enough and started glueing, using the glue provided in the kit. Not a great experience--first of all, the glue doesn't work well with artificial corks (another winemaker trend). And second, you are instructed to "glue generously" but there wasn't nearly enough provided. So I busted out my handy hot glue gun and attached the corks Friday night while DF watched the baseball game in his Man Cave.

I had planned to use it as a bulletin board in our office but DF really liked it. He said it would be a shame to cover it up and suggested that we hang it as decor in the kitchen/dining room area. Great idea, but it can be hard to find wall space in an open plan house. And of course, the hanger provided in the kit is missing a screw and can't be installed. So until I locate another one and decide on the right space, I'm displaying the cork board on a plate stand.

Despite my quibbles about the kit, I like it too. It was a fun and easy project, and I'm happy with the results. I still need a bulletin board for my office, though.

I also got a little sewing done this weekend, attaching the neck facing on the Pure and Simple Shell I've been working on for what seems like forever! Fingers crossed, but it should be done soon. I also did some (ugh) mending for DF, removing the cuffs from his worn out Ralph Lauren long sleeve polo shirt. The darn thing is worn out but he's attached to it for some strange reason. And it's not as if this is the only one he has, either. Ah, well...

Landscaping is Finished

I realize that this probably doesn't look much to those of you in more temperate climes, but this is great landscaping for New Mexico. The back yard was becoming totally overgrown with various desert plants and looking like wild scrub land. The crew spent most of its time and effort in back, and this picture shows just a little portion of what they did.


The front yard didn't need as much work, but also looks considerably better than it did just a few days ago. The plants were thinned out and the remaining ones were trimmed. Still at lot of plants, but you can now tell what they are.

We will celebrate this weekend by grilling and dining in the new back yard, a much more pleasant place to be!

Landscaping at Casa Flan

DF and I have begun a big project at Casa Flan. Well, not us exactly. We hired a landscaper to re-do the xeriscape in the back yard, since the original owners did not know that landscape fabric under rock is a must! One of the original owners is a friend so I won't get on his case too bad because he's not originally from here and didn't know any better. The landscaper will also clean up and refresh the front yard.

Unfortunately, I forgot the "before" pictures so take my word for it. Overgrown xeriscape doesn't look great.

Anyway, there has been much digging up of various trees and shrubs, relocation of cacti, trimming of the remaining plants, and moving flagstones for later re-use. And that's Day One.

Tomorrow, they'll be scraping up rocks from the back yard, leveling, and laying out landscape fabric. Wednesday, 12 tons of rock will be delivered and spread out, and after that it gets a little foggy. At any rate, they should be done by the weekend. It's still warm enough during the afternoons and evenings to enjoy our investment for several more weeks. I'm so glad we could hire somebody to do this for us instead of struggling with it ourselves. A gardener I'm not.

Finally, a Picture

I wore the skirt to church this evening and persuaded DF to take a picture when I returned. He doesn't know my camera at all, so this isn't the best shot, but at least you get some idea of what it looks like.

Hillbilly Cookies

Yeah, I know. The name is not exactly politically correct. However, consider the place and time.

This is one that came from my aunt back in the late 1960s. She was a teacher in the Louisville or Jefferson County (KY) schools. The school system used this recipe to make use of the FDA surplus foods that were supplied to them back then, and they were regularly featured in the school cafeterias of my youth. Yes, they actually cooked food at each school!

This recipe is easy and surprisingly good! I make no claims for dietary goodness or appropriateness for special diets. They're treats, after all.

Hillbilly Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons cocoa
4 tablespoons butter (the original recipe was made with margarine)
2/3 cup peanut butter
2 cups oatmeal

Measure out all ingredients and lay out sheets of wax paper before starting to cook. This goes fast and you won't have time later.

In a heavy saucepan or dutch oven, stir and boil sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter on high heat for only 3 minutes. Time the 3 minutes for the moment you turn on the burner. If you cook the mixture for too long, the cookies will be too dry to hold together. I realize that individual cooktops may vary, but the point is this--this part goes really fast so have everything measured and ready to add in advance. That includes the peanut butter and the oats! The goal in cooking the sugar mixture is basically to just melt everything together until there aren't any sugar crystals remaining, so don't keep cooking after that has occurred.

Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until melted. Then mix in the oatmeal.

Working quickly, drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool.

There you have it. Except for the drama of the boiling sugar mixture, it's pretty easy and simple to make.

The Tango is Complete

No pictures yet, though. I was feeling under the weather yesterday afternoon and didn't feel like posing or even setting up Miss Acme. I'll post a picture later when I get the chance. The skirt looks great, although I'm not wild about the fabric itself. It's some poly faille stuff that Joann's stocked a ton of several years ago--not as drapey as I'd like, and it did some strange torqueing when sewn even though I was careful to lay out each panel on grain. Even weirder, it seems to hang straight when on my body. Anyway, this will be my Garment of the Month for October.

I pinned up a preliminary hem on the UFO skirt, so it's ready to be marked, trimmed, and sewn. I was a little surprised at how much shorter the desired length is compared with a couple of years ago, because I'll be cutting off 5" at least.

I'm still working with the Pure and Simple top that I started working on earlier this summer. In search of the perfect shell, I guess. I started it at the September Material Girls; neckline is next.