Holidays = progress

As I'm procrastinating cookie baking and finishing decorating the house, I suddenly find there is time for sewing now, despite being busier than ever...funny how that works. Granted, a GREAT deal of my absence lately can be blamed upon my darling new child --the iPad Mini. I almost can't bear to take a shower because of how far away from it I have to be for ten minutes (ok not quite that bad, but I feel strangely bereft if it's in another room for too long). The degree of obsession, I unwisely supposed, would be much less than that I experienced when first getting an iPhone, because surely I'd be used to the whole thing now and it would be old hat. Foolish, foolish me.

At any rate, at least it's got a slightly better camera than the phone so it's (unimpressive) picture time!!! I don't know how well pictures attach from the mobile Blogger app (edit: not embedded within text, apparently) but here goes!

I was watching The History of Tom Jones, which really has fairly attractive 18th century clothing (certainly a few doozies as well though) and working on sleeve drafting tonight because somehow I lost the last paper pattern I drafted.

My first en fourreau back is still a bit iffy and certainly needs ironing but I'm rather proud of it, like a kid with his first horrible glue-dripping, macaroni-encrusted, cardboard picture frame craft. I.e., I know it's kind of a mess but at least I attempted it (and without a pattern!).

In my overflowing stash I found a bit of matelasse fabric and whipped up a "quilted" stomacher to go with the dress and I think it'll be rather pretty when the edges are covered by the gown. That fabric was ungodly expensive so it's a good thing JoAnn's only had a teeny bit left.

And I'll also treat you to a picture of King Coal, Ravager of Frocks. He has already chewed small holes in the gown skirt and got the butt-spankins of his little furry life, because he knows well and good he isn't allowed near my fabric. Oh well, I guess patching is authentic.