Gorgeous Leather!

Wednesday was the perfect day to go into the city. It was a precursor of fall; sunny and crisp.
DH dropped me a couple of blocks from Leather, Suede and Skins which is on 35th. I chose them because they were the only one who responded to my question about samples and Karen said that she had bought her leather there. I had traced a full pattern and brought it with me. The saleswoman was happy to lay it all out for me to get the most efficient layout. Three skins, in varying sizes of gorgeous lamb leather are now mine. Black of course, but if you want color or printed leather, or exotic skins they have an amazing selection. They also have leather trims and cording. Want to make a round handle for your handbag? They have it in a large number of colors. Want the same lazer cut leather that Donna Karan used for tank tops? They have it. Very nice and helpful. I didn't buy any more fabric, but I bought invisible zippers at SIL I think, or maybe Daytona, but anyway they are a regular brand at half the price you pay at Joann's. What's the difference you ask? No packaging. I also visited Botani Buttons for the first time and bought great plastic oversized snaps in a great mottled black. I'll use it for the DKNY sweater coat. I stocked up on some other notions too.

My jacket pattern is coming along, albeit slowly. There are 15 pieces in this pattern and I am combining them to eliminate the separate upper, lower and waist panels. I have everything traced but the left front panels, and the facing. Wheh! I normally don't have issues with tracing Burda, but this is a plus sized starting at size 46 which is 2 sizes too big for me. On the top at least. It's fine on the bottom. I usually cut a 42 in the shoulders and upper body and blend to a 46 in the hip for the back. The front I cut a 42 all the way down and use my fba as the extra room I need. It works with maybe a little bit extra at the hip. But, it is a complicated pattern to see on the pattern sheet and I am grading it down on the sheet first and then tracing it. I walked away a lot of times! I really find that walking away for a bit helps me mentally to see it better when I come back to it. One size is easy, but 2 really made me have to think about it. Obviously I will make a muslin. I also shortened it about 3" so far. I have to make a lining pattern as there is no lining, but I always do that anyway, even if one is provided, after I do my pattern alterations. It's easier than starting from scratch.
I was planning on having a total sewing weekend, but I am going to have to reinstall all the software on my computer after Dell wipes it and re installs the operating system. Don't ask, but after 6 hours on the phone with them on 3 separate occasions and having my motherboard replaced(that was perfectly fine) they have not fixed my problems and have decided that this is what has to be done. Can I say that I am not looking forward to this?
Have a great holiday weekend.