We Are Back

It was definitely too short a vacation.  We are back from our long weekend in Asheville, NC. for my MIL's 90th birthday.  She threw herself a very nice party at a new gluten free restaurant in Pack Square.  We got to see all the relatives we like and avoided the ones we don't.    I had forgotten how fabulous Asheville is in the summer, or maybe it's actually better.  There are a lot of people  downtown on a Saturday night; it's a big street party including street musicians and performers. During the summer they have music, Shindig on the Square, that always had a makeshift stage, now there is a gorgeous park that is  terraced down the center of town from Pack Square ending  at the new, permanent stage.  There are fountains and lush plantings and  grass. It's beautiful, but seems like they had more than one designer as it misses a feeling of cohesion, but it is still a lovely place and great addition to a tourist town.  They did however, as my mil pointed out, run out of money and neglected to  add any public bathrooms.

  This is a picture of me in my Saturday night finery in the  redone Pack Square.   It's Burda 143 6/10.  Yes, I actually made something from June's Burda during June.  Must be a record.  I did finish it in July, but still I started it in June.  The pants are Vogue 2948 from Sandra Betzina in a cotton lycra from Gorgeous Fabrics that was in my stash from last summers good intentions.  The top is a silk jersey from Emmaonsock from Cynthia Steffe I think, and was a nice buy as a roll end.  I cut this as a single lay, as I prefer doing with a big print like this.  It also lets you use a lot less fabric than called for.  It's a plus size that I redrafted from a 44 in the shoulders to a 40.  I blended it out to a 46 plus in the hips and used up some of my incase sas, so the hips are bigger than a 46.  I also did a sloping shoulder adjustment and took it up a bit more just at my shoulder point.  The left shoulder is the draped piece and hey, Burda actually tells you how to sew it and adjust the length.  I shortened it about a 3/4".  This is the pattern I asked about using facings.  It was fine and you really need them to hide the end of the gathered piece, but while they stay put when worn, you have to adjust them to get them inside after putting it on. The specified  zipper was not needed, even on this not very stretchy knit, it goes over the head easily.  I did have to take it in at the underarm a bit even though  I did not make an fba on this, but fudged by making the underarm wider.  There was plenty of room.  
I recommend silk jersey to anyone new to knits.  This had no lycra, didn't roll and was stable in the length. Easy to sew and luxurious to wear. 

 A few pictures of downtown Asheville.

This is another version of the Tom and Linda Platt dress from Vogue.1091http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/filebin/images/product_images/Full/V1091.jpg
I've already made this twice before, so not much to say. The fabric is a lovely cotton lycra knit from Just Cavalli that I bought at Mood this spring.  I wore it on Friday night. 

Oh and you'll notice the white hair?  Got lots of compliments and one of my favorite cousins looked right past me when I walked into synagogue with Seth.  She saw my dh and said where's Nancy?  She is not alone. I was meeting my best friend for lunch and she looked right past me when she walked in.  I'll still need about 3 haircuts before all the color is gone, but it's a great transition. 

I have a pants post waiting to be posted, but I still don't have photos.  Next time.