#she sews

[lea-winterregen]

Cutting is done!

I am very satisfied and impressed with how there is little to none scraps over 😊

[geese-in-a-frock-coat]

Oh so tempted to make an 1890s skirt suit in a watts like tartan like I dont have two quilts on the go.

[soloshikigami]

This evening I have made my first venture into cooking Indian food, tried out making chicken korma. It turned out pretty good, not as good as my local Indian restaurant makes it but it’s tasty. The heat is a little too burning, but it goes away quickly, I’ll learn how to adjust that. Mostly just followed the recipe then flew by the seat of my pants XD

So now I can cook American, Italian, Mexican, Irish, Japanese, Chinese, and Indian foods, lol. I’d love to learn how to make pho next. I mostly need to figure out what the base of the broth is, I have no idea.

[lea-winterregen]

Since my roommate is hogging the washing machine, I decided to document my dyeing adventures in the meantime!

First off: Supplies!!!

dyeables, in this case: white cotton flannel and voile (sourced via my aunt and local fabric store) ~2,2 lbs

soda ash (regular degular cleaning agent) used as a fixing agent

sodiumsulfate aka glauber salt (also a laxative, sourced from a health/detox shop in a 2,5kg bucket) so that the dyes better penetrate

the dyes: dharma trading company's fiber reactive procion dyes for natural fibers in dark green and better blue green

a set of metal measuring spoons because my european ass did not own any prior to this

a giant bucket with liter markings (hardware store), originally meant for mixing cement and stuff

a wooden stick for stirring (also hardware store)

dust mask & gloves bc work safety and i do NOT want dark green lungs or hands (not pictured)

an insane amount of water (6 gallons, which is ~23l, also not pictured bc i need it at least lukewarm)

a bowl for premixing dyes and soda ash with water so that they dissolve completely

[lea-winterregen]

Finally done felling all the raw edges of my chemise! It's really satisfying to see the seams turn out so neat

[lea-winterregen]

Let's hope all my dyeing supplies arrive in time for me to dye my cotton voile for the chemise sewalong 2025 by @badassindistress 🤞

The white would be more accurate but I know I will wear it more if it's my favourite shade of dark green

[lea-winterregen]

I have decided I need to make a dress to go to a spring ball in. I do not have a pattern. I have determination and a vision.

I did decide on one specific detail, the lower sleeve should be smocked to manage the excess fabric from the billowy upper sleeve. I have never smocked something ever in my life.

Since the pattern is non-existent atm, I thought to make kind of a mockup in a less expensive fabric just sans the skirt of the dress (as skirts are pretty straightforward) to wear as a blouse.

And this is how I spent way too long on this tiny piece of fabric, producing a smocking sample so I can calculate how wide the sleeves need to be

This will take forever but unfortunately, I am sucker for smocked things

[lea-winterregen]

Gotta love the Truly Victorian sizing system. It does require some sitting down, charting and plotting but they've not failed me yet!