Let salon est ouvert

The Salon Zabette opened this morning after a long break. It's located on my dining table, and was the scene of designing, cutting and thinking about the top I'm making from my artisan woven bamboo and cotton fabric from the Atelier Joanne.

It was like being 12 again and remembering how to make a pattern for a top in school. We had a first class sewing  teacher who taught us how to make the basic paper block from which you created the pattern to fit yourself and then make the garment. And how from there you could make whatever you wanted to.

 We were young kids, getting the foundation of dress design. We also learned all the hand stitches used in sewing and tailoring, including fancy ones. We had to hand stitch everything for two years before getting near a sewing machine. I still do things Miss Harris taught us in 1952! And I remember her explaining the difference between handmade (quality work) and homemade (did her best but oh well). 

Anyway back to today and I made a simple design which, depending on how the fabric hangs, will either be a vest or a top. 

First time in I dunamany years. I've used a French curve to shape a neckline. 

Here's the designer deep in thought shortly before whacking a bit off the hem. You'll notice I curved in the side a bit from the underarm to the hem, to add a bit of shape to an otherwise bald and unconvincing, no, no, that's Gilbert and Sullivan, sorry, to an otherwise boxy design.

And I made use of the handy selvedges, since this is narrow fabric. There'll be a seam down the back, and either a seam or an opening down the front. I treated it like a one way design, cutting the backs then the fronts vertically one above the other. 

And here's two backs, two fronts, seam allowances cut by eye, likewise the curve for the front neck.

And the resulting debris, known in the trade, according to Bernadette Banner, who should know, as cabbage. French curve lying northeast of the scissors.

Now for a pot of tea and a corn oat walnut muffin.

Madame Zabette has pencilled me in for a first basting and fitting tomorrow, when she gets around to it. And we'll see whether the results are handmade, yay, or homemade, boo.