Another Tried and True

The Sew & Sew 5513 raglan blouse pattern has been added to the tried and true pile. Here it is made up in some drapey Moda rayon purchased at the quilt store north of town:

I may go down one more size as I had to take in each side by an inch. The pleats in the neckline—and another at the back—provide enough room to move easily, but that means the lower half of the top is quite voluminous. I’ve gotten reasonably good at being able to nail my sizing in Big 4 patterns, but the See & Sew patterns seem to be drafted on the roomier side. The length is absolutely perfect. After I removed the excess fabric at the sides and hemmed the top, I was delighted with how it fits and looks. If I can figure out how to raise the neckline a bit, I’d like to make a long-sleeve version for cooler weather. There is a cowl version, too, but it adds another 3/4 of a yard to the fabric requirements as it is cut on the bias.

I have Simplicity 8568 on order:

I like these “base patterns” with hacking ideas. This one has a keyhole opening in the back and the neckline is more in line with what I would wear in the winter. I’d alter those sleeves, though, as I don’t like elastic around my wrists. We’ll see how this one works up. I might have to add a front pleat or some bust darts.

I am hoping to get that Burda raglan pattern cut out and sewn up today, but I’ve got a couple of other items on the to-do list so it may not happen.

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I cut lettuce for a salad last night from our growing system in the basement. The night before, I finished up a salad made with Costco spring mix. (We would have to devote half the basement to growing lettuce in order to have enough for the amount of salad the husband consumes, so I still have to buy some occasionally.) I said to the husband that commercial greens have gone the way of commercial tomatoes. They taste like cardboard compared to what we’re growing here.

I need to call and reserve piglets soon. And I am a bit concerned about the availability of chicks this spring given that everyone and his brother seems to be jumping on the backyard chicken bandwagon again. This happened in the spring of 2020 and I had to incubate eggs to get enough replacement chicks that year. I don’t mind doing that—it’s actually kind of fun—but it means we get an excess of roosters that have to be dealt with later on. Dave, my current rooster, came from that hatch, so it wasn’t all bad. He is a stellar rooster. He keeps the hens happy and we’re still getting over a dozen eggs a day.

The little deer comes every day for an apple or some sweet feed. Sometimes she stands out in the front yard and stares into my office window until I notice her.