My Doppelganger Needs More Butt Padding

Keen eyes may have noticed my mention of an Epic Meltdown (post before this one) due to my missing out on family fun at the lake.  Well, I have to admit that, in my petulance, I ended up doing a little online shopping.  However, it did mean I snagged a Singer Dress form for $99 (still going for another couple days... qualifies for their fee shipping, too).

Please excuse the mess. 

And this time I was armed with knowledge of how to pad it out and make it more "me" shaped.  I started out I used the dial for the upper bust and under bust (which on the dress form  = waist) measurements. Then I used one of my older bras and padded that out and then started with the quilt batting. I did two wrap-arounds with low-loft polyester, tucking it under the bra strap.  Next I cut out more rounded shapes to pad the tummy and posterior.  I measured as I went, both myself at the moment, then the dress form.  I'd stand side by side with it to make sure it was approximately the same shape as me.  This also meant I ended up in my underwear. Actually, that happens a lot when I'm at the "try it on" phase.  I don't always remember to pull the blinds cause we practically live in the woods, so its really only an issue if I have pervy neighbors with binoculars and insomnia.  In any case, I now I basically "bump breasts" with it if I'm trying to put a tape measure around or something, which means I probably have a good height too.

I then draped and pinned some scrap red knit/lycra I had kept around pinned an approximation, and then serged. You can tell from the white showing that I didn't bother to change the serger thread. Cause I'm lazy like that. I didn't really think to take photos of that part.  It was around this time my roommate woke up and wandered through the sun room and said "Hey, that's very you shaped!" Bonus.

The padding did settle after a days sleep, so when I got up and had enough coffee in me to ask his opinion, my husband says  "Good job, but your doppelganger needs more butt padding".  *insert BADUMDUM TISS here*

Oh yes, I plan to put BOTH sergers to work on these. There's one more that I cut but is not in this picture. 

He's right, probably need a bit more of a tummy pooch too. Ah, the joys of motherhood. Now I just need to sew up that pile of knits sitting next to the sewing machines. Hmmm.

Chicken Frosting

I think I may have mentioned I picked up a "Three in One" McCall's catalog at an antique store on our way up to the mountains. Its from 1943, and its the height of war-time frugal advice. I took several photos (cause its too big for the scanner) but I'm going to share just the one for now.

Second pic down it says "Without changing your favorite layer cake recipe at all, you can proceed  full speed ahead, using chicken fat as wartime shortening. Cream it with sugar." Mmm, tasty. 

Now, I will preface this by saying that when I was growing up Mom would save all the drippings from bacon and beef.  I don't remember her ever saving chicken fat, though.  I guess it makes sense cause as fats go,
 un-rendered is fairly flavorless. At least, when you don't have all the additives they put in it now.  I can see all the others they had listed but the frosting just threw me for a loop. REALLY?

Also, I the reason for my lack of posts lately is largely due to my lack of inspired sewing. I've been mulling over a list that's about 30 pieces long trying to figure out what to make for Spring.  I've narrowed it down to 10 now. Three skirts, three blouses, three dresses, and a jacket. Two of the skirts are a TNT pattern. Two dresses and a blouse will all be from the same pattern, so I'll get some assembly line going there. That will leave a lot of time left over for the fitting of the other things.  I think I'm going to start working on my Ralph Lauren inspired duster as well, but I'm hoping to get a bust form made before that. Its gonna involve plaster tape and paper mache'. Messy fun! (well... messy anyway).

What's on your spring sewing list?