Kimono Progress - Week 2

Weekend 2 is now over and gone, and I didn't get as much done as I wanted to, but I did make some decisions that will make this project much easier. 

Things I got done -

• Measured and cut out all lining pieces
• Started overlocking lining and shell pieces - have 1 lining piece left (one of the body panels) and the shell pieces left
• Diagrammed what I want where in the sewing room

My week's plan (a.k.a. things I need to get done before the weekend comes) -

• Monday - 
• I may or may not be able to work on overlocking on Monday, as I am supposed to have a Praise Team practice at 7pm.
• Tuesday - 
• Move furniture
• Measure sewing room to figure out if stretcher frame will fit
• Put hinges on stretcher frame
• Wednesday - 
• Finish overlocking lining and shell fabric
• Thursday -
• Measure and cut out obi fabric
• Create test chemical water and dye concentrations and paint fabric samples.
• Saturate shell fabric in Soda Ash & the air dry them
• Friday
• Rinse out dye samples (first in running water, then in washing machine with clear detergent)
• Decide which dye concentration I like best
• Mark seam allowances of shell fabric with color patterns so they match up correctly.

And here are things that will make this easier - 

• Fixed the problem with my upper thread repeatedly breaking - I had to move the spool to the vertical position from the horizontal position
• Found a roll of fabric I had previously purchased that will be prefect for the obi.  It is an olive green, home decor weight fabric with a woven small basket weave.  It is the perfect weight and length for the obi and the obi won't have seams now ^_^ 

Sometime next week, I want to test out my fabric paints on scraps of the obi fabric.  Also, I found some parchment paper that is 14" wide.  My plan is to fold it down to 12" and create a stencil for the obi in 10" of the 12" (leaving 1" on each side) if I like the way the fabric paints look on it. Next, I would tape the underside of the parchment paper to the underside of the obi fabric to prevent slippage.  I will likely use painter's tape for this.  I would then put another piece of parchment paper underneath the obi fabric (to prevent bleed through) and, after putting the obi fabric on top, tape the top parchment paper to the piece under the obi fabric to secure the pattern to the bottom piece.

Well, that's about it for this week.

Kristin ^_^