Musing on Pockets

As I said yesterday, I decided to cut the skirt first.  Not.

All the pattern pieces for the pants were out and it seemed weird to put them away only to take them out again an hour later.  The pants were first.

Here we are with everything cut out.  I have done a quick calculation of just how much fabric I had to start with.  Based on the miniscule amount left, 

I had six metres of fabric to start.  Each pattern took just under 3 metres according to the cutting out directions.  By cutting two things at once, I was able to save fabric and do pockets and stuff out of the weird shaped bits left after cutting the main pieces.  Very little went to the trash, and the remains are small oddments that I might be able to use as accents for something or other.  

I will start sewing today.  I am looking forward to it, though my mind isn't really on it today.  I was watching a video from Kristin Lerher

And she spoke about taking apart some of the things she sewed that she has not been wearing to use the fabric for other things.  That made me think about some of the things I haven't worn much lately.  

I love wearing this blue dress.  But for the green/blue plaid version of this dress, it has been the first one to be worn. The fabric is heavier and it was perfect for winter and fall wear.  With its generous skirt, it is too much for hot summer wear.  I have been debating making a simpler skirt or turning it into a shirt.  It is just too nice to not get the most I can from it.

And this dress.  It got a lot of wear too, till I made a few of my lovely linen dresses.  Since then it has been set aside, because of the skirt.  I had ordered extra fabric because I did not think the skirt had the right amount of fullness.  Turns out that one more panel made it too much!

I want to take the skirt off, and remove that extra panel and plan to use it to make some nice big pockets for on it.  Once I do that, my sweet gingham dress will be back in the regular rotation.

Which brings me to pockets.  I may yet become a pocket person.  I haven't been concerned about pockets, but carrying my phone with me all the time is a chore without pockets.  It is a bit of a bugger considering I haven't been making pockets for things I have sewn till now.  It won't be much trouble adding side seam pockets or patch pockets to pants and dresses, though it is going to take time.  

I do have the time and making things better and more practical only makes sense, but feels like a step back.  It is lot like ripping back knitting.  You do a thing and are not happy with the results.  You prepare to redo and are happy to do it but it would have been so much nicer to have done it right in the first place.  

Meanwhile there is progress on the knitting.  The second button band will be completed on the pretty River blue Elton today and if I do it right, the neckband too.  Possibly a finished object?  Maybe.