That looks great. What a nice mix of fabrics!

If I remember right Bengaline only stretches in one direction and the ponte will stretch a bit both ways.

Having said that I've stopped buying LN patterns after they threw me off the FB page for my negative comments about a design they launched that I thought was perfect for a little girl but childish for an adult - it's a skirt with scalloped layers - totally odd. Anyhow they asked for comments, I gave my opinions in a measured way and they said if I wasn't  prepared to apologise for potentially upsetting the designer who had worked a long time on the design, they would banish me from the group. I said fine, go ahead. If you can't take critique then don't ask for it.

That looks an impressive challenge! Good luck with it!!

I'm in.

Cut out SA Loren this afternoon ( fed up with the rolled fabric staring at me ) in a dark blue boiled wool. This is a TNT so it should be a quick make. Pictures will be taken tomorrow. Bad light has now stopped play.

Second prototype top not quite right yet - the sleeves don't want to play nicely , kept me awake last night but now I think I have the solution. Will undo what I've done ( grrr - overlocked sleeves in already) and start sleeves again.

So I'm off again. I have made so far 7 dirndl-type skirts and little white aprons. 3 more to do but haven't got the waist measurements and I don't think elasticated gathered skirts suit ladies of a certain age - a fitted waistband is a lot more faff but gets a neater waistline.  Miracle of miracles - I also have enough fabric for all 10!

I've made a start on a set of three - hockeystick skirts with yoga waists  -all done, and  so yesterday I had a go at one of the tops. How old must I be before I remember that Big 4 patterns are enormous?  I had a McCalls princess seamed bustier shape top with a stretch netting yoke and long fitted raglan sleeves. This can be flmenco-ised I thought. Hmm, said I reading the envelope, this pattern isn't big enough in the boobage for me so I did a quick FBA and for good luck added 10 cms to the length and away I went quickly made it up.  We could actually fit all three of us in it. Huge. pinned it in removing 5cms from each side and 6 out the sleeve seam.  Tried it on again - - no way  will it do. The raglan sleeve doesn't move well enough to lift the arms - repinned to shorten the armhole, now it puckers - prototype now in bin and I'm looking for a new idea.  Perhaps an assymetric tunic - yes that might do. ( Again, for once I have many many metres of the stretchy plumetis)

I want to get the costumes  all done before we move in March. I work best to a deadline. I just won't think how many there are to do in total.

Doing this with moving in mind and I'm not a keeping person anyway - I try to live by 1 in 1 out. I got rid of some handbags that are too scruffy - I have a lovely pale pink and lurex tweed one that I used all summer but has now got grubby beyond belief so that's going to the recyclery shop where they will make it into something else and use the hardware.  I passed on a coat I've had and loved for years but no longer fits. I have some boiled wool to make a replacement.  Lots of shoes have gone and I'm almost ready to let go a pair of leather long boots I haven't worn for years - they are comfy and gorgeous soft leather but I've had them for -wow - more than 40 years!!! and the shape is just a bit odd on me now. Not the sort of thing I could alter really!