So, it's the end of October.......  How'd we get here so soon?  So many things still to do before the pattern release.  Right now, the pattern is at McCall's being printed.  Pretty exciting.  Just have to finish up the instructions, edit the cover and get the website up and going.  I have a lady working on that for me.  Hopefully, soon..........

I have worked up a version of the pattern in a short top with just embroidery on the front.  It can be worn with jeans or shorts.  Had to find a willing model at my son's school to check the fit and length.  I made this version in a size 8, and although my son is a size 8, he just wasn't going for it!  And now that Paige is taller than I am (that doesn't take much), she can't be my tester either.  Here's a sneak peak of the short version.  It will be shown on the back pattern cover.

It still needs it's embroidery finished.  Hopefully, today.

All the unplanned remodeling of the family room and play room has been a huge distraction.  The Friday before SAGA convention began we discovered that our cast iron pipes had holes in them.  It all started in the world's smallest half-bath downstairs off the kitchen.  Eventually, my wonderful plumbers had to jackhammer into three rooms of my house.   So, while some of you wonderful folks were at SAGA, I was listening to jackhammers and choking on concrete dust.

This pic shows the progression into the family room and just beginning to get into the play room.  Isn't it pretty?  We eventually had over 30 feet of open trench in the house.

Well, the jackhammering is finished now.  Onto the fun part......picking out new stuff and getting it installed.  Of course, with the holidays approaching, I expect this will proceed at a snail's pace.   We've built a house before.  It seems the framing and roofing go up quickly.  When they get to the inside finish work, glacial speed is the norm.

I'll try to be a more faithful post-er.  No more whining about the remodel.  Thank you Lord for insurance.  Now, back to photographing my step-outs for the instructions.

Pattern Proofing

So, for my second ever blog post, more than 6 weeks after posting the first, I thought I'd talk about my new pattern.

The dress that will debut as my first pattern will be shown in the next issue of Sew Beautiful, #127, the Holiday Issue.  The dress is a washed dupioni silk tween age dress with a bolero style beaded jacket.   It has an empire, banded waist and slightly gathered skirt.  This particular dress features Italian Smocking but could be made without smocking.  It can also be made as a top to wear with jeans, with or without the jacket.  Here is a photo I took with my iPhone camera during the photo shoot last year.

The pattern will be available for sale and shipping by the end of October, 2009.

The dress was originally made in 2007 for my then-11-year-old daughter to wear for a Junior Cotillion dance, piano recital and the holidays.  I sent the original dress, my original muslin and the pattern pieces I could still find to the pattern grader last month and got it back about two weeks ago.  I really should have finished the proof by now but my plumbing/construction/family issues have been taking WAY more of my time than I'd like.  (More on that later...)

I won't lie.  It's kind of scary-exciting-knots-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach to see the pattern come back.  Honestly, I still get nervous when the magazine comes out each time that I have something in it.  So, before the pattern can be sent on to McCalls for printing in bulk, I have to make sure the graded sizes fit together correctly.  The original dress was a girls' size 16 but the pattern will be available in sizes 8 - 16.

Here is a peak at a couple of pieces cut out and ready to get stitched:

Wish me luck!  I'll let you know tomorrow how it came together.