I have the fabric, I have the mother, now I just have to get started.
I want to make my mother a few summer tops and, if you saw my last post, you saw the beautiful cotton floral fabric I picked up at Metro Textiles on Thursday (also above).
I have a few patterns I think will work, but I may just start by making her a simple sloper using a shirt pattern of mine. She tried on my patchwork madras shirt yesterday and the fit isn't bad. Her shoulders are much narrower of course, and her back is quite curved, but I can make those adjustments pretty easily (I think).
I want to make this this coming week and I'm asking you to hold me accountable. Once we have the sloper fitted, the top shouldn't take too long -- we're talking basic tunic/caftan shapes.
In unrelated news, I wanted to share some cool shots of cars I've seen on my most recent photo shoots. I don't own a car myself but I'd be happy to have either of these in the garage. Actually, I don't have a garage either.
Nice, huh?
Moving right along, I did something I'm not proud of recently: I went to a brick and mortar hat store and tried on straw hats. I saw a gorgeous Stetson Panama fedora for $175 but, friends, I couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money for something that would get ruined in the rain or could blow off my head while I'm bicycle riding. Plus where do you put it when you go to a restaurant? (Hat check girls are a vanishing species.)
The part I'm not proud of is that I immediately went on Amazon and found a much, much cheaper version -- not a true Panama but still a Stetson (and straw) that cost about 1/4 the price. It arrived yesterday and I love it.
I'm thinking of this as a starter hat and if I wear it a lot this summer maybe I can rationalize spending more on a true Panama purchased from my favorite hat store, J.J. Hat Center. BTW, they don't carry the hat I bought so it's not like it was an option.
Finally, I'm really enjoying my new iPhone. Who knew what a joy texting could be, or just checking my email on the fly? I've even joined Instagram!
In closing, what does one do with a hat like this when you need to take it off in a public place -- lay it on the floor?
Have a great day, everybody!
I'm a regular hat-wearer. In a non-sitting situation you simply hold it. In a restaurant/bar, you can place it on the table; the floor (under the table, watch your feet), under your chair; on a hat shelf if the place has one (my regular does, though someone could take it 'by mistake'). In a bar I keep it on unless I'm there a while, then I just place it next to me on the table.
ReplyDeleteHate to have to tell you this, Peter, but one of those "cool cars" isn't a car.
ReplyDeleteI like your hat - very spiffy ;-) It's nice to see your mom - she's always smiling. Sadly I don't see men taking off their hats in restaurants anymore. Everyone wears baseball caps now so guess they don't consider them "hats".
ReplyDeleteYou look very dapper in that hat. Aren't the double hooks on walls hat hooks too? The bottom hook is for your blazer and the top for your hat. I see hats hanging like that a lot.
ReplyDeleteAnd that VW takes me right back to the 70's. That orange color is tremendous!
The floral fabric you purchased for your mom is beautiful! And I love that hat on you.
ReplyDeleteThey either hang it or put it on the table. Or at least thats what my dad does.
ReplyDeleteMine too. He wears a custom made cowboy hat everywhere, but never inside. Most places do have a hat rack and he either hangs, places it on the table, or in an unused chair.
DeleteMy first car was a 1973 Superbeetle. I drove it for seven years and sold it for more than I paid for it. Thanks for the memory!
ReplyDeleteI am making summer shirts (long sleeve but lightweight to protect from the sun) with Burda 6909. Very feminine, maybe consider it?
ReplyDeleteYou look terrific in that hat, Peter. I am sure that you will get a lot of use out of it during the summer. We are a regular hat wearing family. In Australia, it is compulsory for all primary school age children to wear hats outside to play. At my children's secondary school all students, male and female must wear a rather chic blonde straw hat during terms 1 and 4. As a result, they are very comfortable in hats and when we go out, we usually have four to deal with. Pile them up and find them their own chair is our approach.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget Pinterest. I think that I spend most of my time on my Iphone on Pinterest! I post a lot on it too since it's so easy.
ReplyDeleteNice hat! My husband had a fabulous and expensive felt hat in a similar style many years ago and left it somewhere in the city. As you mentioned hat checks are a think of the past, except at weddings and Bar Mitzvahs I gues.
Your mom is looking good and healthy! She looks like she is a petite (short waisted) maybe you can find her a vintage half sized pattern?
ReplyDeleteI think your mom should keep the madras shirt! It looks great on her!
ReplyDeleteGood luck in sewing your Mother's shirt. Now you know what you need to do to adjust with her body. Great fabric and a grand smile on your Mother.
ReplyDeleteTalking about vintage cars. This afternoon driving back from work I noticed a 1967 Chevrolet Impala. The reason why I knew it was 1967? We owned a 1967 Chevy Bel Aire!
Sonia and Freddie!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wild duet!
That fabric is so pretty on your mom! I'm excited to see the final shirt! I love the Beetle, too! We bought a 1975 VW bus on eBay several years ago... it was so cheap that we just impulsively bid on it and won! It was orange and cream, topped out at 60 mph, and was nearly impossible to street park in NYC, but it was fun for the couple of years that we owned it. :)
ReplyDeleteP.S. You look great in the hat! I used to work around the corner from J.J. and loved looking at all the hats! I bought a beret from them nearly ten years ago that's still in my regular winter rotation, but I don't think I could pull off a sun hat. :) But you look so natural in a hat!
ReplyDeleteHats don't go on the table (besides you will avoid risking a tomato sauce dyeing incident as well). Miss Manners would need smelling salts if she ever saw a hat on a table!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised other women readers of your blog have not suggested a purse hanger (easy to carry in a jacket pocket) to hang your hat off of the table. You might have to play with the brim angle in order to get it to stay under the table and ON the hanger. Or perch your hat on a back corner of your chair if the spare chair option is not available.