Fit.
Floria’s dress fit perfectly! Length, width, and the bodice… all perfect. A word though: she is 6 1/2 years old and I made her the size 4/5. Rather than follow the general Figgy’s sizing, I determined which size to make based on Floria’s measurements and the Figgy’s sizing chart. She is tiny, but it’s pretty clear this pattern runs on the large size.
Figgy’s.
A friend recently turned me on to Figgy’s Patterns…. and I knew immediately who needed this. I ordered the Scirocco pattern first to try it out, and it is wonderful. A bit light on instruction in a few places, but if you are an experienced sewist, you should have no problems. Up next I’m making Zephyr, Banyan for the boys and Ayashe for the fall in a corduroy.
I’m off to Michigan for a week, so many changes happening….. among them, me trying to get back to this quiet space.
Civility.
It’s funny, when I created the Kimono pattern, I wasn’t focused on proper sewing techniques and terms…. I just wanted an incredibly simple pattern that would be really easy for people, especially those new to sewing, to make. I wanted to offer the pattern digitally and I didn’t want people to have to print out paper and tape things together. There’s many things throughout the pattern that go against sewing ‘norms’, and it’s these things that allow me to know the pattern is uniquely mine. Which is why it’s hard for me to see someone do this:
It’s one thing to take my pattern, make the kimonos and sell them after I’ve expressly asked you not to. It’s an entirely different beast to just lift someone’s work, claim it as your own, create an etsy shop and profit from stealing. Thanks to an astute reader, I was notified this morning that pattern offered is exactly my pattern. The document was forwarded to me and it’s literally my pattern…. copyright and border clipped off. MY photos, MY math, MY instructions, MY effort.
I’ve had email exchanges with people who have made kimonos for charity, for children in the NICU needing feed tubes, for relief organization in Haiti…. all of which keep me going. Keep me thinking maybe this simple little pattern makes a difference for some people. So I leave my email address up and still offer the pattern for free (since 2008) even when everyone around me tells me I should be charging people for it.
We’ll see how Etsy handles this…. I am not hopeful, but will be pleasantly surprised if they do the right thing.
There You Are.
I’m still here…. sewing and going crazy getting ready for the holidays. There is much activity and personal changes behind the scenes, even though the silence in this space is deafening. I hope to be back into things in the new year.
Have a very Merry Christmas and joyous holiday season!!!!
Storms, they say.
Whole.
An entire week with the kids…. recharging me, my energy and my love for them. I wish more than anything we all lived closer.
At the same time, knowing I have such limited time with them allows me to throw off any restraint and savor each minute with them. Treasuring my niece insisting that we dress alike and wear our hair alike. Treasuring the boys wanting me to teach them how to knit and how to make friendship bracelets…. so many little things adding up to a tremendous amount of love.
