this is what the HouseDress looked like in the very beginning. it is from a piece of natural silk noile
that i got from Dharma Tranding a long time ago. i dyed probably 4 or 5 yards, in the walnut vat.
figuring i would use it for someting. and then the HouseDress. so…it's 20" wide. which turns out
to be almost enough for the top of the dress. folded it in two and cut the shape for the neckline.
i wanted it for putting on over my leggings and long sleeved shirts that i wear to bed in the cold months. so it has to be loose. roomy. and als0 why the silk noile is good, because it's thin, but warm. and then i wanted nothing that felt "binding". and so, no waistline. so the skirt of it is mid hip and more fabric so there would be some gathering, some give. room to squat and tend the fire.
and Marti had made this beautiful walnut dye. and i admired it. she didn't love it so much and
sent it to me. i wanted to put it on the front, thinking it, in it's entirety would be perfect, but,
i am smaller than i'd imagined….
and i am also Wider than i'd imagined. so i added panels under the arms.
so…here we are. basted together. Looking. What i want is to get out of bed in the morning, in a very cold house. take it off the bamboo hook and slide it on over my head, over the long sleeved shirt and leggings. pull on some wool socks. put on the rubber crocks, a sweatshirt and be ready to start the fire. be ready to wait the half hour till things are Possible in here. i can wear it every day and wash it once a week by hand and hang it to dry so it's ready for the NEXt day. HouseDress. and if it's really cold, i can wear it out to do the Goat stuff. i don't have to take it off and upload other stuff. just add over it. so….good. Tomorrow or the next day i'll finish it.
and i forgot my blanket robe. from Cloth to Cloth. an old wool blanket. become a robe. yes. got it out.
and there he was. the little FishBird. when i understood how applique can be. how good to see him.
all this making comes from Jude. i never would have even tried. i was really no good at patterns….like McCalls, Butterick, Vogue. no good at sewing with the machine. but…i can make stuff up now. Make what i need. and so, in this purposeless day, i did. and i made stuffed peppers and played music to the Goats.
it was a very very good day.
windthread 
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