Goaty Has Some Notions

I am Goaty from Boston.  My keeper is Jani who also lives in Boston.  Jani has sent me on sabbatical to help Lara sew a jacket and entertain Eva and Lily.  Lara informed me that I could blog for her tonight since she is studying Royal Tenenbaums for her next R blog.  Was I supposed to say that?

A UPS box came a couple days ago and she had to send it back.   She is adamant that her 'R' blog cannot be complete without this article.   She has been tracking this package daily.  While we wait for the package I told Lara that she really needs to start constructing the jacket that she promised she would make.  At first she resisted, she seemed more interested in the romantic notion of the jacket. Once I saw her at her sewing machine it seemed she was able to focus and dive into the process.

Louis Vuitton Spring Ready to Wear 2010

I guess by now you are familiar with this?  This is the boucle' jacket Lara is making.

Lara used muslin, which is inexpensive fabric to trace each pattern piece. The pattern is Burda with European sizes.  Lara guessed at a size 28 since her Hudson jeans are a size 27.  Seemed logical to me too.

When she placed it on the dress form it seemed big enough for 2 or 3 Lara's.  For clarification, this is a muslin toile, like an inexpensive version of the final jacket that can be tweaked and cut up for the perfect fit.  Once the toile is a perfect fit, it can be taken apart and used for the final pattern.

All the seams were taken out.  Lara used large basting stitches when sewing the muslin toile so it was easy to take apart.

At this point Eva and Lily became very interested in what their mother was doing and wanted to help out.  Taking out basting stitches is rather mindless and fun.  I even ripped some seams out while I was watching my TV that has no electrical connection to the grid.  I hope these westerners have more exciting plans in mind while I am here on vacation!

After all the pattern pieces were taken apart, Lara retraced each one on the her light table.  She is quite proud of this light box that plugs into the wall.  The white box is lit, she listens to NPR and it is as if nothing else matters but this jacket.  This is her operating table.

There she is trying it on for size after she basted it together for the second time.  She is still not satisfied with the fit.  She was desperate for answers so I suggested she read Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire B. Shaeffer.  Lara had her nose in that book for hours last night before bed.  Then she woke up at 1:30am after dreaming of how she was going to make this Vuitton jacket.  When she woke, she completed Chapter 10 Jackets and Coats.  She seemed perplexed.  Once she finished reading about Chanelisms, details and construction techniques on Chanel's legendary suits, Lara became really excited and insightful.  I don't think she has ever made a coat.  Do any of you know?

As for me, I am going to retire in my Queen bed that is out of scale for me in the Vermont Farm House.  I hope tomorrow is not as dreadfully hot as it was today.  I do miss my Jani.  I am happy Catty is here to keep me company.  Catty didn't want to have her photo taken at all.  She is afraid of technology and prefers to communicate with pen, ink and Cranes paper.