a completed smock

 I finished my project for the Celebrating Handmade swap.  The smock--now reversible and interfaced--is done and I'm quite pleased with it.   I think it will wash decently, in that linen-rumply way.

Here's the back, which gives you a peek at the lining:

I love bias tape.  Once I made peace with the fact that attaching it will always mean a little seam ripping and a little imperfection, I started to use it with abandon.  I am too cheap to buy it so I just park myself in front of the television during naptime and make my own.  This week my bias tape maker went on the lam so I got to spend some extra quality time with the iron, watching Mad Men on DVD.

This week I came to an important, bias-tape related discovery:  using thread that matches the fabric makes everything easier and more forgiving of mistakes, but using contrasting thread looks so sharp.  Check it out:

Sharp!  Actually, even if it looked like crap I'd probably keep doing it because it means I don't have to change the bobbin thread.  Not changing the thread in my sewing machine is basically my religion.