Be Careful What You Wish For

Last week I wished for a few cold winter's nights so I could get back to finishing a couture project, and this week I got snowed in on Snowden.  
Night time temps have been single digits in Raleigh.  Be careful what you wish for!

Last night I worked on hemming my couture jacket.  I couldn't find a good match in hem tape, but Joann's Fabrics had three colors of this lace.  One was the perfect match.  I used pins I purchased from Susan Khalje to hold the lace in place for hand stitching   They are so sharp and have glass heads which can be ironed over and are great for delicate laces and fine fashion fabrics like the silk organza underlining.  You can purchase the pins and the silk organza here:  Susan Khalje Store 

Once the bottom of the lace was stitched to the folded up hem, I pressed the lace with just enough steam to shape it to the curve of the bottom edge of the jacket.  Malleable materials that can be molded together feel like clay in a potter's hands to me.  The fabric I chose for the jacket is 100% linen from Brazil, in color celestial, and reacts wonderfully to just a bit of steam.  

At the top of the lace I am using a catch stitch.  Working from left to right, I first catch the lace and then catch the silk organza interlining.  That way there are not any pick stitches showing on the outside of the garment.   Well maybe a few misses.  But only a few.

Looks like celestial snowflakes to me.  Melting on celestial linen.  Too bad this is only the hem on the inside and will not show.  But that is the beauty of couture inside and out.  Rumors of more snow always welcome.  I'm ready for another late night of fabric play.