Christmas Sewing While Watching Christmas Sewing....on the Great British Sewing Bee

How did Santa know that I would love a special edition of the  Great British Sewing Bee for Christmas?  He's a smart fellow.  In case he didn't get your holiday list yet, here's the youtube version of this delightful show.  I loved every one of the four episodes earlier this year and this was a cozy holiday gathering with the two judges, Andrew Grant and May Martin, the three finalists, Stuart, Lauren, Sandra and the delightful winner, Ann Rowley. 

It played in Great Britain on Sunday and thanks to the miracle of YouTube, here it is for me in the USA a day or two later.  I watched the show while making my pattern adjustments for this Burda #7092 pattern:

Sarah Veblen (of The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting book ) gave me fitting and fashion help last Friday for seven patterns in two hours.  I had worked hard on getting six new pattern mock ups ready and also brought a Kwik Sew jacket from years ago.  I was more then thrilled to find that we agreed that all seven of them are worth adjusting and making up.

Six mock ups and one jacket pin fitted by Sarah Veblen

On Monday I made the pattern adjustments that Sarah marked on the mock up and cut out the fashion fabric and the lightweight silk organza for underlining.

I sew mock ups from a variety of fabrics in my resource center.

For this top my major adjustments were all in the raglan armhole area and under the armhole.

The pencil line is the  new seam line that Sarah pinned onto my mock up.  I mark that on my paper pattern then add my seam allowance, in this case 5/8".  I will say this seemed like an extreme change but it fit wonderfully today when I basted it in place

Today was my day to sit and baste those two layers together and watch that charming youtube show.  

A whole lotta hand basting going on.....

The fabric is a patterned silk dupioni with gold and black cross threads.  I bought a bolt of it at Fabric Mart for I think $2.00 a yard.  I washed the yards necessary for this blouse/tunic and now I don't have to worry about water spots.  

My fabric reads a little darker in real life

I'm going to wear it for another holiday open house this coming Sunday.  I'm working on the collar and facing tonight.  Sarah and I discussed some ideas for making the sash more flattering so I'll be making some samples to try before I cut the fashion fabric sash.  The pattern only uses the sash for a closure but I am not that brave.  I'll add a button on a scrap on the inside and perhaps a covered snap for the outer layer of the wrap.    
In the meantime, I'd like to thank everyone who read my last post about my Patternreview membership.  Your thoughtful answers and different perspectives are helping me develop my next steps. I felt a little awkward raising the topic but the range of points of view are respectful and genuine.  That's the kind of dialog I appreciate.  As my minister says frequently, "We don't have to think alike to love alike."  
To be continued.......