What's Her Name?

School is definitely well under way. I'm doing well so far—except for never doing my reading for Advanced Sewing. (Unlike Intermediate Sewing, where we were graded solely on our projects, now we are having quizzes every week on info. from the textbook. Fortunately, I know most of this stuff anyway.)

In Adv. Sewing I will have two projects: a fitted ladies vest—which I'm making for Lindsey who is definitely shaped like a lady—and a ladies jacket (or something else that is lined, has sleeves and lapels; I'm thinking that sounds just like a jacket).

In Tailoring I am making myself a full-length dress coat. This is to be made of wool (pricey!), and be perfectly fitted, and have lots of hand-sewing in it. In fact, last week we made our shoulder-pads—all by hand. I hope to have a really nice, heavy, warm coat some time in late May.

In both Adv. Sew and Tailoring we have to make up the patterns in muslin and do the alterations there before we cut into our nice, expensive "fashion fabrics." It always has been the fitting that gives me fits.

In Patterns 2 we have each been assigned our own dress-form. We had to measure our girls, and now we are drafting slopers (patterns with no seam allowances) to fit them. When the slopers are done we will be making different patterns from them. And, again, we are sewing

everything up in muslin.

Between three classes, I've already used 6 1/2 yards of muslin in three days. I expect to go through at least one entire bolt of muslin before the end of the semester, all for a bunch of very ugly clothing with lots of markings (in Sharpie marker) all over it; and most of it will only fit my size-eight dress-form. I wonder what I'll do with it all when the semester's over? :-/

And Pattern by Measurement is the exciting class! In this class we are getting our own measurements and drafting slopers and patterns that will be a perfect fit. Signe (say Sig-nee), our teacher, is a little 80-year-old lady who says she can "run rings round all of you." And she probably can. She invented this pattern-making system and she says that when you use it to make your patterns you will only ever have to have one fitting—maybe two if you're doing bridal wear. It is always sizing/fitting that escapes me, so I'm pretty excited about this class. And already I can see places where Signe's method is an improvement over the traditional method I'm learning in Patterns 2.

Cardio Fitness is no great thrill. It forces me to go to the gym twice a week and work out—which is good. But not too exciting. Of course, if I lose a pound or two a month, that would be exciting!

So, I'm well into it all now. But the question is: What should I name my dress-form? She needs a name, don't you think?

Betty-Lou? Bobbie-Jo? Georgianna? What is her name?