Done!

I can't believe it, but it's done! Not the thesis (ah, that won't be before a few months), but the Burda spring coat. I am so happy with how it turned out. And a little sad that it's all done, too.

I'll try and make pictures real soon, but for now, I have to rush. We have just decided that Miss Cutie/P'tite Mignonne and I would be spending the coming week at Seb's in Amsterdam. Everything is closed in Paris due to the two-week holidays that started a week ago, and this has made my work a bit, ah, difficult, and has made me turn a little insane. I should get more done over there than cloistered on my own here. P'tite Mignonne just got all her papers completed to travel around Europe (passport, rabies vaccination certificate, microchip). We did all this to prepare our probable extended stay in the UK next year, but it's coming in handy earlier than we thought. I am so happy at the thought of spending a whole week with Seb, where he lives! Even if we'll both be working, it will be nice to spend the evenings all three together.
Now I need to pack my stuff, and make us a couple of orange scarves in case we decide to take a break and go see Koninginnedag!

To make up for the wait, here are a couple more kitty-couturesque pictures I just had to take as the coat was coming along.

P'tite Mignonne helping me read the pattern

Checking the Hong-Kong seam finish

Who knows, you may see the coat in action direct from Amsterdam next week! ;)
Have a great week, everyone.

A Little Vogue Jacket

Hi friends! I hope this finds you all well and smiling.
For those of you who are sick or injured, I hope you will be on your feet in no time.

Ah, friends, I cannot believe I have something to show you today!
I've only been able to devote one hour to sewing since I last showed you the Burda trench, so you bet it isn't finished yet... You'll still have to wait a little to see that one! Hopefully I'll manage to take a few hours off from work this weekend, and spend some time on it. Maybe even finish it?

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day in Paris - it felt like spring had finally arrived. I decided it was warm enough for the little Vogue jacket I made last September. Do you remember it? I had even asked for your opinion about it. To my shame, I realized while taking it out of the closet that I had never shown it to you, because I went to a conference in Italy (with it) hours after I finished it, and the new academic year started a couple of days later... then it got too cold to wear it, I put it away for the following spring, and forgot you'd never seen it.

Here it is finally, courtesy of my faithful tripod and the beautiful evening sunlight.

I really like this jacket... it feels a bit Audrey to me. You all know how much I love Audrey Hepburn, right? I hope won't seem totally ridiculous to associate her name with this über-simple jacket.

I made lots of alterations to the initial pattern because the jacket looked like a tent at first. I can't remember all the alterations I made, but I do remember that I added a back pleat and changed the look of the front by sewing a single snap at the neck and ditching the buttons. I wanted the focus of attention to be the wide Peter Pan collar, so I made the front as smooth and simple as possible by using a single closure, and one that would be hidden.

I just love the wide Peter Pan collar, and the graceful way in which the neckline shows off the neck - just a little lower than a regular jacket, though not too much. This looks very chic over my Indémodable dress, but I think it looks pretty neat with jeans, too.

I currently very annoyed by the Vogue customer service, though, which almost made me not post about this jacket as I so do not want to sing their praises right now. However, my posts are so sparse that I won't rant about it right now - it can wait ;) Collar aside, the jacket doesn't look much like the initial design, anyway!

~*~

I have tried and left a note here and there on your blogs, though the list of unread favourites is still long - I do try and read your news whenever I can even if I can't leave comments every time... Keep up the wonderful creations!

Wishing you all a sunny and refreshing weekend!

Merci, friends! And a post with small (no)things in it

Hello, friends! Thank you for the very kind messages some of you sent me...
I am OK! And happy. After all, there's always P'tite Mignonne / Miss Cutie to look after me while I'm working... Making sure I get my dose of kitty love and serenity!

P'tite Mignonne is much better, thank goodness. She went through all sorts of troubles over the past couple of months, and even had to be operated on last week, poor cutie. She also had a small tumor in her stomach, which was a scare. She is much better now... although I found some kitty throw-up again tonight... fingers crossed it is nothing significant this time!
So... That is ONE sizeable piece of worry off our minds.

I'm OK... Not sleeping half enough, of course, and most of the time feeling a little dizzy, but things will all be better in a few months.
I am still enjoying writing very much... I feel I shall miss it when it's all done. To which remark a colleague replied, "I think you're a little crazy".

The one thing I do take care of, is... me. My skin, my hair, making myself pretty every morning (all with 100% natural stuff). Never mind that Seb isn't here to see it. This might sound futile, but it helps me feel upbeat day after day. I've even started another little blog to keep track of what I do better nature-wise, to help me keep at my routine, etc. ;)

Thank you Lisa, for giving my blog an Excellent award... I am not sure how I may have deserved it, considering the scarcity and poor content of my posts these days... but it warmed my heart! :)
I can absolutely not nominate 10 blogs. The blogs in my sidebar are the most excellentest blogs to me... yet the list is hardly long enough!
I think I would rather like to nominate excellent commenters... And that would be all of you, friends, who keep me going daily with your wonderful, disinterested, loving comments. You have no idea... How much it keeps me going... And smiling. Thank you!

The Burda trenchcoat, alas, hasn't changed one bit since you last saw it. When I do decide to take a break, I am too tired to sew. I feel I would only make mistakes.

Thank goodness, whenever I feel tired, or a little lonely, my fluffy love is always ready for a cuddle. She is just the sweetest cat ever... ma P'tite Mignonne à moi !

Until next time... Hope this finds you all happy! :)