a modest proposal, successfully accomplished

As our plucky heroine begins to refurbish her scant wardrobe contents, sometimes an almost useful garment needs just a little attention to become wearable...

I made the black/cream rayon batik popover dress last July, but miscalculated a bit on the neckline, which ended up being just a tad too low cut in the front - whenever I put anything in the pockets, the least little extra weight pulled the front down enough that it caused more décolletée than is really appropriate! Thought that rather than continue being annoyed, better would be an clever option to fill in the lower edge of the neckline.

Found some similar black/white ikat scraps, that seemed like they would do; I'd rather have had some more of the black/cream rayon batik, but done is better than perfect. If more of the rayon batik turns up at some point, I can always switch it out... but this gives me a wearable dress right now, and preserves my modesty while out and about in the world.

and, in further good news, making use of the now accessible workroom table, I have cut out an additional four popover dresses, which are all neatly in project bags hanging from the back of the sewing room door, waiting their turn to be stitched up. By the time I complete this stichery intensive, I should have reached my goal of eight wearable summer dresses, and will be able to return to only needing to replace them as they eventually wear out.

This is my longterm goal for my entire wardrobe, to have enough clothing for warm and cool seasons so I can go a week between laundry, and to not have everyday clothing that never leaves the closet. I am getting closer to my goal every year, and gradually revising what works and what does not work. Later, in early autumn, I will be replenishing my stock of "everyday dresses" which I wear when the temperatures are not beastly hot, i.e., most of the year, either alone or layered with knit tops under and/or pinafores over. They are the other garment that wears out quickly; popovers and everyday dresses rarely last three years before becoming too worn to wear or repair; such is the downside of a limited number of garments. Still, that gives me a chance to add variety over time, as opposed to in my closet!

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August SMART goals

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	charter #14	rayon dress facing	Tundra flooring
2	charter #15	popover neckline filled	floor padding
3	Tullia painted banner	-	bag to Goodwill
4	embroidered yoke	-	bag to Goodwill
5	-	-	bag to Goodwill
6	-	-	bag to Goodwill
7	-	-	bag to Goodwill
8	-	-	bag to Goodwill
9	-	-	paper recycling
10	-	-	wood scraps
11	-	-	shelf unit
12	-	-	-
13	-	-	-
14	-	-	-

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