INTERMEZZO 26/9/20

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To listen to the spoken version, please clickety-poo  HERE

I am super-excited, in that all my pattern pieces are now cut out for the banyan... BUT... before going any further, it's time for an interlude:
There's been a lot of chat on the YouTube costuming vlogs about dress forms. This in particular from the more... shall we say 'generously upholstered'... ladies. Being decidedly generously upholstered myself these days, I have been yearning for an oversized male mannequin for quite some time - but mannequins of any sort - any decent sort - cost several arms and legs (perhaps that's why dress forms are always only torsos? Ha ha). In any event, 'armless fun aside, it would be very useful for my banyan project.
It seems there's an enterprising American company called  Bootstrap Fashion to whom you send your vital statistics and notes on general body shape and they email you back a pdf of custom pattern pieces for your body... all for $24 - well, that's for guys - boobs seem to be extra for some reason ;-)  Here is a very good video of how one is put together: Pocket full of posies
Apart from needing some stout fabric, one also needs some sort of stand - a cut-down hat stand I think is what they recommend - which potentially adds to the cost. BUT but but... I suddenly remembered I had a very sturdy stand for a microphone (long story) up in the attic - and the stand extends :-)  To those style gurus who say that if you've not used something for over a year, then it should be chucked, I say <<insert rude word of choice>> !! 

Stuffing will be interesting: I have any number of old feather/down/hollowfill pillows upstairs, but I also have memories from 40 years ago of an intrepid 25yo gallantly creating a new down duvet from the contents of two old ones - down everywhere! I really don't want to use polyester/hollowfill and wool is too expensive, potentially smelly and a beacon to moth... Wood shavings though, now THERE's a thought. I've ordered a sample, so  we... shall... see... How much will I need though, now that's a real head-scratcher...........

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