Behind the Seams | Long Skirt #1 Progress | speed up reverse appliqué cutting

3 days per back panel embroidery 

2 days per front panel embroidery 

1.5 days cutting appliqué 

1 day construction

1 day dyeing

= sum 3,3,2,2,1.5,1,1 = 13.5 days at around 6 to 8 hours a day = 81 to 108 hours

I would actually think it's at the lower end of the scale but if redoing the same cut and embroidery just take the higher end estimate for time. I think it's possible to finish in ten days with experience/speed and dedication. 

Fabric 3x $4 per metre from Jo's remnants = $12

Dye $20, should be half if not for stuff up

Thread  400m x $0.02 = $8

Elastic $1.50 

Paint $2

Total approximately $43.50 including mistakes made

So definitely more expensive than whatever-mart for a cheap skirt... but compared to ac kit for same skirt at current writing date = USD$398 x 1.4 exchange rate = $557.20 plus international shipping adds around $100 = $660 just to get the materials of one skirt in my hands ready to sew. Still more worth to spend the money on materials such as paint, thread, beads, etc. 

Ways to speed to reverse appliqué cutting (or whatever it's called to mean that it IS as though you DID do appliqué on the garment)

• Scissors must be small for a stencil like Anna garden
• Scissors that are super sharp and pointy will catch fabric too easily and trip you up and make mistakes a lot, like holes where you don't want them
• Scissors sharp ended but designed with a blunt at the end (not so pointy that they could also easily stab skin) = ideal
• Hold fabric panel with other hand like a plate or pizza from underneath, where possible = large flat area to work with and subsequently cut. 
• Less turning round and round of fabric panel = better. Just rotate fabric to be guided into scissors, where possible. 
• Cut as many polygons as possible without needing to change fabric direction, ie don't stress about cutting out only one polygon at a time. The latter is way way way too time consuming. Putting down and picking up fabric constantly = no no. 
• Experience and practice will make confidence to cut confidently with big strides. 
• The M36 thread has good hold in shape = not flimsy floppy thread. Definitely easier to get around it than overlock thread. 
• Change scissor fingers to ease fatigue 
• Give the main shoulder muscles a good massage at the end of the day. Stretch the hand muscles. 
• Not being super crazy accurate about cutting the embroidery appliqué pieces because the fabric will curl after a wash anyway. 
• Very good lighting, daylight, a good place to sit like the garden on a warm day

At the end of the day we who have a passion for creating garments will be making even better garments in heaven - out of materials such as Righteousness. We don't lose anything even if all things are lost here on earth.