Custom made or ready to wear?

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​Dear sister,

Thanks again for the beautiful silk scarf, I have been using it quite a few times as waist band or headscarf, but I will have to wait until autumn to really use it as a scarf:).

I have not been doing much recently, other than wondering around and thinking about the website I am creating. I found thinking is so draining that it does't leave me much energy for anything else. Maybe I am just looking for excuse for my laziness.

I did read a few books, mostly biographies: In the name of Gucci by Patricia Gucci which I enjoyed a lot, The Virgin Way by Richard Branson which is only good for the first part, Jean Renoir: Projections of Paradise by Ronald Bergan, which I have not finished and do not know if I want to, it is so pretentious and nothing more than a dry list of names and events.

But one book I enjoyed immensely, and made me fall in love again with Herman Hesse: Demian. I still do not know how to describe it, not to you, not to myself, I could only say that while reading it, I felt as if my body and soul were both sucked into the story, that when it ended, I felt exhausted, empty. I think it's the best gift I gave myself this year.

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A few days ago I went to the modista Carmen (they sometimes use costurera, sometimes modista here in Spain, which both mean seamstress. I like modista, it's easier to pronounce, shorter to write and has a more crispy felling on the tongue.). Before leaving for Italy, I left a black linen skirt with her for alteration, because I gained some weight after she had made it for me.

But she refused to make the alteration, she suggested that I leave the skirt there, and if the waist was still too small after I came back, she would make the alteration.

-And besides, summer is coming, you'll perhaps lose a little bit weight because of the heat.
She added. And I conceded.

How wise is She!

​Because of the weight I lost while in Italy, the waist now fits perfectly. When I tried it on, she smiled, and gave me a "I told you so" look. I smiled back, with lots of gratitude and wonder: I found almost all of the Spanish modistas I have worked with have some treasure wisdom hidden behind their atelier table.

Of course there is another reason why dear Carmen was not willing to do the alteration. I have had her made the waist exactly like I wanted: very high waist, no waist band, and the interface sewn completely by hand in a very smart way, so nothing is flapping and no seaming is seen from outside. She was very proud of what she has done, and so have I. And she still has that craftsman's sensitivity that she will get hurt if she has to destroy what she has done beautifully to redo it, not due to her own fault. I must admit I actually felt somewhat regretful about my insensitive request.

I showed Carmen one of the red linen fabric I bought in Italy with her, planning to make another dress which can be worn on both sides, she understood my very bad sketch, so hopefully this time it will turn out better than the white one I have made by another modista. That one did not perform well as I have hoped, especially for traveling, so i will have to make another one.

Yes, I know what you are going to say again: But it all seems so complicated! It's true, and very frustrating too at times, their working times, my very bad drawings, their general unwillingness to try any different technique, etc. But I still believe it worth a try. I hate the ready made clothes nowadays so much that I think I will have everything custom made from now on, even the swimming suit. I have bought the fabrics and trims, but unfortunately am still looking for the right modista to make it for me. None of them are willing to take the risk, telling me their machines can not handle such stretchy fabrics or can not make the correct seem finishing, even I after I told them I was quite prepared to waste both money and fabric.

These Spanish women!

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