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Inexperienced tailor asks… melty hymo?

22 Jan

I'M MELTING (MY HYMO)!

So I may have changed gear slightly and gone a tad crazy with regards to priorities, planning, and my ability to accomplish multiple sewing-related goals in a short period of time (before it gets warm here- in North Dakota time: not that short, but in inexperienced tailoring time: Not Long) in response to a contest-notification email that goaded me to do something I’ve been dying to do for ages, but told myself I a) didn’t need, b) wasn’t ready to try to make and c) where would I wear it anyway. All of which are probably still true, which is what makes it double-extra-deliciously fun, I’m afraid. Yes, my responsible sisters, I’m going deeply down the rabbit hole of unrepentant self-indulgence on this one. Now’s the time, stiff hand or no, I’m on board! More details to follow, but it’s going to be GREAT. G.R.E.A.T. There may be some crying and swearing and begging of tips from any of you who will listen before all is said and done, but I definitely do my best work under deadline, and I’m ready for the focus of the challenge. So excited!

So. Preparation for said change of gears has led me to a surprising revelation. B Black no longer sells *heavy* weight hymo containing any natural fibers whatsoever (stuff I got there last year was wool hair/cotton), which at first blush seems like a likely sign of the apocalypse, but I suppose is just the recession, unless- could it be that this stuff is really superior in any way other than cost to a traditional animal-hair product?

So, I’d like to query the hive mind here: have you worked with these? Great/indistinguishable results? Doesn’t it make it harder to tailor? It just seems that if I’ve gone out of my way to avoid synthetic fibers in the shell fabric, I don’t want to monkeywrench it by painstakingly meshing all this synthetic to it- it seems counter-intuitive to the concept of tailoring doesn’t it? Or am I reading too many old-fashioned tailoring books? Isn’t the notion that I’m creating shape with judicious use of heat, steam and pressure, all three of which I’d then have to largely avoid once I’ve introduced all this poly-rayon into the mix? Am I wiser to go down a weight to the medium-weight stuff? (p.s. did you notice Sunni sells that now, BTW?) Entire paragraph of questions!!

Or… is it just that I react to synthetics like a kid reacts to vegetables- I just haven’t learned how to appreciate them yet and someday I’ll love their unique properties and special wonderfulness pad-stitched all over my wool?

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