Generous Marji and a long story about fabric without much sewing

About 2 years ago Marji sent me some fabric.
When she was giving it away, she wrote "I would love to pass some along and then have the opportunity to see what You do with it."

I had very good intentions of using the fabric immediately. The fabric is a grey viyella, now unobtainable as far as I can work out, and I had only used this type of fabric once - a 35 year old piece given to me by my MIL, from which I made this dress for my niece.


I loved making the dress, the fabric was so wonderful to smock and sew. With Marji's gift, my plan was to make this smocked and embroidered coat from Australian Smocking and Embroidery #51, for another niece.

Unfortunately, when I showed the picture to my SIL (mother of intended recipient), she was not at all keen on the coat, and told me she hates grey. I lost enthusiasm for the project, and carefully put the viyella back in my stash.
It was on my conscience.

About 6 months later, I thought about dying it, and making a less traditional smocked garment, more like this one from Australian Smocking and Embroidery #80.

I bought some Dylon in aubergine, then read that dying wool with this was not a good idea. In addition to this dampener, my SIL told me she also hates purple. I decided that my niece in this branch of the family would recieve very easy presents in the future, like pillowcases, or maybe Lego :).
My daughter used the dye for a tie-dying assignment in Home Economics.

Yesterday, I finally got out the viyella and cut it out for something completely different.
I tried Kenneth King's ribbon backed welt pocket again, this time with the correct width of ribbon, and got a horrible fright when I first turned the welts.

It looked just as bad as when I used the 5/8 inch ribbon, and in Marji's special fabric!
Fortunately, viyella has wonderful wool properties, and I am greatly relieved that pressing improved matters considerably.

Now I think the pocket looks almost as good as Marji's pocket using this method (which prompted me to try it, thanks again Marji). Whew!
I am sewing the rest of this project slowly and carefully.