Muslin test for Simplicity 1587 & Frying Pan Tower

   Glenn and I are invited to attend a wedding celebration on the 25th.  Of course I need to sew up a new dress for the event.......but I wasn't sure which pattern to sew up, and what fabric to use.  The event will be outdoors in a courtyard and it has been difficult to tell what the weather will do here.  Recently we went from summer weather, to rain, to a cold front which went to just above freezing at night.  So, I decided on this fabric from Hancock Fabrics: a cotton swiss dot print.  Worse case scenario I can always were a light sweater over it if the weather turns cool again.

Beautiful Swiss Dot cotton 

  Now for the pattern.  I love this Simplicity (reproduction) vintage pattern 1587.  Check it out:

    Usually I give myself two weeks to sew up a new dress but I had a wonderful surprise visit from my parents, (photos down below) which leaves me with less then a week.  Already I have sewed up my first bodice test muslin, and since I was in between sizes I went with the smaller size thinking I could add a FBA.   After a long debate in my mind, I don't think I can add a FBA, cause it may warp the pattern, so looks like I am heading back to Hancock to purchase another pattern; which I hope they have, and cut out the larger size.  I hope this isn't the beginning of more issues to come. 


   On a happier note:  Check out the photos of my Dad and me.  A little back story: my Mom suggested that my Dad and I go hiking on the Blue Ridge parkway for some bonding time.  There were some restrictions, we couldn't go to far cause of time restraints, and my Mom suggested an easy hiking trail, and I didn't have time to get a map.  Well, the long and short of it, after taking my Dad on an easy trail, he kept asking me where we were going and was there a view.  Of course my answers were I have no idea. As luck would have it a fellow hiker came by and he suggested we drive 20 minutes to Pisgah Inn where we would be able to buy a map.  Once we reached the Pisgah Inn, the guy gave us a crappy little black and white drawing of something that resembled a map which featured Frying Pan Mountain Lookout tower.  Yeah, I heard of the tower, but even with the map, we, I mean me, the leader, lead us down a road to a sewage treatment facility. Oh crap. My Dad did question our destination a few times by saying stuff like: shouldn't we be going up and not down?  shouldn't we be on a gravel road not a paved road?  My response was, "Where is your sense of adventure?"  (And you know the steep climb back was grueling but I was not about to complain and I had to fake my optimism.) After giving up being the leader, yeah, I know when it is time to turn the reigns over to a competent person, we followed my Dad's advice and drove further along the Blue Ridge until we found the gate that said," Frying Pan Mountain Look out Tower......which was also visible from the road and sitting high up on the mountain.  Once we proceeded on the gravel road there was a split, Oh my!, and my Dad asks me; which way should we go?  I said,  I don't know, but left looks like the right way to go.  After hiking a 1/2" mile, we hear gun shots.......my Dad stops in his tracks and says that is a semi automatic. Living in the country, I am so use to hearing gun shots that it doesn't freak me out and I simply state that there is private property surrounding the area....so it is probably someone shooting a gun.  Besides, after about 6 miles of hiking already I was determined to make it to that Tower, even if I had to go past someone carrying a semi. Eventually, we see the tower above us, and we were home free.  My Dad did question the "No trespassing sign", but I didn't think twice about it....who was going to come out there and ticket us? Check out the tower.  

Look above my finger that is the tower

        Side story: Once we reached the tower I heard vehicles.  I figured it was forest rangers (maybe they were going to get us for trespassing)  until I saw about 6 guys get out of some ATVs and take photos.   Yeah, these beautiful men, and I say this seriously, were out taking photos of the view.  Yeah, they were too beautiful to hike up to the tower and hired vehicles to get them there.  Once we came down the tower we heard them crying about how cold it was up there and that the tower was moving.  Although, one guy took a photo of my Dad and me and I find that so sweet to think there is a photo flying around on the internet of us two together....surviving the tower.

Charlie on the tower

   
     I am holding on for dear life:

50 mile in hour wind hair do

       Some things you should know if you decide to hike to Frying Pan Mountain tower.  The gravel road which leads to the tower is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Pisgah Inn and it is visible from the road. (No need to wonder aimlessly through other areas of the Parkway, especially near a sewage treatment facility)  Wear pants, cause it is a lot cooler / colder at the top of the tower.  The tower is 70 feet tall and is on top of 
5, 340 feet mountain. The tower is made to move with the wind, so you will be moving with the tower too.  Although it feels like you and the tower will fly away........it is safe.  I can say this now cause I made it down safe and sound.  Have a sense of humor, cause no one can tell you where it is and the map may not get you there either!

Where is the View?