Coutil!

If you haven't noticed by now, you will as you read more of my posts: a lot of what I make starts with a crazy bargain I pick up somewhere. Just two days ago I was researching materials to bone my effigy corset with, and came across a word I didn't know: coutil. Here's a lil' linky-poo for ya. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coutil

Now, how I have spent all the last year reading tons of sewing blogs --many of which contain notes on making corsets -- and have never run across this word before astounds me. But there ya go, life is weird like that. Apparently coutil is just the bees knees when it comes corsetry, but is terrifically expensive and hard to find. A shopping search online turned it up for $29 a yard, or slightly less with a five-yard minimum order.

And then, after learning of this fabric two days ago, today I go to the Panorama Patio Sale (http://www.panoramacity.org/patiosale.shtml) and what do I find? A yard of the stuff for a buck.

Let me repeat that price, cause it's completely nuts: One... stinkin'... dollar.

And here's me with an effigy corset cut out at home just waiting for me to start stitching on it. The pale mint-green linen I was going to use? No more. I'm all about the coutil, baby. More on how that works out in a bit.