This evening I cut out another dress for Katie: Simplicity 2591. I never would have chosen this pattern from the envelope photos, but my sister-in-law sewed up this pattern for her daughter, and Katie just loved the dress so much that now I'm making it for her. It's not very obvious from the envelope or even the line drawings, but this dress has wonderful deep pockets. The front side panels are cut on the bias and form pockets in the skirt. What a great dress design! When cutting out the dress, I tried out some of the new pattern weights I'm making for a group of ladies from the This-End-Up co-op. I had orders for 31 sets of weights, and I still have 5 more sets to finish up. The green weights seem to be the most popular; I never would have guessed. :) Several readers have expressed interest in these pattern weights. The weights are simply metal washers wrapped with fabric. You can make your own, and smaller washers can be found in most hardware stores. It can be rather difficult, however, to find the large 4.5" washers that I use. You can use plain washers, but the fabric keeps them from clinking and from sliding around. If you have ever used weights to hold down your patterns, you probably realize how much easier and less time-consuming it is than using pins to hold the pattern pieces in place. The only times I use pins anymore is around detail areas such as darts or pleats. Okay, enough of the weights. I'll be back next time to report my progress on the dress. Katie is going out of town in a few days to visit a friend, and I'd like to have the dress finished so she can take it with her. happy sewing, Ruth