Solo The Needle's Eye

[Naiya]

Rue

Summer, Day 2, 513AV
Morning

It was a relatively cool day as Rue sat with her friend. The shop open to all as they sat down to work. Maybell was further back, sitting in her chair beside the unlit fire, it was just like back in winter when much had gone the same.

Before her were a mess of fabrics and a tiny woman who wanted them all sewn into a dress, and Rue was trying to explain why such a dress would not be what she imagined it to be.

"Of course, I understand what you are asking for, ma'am, but I just don't think it would be what you want." So much fabric would surely drown her tiny frame and she would hate the dress, then all this beautiful fabric would go to waste.

"I know what I want, I want a dress made with layers of each of these fabrics, I want to impress my new husband. Why is this so difficult for you? Maybe a master would understand." The woman looked impatiently at Maybell where she sat behind Rue, but the old woman acted as if she had not heard.

She had been arguing with the slight woman before her for almost a half bell, and Rue decided that she would give the woman what she wanted... Sort of. "So what you want is a dress made with all four of these fabrics? You are absolutely sure?"

"Yes, absolutely. There is not a doubt in my mind." The woman sounded relieved at having finally communicated her wish, and she stood abruptly - ready to leave. "When will it be ready?"

Rue paused a moment to think, her plan slowly building in her mind. "Come back in two bell's time and I will have a plan for you to approve." The woman nodded curtly before leaving without another glance.

A laugh sounded behind her and Rue turned to face her mentor. "You think this is funny, Maybell? I don't think I've ever dealt with someone so stubborn before! Can you believe? She wants a four layer dress! She'll drown in it!"

Maybell smiled sagely at her, a knowing glint in her eye. "But you don't plan to make her a dress of four layers, do you?" She laughed again when she caught sight of the guilt in Rue's eyes. "Well, get on with it then, she will be back before you know it." Rue nodded, turning back to the table in front of her.

Drawing was a large part of her job, planning the cuts and hems, and coming up with a final idea of what the clothing would look like, if Rue hadn't known how to draw when she started, she sure did a fine job now. The dress she would draw for the woman would be exactly what they had agreed on before she left - a dress that used all four fabrics - but it would use them to create shape and line rather than to have the silly woman wrapped in four layers of colored cloth topped with silk.

Three of the four fabrics were simple linen, the last was silk. Each was died a different color, the silk a beautiful deep red, and the linens red each shade lighter than the one before it, the last almost white.

The silk would make the top, with long loose sleeves. The skirt would start high on the waist with the lightest color, then the medium on the outside. Splitting the front would be the darkest of the linens beneath the fall of the other fabric. The idea was so strong in her head that she was done quickly and already drawing the fabric cuts that would be needed when the woman returned.

Nightsong

[Naiya]

Rue

"Ahhem." The golden tanned woman was back, ready to inspect her work. "What do you have for me?"

Rue smiled up at the woman. "Please come in," Rue urged her, "I have an idea that is the most simple, but if you would like to do more, it would be easy to change." When the woman approached Rue showed her the sketch and explained the basics of the dress.

"I would like the neckline to be square, and I would like there to be cuts in the back to show a little skin, but also to allow me to be cool. Will the silk be lined with linen?"

"The silk can certainly be lined, and I can make these cuts in the back, but I think you should try a round neckline. I know that the square is popular, but I think the round will suit you better." Looking unsure, the woman shook her head. Rue nodded, looking to Maybell who was doing an embroidery job, bent over her worktable like they didn't even exist. "Maybell, do we still have those dresses with the different necklines? The ones I had my eye on to maybe buy from you?"

For a moment it seemed as though Maybell was ignoring her, but Rue new better, to stop a line when you were embroidering would ruin your rhythm, then when you picked it back up it would show where you had stopped. When Maybell looked up it was with a frown on her face, "How many times have I told you that you won't be buying anything from me?" To outside ears it sounded like a chastisement for thinking to buy from her own work, but Rue knew she had stirred their age old argument that if Rue made the dress, or wanted the fabric, she should take it as a thank you for helping her with the work her Pavilion would not. Rue couldn't help the teasing smile that crossed her face, but Maybell ignored her, standing up to search for the dresses.

"Here, these are not the ones you spoke of, but they will do the job." Rue took the dresses laying them over her arm then gesturing towards a sectioned off area for trying on clothing. "Please follow me."

The dresses were large on the woman's small frame, but Rue pinned back the extra cloth so that the woman could admire the shape without being distracted by the fit. The first was the round neck, wide and soft, the round neckline left the her shoulders almost completely bare in a way that accentuated her exotic features while leaving them delicate and feminine. Next was the square neck that brought out all the sharp angles that were beautiful and exotic normally but hard and birdlike with the sharply plunging neckline. Rue could see that the woman loved the idea of the cut, but she could also see the harshness of her features. Looking torn, the woman turned to rue with a look of slight desperation. "Here, I have an idea. Please, wait here."

The plan forming in her head was unusual, the neckline she was thinking of was usually strapless or made with thin shoulder straps, but she had hopes that it would work. As Rue dug excitedly through their dresses Maybell stopped to watch her young pupil. The princess cut Rue found had no sleeves, but she grabbed fabric of a close color and brought it in with her. "Lets try this." She told the woman, helping her to dress in the new dress. "Now what we would be doing would be a little unusual, but I think you will like it all the same."

When the woamn was dressed, Rue wrapped the 'sleeve' around her arm at the level of the top of the bust, making it tight at the top and letting it flow loosely towards her wrists. "It's not a perfect match, I know but-"

"This. This is perfect!" The woman inturrupted, admiring the revealing but innocent cut of the dress. "You can do this?" Rue nodded assuredly.

"Do you mind if I call my mentor in for a moment to talk about attachments?" The woman shook her head, doing little half spins in the mirror. "Maybell, a moment please." The old woman must have expected it - or been curious - because she was with them immediately. They took a moment to talk about how to leave the sleeves, and the best way to make the cuts on the back with the new neckline.

In the end it was decided that the linen would follow the neckline down the back while the silk would match the front, but keep a small attachment at the armpit then roll over the arm to button in between the shoulder blades, the silk covering her back would have the three oval cuts.

"When will it be ready?" The woman asked, sound more excited than she had yet. Rue thought for a moment before answering, it was almost lunchtime, and there were many layers and much cutting to be done.

"Come back after lunch tomorrow, it should be done by then." The woman nodded, her hands speaking of thanks when Rue spoke again. "Just let me get some measurements before you go." When that was done the woman left, almost bouncing with excitement. Maybell returned to her work, and Rue turned to her own, keeping the measuring and grabbing a piece of chalk to mark the cloth.


When she had finished marking all the cuts to be made she began to feel glad that she had left the horses to her sister and come in early this morning, there was a lot of work ahead of her.

She was careful to leave extra cloth on her cutouts - space for hems - and shen she had all the cuts made, she bundled the extra cloth and lay it aside. First she did the skirt that would fall on the inside, the red that almost matched that of the silk. It was a simple cut, tight to the legs until it reached the knees where she cut slits to make walking easier. Next she put together the top, with the linen lined silk, an extra step she didn't mind because she knew it would protect the fine material. She did not line the sleeves or the top of the back, counting on the fall of the material to save it. She sewed two hems at the back, with small holes lining each, this would corset up when she was dressed. The silk ended just at the top of the corset tucking under to accentuate the shape of the thin woman. Next, just under the bottom of the corset that fell at what would be her waist she attached a ruffled band of the lightest color of linen, creating the base for the final part of the dress. Finally she created the top layer of the skirt, the medium red color that would fall around her hips giving her the appearance of having more there than she really did, sewn on under the bottom of the pale band. The single strip of fabric was pinched together where it was sewn on, creating the appearance of ruffles then swept back and up around the hips, parting to reveal the darker red underneath. It was not a dress style that was common around Endrykas, but she hoped that it would allow the woman the attention she wanted around her new husband.

Sometime in all of this Rue found time to eat lunch and dinner, to return home to bed. She woke early as usual did her exercises, taking the time to stretch and practice drawing the hidden blades she always carried on her. She even had breakfast again the next day, but she worked through lunch to make sure the dress was ready in time.

Nightsong

[Naiya]

Rue

"It is a little loose at the sleeves." The woman murmured at her reflection as she admired the red of the fabric against her golden skin. Rue did not bother, for the moment, telling her that the looseness there would would allow the fabric to accommodate the muscle of her arms - now was a time of silence, letting the dress speak for itself. If the woman liked it, then something Rue said could change her mind, but if she didn't like it, Rue could only hope that she would be able to change her mind about the sale.

"It isn't what I had in mind when I came to Maybell's shop with thoughts of a dress..." Rue knew that as well, but expectations could ruin a sale as well, and Rue had knowingly gone against hers. It was a risk she had been willing to take, but now she began to wonder if she had been wrong to do so.

Before her, the woman turned, eying the slits in the back of the dress, the button closure, and the corset lacing. Those had been the hardest parts of the dress, having to sew the loose edges so the fabric would not fray or unravel. Stitches like that would serve to improve her needlework, controlled and even, they mimicked the steady hand and focus of embroidery.

"It is a beautiful dress." The woman said finally, turning to face Rue, "I will wear it with pride and inform any who ask that it was you whose hands crafted such fine work." Rue let out a long breath, a smile bursting across her face.

"I am honored by your words, Ma'am." Rue spoke softly, she did not want to change this woman's mind, but inside she was overjoyed. There was nothing more satisfying than success. "If you will ma'am, Maybell will assist you with the details of the sale." Rue was never responsible for the exchange of money, it went from customer to Maybell's hand every time, else Rue's father could question the candor of the sale.

When the woman was dressed in her own clothing once again, she approached Rue, dress in hand. "Thank you for arguing with me about the dress I wanted, you were right, and I am most happy with what you have given me."

"It was my pleasure." Rue replied, grin spreading over her cheeks.

Nightsong

[Elysium]

Rue Nightsong

Experience
Sewing +1
Drawing +1
Persuasion +2
Observation +2

Lore
How to Use the Power of Suggestion
Square Necklines v. Round Necklines
How to Flatter a Petite Figure
How to Make a Sale

Notes
You did a good job of describing the fashion itself, but I couldn't award you very much experience because you didn't intimately describe the process of drawing the design or sewing the piece. The more detail you include, the more experience I can award you. If you have any questions about the grade, please PM me.