Wow, this looks like a lot of work and I am curious how both of the outfits will look when finished. I used the fake leather two times so far (one fo a skirt and one for a simple open front jacket) and surprisingly I also found it nice to work with. I would have anticipated that it is harder to use... And with the basting, I normally do this with the machine with a super wide stitch and without locking the ends. Is there a reason why you do it from hand?
When I think I will need to remove the basting, I do it by hand--much easier to remove than machine basting. Also, I can hand baste anywhere. I machine baste on big items, though.
I use hand basting on curved seams, slippery fabrics, or small tricky spots where I need accuracy. !BBH
Because this is such an awesome post, here is a BBH Tip for you.
. Keep up the fantastic work