Monday, December 30, 2013

2013 Top 5

Somewhere there's a button and a link for the top five, but I'm too lazy to go find em and link up.

Besides, my top 5 projects for this year were pretty much my sewing for the year...I really didn't get much done.  Hoping that scenario changes for next year...my wardrobe is in sore need of some sprucing up.

Anyway... The Numero Uno sewing project for the year has to be the Poppy Skirts that I made for the 2013 musical, The Wiz.  I'll throw the 2nd spot to the Emerald City Citizen dress I cobbled up in about 5 hours, starting with a rather plain velvet dress and funkifying it up.

After that, it gets rather blah. I dove into a huge data migration project at work, and really had no time to sew.  Or buy milk, for that matter...it's been a crazy year.  But I did squeak through a couple of things...

I'll give the 3rd spot to the Hippie Earth Mother Tiered skirt.  I would live in these skirts in the summer, I think.  This makes two that I own...I may very well make some more before too much longer.  They are just FUN to wear...



4th place would be the pillowcases for Rhonda's Pillowcase project.  There is something really powerful about giving up personal time for someone else, and I enjoyed making these pillowcases.  I hope that somewhere someone enjoys looking at them.





The fifth place spot would probably go to the Jiffy Pop Top, just because it was such a spur of the moment fun thing that perked up my sewing confidence when it was seriously beginning to lag.

As we still have our family Christmas in front of us (New Year's Day), my cutting table is currently buried under gift wrapping supplies.  Not finished wrapping yet.   I do have a couple of things cut out I can work on if I can catch a minute or two. 

Saturday, December 28, 2013

The Spirit of Christmas Past



Not too long after I got married, my maternal grandmother went through a doll making phase.  Among others, she made a Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy set that she kept.  After she died in 2001, Ann and Andy went to live with my aunt, who lives in a small house and she recently decided that the dolls needed to go to another home.  They were sitting on my mom's sun room sofa when we arrived, and before the evening was over, Mom asked if would like them.


With the traditional sentiment embroidered by my Grandma herself on both of the dolls...how could I not?

It was like bringing home hugs from Grandma. I'm not sure where I'll end up putting them, and the clothes could use a bit of freshening, but just seeing them makes me smile a sunshower sort of smile.

Friday, December 20, 2013

too late for Sunday...

I admit it has been a crazy busy December; I forgot to take choir wardrobe photos on the 8th; we did take 'em on the 15th but I didn't have time to post one and, while I'm not gonna embarrass myself by flagging it as a choir post, I'll throw it up just because it's the Jiffy Pop top again...not too bad under the plaid Robin's jacket .  I'm thinking this will go into the suitcase for Christmas  day...maybe...

And I did finally finish the brown knit Oxford pants and FTA skirt.  I managed to squeeze a little sleevless t onto the remnant, and that's still in progress, but I'm glad to have the others done.  Ridiculous how long they languished for want of a double needle hem...

Don't know if I'll get back to the blog before Christmas Day itself or not.  If I don't, here's wishing all my blogsphere buddies a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah, with all your favorite people and customs!

Thursday, December 05, 2013

A festive top...

from Vogue 8669; I had a gift card from Hancock's, a dress-up party to attend, and about an hour...in 15 minute increments over about 4 days...to sew up something to sparkle.

Found a very interesting lame-knit; it appears to be silver lame' printed on navy blue knit.  I saw it and immediately thought of a cowl-neck shell top.

So I brought it home, pulled out the above-mentioned pattern and, per my last iteration, copied the front pattern piece and proceeded to whack and spread and pivot my way to a full bust adjustment.  It was kinda needed on the earlier tops, but this knit did not have as much stretch as the earlier ones so I knew it would be necessary on this.

I loved the flow and sparkle of the fabric until...some point in the process I looked at it puddled up on the sewing table and saw...a pan of Jiffy -pop popcorn...

Sigh.

 My elegant sparkly top became a kitschy wear-with-tongue-in-cheek kinda garment.

Oh, well.

I wore it anyway.

And will probably wear it again.

'Cause it is kinda fun...


Sunday, December 01, 2013

Choir Wardrobe 12-01-13

December means red and black.  This year, we're mixing silver/grey in with it, but I stuck to the basics today.

It's a twin set...and it's really sad, but I don't remember which pattern I used for the mock t....I have about 3 different ones that I use, so, um, yeah...

But the cardi is one of my modifications of the  Jalie Pleated Cardigan.

Yeah, I know, I need to edit that review and talk about the modifications.  Maybe someday...

Anyway, they're both done up in a rather beefy rayon blend knit.  Somebody's jeans and...my red shoes. 

Why ever did I wait so long to get red shoes? ;-)

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Choir Wardrobe 112413

Burgundy, brown and burnt orange and a photobombing cat.

The dress is Sewing Workshop's OOP Cityscapes dress, in burgundy slinky.

I have three Cityscapes dresses in slinky...black, burgundy and teal green, and I love them for the holidays.  Very, um, forgiving...

The cardi is my new Pamela's Patterns 110 (Drape-front Cool Cardigan) , from brown wool jersey.  That's going to be a serious supporting actor in the fall/winter wardrobe, I do believe.

The scarf...a remnant, finished off with rolled edges on the serger.  But one of the serged ends was pulling loose, and I did a quick mending job on it a week or so ago.  Carefully trimmed away all the frayed ends, applied Fray Check (VERY carefully!) to the edge, let it dry, the hand stitched the rolled edge onto the new, pretty stiff fabric edge.

It looks a little weird up close, but, well, no one looks at it that close.  And I can roll up the scarf so it really doesn't show.

I have never paired that scarf with that dress...but it works.  

The knit skirt just needs the elastic applied to the waist and a hem.  Just couldn't manage to squeeze it in this week. Maybe next week amongst the cooking.

Next week, Christmas colors...Red, black and gray.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Work Wear 7

On the Just for Fun side...

I mean, any time you put on a garment with a  red, black and taupe animal-not-found-in-nature print, it has to be just for fun, right?

Have never put the Burda 2/2009/108 boatneck t with the red rendition of Jalie's 2919 pleated cardigan, mostly because I didn't think the 3/4 length sleeves would work over the long sleeves.  But, given the kinda patchworky look that's in now, once I tried it, I kinda liked it. 

And it meant I could wear the red shoes, too... ;-)

I'll bet I do this again.  Just for fun. 

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Choir Wardrobe 11 17

I had real hopes of wearing a new garment for the second week in a row; I have some lovely brown RPL double knit that I cut into pants and a skirt Friday; with intentions of at least getting the skirt made for today.

Both garments have pockets, natch, and I put fusible interfacing on the pocket opening on the seam of the skirt so the knit wouldn't stretch out of shape.

Only somehow I ended up putting the fusible on the FACE OF THE FABRIC on one side of the skirt.  Didn't realize it until I saw that I had two left fronts...the face and the reverse are so similar.

But not indistinguishable.  I pulled it off, then spent pretty much the rest of the evening trying to melt the adhesive into scrap fabric to pull it off the skirt.

It only worked a little, but most of the adhesive was in the seam allowance anyway and I know that most of the time I will be wearing tops over the skirt (well, all the time, now..), so I finally just gave up and moved forward.

But I didn't get the skirt finished.

So, today's choir wardrobe was Old Clothes. Colors of the Month are burgundy, brown and burnt orange, and I wore the same burgundy slinky Textile Studios Monaco Shell I wore last week and my brown rayon jersey Jalie 2566 cardigan.  Lee jeans.  Boring but serviceable.

Maybe I'll have the skirt done next week. ;-)

Monday, November 11, 2013

Giveaway Winner!

So, I had a total of 13 comments, excluding Kathleen, who had plenty of patterns and asked to be excluded from the drawing.

I wrote each name on a little bit of paper, folded them all equally and threw them in a box thusly:
 
I shook them well, and looked at my Sweet Babboo and asked, 'Can you do me a favor?'

His answer was to close his eyes, turn his head away and hold out his hand.  So I stuck the box in his reach, and he pulled out this name:
That's Gaylen of  G Marie Sews !  Ima gonna trot over and let her know so we can connect up and I can get her pattern pack on its way...

Thanks to everyone who left comments and to everyone who has been reading along with me for 8 years!!

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Choir Wardrobe 11-10-13

So, yeah, I totally forgot to take a photo last week.  No excuses...just forgot.

But we remembered this week.

And, no surprise, I wore the hot-off-the-machine Pamela's Pattern Drape Front Cardigan  and decided that the wool jersey is NOT too itchy.   :-D

Lee?  I think?  Boot cuts, a remnant scarf and a burgundy slinky Textile Studio Monico Shell funnel-neck top, which is probably about 6 years old...

And red shoes!  I love it when I get to wear my red shoes... ;-)

Oh, colors for November are brown and burgundy, with burnt orange for accent.

My scarf actually is in need of repair.  I just rolled the edges on it, and the rolled edge is actually pulling off one of the short ends.  I've about decided that I need to fray check the end where it's pulled off, then hand whip that rolled edge back onto the scarf; I'll never match the existing rolled edge and I really don't want to trim it all off to make a new roll.  Maybe I'll get to that this week (I'ma gonna need that scarf again this month...) and let you know if it worked...

Oh, I re read yesterday's post and decided it was kinda vague.  My original intention was that I would do the 8-year giveaway  from comments on that post, but I'm afraid I confused folks so I'll draw from any comments left on any of this week's posts.  ;-)  Basically just say 'hi' and you're in...

Saturday, November 09, 2013

A Cardigan in a Day

Just when I decided I needed some brown knits, one of my favorite online vendors put her knits on sale.

So of course I ordered some.

It arrived last week, and, wonder of wonders, I actually turned one piece into a garment!

Hey, it happens sometimes...

I had a couple of cardigan patterns I wanted to try; I've already got another new piece pegged for one of them so I decided to try the other one on the brown jersey I got.

Started off today by tracing the pattern...Pamela's Patterns # 110 - Cool Cardigans -Draped Front .

Based on the instructions, I picked my size based on my high bust measurement, which put me solidly in the 'Medium' range.  My full bust measurement was about 3 3/4" larger than my high bust; the instructions said to use the full bust front piece if the full bust was more than 3" larger than the high bust.

So I traced the full bust front.

She includes line for petiting the armscye, but I'm not sure I agree 100% with the method presented; if you fold out that extra as indicated, you will not only raise the underarm but you will raise the bust shaping, raise the waistline and shorten the overall jacket.

So I did it a little differently.

I traced the pattern from the underarm, around the bottom, up the center and around to the top of the petite adjustment lines (I did the same thing on both front and back; the back is pictured here.)

 Then I slid the pattern down the grainline/center back line until the end of the tracing on the armsceye was at the bottom of the adjustment, pinned it down and traced the rest of the armscye, blending the cutting lines.









You can see that the  side seam notches did not move; the bust shaping is still where it belongs.  But the side seam has been lengthened above the notches to shorten the armsceye.

I made the corresponding adjustments as directed on the sleeve cap.

The only other adjustment I made was typical for me...I shortened the sleeve 2 additional inches.


This was actually my first go ever at a wool jersey garment.  I was afraid it would be contrary, but it's actually easier to sew than the rayon jerseys I've been sewing for forever now.  The jury is still out on whether I'm going to find it too itchy; we'll see...

Overall, I think I like the lines.  But the 'drape' is supposed to come from the shirring at the neckline, and it doesn't really look to me like it has made much of a difference. Maybe I just need to fuss with it a little bit.

 The edges are all turned under 1" and topstitched; the front edge wants to roll to the outside so that the raw turned under edge is visible.  In today's world of unfinished edges that may not be a big deal, but I think I would prefer something that looked a little more polished.

But, hey, I made it all in a day that also involved some errand running (I had to get some brown thread, among other things) and sitting through 'Enders Game' with The Actor.  So for something so easy to put together...it ain't bad, it ain't bad.

This will likely show up in tomorrow's choir wardrobe post.. ;-).

And, just a reminder, if you haven't left a comment on my 8 year blogiversary post to put your name in the hat for an 8 -pattern giveaway, you still have time.  I'm going to draw sometime after 8 PM CST on Monday so click through and let me know you're here!

ETA:  Just posted the review and realized it's been over a year since I reviewed a pattern.  Yeesh...

Friday, November 08, 2013

A Little Tote Bag Project

This summer, I found out about a ministry that provides some basic diaper bag-type items for new moms in a foreign ministry. (I'll post more on that when I show the finished bags the girls did).

We just finished a unit on sanctity of life in the high school girls' ministry class, and I thought it would be fun to make the little tote bags that we are to put the goodies in.

They just asked for the cheap poly bags from the dollar store...sort of like this one ---->





3/4 yd of 45" decent quality cotton fabric is plenty; that leaves enough to square the ends up, assuming it wasn't cut wildly off grain.

So..for the straps, tear two 4" strips across the entire length (they will be 4" x 45"); if the selvedges are an issue, just trim them off.

For the bag body, cut two rectangles 15 x 13, with the longest dimension running along the grainline.


Step 1: make the straps.
Fold the strap pieces in half lengthwise, with the wrong side out, and stitch the length of the long seam with a 1/2" seam allowance.

Tip:  Press the seams open, one side at a time, but be careful not to press the fold.

  Turn strap; press flat with the seam centered on one side.




Step 2: Pre-press top hem:

Fold top edge under 1" (use a cardstock template, if you can)  on each body piece; press.  Turn under a second time and press. Do not stitch yet.

Step 3: Apply straps

Matching one raw edge of strap to bottom raw edge, place strap so that the center seam is towards the bag and lies 3.5 inches away from the side edge..  Then carefully, without twisting strap, bend it back  so that the opposite end is aligned with the bottom raw edge again, with the strap parallel to the other vertical edge, 3.5 inches from the vertical raw edge (I did have a photo of that, but somehow it has gotten misfiled.).


Mark the strap 2" below top folded edge of bag.

Edge stitch strap from bottom raw edge, up to pinned mark, across strap at the pin, and back down to the bottom raw edge.  Repeat for other end of the strap, and repeat entire process for other bag body piece.






Step 4: bottom seam

Lay both body pieces right sides together.

Spend a little time entertaining the sewing assistant, who is obviously feeling neglected.






Stitch bottom seam w/a 1/2" Seam allowance.  Zig-zag edges of seam together, press to one side and topstitch down to give a little more reinforcement to the bottom seam.










 Step 5: Side seams

Fold body pieces right sides together again; open out pressed hem edges and stitch from lower seam to top raw edge w/a 1/2" seam allowance.  Finish edges together; don't press them just yet.





 
Step 7: bottom corners

This is the trickiest part of the whole bag.

Turn bag wrong side out and pull out one corner to a point.  Match side seam and bottom seam as they go away from the point (you should have a right angle, with the seams lined up running right up the middle).  Lay a flat ruler so that the 2" mark is right on the seams, slide 2" mark along seam until the 'zero' of the ruler is at one edge and the 4" mark is at the other.  Draw a light pencil mark along ruler and remove the ruler, being careful not to disturb the bag.  Pin across pencil mark to secure, then machine stitch on top of pencil mark, securing stitches at either end.

Trim corner off, leaving 1/2" seam allowance; finish edge of seam allowance.

Repeat for other corner.

 











Step 8: Top hem  

 Press side seams to the side they were stitched down on the corner seam.  Re fold and re-press top edges at the seams.  Turn bag right side out and, with right side against feed dogs, edge stitch hem at inner fold, being careful not to catch straps.

















Bad picture of a nice little bag, eh? ;-)

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

3 Plus 1 Pillowcases

As I'm sure many of you know, Rhonda Buss is doing a pillowcase drive for Mary Bridge Children's Hospital.  Her goal was to accumulate 900 pillowcases...roughly the amount needed for one month's worth of giveaways.

I wanted to participate, but I don't have a big stash of printed cottons and I just hadn't managed to go hunting for suitable fabric and wasn't sure I was going to get something suitable in time to get them in.  But at the Sewing Expo last month, a pizza-printed cotton caught my eye, and I found that there were also hotdog and hamburger prints.  They were kinda pricey for pillowcases, but, hey, it's for kids, right?

So I brought 'em home and, like every other project I've been sewing for the last six months, I worked on 'em fifteen minutes at a time.

During the course of the little-bit-at-a-time pillowcase project, my high school girls club had a sewing night and made some tote bags from the three cotton prints I could scrape out of my stash (more on that later, with photos...).  I had a remnant left of one of the prints that was just enough for a pillowcase, so I have the three food pillowcases...plus the one random one.


These will go in the mail tomorrow (I hope!);  Rhonda is only 6 pillowcases short of 900 as of her blog post today, so I'm sure mine will be extras, but I'm glad to get to send some along.  It has been fun to see what everyone has done for this.

Monday, November 04, 2013

It's Been 8 Years...

...since I started Sew Random to chronicle a frantic costumer's dash to 'The Gospel According to Scrooge'. 

There's been a lot of thread through the needles since then.

But I thought I'd do a little giveaway to celebrate.  I went to the pattern cabinet and pulled out 8 patterns to put into an envelope and mail to one interested Sew Random reader.
All of these are new and uncut, although one or two may have been unfolded and inspected and put back.

I tried to get a smattering of designs and pattern companies...and I will admit that a couple of them hurt just a little....those Big Envelope patterns , well, you know...

But a giveaway ought to be worth doing, right?  And the winner can either keep all 8 patterns, or pull out the ones they're interested in, add a couple from their stash and give it all away again and we'll call it a pattern pyramid.

Anyway, a week from today I'll randomly draw a name from everyone who leaves a comment on this post and bundle up the lot and send them to you.  And if I have to spend $$ on postage to somewhere overseas, well, I will.

Cause you guys have hung with me through a lot of good, bad and ugly, and I'm grateful!


Sunday, October 27, 2013

Choir Wardrobe 10 27

This is the 'I haven't had time to do laundry in about two weeks' version...

All the jeans are waiting for the laundry.

That means I had to be creative.

Colors for the month are burnt orange, purple and brown/tan.

So...I repeated what is pretty much my only brown jacket at the moment, a sale purchase from CWC a year or two ago, and Textile Studio's Madison Avenue dress, rendered in purple bamboo/lycra jersey.

Bought the boots at an outlet last Christmas; this is the first time I've worn them.

I tried one of my remnant scarves w/this, but it just didn't work...the beads had to do to fill in the neckline.  Not great, but, well, it kind of worked.

Colors (and the clocks!) change next Sunday.  I declare, time is picking up speed as we head to the holiday season...already...

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Choir Wardrobe Returns - 102013

I really didn't expect it to be three months.

But, we are on the backside of the data base rollout and I am hoping to get back to something like a normal schedule very soon.  My Thursday afternoon training sessions have moved to another day of the week, which makes it  possible for me to leave around noon on Thursdays (possible, not likely...) so, in theory, I have a little breathing room.

Anyway, it was time.  I missed choir.

And, actually, I did  a bit of sewing last night.  The Flute Player and My Sweet Baboo were at the closing performance of a local community theater production of Les Miserables (I saw it last weekend with The Actor...FABULOUS production!), so I had a bit of sewing time.

First, I concocted and tested a tote bag pattern for my  high school girls'  class sanctity of life unit project (we had a marathon sewing session this evening; 3 out of 4 girls finished theirs...one had to leave a bit before we were done, so look for a photo tute very soon so she can figure out how to finish).




Anyway, whilst looking about in the stash list for likely bag fabric (you know I took 3 stashed pieces in today...more yardage out...), I suddenly saw that I'd  purchased some burnt orange stretch lace last fall, to use for a choir top.

Now, said stretch lace really wasn't terribly stretchy so, remembering the striped top debacle, I pulled out my Jalie 2566 T pattern and traced it off, um, two sizes larger than my usual size.

'Cause that top is drafted for some stretchy fabric.

Anyway, I cut it on the cross grain, so as to take advantage of the scalloped selvedge for the hem.  Then I cut the rest of the scalloped edge off and appliqued it...well, just zig-zagged it down, actually...to the neckline.  Hemmed the sleeves.   It was quick...and it did not look 'sausage casing'.  Actually,  it's a pinch big under the armsceye, but, well, still better than RTW. ;-)

 I wore it today with  I-can't-remember-which jeans, over an orange Jalie 965 tank with a purple scarf and metallic denim jacket, both from  Coldwater, October's colors being dark purple, burnt orange and tan or brown.

It's good to be back.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Expo Day Trip 2013

Well, my traveling buddy Miss A and I rolled out of the Rocket City about 7:15 Friday morning, which was just a pinch later than we'd hoped, then we missed an exit in Birmingham and went a bit out of our way to get to the venue.

So we were about 15 minutes too late to catch Cynthia Guffey's 9 AM class.

I am trying to console myself by believing that it was probably stuff I've heard before; but every time I hear it it gets a little deeper so my consolation is somewhat short.


That was one of the classes I'd picked; another one was full and another was offered the same time as the Louise Cutting class I wanted.

So I only took 2 classes...Louise on measuring/alterations and Cynthia on transferring changes made on a muslin/toile/mock up/pickyourfavoritepracticegarmentterm to the paper pattern.

But the noon style show was all Cynthia's designs, with her narrating about how the cut/lines of the pattern worked...it was like a free class.

These two ladies are both marvelous instructors and absolute delights to listen too.  I know there are other teachers who are really good as well, but I can't seem to bring myself to pick someone else's class over theirs.

Anyway, I bought a wee bit...




The black/white is a double faced linen from Louise's remnant rack; I walked by it 3 times before I succumbed.  The Of the Moment pattern was marked down as well, so I snagged it.  I may just use that fabric for that pattern...we'll see.

I picked up one of Cynthia's tops pattern; jeeminy, I have about 5 of her patterns now and still haven't managed to get one made...so sad...  I picked up a small pair of duckbill scissors, too; I have the regular size SOMEWHERE.  It's been missing long enough that I wanted a replacement, but decided to get the smaller ones because, well, you know, the others might show up.

The food print cottons are for Rhonda's Mary Bridge Pillowcase project.  I've been meaning to find some fabric from the stash and whip some up, but, well, I don't have a ton of cutesy cotton prints.  I happened to be standing next to a quilting cotton vendor while waiting for the daily grand prize drawing and spotted these fabrics.  Could NOT walk away.   I *think* I have some green/red/yellow fabrics about to use for the trims; this is my goal before I start sewing up other stuff this week.

If I get a chance to sew something up this week...

One day at the expo was fun; it's enough to shop, but I really, really would like to be there all three, so I could take the Thursday and Saturday classes, too.

But, trying to be grateful for what I had and not fret about what I didn't have. 

Strangely amusing/slightly sad moment from the weekend:  one of the classes was held in a hotel across the busy highway, so they ran a shuttle bus for folks to take over.  I went down to the lobby a little early and struck up a conversation with another lady who was waiting for a friend to arrive and then she was going to head up to the vendor floor.

'What kind of quilting do you do?' she asked.

Um...I don't quilt?  Would like to make a quilt someday...I have some chopped up squares from scraps from the kid's clothes I made ages ago, but, nope, don't do it.  I make clothes.

She actually looked surprised....but the shuttle pulled up before I could tell her to check out Louise and Cynthia's racks...I hope she saw something inspiring.

Monday, October 07, 2013

Finally...something in the 'FINISHED' column!!


Both the Loud Jacket and the Simplicity Tank top made it into the finished column this weekend.  I literally sewed that jacket about 10 - 20 minutes at a time; sometimes less.  One night all I did was set the machine up for buttonholes.  Another night I managed to sew on two buttons.  It was like that pretty much start to finish.

And, since I'm currently on a choir hiatus, it didn't matter that I finished it the evening of the last day that the choir wore lime green and purple.

I wore it to work today, anyway, with the green challis tank, even though I don't think the lengths worked together very well. 


I decided to put side seam pockets in it because I HAVE to have a place to stash a kleenex, my office keys, my cell phone and possibly a communion set.  This was not the most comfortable place to put these pockets; they're really too high to be useful for parking my hands, as you can see.  But so long as I can carry what I need to carry when I need to carry it, that'll work for me.

After I had the front partly assembled, it occurred to me that it would've been easy to put a patch pocket on the inside between the side seam and the side front seam for carrying stuff.  Maybe next time....

Or, maybe I'll lengthen the jacket a bit and put welt pockets in the side front.  That would be the most natural hand-parking spot.

I really do like this pattern, (OOP McCall's 5191)  though.  So long as I use a fabric with some Lycra in it, it doesn't seem to mind the middle age creep as much as some of my other jacket patterns.

(ETA:  Just didn't have the oomph to take another picture and upload it last night, but I'm pretty stinkin' proud of the pattern matching, even if I am probably never going to wear it buttoned up.... :-)...back to original text  )

I should've had my Sweet Baboo take a photo of the top by itself, but, well, it was late and he was on antihistamines and I just didn't have the heart to ask him to do a lengthy photo session.  The shoulders of the top are just about right, now (I just whacked off about an inch and a quarter off shoulder seam at the arrmhole and tapered it down to the existing cutting line on either side).  There's still some wonkiness at the bottom of the armhole, though.  It looks like I need to scoop the lower front curve just a bit and perhaps even rotate a very small dart out of it.   And I think it would be more flattering with a shirt tail hem instead of straight across.  So I have at least one more iteration to go before it  achieves Wardrobe Workhorse status.  But it's close.

Then, as I was poking through my spreadsheet for the year I found a piece of Home Dec fabric listed in the 'fabric purchased' column...and I didn't even remember what it was.  Found it with the new purchases and decided that, shoot, it only takes a few minutes to turn it into a table cloth...just trim the corners and run it through the serger...so I did.  Boom.  Another 2.5 yards into the 'OUT' column.

And then I put it on the table and suddenly remembered that I don't need 2.5 yards of length...I really only need a fuzz under 2.25 yards, but I've learned to buy 2.5, in case the ends are cut crooked.  This had been cut pretty straight and I didn't loose any length to square it up.  So I had to whack off the extra and then reserge.  So it took a little longer...

 But, before all this hit the 'out' column, I had a teeny bit more creep into the 'In' list.  What can you do if an on line vendor posts a 'Crazy Priced Fabric'  that is pretty much exactly what you've been looking for to use for a specific pattern?   You buy it, of course, and  it has to have a traveling buddy...           


So the 'IN' box now has some rayon/lycra jersey stripe that will be dead on perfect for my new Sewing Workshop cardigan pattern...and it was such a good deal that I have enough for a maxi dress or a couple of tops as well...

The gray is a wool shadow stripe that has a nice springy hand; there's enough there for a serious jacket, or maybe a not-so-serious jacket and a pair of pants.  We'll see.

 So, yeah, the discrepancy between 'In' and 'Out' still got bigger...Think I'm going to work on some of the UFO's next...least till I get a chance to spend a day cutting...