One for the 'Donate' Bag

This was my very first go at Vogue 8634.  This one is headed for the 'Donate' box; but I am going to do some revisions to the pattern and try it again.  One of the issues is my fault; the others are due to the pattern.

First and foremost, I dropped the empire seam too much.  I think I assumed the front raglan seam and the collar would join at the shoulder and used that for the basis of how much I dropped that seam; it's about an inch too low, which is about how much that seam intersection is offset from my actual shoulder.  I'm not sure why I made that assumption, but it did throw that seam off way too much.  The print does hide it, though, and if it were not for other issues I would probably not let that keep me from wearing it.

The other glaring issue is that the top is just too short.  I made the shorter length to conserve fabric, but it really is too short for my comfort.  For a regular (not tunic) length, I need to add about 2" to it. 

That might help the next issue just a bit; the sleeves are supposed to be 3/4 length but they are more like 7/8.  That's an awkward length in and of itself, but it also so happens that the sleeves and the lower edge of the hem are almost in a straight line, making a strong horizontal right where I don't need it.  I need to either lengthen the sleeves to full length or shorten them about 3" so they are truly 3/4 length on me.

Finally, I'm hoping this has taught me for the final time not to buy polyester knits.  My machine did NOT like sewing it, and it feels cold and clammy to me.  I've just GOT to remember this the next time some of those pretty prints tempt me to ignore the fiber content.

So, this one goes into the donate bag, and I'll make the afore-mentioned corrections to the pattern and give it another go in the not-too-distant future.

I will also reduced the seam allowances through out; it was probably due somewhat to the poly jersey, but the 5/8" seams were twisting all over the place.  I did a FBA and rotated the dart into the empire seam; that shaping rippled a bit and I'm hoping a smaller seam allowance will help with that.  I think I'll raise the underarm just a smidge, too; it's just a little droopy.

I'll hold off on  the review until I've made a keeper top... ;-)

Choir Wardrobe 11-20-11

Well, this month we have gray/burgundy and mustard yellow w/ jeans; I've got my CWC knit bootcuts, a Textile Studio Monaco Shell, crafted from burgundy slinky knit (which was a remnant, actually) and one of my modified Jalie 2919 Cardigans, which is in a gray lycra/rayon knit. 


I really like this color combo and have been known to wear it when I'm not even in choir! ;-)

Choir Wardrobe 11/13

This is going to be a short month for choir posts; we didn't have choir last week, and My Sweet Baboo and I will have our semi-annual prayer ministry gig Thanksgiving weekend, so we won't be in choir that weekend, either.

So this week and next week will pretty much be it.

Which is rather a pity; I love the burgundy-and-gray combo that were' wearing this month.  Mustard yellow is also an option, but I don't think you'll see me in that. ;-)

Today I wore a Lands' End turtleneck, Lee bootcut jeans and a Loes Hinse Designs Bolero Jacket, made from a marvelous wool-lycra blend I purchased from Emma One Sock and made up something like 6 or  7 years ago.

Wow. six or seven years ago... I just went back and checked.  The review is dated January 2004.

Time flies.

Thank You

To all US service men and women and all law enforcement officers...those who are serving and those who have served...and all their families:  Thank you for the sacrifices you make every day for this great country.  Words can't express my appreciation.  God bless you all.

Wear whatcha want ...if it fits...

We didn't have choir today; there was a rather large wedding at church this evening and the stage drapes for it that were put up earlier blocked the choir risers, so we had the day off.

I thought about taking a photo of what I wore today, just because it was whatever I desired, but I didn't because I had to face the fact that all my clothes are basically too tight. I managed some camouflage, but I was rather uncomfortably confined..mostly because the shapewear that made wearing my too-snug pants possible rolled into a thick wad of elastic just above that pants waistband.  It really didn't show, because of the loose top over it, but I'm still feeling the effects around my middle.  Oy.

I have weighed (slightly) more than I do now, but I don't think I've ever been as squishy as I am now. 

Now, there's no sense in whining about it.  I need to either suck it up and do what I need to do to lose weight or suck it up and make some clothes that fit me now.  Or both. 

It's not my intention to be the wispy little thing I was when I got married; I'd settle for being the healthy, I feel-good, reasonably sized thing I was at age 35.  Heck, at this point I'd be happy to be the size I was after my last kid was born and I thought I was pudgy. (age 37).

In all honesty, it's not just about fitting into my clothes.  There are unpleasant things that start happening at a certain weight, and right now I am over that line.  Even five pounds down makes a difference in how I feel.  So.

But that will take some time.  And meantime, I need clothes.

Methinks I need to pull out my stash and start Making A Plan...maybe two plans: one for sewing and one for eating and exercising...

Lovely day...

It was pretty foggy this morning when Miss A. picked me up and we headed south, but the sun soon came out and it was a lovely drive through near-peak fall color.

But we spent the day indoors, getting our sewing inspiration tanks filled up by Louise Cutting.  I came home with  about 4  1/2 pages of notes, a booklet and a pattern.  I browsed the fabrics that Louise brought, thoroughly enjoyed petting all that lovely stuff, but ultimately did not purchase any.  There were lovely tropical wools; but I have several pieces of lovely tropical wool already in the stash so I really couldn't justify getting any more.  Most of the fabrics were in a warmish color range, and since my personal color palette runs to the cool side I wasn't tempted by them. But there were nonetheless a couple of pieces that were very tempting...if I hadn't already been over 100 yards fabric in for the year, I'd've probably given in to temptation.  But I decided to come home and sew up one of my tropical wools into something this week in honor of the seminar.

Not exactly sure *when* that will happen, but I'm gonna try...I've got to take the fabric I swatched yesterday up to the, um, fabric storage zone so perhaps I will pull out a piece of wool and bring it down...hm...I *do* have an extra hour tonight, don't I?  ;-)

Happy Blogiversary To Me!

in which she looks at the calendar and does a facepalm, because not only have I just realized it is Sew Random's sixth birthday, it is also my Dear Mother-In-Law's [somethingieth] birthday.  How does the calendar do these amazing overnight jumps of multiple days???

Yes, my dear friends, it was six years ago today that I wrote my first post and began the blogging journey.

And I completely meant to do a giveaway to commemorate the day, but, well, I can't find the item I was going to give away.  It's around here somewhere, honest, and, well, maybe when I find it I will dream up some cutesy little reason to give it away.

Cause I totally cannot give away something I can't find.

So I'll just say I'm celebrating by going to a seminar with the ever-inspiring Louise Cutting tomorrow, sponsored by the Birmingham chapter of the ASG. 

Rumor has it that she will have fabric available...I will let myself buy ONE PIECE, if it something I NEED.

I've been swatching the stash today and, wow, the size of it hit me all afresh.  If I could just sew up the yards as quickly as I can buy them....anyway.  One...1, do you hear??...piece.  Ahem.

I'll report on the seminar tomorrow evening. And show you my 1 piece I could not come home without. :-)

I smell a SWAP coming on...

I haven't done a SWAP wardrobe in 5 years (Sewing With a Plan - annual contest begun by Julie Culshaw and now hosted by Stitcher's Guild  that involves making 11 coordinating garments in approximately 3 months).  Either I was in over my head on another project, or I just didn't need that many clothes in my wardrobe right then, or the specifics of the online contest just weren't practical for me, but this year...the rules are pretty much set up to tweak some patterns to TNT ( Tried-N-True) status and make a well-fitted 11 piece wardrobe.

I've mentioned the, um, weight that crept up when the hormones shut down.  Not to mention my last wardrobe is 5 years old and showing its age.  I need to do this.  I need some TNTs that fit the body I currently have.

In fact, there are so many pieces that I need, and so much nice fabric lurking in my stash, that my problem will be to choose one color scheme/plan and stick with it.  I need some black things (boring) for right now, but I really, really need to have some brown stuff so next fall's choir colors don't seem so hard to pull out of the closet.  But the SWAP timeline runs into spring...and who wants to be sewing black and brown when spring is peeping around the corner? I'll be ready for some color....

I really need to determine what I need and get on it.  Maybe I can make a black jacket to test the pattern for the brown... ;-)

Anyway, last time I did the SWAP I was a stay-home mom.  Now I have a (sorta kinda) paying job.  It has cut seriously into my sewing time, as my loyal online buddies have no doubt noticed.  I don't know that I can do it in the time frame allotted.

But, as a wise friend recently said to me, 'Every ending has a beginning.'

Even if I don't finish, if I get a couple of patterns tweaked I'll be eons ahead of where I am now.

That's worth it.