Thinking about taking up sewing?

 While I am still trying to find the time to get the buttonholes and buttons on that #omigoshthisistakingFOREVER pink twill shirt; I stumbled across an article on the interwebs that has struck a chord. Why Retail Clothes All Look the Same isn't the actual name of the article but it is the theme.   And it contains a link to a clip from The Devil Wears Prada, which is worth a watch, too.

I have long rebelled at the whole 'Colors of the Season' thing...the idea that someone in an office in Manhattan or Paris or London or Tokyo or wherever...has the power to pick what colors the world will wear for the next season/ year.  

It's why I have a ridiculous fabric stash, y'all.  Buy the fabric in the color you love whilst it's available, because in a couple of years you won't be able to find it.

But the idea of the style on repeat...that is one of the best reasons to take up fashion sewing. You don't want puffed sleeves?  You don't have to put them on the dress.  Even if that pattern shows them...just switch it for another one from another pattern.

We don't have to participate in the Fashion Great Chain of Being.

You can find a style that suits you and make it, in fresh fabrics, whenever you want.  It doesn't have to be On Trend to look good.  

Or maybe you like that style that you see, but hate the icky polyester fabric it's made of.

Same deal.  Find a similar pattern (or frankenpattern one from two or three, if necessary) and make it up in a nice silk or linen or cotton or whatever strikes your fancy.

There is SO MUCH information on the internet now...sewing websites like Pattern Review; YouTube videos by the score demonstrating basic skills....even not-so-basic skills.  (One of these days, thanks to YouTube tutorials,  I'm actually going to tackle pad stitching, lol).   A decent sewing machine is not terribly expensive...all you need is one that will do a nice straight stitch and sew a decent buttonhole.  If it will do those things, it will cover all the requirements.  A serger is nice but not necessary...certainly not in the beginning.  A good iron is a must.  

Start with a pull-on skirt; that's almost instant gratification and a good place to learn how to sew a straight seam.  Botch it up?   It's just practice...a learning curve.  Did you pick the wrong fabric for the pattern?  Like, it sticks out instead of swishing?  Or did you pick the wrong size?  You can't assume your ready-to-wear size is what you make in the pattern...heck, you can't even get the same size from one retailer to another in RTW anyway, so don't expect the patterns to be different.  Just measure yourself and the pattern before you cut anything and you should be able to make a fairly educated guess.  You may learn you like more or less room (aka 'ease') in a pattern than what is included.  Trial and error is your friend.  You will learn faster than you think, if you really want to.

Sewing frees you from the People in the Room Who Pick From The Stuff...and from the computer algorithms that are increasingly determining what shows up on the racks in stores and online.  

We don't have to follow their dictation.  We can sew.

Something that has been brewing....

 Well, I need a picture for Facebook so...

 Here's one that has absolutely nothing to do with my topic, just so I don't have some random thing pop up  (Moonrise over the mountain last week)

Making the 'Random' in the title carry its weight today....

Today is International Women's Day....and March happens to be Endometriosis Awareness Month. So I'm departing from my normal sewing update and actually getting a bit bold because I honestly believe that the number one women's reproductive health issue is...endometriosis.

Now, I will say up front that this is not an issue I have experienced first hand, but someone close to me has been dealing with some of the symptoms so, to learn what I could to encourage her,  I joined a Facebook education group, Nancy's Nook,  and have been following the stories and learning a lot.

The information is incredible and the suffering of so many women is heart rending.

I know that over the years I had heard that endometriosis happens when menstrual tissue 'backflows' through the fallopian tubes and becomes trapped in the abdomen.   However, that has been shown to be false...endometrial tissue has been found to be present at birth in some females, lying dormant until puberty, when it begins to cause pain.  And, while this tissue is similar to that found in the uterus, it  has been proven to not be the same. 

“Endometriosis is a systemic, inflammatory disease characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue found in extrauterine sites.” (Kennedy S. et al., 2005; Klemm et al., 2018; Saunders et al., 2021)...“Endometriosis is a common, benign, inflammatory, generally gynecologic disease that includes the presence and growth of dysfunctional endometrial-like glands and stroma often with reactive fibrosis and muscular metaplasia outside the uterus." (Lagana et al. 2019) From Endo Girls Blog 

Did you know that it is estimated that approximately 10% of all women of childbearing age suffer from endometriosis?

Did you know that the AVERAGE time from when a woman first seeks medical help for her condition to a confirmed diagnosis is 7 - 10 YEARS??  And even once a diagnosis is confirmed, it can be even longer...as in years longer... before they finally can get treatment?

Did you know that endometriosis is a progressive disease that worsens over time?

Did you know that women are routinely told they are imagining the pain, or are just having bad cramps, or have a low pain tolerance, or have anxiety that is causing their debilitating pain?  I read story after story of women who were dismissed with a prescription for birth control pills, or told they needed an IUD or told to 'get pregnant' to reduce their symptoms (spoiler...birth control or other hormone treatments can suppress the symptoms but  do not stop the progression of the disease).

Did you know that there are three surgical options...ablation, excision, and hysterectomy...that are available (not to all women, I might add.  Many doctors only offer hysterectomy and possibly ablation) BUT only one -- excision -- actually removes the disease?  

Did you know that endometrial excision is a highly specialized skill and there are a very limited number of physicians who are actually competent to perform the surgery?  Often women wait MONTHS for consultations/ appointments/ surgeries, traveling hundreds of miles to the nearest trained physician.  Insurance coverage is a whole 'nuther deal...going outside of the coverage area for treatment often means denial of insurance benefits, putting an enormous financial strain on women and their families to obtain the only truly effective treatment.

Did you know that there is a whole class of drugs that chemically induce menopause that are used as treatment for endometriosis, despite being ineffective against the disease and often causing permanent damage?  I am not typing the names of the drugs here because I don't want to trigger search engines but you can click through to the articles and find them.

Did you know that hysterectomy is often advised for endometriosis, even though the uterus is only involved if there is adenomyosis (endometrial tissue in the muscle tissue of the uterus)?  Removing healthy reproductive organs will not treat endometriosis, which manufactures its own estrogen.

Did you know that endometriosis lesions can literally occur just about anywhere in the body?  It is rare outside the abdominal cavity, but it does happen.

There's more...lots more...information out there, with the result that most of the women who suffer and do the research know more about endo than their gynecologists do, but are marginally treated, offered only ineffective...but costly, both in dollars and physical toll...treatments.  Some are seen as pain-pill seekers and as such are not even given strong pain meds to counter the agony.  It's not uncommon for them to be sent home with the pronouncement 'call me when you're ready to do something' when they refuse the treatment they know to be worthless or even dangerous.

I  am telling you, the stories are heartbreaking.  If you have symptoms of endometriosis, please, please educate yourself on what your options are; don't settle for something that doesn't really help and may actually hurt you. If you love someone who has symptoms of endometriosis, BELIEVE HER.  Nancy's Nook facebook group is a great place to go for information, and they have a list of vetted doctors who specialize in excision.  Not in every state, alas, but at least there is a list.

And all of us need to advocate for research in search of real treatments, honesty from the drug industry, awareness in our physicians, and support from the insurance industry to alleviate the suffering of one in ten women globally.  It is completely unacceptable that here, in the 21st century, women are still being told they are mentally ill  because they try to get help for debilitating pain.

I'm still here...

 It's been a minute, lol.

I'm supposed to have done a summary of last year's sewing and purchases and whatnot and, nope, hasn't happened.  

Because I think I only made, like, two tops last year.  And a bazillion (well, maybe 90? ish?) masks.

I probably should do a little follow up to the mask posts; I've discovered something as they have been washed and worn and washed and worn and washed and worn...

Anything put in for a bendy bit either eventually a) breaks or b) pokes through the binding or c) both.

Most people that I made masks for have left those in the drawers and opted to wear the disposable ones. The ties are not very popular.

But it is interesting that the CDC mask recommendations that are coming out in light of more contagious strands of the 'rona are to wear a mask that is 2 - 3 layers thick (yup, mine are 3 layers) and ties rather than loops over the ears.  So, there's that, lol. I have made a version of the facemask that has elastic ear loops and is somewhat box shaped, so as not to need the bendy bit, but I'm finding that, for whatever reason, it's difficult to be consistent in the sizing.  You'd think if they are all constructed the same they should end up the same but so far that has not been the case.  But I haven't made nearly as many of those so perhaps I just need more practice. They are a bit trickier.

But I have placed the first fabric order of 2021...for some pink knit tops.  I finally came round to acknowledging that blue-based pinks are colors that I wear well so I am looking to make a little capsule wardrobe with some pink mixed with gray.  Nice and soft.  After I replace my favorite gray cardigan that I apparently left hanging in the closet of the Bed and Breakfast we stayed at for our 40th anniversary last August.

The last time I wore the cardi...

Not to worry; I have some suitable knit in the stash; I just need to clean off my cutting table and get on it.

I am really feeling the creative itch to sew a bit so hopefully I can unearth myself from the mask making materials that I kind of went overboard collecting and digging out of nicely packed away goods.  And I do have a small Christmas project to blog about so maybe I won't be such a stranger in the coming weeks.

Meantime, if any of you have not stumbled onto this youtube channel before, I'm going to share my latest binge-watch...there may be historical garments in my future, lol.

Bernadette Banner

 

I have leaned something from the historical costuming rabbit hole I went down...scraps/ remnant yardage is termed 'cabbage'.  I'd never heard that term for it and I think it's hysterical.  

 

I have way too much cabbage about, lol.

A little hand sewing...

What little sewing time I have managed to find lately has been consumed with mask making...like many of my sewing buddies.  But I'm about to hit a wall and do some selfish sewing...if I can squeeze it in, lol.

But I did do a very small little project this evening...that needs a bit of backstory.

Oh, back before Christmas, I started seeing some social media advertising for a series about Jesus and his followers.  At first, I glanced at the still shots and thought it looked rather cheesy.  But a bit later someone mentioned that this series was done by the same folks who made a short video that came out a few Christmases back called 'The Shepherd'   I had watched it, and then rewatched it the next Christmas...it was well done and moving.  So I got curious.

I began watching the 'making of' videos...and found them to be really intriguing.  But when I watched The Miracle of 'The Miracle of the Fish' something shifted.  I saw the heart behind the the stories...and I ordered the DVD set.  Now, it is possible to watch them via the app for free, but I felt like if I were going to consume the product I needed some skin in the game, so to speak.

We watched the series during Holy Week, starting on Palm Sunday and finishing on Easter.

Those videos are Really Good.

I ordered a set of the DVD's for my mom for Mother's Day (she's already received them, so that's no spoiler...Happy Mother's Day., Mom, Love you)...and My Sweet Babboo, The Flute Player and I all ordered T shirts.  And we 'Paid it Forward' to help season 2.  That's how impressed we were.

Now, my hubby and my daughter ordered the logo shirts...the circle of fish around the title...but I had been struck by another design.  There is a scene in which Peter protests when Jesus calls Matthew...saying, 'This is different!'...and Jesus looks at Peter and replies, 'Get used to 'different'.'

That moment of dialog stuck with me...so I ordered the shirt that read 'Get used to different'.

But...when I got it...I realized that, without context, it could be taken for a comment on the current craziness....and that wasn't the idea behind it at all.There is a little printing on the left sleeve that reads 'The Chosen', but it's not very obvious.

I wanted some...context...for the statement.

My solution was to dig up some scrap knit bits and add the stylized fish from the series logo, handsewn in quasi-Alabama-Chanin-style, lol.

I'm pretty pleased with the result.

So...maybe that will help.

I mean, it's just a little embellishment on a T shirt, but, hey, it's something...lol.

Just for fun...a little wishing...

When all the  sewing is rote mask making, and the carb loading makes sewing for my wardrobe a depressing thought;  sometimes a little fantasy is not out of place.  Earlier this week, Janice posted one of her  delightful travel wardrobes, and lurking in the 'in the bag' slide was this fabulous scarf:
Ferragamo Scarf


It's as expensive as a Hermes scarf, so it's something I can only drool over but...wouldn't that make a lovely wardrobe?  Dark gray (or after looking at the way Janice used it...is it navy?) for the winter neutral, white for the summer neutral, and those lovely shades of greyed blue  w/ brown.  Oh, I'd be tempted...if I thought a nearly $400 scarf was a wise investment purchase for accident prone me.

Maybe I'll just build the wardrobe some day...with that for inspiration, even if I don't actually own it.

At the rate the carb calories are piling up in quarantine...I may need to start sewing anyway.

Why is it that cocooning always brings out the cravings for the carby comfort food? LOL. It's not bad for a couple of snow days, but...this is too long to indulge.

I wonder how hard it would be to find those shades of blue.... ;-)

I want to help but I am confused....

Hello, friends, it's been a minute.

I haven't done a lick of sewing since I made the velvet pants, which is atrocious, but things have been kinda busy.

I have purchased some patterns and fabric, lol, which is what you do when you can't seem to get to the sewing machines, right?  Of course, right.  Two pieces are en route to me even as I type.  I may actually get some sewing time...eventually.

But here's what has suddenly popped up in my social media world.  It appears that there are MULTIPLE medical communities asking the public to make face masks.  I started looking at links last night and wandered down that rabbit hole until a ridiculous hour in the AM.   Because,  I thought, here's a community service I could easily do, without risking bringing a bad germ home to My Sweet Babboo, who, for reasons unknown, is particularly susceptible to respiratory infections.

Unfortunately, the information out there is crazy divergent.  The patterns range from 'eyeball the pleats in this rectangle' (Deaconness Hospital Evansville, IN ) to 'Sew these six pieces together and leave a pocket for a .3 micron filter' (Unity Point Health, Cedar Rapids, IA  - Video Here) Fabric recommendations range from knits ( Peggy Sagers -- and she lined hers with leather?  Wouldn't that, like, be really hard to breathe through? Kinda messed with her credibility there...) to tightly woven Cotton (Deaconness and Unity Point both recommended cotton).  A friend shared a post from a Facebook Page (Sew Loved ) that organized a big mask-making event in the South Bend, IN area that emphasized that cotton was NOT acceptable and used surgical sheeting for their material.   Fit standards vary widely, too; most, but not all, include some kind of flexible insertion (Unity Point used Wikki Stix!  Bread ties and flattened paperclips are also recommended)  to snug the mask to the bridge of the nose.  Unity Point also recommeds using double-sided medical tape to secure the mask to the face, in addition to the elastic ear pieces (they used hair ties, which I thought was clever), but, well, I have a sensitivity to adhesives and could easily blister up my face if I tried that.  Then, here's another pleated version, which I liked better than the Deaconness one as it 1) allows for the insertion of a filter (it looked to me like the demonstrator just used folded up kleenex for a filter but I really couldn't tell) and 2) will allow for replacement of the elastic after the hot water breaks it down. 

One source...that I didn't mark...emphasized the necessity to handle the masks correctly.  They must be put on and removed by the ear straps/ties/whatever, and the front of the mask...the bit that actually covers the nose and mouth...should not be touched at any time.  They should go straight into a detergent solution (one source recommended 'spraying lightly with hydrogen peroxide') and washed with hot water and dried on high heat.


I checked with The Princess, who works in Marketing at our local hospital, and she said they were not looking for donations from the public yet, but it may be coming.  So I printed the patterns for Peggy's mask, the Olson Mask and will play around with a pleated mask , which is basically just a rectangle or two; depending on whether you're using the one or two piece version.  If my cotton fabric remnants that I have about are an acceptable fabric, well, this looks to be something I could actually do.

Anyone else looking at sewing masks?  What have you found out about design/fabrics?

A Birthday Fundraiser

I am interrupting our regularly scheduled (HA!) programming for a little public announcement.

I'm turning 60 in a couple of weeks (oy).  And, being a Facebook person, Facebook suggested to me that I create a fundraiser in honor of my birthday.

After pondering it, I decided to create one for Compassion, International.

We have sponsored kids in the Philippines through Compassion for a number of years; they really do good work with the kids, providing centers where the kids can go and be safe, be fed, get tutoring help...and, incidentally, learn about Jesus.  Compassion also has programs to help families, not just the kids, but the whole family.

And it hit me...reading about the atrocious conditions along our southern border...what if we could help the families where they are...and save them the long, dangerous journey to the border?

It felt..right...to me.   An answer to the 'What can I do, Lord?' prayer.    I realize there's a whole lot more involved and there is no simple, one-off solution to the problem, but what if helping one kid/one family made a difference to that one family?

So, we signed up to sponsor another child...a girl from Honduras, one of the countries from whence a number of the folks at the border have come.

I'm not trying to throw guilt on anyone or make some kind of political statement.  Just share the small thing.

If it sounds like something you might be interested in doing, you can visit  https://www.compassion.com/

No pressure.  Just sharing.

Now...back to the denim dress...which likely won't be done before midnight tomorrow anyway....

Making one post work for two...

Not sewing related at all...although I did wear something I made...

We spent last weekend at the ol' stompin' ground, celebrating my In-Law's 70th wedding anniversary.

Rather than re-write the post and re-load the photo...I'll just link it up to the Other Blog.

;-)

Looking for a blog reader...

Unfortunately, I've run into a difference of opinion with bloglovin and I have closed my account there.  You can still follow my blog(s) there if you do already; but I want to find a new place to read.

I tried just using the follow function on Blogger, but I had to cut and paste each URL and that got old FAST.

So I made a quick account on Feedly and migrated over there as best I could.

It was still rather a pain as I could not find any way to just export the whole lot from bloglovin'.  So I did it one at a time, and was rather surprised to see how many blogs I'd subscribed to that hadn't been updated in a year...or two..or three....  But at least I could type the name into a search box and, generally, it found it without having to type in the whole http line.

But it has some limitations.

Feedly only allows 100 feeds on their free account, so I moved the active ones over there; was still a few over a hundred so I had to drop all of them that I can read via the author sharing their posts on Facebook; that put me under the limit.  I had to combine some of my categories, as they only allow three on the free account.  Nowhere could I find the button that says 'follow my blog on...'

So...anybody have a feed burner that they love?  Cause I'm not sure I'm going to be happy over on feedly, but I wanted to get off of bloglovin' NOW.

I am not one to hop up and down and insist folks agree with me on things, but there are lines I will not cross and BL crossed that line. 

So.  Back to the hunt for a (free) easy to use little feed burner...

Thursday Random

A few unrelated things tossed into a post...

The votes have been tallied and, for the first time, there was a tie for first place in the SWAP competition, with 2nd very close behind.  My collection scored somewhere below the top three, but that's really what I expected...theirs had months of planning and careful work putting together complex garments...mine was composed of knit garments thrown together in a couple of weeks.

But that's ok.  I'm glad the three ladies who won were recognized for their hard work, and I got a pile of new clothes that I'd been meaning to make for a LOONNGGG time but hadn't managed to clear the calendar and sew.  The SWAP contest provided me with the motivation to do something I needed to do.  And I wore my gray SWAP cardigan today and loved how comfy it was.

So, you know, a competition like that really isn't about winning...it's about getting inspired to sew.  I'm really glad I didn't just give up on it but pushed myself to do something I needed to do.


Debbie sent me her address a couple of days ago...the last of the 10 Year Giveaway packages went off in the US mail today.  So...the totals given away:  10 patterns, 5 books and 15 yards of fabric. (which I have added to the 'yards out' total).  Several of the ladies have replied that what I sent them was something they could particularly use, which just makes my day.   I will be honest and say that it wasn't easy to part with the goodies...but I knew that they could be put to better use than I was likely to do.  I'm hoping to see photos of finished projects sometime soon from the bloggers who won. ;-)

Season 4 of the Great British Sewing Bee is being broadcast...in Great Britain, and temporarily viewable on you-tube.  So far 3 episodes have aired, and already one contestant that I thought would be in the final has been sent home.  There has been discussion about the pretty obvious fact that the absolute best sewers in Britain were not selected for the show...in fact, I know of one blogger who's linked in my blogroll who auditioned and got quite far in the process but was not selected.  She has incredible sewing skills...ranging from leather jackets to Alabama Chanin' style hand stitched garments and she has at least been in the top three....maybe even won...more than one SWAP competition herself.  The general consensus on Stitcher's Guild was that she was too accomplished and would blow everyone else out of the water, which would not make for good TV.  So the folks on the show are not likely to be the best of Britain's home sewing community duking it out for the title.  But it's a cute pretense on which to hang some sewing entertainment, with a splash of inspiration and education thrown in.  On average, the folks are probably pretty close to my level, and it's fun to watch them handle the challenges in the no-time-for-a-boo-boo time frame.  I honestly don't think I'd do so well under those conditions....

Workwear 20

Just because I'm putting together stuff I have not put together before.

It's a really lame jump-in-front-of-the-timed-camera selfie.   But the Flute Player *still* has stuff from her move-back-home frenzy piled in  my usual jump-in-front-of-the-camera spot,  where I can set the camera on a shelf at approximately chest height.   

This photo was taken with the camera sitting on the porch railing, at about waist height.  So the angle looks a little weird.   But I'm wearing something that makes me happy...the guipure lace tank I purchased in Dallas last fall for a lower price than I could ever have bought the lace yardage.  It's over a navy bamboo/lycra jersey  Jalie 965 tank top with midnight navy tropical wool Sewing Workshop Plaza pants.  And my old CWC denim jacket, with the lapels turned up in what is supposed to be trendy hipness and just looks kinda strange...I don't think they ended up curled Just Right.  Messing with the camera and then moving quickly to get into place rarely ends with everything Just Right.  So I'll settle for ok. 

Haircut appointment next week to put the shape back in it.  Amazing how it goes from cute and curly to just bushy almost overnight...

Completely off-topic:  for years, I 've used Sitemeter to kinda track visits.  It doesn't give really good data, but I get an idea of whether or not I'm getting any traffic (I'm not going to say 'much'...'any' is good enough) and whether folks just click in and click out or if they actually read a page or two while they're here.  But lately it has been more and more useless.  For one thing, I think people are wising up and using software to hide their visits so they don't get tracked.  But Sitemeter itself has just been weird.  It's been down more than it's been up ('The data base for your site is not available now.  Try again in a few minutes')  and the numbers are whacko (176 page views in 3 seconds?  Really?).  So I'm about to ditch it, I think.  Can anyone recommend a similar service that seems to work that I can switch to?  Although, to be honest, I may be better off not knowing that no one visited for three days (that would be the other blog; this one usually as at least a dozen or so visits in a day.  I think. )

Are you watching the Bee?

I'd put up links, but they seem to only be actually good for a few days.

But go to Youtube and search for 'The Great British Sewing Bee season 3' and, if you're quick enough, you'll get some results.

Once again, Judges May and Patrick and host Claudia challenge, question, encourage,  rank and remark upon the sewing of a weekly dwindling number of home sewers.

Once again, I'm amazed at how well these folks perform under pressure.

Every week, my jaw drops at the 90 minute transformation challenge.  They complete incredible transformations -- I'd still be trying to make up my mind what I wanted to do.

The show is charming.  The folks are warm and friendly, and the only hint of drama comes from a camera shot of a somewhat stony face when one contestant hears that another has chosen to do the same creature for a kids' costume challenge.

If you watch in the background, you'll see the contestants joking with each other and helping each other out.

Five out of nine didn't even finish the little boy's lined, welt-pocketed vest.  Real people, real sewing.

Of course, I would've constructed it differently, so as to not have to 'sew blind'...and probably would've lost points for not following directions. :-)

I've heard that a pilot for an American version was actually filmed, then broadcast on some obscure cable channel with no promotion and so faded instantly away. 

Wonder if some kind of challenge could be wrangled around the Sewing Expos that travel the country...recorded and posted to Youtube, they'd go viral around the sewing community, if they were well done.  And it would be great promotion for the Expos.  But it would add the expense of a production crew.  Dunno if the ROI would be worth it.

So, I'll watch the rest of the season...and see if the stereotype shattering Lt. Col. will keep his string of creativity and excellent needlework running to the end, or if the continually-second-place retired air hostess will kick her game up enough to end up on top instead of runner-up.

Such fun... ;-)

Sewing Bee Mania

If you're around the webs much at all, you'll know that season 2 of The Great British Sewing Bee has hit the airwaves... or digital feeds, or whatever.  It's been something of a trick to watch it on this side of the pond; I found a feed last week that worked, but when I tried it this week all the available choices either wanted me to download something (eek!  no!) or watch advertising for something that looked very, um, morally deficient.  But I did find that episode 2 was posted on youtube, so I managed to watch it there, although I had to keep refreshing the window.  Took a while.

I really am enjoying this second season; it's maintaining the spirit and the quality of the first season and it's interesting to see how everyone handles the pressure; I don't know how well I'd do, having to stick to the spec sheet and not use my favorite short cuts or methods.  (Hand pick a zipper on a skirt??? Why??? )

But, turns out that if I lived up in the New York/New Jersey area I could see if I could round up the nerve and give it a go; the company that produces TGBSB is doing a pilot on this side of the pond.   I don't expect that to be news to anyone by this time; it's all over the blogs.  It doesn't look like the pilot is going to be a replica of the British show; if I'm reading the info right, there will be a new group each week.  Kinda cuts down on the 'bonding' with the folks, but if it's just fourish shows to try it there wouldn't be a lot of opportunity to get to know the folks anyway.

I'm just hoping to see some familiar names; several of the folks on my news feed are from that part of the country.

I think it would be an absolute hoot to do, although I don't for one minute think I could keep up with most of the folks whose sewing I follow.  I'd just love a chance to sit down and sew with them.  ;-)

HItting the Cyber Wall Again

There are two things that have continually been a thorn in the side as I've tried to participate in the online sewing community.

The first has been photo hosting...trying to find SOMEONE who can host photos that I can access for reviews and such without the need to go back and relink the photos every 18 months or so.  I think I'm on the 4th time for updating the links for some of the older reviews....two of the photo hosting sites that I used closed shop and a third one seems to randomly mess with the links; what clicked through to a specific photo one week will just bring up the whole album the next week.  Very frustrating.

The second is the feed collectors... places to subscribe and read all the new posts in one spot.  I think the first one I used was Bloglines; they went away and I moved to Google Reader, then they closed up shop and I tried Bloglovin' before landing on the Old Reader, who threatened to go away but found new owners and stabilized.

However, when I logged in today I found that the Old Reader has instituted a 'premium' service, available at the introductory price of $20/year, effective immediately.

They say they wanted to avoid using advertising, and  have cool new features available for folks who want to subscribe.    But, not to worry, they said, they will still have a free version for folks who have less than 100 subscriptions.  And, while the new pricing is in effect now, they are graciously giving everyone 'about 2 weeks' to look things over and make up their minds.

Now, I am not opposed to paying for services.  But someone dug into the 'terms of service' and found some clause that was left over from the previous free version that basically said that the administrators were reserving the right to terminate the service without notice.  Pretty bad if you've paid for a year.

This seems to be pretty heavy handed.  Not the sort of service I'm interested in paying for.

But I had 227 subscriptions.

So I began to delete subscriptions.  First to go were all of them that had not been updated in the last six months or so (with one or two exceptions...if those folks ever post an update, I want to know...).  That was quite  a lot, actually; I was surprised at how many hadn't been updated in over a year.

But that left me still well over a hundred.  So I went back again and culled all of them that weren't really what I read blogs for...blogs that had morphed into knitting or quilting or cute pictures of grandchildren or lots of links to other places on the 'net.

Still over a hundred.  Now I had to steel myself and be ruthless.  I went back again and removed subscriptions to blogs that I had subscribed to a while but, for one reason or another, I just didn't make a connection with the blogger.  Nice stuff, nice work, but ...sigh.

After all that, I was still at 112.  I reminded myself that I still have subscriptions to all but the very newest ones over on Bloglovin', so it's not like I'm cutting folks out of my life forever.  I took a breath and looked at folks who had posted within the last few months, but the post before that one was six months or so older.  Seldom updated blogs.

Finally, I just had to randomly pick two or three to cut.  It wasn't easy, but I got it down to 99.  And every one of the names on that list are blogs I recognize....intentional subscriptions.

But I'm hoping to bite the bullet and switch to Bloglovin, so I can just delete the Old Reader account.  Because that's just going to be too much trouble to maintain two separate lists.  Besides, they rather ticked me off.

To be honest, if my blog was on the list I probably would've cut it, too...not enough inspirational sewing going on at the moment, just rehashes of old things that don't really fit any more. 

So that made me appreciate anyone who is still following along here.  Thanks for hanging with me; hopefully better sewing days are ahead. ;-)

Sometimes the Blogsphere is a very cool place...

I'm feeling the love, let me tell you!

Firstly, whilst perusing along the new posts in The Old Reader, I happened upon Rhonda's weekly Showcase post, in which she shares stories and photos of two other sewing bloggers.  I looked through the first set of photos, very impressed with Virginia's sewing (particularly that black lace dress!!), and then had a double take moment, because somehow the photo of the pillowcases I did for the Mary Bridge project popped up.  I was confused for a moment...then I realized that the second blogger featured this week was yours truly.  What a surprise!

And I got a lesson in photo posting...every one of the photos of mine that she posted were fuzzy; I'm assuming that's because I reduce the size/resolution of them before I add them.  I've always done that...first to reduce the upload size (back when I started blogging, there was a limit as to how much you could upload in a given month) and also to prevent my photos from being used by strange and unauthorized folks (still shaking my head over the guys who wanted to use a photo of a pair of plaid pants I'd made in a article about lame outdated fashion).  Not that Rhonda is either stranger or unauthorized...but I'm here to tell ya,  shrinking the photos works. ;-)  The blurries were not her fault.

Then, today I walked up to the front step and saw two packages on the step. One was the WAWAK package with my buttons and hymo, but the other was hand addressed...to me.  Puzzled, I reached for the package to see the return address and realized it was from my cyber friend Miriam in Kansas.  We've never met, but Miriam has been a long time reader (and commenter!) on both my blogs. 

In that package was a 3-yard piece of black denim.  Washed, dried and ready to sew.

My friends,  it reads 'black' against the other fabrics in the SWAP pile.  The real deal.

The black denim jacket has now replaced the denim shirt in my SWAP plans; it will be the second wild card.

I've already emailed Miriam to squeal my thanks, but I want to publicly say here 'THANK YOU!!!'  I will think of you every time I put on that jacket.

Here's hoping I don't mess it up sewing it. ;-)

A little help from my friends...

Ok, I got the fabric and pattern for the trench coat ages ago.

Then Marji started a coat sew along.  I followed the details on an email list as the actual blog was limited to the ladies who were doing it...and I hadn't been brave enough to jump in.  After the sew along ended, Marji made the blog public.

So, now I'm ready to make the coat.  And I checked my bookmarks and didn't find the Sew Along Blog.
Bummer.

But then I remembered...the emails... And, lo and behold, I had saved all those emails in a folder.

Woot!

I will have some guidance. :-)

The Great Coat Sew Along

Considerin' the SWAP...

I haven't participated in the annual Sew With A Plan wardrobe competition in a long, long time...after doing it a couple of years in a row, I really didn't need to...and then  life got too busy and I just didn't have time.

I don't expect life to be a heck of a lot less busy this spring, but this year's musical is 'Fame' so I am not anticipating a ton of costuming.  Certainly nothing like last year. 

And I need clothes.

So I am thinking I may tag along this year...even if I don't finish all the garments in the plan on time I will have done SOME wardrobe sewing and, at this point, anything helps.

This year's SWAP rules are a little different; we are to make 3  3-packs ( a 3 pack consists of either two  tops and a bottom; a top, a bottom, and an outer layer;  or a dress, a top and a bottom) and 2 'wild card' pieces.  They all need to work together and look coherent...but they don't have to be completely interchangeable.

So I've been pondering this, thinking about my particular wardrobe needs.

You all know that the choir wardrobe kinda drives my closet selection;  my basic work wardrobe really isn't very different from the sum total of what I need for choir.  So if I focus on the neutrals we use in choir, then I should be able to have a basic plan to which I can add a top here or there or accessories to fill out what is needed to work with the colors of the month.

And, if I work the neutrals carefully, they might even work together :-)

The basic choir neutrals are Black, Gray,  Tan, Cream,  with Brown and Navy sometimes making an appearance; all I have to do is figure out how to beak that down into 3-3's and two wild cards.

Now, I am not kidding myself here.  I've seen what some of the other folks are doing for their SWAP wardrobes, and we are talking high end sewing.  This is NOT going to be high end sewing...at least, not the bulk of it.  This is not going to make anyone ooh and ah over it.  I'm going to make a neutral canvas that can be expanded upon.  Plain t's, a button up or two, some pants and a jacket.

Actually, my real inspiration is the Vivienne File's 'Common Wardrobe'.  Janice first posted that back in Sept of 2012, and since then she's used it as a foundation for all kinds of combinations, mixing with particular colors or accessories or adding a couple of other items to expand it.  It has really intrigued me; that's the way I want to dress...basic, simple, interchangeable.

And I need basics.

So...I'm ponderin'...I'm considerin'....

Questions, answers and the beginnings of a LOUD Jacket...

Debbie Cook posted some questions/answers on her blog apparently pertaining to a discussion over on Pattern Review.  I haven't been spending much time on the boards, so this one has gotten by me, but I thought I'd answer Debbie's questions, too...if for no other reason than I would please myself by putting up posts two days in a row... ;-)


1. Do you cut with your fabric RS out or WS out? 

Depends.  If it's more stable one way or the other, I'll cut it that way.  Sometimes you don't have a choice...witness the project that I spent most of the day yesterday cutting out:

It will be a McCall's 5191 jacket; that print is so big that I thought I should pay attention to placement and ended up doing my best to match it at the most obvious seams.  I know I made a boo boo at least one spot...hoping it's not horrible.  A near match is worse than a total mismatch...  anyway, that fabric had to be cut right side up.  One piece at a time.

2. How do you make your pattern markings?

I have two basic methods...tailors tacks for interior marks and snips for notches/dots on the seam line.  On rare occasions I will pull out the tracing paper and spikey wheel when those two things are  not sufficient.

3. Do you follow the cutting layout in patterns?

Why?  There's enough info on the pattern pieces to lay them out...and, normally I'm using stashed fabric which will be either more or less than stated on the envelope anyway.  You do what ya gotta do.  That McCall's layout certainly looked nothing like that photo...

4. Are you obsessed with re-folding your pattern tissue on or very close to the original fold lines?
Oh, yeah.  But I trace all my patterns and then put the sheets back in the envelopes uncut.  Well, actually, most of them don't go back in the envelope; they go in the zipper portion of those special pattern-keeper bags that I can't find at Nancy's Notions at the moment.  The envelope, instructions and traced pieces go in the front pocket of the bag.

5. I thought of one more ... Do you make all the markings? 

Nope.  Just the ones I reasonably expect I'll need.  Button/button holes are NEVER marked; I mark that placement after the garment is constructed based on my own anatomical requirements...i.e., there must be a button/buttonhole at the full bust level.  Which I guarantee you will not be where one is marked on the pattern.

Also...if you don't mark button/button hole on a sleeve cuff, you don't have to worry about that little notch that tells you which end of the cuff goes where.   Just put the cuff on and then mark your buttonholes on the correct side and sew the buttons correspondingly.


And, yes, that jacket is going to be purple and lime green, which are the choir colors for this month.  I ordered it early in the summer, before I knew I would be sitting out of choir a bit.  I *may* be back by the end of the month (since there are 5 Sundays in September this year) and it was on the top of the pile...; -)

I also cut out another Simplicity 2599 shell top, this one from lime green rayon challis that actually belonged to the Princess.  She left it behind when she moved out, and when I asked her if she had plans for it (seeing as how it IS the green for choir this month) she told me to have at it.  This will be the 3rd iteration of that top...the review picture looks pretty awful, and I've already sent that version on to Goodwill.  But if this one actually fits well, I'll update the review.

Which happens to be my most recent review and is almost exactly a year old. The little sewing I've been doing for the past year has all been TNT's.  Just haven't tried anything new.  For a year.  Sad.

Was life better before the internet?

Sigh.  I thought I'd found my new reader...heading into the twilight of Google Reader, I sampled two or three and finally landed at the Old Reader.  It had some glitches but, hey, it was ok.  I could read the blogs right there.  I could skip the ones I'd already read.  I was happy.

But apparently it was too much of a good thing.  Too many folks signed up and, in trying to make it work, it all fell apart.  The site owners got it working again, but decided life is too short to deal with such things (who can blame them?) and they're going private.

Basically, they've decided to take it back to the small level of users they had before the Google influx.

Which means my account won't make the cut.

Looks like I'm back to bloglovin'...which I don't love...but at least looks to be as permanent as these things can possibly be.

This comes on the heels of  the winds of change over at Stitchers Guild.  I haven't been hanging out there too much lately...data base migration and all...but that community also looks to be a victim of its own success.   

Which all makes me wonder if all this connection is really feasible; really...how much longer can we expect all this open space to be free?  Folks labor long and deal with all kinds of life inconvenience for really very little return...while those of us who use their services barely even know their names.   We might send them some money from time to time, and we cheerfully thank them for their expertise, but I can't fault any one who's been sacrificing family time, personal time, sleep and finances to keep the site up who finally says, 'It's just not worth the hassle anymore.'

I didn't miss a reader before I had one; now I'm griping that I don't like the reader I seem to be stuck with.

First world problems, eh?

Don't misunderstand me...I love the connections I've made via the internet and the incredible inspiration that has come from the blogs I read and the contributors to the sites I frequent...or at least, frequent when I get a chance to frequent. ;-)  But it comes at a cost. 

And maybe, just maybe, the cost is higher than any of us is willing to admit.

Just sorta thinking out loud here....

Sigh. Not Me.

For about the third year in a row, I hesitated and then decided not to sign on to Me Made May...the little internet party in which all participants make a little pledge to wear something made by them selves every day in May and post photos (at least, I *think* the photo posting is part of the agreement...).

And, you know, maybe it doesn't matter at all, but I feel compelled to share my reasoning here.

It's the At Home Days.

On At Home Days, I am a slob.  Well, maybe not exactly a SLOB, but I make use of all the graphic t shirts that have accumulated over the years.  You know, those freebies that can handle a bleach splash, or oven grime or...well, whatever.

On most days when I actually leave the house, wearing something that I made is pretty much a given. I'm really not trying to brag; that's just the way it is.

In fact, I started the Choir Wardrobe series initially to see if I could wear me-made stuff every Sunday for a whole year.  It really wasn't that hard.

So you 'd think I'd be all over the Me Made May  and Self Sewn September internet parties.

But I can't promise to wear something I made every day, because on the At Home Days, I will be wearing my grungy, not special clothes. It might be the faded out jeans that are a hair too short; it might be a bagged-out pair of knit pants that I made.  It will likely be an event-related T shirt that won't grieve me if it gets stained somehow.

I just don't want to worry about it.

And...you see how wonderful my photo documentation has been of my Work Wear garments.  I've taken what...5 pictures?  Maybe?  Since I started doing that last fall.  Taking time for photography has not been my strong point, either.

But that doesn't mean I don't look at the pictures and sigh just a little bit because I'm missing the party.  I would *like* to participate...I'm just recognizing my limits.

But I'm cheering on the folks who are dressing intentionally and taking photos.  Maybe someday... ;-)