Myra's Idea...

Myra had a thought provoking post today about sewing those things that have been lingering and waiting.

I have several such things...pretty silks, lovely wools...all waiting to be made into something. But, for one reason or another, they have languished.

Her idea (if you click on her name that link'll take you to her post and you'll get it in full) is to bag up 12 projects that have been languishing and, once a month, pull out one at random and make it up.

I don't know if I can quite do that; most of my languishing projects are big deals. I have one that's been bagged for about 3 years...a trench coat. I really don't know if I could make it in a month or not. In a month with no other deadlines, maybe, but somehow I always seem to have to sew something with a deadline that pushes everything else back.

But, you know, I think I'm gonna try a variation on that. Maybe not one a month, but I'll start that coat in September, and, when it's done, I'll start another. Something that's been saved will get made.

Myra, thanks for the inspiration!

Thinkin' Positive

Gone all day yesterday...gone all day today.

Laundry and such to do tomorrow, but...

I intend to do SOMETHING in the sewing room. Dunno if it'll be creating or cleaning or just advancing a project a little, but SOMETHING.

It's so frustrating to have projects that are calling my name and no opportunity to answer!

Must...Find...Sewing...Time...

Y'all, this work thing is tough.

I am really disappointed in the lack of sewing I've accomplished so far this year...I've only finished about a third of what I'd done by this time last year.

If this keeps up, I'm just going to have to curtail all fabric purchases for a really, really long time.

I'm telling myself that it's really just a season...I had some costumes to make for church (the Frontier preacher...Pastor N. has *promised* me photos, but he wants to clean his suit first. It rained HARD the weekend of the camp out to which he wore the costume, and he says it Must Be Cleaned before any photos), then I started work and started sewing costumes for Aida; housework got horribly behind and there's been so much going on outside of the house that I haven't gotten to it.

And my in-laws are coming for a short visit on Saturday.

Well, you can only do what you can do. I have a couple of errands to run tomorrow, but I should be able to Stay Home and Clean for the better part of the day.

But I don't think I'll get any sewing done.

Sigh. Maybe next week.

Squeezing Time In

Last night I cut a couple of the Aida knit dresses, but tonight we had our monthly ladies' study at church, so I didn't go to the sewing session. One of the other ladies watched as I cut last night and made note of how the knit dresses were cut out,so she'd know more or less what to do. They were hoping to get the other 8 dresses cut tonight, although no one else had cutting mats/rotary cutters. I'll miss Thursday night's work session, too, since that's choir practice.

I expect to receive a couple of the dresses to put together next week, which is spring break. We won't have any group sewing sessions, but there will be sewing going on!

The plan also included sewing up one of the dresses I cut out last night and checking to see if the girl could get into it without a zipper. Hopefully that will work; I'd hate to put zippers in those knit dresses. But, if we have too, we have to.

But, the upshot of this is that I have a bit of time to hopefully catch up on some things that are waayyy behind, given the fact that I've been sewing as much as possible in the last three weeks.

And I've still got to put together my green silk Tribeca. I'd *really* like to wear that to church Sunday... I'm eyeing Thursday for that task.

Meantime, I'm trying to decide which Burda pattern I will trace before I put away my tracing paper and pens. I promised myself I'd do one...and I'm taking too long to decide which one. I think I'm about ready to just randomly grab an issue and pick my favorite out of whatever it happens to be....

New Pattern

Not from the fabric store or the 'net...this is a new life pattern, and it's going to be a while before I find out what 'normal' is.

As of today, I'm back in the workforce.

Oh, it's just part time...while the kids are in school, three days a week. But that's three days of potential sewing time gone now. And the musical costuming is just getting cranked up.

So. This is going to be an interesting spring.

Can't get to the sewing room...

Just too much going on! I've got something outside the house every day this week...and some financial work to do in the house. I *still* have to cut the interfacing for The Flute Player's pants... I can't believe how long that project has been on the cutting table waiting for that last little bit.

And I've got a bit of Christmas sewing to do; as soon as the pants are cut I'm going to hit one of those projects. It'll be a one-day job...all I need is one day...

Meantime, I'm cooking dinner for a friend who had surgery. First things first.

Still Bastin'

I remember spending nearly a whole day basting/sewing/removing the basting from the narrow bias binding of the first Robin's Jacket I made. With the second one, I used some faux suede binding that was slightly wider and fuse-basted it.

But I really like the look of that narrow bias, so on the blue jacket I'm back to hand basting.

But I don't want to re-create the creaking agony in the base of my neck, so I've been doing it in small spurts.

Four more buttons were sewn on the silk shirt while waiting my turn on the electronic game I played with the kids last night. To my amazement (and The Actor's disgust), I actually won...

But I think I am going to shelve my projects and get a pants pattern tested for The Flute Player today. She needs pants that fit in the worst way and, since she's two sizes smaller in her waist than in her hips, I'm not gonna find RTW that works.

Sigh. Those projects will get finished...one of these days.

Nothin' in September

According to my sewing records, I didn't complete a single garment in the entire month of September.

I have to go all the way back to December of '04 to find a month in which I didn't complete any personal sewing...and we were frantically costuming our first presentation of The Gospel According to Scrooge, so I *was* sewing at a fast and furious pace.

No, I recollect that I *did* sew my own costume for that show during December of '04; it's just not recorded. So I have to go back farther...to September of '04, which was right after we moved into a temporary rental property and I didn't get any sewing space set up for a few weeks.

But this month I had no costume sewing or house moving to blame. Just my own disorganization. And that's, um, embarrassing. I did a little (very little) mending and altering, but that really doesn't account for the whole month.

If I had realized yesterday that I'd have a goose egg for yards out in September, I'd've ditched the budget work I did in the afternoon and sewn buttons on that silk shirt. ;)

I pledge to get back to my sewing self this month... ;)

ETA: On reviewing my September posts, I find I did do a bit of costume work ... how could I have forgotten the Amazing Technicolor Truly Awful Bog Coat of Many Colors?

But that just took a day. So no real excuse there.

Lost My Rhythm...

Conferences tend to do that...several days of intense, out-of-the-normal-schedule focus leaves it just a little difficult to pop right back into the routine.

It's especially difficult if 'routine' is not a strong suit...which it isn't for this little sewing blogger.

Mondays are a volunteer day, anyway, so I've been gone a bit. Did a bit of laundry. Strung a couple of necklaces that I could wear w/hot pink tops. Sewed a wee bit on the white shirt.

And I went to the stash bins and pulled the pink rayon/linen and the matching lining. I may just take the plunge and cut that jacket out this week.

If I can find the rhythm...

Trying to make a plan

It's too bad the SWAP competition (now being hosted by Stitcher's Guild, since the retirement of Julie Culshaw and the closing of Timmel Fabrics) isn't gearing up to start soon; I could really get into planning a SWAP wardrobe right now.

And I'll probably be doing too much costuming to commit to it at the start of the year. Oh, well.

But I am trying to get a direction on what I'm going to do. Part of that requires some real assessment of what I *need*.

I need some white shirts, really bad. I have one that was well started before I had to start sewing Piratey things, and I pulled it out today to see how far I can get. Then I discovered that the cuffs (I'm pretty sure I made the cuffs!) are AWOL. I *could* cut more, but I'd really rather just find the ones I did in...May?

I really, really, really need to clean that sewing nook!

Hancock's still had the buttons that I'd originally purchased to put on my pink silk/linen/rayon floppy weave suiting, so I grabbed a couple more cards, which means the Vogue 1040 is a real possibility. I like that jacket a lot; I'm going to trace/alter it as soon as I get a chance and see if I'm still as interested in it...whatever I need to do, I need to cut the pink jacket out no later than a week from Monday if I hope to finish it by the end of the month. I've also got some pink double-faced satin in the stash that I believe I'm going to see if I can turn into a top from a Burda WOF pattern; I've got the pattern traced but I want to pin-fit it before I proceed any further. I've only got a pinch over a yard, so I don't even know if it'll work or not.

That'll be the only pink things I try to make for this month; there's too much else that needs doing and, to be honest, I'm not sure whether I'm going to put them into the queue or not.

The Flute Player (DD the Second) and I both need black pants; so that's going to have to be in the queue soon. It looks like the choir will be wearing jeans through October; I need to do a couple of muslins and get some that are right.

And I've still got my trench coat project in the wings...and there are those things in the queue from earlier...


I really need to Make A Plan....I'm thinkin', I'm thinkin'....

So Much to Do, So Little Time

Confession time.
I'm almost at mental gridlock again. Normally, we're really busy sewing costumes for various church folks at this time of year, but we had a light load of requested costumes and, wonder of wonders, I'm finished (all but some new Angel costumes that were totally my idea and really have no particular deadline at the moment). Now, I actually have some time to do some serious personal sewing, which is something I really haven't had since February (First, Pippin, then the Pirate Costume Project, then a busy traveling summer, then the annual fall sewing blitz).

Now, with some actual time...I'm having a hard time getting my plan down to do something productive.

I've still got a bunch of stuff in the queue to finish up...both from this year and last.

I've got the opportunity to make and wear some of my stashed hot pink fabric

I've got some lovely new things that have arrived over the past few months that I'm dying to get turned into clothes (some of those things are actually real wardrobe needs, too)

What to do, what to do?

In all honesty, I should probably start by cleaning the sewing nook. I got it about half organized before the Pirate Project started, but it quickly disintegrated again, since things weren't really in place when I started.

Sigh. No fun, that....

"Sewing around the Edges"

I mentioned before I took the week off that I was hoping to do a little 'sewing around the edges'; and believe me, a 'little' is exactly what I've accomplished!

I pulled out the Kwik Sew white blouse that I cut out a year ago and began to work on it. So far, I've just been preparing pieces (cuffs, collar, sleeve vents, stuff like that) and I haven't really gotten any assembly done yet.

And, I'm working slowly on getting a couple of patterns traced. I've got about half of Vogue 7903 traced, and I've got about six more patterns pulled to work on but I'm not sure I'll get to them. We'll see.

Meantime, catch up work continues. Thursday, I'll be hauling machines to church for the annual costume repair/replace event, and we'll be sewing Bible costumes for anyone who wants one. I think we'll work on the new angel costumes, too. We get to use the room until Aug. 19...so that'll be my main occupation for a while.

I said 'No'

Twice, in the same day.

This week is 'Camp Crazy' week at church...sort of our updated version of VBS. The kids are there from 9 - 3, and they do an activity (like roller skating or swimming), have lunch, have Bible lessons and team competitions...anyway, the kids love it.

It runs from Mon - Thurs, and it has become my annual 'Go to church and clean out the costume storage area' time. Only yesterday I had some other tasks to do there regarding records for my Wednesday night jr high girls, so I'll hit the cleanup today.

But, while I was in the classroom, one of the Children's pastors came by with a request. Kids' Camp is next week, and he had some costuming/set design things he needed sewn. He thought it would only take a couple of hours (after hearing him out, I'd guess it would be more like 4-6 hours, but I may have a fancier notion of what he wanted than is actually the case). It just so happened that when he stuck his head in the door to ask, I was looking at a wedding dress a friend had brought by to see if I could alter it for her. 'It just needs the straps taken up,' she said, 'And there's this thing in it with a bunch of zippers that we could probably cut out.'

But I'll be working at church until 3 every day; there's something happening every night this week...I wouldn't even be able to look at the stuff he was asking about until Friday. And Kids Camp starts Monday morning...or maybe even Sunday afternoon... Anyway, they'd need it IMMEDIATELY for stage set up.

So I said no. I felt bad to not help...just a little...but I just didn't think I could squeeze it in. Not and have clean clothes and such next week, anyway....

Then it was back to the wedding dress. Turns out it was a store sample, with a strange inner zipper thing that apparently allowed ladies in sizes 4 - 22 to try on the dress and get the back somewhat cinched so they could see what it would look like in their size. And it didn't have straps...just very narrow shoulders on a sleeveless v-neck style. With appliqued lace and bead sewn over the shoulders. My friend needed a petite adjustment to the armsceye, and the only place to do it was the shoulder seams.

I just didn't feel like I could risk doing that well. The appliques and beading would have to be removed, the shoulder seam unpicked and adjusted, and the trim re-applied.

I did think the inner zipper thing could be salvaged as a sort of inner corsolette, if the extra zippers were unpicked and the excess over/underlap removed.

But I referred her to an alterations shop to get it done. Again, I hated to say no, but I didn't have enough confidence in my ability to sew such a high visibility alteration perfectly.

Not to mention I wasn't sure the crinolined skirt would even fit inside my sewing room...

So, I'm still on my original plan for the week...clean/organize/make notes on needed repairs on the costumes and see how much brown/purple I can get sewn while the laundry is running when I'm home... ;)

Bailing

I cut out the lining for the pirate vest yesterday, and got stopped dead because I couldn't find the remnant of fabric I used for the interfacing/underlining on the first vest. I looked and looked, and, while I was looking, I had a few moments of Real Thinking.

And I recollected that I had a LOT more to do today than sew a pirate costume that really wasn't absolutely necessary anyway. My Sweet Baboo and Number 2 son are both going to Pow Wow; Number 2 Daughter and I are both going on the Girl's Retreat. We all are supposed to be at church bright and early in the morning to pack up vans and head to our respective destinations.

Which means I have laundry and packing to do today. Now, I *might* possibly have been able to squeeze in the pirate costume, but, really, the only reason I was making it was to get it off my list...not because it was needed. The shirt, pants, and sashes I've already made for him will be quite sufficient.

Sigh. They may become UFO's...but it's not worth putting myself into a totally stressed mode just to prevent that. So I'm bailing. The vest pieces are going back into a bag; I'll get to 'em when I get to 'em.

And I will not allow myself to be guilty over it...

Dragging my feet...

Must. Trace. Pirate. Patterns.

Must. Cut. Costumes. Out.

But I don't wanna! I wanna sew my new stuff! However, as Miss A pointed out to me yesterday, "You do realize June is only about three weeks away, don't you?"

So I guess it's time to take a deep breath and start tracing...although I do expect to finish the Purity Blouse this week before I dive into swashbuckle sewing. I hope.

Forty minutes of sewing

That's my estimate on how long it will take me to put together the 'Ocean Teal' Simplicity 4076 top...once I change thread and have at it. I hope I'm right...between unexpected car repairs (what do you mean it has to stay at the car hospital three days????) that result in extravagant taxi runs and normal things like orthodontist visits (doesn't everyone schedule things like that on Spring Break?) and preparing a lesson for Friends class last night (I was seriously rolling my eyes at the teacher's material...ten minutes worth of reading won't fill up an hour and a half of class; I hadn't planned on writing my own lesson) I haven't gotten to the sewing machine yet this week.

But nothing else on the 'to do' list has gotten done this week either...

So, instead of cutting out the green tunic, I think I'm going to just change the thread and see if I can find forty minutes today to sew up that little top that I must wear Sunday...

I need a plan

Ok, I have wonderful new fabric...cool new patterns...and I want to sew it all. Today.

Obviously, I need some way to chop this down to 'doable'...find some way to prioritize it...so I can get through it in a timely fashion.

This year, though, is different from every other year I've been to the Expo; there is no big Costume project hanging over my head. We're not doing a costumed thing for Easter this year, so I'm actually anticipating some real time to sew for me. (Did I say that out loud? Isn't that kind of like talking about a no-hitter in the 7th inning?)

Now, ignoring for the moment the fact that I've got an awfully lot of household type stuff that's so incredibly behind, and my sewing room's a total wreck, I should have some time to sew...maybe...in the next couple of weeks. I've got an all-day conference on Friday, but next week is spring break and I'm a little hopeful that I can get some sewing done. Or at least some of the housework-in-arrears so I'm free to sew the *next* week.

First up, obviously, is pre-treating all the fabric so that it's ready to cut. Laundry being one of the things that is behind, I'll work on that project as I make an attempt to find the bottom of the hampers. And I can work on the WIPs while the laundry is running.

And I'll see if I can come up with a yardage-into-wardrobe plan in the next couple of days.

Chopin on Hold

And I did so hope to finish it before I had to switch the focus to Other Stuff, but, alas, the Other Stuff hit a lot faster than I expected.

Today's a school holiday, but DS the Younger has an orthodontic appointment to begin phase 2 of his treatment...braces, again. No bands, for which he should be grateful, but brackets and wires. So he'll be late to the all-day musical rehearsal. I'll tag along to the musical rehearsal; we'll be cranking out black hoodie robes all day.

But, whilst DS has the metal applied to his mouth, I've got to run over to church to see if a prototype item will work. Our children's church needs 20 little slipcovers to go over chair backs so they can mark the seats as reserved for the kids' leadership team. And they need them by Feb. 1, so they can get the iron-on transfers with the ministry logo and 'RESERVED FOR QUEST FORCE' applied to them all by the end of the month, which is when they're unveiling the new and improved, remodeled kids' sanctuary (the drapey pennant things I made last fall were part of this same project). Fortunately, these little covers are very similar in construction to pillowcases, so it takes only minutes to make one...but there ARE 20 to make.

Once I make sure the prototype fits, I can head to Hancock's for fabric later today and get what I need. Not sure how that'll all work yet; My Sweet Baboo has to be transported from work to the optometrist this afternoon, too, so I may not get to Hancock's until later this evening.

At least the Chopin Blouse doesn't need the serger, really, so it doesn't matter that I put black thread on it for now. Maybe I can catch a few minutes after supper tonight to work on it.

Or maybe I'll chop up the chair cover fabric...

Headin' into December...

And I don't have *any* daytime commitments on the calendar this week!!!

I'm not going along to the state drama competition after all; there were already enough chaperones signed up to go before DS asked his teacher, so that's a whole two days that I'll have available.

I do need to take one day and go do some more Christmas shopping, but mostly I need to do some Christmas sewing this week. I've got the Hot Patterns Classix Nouveau Trouser Skirt (henceforth known as the HPCNTS...) about 1/3 done. I had cut some pockets to put on the front/side front seam, but when I pulled the pieces out to put the pockets on I realized that the front section is much too narrow for inseam pockets and they'd criss cross under the center. I think the skirt is too fitted for side seam pockets...I think they'd gap. And I didn't cut slant pockets. So, even though I KNOW pocketless garments generally turn into unworn garments, I decided to leave the pockets off. I can at least wear it w/a jacket w/pockets, perhaps...which means the next step will likely be the fly front. Once the zipper's in it should finish out very quickly.

But after that, it's Christmas project sewing, which I really won't be able to discuss here for fear of certain relatives suddenly, unexplainedly, unexpectedly deciding to click on that link in the ancient email.

Then I need to sew up the flannel sheets. But I'm going to see where we are in the month of December when the sheets are done before I plan past that....

Scatter Shot

Ok, I hit the targeted Weekender...but I was using a shotgun, and so I didn't get it hit hard enough (again, I grumble about the behavior of that poly jacquard fabric!!). There's still an hour or so's worth of work to do on it before I can pack it up in the 'Christmas Gifts' bin, change the thread and move on to the burgundy stuff.

But I also hit some laundry and some housecleaning and, oh, prep work for today's ladies' study at church.

None of which were hit hard enough to finish them off....

Dunno if I'll even get to aim again today; it's a run-around-and-do stuff-away kinda day, and I gotta finish my notes for this morning's study.