Workwear 27

It's the Easy, Ageless, Cool rayon challis campshirt from the Combo Pack today...with a gray rayon knit Jalie 2566 and black RPL double knit Loes Hinse Oxfords.  I will probably wear the shirt as a topper as much or maybe even more than I will wear it as a shirt.  It's very, very loose and flowy...I love it in the rayon but I think it would be too oversized in a lofty cotton. Drapey fabric is a must! 


I  recruited The Actor to take the photo for me as soon as I got home from work today...the kitty was still in 'welcome home!' mode.  And there is a nice coating of cat hair below the knees of my pants now...lol...

Reminiscing...

I guess because I'm celebrating the 9 year blogiversary (You have entered the celebratory giveaway, right?), I found myself wandering through the archives of the early years.

I'm kinda jealous of the blogging time I had then.

Part of me, reading that, was like, 'Wow, you posted a lot of non-sewing drivel, didn't you?'

And another part was a little proud, 'Look at how many posts you wrote!'

And yet another part was, 'Oh, you were much more open and free back then! You talked about so much more than just sewing!'

I really did do my best to post every day.  And I just about did.

But that was kinda when I had the 'one blog fits all'...trying to cover sewing and life and faith and all in one place.

But when I created the faith blog,  I didn't double my blogging. My intention was to really  just talk about the aspects of faith that were too deep for this side; do some online Bible studies and such.  But somehow more and more of the topics I used to talk about on Sew Random ended up there.

Because this was the sewing blog, you know.

I didn't even realize I had really cut back on the 'random' part of the blog until I reread the old stuff and saw how much 'random' there really was.

The 'random' really came from the challenge to write a blog post every day.  When life got too demanding (read: paying job entered the equation), I let myself off the 'blog daily' hook.

Instead of writing to write, I began to write only when I had something pertaining to sewing to talk about.  Or something pertaining to faith issues on the other blog.

Random life stuff kinda fell by the wayside.

So, in the blogiversary week, I'm going to make myself a little challenge...

Get the 'Random' back in the game. ;-)

A random bit for the day:

As I was typing away, Frisco (the sewing assistant kitty) came up behind my desk chair and commenced to meow.  Took me a minute to realize she had brought me a pipe cleaner (twisted into a circle -- one of her favorite toys).  I threw it, she retrieved it.  I threw it, she retrieved it.  Repeat several times...then she carried it off and I went back to typing.  A few minutes later, she was back rubbing on my leg, meowing, and the pipe cleaner was at my feet again.  Repeat entire scenario.  Go back to typing.  Repeat again 3 minutes later.

Life's more fun with kitties. ;-)

Choir Wardrobe 6 08 14

Choir colors for June are yellow, coral and gray.  Just for grins, I pulled out the Jiffy Pop Top (Vogue 8669) , being as how it's silver gray and all, and topped it with iteration two of the Jalie Drape pleated cardigan, #2919, which is still going strong.

Can't tell you which jeans those are; I think they're Lees.  I just grabbed a clean pair. ;-)

Bonus photo of the kitty being friendly!  Took this photo in the evening after she'd been home alone all day...

..um, yeah, well, ....

The promised photo did not happen today because I am a silly vain thing.

My Sweet Baboo had the camera in hand, and we were about to go get set, when he pointed out that I had a spot on the center front of the shiny top.

Well, I thought I'd just been splashed by the water I'd used to rinse the broccoli, so I went into the bathroom and hit it with the hairdryer.

Only it didn't go away.

I suspect it is a dribble of coffee that got by me when I was working on the data entry during the last service.

I could not bring myself to pose for a photo with an unalterable spot on the top.

So no photo of the only thing I have sewn in the last six weeks.

I will, however, share a photo of one of the difficulties I had in sewing the top; she jumped up there the moment I put it on the table:

"I is holding ur fabric hostage!"

Starting from Scratch

"Oh," says the lounging kitty,"Were you working here?"

Thursday morning, My Sweet Baboo headed out the front door to go to his early morning men's Bible study, and to his surprise he found our strictly-inside; no-front-claws kitty sitting on the front step.  She bolted into the house...leaving behind her break-away collar and shredded tufts of fur all over the front walk.  She had to have slipped out of the house Wednesday night amongst the goings-and-comings of the family;  I know she was in the house when I left around 5:30, but after that we just don't know.

I heard a noise in the bushes beside the front door when I came home around 9ish, but I assumed it was a possum or a squirrel and didn't investigate.  It was dark so even if there had been fur tufts on the front walk then I'm not sure I'd've noticed them.

She was unusually subdued all morning; I saw a small scratch on her nose and another just above her lip on one side, so I called the vet and ran her by before I went into work.  They found a couple of nasty scratches and one puncture wound on her back and she was running a fever.  Two shots and an oral antibiotic later we were headed home.

She is just now beginning to move more like her old self; I suspect she had some pretty sore muscles along with the scrapes and bites.  Hopefully she has learned her lesson and won't be so quick to try to dart out the door now.

But she must be feeling better; she has plunked herself down on the pattern I'm trying to trace for the coral linen jacket.  I've settled on Vogue 1055 (I've no idea how long that link will work; it's currently OOP), an Adri designed wardrobe pattern.  The jacket is constructed in one layer...no linings, facings or under collar....  But I haven't made it before, and the reviews on PR only discuss the skirt and one of the shell tops, so I'm actually debating a muslin, although I want to get it put together next week.  If my typical Vogue alterations work, I'm ok.  I hope. ;-)

But first I've got to move a pitiful kitty...

Let's Make A Deal

The Princess has been asking me to make a dress for her for, well, awhile. The trouble was, she kept asking for it when I was swamped with other sewing.

She had the pattern picked out...Simplicity 2442, and she had some turquoise rayon challis. She even traced the pattern/cut it out for me just before Easter, hoping I'd get it made for her for Easter. Unfortunately, she did that, like, four days before Easter, and I had other sewing to do and extra church services. So it was just not possible at that point.

Since then, I've gotten some rather snide remarks about having time to sew for other folks (the Honor Dress, the baptism robes...) but not for her. I keep hinting she could make it herself; I'd be glad to help. That, however, seems to be just not possible also.

We have a friend getting married a week from today; The Princess wanted to know if I could make her dress for the wedding. I've told her I'd see if I could work it in.

Then last week I had an Idea.

I am a total decorating klutz. I really am not good at it at all. When I first went to work, I asked The Princess if she could help me decorate my office...back when I had the dark brown paint left by the previous inhabitant. She flat refused, saying she wouldn't have any idea what I'd like.

Now, this is the young lady who looked in our guest bathroom and pronounced, 'This room is a hot mess!!' and went out and bought stuff specifically for me to put in there so it didn't look so, um, hot messy. I thought she'd be glad to help.

Not so much.

Last month, we switched offices around and I got a freshly painted office...I even got to pick the color (a blue -leaning green). I like the new color; I could live with an undecorated office before; now, I'm ready to make it mine. However,I'm still a decorating klutz. But, instead of just asking The Princess for help, I offered a swap...

I'll make the dress if she'll help with my office decorating.

I got a very quick 'Yes!' on that one.

So I've temporarily shelved my choir sewing and I worked on the Simplicity dress. I believe she's lost weight since she traced the pattern last spring; I had to take up the muslin of the bodice quite a bit. But it looks like it's gonna fit.

So. that's my project for the next few days.

Here's a couple of Parting Shots for your amusement:

Frisco couldn't understand why I didn't want her exactly on that spot while I was altering the pattern...

I gave up arguing with her and went to switch the laundry in the machines.
Suddenly, she turned up in the middle of that, too...


She's not cuddly, but she's very sociable!

Meet the New Assistant

We had two cats before we had kids. The cats never quite forgave us for bringing children home to torment them, but we all enjoyed the furry friends. At least, most of us enjoyed them. My Sweet Baboo sort of tolerated them.

But, kitties don't live as long as kids, and, not too long before The Flute Player's first birthday, our second kitty went to Catnip Heaven.

That was a little over twelve years ago. Even after all that time, and two household moves, I still found the occasional cat hair.

But I figured it was a matter of time until we got another cat. The kids have been asking. But I wasn't ready.

I'm still not sure I'm ready, but this kitty needed a home; she was found in a parking lot, but the family who found her couldn't keep her and she was headed to the animal shelter in a couple of days.

So now we have a cat. Hopefully, but the end of the weekend, she'll have a name.

Meantime, I'm trying to remember how to train a cat to stay off the kitchen counters and table...sigh...