We're off....

Indiana State Police online reports the roads in Central/Southern Indiana are clear, so the DKids and I are off to Grandma's House.

I'll catch everyone Monday...

Have a great weekend!

New Stuff to Check Out

Yesterday was a busy day on the 'net...

The biggest news is the creation of a new sewing forum, SWRefuge. It's really not meant to replace anything, but, as the name suggests, provide an alternative cyber meeting space should anything happen to Ye Olde Sewing World, which has been showing some signs of instability. I apparently joined Sewing World just after the last major crash, so I'm not familiar with the symptoms but I can take it from the ladies who have been posting to SW for many years that it's getting shaky and may crash soon. Apparently, the crash comes and the SW administrators work the site over to get it all fixed, but that can take a while and, for those of us who need our daily SW fix, the SW Refuge site (they are soliciting suggestions for a less derivative name) will be there should the Crash come.

I think it's great that three ladies from SW have put their heads together to do this collectively, and the lady who posts as 'Dragonlady' deserves a big shout-out for using her computer expertise to set it all up. Liana and Kathryn ('fxdoc') also worked on this and are now encouraging everyone to register so that we will have a backup site for sewing discussion. And who knows...this may just become another FVF (Frequently Visited Forum) for all of us; can there be too many places to talk about sewing?

Next up on the New Stuff list: a whole new pattern collection from Hot Patterns called Classix Nouveau. These are some not-so-fashion-dependent garments that will be really popular, I think. There are two or three patterns there that I like, but to be honest I think I've already got patterns in the stash that are pretty similar. But the CN chatter may motivate me to pull them out and give them a go! ;) I've still got a short list of about 7 patterns that I want to get from HP...just haven't done it yet. Gotta get the 'Must be sewn soon!' list cranked through the manufacturing process first.

Finally, I happened to check the Sewing Workshop site yesterday and discovered that there's a new pattern up there, the Ikina Jacket and Pant. The pants don't do much for me...wide legged cropped length just won't help my already height challenged silhouette, but I do like the jacket. There's some good photos of Ikina Jackets in the Sewing Workshop Gallery...have a look.

At the moment, I'm still planning to take the kids to see Grandma and Grandaddy tomorrow, so I may or may not get to post the rest of the week. I haven't checked the weather since last night, though, and it looked like that nasty weather system was moving pretty slow. I don't know if it will be cleared out in time for me to drive up tomorrow or not. At least the sun is shining here at the moment! Yesterday was a mean windy, rainy March day...

Travel Plans

Arg! When I first talked to Mom about heading north, the weather forecast was for rain/snow on Monday. Since the weekend was going to be really busy on this end, I decided to give myself Monday to catch up on sleep, do laundry and pack.

Well, the forecast was off...the weather folks are now saying that it's going to start snowing in central Indiana tonight, and they'll have 5" - 8" by noon tomorrow, with windy conditions. Ugh. Don't think I'll try to drive up in that! If it is cleared out, maybe I can make the trip by Wednesday.

But that'll give me an extra day here; maybe I can get some work done on the next SWAP blouse. ;)

A Little Sewing Here, A Little Sewing There...

I couldn't stay away from the sewing machine entirely yesterday, but I did work in between and amongst doing household chores. I didn't finish the chores, but Swap Top # 4 is finished...this is the one from the required Timmel Fabrics purchase:


Only two more blouses to go...but it looks like I'll be taking the kids and heading up to Mom and Dad's for a few days next week (it's Spring Break down here). It'll be chilly and snowish in Indiana, from what I've heard, and all the flowers are blooming here, so we're taking a break from Spring and going back to Winter, I guess. But it's been more than a year since we've been home so it's LONG overdue.

I'll just have to sew like crazy when I get back. ;)

Saturday Snapshot:

In the CD player: Paul Wilbur, "The Watchman"
On the Bookstand: Still reading Can Man Live Without God?.
It's a scholarly book and I'm having to read it slowly to make sure I'm understanding everything. An intellectual stretch, to be sure!

On the Sewing Table: Textile Studio Santa Monica T, in a sagey green cotton interlock. For Choir.

Lace Trimmed Shell In Progress

I'm pleased with the way it's looking. It probably would've been a little better if I'd hand basted it first, but that's a Perfect World scenario...y'know, as in 'In a Perfect World, my kids and hubby (um, and I...) would put away things when they were done with them and I'd have a maid so that I wouldn't have to spend sewing time doing things like mopping floors and cleaning bathtubs...'

I'll probably only finish sewing down the lace today. Housecleaning is to the 'I can't put it off any longer' stage...

On the Sewing Table

...is my linen shell, from the cream linen I purchased from Julie for SWAP. I've also got a Santa Monica T cut out, in a sagey green, because that's this month's choir color and I can crank it out pretty fast. Besides, I wanted to try a different seam method on it to see if I can get the neckline to be a little less lumpy. But it dropped my stash...for some reason I had listed that I had 4 5/8 yds of that sage knit; turns out I only had 1 5/8 yds. Musta been a typo ;). That reduces the total stash yardage that I started the year with, no?

The linen shell is going to be very nice, I think. I cut it double layer, since the linen is pretty transparent, and I played around with some lace I'd picked up on a serious discount (marked down from $12/yd to 50 cents/yd) at Hancock's earlier this year. I preshrank the lace on Tuesday (poured Very Hot water over it, let it sit until it cooled and then ironed it), so if I can catch a few minutes today I should have some finished products by the weekend.

I gotta get crackin' on those last three SWAP tops...the deadline is April 8 and it's coming quickly...and two of them still are not cut out yet.

Patch Happy

So, after a weekend full of inspiring and technically enlightening sewing instruction, what would be the first thing you do upon returning home?

I patched blue jeans.

Actually, I took six pairs of jeans with holey knees with me to Atlanta; I thought, since the HOTEL HAD CABLE! I could open up the inseams prepratory to patching them while we watched the 'Project Runway' finale (not having cable, I've never seen one episode).

Well, we went through all the channels on the tv twice and they didn't have Bravo available. Oh, well. But we chatted the evening away while I ripped open the legs on all these pants, so when I got home they were ready to sew.

Most of them I did Sunday afternoon, but there was one pair that waited till this morning to get finished up. It's a good thing patched jeans are 'in'...it makes it kind of fun to be creative with a tediously necessary chore! DD would almost rather wear the patched jeans than the intact ones; which is a good thing, since she only has one pair of jeans that aren't patched.

Here's a sample of the 'creative patch job'...the frayed knee was done at Christmas; the other one will fray out to match it after a couple of trips through the laundry.

Ain't it cute?

I thought about posting a photo of all my expo fabric; but I think it would just look like a pile of fabric. Mostly solids, the beauty of them is the hand and drape. But I did get a print that I'll post...even though the image of it is pretty poor, too. That moire look is just because of the digitization...in real life it's very smooth..almost slick...and the print is very sharp. I tried several different image manipulations but this is the best I could get it. I've got 2 5/8 yards of it -- it's 58" cotton lycra shirting -- and I'm debating what to make. A blouse? A tiered skirt? Not sure...the fabric just enchanted me. I've got to finish the SWAP before I cut into Expo fabric; maybe by then I'll have a plan. ;)

The other fabrics I purchased were:
1)khaki silk twill from Vogue Fabric. Omigosh, this feels like butter and drapes like a dream. It'll be a drapey skirt; not sure which pattern I'll use yet.
2)Khaki cotton/lycra bottomweight sateen, also from Vogue. The sateen side looks a little too shiny for me; I actually think I'll use the reverse side (a twilled weave) for the right side. I got 5 yards; I'm thinking a straight skirt,a pair of pants and maybe a pair of capris. From May - September our base color for choir will be khaki, which is not one of my more flattering colors. I think I'll be ok so long as I wear the color-of-the-month next to my face. ;)
3)Black cotton/linen suiting from Louise Cutting. Because I can never have enough black fabric (that's what we wear for choir the other 7 months of the year). It feels yummy, too!
4)Teal slinky from Emma Seabrooke. I debated between the teal and the gorgeous purple she had, but I think there's a good chance we'll end up with teal as a color for choir next fall...while I don't think we'll ever wear purple. I'm thinking Sewing Workshop Cityscapes dress; one of SW's patterns that looks like a true dud in the illustrations but actually is quite flattering on a body.

That brings up a slightly different thought... I missed seeing Linda Lee and the SW booth; I know she's trying to take the business in a little different direction as she really wants to try and entice the next generation to sew, but the SW clothes are so funky that I think it hurts not to be at the Expo with the samples. I know I had written off some of the patterns that I now have and love (the Cityscapes among them)...and I have them because I saw them on a body in the Fashion Show at the expo. Some things just don't translate well to drawings. I hope she finds a way to get her garments seen live and in person if she's not going to do the expos. Just my 2 cents worth! ;)

Extra Expo Shopping

Now I have another shopping list.

I've taken classes from Cynthia Guffey for 3 years now, and every year I come away with a list of Things to Get...but for some reason I don't get them, and the next year, in class I'm smacking my forehead wondering why I haven't picked it up yet...

1) narrow masking tape. Cynthia uses it for all kinds of stuff, including stitch guides on fabric and cutting guides.

2) Straight stitch throat plate and foot for my New Home. Very basic...and I can't seem to remember to get it. When I'm at the dealer, I also need to remember to get an 'edge joining foot'.

I happened to comment to one of my classmates at the end of our sample making class w/Cynthia that I hoped I could get these feet for my machine, and the Viking rep who was kind of supervising the use of the machines strongly encouraged me to come down to her booth and check out a new Viking. I laughed to my companion that that was one sure way to never get to come to an Expo again...go home with a new sewing machine. (unless I happened to win one in the big giveaway, of course ;) )

But I'm curious...can one even get a top quality, multi-function sewing machine, without all those fancy embroidery stitches that I'd rarely, if ever, use?

Expo 06 Report

Wow.

I have just about hit information overload; I'm not sure I haven't overtaxed my sitting, um, muscles... travel to Atlanta, sit sit sit in classes, then travel back to Alabama (we had a good test of patience getting through Atlanta...let's just say that Friday was NOT a good day to be driving anywhere in the Atlanta metro area) and sit some more in the marriage conference. My tailbone, which I cracked in high school but hasn't bothered me for years, is actually a bit achy.

But it was all worth it! I don't think I had a dud class amongst the lot. I had Louise Cutting, Peggy Sagers, Karen Maslowski and Cynthia Guffey. I bought 5 patterns (4 Silhouettes and 1 Cutting Line), 5 pieces of very nice fabric and my complete 'short list' of notions, plus a couple of others that I happened to find. I missed Linda Lee/The Sewing Workshop, and Threads magazine was MIA as well. But overall, the vendor area covered a larger portion of the exhibit hall than it has the past two years, so it is a thriving show, and I certainly had no trouble finding places to spend money.

I saw Shannon Gifford, Rusty Bobbin, Queendom, and a Pattern Review lurker or two. It's so cool to get face-to-face contact with internet pals!

Now the ladies over at Pattern Review are putting together a PR weekend at Baer Fabrics in Louisville the first of June. If I don't spend anymore money and am a good girl and sew what I bought at the Expo, maybe I can go to Louisville next!

Expo Bound

Miss A and I are leaving around noonish today to head over to Atlanta; I'm looking forward to seeing everyone! Here's what I'll be wearing... ;)
I'll report back Saturday evening.

Expo Packing

Some things I don't want to forget:
Fabric Swatches: So I can match those temptations at Vogue, Wool House, Cutting Line and elsewhere to what's already in the stash!

Small stapler: For attaching the samples I will make in Cynthia Guffey's Thursday evening class to the notes and sketches of same.

The Shopping List: Those few items I cannot leave the Expo without...fusible interfacing, tie interfacing and a french curve (mine broke and Hancock's doesn't carry them anymore) from Peggy Sagers; Ergo cutter blades from Martelli.

The Muslin I made for the Friday morning fitting class. After dragging myself around to make it, it'd be the pits if I somehow forgot to pack it!

My Camera...and this year I need to remember to use it.

Ah, we're going to have such fun...sinus headache or no sinus headache... ;)

On the Mend

I managed to get through the rehearsal and the service Saturday...then crashed on Sunday. But I actually feel a little better today, so I'm hopeful that I'll be funtional enough to enjoy the Sewing Expo later this week (as in day after tomorrow...)

Only now I've got to completely re-decide what to wear to said Expo, since I obviously didn't get anything done at all on the new stuff I wanted to wear. It's funny how being around a bunch of other sewing people causes me to consider very carefully what I'm going to put on. I did get my shirt muslin thrown together yesterday, so Friday's apparel has to include a top that's thin enough it won't mess up the fit process too much.

And nobody did laundry while I was laying around last week...imagine that.... I hope I have enough detergent to get a decent dent in the piles ;)

Saturday Snapshot

In the cd player: Wrestling Angels by Grover Levy
On the bookstand: Still Can Man Live Without God? by Ravi Zacharias. I haven't had the concentration this week to delve into that; I took a little side trip and re-read Dorothy Sayer's Gaudy Night and Busman's Honeymoon. Pleasant diversion in between naps.
On the sewing machine: Muslin of Simplicity 9693. I really like the top, but there's something funny about the fit in the front of the sleeves that I'd like some help with. It's the muslin for the Cynthia Guffey fitting class I'll be in at the expo next week.

But today I'm trying to make an official looking 'Animal Control' transfer that I can print and iron on a navy t shirt. I found a good looking badge online and merged it with some text, but giving it a blue background that will hopefully disappear on the blue shirt is a problem; the colors went all discontinuous and I'm having to fix it a pixel at a time.

My eyes are crossing and my mouse hand is getting sore...I'm not looking for perfect, just Close Enough.

Back to color correction...

Recuperating

Dress rehearsal for Uplink is tonight; I still need to get a blue t-shirt and ballcap, and put something official 'dog catcher' looking on them; hopefully I can locate some t-shirt transfer paper and just print it out and iron it on.

I'm semi-functional today; after two days on the couch I at least no longer have that 'hit-by-a-bus' achy feeling, but I'm not real perky. But the dog catcher is not a terribly perky character anyway. I'm just hoping my voice holds out!

This time next week I'll be in Cynthia Guffey's fitting class in Atlanta; I'm looking forward to that! She is such a hoot and does such inspiring stuff....

Blech

Why aren't germs required to check the daytimer before they check into the body? I don't have time to be sick, but my body isn't listening to that protest. The dog costume has been delegated...but there still isn't a backup dog catcher.

Maybe another day on the couch will improve my status.

This month's costuming

This month's Uplink service is Saturday; the costuming assignment for this one is a to make a 6-foot guy into a believable (not realistic) dog. I think we're going to go with black sweats, a pinned on tail (I have a good one that I made, oh, 13 years ago for DS when he was a dog for the fall festival),floppy ear shapes on a stretchy headband and doggy face paint. How we will manage the face paint around the mustache and goatee of the potential dog is going to be interesting...

BTW, I'm the dog catcher; fortunately animal control people in our area have dispensed with fancy uniforms and just wear jeans and tshirts.

But I also woke up this morning feeling a little, um, fluish. Little low grade feverish, little chest congestionish, little achy... Not bad enough to crawl back in bed, but bad enough that I'm nervous about how I'll feel by the weekend. Not to mention the trip to the Atlanta Expo next week. AAArrrgggg....

We'll see what ibuprofen, guifenisen and pseudoephedrine (yeah, I've still got some) can do to keep me functional.

Waiting for Tomorrow

I really intended to get my InTHETrenches set cut out yesterday...but I ended up spending most of the day ironing (it was really behind). Then, last night when I stopped by Pattern Review, I found that a new contest, Pattern Stash Reduction starts tomorrow. If I wait till tomorrow to cut it out, I can count it towards that contest.

Not that I have any chance of winning; there are ladies who that have given Scrooge-costuming-like dedication to the current Fabric Stash Reduction Contest. Last time I checked the contest report for that, the person in first place had sewn something like 73 items since Jan 1. I've sewn, um, six. I'm only doing Scrooge-type sewing production when absolutely unavoidable, so I do not expect to be at the top of this one, either. But it is fun to participate and log my progress into the Contest Report.

So I'll cut out ITT tomorrow; I'll still have a week to get it put together... ;)
Maybe I'll work on those muslins today.

SWAP Musings

Someone on Sewing World commented that my SWAP group for this year is very different from last year's SWAP group and asked which one I liked better.

There's no question which one 17 YO DS prefers; there's been no eye-rolling or negative comments about this year's combo!

They really are pretty different; last year's was funky, quirky and bold in color; this year's is subdued and classic. They'll fill different niches in the wardrobe...I mean, sometimes you feel like a nut and sometimes you don't. There are a few things from last year that I love and wear whenever I get the chance...the green Retro jacket, the embroidered linen pieces...but I haven't worn the print pieces very much, partly because the skirt has gotten too snug (and that ain't the skirt's fault), but also because, after doing two SWAP sets according to the recommendations from Stitches magazine, I decided that I don't care for wearing a top and skirt made from the same print. On me, anyway, it tends to look sort of frumpy. Julie Culshaw (Timmel Fabrics) has allowed SWAP participants to vary from the recommendations a bit; we're only required to use one print item...and the 'print' can be anything that uses multiple colors, such as a stripe, a plaid or a tweed. So the tweed jacket counts as the 'print' for this year and works beautifully to tie all the solid top and bottom pieces together.

Also, this year's SWAP is a little more real-world for me; I love the slinky pieces from last year but really haven't had much opportunity to wear them. I don't think I've even worn the pants yet; they're great and comfy, but there's just not that many occasions in my life to which I feel comfortable wearing slinky pants. Entertaining at home, perhaps, but since we moved last year (and there are still boxes and clutter about), we haven't done much of that. Hopefully that will change soon!

But, I can wear the black and the blue stuff from last year with this this year's pieces, and I can wear the black pieces from this year with last year's SWAP, so it's still all good!

Home Today

Sometimes life happens.

I was all dressed in my nice new jacket and rayon coordinates, anticipating a great worship service today, and came down to discover that 9 YO DD was not feeling well. At all. Since DH has to teach a men's class, I was the most expendable member of the family. So I'm home with a puny young 'un after all.

But I went ahead and had DH take photos for the SWAP before I changed so I've got some new photos up in the SWAP link.

DD slept for an hour and a half and woke up asking for toast, so I think she's feeling a little better now.

Moving on

I found my missing thread yesterday, and I sat down last night and whipped up the lining for the SWAP jacket. It only needs buttonholes/buttons and a wee bit of handsewing. I'll wear it to church tomorrow.

Next,I've got to take a break from SWAP (I'll only have 3 tops left to make with about a month to go) and do some sewing for the Atlanta Expo. I've got to make at least two muslins; a top and a pair of pants that exhibit some fitting issues that I've not been able to quite figure out. I'd also like to make Cutting Lines InTHETrenches set for the Expo also; Louise Cutting had a contest a while back for sewing a coordinating mini wardrobe, and part of the prize was that the winner's name would be in the little storyline that she was writing for her new pattern, which at that time was ITT. So that explains the 'Lisa' that you see in the text on the pattern front cover ;). The patterns were just released in time for last year's expo, and I received mine also as part of the prize pack (the last bit of the goodies was a free one-year subscription to Shannon Gifford's Sensible Sewing Newsletter, which I found so helpful that I renewed when it expired!). I got some great teal rayon/linen blend fabric from Louise from which to make the outfit...truth be told, I'll be a little embarrassed if I don't wear that on Thursday at the Expo. So that's next in the queue.

I think I'll add this for Saturday's postings, too; some Saturdays it may be all I'll manage:
Saturday snapshot:
Current reading: Can Man Live Without God? by Ravi Zacharias
Currently in the CD player: 6.1, by Out of the Gray
Currently watching the Olympics, just a little. Ordinarily the TV is off.

Exercising Willpower

Two weeks from today I'll be at the Atlanta Sewing Expo. I've only got a day and a half, and I've got 9 classes in that time, but I expect to do a little shopping there...I have a short list of notions, patterns and fabrics that I'd like to pick up. But, in interest of maintaining some semblance of a balanced budget, that means that I have to save every sewing related penny for that event.

Which means that I'm looking at my favorite fabric sites, just to see what the new stuff is, finding things I like and forcing myself to navigate away before I hit the 'add to cart' button. It's nice to know that there's pretty stuff there, right? And I know that if I don't find what I need at Atlanta, there's a chance it might still be available at Emma One Sock or Fabric Mart or Fashion Fabrics Club....

But I gotta keep that credit card idle for two more weeks!

Delivered!

Well, they wouldn't win any prizes for construction, but they will server their purpose! This is actually a Simplicity African Caftan pattern that I'm pretty sure is OOP; we modified it a bit to have a front zipper. They're made of a lightweight poly crepe; kind of icky feeling and prone to poly-ripples but it works for this purpose. When the supplies were ordered ages ago, the person who ordered decided to get the longest zippers available, thinking it would be easier to get in and out. So these robes have large-teeth separating zippers sewn into the front. I whipstitched the bottoms together before I put the zippers in, but it's still not very, um, polished looking. Ah, well, ya do what ya gotta do.

The left one is a size XL; the right one has been eyeball graded up to a XXL; occasionally there is some big dude coming for baptism ;)

Lining blues

Why is it so tough to sit down and sew that lining? My jacket is all but finished except for the lining and the (small prayer for grace for a bulky, ravel prone fabric) buttonholes/buttons. But finding time to put the lining together...haven't managed it. Maybe this afternoon, while I'm doing laundry... an hour and a half or so should about do it.

I've got to get it done this week while the 'choir colors' are still black and blue (I know; that sounds like a bruise but it really looks pretty good on the platform). We'll be in black and lavendar for March. I think.

ETA...I checked the email; it's (moss, sage, olive)green and black next month. Maybe I need to change my upcoming sewing plan again...

Stash Management

I don't *think* I've posted on this before... ;)

So, if you're someone who buys for the future (as in 'This would make a great top!) instead of someone who buys for the next project (as in 'I need 2 7/8 yards of pink linen for this dress'), you and I are comrades...although I do admit to trying hard to move a little closer to the 'buying for the project' side.

In truth, if you sew a lot, it makes sense to purchase quality basic fabric when it's available and/or on sale, since that will get used. The stuff that could be trendy...well, maybe not so much. But sooner or later almost every sewing enthusiast will acquire a little more fabric than can be sewn in the immediate future...and the stash is born. I think my stash began back in the mid 80's, when I discovered Fashion Fabrics Club. I could get DEALS for $1.99/yd...and I sometimes bought on spec. In fact, what I truly think is the oldest piece of fabric in my stash was an early FFC purchase...a brown/black/cream tweed that I WILL make a jacket from one of these days. To my best guess, it dates from 1983. Old.

Anyway, keeping track of it has always been an issue. Fabric will get used if it's remembered. Over the years, I've kind of developed a system that sounds complicated, but it works. Helps on the accounting side, too, since when I purchase the fabric I don't always know if I'll use it for me, the kids, or a gift. Or, sometimes I change my mind. So there's a 'fabrics and notions' budget line that purchases come out of if I'm not *sure* what it will be; after it's made up then I'll transfer the expense from,say, kids' clothes to fabrics/notions in the budget. But that means keeping track of it.

I've actually got two levels of tracking now...one for recent purchases, and every six months or so I'll move the recent purchases that haven't yet been sewn into the stash. That's all just on paper...or rather, in the computer.

So, let's track a recent purchase; in June of last year, I bought some rayon knits from Emma One Sock, including a grey rib knit. The knits all got entered into the '2005 purchases' Excel spread sheet...information includes date purchased, where purchased, fabric description, width, yardage, cost/yard, a notation of what budget account I charged it too and any comments, such as 'dry clean only' or planned patterns. I also put a small swatch on a 3x5 card w/the same info. I didn't use the knit, so at the end of December I entered the information into my Access Data base, which assigns a number to that fabric. The number is written on the card and filed numerically in a card file box with all the rest of the stash cards. The data is alphabetized by fabric type (jersey knit, poplin, suiting, etc) and copied into an excel file, which totals everything for me (Yikes!). I print out the excel worksheet and keep it with the stash card file.

When I was looking for coordinates for my SWAP, I pulled the jacket card and started pulling other cards to coordinate. Lo and behold, the grey rib looked great with it, so I pulled that fabric and made another Vogue 7799 cross-neck T from it. I had already charged the fabric to 'Lisa's Clothes', so I didn't have to do any other transfers (although if I had used some notions, like lining or buttons, I probably would've transferred those). Note on the card what I made and when, and just add it to the 'completed projects' card file. When I next updated the Access data base, the line is cleared (not deleted) so the number can be used for another fabric.

That all sounds really complicated, but it really does keep me on top of what I've got and how well I'm doing on reducing the stash. I will never be without stash; there are some things that are advantageous to have stashed. But I do want to get it down to a reasonable number; surely 4 large rubbermade hinged totes should hold enough to keep me occupied for a while, don't you think? If I can get to the point where that's what I have, I think I'll consider the stashing under control.

Pinch Me

Ok, this has nothing whatsoever to do with sewing, but I'm still amazed and it's the only thing that's presenting itself for sharing today.

DH has been attending Promise Keepers events since the organization had their first stadium events outside of Boulder...I think it was 1994, when he and a handful of other guys went up to the conference at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis (it may even still have been called the Hoosier Dome then...I can't remember). He's brought back books and tapes, which I've read and listened to, which have fed me almost as much as him. For a few years...maybe 96 - 98 or thereabouts, several of the PK conferences were broacast live on Christian radio (actually, they may still be doing that; the local station that carried those conferences has changed formats so we wouldn't be able to get them anyway). One of our favorite speakers, whom we wouldn't miss and whose tapes we listened to multiple times during that time was Wellington Boone, whether he was speaking on marriage, racial reconciliation, or just 'walking the talk,' that brother flat put the truth out there.

Now, fast forward to February, 2006, and Bishop Wellington Boone is the guest speaker ...for the third time...at The Rock Family Worship Center in Huntsville, Al. Serving that body as deacons, DH and I were escorts...for the second time... for Bishop Boone and his lovely and gracious wife, Katheryn, while they were here (it ain't always just sewing costumes and such!). Wow.

Who would've thought that eight or nine years ago, when we were listening and learning, that we'd've been in that position. Certainly not me. So I am still amazed...

Maybe I'll have some sewing to report tomorrow. ;)

Smoothing the bumps

I finished hemming the Oxfords last night while watching ice dancing, snowboarding and slalom. They're still snug, but I think I can wear them. I was afraid the wool flannel would be itchy; it really isn't as bad as I thought. I have some Ambiance pantsliners that I made from Nancy Erikson's FSG pants pattern that have been hiding in my lingerie drawer, waiting on me to make the plum wool that I got from her at the same time into pants (another Future Project). I decided to try the Oxfords on with the liners; more of a laundry consideration than anything else at this point, since they weren't as irritiating as I expected. But...the lining sort of smoothed over places where the flannel was getting hung up and, to my surprise, they didn't look *quite* as snug, even with the extra layer underneath!

However, the elastic in the liners was completely shot, which really surprised me as they couldn't be more than 3 years old and I'd never worn them. It must've been old elastic to begin with. Anyway, I unpicked the elastic last night and will put some more on first chance I get. With good elastic and a good pressing, I think the liners will let me wear the pants just a little quicker than I would've otherwise... ;)

Olympic Sewing

Well, I meant to post a picture of my completed baptismal robes, but at the moment they're not photogenic...they're in a pile waiting to be washed to remove the basting tape in the zippers. But I did get them finished! One item off the 'to do' list.

The jacket needs the hand sewing...welts, hems...and the lining, which still needs to be assembled. The Oxfords are done to the hemming.

Fortunately, hand sewing is a wonderful thing to do while watching the Olympics. ;)

Taking Aim

At those baptismal robes. I'm making an appointment with myself for 10 AM to change the thread in the sewing machine and finish those babies up. It'll be good to have them over and done with so I can let that little back corner of my brain that's been fretting over them tend to something else...

When the fat pants are too tight...

...it's time to Do Something. I had to face it when I tried on the new gray flannel Oxfords...which feel pretty good but look like a 2nd skin in the hips and fanny. Not that there's a new problem with the pants...it's the weight I gained back since Christmas. I lost about 7 pounds leading into the holiday...just stressed and didn't have time to eat. Well, I'm eating again; hello poundage. So I started walking this week; I'm hoping to build back up enough to do a real Exercise and Eat Right program to seriously get rid of it. It's not fun, but it's not really hard...just requires consistent self-discipline (which is not my long suit, I'm afraid).

Sigh.

However, on the plus side, it looks like I have finally got the back curve of the Oxford Pants tweeked...just gotta lose 4 or 5 pounds so I can tell...

Pants, too

I'm ready to set the sleeves in the SWAP jacket, and while I was letting some fray block dry (it's quite ravelly) I decided to get a start on the grey flannel Oxford pants that were also cut and ready to go....

I actually washed the flannel (worsted wool) before cutting, kind of along the lines of 'If it's going to be ruined by the washer, I'd rather know now.' I don't intend to wash the finished product, but sometimes laundry boo-boos happen. It kind of fuzzed up and got a little spongy. I wasn't really thrilled with the result but decided I could live with it.

But I discovered that by vigorous ironing, the fuzziness got smoothed out and its nice drape returned.

I'm pleased!

SWAP Discipline

I knew making two jackets over the couse of the SWAP...the test and then the SWAP coordinate...would be challenging, but I was thinking about the time involved.

I didn't consider the fact that my attention span apparently doesn't like making the same pattern back-to-back, although I have plenty of evidence (namely, the baptismal robes that are still not even pulled out of the ziplok bags)around as a warning. I'm making fairly good progress on the jacket; I have the welt pockets completed to the hand stitching, but...my brain is continually trying to get me to run and start some new quick thing.

One project is the KS twist top. I really liked the Twist Top that Simplicity published a couple of years ago, but didn't manage to get one before it went out of print. The Burda WOF twist wasn't too bad, but I don't get WOF and, to be truthful, it looked like there was quite a bit of bunched fabric under the bust in that style. I did get the KS pattern, but it looked different. When Deepika posted the Top Ten Patterns of 2005 article, I saw the KS top and the Burda top on the same page and realized what the difference is: The Burda twist is vertical, while the KS twist is more horizontal. Consequently, the KS top is kind of flat on the bottom of the V, and the wider neckline looks a lot more, um, revealing. So I've been mentaly rotating the seam from the CF of the KS top to the side, so that I can make a vertical twist. I'm dying to try it and see if I can make it work...

But No!! That's not part of the SWAP! Must...finish...jacket.... Must...finish...SWAP....

Saturday Cheesy Poetry

I woke up with this running through my brain:

A little sewing here
A little sewing there,
Slow and steady will pay off:
A lovely thing to wear!

The SWAP jacket has the welt pockets done to the turning; I slit the openings last night and left the Fray Block drying overnight. But our church is doing a dinner for the homeless today, and I'm working in the kitchen...and the laundry is all behind (again! Arg!)...so who knows how much I'll get done today. But a little is all I need and I'll eventually get there!

Beat the Game

Had our teacher conference with DD this morning; in the course of our discussion I came up with an analogy for schoolwork for the kids...beating the game. Whether it's Game Boy or Game Cube or whatever, the object is to 'beat the game'...complete all the assignments and get to the finish. Some of the challenges are not so fun, and there are some that you just have to keep repeating in different places. They grumble, but they work through it so they can 'beat the game.'

So we've told the kids (younger DS, who also has faltered a bit in his schoolwork, is home sick today and got the revelation as well) to 'beat the game' in their schoolwork...complete the assignments; even the ones that aren't so much fun, or are a repeat of what they've done before. Sounds good to me...but only time will tell if the kids will rise to that challenge or not.

But it occurred to me that I have several areas of my life in which I need to 'beat the game' as well. 7 months after moving, we still have chaos and boxes in more places than I'd care to admit. I need to get focused and beat that game...

The Baptismal robes are still in the tote bag I brought them home in, two weeks ago. I need to beat that game...

And the healthy eating/exercising game...well, I need to get that one plugged into the system ;)

I don't get it

I have, through the sewing boards, discovered Project Runway. The whole design it- make it-show it process is very interesting. Now, we don't have cable at our house, so I've sort of been following the progress of the season via blogs and websites, which has introduced me to another world on the net...fashion blogs. I've become a Manolo the Shoeblogger reader, mostly because the Manolo, he can be unbelievably witty in his commentaries on the fashions and the peoples of the fashions. Not to mention the way of his communication, it is extremely contagious. But the Lisa of the Laree, she does not understand why anyone would pay such of the exhorbitant sums of the monies for the shoes...especially the 'superfantastic' shoes that require the real women with actual bones and tendons to have the feets of the Barbie dolls. :D

But mostly what has amazed me in reading about Fashion Week is the almost religious zeal that is associated with haute couture. It's just clothes. I can make clothes. Ok, so the fabrics are wonderful and the fit is terrific (well, by some standard) and the designs are unique (some of them so unique I can't for the life of me imagine real people wearing them)...but it's still just clothes. Clothes are to provide cover for the body, so that the world at large does not see that which should be reserved for only the most intimate companion (and I do believe some designers deliberately overlook that important function of clothing), provide warmth against the cold and protection from the sun, and, if clothing enhances the appearance of the one inside it, so much the better. But, in the end, a $3,000 blouse is still...a blouse.

Apparently, there are people who have $3,000 to spend on a blouse and they will buy the $3,000 blouse, just because it was designed by the Big Name and is what the Big Names more or less agree a blouse should be...for this season.

And that mystifies this daughter of frugal Midwest farmers....

The SRP (Stash Reduction Plan)

Monday afternoon I sat down and updated the stash data base. Here's the state of the stash union: 530.64 yards of fashion fabric. Gasp. Time to get to sewing on that.

So here's the plan: I will sew only from stash, EXCEPT for thing like choir attire, where I may need a specific color that is, believe it or not, not in the stash, such as khaki (which is to be worn from May - September). I will allow myself to purchase up to 1/2 the amount of fabric I have sewn. My goal is to get rid of two rubbermaid bins...I need to go check and see what's in a couple of them, so I have a rough idea of the yardage in two of those bins.

But, oh, is it hard to resist those Emma One Sock sales on lovely knits that would work for choir but aren't necessarily 'must haves'!

I'm trying hard to save my 'yardage purchase allotment' for the Atlanta Expo, but I'll go with a list of fabric that I need (black and khaki; maybe some olive green) and I will do my best not to make any impulse purchases...a necessary thing, seeing as I've only sewn up one piece of fabric from either of the last two Expo purchases in the past two years. :rolleyes:

But that'll change pretty soon, too. ;)

Blindsided

Gee, just when you think everything is settling down...I intended to write about the SWAP jacket, but right now my brain is full of parenting angst...

Youngest DD handed me her weekly-take-home-information folder on her way out the door this morning. "I did something bad and I'm sorry". I flipped open the folder and saw only a field trip permission form, not due for a few more days, and thought she was apologizing for not giving it to me last night (actually, I should've seen it Friday). She was running late and I just took it and said I'd sign it while she was at school.

Well, buried in the general info was a report that she had 1) not done her homework 2) not gotten a bad grade signed and 3) signed my name on her midterm report showing her bad grades. She has 1/2 hour detention this afternoon.


!!!!!

Somehow, the bottom has fallen out of her schoolwork this semester. I don't know what's going on; we need to find out.

!!!! again....

Plugged in

Here's the 'WHAT' in use..I apologize for the poor photo quality; I was not comfortable using the flash so the shutter speed was too slow for a sharp picture. But you get the idea...it worked!



Now I wait to see what, um, unusual garments might be required for the next Uplink service, which is in a little less than four weeks. Meantime, I need to get those baptismal robes done, and get back to the SWAP... ;)

Cut the Lining First

Got XYZ pretty much done yesterday; my reward was to cut out the grey wool flannel Oxford pants for my SWAP and, since I used the grey lining for the pockets, I went ahead and cut out the lining for the jacket. Haven't got the fashion fabric cut yet, but it's nice to know part of the unexciting cutting is done. I don't mind cutting out the actual garment...it's kind of exciting to be starting a new project...but cutting the pattern again for the lining and again for the interfacing does get a little tedious.

Last March, a number of Sewing World members had a bit of a gab session Friday night at the Atlanta Sewing Expo, and Peggy Sagers dropped in and hung out with us. At some point we were talking about what causes UFOs (UnFinished Objects); one of the things mentioned was that it was easy to get a jacket (or skirt or any other lined thing, for that matter) done to the lining, only to have it languish, waiting for the lining to be cut out and made. I heard myself say 'Cut the lining first.' Peggy looked at me and said, 'That's a good idea!' It makes sense to put the cart before the horse here, so to speak, because once that fashion fabric is cut, every one of us wants to get at sewing it...but if we'd cut out the, um, boring parts (lining and interfacing) first, once the fashion fabric itself is cut and marked, we can be off to the races and there won't be any thing to throw a 'stop' switch. All that 'project starting' energy is still there until the fabric itself is cut.

I don't always do it that way, but when I suspect I'll be impatient to get sewing, that's what I do ;)

Finding Time

There's a thread over on Pattern Review that asks the question "When do you find time to sew and post?" (Or something like that...I'm too lazy at the moment to open a new window and get the exact question). I had to laugh; my answer would be "The question's wrong...it should be 'When do you find time to clean house and do laundry and necessary account keeping?'"

Sigh. I need to find time to do all the above. The trouble is, there's no time to find. There's only time to allot, budget, parcel out. And I really need to hit some important household tasks, but I've got grey thread in the serger and three SWAP projects that require grey thread queued up ready to cut out...

Now we have the test of discipline: can I put my attention on the household tasks that need doing, or am I going to cave in and cut out? Or shall I do the reward thing...if/when I get XYZ done, then I can cut out the pants?

Yeah, that'll probably be the plan: Over breakfast, pick the three things that will be X, Y, and Z. Nothing will get done all the way, but something will get done on more things.

I think I need to start letting Flylady boss me around... ;)

Ready for Hook-Up

My fingers got sore sewing the connectors to the vest...or rather, sewing the neoprene around the connectors, so I took a break and snapped a photo:


I did get it finished and delivered last night; I put some gaffe tape over the logo, which persisted in being shiny even though it was covered with several applications of both black marker and spray paint...

But Dear Pastor was pleased with it! If I can get a photo of it on the platform, I'll post it... ;)

On A Serious Note: Remembering

Suddenly, I am ticked off at myself, so I'm doing a bonus post today. Earlier in the week, I decided that in today's I would make note of what day it is and remember....

But I got caught up in the here-and-now and forgot today was Feb 1.

Three years ago today, the sky over Tyler, Texas lit up with the disintegrating Columbia; it was especially personal as DH had worked much on that mission, being part of the Spacehab team at Boeing that integrated the payloads into the Spacehab Module. It was the first mission for the newly designed scientific double module, and DH had even gone to Houston for the mission, working overnights as an interface between the experiment designers and the CapCom, helping answer questions and such and listening in on all the communication between the astronauts and the CapCom. For someone who had worked in the space industry since graduating from college, it was a terrific experience. He finished up on Jan 30 and came home on the 31st, exhausted and exhilirated. Feb. 1st was devastating.

The Spacehab team is no more, divided and parceled out to other tasks. Lots of things to remember...but especially the seven folks who spent their last two weeks among the heavens: Rick Husband, Michael Anderson, Ilan Ramon, William McCool, David Brown, Laurel Clark and Kalpana (KP) Chawla. Remember their families, who I'm sure did not forget for even a moment that today is Feb. 1.

Losing my...connections?

Sunday, Worship Leader/Tech Guru person Pastor B gave me one of the connectors for the vest, so I could see what I was working with; the rest were in his office on the other end of the building, so I stopped by the church Monday and picked them up...more than I expected, in a zip lok bag. Came home and put the bag on the table,with the vest, went upstairs and got the one he gave me earlier (which was labled 'BAD') and added it to the bag; a quick count told me I had eight. That's cool; 4 on each side will look nice and balanced. I did some other things and came back to the vest a couple of times to look at the connectors and ruminate about how they should be hooked up, and discovered at one of those times that I had seven connectors, not eight. Weird...did I mismiscount them the first time or did I carry one off unbeknownst to my concious self? An email to Pastor B inquired of him how many he gave me, and I looked around some more yesterday for the possibly missing connector. I also spray painted the blue parts of the vest black...or at least, sort of black. (At least that was something I could do with my face and mouth shot full of Novacaine...talking was out of the question, I couldn't even talk to myself...)

Had a meeting last night at church and I saw Pastor B who said, yes, he had given me 8 connectors. He said he's got several more and if I need another I could just stop by and get one, which I may do today...but that really bugs me now. What did I do with the missing connector? And why don't I remember it? Must be one of those hormonal mental glitches... ;)

I'll probably get another, then turn the missing one back in when/if I find it.

And it was surprisingly difficult to make myself paint the vest...I suspect it's also going to be difficult to slice into the neoprene cover to insert the connectors.

Gang aft aglye

Yeah, yeah, the best-laid plans.... (I probably misspelled 'aglye'...it's that kind of day)
I had great ones yesterday, trouble is, I didn't have 42 hours in the day. I did get our budget nearly caught up; I think I'll finish it out today and we will be current for the first time in MONTHS, and I did get some experimenting done on that ski vest: Sharpie marker is not turning the blue part black, more of a midnight blue. So I'll have to pull out the spray paint and see what happens. If that doesn't get it black, I may have to just cover the thing with gaffe tape.

But I have an appointment with an endodontist in an hour and a half...don't know if I'm going to get much at all done today.

However, to cheer myself in the face of dental trauma, I discovered that sometime over the last few days I have somehow earned another 'star' on Pattern Review! That was a pleasant surprise!

Caught up to Cutting

I finished the skirt suit over the weekend (photos and reviews available at the 'My Reviews' link), so now my personal sewing is caught up to cutting out again.

But I have church sewing to do...two baptismal robes, and the funky vest for Pastor to wear Saturday. I did find a vest at Wal-Mart for less than 30 bucks...it's royal blue and black, so I've been asked to paint it black. The connectors are small and look like phone jacks; I'm still not sure how I'm going to put them onto/into the vest.

Anyway, I'm hoping to cut out the real SWAP jacket tonight and maybe the last pair of pants and a blouse. Sometime today, I need to at least get the necklines finished on those robes...and maybe run to Hobby Lobby for some spray paint?

Pattern Expectations

There's an interesting discussion of this over on Pattern Review:
Pattern Expectations Thread

This is running the gamut from what we *expect* from a pattern to what we'd *like* to see happen with patterns to why do we even do this in the first place? And why aren't the pattern companies listening?

I'll plagerize my posting just a little; here are my expectations and my wish list:

I expect a pattern to:
Look like the photo/illustration on the envelope when it's made. I don't want to find that, what was portrayed as a straight leg, actually is tapered.

Pieces should match...corresponding seams should be the same length, notches should match.

Printed finished garment measurements should be accurate. I don't expect the pattern to fit fresh out of the envelope...but I do expect to be able to do some math and some adjustments and make it fit.

Directions should be accurate, reasonable, and result in a garment that looks finished. (at least, if that's the style...if it's supposed to have raw edges, that's another thing).

I'd really like for a pattern to have:

clear markings on all pieces for full bust line, full hip, and waistline. The bust point should also be marked.

Streamlined construction techniques reflecting advances in sewing equipment and notions. Some of the independants do this, but the Big 4 seems to be stuck in a 1950's home ec class much of the time.

Reasonable standards for what makes a pattern Very Easy, Average, and Advanced in the ability to make it. Many pieces do not make a pattern advanced; nor does lack of fitting make a pattern easy. I think Heather Claus did a huge survey back when she still had Patternshowcase going as to what we home sewing folks believed was 'easy, average,difficult'...that data should be somewhere and should be used by someone to make some standards.

I won't go into the 'lose the redundant pieces' rant again...I already did that one here.

It would be nice for the size ranges to overlap a bit...6-8-10 in one size and 12-14-16 in another pinches someone like me, who is an 8 in the shoulders and a 14 in the hips....

Finally, I'd like the Big 4 to keep popular patterns around a while...the original twist top pattern was one that Simplicity put out, but somehow I missed it and by the time it was reviewed and I realized I wanted it, it was gone. I've picked up the Kwik Sew version, but I'm going to have to figure out how to turn the horizontal twist into a vertical twist to narrow the 'v' at the bottom and hopefully get a less revealing top. But I digress...my point is, that pattern would've sold a lot more if Simplicity had not been so quick to discontinue it. At least the independants tend to keep their patterns around for a while.

You want WHAT?

Well...we had some interesting things happen while sewing the baptismal robes yesterday. No, they're not done, but I think Miss M and I can finish them up at home w/o too much trouble; the worst (the zipper) is done in all of them.

Anyway, we were scheduled to use the fellowship hall. Got there, got everything (sewing machines, serger, ironing board/iron) all arranged on tables and plugged in, pulled out the first robe and turned on my sewing machine...no power. Tried the iron and the other sewing machine. Also no power. The lights were on, mind you, so it was the electrical outlets that weren't working. I carried my serger around the room, plugging into various outlets. We found two that had power, but they were well apart (Found out later that, due to some electrical work being done in the sanctuary, some of the circut breakers had been turned off).

So, we moved the whole process into the main entry hall, where all the outlets had power, and set up shop there. Started sewing an hour late. I'd sewn maybe one seam, when my cell phone rang; one of the church secretaries asking me to make something for our Pastor for our first Saturday night Uplink service (fellowship meal followed by a 90-minute produced service; a rally-type thing. Not your normal church service-- which is a week from tomorrow). As she described it, he wanted a fishing vest with computer cable plug-ins attached for a visual that he would use in his illustrated sermon. I agreed to purchase the vest and see what I could do; our worship leader, who is also the all-things-techie person on the staff, would pick up the necessary connection pieces. All I would do would be attach them to the vest. I was sort of thinking I'd stick the connection things in the pockets of the sewing vest,make a hole in the pocket and just screw the faceplates to the hookups right through the fabric over said hole; at least, that was what I was going to try.

One seam sewn later, Pastor walks through the hall. "Hey, someone's going to call you about Uplink." I commented that Ms. Secretary had already spoken to me and asked for clarification. Um, no, not a fishing vest...something high tech looking...with some thickness to it that the connector thingees can be put into.

Um, I'm confused here, but got the impression he was looking for a black life preserver. I'll go look at Wal-Mart.

Then, about 10 minutes later, Mr. Worship Leader and Tech Guru walks through the hall and Miss M asked him about the connectors. Yeah, he was planning to get them that day. You know he wants a high-tech looking vest, right?

Um, it sounded like a life preserver to us. One that buckles?

No, something techie...something that closes with velcro...in silver, maybe. You know-- those sharp ones.

Well, we're not boat people so I really don't know and I'm still confused. But on the way home it hit me what he wants...one of those snazzy Jet Ski vests. That makes sense.

Now all I have to do is 1)find one...where does one find Jet Ski vests in January? and 2) figure out how to attach computer cable connectors to it securely and 3)finish the two baptismal robes I brought home.

At least I'm glad they ran into us...otherwise I would've done up a fishing vest from Wal-Mart!

Saga of the Baptismal Robes

Back in ...oh, I dunno, 2002?...the church decided to start using baptismal robes. We modified a pattern for an African Caftan, ordered three large bolts of blue polyester crepe fabric, had a marathon cutting day and cut out about 20, stored the rest of the fabric, farmed them out amongst various sewing ladies and were set...for a while.

In November of 2004, a number of robes suddenly disappeared. Ivestigation showed that they disappeared after the October baptism service and the conjecture is that they were, um, thrown away. Seems the lady who usually oversees the robes was out of town, so she told the deacons who were assisting with the service to put the robes in a large garbage bag, and another lady would pick them up to wash them. Well, when our laundry volunteer went looking for the robes she couldn't find them and assumed someone else had taken them. Our deacons verified that they had put the wet robes in the plastic bag as instructed and last saw them outside the restroom door.

Now, if you were a janitorial type person, and you found a large, heavy trash bag tied up outside the bathroom, would YOU open it up to see what was in it? Apparently our janitors didn't, either.

We have since specified that the used robes should be left hanging in the bathrooms on their hangers.

Anyway, we pulled down the remnaning partial bolts of the fabric and cut out and made about 20 more robes.

Because of the Scrooge production, we didn't have our monthly baptism service in December, so January's service was quite large. Two days later I got a call...we need more baptismal robes, especially in the very large size. I knew we had a couple of chunks of the fabric left; I estimated enough for seven robes. After measuring it, I dropped my estimate to five.

When we cut them out last week, we discovered that the fabric was damaged along one selvage. Apparently, someone 'borrowed' the fabric and stapled it to something, then pulled it down. So we couldn't cut quite as efficiently as we otherwise might've.

We got three XL robes and one XXL that we just kind of cheated to make by moving the main garment pieces away from the cf/b after cutting the neckline.

So, Miss M and I are going to haul our machines and such to church this morning for another sewing fest...four baptismal robes. The last four, unless they get some more fabric. It'd probably be easier to sew them at home than to haul all the stuff down there, but this way they'll pretty much all get done in a day. Otherwise I'd be looking at them until the week before the next baptismal service.

But needing more robes, in this case, is a good thing... ;)

I'm Registered!

The Louise Cutting and Peggy Sagers classes won the toss ;). Actually, I decided to keep my lunch hours as long as I could on both days and Shirley Adams' class was at 1. Sometimes logistics makes the decisions. It's probably a good thing I had to leave early; if I had had the option of classes Friday night and Saturday I'd still be trying to pare down the options.

So my Expo schedule is definitely class-heavy, I won't have time to be unduly tempted on the vendor floor but maybe I can squeeze in a 'Hello!' to fellow Internet sewing buddies!

Expo Planning

The brochures are out and the agony of decision is full upon me. Miss A and I have our hotel reservations for the Atlanta Sewing Expo the second week of March and I'm trying to figure out which classes to sign up for. We will only be able to be there for Thursday and about half of Friday, so it limits the options. No matter; I found a class in every available time slot that I wanted to take. I've decided that I will register today...sometime...so I'm going to have to make a decision. I definetly want Cynthia Guffey's Signature Seam sample sewing class...that's Thursday evening and counts as three classes. Then there's Cynthias three-session fit series on Friday morning and early afternoon (we'll have to scoot straight out the door after that last class to be back in Huntsville by 7 for a conference). I also want to take the 'Each one, Teach One' class on Thursday afternoon; if I ever wanted to do a sewing related thing for income, I think teaching would be it. So, that's seven classes right there, so I'm bumped up to the nine-class option...Two more classes to pick. There's a Louise Cutting class Thursday morning, a Peggy Sagers class on Thursday afternoon, and Shirley Adams on Friday afternoon, between Cynthia's second and third fit classes. I can take two out of those three.

Maybe I'll just draw straws or something. ;)

Pattern Redundancy

There's been a bit of discussion here and there about wardrobing; how many of what kind of garments should be in Every Woman's Closet. But for a while I've been pondering a variation on that...how many pattern styles of what garments should I have in the cabinet? On the whole, how many skirt patterns do I *really* need? How many pants patterns? How many jacket patterns? You get the picture. There are a number of 'wardrobe' or 'ensemble' patterns that I have that have one outstanding feature -- usually the jacket-- and then a pair of ordinary pants or an unremarkable skirt, for which I have patterns out the ears. How many patterns of straight-leg back waist zip pants with a waistband do I need? Only one...or maybe even zero, since I don't like back zip pants. But because I like that jacket...and that jacket...and that jacket...I've got a bunch of back-zip pants and skirt patterns.

Nancy Erikson has an interesting concept with her Fashion Sewing Group patterns; she publishes basic patterns...a fitted jacket, a boxy jacket, a knit top and cardigan, a coat, a skirt and pleated pants (I'm forgetting something...)and then teaches how to alter these basics for various styles. She's published a couple of books, also printed some 'add on' patterns for the jacket, and frequently writes directions for modifying the patterns for different looks in the by-paid-subscription -only newsletter that she publishes every other month. So the sewing customer purchases and fits the basic pattern, then uses that as a basis for new styles, rather than buying and fitting another pattern.

It does have its appeal! I've got 4 of her patterns and have made up two so far (I still need to tweak the pants pattern a little), but I'm really not convinced it's less work to modify a pair of tapered, pleated pants with a waistband into a flat front straight leg contour-waist style than it is to fit a new straight-let, flat front contour-waist pattern, once fitting techniques are learned (and they have to be learned whichever way you go...unless both patterns would fit right out of the envelope). I hope to get at least one more of those patterns -- the fitted jacket -- made up and tweaked this spring. Right now, the holdup is that I *know* what I need to do to, say, a Vogue jacket to get it to fit but I haven't gone beyond generalities on what I will need to do to the FSG jacket. New pattern line, new fitting learning curve.... But I really believe that once I get over that hump, I'll use that jacket pattern quite a bit.

Anyway, I think the Big 4 could learn a little from Ms Erikson...think of the reduction of printing costs if they stopped reprinting the same basic blocks for all those coordinate patterns and just printed the pattern for the garment that was truly unique. I probably wouldn't buy fewer patterns...I'd still get the fabulous jacket for which I have no similar pattern...but I'd have less redundancy in the cabinet.

The SWAP Jacket

In the original Stitches Magazine article that started the whole SWAP fest, the print element was to be a top and blouse set, and in my first two SWAPS (I found the photos of those: SWAP 2004 and SWAP 2005)I followed the recommendations and did make matching skirts/tops. But I didn't wear them together...it felt too busy. However, for the SWAP contest that Timmel sponsors, participants are only required to have one print object in the set...and anything that has more than one color in it can count as the 'print'...so it can be a stripe, a plaid, a tweed, etc. This time, I'm opting to use a tweed jacket for my 'print' piece and the whole SWAP combo has fallen into place.
This is the 'Fall Sky Texture' originaly offered by Nancy Erikson in her Fashion Sewing Group newsletter for Sept. O5. It jumped at me then, but I had just embarked on what is turning out to be a long quest to slash the stash and I didn't get any. I kept going back to that swatch over and over again, though, and when I found out this fall that we are going to wear blue and grey for choir in February I decided that if that fabric was still singing to me a year later, I needed to get it. So I got two yards...enough for a short jacket. My test jacket in the black plaid is going together nicely; I don't think I'll have to tweak it too much before I cut into this.

The truth is, this fabric is great. The colors are subtle and it has played nicely with every blue and grey fabric I've pulled out of the stash. I've got more options than I need for fabric that coordinates with it...which is really cool. I'm gonna love it, I do believe.

But I've got to finish the other one first! The skirt is done; I'll take photos when I finish the jacket.

Trivial and Purely Petty Hair Rant

Ok, this is one of those days that I'm Bugged. I was doing some, um, self-analysis yesterday and decided that I have a problem, and my problem is that I don't Feel Pretty. And one of the main causes is my hair. I've fought with my hair all my life; it's very thick, sort of coarse and naturally wavy, bordering on curly. You could say frizzy, as the waves/curls are neither symmetric nor flattering. My solution several years ago was to just let it grow out; at least I could pull it back and put it in a bun/hair clip and be neat. It grew so long that a couple of years ago I got it cut and sent an 18" ponytail to Locks of Love. I loved the short hair; it was easy to keep neat, although I did have to keep going to get it cut every whipstitch. Then we started doing Scrooge at church, and for the past two years I've been cast as a guest at the Fezziwig's...which means I can't hide my hair under a bonnet. The first year I used copious amounts of gel and many hairpins to keep my hair appropriately pulled back into a hairpiece that wasn't appropriate but was the best I could do. I got it cut after the show, enjoyed the easy hair for a few months and then started letting it grow in the summer. Went through the Really Ugly stage in August-September, and by Christmas it was long enough that I only needed a moderate amount of gel and a handful of hairpins for the front bit of my hair to pull it back into the hairpiece. I was looking forward to getting it cut again after the show.

But it hit me: if I get it cut now, I'll have to go through the Really Ugly stage at the end of the summer all over again. It would be nice for it to be long enough to be able to just put my hair into the right style for the next year's show...but I've got to live with it between now and then. Right now it's shapeless and still too short in the front to pull up neatly. Bottom line: I have frumpy hair and there's not a whole lot I can do about it at the moment. So, I just need to loose the frumpy attitude...and maybe pick up some more small spring clips... and make some fantastic something that makes me forget the hair ;)

The Paralysis of Analysis

Don't we do it waaay too much? Overthink our projects? How many pieces of wonderful fabric have I got in my stash, waiting for the 'perfect' pattern? How many patterns have I got in my stash that have never been cut because I can't make up my mind which fabric to use? Wonderful stuff is not much good in a Rubbermaid bin or in a cabinet...it must be on the body to be appreciated by anyone other than the fabric petter or the pattern daydreamer herself.

I finished 2 months after the deadline in the first SWAP competition two years ago. I was also sewing up a slew of Bible costumes for the church Easter production at that time, but mostly I just kept waffling back and forth over which fabrics and which patterns to use. Couldn't make up my mind. Last year, the print dropped into my life and I used that to select fabrics, which more or less dictated the patterns. But more influential than that was the first Scrooge costume crunch. Very little time to do an almost overwhelming amount of sewing. The moment we arrived at a combination that worked, we were running with it. There simply wasn't time to second guess our decisions. That was great training for letting the gut instinct take charge. I had more of the same last fall; the main difference was that the first year, we were working with existing garments and changing/embellishing them and this year we were constructing costumes from scratch. But the decision process was much the same: look for what will work and go for it. The goal is to get something that looks reasonable and fits acceptably put together and onstage, not to get the most perfect garment possible.

So that's getting applied to SWAP competition planning. I tried to do a story board but, um, got bored. Once I knew what I wanted to do, drawing it out was taking up sewing time. I just made an Excel spreadsheet with the garments and patterns listed and columns to check off as different steps (pattern prep, fabric prep, cut out) were completed for each garment. That was enough to keep me on track. And I not allowing myself to look for the 'perfect' pattern for the fabric. I'm asking myself questions like 'What neckline will work for a top worn with this jacket? Do I want sleeves or no? Tailored or relaxed fit for this fabric?' Once that criteria is established, I look for only patterns that meet it. Any of those would work. Pull them out, look them over, let it simmer while I make things I've already decided on, then when it's time, pick up the one from among those options that appeals to me the most at that moment and cut it out...and don't look back. Ok, it may not be the absolute *perfect* choice...but it will work just fine.

Don't think too much...just sew. :D

Two more down

Finished two more of my SWAP tops yesterday, now the only cut out project is the black plaid skirt suit, which is technically not part of the SWAP, although the jacket is the test for the SWAP jacket, so that's why it's in the queue. I'm ambitiously hoping to have them done by the end of this week or the first part of next week.

So all I have left to do, other than the jacket, is three white/cream tops, one of which will be made from the fabric from Timmel that's still working it's way down from Canada, and a pair of pants.I'm waffling now on which pattern to use for those. Since I have the skirt morph, I don't have to make them from the altered New Look pattern. I really think the legs on that are wider than what I want for gray flannel, so I'm trying to decide between Loes Hinse's Oxford Pants and Nancy Erikson's Fashion Sewing Group Pants. The FSG pants will need to be altered; I haven't corrected the pattern since my first pair. But, that's something I really want to do, so that pattern is useful, so maybe this is the time to do it. I'll probably change my mind about 4 more times before I get the skirt suit done and can get back to SWAP sewing.

OOP to the Rescue

Today's topic: Picking the pattern from which to make the top that matches the blue morphed Gore Skirt. I had some criteria for it...number one, I had to be able to make it out of 1 3/8 yards of my fabric or less. Number two, it had to have a neckline that would work with the jewel neck of my Chanel-style jacket. I really debated that one, as I don't have a similar jacket in my stash (yet) to check collars against. I finally decided that 'no collar' would be the safest option at the moment. Finally, it had to work for a drapey fabric...therefore, it couldn't be too tailored. With that in mind, I headed to my pattern cabinent and started looking. I'd pulled out a couple of 'maybes' before I spotted this one:


The copyright on this pattern is 1993, which was when I had last made it. Actually, it was one of my earliest attempts at a pattern morph; I used it to try and knock off a wrap blouse w/cap sleeves...actually, just wide shoulders that approximated cap sleeves. I laid an extended-shoulder/cap sleeve pattern over it, traced it and made it. But it never really worked...the shoulder line was so wide that it bound up when I tried to move my arms. But looking at it during my pattern search, I decided it was time to try it again.

I still wanted a sleeveless top, since the armsceye was so low I didn't think it'd work under a jacket without a major overhaul to the sleeves/armsceye. But I was optimistic enough to just try it without the sleeves...just turned-and-stitched to finish the edge. Oh, and I've gained a little weight after 13 years and two more babies, so I added an inch at the side seams. I had to take 5/8" of that addition back out at the underarm/bust level, but it looks like it'll do. I've still got to put the ties on the inside and the snap on the overlap, but with any luck (and a willing photographer) I should have a review with a photo posted by the end of the day.

SWAP Progress, Part the First

I've got 4 out of 11 garments finished; thought I'd test Yahoo photos with a SWAP album. So here's the first four items:

SWAP Album

I've got two more tops cut out...and about 1/2 the skirt suit fused. Progress is good!

Curve musings

Still sort of mulling over fitting the crotch curve on pants...

So many instructors talk about crotch depth, crotch length, crotch width but for some reason very few mention crotch shape. The above photo is of two pants back patterns; the left one is the Sewing Workshop Plaza Pant, which fits me pretty well, and the one on the right is Loes Hinse's European Pant, which I have to work on. The Plaza pants are drafted for a rump in which the fullness is low, the Euros are drafted for a rump that has higher curves. No amount of length added anywhere to the Euros is going to make them fit like the Plazas...the Euros are going to have to be scooped (sort of like lowering the bust point).

But scooping removes fabric that is needed to fit the circumference of the low hip. So fabric must be added...not where the leg joins the body, because that doesn't add to the hip circumference of the pants. Fabric has gotta go on the outseam, cause that's the only place left to add so that the total hip circumference is the same. But the jodphur look is not one to pursue here, so the extra needs to be added all the way up to the waist...which means that much needs to be taken from the crotch seam, all the way up to the waist, so the pants don't end up way too big at the waist. But if I just trim evenly up that slanty back seam, then I've basically just moved the same crotch shape further into the pattern. Somehow, for the Euros to fit me, I've got to
1) rotate the dart that's in the back crotch seam (that slanty seam functions as a dart) so that that seam is on grain; that'll probably mean adding another back dart; at the very least it will mean enlarging the one that's there
2)scoop the back, taking it all the way up to the waist and
3) add the amount I removed back on to the side seam so I don't loose anything on the total hip circumference. I may also have to add a bit to the back crotch point, but we'll see.

Sounds complicated, doesn't it? Maybe after the SWAP is done I can try it out. I've always just sort of taken the 'try this' approach to fitting pants, without really thinking about what is happening to the pattern, and I've only had so-so results.
So now I've actually thought through the process (about time!). If I can make that curve on the Euros fit, I think I can fit anything... ;)

Good Intentions

Finally got the scanner to work; here's the plaid that is option one on the SWAP. One of those taupey looking threads really is pale pink...honest!

I will I will I will cut out the interfacing for that jacket and skirt today...and maybe go ahead and cut the rib knit tops from the fabric that is lying on my sewing machine table as well.


And finish the laundry and get the budget caught up and clean the kitchen and....

Skirt Inspiration

I saw the coolest skirt yesterday. It was a knit print, in colors I really couldn't wear, but the lines of it were very interesting. From the front, it was a basic, narrow single panel A-line, but the back panel had a horizontal seam 8 -10 inches up from the hem, and below the seam was an assymetric flounce (at least I think it was assymetric; I might be misremembering there), which draped below the front hemline.

Got all my morphing thoughts going; I may use the LH Gore Skirt pattern to approximate this for the morph requirement of this years SWAP...in the blue/black crossdye to go with Jacket 2. Actually, I have patterns that would be easier to morph into that style than the Gore, but since I've already made the Gore for the SWAP that's the one I'd have to morph.

I'll try and get some visuals...if the scanner ever decides to come off of 'GO'.

Almost started...

Spent last night cutting out the fashion fabric for the skirt and test jacket from the black/grey/white/pink plaid. I tried to scan in a fabric swatch, but the scanner has just sat for 20 minutes, blinking at me, with 'starting scan' in the little status window and I gave up. Maybe tomorrow. Anyway, I cut the lining out Monday evening, so all I have left is the interfacing. But, as it's a boucle weave so I think I will use the fusible as an underlining on both the jacket and the skirt...on the jacket for support, and on the skirt for stability. So I've basically got to cut the whole thing out one more time.

It was quite a challenge to cut out, as it's an uneven plaid and that's not something I have a great deal of experience working with. Actually, if the truth be told, I usually avoid uneven plaids whenever possible. Sandra Betzina included 'plaid placement lines' on the pattern, though, which helped tremendously in lining things up on the horizontal lines. I don't know if what I did will work for the vertical lines...or if anything will really work for those vertical lines...or not. I barely had enough fabric; in fact, I had to shorten the skirt flounce by 3" to get it all on the fabric. I don't think I'll mind that too much, though...the flounce looked a little overly long in the envelope photos anyway.

But today is another 'outside the house' day, so likely the continuation of the project will have to wait a little longer. Once I can start sewing, though, I think it will go pretty quickly.

"It Figures"

That's a direct quote from DH in his reply to an email I sent him at work yesterday...which was a reply to an email telling me that he'd learned at the men's leadership team planning meeting that our church was sponsoring a marriage conference. That's a good thing...it never hurts to spend a little time on the relationship.

The snag is that it's the same weekend as the Atlanta Sewing Expo, which I was eagerly anticipating.

Hmmmm...what to do, what to do. Miss A and I were planning to carpool over together; we'll have to see what works out.

Looking for Cutting Time

It almost seems to me that when I get a garment fully cut out, it's half finished. It seems to be such a trial to get a good chunk of time to cut, since I have to use our dining table to do it on, I either need to start soon enough to be done by mealtime or wait until after we've eaten. Cutting is not a 'do a little here and there' sort of job...ya gotta take over the space and you can't quit till you're done. So sometimes just waiting for cutting time holds up the whole sewing queue. Like now....

I've got three patterns ready to cut out...the skirt and jacket for the black plaid, and the Hot Patterns Cadeau top, which I'm going to make from very stretchy, very transparent, very pill-prone cream knit from the dollar a yard at Wal Mart, just to check the fit. I've noticed several tops in the last few days with ties at the bottom, much like the Cadeau, so that will be kinda fun to try out. I decided to cut a six through the shoulders and a ten at the hips; we'll see how that fits in the 'muslin' fabric before I try it in the black/white rayon/lycra stripe.

But I can't seem to get the stuff to the table to start cutting. I've got a major dental appointment this morning. Maybe tonight after dinner....

Sunday's Off

Ok, after running the blog for a couple of months or so, I've made an executive decision: I'm going to give myself Sundays off. It was very late afternoon before I could even get to the computer today, and I don't have any earth shaking sewing news to deliver, so I think I'll follow the example of one of my blogging inspirations, Rustybobbin and just not even stress over posting on Sundays.

Everybody needs family time, right? ;)

The SWAP is Semi-Set

I ordered my fabric Thursday from Timmel Fabrics, so I'm officially 'in' for the SWAP 2006 challenge. I ordered 3 meters (about 3 3/8 yds) of what looks to be a very nice shirt weight cream linen, which will be a blouse of some kind...at the moment, I'm thinking La Fred's Athena Blouse, but I may change my mind when I actually touch the linen. We'll see.

But the bulk of the SWAP is set...and I'm still not sure exactly which direction I will go. See, I have some gorgeoriffic blue/black/cream/grey tweed that I got last fall to make a jacket and, since our choir colors are blue and black for February, I need it by then to wear in the choir. But I haven't tested the pattern yet (Vogue 8043 from Sandra Betzina) even though I did try on samples at her seminar back in April and decided that a size C, with a little more ease added, would fit pretty well.

Anyway, the 'test' jacket...to see if my 'C with more ease' will work...is to be made in the black/grey/cream/pink plaid wool blend suiting that is in the sewing nook photos. Now, aside from the pink in the test fabric and the blue in the tweed, these fabrics have the same colors. So I have two options with the SWAP. For both options, I can use the black RPL pieces I made the last week in December, the cream linen, a cream silk jacquard I got from Vogue Fabrics at Expo '05, a grey rayon/lycra rib knit, a white rayon/lycra (finer) rib knit, and my morph piece will be to 'LH Europeanize' the New Look pattern I used for the black RPL; add darts and a zipper to the waistline...and possibly cuffs to the bottom of the legs...out of grey wool flannel. If I go with the test fabric, I can use an already-in-the-wardrobe perfect pink mock-t shell for the last top; if I go with the tweed I'll have to make a skirt and a blouse out of a black/blue rayon cross dye I got from Textile Fabrics a couple of years ago. But it's all do-able, and, except for the linen from Timmel, it's all from stash. Yippee!

So I guess I'll just see which jacket wants to be used before I go on. But I'll probably end up making all the pieces, anyway, just not sure which ones will get photographed for the 'SWAP'. It may just come down to how much time I have.

So That's Why They Moved 'Em

Back on November 8, I posted about the costumes disappearing from the back hall at church. No biggie, we found 'em pretty quick, and figured that some VIP must've been coming to the recording studio that is on that hall and so the costumes were, um, relocated so as not to give the impression that the studio was through the closet.

I think I found out who the VIP was...it's a good guess, anyway. The worship team at church is recording a studio worship CD and last night the choir went into the studio to do the background vocals for four of the songs. On at least one of them, Bob ('Butterfly Kisses') Carlilse had recorded some vocals. The time frame would've been right, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was the VIP for whom the costumes were moved.

And what a hoot! I'm singing background on a CD with Bob Carlisle! It was quite an interesting experience for this little back row alto to wear the headphones in the sound booth, let me tell you...

Posting Pictures

The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things
Of ships and shoes and sealing wax, and whether pigs have wings...

and what to do about posting photos for pattern reviews.

Since I started posting reviews in '02, I used Photoworks to host my photos. Load them to an album, select one or more photos from the album to link to a review, email them to myself and post the link. It was a little awkward, but it worked. Then in fall of 04, Photoworks decided to revamp their whole site. My photos were hostage to the conversion for something like 6 - 8 months, and of course all the old links no longer worked. (I'm still in process of re-linking the old reviews...previous to Nov. 04...it's a long and tedious business). But now I cannot link a single photo to the review, I can only link 'albums'. Consequently, I have a BUNCH of albums with one photo in them; and I can't put a 'see this HERE' type link in any review. It's cramping my style. It doesn't work for me anymore.

So I decided that, with the new year, I'd look around and see if there are any more review-friendly photo hosting sites out there. Um, maybe I'd better rephrase that: I'm looking for FREE review-friendly photo hosting sites. I've got access to Yahoo, and I may end up with that, but I know Yahoo gets aggravating from time to time, too. I am a 'Friend of PR' and have an album there, but at the rate I sew I'd fill it up in no time flat so I'm sort of using it for the backup. I've probably got a week or so before I get the First Review of the Year done, so I need to make up my mind pretty quick.

So I'm soliciting opinions...anybody got a favorite free photo hosting site? :D

Back to Routine

School starts today; I guess it's time to take down the Christmas tree and other holiday decorations. The house is going to seem rather bare.

And I'm itching to start a new project in my nice, clean, orderely sewing nook ;) Unfortunately, today's schedule has me running hither, thither and yon so I'm not likely to accomplish much of anything at home. But the Next Project will be, I think, Sandra Betzina's Chanel-style jacket made from the wool blend lying on the sewing chair. Unless I change my mind.

Numbers don't lie...right?

Discouraged that I hadn't *quite* made fabric parity for last year and muttering to myself about doing better this year, I went over to my Excel spread sheets where I keep track of such things to start new sheets for '06. Suddenly, inspiration hit. It was August of '04 that I really began the effort to curb the accumulation (moving and seeing all the stash in one large pile...watching my family's reaction to the one large pile...no doubt had a part in that decision). So I went back to August 1, 2004 and looked at the numbers. Lo and behold, from Aug 1, 2004 -Dec 31, 2005 I had acquired 132.5 yards of fabric, but I had sewn up 134.375!

I'm winning!

January Priorities

I'm not done with the costumes yet...they need to be sorted (washable vs. dry clean) and sent off to the cleaners, then put away once they're all done. I'm hoping we can even get the cleaners to launder the washable stuff instead of hauling a load a week home and doing it; one of the church administrators told me that would be ok so I'm hopefull that once I get them sorted out it will be in the cleaner's hands for a while. Then I get to figure out how we're going to organize and store all of it, but I'll deal with that when I get to it.

Meantime, there's my own sewing space to deal with. It's a mess. So I'm going to try to postpone starting any new projects until I get all the stuff that got hauled off to church and brought back put away and some order restored out there. I'll give myself up to a week ;)

Then...well, I've got a couple of jacket patterns that I've been wanting for ages to get made up and tweaked to fit. January would be a good time to work on those, I think. Plus the annual SWAP competion sponsored by Timmel Fabrics and discussed on Sewing World is singing to me, too. I haven't made the required purchase from Timmel yet, but I've got a list of 'maybes'. I'm finding myself reluctant to make the First Purchase of the year before I've got a little stash used up. Oh, well, I have until the first of March to order. I could use the black knit things I made last week as part of the SWAP if I decide to dive in.

I'll get the sewing nook restored and see what is inspiring me at that moment.