Expo Day Trip 2013

Well, my traveling buddy Miss A and I rolled out of the Rocket City about 7:15 Friday morning, which was just a pinch later than we'd hoped, then we missed an exit in Birmingham and went a bit out of our way to get to the venue.

So we were about 15 minutes too late to catch Cynthia Guffey's 9 AM class.

I am trying to console myself by believing that it was probably stuff I've heard before; but every time I hear it it gets a little deeper so my consolation is somewhat short.


That was one of the classes I'd picked; another one was full and another was offered the same time as the Louise Cutting class I wanted.

So I only took 2 classes...Louise on measuring/alterations and Cynthia on transferring changes made on a muslin/toile/mock up/pickyourfavoritepracticegarmentterm to the paper pattern.

But the noon style show was all Cynthia's designs, with her narrating about how the cut/lines of the pattern worked...it was like a free class.

These two ladies are both marvelous instructors and absolute delights to listen too.  I know there are other teachers who are really good as well, but I can't seem to bring myself to pick someone else's class over theirs.

Anyway, I bought a wee bit...

The black/white is a double faced linen from Louise's remnant rack; I walked by it 3 times before I succumbed.  The Of the Moment pattern was marked down as well, so I snagged it.  I may just use that fabric for that pattern...we'll see.

I picked up one of Cynthia's tops pattern; jeeminy, I have about 5 of her patterns now and still haven't managed to get one made...so sad...  I picked up a small pair of duckbill scissors, too; I have the regular size SOMEWHERE.  It's been missing long enough that I wanted a replacement, but decided to get the smaller ones because, well, you know, the others might show up.

The food print cottons are for Rhonda's Mary Bridge Pillowcase project.  I've been meaning to find some fabric from the stash and whip some up, but, well, I don't have a ton of cutesy cotton prints.  I happened to be standing next to a quilting cotton vendor while waiting for the daily grand prize drawing and spotted these fabrics.  Could NOT walk away.   I *think* I have some green/red/yellow fabrics about to use for the trims; this is my goal before I start sewing up other stuff this week.

If I get a chance to sew something up this week...

One day at the expo was fun; it's enough to shop, but I really, really would like to be there all three, so I could take the Thursday and Saturday classes, too.

But, trying to be grateful for what I had and not fret about what I didn't have. 

Strangely amusing/slightly sad moment from the weekend:  one of the classes was held in a hotel across the busy highway, so they ran a shuttle bus for folks to take over.  I went down to the lobby a little early and struck up a conversation with another lady who was waiting for a friend to arrive and then she was going to head up to the vendor floor.

'What kind of quilting do you do?' she asked.

Um...I don't quilt?  Would like to make a quilt someday...I have some chopped up squares from scraps from the kid's clothes I made ages ago, but, nope, don't do it.  I make clothes.

She actually looked surprised....but the shuttle pulled up before I could tell her to check out Louise and Cynthia's racks...I hope she saw something inspiring.

Finally...something in the 'FINISHED' column!!

Both the Loud Jacket and the Simplicity Tank top made it into the finished column this weekend.  I literally sewed that jacket about 10 - 20 minutes at a time; sometimes less.  One night all I did was set the machine up for buttonholes.  Another night I managed to sew on two buttons.  It was like that pretty much start to finish.

And, since I'm currently on a choir hiatus, it didn't matter that I finished it the evening of the last day that the choir wore lime green and purple.

I wore it to work today, anyway, with the green challis tank, even though I don't think the lengths worked together very well. 


I decided to put side seam pockets in it because I HAVE to have a place to stash a kleenex, my office keys, my cell phone and possibly a communion set.  This was not the most comfortable place to put these pockets; they're really too high to be useful for parking my hands, as you can see.  But so long as I can carry what I need to carry when I need to carry it, that'll work for me.

After I had the front partly assembled, it occurred to me that it would've been easy to put a patch pocket on the inside between the side seam and the side front seam for carrying stuff.  Maybe next time....

Or, maybe I'll lengthen the jacket a bit and put welt pockets in the side front.  That would be the most natural hand-parking spot.

I really do like this pattern, (OOP McCall's 5191)  though.  So long as I use a fabric with some Lycra in it, it doesn't seem to mind the middle age creep as much as some of my other jacket patterns.

(ETA:  Just didn't have the oomph to take another picture and upload it last night, but I'm pretty stinkin' proud of the pattern matching, even if I am probably never going to wear it buttoned up.... :-)...back to original text  )

I should've had my Sweet Baboo take a photo of the top by itself, but, well, it was late and he was on antihistamines and I just didn't have the heart to ask him to do a lengthy photo session.  The shoulders of the top are just about right, now (I just whacked off about an inch and a quarter off shoulder seam at the arrmhole and tapered it down to the existing cutting line on either side).  There's still some wonkiness at the bottom of the armhole, though.  It looks like I need to scoop the lower front curve just a bit and perhaps even rotate a very small dart out of it.   And I think it would be more flattering with a shirt tail hem instead of straight across.  So I have at least one more iteration to go before it  achieves Wardrobe Workhorse status.  But it's close.

Then, as I was poking through my spreadsheet for the year I found a piece of Home Dec fabric listed in the 'fabric purchased' column...and I didn't even remember what it was.  Found it with the new purchases and decided that, shoot, it only takes a few minutes to turn it into a table cloth...just trim the corners and run it through the serger...so I did.  Boom.  Another 2.5 yards into the 'OUT' column.

And then I put it on the table and suddenly remembered that I don't need 2.5 yards of length...I really only need a fuzz under 2.25 yards, but I've learned to buy 2.5, in case the ends are cut crooked.  This had been cut pretty straight and I didn't loose any length to square it up.  So I had to whack off the extra and then reserge.  So it took a little longer...

 But, before all this hit the 'out' column, I had a teeny bit more creep into the 'In' list.  What can you do if an on line vendor posts a 'Crazy Priced Fabric'  that is pretty much exactly what you've been looking for to use for a specific pattern?   You buy it, of course, and  it has to have a traveling buddy...           

So the 'IN' box now has some rayon/lycra jersey stripe that will be dead on perfect for my new Sewing Workshop cardigan pattern...and it was such a good deal that I have enough for a maxi dress or a couple of tops as well...

The gray is a wool shadow stripe that has a nice springy hand; there's enough there for a serious jacket, or maybe a not-so-serious jacket and a pair of pants.  We'll see.

 So, yeah, the discrepancy between 'In' and 'Out' still got bigger...Think I'm going to work on some of the UFO's next...least till I get a chance to spend a day cutting...

Work Wear 6

I knew the WW posts would be irregular, but I did mean to post them a LITTLE more often than this...

Anyway, today I woke up feeling green.  Not ready for full out fall colors, even though fall is Officially Here, it's 80ish degrees outside and I just don't feel ready to dig out the boots and stuff.

Not sure how my feet are going to like going back into closed shoes again, either.  5 months of Birkenstocks have reduced the neuroma symptoms considerably, but they are not gone. Sigh.

But, anyway.  Green.

The first green silk blouse I pulled out of the closet surprised me because it hadn't been pressed.  I normally don't bring things upstairs until they've had a date with the iron, so I was rather dismayed to see that it wasn't wearable...and I didn't have time to iron.

So I pulled out my green grade Z duppioni Tribeca Shirt and went scrounging in the closet to see if I had a scarf that would go with it.  I found a greenish floral scarf that I got for really cheap someplace this spring and laid it on the shirt.  My first thought was, wow, that really looks blue against that green...but as I looked at it a moment I realized there were shades of green mottled up in it that DID match the green of the shirt.

Hm.

So I put on some jeans and my blue rayon lycra jersey Jalie 965 tank top , then I topped it with the Tribeca and the Really Cheap scarf.  And some jadey green/gold earrings that have been lurking in the jewelry box so long I can't say when I actually wore them last.

And I got enough compliments today (i.e., TWO...lol) that I thought it might be worth a Work Wear Post.

The Flute Player played the part of the photographer today and didn't do TOO badly, although the light settings were set for the wrong kind of light. 

Maybe I can get in the sewing room just a bit tonight to put those pockets (inseam after all) on the Loud Jacket...

Loud Jacket, In Progress

Well, I didn't get to sew *all* evening, but I got a little bit done.  The back and the front are assembled and topstitched...and I don't think I did a half bad job of pattern matching.  Not perfect, but good enough.

The next 'work unit' will be the sleeves, collar, cuffs and facings.  I'm trying to decide if I want to go out of the box and put pockets in this jacket; the pattern has none, so I'd be adding a new element.  And if I *do* add pockets, should they be welt pockets or side seam pockets??

Decisions, decisions...

...and I said 'No'...

Picking up the Flute Player from a mask-building session at school tonight, the director asked if I could make a dress for the show...kind of a poly organzaish over poly silky looking thing, just from what I could see in the bag.

I told her unless it was something I could do tomorrow evening, I was going to have to say no.  Because the only other time I have available for sewing is at 2 AM.

So she said she would ask someone else.

What I *didn't* say was, 'You know, if you had asked me in August I could possibly have worked it in.'

I do not like telling people 'No'.  I really don't.  But...sometimes, that's the only reasonable and logical thing to do.

Meantime, progress made today on the Loud Jacket: Zero.

I'm telling myself 'No', too...

But I *do* have tomorrow night available.  We'll see if I can get to the sewing machines...

What Followed Me Home...

So, yeah, yesterday I had to make a trip to Hancock's because I needed some lime green thread and some buttons...either purple or green...for the Loud jacket.

Ahem.  Turns out Butterick and Vogue patterns were on sale.

Now, I *could* have bought  10 of each, per the sale signs, so I think the fact that I only really added 7 more patterns to the stash is exhibiting great restraint...Ahem again...

So far, on the jacket I have...fused down the interfacing and changed the thread in the machines.  Dunno if I will get to do anything else on it this week or not; Tuesday night is the only free night and the annual She Rev Women's Conference is going to have my weekend occupied.  Not complaining about that...just stating the fact....

This jacket is probably going to get put together in 10 - 20 minute increments...

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

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


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

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

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

2. How do you make your pattern markings?

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

3. Do you follow the cutting layout in patterns?

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

A SURE Sign of Busy...

...is when there is sewing happening at church, crunch sewing, and I'm not part of it.

There is a team of ladies who are working on sewing some panels for the decor for the upcoming women's conference; there is a lot to do, I've heard, and the volunteer squad has been rather small.

And I am so obviously consumed with the data base that I haven't been asked to help.  I'm sorry to miss the camaraderie of  working on the project together, but, well, as I've told a couple of folks, I haven't even had time to buy milk lately.

But I hit a small milestone of progress yesterday...barely, and there will still need to be follow up work on it next week, but I hit it... so today, I am staying home, doing laundry and maybe, just maybe, doing a bit of sewing as I wait on the machines to do their thang.

I have promised myself I will NOT log into the data base until I start data entry on Sunday.  We'll see if I can hold myself to that promise.

But...my biggest problem in the sewing room right now is that I have so many things I want to sew...I don't have a clue where to start.

Maybe I'll just pull whatever is on top of the 'do this' pile and do it...

Waves 'Hi"...

I actually sewed something over the weekend...

Another Jalie 965 tank top, this one in fuschia rayon/lycra jersey.  Really floppy stretchy fuschia rayon/lycra jersey.

I wore it to church under the upcoming Women's Conference official promo t ...which is also pretty stretchy and floppy.

I did mean to get a picture, but, wow, Sundays are tough days to work in a photo and since I wasn't singing in the choir I didn't really push it.

You could only see a teeny bit of the tank top at the neckline anyway.  So it's not like you really  missed a boatload of inspiration.

I have completely lost count of how many of those Jalie tanks I've made...it's got to be somewhere around   15 or 16, at least.

They are VERY useful layering pieces.

I still have a goodly chunk of that jersey left; not sure if I will sew it up whilst I have fuschia thread on the serger or not.

Prolly depends on how quickly I can get back to the sewing machine.

Or the cutting table.

All day training tomorrow with the real, live, in-person trainer from the data base company for the staff roll out of the new data base platform.  I really wish I could've had my own full day of training before we go to the staff, but, well, by the time I sit through EVERYONE'S session surely I will have put some more of the puzzle pieces together...

Surely.

The Flute Player has been cast in the Children's Musical production the Theater Performance magnet will be performing in about a month.

She showed me her character's concept sketch.

It's a yellow dragony-looking thing.

She said I will probably get called for costuming.

Resisting the urge to laugh hysterically....

Last First Day Ramblings

And I am already up waiting on the homework to be finished.

It's after midnight.

I hope this isn't the shape of Things to Come.

I already posted my thoughts on the 4th and last 'last first day of school' on the other blog.

The data migration happened late last Thursday.

We went away for our anniversary on Friday morning.

Yeah.

So I did pretty much nothing with the new data base until today.

Now it is the mop up and clean up and try to figure out how to do it on this side time.

Prepping for the migration had a deadline.

After the migration, the deadline for new processes is just ASAP.

I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I can...

No more trips on the calendar.

If I get a stress break, it's going to be in the sewing room.

Maybe soon.

Meantime, here's the last project, on the girls for the ceremony last week (my senior had left hers to put on for her recognition):

Good night....

One of These Things is Not Like the Others...

...and boy, is it a bummer.

One of my main ministry areas at church is with the Girls Ministry; I am the lead sponsor for both the Teen Girls Clubs (Friends...grades 6 - 8 and Girls Only...grades 9 - 12).  The girls earn various rewards through all the years in Girls Ministry for completing units of study;  up to grade 5, they earn patches that go on a sash.  In Friends, they earn charms for a necklace, and in Girls Only, they earn enameled pins that have no particular place to be worn.

So, I debated a number of things we could do; in the first year of the club, the (then) only club member made a tote bag as a craft for one of the units, thinking it would be a good place to put the pins.

But they snagged on things and fell off.  Not good.

Then I happened to think about the mantles I made for HMC graduations in years past and thought that those would be a good thing to use for pins; the girls could wear them at the advancement ceremonies and have them for the final graduation ceremony when they leave the clubs.

And, as my first student was rapidly approaching her final graduation, I thought I'd better get on it.

Never mind that the data base migration is at the crunchiest crunch time.

So, I worked around out of town trips and late nights at the office and got the mantles (we're calling them 'stoles'...which is really what they are) all put together, then remembered that Hancock's had been short one 'G' and a set of tassels when I bought the supplies.

I fused the letters/numbers on and sewed the tassels on all but one last night; stopped at Hancock's on my way into work to pick up the other supplies, then sat at work 'till late printing the certificates that I will hand out to all my girls tomorrow on the nice big copier/printer instead of our desktop printer (experience has proven that home printers do NOT handle card stock well).

Then I came home, sewed the tassels on the last stole and fused the letters/numbers on.

This one was going to be my daughter's; I'd planned to take the others in and put the pins that were still at church on them for the other girls...just forgot 'em.

Anyway.  Here are the finished items (my Senior already has hers w/ 2013 on it):

Sigh.  Somehow I twisted the last one when I laid it on the ironing board and the fusing happened on the WRONG SIDE.   And there ain't no pulling them off...

Of course, it's only noticeable when they're all together but my melancholy daughter was rather unhappy that I'd messed hers up.

So she promptly texted one of the other girls to find out if she would mind switching.


I can make a replacement...but not in time for tomorrow night's ceremony.

Sigh.  I knew I should've waited till in the morning...

(postscript a bit later:  friend says she doesn't mind.  That's a FRIEND.)

Road Trip Fabric Stop

 A swift trip to the northern reaches of Hoosierland had us driving around the northeast corner of the I-465 loop around Indianapolis.  We had plenty of time, so my sweet Babboo graciously agreed to a quick stop at Indy's newest (as in, it's almost 2 years old) fine fabrics store.

I'm not sure where I found out about The French Seam, other than I know I knew about it before they opened.  I was really excited; JoAnn's has been the only game in town in Indianapolis for many years.  It took us a little bit to find it, mostly because the Google Map just wasn't as accurate as it might have been.  But persistence paid off and I got to do a quick visit.

It is not a large fabric store by any means; the selection is not huge.  But, if you consider that they have simply eliminated all the junk fabric, home decor and nick knacks  that you would find in, say, JoAnn's or Hancock's (y'know, the fleece, the poly silkies, the imitation linen, etc), then it really is not such a limited choice.  They had silk, linen, wool and cotton.  Heaven.

They had just put all their summer fabrics on sale for half price; I looked it all over and saw several pieces (including some really nice tropical wools) that I would love to have purchased, but, well, I have some lovely tropical woolens sitting in my stash already so I steeled my nerve and kept looking.

I finally settled on a red/white twilled cotton; I decided several weeks ago that I'd like a red jeans jacket and this will do that nicely.  The twilled side is actually going to be the wrong side; the even weave side is much darker.  It's very soft and should make up well.

And, just because I could hold it in my hand and look at it, I picked up a drapey front cardigan pattern from The Sewing Workshop that I've been waffling over for a while now. 

No, it wasn't all really bargain priced, but it was reasonable (especially as I got the fabric on sale), and I could touch and drape to decide. 

Which is a real treat nowadays...

Was life better before the internet?

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

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

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

Which means my account won't make the cut.

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

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

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

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

First world problems, eh?

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

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

Just sorta thinking out loud here....

Choir Wardrobe 072113

As I said earlier...more repeats and old stuff.

Colors are sky blue, navy blue, mustard yellow and gray.

Repeat RTW linen jacket and...I think...Lee bootcuts.  The top is from the back of the closet...so old I'm not even sure which pattern it is.  I *think* it's the modified City Dress Bodice, even though it is not in the photo album for that review.  It's made from crinkled Tencel gauze and I have worn it to death since I made it in...2003?  Maybe?  I could go look but my eyes are computer weary at the moment and I just don't have the oomph to hunt.  Anyway, it was body skimming then; it's snug now but the crinkles give it enough stretch factor that it's not bad under a friendly loose jacket. ;-)

And, as I'm sure you noticed this post is a whole two days late, I'ma gonna just say that, until we get past the data base migration and I'm breathing easier (I worked 13.5 hours today on my part-time job...) I have taken a bit of a hiatus from choir so that I have every available moment for data entry or...laundry...  So the Choir Wardrobe will be on a bit of a break, too.  I'm hoping it's just for 4 - 6 weeks or so; those who have done migrations before are saying that we are in good shape and everything is progressing nicely; I have no experience in it and all I'm seeing is the pile of old ugly data files that somehow have to get mapped into the new platform but I don't want to bring the old uglies over and I don't know how we are going to mine the gold out of the mess and just take it...

Got some emails out waiting on answers.

Dunno if I will get back to blogger before the sun rises on the other side or not...we'll see.

Choir Wardrobe 071413

We could either call this the 'Throwback' or the 'Fun with Baubles' edition...

July's colors are light blue, navy blue and (technically it should be that brownish-mustard) yellow, with gray also available as the neutral.

I am pulling out seriously old clothes here. 

Clothes that fit much better 10 years and 20 pounds ago.

But, well, if you don't button a double-breasted style it isn't so obvious that it's too small.... ;-)  Truth is, that Sewing Workshop Hong Kong Vest was the very first pattern I reviewed after joining Pattern Review in 2002.

Told ya I was talkin' old stuff.

The ancient Lands' End stretch t on the bottom is pushed to its limits as well, but, well, it's covered up so you can't tell.  Jeans that I've been wearing for ages, too.

Besides the old clothes, though, I had a sudden inspiration this morning and did something I very, very rarely ever do.  Like, I'm not entirely even sure I HAVE done this before...

Wore two different jewelry sets one-on-top-of-the-other.

It may have been a little overkill, but, well, it was fun.

I'm dreaming of a day sewing...

(to the tune of 'White Christmas')

Just like the ones I used to spend
When I was younger
And days were longer
Or so it seemed way back then

I'm dreaming of a day sewing
Something lovely just for me
A Jacket, dress or just a Tee
When I've got a breather finally....
 

But with a data base migration in the crunch stage and two more out of town trips...it may be Christmas before that happens... ;-)

Choir Wardrobe 070713

Well, we zoomed up to Hoosierland and family for the 4th, then zoomed back to Rocket City in time to be in our expected places on Sunday; I basically stayed at church all day so My Sweet Babboo snapped yesterday's photo in the hall outside my office.

The colors have changed; we're now wearing sky blue, navy blue, mustard yellow and gray.  I pulled out some straight leg Lees, an ancient Jalie 965 tank top and an off-last-years'-clearance-rack linen topper from Coldwater that always looks way better in the mirror than it looks in any photo.  The yellow jewelry isn't spot on the right color...more French's than Gray Poupon, but since it's just a wee bit it didn't matter.

We haven't worn light blue in years;  this is actually one of my favorite color combos to wear but I've let my light blue wardrobe dwindle considerably; you're probably going to see mucho repeating this month, unless I can manage to get a buncho sewing done.

Considering the data base is scheduled to migrate in about 3 weeks, I don't think I'm going to get to sew much of anything...

Choir Wardrobe 63013

I made My Sweet Baboo take this before we left the house this morning; that Vogue 1055 over blouse is linen and I knew it'd be all wrinkled and tired by the time we got home ;-)

It really is a pure coincidence that it is such a close color match to the knit Vogue 2925 top underneath, but I'm really glad it matches up since coral has been a regular summer wardrobe color for several years now.  I would never have put it in my wardrobe otherwise, but I think I'm getting used to it.  Sometimes I even wear it when it's not a Sunday...

This pair of Lee bootcuts is marked 'Short', but every time I put them on I wonder if that was a mislabel; I've got to wear shoes with at least 1 1/2" heel with them; right now my feet are bothering me and wearing any heel at all costs something. But I wore the cool sparkly silver sandals with the heel anyway.   Paying for it tonight.  Wonder where I put that foot spa?

I did try something new and different today; I put one contact lense in and left the other eye uncorrected in my DIY- version of monovision.  I can read just fine uncorrected, but my arms are simply too short to read anything with glasses or contacts in.  So I either wear my glasses, and pull them off to do any reading (and consequently wander off and forget where I left them), or I have to wear reading glasses with my contacts.   Trying to get away from that hassle, I decided to try monovision.  It wasn't too bad, except going down the road.  I wasn't driving, which was why I decided to try it,  but I don't know that I will ever get adjusted to it enough to actually drive.  But it didn't bother me in choir or trying to do my weekly data entry, so I may actually give it a serious go.  Seeing as how I have a six month supply of daily disposable lenses, and both eyes use the same prescription, I might as well...


I am going through serious sewing withdrawals; but there doesn't look to be any chance to get behind the machine for at least another couple of weeks.  I hope I'm wrong...

...And the Light Dawns.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I figured it out.

I really didn't understand why 'claiming my blog' was such a big deal; but after reading  Rhonda's post yesterday,  I realized that 'claiming' one's blog allows the claimant to view stats about who is using Bloglovin' to read their posts.

I'm all about finding out if anyone actually reads my blogs or not; this one is not such a big deal but, to the best I can tell, just a handful of folks read my faith blog and I need all the encouragement I can get over there, so I linked that one up.  Since I'm in link up mode, here's my required post telling everyone they can follow Sew Random over there, too. 

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. ;-)

checkin' in

Data base migration at work; we are hitting the crunch time leading up to the switchover.

I have been dreaming about the data base...only obliquely.

Also dreaming about getting into my sewing room, but that's of the day dreaming variety.  And then only in the moments when I tear myself away from my computer.

That's the downside to working on the cloud...you can work from absolutely anywhere there's an internet connection.

I commented to one of my co-workers that I was thinking about taking one of the ancient church laptops on our upcoming visit to my parents' so I could work on cleaning old records while I was gone.  'That's a good idea,' she said.  "No!" I replied, 'That's a terrible idea!"

But it may not matter because the check engine light has been on on the car all week and I'm not going to go anywhere until it's fixed.  We've already done 'break down in Nashville and rent a car to follow the tow truck 95 miles home' once and I NEVER want to do that again!

Actually, I want to tell everyone we've left town and then stay home.

And not touch the computer.

Maybe I could sew.

Choir Wardrobe 061913

 Ok, this is pretty much the same thing I wore a couple of weeks ago, allowing for a different necklace and different jeans, so the main reason to even talk about today's photo is the haircut.

After deliberately spending three years growing my hair out to one length, I went to my hairdresser Friday and had her re-layer it.

I'm not so sure I feel at home in such frothyness, but, believe it or not, that is my hair in pretty much its natural state.  I have fought it for most all my life, trying to get it to lie down and behave and be NEAT, but it just won't cooperate.  Since I'm trying to define my own personal style, I decided I needed to start with accepting my hair the way it is.  I could get it chopped off short,  and I may yet do that, but there's nothing distinctive about short hair.  This may be weird and un-neat and not quite appropriate for a Woman of A Certain Age, but it is uniquely me so I'm going to TRY to make it work for me.

We'll see how it goes.

And then there was the one that got away....


I bought some lovely black/white/silver knit from one of my favorite online vendors and proceeded to make up my latest TNT T shirt pattern, Jalie 2566.  I knew I was dealing with fabric that didn't have a boatload of stretch, but I thought I'd be ok.  I have a version of this made from a really stretchy knit that's almost too big, and another made from a fairly stable knit that's ok. 

I guess this knit is more than just 'fairly' stable, because once I finished it and put it on...well, 'sausage casing' came to mind.  Fortunately, it fits The Flute Player rather well.

Which is ok...she needs some real wardrobe T-shirts, instead of just the graphics-printed promo shirts.  So I gave it to her... Sigh...

Choir Wardrobe - 06 16

Repeats and reruns....
Colors for June: coral, yellow and gray.

Coral Jalie cardigan, silver shot gray Simplicity 2603 top.  Straight leg Lees.  Simple.

;-)

Last time I wore this cardigan, I had to carry a couple of pizza boxes (with pizzas!) from one end of the church to the other, and I ended up with a grease line on the left side.  I thought it was gonna be a gonner.  But it did wash out, mayhap due to the Carbona stain treatment I put on it.  Whew.


And I must be tired; almost posted this to the wrong blog.  Realized it when I pulled up the label list...time for some shut eye!

Choir Wardrobe 060913

Yeah, I know.  This is turning into 'when I can get to it' instead of 'what I wore today'. Oh well. 

May's colors: Gray, coral and yellow. 

We had a lot of gray knit cardis on the choir risers this week! ;-)  This one is the 3rd iteration of Jalie 2919, from a pretty thin rayon blend knit that probably isn't going to hold up much longer; it's got a couple of teeny holes in it and some ink stains on one of the sleeves.  But...until I can get it replaced...it looks ok on stage.

Teamed up with  a soft coral rayon/lyra knit Vogue 2925, knit jeans from Coldwater and a really cheapo crinkly cotton scarf from Wal mart.

All lovely for a Spring...but I'm a Winter.  Honestly, though, it doesn't matter so much if it makes me look wonderful or just ok.

I'm fine with ok...and this is ok. ;-)

Tweaking RTW

Every once in a while, I get out in the retail world and actually buy stuff.  Sometimes it's even stuff I could make.

After all, as I've heard quoted somewhere, even Julia Child went out to eat every now and then.

Today's foray into the world of seasonal mega sales netted me a pair of white jeans, black shorts, a blue sweater shell, a white knit tank top and the photographed lace shell.

The actual objectives of my hunt were white jeans and a sleeveless white or cream sweater shell.

Apparently the kind of sweater top I had in mind is dead out of fashion; I couldn't find any.  So I started looking for alternate simple white tops to wear under jackets.  The tank top I found was a pretty substantial knit...not quite a fine gauge sweater knit but almost.  However, I found this on the clearance rack; after the additional sale markdown it was a fuzz over 20 bucks.

Now, it obviously needs a good press, but it needs a little help too.  I've already replaced the button on the back; it's a button-loop closure and the loop was really snug on the button.  It didn't help that it was a covered button...covered with the lace, believe it or not...so it was lumpy and draggy as well as being nearly too big.  It was a trick to get the loop off the button so I could try it on; there was no buttoning it back behind my neck.  But, y'know, I have a button stash, so I brought it home and switched that puppy out for a slick little button that I think I can manage.

Then I noticed the black labels.

That totally show right through the organza-like lining and the lace (you can see the shadow of the rather large care label on the right side just up a bit from the lower edge).

But, you know, I really don't need care labels; I'm pretty well used to washing clothes that do not have them.  So they will also come out.

A little touch with the steamer and this RTW top will be about as good as made-at-home. :-p

Also, I'm seeing a great resemblance between this top and Simplicity 2599. I have some black lace yardage in the stash.  Once I finish adjusting that pattern I might just try a little copy action... ;-)

What's Up with this Choir Wardrobe Thing?

Every once in a while someone asks about the choir wardrobe...why do we do it and who decides it and such.  Usually I just reply in the comments, figuring that it doesn't hurt to explain it every now and then so folks who are new to the story can catch up... but as I was answering the latest set of questions, it suddenly occurred to me that I should just make it a whole post, then link up that post on the sidebar so anyone can find it at any time.

D'uh.

So.  Well, we go to a non-traditional, non-denominational church, The Rock Family Worship Center.   We never did choir robes; we're just not that formal.  In the beginning, choir attire was just expected to be neat and modest.  We had a few...very few...points in the dress code.  Things like no mini skirts and no sleeveless tops.  Basically, within those very minor guidelines, we wore whatever we wanted.

Then we began video taping/live streaming.

We learned pretty quickly that, wow, if we all just wore whatever it looked like a trainwreck under the lights, plus it drove the shaders in the video control room crazy trying to get the lady in the light taupe sweater dress and the lady in the sequinned orange top and the lady in the cobalt blue sweater  all looking like they were neither dead nor glowing in the dark.

We needed to blend.

Some choirs have gone w/ some kind of uniform (think matching polo shirts) rather than robes, but in an area with a highly mobile/fluctuating population, where folks are always moving in and moving out, it's really hard to maintain everyone in the same garments.  So, we did not elect to use a uniform but to just dress more or less in the same color scheme so that we would blend.  And the color scheme changes on a monthly basis.

 We always have some neutral -- gray, black, tan, etc -- in the mix, so if the main color doesn't work for someone they can go with the neutral.   It *has* helped a lot w/the way the choir looks on the screen.
 
Our choir director picks the colors; lately she's been consulting  Pantone's seasonal color page so that garments and/or accessories in the specified colors ought to be easy to find.

As  you can probably understand, the choir wardrobe drives a lot of my sewing choices.  So a few years back I started doing weekly posts about wearing what I sewed for choir.  It originally was a challenge to myself to see if I could go a year and wear something me-made every week. I don't get a lot of traffic, so it's a stretch to say that series was popular, but it was about as 'popular' as things go in these parts.   So, with a hiatus here and there, I've pretty well kept the series going.

And I do throw in a disclaimer every now and then that, you know, it really ISN'T about what I'm wearing; sometimes we have incredibly moving services and to come home and write about what I wear just seems so ...shallow.  But this is a sewing blog and I was deliberately writing about garments that I'd sewn.  So I started a second blog, Beer Lahai Roi, so I could have a place to talk about the deeper, more significant aspects of walking out a Christian life.

And then I got a job and all my sewing and blogging time pretty much evaporated. ;-).

But I do enjoy making things, discussing making things and I do like to explore issues of faith, so, while I'm not blogging with anything like the frequency I used  to display, I'm still posting now and again to both blogs and the Choir Wardrobe series pretty much insures that I drop by here at least once a week and talk about wearing clothes that I made.

So it has its purpose.

Thanks so much for asking! ;-)

Choir Wardrobe 6-3-13

Yesterday was a long day; from the pre-service choir practice to the end of the post-service extended worship, including accompanying my high school girls class to the membership seminar, it was over 12 hours.

12 good hours, but, well, 12 hours is still 12 hours and I was all in when I got home.

But...new month, new wardrobe colors.  This month is yellow, coral and gray.  I've got on my yellow sweatery knit Simplicity 2603.  This is the top that disappeared last summer and finally resurfaced when I did the seasonal clothing switch; somehow it had gotten mixed in with the fall/winter items.  It is the ONLY yellow top in my wardrobe; I'm not all that fond of wearing yellow but I was glad to find it.  The cardi is the Jalie 2919 draped front cardigan; I think this was the 2nd of about 4 (so far) iterations.  I've come to the conclusion that this may not be the most flattering cardi shape for me, but it's so easy to wear that I will probably go ahead and make more just the same.

Lee boot cuts.  Someday I will tackle making jeans...

Foiled by the Time Zones

The rules say that the review with a photo must be posted by 11:59 PM of the day the contest ends...as the time stamp on the reviews is Eastern Time, I missed the deadline by the time it takes to post the review. I actually finished pulling the basting out of the skirt at 10:50 central, but the clock chimed 11 as I was uploading the photos.  So I did not get to enter my cotton plisse project in the natural fibers contest after all.  But I may even go ahead and write up a review, even though it won't count for the contest.  I haven't posted a review in ages...        But, well, who knows how long the skirt would've languished without a deadline, even if I missed it.  So I'm glad I pushed through; I need another Hippie Earth Mother Maxi Skirt in the wardrobe.  It looks all fancy schmancy because I have a silk top with it that I wore to an awards dinner tonight (hence the missed deadline; the program went a bit long...).  If I put on a tank top I will definitely have the hippie groove happening.

Anyway, this is a very freestyle skirt.  The only pattern I used at all was the pocket that I borrowed from another skirt, and then altered because I forgot that the pocket has to be attached only to the yoke of the skirt.  So I had to curve the edges up so that all the pocket seaming was within the seam allowance/elastic casing boundaries.  The pockets themselves actually hang below the yoke.  So...if anyone else wants to make an Earth Mother Hippie skirt,  here are the basics:

1.  The whole thing is based off of the yoke piece.  Finished, the circumference needs to be the hip measurement (or tummy measurement, if you've got that post-menopausal tummy thing going on and your tummy measures more than your hips) plus 2 - 4 inches of ease, depending upon the fabric and your preference.  I think I have about 4" of ease in this one.  The depth  of the yoke is entirely your preference.  If you add pockets, you need to have  enough room to attach the pocket; if you don't want pockets, then pretty much anything goes.  The yoke should be cut on the straight of grain; the rest of the skirt is bias, but a square cut yoke will avoid that weird bumpy stuff that can happen just below an elastic waistband on a bias skirt.  If you have a co-dependant relationship with pockets like me,  use your favorite in-seam pocket pattern.  Just make sure that all the pocket construction can be contained in the yoke.

2.  You can add as many tiers below the yoke as you want.  The secret is that each tier must be 1.5 times the circumference of the tier to which it is gathered.  You can make your tiers all the same width or you can vary them; I increased the width of each tier by about 2" as they go down.  Plus, you want to add it all up and make sure that it will end up being the length you wish.   This is a lot of math, and you need to work it out before you start cutting, not forgetting to add seam allowances, hem allowance and the casing for your elastic.  The gathered tiers are cut on the bias.  You can use your favorite method for doing this; you can make patterns and then cut or you can just wing it with a ruler and a rotary like I did.  The short edges are on grain (it should be 45 degrees; my graphics skills are not so hot) so that your joining seams will be on the straight grain; they'll be slanted in the skirt but there won't be any distortion of those seams.  

I used 4 tiers, plus the yoke.  The bottom circumference of my skirt is something like 108" around.  If you use more tiers than me, that bottom measurement will also increase.

This skirt uses a lot of fabric. ;-)

3. You can use all the same fabric or various fabrics for your tiers; I alternated the dominant stripe so there's a sort of zig-zag going on between the tiers; that *might* show up if you click the photos to enlarge them.

I will not say whether or not the zig-zag was in the original plan.  If you're one of my regular readers, you know the answer to that one. ;-)

 Not going to go into details on how to sew it; it's a lot of gathering, a narrow hem, an elastic waistband. Optional pockets.  Use your favorite techniques.

4) Enjoy.

Poppies, Poppies....Final Photos

AS is typical, The Flute Player picked up the CD w/the professional photos on the last day of school.

I have several really good photos of the poppies, but when I looked for photos of her in the dress I altered up I discovered that the photographer took his pictures during the Friday AM school show...the one that was immediately after the child's bout with the tummy virus.  She was still puny, so all she did was sing backup into the offstage mics...she did not go on stage.  So the action shot I actually wanted to post of her fainting at the sight of the Wiz turned out to be a photo of someone else. Sigh.

I went back and pulled a couple of photos from our costume mistress's set; she actually did not have the shot I was looking for but at least her grandmother can see her in costume. ;-)

This is probably the LEAST amount of costuming, in terms of actual costumes sewn, that I've done for any show at school.  But the hours that went into the show were probably pretty close to the same.  Anyway, here are the poppies in action; photo credit Jeff White:

I wish we had had time to put wires on both layers of the petals; just wiring the five on the top was cutting it pretty close..and I suppose the girls could've done a better job of smoothing them out. But in all honesty, it only really shows up in the pictures;  onstage, they were moving enough that it didn't look quite so obviously flat on the bottom layer..

And, for the  I-had-to-dig-and-crop photos of The Flute Player in her ECC dress, the photo credit is to our illustrious costume mistress, Charla Smith:















It was a fun show...one more year is all we have left...

Choir Wardrobe - 2 weeks at once

Have I mentioned how busy Sundays are now that I have moved my High School Girls class to Sunday Evenings?  It's hard to find time to eat now...let alone post photos.  So I've got this week AND last week to cover today.

But it's ok.

And, wow, I really didn't realize what I'd done, really, until I saw the photos.

Anyway, May's choir wardrobe colors are hot pink, navy blue and tan.  Last Sunday found me wearing a RTW top (that I had to alter a bit, of course), with the CWC knit blue jeans and, breaking the 'don't wear denim with denim' rule, my Vogue 8045 denim jacket.  The CWC top is basically a knit tank top with a chiffon overlayer on the front that is pleated at the neckline and has a bit of applique on it.  I fell in love with it at the store and waited it out for a sale...and then had to take up the shoulders about an inch as a petite adjustment.

I had a yard of rayon/lycra jersey in a hot pink/fuschia in the stash, and I decided that it needed to be in my wardrobe.  But it's very limp and drapey and I've discovered that *does* limit the pattern options somewhat;  a structured or fitted T loses its shape when it's made out of floppy jersey, so I looked for a pattern that would be good for a drapey fabric...and only took a yard....and decided on Simplicity 4076.  I cut it out about a week and a half ago, and when I hit the full stop on the cotton skirt yesterday I pulled the white thread from the machines and put in the pink so I could make this up to wear today.  Took me about an hour and a half, and that's including the unpicking I had to do around the back neckline.  Not sure what happened there, but I ended up with more shirt than I had neckband.  Stretched and eased and it's not perfect, but at least it's not puckery.,


Wore it today with my khaki Athena Pants and my brown-eyelet-on-denim McCall's 5191

Took the photos this morning -- thank goodness, I splashed my lunch on the top in the 10 minutes we had available for the mid day meal -- and realized that I pretty much duplicated the shape of the RTW top I had on last week.

So now I have 2 very similar hot pink tops.  Ah, well, they will get worn.

Unless the greasy spots don't come out of the brand new one.  We'll see...

Skirt grumblings....

Ok, I thought the check fabric I'm using for my cotton tiered earth-mother skirt was essentially the same on both sides.  I could not tell the right side from the wrong side.  So I didn't pay particular attention.

But, it turns out that there is a very subtle difference in the right and wrong side.  One that didn't show up until I was ready to put the 3rd tier on.

I put the first tier on the yoke, then put the second tier on the first one and the next time I picked it up (i.e., this morning) I discovered that the dominant stripe is going in opposite directions on tier 1 and tier 2.  I thought it was because I put the second tier on upside-down.

Well, I decided I would just put the 3rd tier on with the same orientation as the first, and the last tier on with the same orientation as the second and have sort of a zig-zag going on.

Trouble is, that alternate angle is not because I sewed the tier on upside down, it turns out the first tier I put on was sewn wrong side out.  I discovered this when I tried to flip the 3rd tier so that it was  going opposite to the second and realized I could not. 

So...now I'm trying to decide what to do.  Take it all apart and fix that first tier?  Removing all the gathering and redoing it on both seams?

Um.... oy.

I'm thinking I'll just resew tier 3 wrong side out and resume the zig-zag plan....

All cleaned up and ready to sew...

I've been in and out of my local sewing repair shop about 4 times in the last 3 weeks...took in all three machines for check ups/ tune ups/ repairs.

And ended up with a total bill of just under $300.  Which sounds like a lot, but only because it was all at once. 

The routine service is $69...and, for both sewing machines (including the one that had been dropped in the parking lot  back in August of '08) that was all I needed, although I did buy a larger rolled edge foot (the one that came with my machine was a skinny minny 2 mm!  Good for chiffon but not much else...) and replaced 2 broken feet for my New Home...cost for those pieces was about $35.  The serger, owing to the pin that hit the knives,  cost a bit more...upper and lower knives and a new throat plate.

Based on what I've read elsewhere, 70 bucks for a routine service is not at all bad.  And my machines looked so nice and clean when I got them!

So, now I want to sew and see if I can really tell they've been fixed up. ;-)

Choir Wardrobe May 12 2013

Since we were occupied in other duties last week, this is the first choir wardrobe for May; this month, we're wearing navy, hot pink and tan.  So, it's rtw jeans and jacket, with the navy viscose/lycra Jalie 965 tank top and a couple of remnant pieces...a poly chiffon, hemmed on all 4 edges, and a sequined knit, which was just chopped into a rectangle...kinda folded together and looped on as a scarf of sorts.

Not too fancy, but fancy enough. ;-)

A Contest Entry?

It has been a really, really, really long time since I entered a contest over on Pattern Review...but whilst perusing around I discovered that the May contest is 'Natural Fibers'.

And it just so happened that I have a Cotton Plisse project on deck.  So I decided it would be a good thing to move up the queue a bit....and maybe, just maybe, put an entry up.

Back in 2007, when I was determined to make fabric parity (fabric in = fabric out) after a major stash maxing trip to Sir's Fabrics,  I made myself a no-pattern tiered skirt.  I'd been wanting a loose, flowy skirt to wear on summer car trips and came up with a certifiable earth mother skirt that totally fit the bill.

But, in the ensuing seasons, I found that I wore the skirt for more than just car trips.  It was swooshy and feminine and fun to wear.

And really, really comfy.

So earlier this year I bought a large chunk of red gingham check cotton plisse, with the intention of making another skirt.

Today, I did a bunch of math and rotary cutting...the only actual pattern piece was a pocket borrowed from another skirt.

It is not going to be fancy or detailed or any of the things that usually win voter-decided contests, but it's going to be very useful and I needed a little push to get myself out of choir sewing and into something else.

It also is helpful that it's going to put 6 yards in the Fabric Out tally once it's done. ;-)

Sigh. Not Me.

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

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

It's the At Home Days.

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

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

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

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

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

I just don't want to worry about it.

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

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

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

Do You P & S?

Saw a question on one of the discussion boards today about the pivot-and-slide method of alterations; started to make a comment but then I decided it was good blog material and I'll throw my opinions around on my own page. ;-)

Pivot and slide was the first real pattern alteration method I learned, so I may be partial to it.  I'll admit that I use a mishmash of alterations now, but P & S is still the core method.  I've looked over several other methods and come to the conclusion that they will all give you the same result in the end, so it's not a matter of which one is BEST but which one is EASIEST for YOU to understand and use.

Having said that, though, I will mention that I don't always agree with the P&S method of determining what needs to be added where; it does even adjustments to all seams, when the truth is some of us are not so evenly distributed.  So I do a little more measuring and usually find that I need to add more to, say, the front than I do the back.  So I will not add evenly...but I will add what I add w/P & S.

I do cut-and-chop for a Full Bust Adjustment, though, as P&S  doesn't seem to put the fabric where I need it.  Or it may be that when I learned P&S I did not NEED a FBA, so I just didn't get that aspect down and when I figured out I needed it, Debbie Cook's excellent tutes showed so clearly how to do it that I never really worked out how to do it in P & S.

The big pill to swallow here is, for most of us,  acknowledging that expecting a pattern to fit right out of the envelope is just not realistic.  I've known so many ladies who gave up sewing because they decided the patterns were no good, when in fact they just did not want to take the time to learn how to make them fit...or didn't think themselves capable of learning how to do those adjustments.

It's just a bit of arithmetic and a bit of  line drawing.  Sure it takes trial and error.  Sure you're gonna have wadders.  But the real reason to sew is to be able to get clothes that fit.  My fitting skills have not quite caught up to my post-menopausal body yet...but I can make some stuff that fits at least as good as I could buy off the rack;  most of it is a pinch better than I could buy as the shoulders aren't huge and the sleeves/pants aren't too long.  And I will eventually get myself retrained in what I need to do to deal with the extra fluff in my middle.

I could go shopping; shop for a whole day and come home with nothing that fits (and I have done that.  Discouraging!).  Or I could spend the day at home working on a muslin (or toile, depending on your location).   Either way, at the end of the day I still would not have a wearable garment.  But I'd be closer to creating one, whereas I would be no closer to buying a garment that fit properly at the end of my shopping trip than I was at the beginning.

The secret is to just not give up.  Productivity may drop; mine certainly has, largely because I'm not confident in my fitting right now.  But I will keep trying and I will get there and then, when I have some honest TNTs, I'll be buzzing those machines along again.

I don't know if anyone else needed that little pep talk, but I did.  :-)  Think I'll go trace some more pieces of the jacket I'm determined to turn into a TNT...

Choir Wardrobe 042813

...and a little fabric in, a little fabric out. ;-)

First, the Fabric Out:

2 yards of lavender silk charmeuse, rendered into my second go at Burda 08-2009-117.  I actually intended to get a shell top and an oblong scarf from 2 yards, but, well, I did the prewash with some rayon challis and, um, I ended up with some spots on the silk, although there is no sign anywhere of running dye on the challis.  But, if such a thing had to happen, much better that it happened while the fabric was still in a chunk; I was able to cut around the spots well enough for the blouse.  Like the first blouse, I made bias tube ties ('rouleaux' if you're in TGBSB?) for the front closure, although I did try a different technique for hemming the flounce; not sure I got much better results...the two sides still stretched out asymmetrically.  But, really, it's hardly noticeable in the flounciness so I'm not going to worry about it.




Finished that up last night so I could wear it today; this is the last day for lavender so I wanted to get it done ;-).  I teamed it up with the old RTW jacket with the funky sleeve hem alteration...someday this WILL be replaced...and some straight leg dark washed Lees.  And my birki sandals, which I'm wearing to TRY and deal with neuromas but found to be quite cold on this rainy Sunday.  The kitty is quite fuzzy looking because I really liked the photo w/o the flash better.   I used the dull side of the charmeuse...that shiny side always has a lingerie look to me...but even the dull side was pretty reflective with the flash.



And the fabric in?  Well....I wanted to show some support for the city of Boston, and decided an order from a Boston business would definitely be some support.  So I got a wee bit of fabric from my girlfriend Ann...a rayon/poly/lurex knit, some RPL suiting and some breathtakingly gorgeous silk chiffon....oh, what shall I do to showcase that??? ;-)