Choir Sundays 2010 #2

January's colors: Royal Blue and black
One more time...the Sewing Workshop Chopin Blouse in to-die-for striped silk duppioni, worn with the standard black wool gabardine Loes Hinse Oxford pants The new camera was set wrong, so the flash didn't go off (still learning my way around it...), but I used this picture anyway because Frisco wandered through...just for my fellow feline afficiandos! ;)

...and the rest of them...

The Jalie patterns.

The prompt for the Jalies was two fold. I bought some lovely embroidered corduroy last summer in The Flute Players favorite color (orange) without knowing what it would be. We've had some discussions, and I really can't imagine it being anything other than a jeans jacket.

But try and find a classic jeans jacket for a girl's size 14. Jalie has one. I found it on the Jalie site, but it was listed as 'out of stock'. I sent an inquiry to see if it would be back in stock soon, and the very prompt reply was that the pattern is not going to be reprinted (a real shame, IMHO). However, the reply said that it appeared that there were a few left in stock at Pattern Review. So I sent Deepika a note, asking if she had any.

She did. And she had a sale on. And, since I'm a member, if I bought three patterns I'd get free shipping. So three patterns it was.

The first, of course, is the jeans jacket pattern 2321 (hm. There's a note that is says it's discontinued...wonder if it was there before?). Very classic.

I also picked up 2686, the classic pajamas. I know I have a TNT jammies pattern, but it is a unisex sizing and, to be honest, the more I've slept in it this year the more I find that it doesn't quite work; the shoulders are so wide that the arms bind when I roll over and catch the body just right. So I was sort of in the market for a lady-sized PJ pattern anyway. So I'm ready the next time silk charmeuse goes on a fabuloso sale somewhere(I intend to order six yards!!! No more shortages!)

Finally, I got 2909, the 'classic trousers'.

If you consider dropped-waist bootleg pants sized for stretch wovens a classic.

But, the eternal quest for pants for The Flute Player prompted it. I don't know how much more I can alter her size 14 TNT pattern up; time to move to Jalie so I can just keep tracing the next size. And, you never know, I might add pockets to it and make it up for myself.

But...I got the email yesterday. MacBeth has been cast and is going into production. Time to sharpen the costuming skills again. I don't know what the opening date is, and I don't know what the directors vision for the costuming will be (although The Actor has reported that it's going to be a Tim Burton-esque type of production).

I should hit the sewing room soon and hard if I want any new things for any closets here.

Got Patterns

According to my online pattern catalog at Pattern Review, I only bought 13 patterns last year.

I suppose that's not surprising, since I had Burda magazine arriving with a fistful of new patterns every month.

This year, however, looks like it might be a bit different. I hit a couple of sales...at Hancock's and Pattern Review...and added 9 patterns to the collection in a week. Better not keep that pace up over the year, eh?

I've been waffling forever over Vogue 7975. Many times I pulled it out of the drawer at the store, only to put it back. I finally decided I'd just get it and quit debating it.

I also picked up Vogue 1132 because I love that back peplum...even though it's gotten some mixed reviews.

I wanted the blouse from Vogue 1127, and I like the princess lines on Vogue 8598. I have some white fabric that should be a shirt; this is on the short list to use.

I grabbed Simplicity 2446, delighted that they had it in stock, as it's in the new release. Love those shoulder princess lines!

Finally, I picked up a variation on the jeans jacket, McCall's 5860

I really wanted to get Mc Call's 6028, but they were sold out in my size range. I'll have to watch for the next Hobby Lobby sale...

I also mail ordered three Jalie patterns from Pattern review, but I'm late for choir practice so I'll have to share those tomorrow! ;)

Things Accomplished

Y'know, the Internet really does devour a large portion of my time.

I can admit that because I saw what I could get done when I kept myself Off Of It for an extended time. I

-- actually sewed two garments (Reviews posted...they should be on the sidebar. Eventually)

-- Traced off some more (more on that later...maybe even tomorrow..)

-- Got the family budget almost caught up...and that's saying something, I was MONTHS behind

-- Went to bed pretty much on time

-- Went to work pretty much on time.

-- Played games w/my kids

Now, to be honest, I'm trying hard not to pay attention to all the things I DIDN'T get done. Like clean the sewing room and swatch last year's fabric acquisitions and...and...and....

So I'm focusing on the positive. And I intend to watch how much time I spend just poking around on the 'net so that I can, perhaps, cross some more things off the to-do list in the next few weeks/months...

Choir Sundays 2010 - #1

One of my Christmas presents this year was a new digital camera; my hubby and my kids got tired of coaxing the old Olympus into taking my sewing photos and went together and got a nice little Canon purse camera for me.... So here's the first photo with the new camera! ;)

January's colors are Royal Blue and Black; this is my Loes Hinse Milano jacket, made from royal blue poly/lycra moleskin, Christine Jonson's Basewear 2 turtleneck (I lengthened the sleeves to full length), from rayon/lycra jersey knit, and my boot-cut modification of Loes Hinses' Oxford Pants, from woven RPL.

I got some sewing done over the break, and I have some reviews to post; got some pattern acquisitions to report, too. So stay tuned.. ;)

2009 Wrap Up

These numbers aren't what I'd like...but, well, that's the way the year went.

Actually, I think my 'yards in' is a little lower than it should be; I have some leftover fabric I purchased for costuming that will go into the stash (I only turned in receipts for what I actually *used* for the costumes), but I haven't measured it or swatched it or even put it away.... So, well, yeah.
Anyway, the stats:

Fabric In:124.625 yds
Fabric Out:42.5 yds
Last fabric purchase:12/29/09
Garments made for me:19
Garments made for other people in my family: 5
Accessories: 3
Things made for friends: 1
Muslins: 1
No Wadders in '09!

PROJECTS COMPLETED:
Miscellaneous Church-Related Sewing:
black linen '18th century preacher' coat
white linen '18th century' men's shirt
6 tasseled liturgical scarves

School Costuming:
'08-'09 Musical, Aida:
Lots of pattern altering/fabric cutting before sewing anything!
4 simple shift a-line pullover dresses
5 poly matte jersey halter dresses
A bunch of partial projects, alterations and accessories...

Fall '09 School Tour skit, The Happy Scarecrow:
One Jester costume, w/hat

'09-'10 Musical, White Christmas:
drafted, then constructed the muslin of a frankenpattern for a pouffy skirted tap-dance dress
sparkly red Simplicity 3878 formal dress....started w/ a partly assembled bodice

Lengthened men's suit jacket sleeves

Fall '09 One-Act Competition play, The Compleat Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged (Abridged):
One teeny tomato print poufy long skirt, which was later replaced
two plaid 'Scottish wraps'
green leggings and poufy knickers
orange leggings and poufy knickers
weird cape from two actual pleated-top drapes
purple leggings and poufy knickers
green calico poufy long skirt (the replacement)
green calico poufy doll skirt
black moleskin Simplicity 4059 jerkin

Middle school production of A Christmas Carol:
burgundy 'antique satin' Dickens skirt

Just plain sewin':
Well, I started listing all the regular projects, and, you know, the list was just getting way too long. Nobody's gonna read it, and I've got it recorded in Excel; the totals on the projects are in the stats...that's good enough!

But, in all honesty, my sewing production was WAY down this year. Partly due to the costume sewing and partly due to the part time job...I just didn't have a chance to get into the sewing room for myself.

Hence the elevated 'fabric in' totals. It's a well-noted phenomenon that when a sewing enthusiast is denied the opportunity to sew, her fabric purchases go up. It doesn't make sense; you'd think I wouldn't buy it if I weren't sewing it. But the purchasing becomes the outlet for the creative urge; I can't make the garments for real, but I dream 'em up and buy the goods.

So, I have a pile of sewing to do in twenty-ten. Not only do I need to whittle down the tower of fabric I have from '09's purchases, but I need to regularly scratch the sewing itch so I don't buy more... ;)

And, for those of you who have stuck with me this far, I'm starting off 2010 with a three-week Internet fast. I'll explain that a little better on the other blog, but, well, I need some time. The third week of January would be my regularly scheduled break anyway; I'm just adding two weeks to it. Hopefully, I will get my house into something close to presentable (with all that crunch sewing, some nuisance medical stuff that I didn't blog about, and the holiday scramble, my house is a MESS!).

And, who knows, if I stay off the Internet, I might get something sewn... ;)

Anyway, happy New Year to all my blogging buddies, and I'll see you in three weeks!

Got a New Gizzie

Let me lead up to this in a round about fashion...

Years ago, I remember seeing commercials for a 'hand held blender' -- a whizzer thingie that you held in your hand and dunked up and down in the large container of whatever food item being pureed.

I thought it was the silliest kitchen gadget I'd ever seen.

But about a year ago, I had a gift card for Bed, Bath and Beyond, and a coupon and, well, I went in looking for something to use the two items on and came out with a hand-held blender. I wasn't really sure why, other than there really wasn't anything in the store that day that looked like an urgent need, and the coupon was about to expire.

It is one of the most used appliances in my kitchen. I LOVE that thing.

Now, when Simplicity came out with the little bobbin winder gadget, I thought, 'That is the silliest sewing gizmo I've ever seen.' Since the spool of thread had to go on the winder, I could not see how it could possibly be that much of an improvement over the machine's own bobbin winder.

You guessed it...I got one (actually, the Dritz version) for Christmas.

And I do see a picture on the side of the box showing it operating with thread still on the sewing machine, so I am withholding judgment and trying to keep an open mind. Perhaps it will be the sewing room equivalent of the hand-held blender.

Um, yeah. Maybe.

So...here's a question...do any of my blog buddies have a bobbin winder? Do you use it? Any opinions to share?

I'm listening... ;)

The Last Fabric Purchase of the Year

Um, I think...

Gorgeous Fabrics is having a sale; I perused the fabrics and found two pieces that will do nicely for choir in March, when we're to wear a deep bright green. The silk duppioni I got last year really has not held up well (not the highest quality, I fear...yes, it came from the local Hancock's...)so I was looking to augment the wardrobe a bit.
I got some Kelley green rayon jersey and some Brilliant Green silk charmeuse jacquard.

I told My Sweet Baboo what I was doing yesterday morning before heading to work...and his only comment was, 'Be sure you get enough.'

Um, I may have grumbled about a fabric shortage sometime recently... ;)

Anyway, that'll be my green for March. *Surely* I can find time to make a couple of tops...

Not In Choir Today...

And I just realized that we won't be in choir next Sunday, either...so Choir Sundays is finished for this year.

Sometimes I feel like I'm really overdoing the whole thing...especially since I keep listing some of the same garments over and over again. But, I know there are folks who check out the Choir Sunday posts; they do get comments. And, in my crazy, too-busy-to-blog-lately life, it does pretty much guarantee at least one post a week.

So, despite the fact that I feel a little overly self-promoting doing them, I'll probably keep them up next year...

I already have a project in mind to do for January, in which the choir colors will be royal blue and black; a new (well, one I have had for ages but haven't made yet) Loes Hinse pattern, to be made out of some burnout velvet that landed in the shopping cart when I was buying tartan scarves at Fabric Mart...I think it'll make a great Venetian Vest...if I have enough fabric.

I'm still smarting over the shortage of ruby charmeuse.

So Bummed.

I finally got my gorgeous ruby red silk charmeuse on the cutting table. I had 4.25 yards; 45" was the width...I thought...

I've cut this very pattern out of 3.5 yards of 45" fabric before; had to piece the front facing, but I made it.

You can see where this is headed, can't you?

I cut out the shirt back, back neck facing, pockets, sleeves and leg band, then moved the fabric to cut the rest...and found I was a good 3/4 yard short of having enough.

I was bumfuzzled...how could I have been so far wrong?

I measured the width; it was 42 inches wide. Not 45.

I tried and tried to get the rest of the pieces on there...but I had 3 big pieces left to cut and I just could not get them all on.

So, I folded it all up together and put it away. There's enough there for a nice blouse; I *can* recut the folded PJ back piece. And I'll like the blouse. But...I really had my heart set on charmeuse jammies.

Why on earth didn't I buy about 6 yards??? It was on sale...

Oh, well, maybe it'll happen again some day...

Breathing a little

Last night was the last evening event...I've got time at night to do things now!

And, of course, among the 'things' I want to do is dust off the sewing machine.

I did get my muslin of the scoop-neck, raglan sleeved Burda magazine (can't say BWOF anymore, can we?) tshirt pattern put together. I raised the neckline considerably, and the first guess for the neckband length was too long, so I took the neckband off, shortened it 3" and put it back on.

It was still too long, and, in all honesty, the underarm is too low; raising my arms also raised the top. I was debating trying to fix it again, when I had a sudden and freeing thought:
This is a muslin!.
The fabric is off the buck-fifty table at Wal-Mart. So I can cheerfully toss it and try again.

I've adjusted the underarm on all but one of the pattern pieces; as soon as I can get the last one done I'll cut out another iteration.

But I have another project I want to do this weekend...

Silk charmeuse PJ's. Ordered the fabric way back in the spring when it was on sale for $5/yd so I could have some luxurious PJ's for Christmas. However, I hadn't figured on the Hot Flash Season hitting me; I'm not sure my Laura Petrie Jammies pattern will work right now. I really don't want to sweat up nice silk PJ's.

But...that *is* what I bought the fabric for...

gotta do 'em this weekend if I want 'em for Christmas!

Choir Sundays '09 #46

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
The Choir's in Red and Black...
If I worked on it I could probably parody the whole song, but I think I'll leave it there for now. Anyway, it's The Layered Look today...and I'll declare, those reds looked a lot more matchy in the mirror than they do in the camera! Wonder how they looked under stage lights? Maybe I'm better off not knowing...

So, this is the black wool gab Loes Hinse Oxford pants again, this time with the red/black/silver wool/Lurex plaid crepe Silhouette Patterns' Robin's Jacket, worn over my black rayon/lycra matte jersey Simplicity 4076 surplice top (Hm...I just noticed I never updated that review for the surplice view...), worn over a red fine ribbed cotton knit Jalie 965 tank top.

I think we'll always wear red/black in December; I really should pull out my red wool crepe that's been in the stash for, like, forever and make something...

Top Picks

Linday T. asks the sewing blogging community the question, 'What's Your Favorite of 2009?'

My sewing production has been pretty abysmal this year...but I do have a couple of things I really, really like. My personal favorite of the year has to be the Jalie Cardigan and tank top twin set. I love the way that fits and the fabric feels marvelous (I even ordered two more yards; it's that good...).

But the garment I'm the most proud of (aside from costume sewing, which I'm not even going to THINK about) is probably the fancy dress I made for the Flute Player last winter (Simplicity 4271).
I put that together, from a run to Hancock's with only a vague notion of which pattern I'd use, to the finished dress going out the door on the way to dinner, in a fuzz over a day.

So here's to a little more personal sewing and a lot more stash reduction in 2010!!! I have beyoutiful fabrics...and I want to sew them!!!

Choir Sundays 09 #45

It's December! Time for something Festive!

So, this month we give the blue jeans a rest and our choir colors are red and black. No jeans. And I pulled my black wool gab Loes Hinse Oxford Pants, an OOP Kwik Sew blouse made up in red poly microfiber peachskin, and an embroidered black velvet RTW vest that I believe has been in the wardrobe since, oh, 2000?

This was state drama competition weekend; I have to brag and say that I'm extraordinarily proud of our Compleat Works cast...they put on a show that was at least two notches above what they had done in the past. The nearly full theater audience was rockin' and rollin' right along with them. It was fun to see. However, 3 out of 5 judges apparently failed to see merit in the show, and the only award that the troupe earned went to the young lady who played (among other things) Hamlet. She was named to the All-Star cast.

Still, the kids did really well and they had the cheers of their peers; the opinions of five particular individuals really can't touch that.

Oh, I did get the Flute Player's pants done before I left. Now I think I'll see if I can actually sew something for my closet...

Back to the In-House Projects...

It almost feels odd not to owe anyone a costume...except that the Flute Player has a Christmas concert on Thursday, and her one pair of black pants are waaayyyy too short.

So I got out the pattern Sunday evening, lengthened it about 4" (so it has a deep hem. More room for growth...) and added a pinch to the outseams because the too-short pants are also bordering on being too tight. I did manage to get them cut out of some very nice black cotton/lycra sateen from Gorgeouse Fabrics, purchased for this very cause earlier this year.

Wish I'd taken a photo of the pasted-up pattern before I put it away...

Last night, the night of 4 different events happening at the same time (we could only get to one...), I changed the thread on the serger and put the interfacing on the waistband pieces.

At least I'm *ready* to sew tonight...I think I can get 'em done in a couple of hours.

I hope!

Choir Sundays 09 #44

(Yeah...I know this is Monday. I was gone virtually all day yesterday, and The Actor was on the computer working on an overdue English assignment until midnight. So, yeah...anyway...)
This month's colors are black and/or burgundy with blue jeans...but dresses are okay, too. ;).
So, this is the burgundy slinky knit Sewing Workshop Cityscapes Dress, worn with the rayon/lycra jersey Vogue 8305 Cardi-wrap. Every year I say this...the Cityscapes dress is the perfect Sunday-after-Thanksgiving attire... ;)

And here's a 'parting shot' for you, just because I'm behind the time w/the post...while The Actor was slaving away trying to build a bibliography for a research paper, I decided I'd do a little work. The Flute Player must have black pants that actually cover her ankles by the Christmas Concert on Thursday, and, well, since I was cutting out black fabric I thought I'd do a muslin on a Burda T-shirt...I've picked up some rather pretty glitzy striped lycra blend knit from the buck-fifty table at Wal-Mart to test fit it before I cut into my nice rayon/lycra stripe. My Sweet Baboo got tickled a the 'help' Frisco Kitty was offering as I was trying to trace/cut out the Burda pattern...

Hamlet's Jerkin

Despite the fact that the cat wanted to eat both the gold trim and the leather lacing, I had a jerkin ready to send in in time for Monday's school performance. The Actor tells me that his director and the young lady who actually plays Hamlet both liked it.



I don't know if you can tell from the photo of the back, but I added 3/4" to the back seam and finished it off w/the lining, then used Velcro(R) to close it up. The costume changes are pretty quick, so the only way that lace-up vest was going to be useful was if it had a quick entry.

I used black moleskin (faux suede). Not as fancy as velvet would've been, but not as expensive, either... ;).

The pattern is Simplicity 4059; if I can get a picture of it on the actress I'll post it w/a review... ;)

For anyone who happens to be in the Rocket City area, the kids are doing a fundraiser performance on Monday at Lee High School at 7 PM. No admission charge per se, but they are requesting a $5 donation...trying to cover the expenses of going to the state competition (which is next weekend). Just FYI. ;)

Choir Sundays 09 # 43

(Yes,I skipped a week; last weekend was our turn to serve elsewhere so My Sweet Baboo and I did not sing in the choir.)

This Month's Choir colors:Black and/or burgundy w/ blue jeans
I wore my Tribeca set again...that's the Sewing Workshop Tribeca Shirt over a Loes Hinse City Dress Shell Top, made from a rayon blend brocade I picked up in May '07's stash-surging trip to Sir's Fabrics.

And I just realized that this was what I wore in the last Choir Sundays post two weeks ago *egg on face*.
At least it wasn't two weeks in a row...;)

Back Among the Functional

It's been over 5 years since I had anything close to the kind of bug I had Monday...and I seem to remember being fairly normal in a couple of days after that bout. This one...well, I still don't have much of an appetite back. But at least I can sew now...

This is Your Basic Dickens Skirt, in something like antique satin from the buck-and-a-half table at Wal-Mart. I'm kicking myself now for not taking pictures as I made it; it would've been good to put them with the explanation of how to make one. I was doing good to get it made, though, so I'll just have to wait and photograph the next one. Anyway, The Flute Player's middle school drama class is doing A Christmas Carol in about 3 weeks and she needed a costume. I have an old cape (24 years old, to be exact...purchased so I'd have something warm to wear in November and December before her older sister was born) that I used in our church Dickens productions, and we'll borrow a bonnet for her from church. All she needs is a white blouse and she's set. Whew.

And don't you know all those dangly gathering threads (dental floss, actually) was an attraction to the Frisco Kitty?

We Continue Costuming...

Hopefully.

Sunday I ate something that had been in the fridge for longer than I realized; yesterday I got flattened by a truly violent ailment. I felt fine when I left the house; three hours later I was lying on the bathroom floor at work hoping I could make it home (special thanks to Miss A and Pastor J for making sure I did!)

Yesterday was a total washout; I'm up and moving slowly today; pushing fluids because I did get somewhat dehydrated. I'm hoping once I get rehydrated I'll feel good enough to sew because...

The Flute Player needs a Dickens costume; her drama class will be performing "A Christmas Carol" the second week in December and she is one of the Solicitors and a Caroler. I checked at church for a costume she's used before for a school project, but the costume area is in such disarray that I couldn't find it. So I stopped at my favorite Wal-Mart and picked up a goodly length of burgundy antique satin from the dollar fifty table to make a skirt and perhaps a short cape. If I add a good deep hem to the skirt, it'll be useful when/if we ever do 'Scrooge' at church again.

Plus I still need to make the extra costume piece for 'Compleat Works'...haven't had a final 'go' on that yet. The pattern *I* liked best is a McCall's...and I just discovered McCall's patterns are on sale at Hobby-Lobby this week.

I may have to run in and get one, feeling puny or not....