Thanks Ruth!

Ruth has given me the Versatile Blogger Award. I tried to load it as a gadget, but blogger says it's broken. Obviously not. What's that about?

I need to do several things in order to be a versatile blogger.
First Rule: add it to my blog. Hopefully it's right above this post!

Second, thank the blogger who has given it to me. I don't think I actually deserve it, but thank you so much Ruth. I love reading your blog, so you get lots of points for that! http://sewruth.blogspot.com

Third, list the rules (interspersed above and below):

Rule #4 List 7 random things about myself you may not know.

1. Even though I generally dress really conservatively, I have a wild child inside waiting to jump out. I LOVE wild fabrics, and will frequently use them as pockets or linings on my staid clothing.
2. I have a German Shorthair Pointer and a Cocker Spaniel. Both are loving and smart and sometimes too needy, wanting to be in the middle of my sewing projects!
3. I am married, but have been divorced and widowed.
4. In previous incarnations, I have been a travel agent, an income tax preparer, a commercial landscape estimator and purchase agent, and a salesperson of various items from commercial tree nursery outside sales to commercial accounting and tax software.
5. I generally love my job but am amazed at the squalor some people chose to live in. A little messiness is one thing, but raising children in a hovel is appalling. Alternatively, those people who don't have a spot of dust or anything out of place are almost as freaky and I wonder if they don't have any kind of life! Obviously not obsessed sewists!
6. I have two children, two step children, and eleven grandchildren including the steps.
7. When I was widowed and downsized within a few months just before my 50th birthday, I decided I wanted to go back to school (quit college my first year when I got pregnant with my first child.) Even though I started working full time, I went to school nights until I received my Associates Degree (with almost enough credits for a Bachelor's Degree) with highest honors. BUT, it did take me 10 years to do a two year degree!

Rule #5 Pass the award on to 15 deserving and conscientious bloggers.

1. http://sew-4-fun.blogspot.com/
2. http://www.staciethinksshecan.com/
3. http://creativecraftwork.blogspot.com/
4. http://sdbev.blogspot.com/
5. http://ruthieksews1.blogspot.com/
6. http://girlsinthegarden.blogspot.com/
7. http://tenthousandsewinghours.blogspot.com/

These are the ones I know that don't show the award on their blogs. Sorry there aren't more but most of the blogs I follow have already received this award!

Rule 6 - Inform your nominee. The recipients can then link to your blog, copy and paste the award and display the award on their own page.

One down, many to go!

Well, I finally have made an executive decision and decided I need to take some time for myself before I get sick! I haven't had a day off since the end of February, and trying to fit my personal needs around 8-12 hour/7 day a weeks doesn't work that well. So I have four days off in a row and intend to put in some quality sewing time over the next few days! It's raining here so I'm not too interested in the garden at this point.

I have squeezed a few evening sewing hours out though, and finished my first Hot Patterns shirt. I hate the way I look in pictures, and please excuse the flip flops, but hubby was home so I could actually get a picture! Shown with a pair of tropical weight wool trousers that I made prior to the start of SWAP, but I may need to include to get to 11 garments. :P}}



Took care of some accounting and household issues this morning, and finally am starting on the Hot Patterns cowl neck top. It's officially the "Weekender Renaissance Top" and appears to be out of print. Too bad because I love the look of it! I had made this before and it was a total wadder. It didn't fit right, and I had for some unknown reason... perhaps because there is no layout on the pattern sheets... cut it on the straight of grain when I absolutely know for a cowl to hang right, it has to be cut on the bias. So I have retraced the pattern, using what I hope is the right upper chest and neck size, and just going out a few sizes under the armpit so I don't have to make a FBA. I know, I AM that lazy right now!This is made out of knit from my stash, that appears to be a super light weight double knit. Perhaps a rayon, but I don't know off the top of my head and I'm currently too lazy to go look. :P}}Love the color, it's kind of a denim-ey blue.

But good news on another front. I finally got a new doctor who actually seems interested in helping me achieve a normal life again. After almost two years with no exercise because of at first allergies, then a super painful knee injury, she has given the go ahead for slow and careful exercise. I was initially told I'd sprained a ligament and it would take 3 months to heal. 9 months later, I switched doctors and asked for some answers as to why it was still so painful I couldn't walk a mile without winding up in tears. She was rather surprised no X-Ray had been taken, and that I hadn't been sent to Physical Therapy.

To make a long story short, I know now that I have a torn meniscus, and I need PT. I will be starting swimming as soon as the new bathing suit I ordered arrives, and yes, I know I COULD make one, but I don't want to fuss with it right now. I can also use a stationery bike with my knee brace for 15 minute periods three times a week so long as I use lots of ice afterwards. So all of a sudden, exercise pants got added to the list, and I'll make a sleeveless top. I don't have anything suitable for the gym, so those will be quick and dirty projects. The HP cowl should be done this evening, and the gym pants and top will get started tomorrow.

Hallelujah! Normality may be in my future. I am super hyper and a couple of years of forced inactivity have dramatically impacted my life, my moods, my weight, and my mental state. I am super positive about getting back to my normal life and hopefully dropping about a third of the weight I'm carrying... that will make it ALL GOOD!

Hope you have a pleasant and fulfilling weekend! More later.

Moving along at a snail's pace

I did finally get the man to take some pictures, but they're not the best! It was a very windy day. You can at least see the two pair of pants I've done, and the jacket. The blue shirt is one I made last year from the Hot Patterns Plain and Simple Princess Shirt that I'm using again for my SWAP.

That shirt is one of my absolute favorites and I wear it a lot. It is a linen, and I'm doing one for my SWAP in a rayon challis, and another in a cotton crepe. I am making some minor changes in the Hot Patterns shirt. I had already done a FBA, a sway back adjustment, and narrowed the shoulders. I have to start at a much smaller size in the neck and shoulders, and blend out to waist and hips, then do a full bust adjustment that takes care of the tummy as part of the deal. Unusual for me, the sleeves were fine and had plenty of room for my chubby upper arms. With the new version, I've done more of a sway back adjustment, which seems to have fixed a few minor fit problems, and added 1/4" at each center front princess seam at the bottom, blending to nothing at the waist.

As I look at the grey pants, I may have to go for another redraft. They aren't fitting as well as the other ones, although it could be because of the grey cotton fabric. I am using the same pattern I used for my navy tropical weight wool slacks which don't have the same issues. The navy slacks seem to be okay. So, I'll check it out again!

Navy pants and jacket:



Grey Pants and Hot Patterns shirt



I'm hoping to actually give the SWAP a really good run now that I have these done. Although looking at the pictures, the last year of being off exercise due to my knee ligaments getting injured has me thinking I need to quit eating altogether! And if I can lose 25 or so pounds, the redrafting will be a reality, and a pleasant one at that!

I do have another Hot Patterns shirt almost done. Unfortunately work has been long hours with minimal time off. I've had a lot of 7 day weeks, and usually when I'm that busy I don't have energy for much else. Since my hubby has been off work for most of this year so far, I don't feel like I can turn down work for sewing time, although I'd sure like to do so!

The next shirt is similar to the one in the pictures. It is a rayon challis blue with a floral print... I think we're seeing a theme here, but has 3/4 sleeves instead of short sleeves. It should be done in the next few days and then I'll have at least four pieces out of the 11 done! That doesn't seem like much, but I can do a couple of tees quickly, and the pants are quick too. The jacket didn't take long, and now that I think I have the graining problems settled, that will make a huge difference.

Well, to work. It's piled up around my ears.
More later!

A bit done today

I'm so far behind in my SWAP! I anticipated being halfway through by now. I need to get over stalling my progress when I get stymied by something and just work through it and keep going. I think I'm back on track now. I finally got the off grain fabric worked out. Parts are going to continue to be slightly off grain, but I worked on graining that damned stuff for a week off and on and it never got much better. So it will be what it will be. Frustrating because it's a lovely light weight navy twill for one of my core items... pants and matching jacket. But I'm moved on with it, and I'm up to the lining insertion. I had hoped to have it complete by now, but unfortunately life got in the way this weekend.

Instead of sewing, I had to do errands. Our refrigerator ice maker and water dispenser just quit working. So I had to find the brochure with the warranty items, and go through them. What a surprise to find you're supposed to change out the water filter every 6 months! I don't think they told us that initially. But to make a long story short, several hours were wasted on line and calling local stores trying to find the right part.

Ultimately I found out our Kitchen Aid refrigerator filter has been changed to a Whirlpool filter. After checking with multiple stores, and getting useless recordings that want you to talk to them, I finally found out Home Depot carries them (if you have the right number!) and if you get lucky enough you might even find someone to help you!

Off to Home Depot we went. We initially had a woman who took us to the Brita water filters, and the filters for those in sink water dispensers. After wandering around for a while, we found the refrigerator filters and after a lot more head scratching found one that is the same as our old one. Not the actual part number we were given, but it does fit.

All in all, I love the Internet, and I love being able to find anything on line. BUT there are times when you need something today, not in a week, and I really miss having customer service from a real person who can help you find what you need in their store and actually gives a damn if you are pleased with the store and their service! I know, rag, rag, rag. BUT still!

So now I'm off to hopefully finish that jacket tonight, or at least get really close!

Hope you all had a fabulous sewing weekend!

The inseam pocket instructions

Don't get freaked out by the various pair of pants. As you'll be able to see, I do this a lot! And I love wild prints for my pockets and waistband finishes. If you do this, every time you go to the bathroom all day, you'll be smiling! :P}}

I have taken this from David Page Coffin's book Making Trousers for Men & Women. I can't recommend the book highly enough. Like his book on Shirts, this is the definitive textbook for making trousers. I took his instructions, and wrote them out with pictures so even I can get it right start to finish!



Modify your pattern front side to have a flap that extends past the normal seam allowance. Add the flap along the front side past the seam allowance along the area where your pocket will be. The total width including seam allowance should be 1.25" if you use 1/2" seams. Adjust appropriately for your preferred seam allowance. It should start approximately 1.25" below top of pants including upper seam allowance, and extend approximately 5 to 7 inches long, depending on the size of your hand. Your hand needs to be able to fit through the opening without stretching the pocket opening.

Cut a pocket square approximately 15" wide by 12" long. This can be cut from the fashion fabric, regular cotton pocketing, or any tightly woven cotton. Quilting fabrics work great. You will fold it in half, with the fold towards the pants center front seam. Place the folded pocket square underneath your pants front pattern. The top should be at the top of your pants to be included in the waist seam.

Cut the outer edge of the pocketing to match your pattern hip curve. While you cut the pocketing, you can ignore the flap and just do the pocket the same as the pants would be without the flap.

The total width including seam allowance should be 1.25" if you're using 1/2" seam allowances, or 1 3/8" if you're using 5/8" seam allowances. Again, you want your pockets opening to start approximately 1.25" below top of pants including upper seam allowance, and extend approximately 5 to 7 inches long, depending on the size of your hand. Your hand needs to be able to fit through the opening without stretching the pocket opening. (See photo)



Note: I use 1/2" seam allowances, with an extension of 3/4" extra or 1 1/4". If you are using 5/8" seam allowances, adjust as needed. A 1" extension also works, and will be just a little wider on the interior of your pants where no one can see it.



Cut the clipping lines on the pants front as shown in the diagram. Finish the outside edge of the flap.

Sew front and rear darts.

Make the Pockets

With the right side of your pants front up, position the cut out pants front over the front pocketing. Extend the top of the pocket up to the waist edge of the pants so it will be caught in the waistband seam. Check to be sure your hip curve matches on the pocket and the pants front. The extension should go beyond the curve of the hip by 3/4" to 1". Mark the pocket edges on the pocketing.

Reinforce the pocketing edge only with stay tape adjacent to and abutting the seam line. to keep the pocket edge from stretching when you're wearing the pants. You can either use sew in or fusible stay tape or narrow twill tape.



Fold the extensions over the pocketing (wrong sides together ~ you want the print showing when the pockets are complete!) and zigzag through the pocketing and extension ONLY. Be sure not to catch the pants in this stitching!




Fold the pocketing so it matches up along the seam line with the edge of the pants that will be sewn to the pants back. Position the pocket facing between the layers so it lines up with the side seam, and covers the pocket opening. Zigzag the facing inner edges to the pocketing, leaving about 1" open at the lower side edge so it can be folded out of the way when you stitch the side seams. NOTE: Don't do the outer edges. They will be caught in the side seams.





Topstitch the pocket edge. At this point, I like to fold it again so the inside edge of the pocket is even with the stitching line and topstitching edge is 5/8" inside the seam line for 1/2" seam allowance. You can baste the edges together so they don't shift when you stitch the side front to the side back if you choose to do so.



Baste and stitch the pocket bottom together. I like to pin them together inside out first, stitch the seam, turn them, and topstitch with the raw edges inside the topstitched area. It reinforces the seam and makes it look nice on the inside.




Fun photos of very sedate looking exteriors and fun interiors!

Khaki twill slacks with camo pockets



Grey polished cotton slacks with stars!



and my favorite: Tropical navy wool trouser with circus pockets!



If you decide to make these pockets in your pants, let me know. It's fun to know there are other sewists walking around with sedate pants on the exterior and wild pants on the inside!

More later!

Off the blog for a while

So I've been sewing pants, but slowly. We've been fighting either colds or flu here for the last few weeks, so I've been conserving my strength and my time for the necessary work life instead of the enjoyable blogging and sewing... LOL

The navy pants I made with the cute pockets got trashed. With the large amount of stretch in them, I decided they were a bit too big, so went back, took off the waistband, redid the back crotch seam, and brought them in to serge the seam. Because I have a narrow table that was kind of full of other things, the pants were scrunched up as I was doing the serging. And lo and behold, as I went to move them around I realized not only had I caught the right cheek of the back into the seam, which may have been fixable, the knife had slashed a hole about 2" long right smack dab in the middle of the right cheek so there was no fixing it without it being super noticeable! Darn! Another wadder and I really liked those pants. So far, a pair of pants and a jacket as wadders. I HATE that! I really am a better sewist than this!!!

So far I have got two pair of pants made that are great, a navy and a grey and I've started the navy jacket. Backs are sewn together. I need to cut out the fronts, sleeves, and facings and get them sewn up. The fabric is seriously off grain and I can't seem to get it grained up right. It's a cotton/rayon/lycra, and no matter what I do it doesn't work. So I'm doing the best I can with it, cutting one layer at a time, and will hope for the best. It's frustrating because it was a good quality fabric from Sawyer Brook and I paid fairly good money for it on sale.

I'll be posting pictures soon of part of the process. I love the in seam pockets from the David Paige Coffin trouser book, so will show you how I go about it! Hopefully that will be this evening or later in the week when I get finished with my work!

Elizabeth at Artisan's Square set up a mini challenge to have two garments finished by the end of February. If I do the jacket and a tee shirt, or stop and do a few tees, I could make that happen! Thinking I will need to pay attention and quit messing about though!

Have a fabulous Monday!

Pants!

I've been super busy at work, and haven't really had time to post. If the choice is between a few minutes to blog and a few minutes to sew, the sewing generally wins!

BUT I have been doing some sewing. The navy jacket became a wadder because everything I tried to do to correct it just made it worse... I do know that the pattern fits quite well though, so that's a step in the right direction for sure! I also need to type up some "directions" though so I don't do things out of order. But other than that, it's going to become a reality pretty soon.

In the meantime, I decided I needed to do something less stressful so I decided to do pants. Many years ago when Don McCunn (How to Make Sewing Patterns) was giving live pants drafting classes, I took the class from him. I learned how to draft pants quickly and easily, and for the first time in my life had pants that actually fit me everywhere. Not ones that were okay, but ones that fit my own unique shape and form. Since then, I've made so many pair, and have drafted so many patterns, I could almost do them in my sleep. I have added a few refinements over the years~ couldn't live without Sandra Betzina's fly front zipper instructions, and I love the inseam pockets from David Coffin's book "Trousers."

So the first pair of pants are made, picture at the bottom. Sorry everything is on hangars until I get the hubby and I together at the same time with enough time to do pictures. This pair is a strange cotton lycra twill from the stash, source unknown, and I've added pockets that are kind of like the ones found on cargo pants. This particular pair will be used for more casual days. The following pair is a nice steel grey cotton lycra polished cotton, that I may have purchased from Nancy Erickson's Fashion Sewing site. It's a very nice fabric and will make nicer pants for work. You can see the pattern front and the fabric in the second picture. Backs are on the machine with the darts installed.

The goal for the week is to finish the grey ones, do a black pair, and make another navy pair of slacks, and get started on the modifications to the cowl neck top. Don't know if that's doable with my work schedule, but that's the goal. This week is the last quilt class, so all we have left to do is bind them, and I will have more time after that's done too!



Navy pants, cargo type pockets, fly front.



Soon to be steel grey pants, inseam pockets, fly front.

Hope you're having fun with your sewing too. More later!

Still thinking

But I think I have it solved. I'm just going to sew the hem and facings together at the bottom and let it go. It will still be a good work jacket and I won't care if it gets ruined because I'll always know it's not perfect. And yes, Scarlett, I do have at least some amount of OCD and want everything I sew to be perfect. Even though I know perfection is an impossible goal, it gives me something to strive for.

With the Artisan's Square SWAP, this helps. I get to make the same garment a few times allowing me to perfect the fit and for me anyway, each time I make something, it gets a little better. I do need to remember with self drafted patterns to write the steps down in order so I don't get ahead of myself all the time though. :P}}

Last night was the second quilting class. No pics today. But we started sashing our blocks. Homework is to finish the sashing, which won't take more than a few hours. Next week we learn to "sandwich" our quilts and the quilting process. Fourth week is binding. I'm having fun and I really like the way it's turning out.

More later!

Frustration Reigns

Okay. You know when you decide you're going to alter a design slightly, but want to retain the original pattern, so you just make the changes directly to the fabric? Well, I do this frequently, and it usually works out just fine.

As you know, I've been working on my cardigan "muslin" for a while now. It was coming together quite nicely, and I was thinking it wasn't going to be a muslin, it was going to be a favorite piece in my wardrobe. I cut a piece of silk Charmeuse for the lining that I had purchased on sale, and wasn't thrilled with the colors when I got it. But it works quite nicely with the navy, and I was liking the jacket more and more.

I sewed the lining, put the facings on, and sewed it into the jacket, leaving the bottom 4" or so open so I could bag the lining. Get everything sewn, under-stitched, trimmed, and ready to go, then start pressing up hems. Lo and behold, my facing is too short???? What's going on?

I fiddled with this for a few hours yesterday trying to figure out what was going on and how in the world this happened. Checked the facing against the garment front pattern piece. Couldn't figure out why it was too short. Then the light bulb went on over my head! I had cut the garment pieces first and sewn them together because I wanted to get a move on with this. I'd added about an inch and a half to the bottom of the jacket because I wanted it a bit longer than the pattern. But when I cut the facings a week or so later, I forgot all about lengthening the pattern and cut them to the original length. So now I have facings about an inch and a half shorter than they should be!

I don't think I can save it, but I MAY try later today around my work time to piece some left over fabric at the bottom of the facing. I DO NOT want to remove all stitching and try to replace the facing with another piece. It may look a little funky on the inside if I piece it, but no one generally sees the inside facings of my jackets, so it will be a reminder to me in the future to cut everything at the same time, or else to make post it notes and apply to pieces waiting to be cut out.

On a really positive note, though, the jacket fits fantastic! I will be making this up in the "good stuff." And soon! My SWAP is in the works and on the move!

Hopefully back on tract

Got a little busy around here, and then a big OOPS1 I have been dealing with a damaged right knee since August when I was unloading boxes from our move. I had a box in my hands, turned, obviously incorrectly, heard something pop, and went down. I've had multiple visits to Dr., Chiropractor, and Physical Therapists. Didn't seem to be getting any better, but was generally under control with multiple doses of Advil every day.
Then the unthinkable happened! I share my sewing space with my office since we downsized, and as every fabricoholic/sewing obsessed person knows, there is never enough storage anywhere! I had a stool along the side of my path between office and sewing area, and I had stupidly set a banker's box of patterns on top. My husband was nagging, and in frustration, I got up from my desk and headed out of the office... I caught my left foot on the stool. Tried to catch myself and my right knee gave out. I flailed around, tried to catch myself, hit the cutting table, which broke, and I went down hard.
I was lucky as I only have bruises and misplaced bones. No rib through a lung, no sewing shears through an eye, no broken bones, nor any other disasters that might have befallen someone in a well supplied sewing room. But the back is out badly, and I've had two visits to the chiropractor with more coming. I have some pretty spectacular colors going along my left bicep and my left breast where I hit the leg of the table and the screws that used to hold it together. I think it was the Universe telling me I needed to get with the program and try the light laser therapy I'd been hearing about on the right knee. I've had my first treatment of that, and am hopeful that will get my knee back to operating correctly! I'm not a good injured or sick person, and this has gone on way too long!
On the sewing front, the wearable muslin jacket has sat without forward momentum for a week or so. I have started putting the lining together and hope to have that at least to finishing stages before the weekend is over.
I also started a beginning quilting class. For someone who has made everything from bras and undies to suits, it's an embarassing admission that I have never made a quilt and didn't have the slightest idea how to proceed. Our first class was Wednesday, three more to go. We learned how to do the piecing, cutting, and sewing. I have two squares completed and two more to go before Wednesday night's second session. I'm loving it. I may have found another obsession!
Here's a picture of one of my quilt blocks. Hopefully the jacket picture will be forthcoming soon!

Just work today!

Well, we did take a nice walk with the dogs along the marsh today. It was beautiful out, and we started off the year right.
I worked from about noon on with just the break for the walk. Still not caught up, and I'm starting another busy week. It's good to have a job! :P}}
All of the outside pieces of the jacket are cut out but not marked yet. Still need to cut the facings. I have the charmeuse drying now for my lining and pockets~ forgot I wanted to add pockets to the jacket~ and I'm going to get busy putting pieces together.
Can't wait for my first "wearable muslin" for the SWAP. Then I just need to decide if that's going to be the grey or the navy when it gets made up. It started out to be the grey jacket and I think that's the way it will stay as this one is navy, so I don't need two of the same pattern in the same color even though the fabric is different.
Onward and upward!
And as always, more later!

Going nuts here!

As promised, here's the fourth tee. It's an organic cotton knit from Near Sea Naturals in a Prussian Blue. It looks pretty much like teal to me, but I guess we can call the colors whatever we like. I'm not as pleased with this one as the others. It looks like it will need ironing every time it's laundered. I'll have to be careful to hang it to dry instead of tossing it in the dryer.

My internet was down for about 36 hours, when I had scheduled not my usual one, but two appraisals. I only got about half my research done, but did the inspections anyway. That means today and tomorrow instead of hiding in my sewing room, I'm typing appraisals. BIG SIGH. Well, income must come before fun.

My cardigan type jacket "wearable muslin" isn't going to be out of the French Terry after all. I don't know what the deal is because I always buy 2 1/2 yards of everything, but I think I must have lost my mind and bought less. It's also too small for what I wanted to do. BUT, here I come to save the day... I had a navy wool crepe that had been cleaned and was waiting to be something... don't remember what right now, that will get to be my wearable muslin for the cardigan jacket. It's partially cut out now.

Once I finish cooking and eating dinner, I'll finish cutting it out and start putting it together. I do have a perfect and gorgeous silk charmeuse I can use for lining. I'll handwash it tonight so it's ready to get cut also. I will have to do some minor drafting of the linings before they get cut out though. I'm going to try Kathleen Fansella's lining process so I don't wind up with a wonky place at the bottom of the front facing.

Off to dinner now!

Moving slowly

Got way too busy between work and the Holidays. I did get the fourth tee shirt and the grey sweater done, but not much else. I'll post a pic of the sweater, but the fourth tee is in the laundry. It'll have to wait to get posted.:P}}

I'm so excited to read about every one else's SWAP even if I haven't got to start on mine yet. For whatever reasons, probably interest rates went down again? I have received a ton of orders, so will be working some long hours between now and the end of next week. No rest for the wicked I guess!

I do have the cardigan jacket drafted and ready for my "wearable muslin" to be made. I was going to make another sweater out of my Prussian blue French terry, but didn't have enough fabric. So I know the cardigan jacket takes less fabric, and doing it as a wearable muslin will move me along on both fronts. Another warm sweater type thing for work and seeing if my alterations for the jacket are right. Makes me happy.

I've been doing a lot of contemplation as I drive around, thinking about resolutions versus goals. Resolutions are things you don't generally accomplish, while goals are always there in front of you, perhaps not quite attained at the current moment, but still attainable in the future. So this year, no resolution to lose weight and exercise. Instead:

Goals for 2012:

1.Get on the healthy lifestyle track.
I think the physical problems with thyroid and the not officially diagnosed but recognized Celiacs disease, have been solved, so now all I have to do is get on with the E word, and also do some portion control. I have a gym membership that I haven't been using because I badly sprained my knee ligaments when we moved in July, and it's not healed yet. But I do know that getting with healthy eating will help eliminate some of the weight, which will help. I think if I at least go to the gym, even if I can only do 15 minutes on the elliptical or sit in the Sauna. I also want to check out their water aerobics if I can find a bathing suit that fits. If I at least go and get started... we all know 27 days makes a habit... I will have a habit, which will motivate me to keep going. And for me motivation is key.

2. Complete the SWAP and upgrade my wardrobe.
I'd like to get this 11 piece SWAP completed. In my mind, I have two more lined up behind this one. Ideally, I'll get the full "core" of about 4 or 5 coordinating base colors that Nancy Nix Rice talks about and have about 20 or 30 garments that will make an infinite number of outfits.

3. Get the meditation going again on a daily basis.
I know if I meditate every day it relieves stress, helps me stay focused and I get much more accomplished every day. It also connects me to my spirituality and helps me be a nicer person I think.

That's probably enough. All take time which is always at a premium around here. I don't know how I did everything that needs to be done when my kids were home. My house was always clean, I worked full time, turned out a couple of decent people, cooked good meals, and still had time for me. Now it seems pretty hard to find the time to just sit and sew. Although when my kids were younger, computers were used pretty much just as a work thing because the Internet just wasn't out there. Communication was done in person, by phone or by letters. No facebook, no blogs, no email jokes.

Well, if I want to get anything done this evening, I need to stop typing and get pinning. Hopefully you will see the Wearable Muslin of the cardigan jacket in a day or two. Here's the grey sweater. Happy sewing!

As promised!

Here are the latest three tee shirts. I'm working on the fourth. Expect to do a lot this month as business is typically slow throughout the holidays. Once the fourth is done, I'll start the cardis. Then on to pants. :P}}Oh, and a few Christmas gifts thrown in, as well as another wool jacket for winter that will be one of my core items.

Sorry all shirts are on Lulu, but I don't think my work camera has a timer, and Dale's been running around a lot, and is at work again.

We're doing car repairs now. YUK! His truck needed servicing, bearings, shocks, etc., and I got new tires. AND found out I need brakes in the next 30 days. His big check went flying into cars, and a good chunk of the next one will too. BIG SIGH! I hate having to pay for car upgrades! Oh, well. That's definitely one thing you can't live without, and since my car has just reached 100,000 miles and they're rated for 350,000, I expect it's worth the money.

Hope everyone has a fabulous day!
More later

Some instant gratification sewing

After doing the two jackets and knowing I will be doing production sewing in the next several months, I decided to do some "instant gratification" sewing to not only have some quick and easy sewing, but also because all of a sudden winter is here, and I needed long sleeve dressy tees for work. So far I've got two print tees done and the third will be finished up shortly. I have another solid Organic Cotton from Near Sea Naturals that will be either a long sleeved or a 3/4 sleeved tee with a matching French terry cardigan. Then I have fabric for two other cardigans too if I like the way the French terry turns out.

Pictures this afternoon.
More later!

My story board for the Artisan's Square SWAP

Taught myself Adobe Illustrator to do this. Not bad if I say so myself!

More later.

The next jacket is done.

This one now has a lining, and is complete. I'm okay with it, but do want to figure out a better way to connect the lining at the bottom of the facings. I think Kathleen Fansella has a tutorial on her website to make this work so you don't have icky things there. In the past, I just used a Hong Kong finish along the edge of the facing, so it was okay. But that's not as nice as I'd like it to be. So that will be one of my projects for this weekend. Find the tutorial, figure out how to do it, and get my lining/facing patterns fixed up so they are completed nicely. :P}}

Well, and I'm going to do some instant gratification sewing with a few tees and an French Terry cardigan, and also make up a sloper to try on Cathy Friday. She wants a dress, and I've been promising to make her one for a long time, so I need to get her fitted so the dress will not be a total waste of time. Shouldn't take too long I don't think. I'll draft the skirt from measurements. Torsos I'm not so good at, so will use an old Burda fitting pattern I have here to compare the draft I've made to be sure it resembles a bodice when I'm done.

Can you tell, work is slow this week? this is the first Holiday in many years I won't be working at least part of the day. Woo Hoo!

Here's the jacket. Unfortunately, I'm bigger than the form now, so it looks a little baggy. It's not. :P}}More later!

The first "muslin" for the SWAP

I've been working on getting a jacket pattern fitted well enough to be a TNT. This jacket started out as Simplicity 4273. It's an easy jacket that I initially made unlined so I could wear it during the summers to "dress up" my work clothes without getting into stuff that couldn't be washed easily.

This version is my third one, and it's definitely getting closer to being what I wanted. I did make a lining pattern for this one, and it is made out of a rayon-linen blend from Joann's with a Bemberg lining in a color I LOVE! I may have it at the point I want it to be as far as fitting correctly.

I just have the shoulder pads, hems, and buttons and buttonholes to finish up, and it's done and ready to be worn. I'll finish them today and start on the next project. I need clothes badly and next will be a "twin set" from Petite Plus Patterns with a cardigan out of an organic cotton French Terry with a matching organic cotton knit tee shirt from the Pamela's Perfect Tee Shirt pattern. Then it will be multiple pairs of pants. I do want to get the Hot Patterns shirt fitted too before the SWAP starts, and am doing a fitting muslin for my daughter as she wants some knit dresses for work. Should be quick and easy items!

Well, off to the sewing room. More later.

Excuses for buying fabrics

I'm rather excited at this point. I've made the decision to join the Artisan's Square 2012 SWAP. It is something that totally fits in with my wardrobe concepts that I've culled into a tolerable and doable idea with the help of Nancy Nix Rice's newsletters.

The 2012 SWAP is to make a wardrobe using TNT patterns that you will use over and over again for wardrobe staples, being sure that you are very conscious of fitting your current body. Right up my alley. The idea is you make 11 garments that work together, four may be repeated garments from the same pattern, or one garment each from two different patterns.

I'll be doing 2 blouses, 2 tee shirts, at least one of them the cowl neck I want to perfect, 1 overshirt, 1 pair of jeans, 2 slacks, 2 jackets, and one other garment that I haven't decided on yet. Two garments can be made before the official start date of December 26, and the finish date is April 30. I may make either a button down shirt, or a vest, or a skirt depending on what happens towards the end. I may not finish if work gets too crazy, but having the plan in play will help immensely with the planning and goal setting.

At this point I need to go through all my fabrics and pick out what's going to get made, but I have been doing a small amount of shopping for fabrics...LOL Have several new pieces here that will get entered into the "pick me" for the SWAP. And I've purchased a few more fabrics keeping in mind my SWAP colors. I should have a very extensive wardrobe with relatively few garments that interact when I finish this up.

I need to go through my boxes of fabrics that haven't been cataloged yet and get them into the binder so I can quickly and easily find what I want. You can also get the muslins made and the SWAP garments cut out and fused before start day, so that's on the schedule along with everything else.

My move is becoming more permanent. One of my clients is still sending me Sonoma County appraisals, but the others are now sending me Solano County appraisals. I didn't realize until it stopped just how much driving I was actually doing. Santa Rosa, although only 55 miles, takes between 1 1/2 and 2 hours. Petaluma is a good 1 hour. I did one in Suisun City last week that took 10 minutes to get there. Much better. By the time this gets settled, I'll have more time for my sewing obsession!

Off to finish my teal green jacket and get started on the first "muslin" of a sweater that will be used frequently around here in the winter!