Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Wishing you all Merry Christmas,

Happy Holidays, and a Fabulous 2022!

 

Getting things done--Catching up on the brown capsule--three new tops!

 I didn't realize I hadn't posted the next few garments for the capsule. I'm moving slowly, but moving. 😁

Right after the brown tee, I made another. This one was completed 11/08/2021. No changes except fabric. It's my TNT tee with 3/4 sleeves in a lovely cotton or rayon jersey. Not sure which. The fabric is OLD stash, in a lovely cream with a tan print that looks kind of like number signs with a tiny tan square in the center. Sewed beautifully and is super soft and comfortable to wear.

Cream and tan TNT Pamela's Perfect Tee

Once the tee was completed, I had wovens on the brain. So I moved on with a button front Jalie #3130. I really like Jalie patterns because they generally have everything from a small child's size to a large adult size in one envelope. I had made this one before in a navy cotton and loved it. 

The fabric is "Tumbleweed French Linen" purchased from Sawyer Brook way back on August 13, 2013. I had 2 yards, 56" wide and not much in the way of scraps.

Unfortunately, I didn't realize until after cutting and sewing the body together (collar and collar stand attached, yokes sewn, side seams sewn) that the pattern was originally made about 40 pounds ago. I futzed around, procrastinated, and that type of thing until I finally bit the bullet and took it apart, recut, and started putting it together again. Everything was going well until I noticed that the collar had frayed and threads had raveled out of one side of the collar and collar stand. Then I was so frustrated I set it aside again while I cut out the next garment and started with it. 

I'm one of those sewists that can't stand having an unfinished garment waiting, and when I realized I was avoiding the sewing room so I wouldn't have that shirt in my face, I bit the bullet and started taking the collar stand and collar apart again. Eventually it was finished except for buttons and buttonholes. Then I also had the next garment waiting. The buttonholes and buttons for both garments finally happened yesterday, so I can move on to my next project.

                                            Tumbleweed French Linen Jalie 3130

And the final garment waiting to be blogged. This one is something I modified from one pattern I love into a different look. The base is the Hot Patterns Plain and Simple Shirt. I had the original, which is OOP. I knew I didn't want the original large lapels and collar, and wanted to update it a bit. 

I took the center front piece, removed the collar and lapels, then rounded the "L" shaped neck edge, added a fold under button band, and drafted a Mandarin collar to fit the new neck edge. I like it, but the next one will have a neck edge that is lower at the center front, and bound neck edges instead of the collar.

Fabric is "Historic Leaves Stylized Cotton Batiste" purchased from Vogue Fabrics 8/29/21. I don't know why I didn't notice, but it's only 42" wide. Even with 2.5 yards, I had minimal scraps. If I get something this narrow again, I'll add another half yard. Luckily, with the busy print, unless you look very closely, you can't tell the print isn't matched.

Leaf Print Cotton Batiste Plain & Simple Princess Shirt Modified

Both of the shirts had buttons and buttonholes completed yesterday, so I feel good about moving forward with the next thing. I'm going to modify the Morris Blazer (already muslined) for a woven, change the front to a rounded front edge, lengthen it a couple of inches and change to a long sleeve. I've got a dark chocolate brown wool ready for the pattern. Wish me luck!

I Guess the first capsule is browns?

This was started last weekend, but darn. I lost the post somehow.  I was waiting for pictures on me. I've given up on that for now.

There has been a gap in sewing AGAIN because I was ill for almost two weeks. I'm hard headed so it took a LOT to get me to the doctor, and then serious antibiotics to get me back from the edge. Better now but working slowly. Onward and upward.

Completed: New Loes Hinse Oxford pants in a tobacco brown ponte knit.

Fabric: Italian Turkish Coffee Stretch Ponte Knit from Mood. Purchased August 30, 2021. Unusual for ponte, the fabric is only 48" wide. I purchased 2 1/2 yards. It's very drapey and stretchy, and reads to me as much taupe as brown. The blend is rayon, nylon and lycra, and a medium weight. At $17.99 a yard, it puts these trousers at just under $50 total. I'm comparing them to Eileen Fisher knit pants, which sell for $168, and don't fit me nearly as well, so I'm thrilled! I had minimal, tiny pieces of fabric left. 

As of 10/30/21

My Sewjo is finally back. A trip to the acupuncturist did me a lot of good, and my hands are much more cooperative! During the week I was able to steal a few minutes here and there to do some sewing. 

Hot off the machine, I've completed another piece of the capsule ~ a TNT tee with three quarter sleeves. Fabric is from Sew Much Fabric and is still available. It's a lovely Viscose Lycra blend knit in "charcoal/Sable/Tan and Cream. It's only $11 per yard at 56" wide, so in my book an excellent buy. It will go well with both brown pieces, as well several pair of my wool trousers that will be altered soon. 

And best of all, I have another piece of cream rayon jersey with an abstract print in brown already cut out. Need to change thread colors, and it's getting started today.

I've got several pieces of fabric for a brown jacket, as well as pieces of brown print, and beiges to brown solids for tops. After these have gone into the wardrobe today, I'll be looking at a few pieces for tops. Keep tuned to see what's up next! 

Hope your sewing is going well!

Bespoke baby pants.

 I used the scraps from my shirt and a small piece of baby rib to make a pair of bespoke pants for my great-granddaughter. 

Like her great Grammy, she has heavy thighs and the pants in her size were tight, while the next size up were too long. They went in the mail Saturday so I expect to see some pics by the end of the week to see if our communications and measurements got it right. 

She's a super curious and active baby, already doing backward crawling and a "downward dog" pose so I expect before too long, she'll be crawling and around the first of the year, she may start walking. We'll see. Here's a picture of the pants. I used ribbing instead of elastic because I thought that would be more comfortable on baby skin.

Pattern is from the Kwik Sew sewing for toddlers book.

Starting my next pair of oxford pants today. More soon!

NEW TNT TEE SHIRT

 I generally blog things to remember what I have made. There's nothing new about this other than the fabric. It's my TNT Pamela's Prefect Tee with 3/4 sleeves. Fabric was purchased 8/13/2021 from Fabric.com via Amazon. It's Laguna stretch cotton print by Robert Kaufman. It's 95% cotton, 5% spandex. The listing shows light weight but it's a perfect weight for fall/winter/spring in my opinion. I bought 2 yards and have plenty left over for a pair of baby pants and possibly a shirt too. 

Hangar shot for now. Hope to do several more in quick order. My serger bought in 1995 finally gave up the ghost, so good old Amazon came through again. I have a new Juki air threader that's awesome.😁

More later!

Loes Hinse Oxford Pants

 They are done! I finished these several days ago, and am just getting around to blogging about them. They are an easy sew, and imminently wearable. I really love them and they have a wonderful drape. I think there will be several more coming .

Due to my particular body at this point in time, I made them with a size Large back and an X Large front piece. The only adjustments I made were shortening them by 2" and doing a 3/4" knock knee adjustment for my heavy inner thighs. The pattern calls for 2:1 stretch elastic, which I did not have, so it's done with what I had here already.

Unfortunately, my serger gave up the ghost about half way through. To add to that, the sewing shop I use is about three weeks out until they can even look at it. After thinking about it for a few days, and discussing with the hubs, (it was purchased in 1995,) I decided a new one was in order with air threading. Between my eyes, and my hands, that should make my life SO MUCH easier! Of course, I googled the best air threading serger, and to my surprise, Juki MO-1000 was top rated.  I know Juki has been an industry workhorse for decades, so feel pretty good about this one. We don't have a Juki dealer in town, closest is about 225 miles away, but to my delight, they have it on Amazon.. It's been ordered, and is on the way. Should be here tomorrow, so I'm cutting out a few things in anticipation.

Fabric is a light weight tencel-linen blend purchased from Vogue Fabrics 4/30/2020. That's like yesterday for my typical fabric purchase to finished garment  time frame. LOL

Hangar shot

Next will be a few tee shirts from my TNT pattern, along with a few baby things I have swirling around in my head. 

Hope everyone is finding time to feed their creative self! 

In House Patterns Cool Cowl~ unfortunate pattern placement

 I've been wanting to make the In House Patterns Cool Cowl forever! Last August I thought I'd lost enough to fit into the size range, so purchased the pattern with high hopes to be able to make it for tax season to wear under a jacketall. Life...

I printed the PDF last week and taped it together, knowing I would have several alterations to make before coming up with the right fit. Alexandra drafts for people much taller than I am! Luckily for me, Alexandra has published an excellent tutorial on how to lessen the depth of the cowl!

Here's my third attempt, and I feel like it's a good wearable muslin. Didn't realize the dark stripe would point at my bloated belly, but it is what it is. The fabric is a lovely rayon jersey purchased from Sew Much Fabric 3/25/2020 on sale for $17.00. When I saw the price, I couldn't turn it down. AND I still have enough left for a tank top.

 I have made a few more adjustments to the pattern since inspecting this one, noticeably a 1" forward shoulder adjustment.  Overall, I'm extremely happy with this top. I happen to love the look of a cowl and this checks all the boxes. I expect there will be more over the next few months. Without further ado, 

    IN HOUSE PATTERNS COOL COWL WEARABLE MUSLIN

I do need to figure out why I have the folds from shoulder point to boob. Hopefully the forward shoulder adjustment will eliminate that issue.

I've got the Loes Hines Oxford pants traced and ready to muslin next. I've been pretty interested in them for a while. They remind me of "Katherine Hepburn trousers" from her early movies, and I believe the elastic waist will be good to have on the days my hands don't want to deal with button and buttonhole or hooks and eyes. Unfortunately, I'm not tall and willowy, but I'm hoping for the best.😁

Hopefully I'll have more to share soon!

 

The In House Patterns Lila Top ~~FINALLY!`

 It's been a L-O-N-G time since I was able to do anything creative! In the last year plus or minus, I've had three surgeries, and sewing fell by the wayside despite my best intentions! After lots of physical therapy, not yet complete, I am getting around and able to do things, albeit not at the speed or with the accuracy I had previously. It just takes time, I am being continuously told.

I've been planning, scheming, reading blogs and Instagram posts making all sorts of things in my mind and my dreams even though those didn't produce any garments! LOL

Finally, I'm able to sew again, but slowly and with a lot of “frog stitching." I'm quite enamored of Alexandra Morgan's In House Pattern Designs! I have purchased several patterns and done a few of her "work along" classes. IMO, she has excellent tutorials and I'm on a waitlist for one of her upcoming courses.

Because of all that, my first foray back into creating was a skirt block following her tutorial, which then got adapted to a flared skirt pattern. She did have instructions to turn the flared skirt into culottes which is my final goal, not yet started. As per usual, my ADHD kicked in, and I was off to new ventures. 

A granddaughter got married towards the end of June, so much planning and time was spent arranging the visit with family from the East Coast, West Coast, and everywhere in between. We had most of a week together, and it was wonderful, if exhausting, to see everyone. It's been a long time since we were together, and unfortunately my oldest granddaughter couldn't make it due to Covid precautions and an almost brand new Great Granddaughter. 

That said, over the last several years since retirement, I’ve lost about 50 pounds, with more to go. That’s the good news. The bad news is with the advent of my seventies, the weight loss, height loss due to new knees, (who knew you got shorter with knee replacements?) and an aging body, nothing fits me, and all my TNT patterns have been discarded. More good news is that it is making me better at fitting, and between tutorials, classes, multiple fitting books, etc., I can more easily see what needs to be done to make things fit my particular shape.

I have been looking for an updated shell pattern to wear for work under a jacket for years to no avail. I wore them all of the time in the nineteen eighties with my suits. All of a sudden the proverbial lightbulb went off, and I realized In House Pattern Designs Lila Pattern would work if I used the sleeve from View A with the body from View B. I had purchased it a while back, and got out my scissors, paste, tracing paper, and rulers, and put the PDF together. Alexandra has excellent instructions as well as more information about the pattern than most!

First thing I realized due to the pattern information, was this pattern was drafted for someone 5’8”, while I am 5’2 ½” now, and the size I used, 14W, is drafted for a C cup. Okay, I always need to make alterations anyway, but that is good to know. I had many alterations to complete, and did two muslin test garments, a wearable muslin, and the fourth one is (I think) just right.

Here’s a picture of the wearable muslin that still needed a bit of tweaking.

Lila Pattern wearable Muslin

Back to the drawing board, more adjustments, and another top in gingham. At this point, I believe this one is as close to what I want as I can get it, so with this gingham garment, I’ve re-traced the pattern off onto heavier drafting paper and it will be used for a rainbow of shells to wear for tax season! Hooray. My first forays back into sewing are working out well, thanks to Alexandra Morgan, and all the fitting gurus I’ve followed over the years. Well, and a lot more patience with myself and my limitations.

Gingham Lila Top wearable muslin

Also, one of the most exciting things for me is that Alexandra did a quick tutorial on how to figure out your shoulder slope and apply it to your patterns. With my narrow, sloping shoulders, I wish I would have had this information decades ago when I started to sew. It will make a huge difference out of the box so to speak.

If you’re looking for classic, well drafted, Indy patterns, fitting instructions, or pattern drafting for your body's quirks give In House Patterns a look. I’m so pleased I found them!

Onward and upward!

Merry Christmas!

 From our home to yours, we're wishing you a happy, healthy, safe, and wonderful Christmas, and an exciting, delightful. and prosperous New Year!~

Cheers for a bountiful sewing year with everything returning to normal.

More of the planning and my life

 It's been an interesting summer! I have only gone out to the doctor and the physical therapist. I know that many folks are having such a hard time this year with social distancing and lockdowns, Fortunately for me, I'm kind of a hermit anyway, and as a reader, sewist, crossword puzzle and computer games player, in general, it hasn't bothered me too much. Plus, between Amazon Prime and on line fabric stores, I've probably had a bit too much fun with shopping. 😲

I do miss my family, and we are fairly devastated that we'll miss a granddaughter's wedding in California, but we can't take chances with Covid, and my wonderful husband would have to miss three weeks of work. One for travel and the festivities, and two for self-quarantine. He is quite happy with his current job, and if we did that, he'd be out of work permanently. When you're in your seventies, it's not smart to give up a job you enjoy. They're too hard to find. As of today, they are showing 513,000 cases of Covid in the U.S., and we're going to hit 200,000 deaths. Since we're in the "prime" category for the disease, we don't want to take any chances!

The forced isolation has allowed me to complete not only all of my Continuing Education for income taxes, but has allowed me to "level up" three certifications with my company. Next year should be a really good year and allow me to do a lot of the more complex and interesting tax returns that come in.

I've also been planning my new wardrobe for tax season. As shown in the last post, I have two mini capsules, one in blues and one in gray. I have additional fabrics to go with both, that will be posted before too long. I'm trying to do a mixture of stash fabrics and new, as well as new and older patterns. It should come together nicely.

I also have a LOT of brown fabrics as it's always been one of my go-to colors for a neutral in everything from beige to bittersweet chocolate, including taupe, camel, and various iterations therein. So as I start working in that vein, I have of so many fabrics to choose from and try to mix and match. My first two follow. 

Brown Capsule #1

This grouping will be more fall-winter than the next one, but the blouse is definitely an all season fabric here. The wool for the jacket is new, and hasn't been shipped yet. As you can see, the shirt fabric is from stash, not super old, but well seasoned. The wool flannel for the trousers, (along with a lovely cotton voile not yet shown) are from Sew Much Fabric, purchased in August of last year. The Deer and Doe jacket pattern is a fairly recent purchase, as I love the neck edge sans lapels but with a bit of interest. I won't use the back, because it has a peplum, and will adapt to a standard shape. I'm not a fan of peplums on my body. The Sorbetto was the first PDF I ever downloaded, and have had it since September of 2016, when it was offered as a free pattern. 

Brown Capsule #2

This goes in a slightly different direction. The jacket is a blend- possibly rayon and wool purchased from Sandy Scrivano at a seminar at the Santa Rosa chapter of the American Sewing Guild in the late 1990s or very early 2000s. It's got a camel and a blue subtle check on a beige background. The blue is a cotton, that I don't remember buying, so probably old stash. The pants will be from a June purchase from Vogue Fabrics, called  "Neutral Crinkled Woven Linen-Nylon blend." For now, the jacket is a Butterick pattern first made in 2015. The blouse pattern may change when I see how a collared shirt lines up with the shawl collar of the jacket. The pants are my standard TNT. Pretty much a uniform for me.  

I have a piece of taupe wool for trousers on which I'm still debating coordinates, and many pieces of t-shirt fabrics and blouse fabrics for "pops of color" as well as a Ralph Lauren cream silk of which I bought 5 yards when on a fabulous sale.

I also have a black and eggshell 60% silk, 40% wool blend basketweave, purchased 01/07/2010, out of which l'll be making a Closet Core blazer with to go with some black wool or linen slacks. And given time, so very many more. 😁I'm excited about a whole new wardrobe!

I'll be looking at lots of other capsule components through the fall prior to getting started sewing. I'm planning on starting in earnest at Thanksgiving and running through the first week of January. Wish me luck!

How are your sewing plans coming? 

Wardrobe planning and a new knee!

 I have a new knee! Surgery was August 4. Since then, it’s been a lot of resting, pain relievers, ice and physical therapy. I’m on the road, but still using my walker. It’s a security blanket for both Dale and I! He’s so worried that I will fall and break something, and he’s pretty much a nag. It’s usually easier to go along with him. 😍

 During my convalescence, I’ve been working on a work capsule wardrobe. I’ll start sewing probably mid-November, and do production sewing to get things done by the first week in January.

 I’m trying to do quite a bit of stash busting, but have also been buying some specific fabrics too. First collection will be jacket, top, and slacks in navy. The jacket can also be worn with the grey capsule. Best picture of actual colors with plan:

Capsule with colors not true, including denim blue wool:

 

I’ve also got the gray capsule put together for the second batch. I have some gray tropical wool on order that will be here this week, but I took a photo with some linen that can make a spring addition. There is also a picture of the two pair of existing charcoal and gray wool slacks that I will see if I can have professionally altered. (As of now, I’ve lost 4” in my waist and hips, and doubt I can do it myself.)

 

Gray capsule fabrics

Slacks to be altered--charcoal and lighter gray

Today and tomorrow I’d like to put together another grouping with the denim blue wool as well as a brown capsule, and look in my stash for another gray for an additional jacket.

 If you’re in the US, have a wonderful Labor Day. Everyone, stay safe, stay healthy, and keep sewing.

 More to come.

 

 

Where I am now.

Life Changes are happening.

It's been one heck of a year, hasn't it! As the year progresses, it seems like one thing after another arises to put a monkey wrench into the works. Yet, I am making progress.

After my second fall earlier this year, I finally got the message. Since I intend to live to 104, I needed to concentrate on my health. So I have been doing so. 😁

It didn't take a genius to realize that healing after the knee replacement would be more rapid if I eliminated some of the excess I have been carrying for way too many years. Although I am mortified to admit the truth, I had packed on about 90 excess pounds due to stress, health issues that caused additional stress, and injuries that not only added to the stress, but also brought on osteoarthritis. Feeling overwhelmed, I would start one program or another, only to get discouraged and quit after a week or two.

Towards the end of tax season, after winding up on a walker due to a particularly bad fall, my brain finally got the message and I got onto the health bandwagon. Eating right, and the physical therapy started the ball rolling, and it will continue probably until the end of this year, and afterwards once I reach my goal. I definitely don't want the yo-yo weight plan as I'm well aware that's harder on your body than anything. To date, I'm down 47 pounds since I arrived in Las Cruces, and I fully intend to lose the other half before the end of this year. That's somewhere around eight to ten sizes on my body!

My left hand is healing, and after 6 plus weeks I have much more use than I did, however, I'm still stiff and doing my exercises daily. Tomorrow I go in for my left knee replacement. That will be a bit longer recovery, and a much more painful one. If all goes well, they estimate about three months. Once that is healed, I'll be looking at my right hand surgery. I need my hands for tax season, so that comes before the right knee. At this point, I'm anticipating right knee will be done in 2021.

As I said in my last post, I haven't been able to sew at all, so I have been kind of planning my new wardrobe. Losing 90 pounds means a new wardrobe from the skin out. I hope to do my panties and bras from stashed fabric, with matching sets, and then also a new work wardrobe as well as a casual wardrobe.

First up will be to redo my sloper based on new measurements using the Suzy Furer Craftsy class. I'm so pleased they continued Craftsy! That came in so handy with making my clothing from the time I completed it until I could no longer sew. With narrow sloping shoulders and big everything else, it was a Godsend. So that will be up first. Then, I will be moving on to a hopefully coordinated, curated capsule wardrobe

Although I don't post often, I am a lurker on lots of blogs and I also follow many Instagram accounts. Last Friday, I was browsing Instagram and found the upcoming Seamwork Design Your Wardrobe class. After some investigation, I subscribed to Seamwork and signed up for the class. Even though in theory I have been using the SWAP ideas for multiple years, as well as following Nancy Nix Rice, and the Vivienne File, I figured a little more information wouldn't hurt and my refine things a bit more.
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.I'll be working out my new wardrobe over the enxt several months, and hope to have a great outcome to show!

Keep sewing, keep happy and healthy, and I'll be back!

Catch Up Time

At the time of my last post, I was attempting to trace the Linda Tunic from Angela Wolfe but having lots of problems with my hands. I have also been waiting to have knee replacements since last September. The hand problem started in January and has been going steadily downhill.

By the way, if any of you are Orthopedic Surgeons, specializing in knee replacement, there is a need for your services in Las Cruces, New Mexico!

I scheduled my appointment right after Labor Day last year. First available appointment was April 22. As we all know, surgeries have been deferred. And to complicate matters further, my doctor’s former group closed, so he’s with another group now. The other highly recommended knee replacement surgeon has a one year waiting list just to see him for a diagnosis, and when they restarted “elective surgeries” on June 1, I have heard he had a backup of 150 patients. Not sure where I am on the list for my doc, because his former practice didn’t forward my records, so I wasn’t even on the list until Monday. SIGH!

However, in the meantime, I was given a referral for physical therapy, which is what I have been doing for the last couple of months. Two days a week with the hand therapist who informed me I needed carpal tunnel surgery in both hands. Two to three days with the physical therapist in the pool for my knees. The good news is that my legs are much stronger, as is my balance. I haven’t had my leg collapse causing a fall since April. (My newly acquired walker, loan from a friend, helps with that!)

Bad news is that the PT didn’t help my hands at all. I’m now at the point where I can barely hold a fork or a pen, and my handwriting which was always good isn’t even legible to me. I can’t hold a book, put on my own bra, button or zip anything, chop vegetables, trace a pattern, insert a pin,etc., etc. It has been a very tough time for me as well as my husband, who has had to take up the slack. He's been doing all the shopping, helping me to dress, driving me to therapy, and so much more.

Good news! I saw the hand surgeon on Monday, and am scheduled for my first carpal tunnel surgery on Friday, the 19^th of June. It’s outpatient and normal recovery time is 3 weeks. At the two week point when they remove my stitches, they will schedule my second hand. WOO HOO!  Can’t wait to have my hands working normally again!

While the “scheduler” was handling my surgery appointment, I asked if she also schedule my knee surgeon’s appointments. She asked why, I responded, and she said no, but her office mate did. I was able to ask the office mate where I was on the list, at which time I found out the other office hadn’t forwarded my records, so I wasn’t on the list. She immediately put a request in for the records, and when they arrive, I’ll get on the surgery schedule.

Thank goodness, it looks like "God willing and the criks don’t freeze over," I may get all my issues handled this year! With surgeries needed for both knees and both hands, it's been a tough year so far.

That said, I’ve been told I won’t be doing any typing after each hand surgery, so it will probably be the end of summer, or fall before anything much show up here again.

I’ve been virtually sewing through all your blogs and Instagram posts, so I’ll keep that up. Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep sewing!

Update

My hands have been numb since January. Finally found out the numbness in my hands is due to pinched nerves in my neck. Numb fingers makes for lots more typing errors, and makes it extremely difficult to sew! I’m trying to help it along with seated yoga, chiropractic, and massage. But it’s just going to take time. Add to that working in the income tax business, and sewing is almost non-existent this first quarter of 2020.
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Because of the numbness, buttons are extremely difficult. I made a pair of pull on linen pants that should have taken a day and wound up taking a week or more, Sigh. Not a bad wardrobe addition though. I modified my TNT Burda pattern for them. 

After working in them all day...

Also need some pull over tops that aren't tees for work. Started tracing off the Angela Wolf Linda Tunic. I think it will be perfect. 

With the numbness, it's slow going, but I have high hopes.

More later!

Le's do what we can to help!

From Forbes 3/20/20:

Calling All People Who Sew And Make: You Can Help Make Masks For 2020 Healthcare Worker PPE Shortage

Joost De Cock (Old Dutch for “The Cook”) started the FreeSewing Open Source Project from his home in the Netherlands to provide free sewing patterns. Recently, his wife who is a surgeon started seeing potential shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE). Joost knew what to do, so he posted it to FreeSewing in late February. People thought he was being silly as a handmade mask would never be used by professionals. (I love the brand for FreeSewing.org, by the way.)

But he was onto something when he posted: Calling all makers: Here's a 1-page PDF facemask pattern; Now go make some and help beat this thing. I took inspiration from Joost’s call for help in the writing of my headline

If you think that a handmade N95-type mask cannot be used, think again. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a place for them — in times of crisis, like the one we are in right now. On the CDC page: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of Facemasks, they explain that as a last resort, a homemade mask is acceptable. Frankly, we are at that stage right now. Here’s how they explain it in the Crisis Strategy section, When No Facemasks Are Available, Options Include: 

“Healthcare personnel (HCP) use of homemade masks:

In settings where facemasks are not available, HCP might use homemade masks (e.g., bandana, scarf) for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort. However, homemade masks are not considered PPE, since their capability to protect HCP is unknown. Caution should be exercised when considering this option. Homemade masks should ideally be used in combination with a face shield that covers the entire front (that extends to the chin or below) and sides of the face.

This is one small way we can help when we are sheltering in place!

Happy Holidays!

For all of my sewing friends, I'm wishing you a Happy Holiday Season. .

With hopefully a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year.

Merry Christmas to me!

Long story, but in the midst of Christmas/work wardrobe sewing, my wonderful Pfaff 1475CD died. The circuit board is out, which means it doesn't do anything. I debated a lot. I can send it to a great technician about 2,000 miles away to get a determination and price for repairs, or I could buy a new machine. If I send it, he will go through it and give me an estimate. If I don't want to pay the price, he will buy it to recondition and sell again, or use it for parts.

Although I just purchased the machine a year and a half ago to replace my mid 1980's version, it is a 30 year old sewing machine. I think they're like cars. When they start to go, it's an endless cycle. Unfortunately, the Pfaff dealer in town who had an excellent service man was sold and the technician retired. So if it goes again, I'm searching for someone new.

As most of you who are sewists know, new machine prices have skyrocketed over the last 30 years.  The Pfaff 1475CD was a top of the line machine, and I used it for 20 plus years, and loved it every stitch of the way. As close as I can tell, the machine I had, compares to the Pfaff Performance Icon, which retails at $9,999 now. Since we're retired, that price range is out of our budget. And Pfaff has been sold a few times and I don't believe the quality of the new machines is equivalent to the older ones made in Germany.

Enter the local Bernina dealer. It's a Mom-and-Pop store that has been in town for years and years. Pop does the repairs and all the "local reviews" are excellent. I spent some time looking at the Bernina website, which is excellent BTW. I even downloaded a video on how to work the machine and the manual, and went through both. Long story short, I didn't want a "quilting machine." I didn't want an "embroidery machine." I wanted an excellent sewing machine to make clothing and whatever else struck my fancy. After a lot of back and forth, and waiting for a week and a half for delivery on my special order, ta da!

It's sitting on a small computer desk right now, because it's large, and Dale has to modify my sewing table before it can fit. I'm extremely excited. At half the price of the Pfaff, I think it will do everything I ever dreamed of and more! However, I do need to go through the 19 pages of the manual of Sewing Preparation, and then the 12 pages of Setup Program, and fhen the page of system settings; and finally I'll get to the chapters on creative sewing; practical stitches; decorative stitches; alphabets; buttonholes; etc. The manual is actually 140 pages long, and it's so different from any machine I've ever used, I'll be reading most of it as I go along!

At this stage of our lives, this is a very expensive purchase, and I expect this one to last me as long as I can still sew. Or at least until I get ga-ga and start sewing crotch seams to waistlines and all that. LOL

I'll be sitting with the manual today, and getting this one all set up. Well, to be fair, probably now through at least Christmas! Dale is leaving on the 26th to visit the kids in California so I'll have from then until the 3rd to sew almost unceasingly. I'm very excited at the prospect.

And to cap off this post. This last week I got to witness one of the most exciting and thrilling events of my life. Which is why I'm not going to California with Dale. I was in Baltimore to see my oldest granddaughter get "hooded" for her PHD. Her doctorate is in Cognitive Science with an emphasis on early childhood education. Her is a picture of her and her husband, who got his PHD in September of 2018. I THINK his is in genetic engineering, but not sure. He does interesting stuff with genes.

She's a post-doc at University of California at Irvine, and he's at Cal-Tech, so they're in the LA-Orange County area. Now my oldest daughter's entire family is back in the state of California, at least for a bit. Her next younger sister is in Grad School at Berkeley, and the youngest has just applied to grad school, so we're waiting to hear where she'll be heading. She's been in San Diego for her the last five years.

Incredibly proud of all of them!

Hopefully, more soon! And lots of sewing projects completed. Hope you're all having a wonderful Holiday season and getting lots of goodies completed.

I'm moving in the right direction albeit slowly!

The bootstraps shirt got set aside as I have a definite urgency in my mind for the Modified Grainline Morris jacket. As I was looking for things in the sewing room, I ran across the pattern I started quite some time ago for the Morris jacket.

I have a ton of adjustments needed on anything like this due to my unique body shape. I had done some adjustments, and for whatever reasons, it got set aside and as far as I am aware, a muslin was never even started for it. I think it was because the fabric I had intended to use was a stretch cotton, and I wasn't sure how that would work.

Time passes, and I know I need a wool jacket for winter now that I live somewhere it actually gets pretty cold. I pulled out the wool double knit and did my standard prep for wool garments. I use Eucalan in the washing machine, let it soak, spin and then hang to dry. The one I use has lavender oil, so in addition to prepping the fabric, it is a natural moth repellent. Win, win, in my book. I save the cost of dry cleaning, and get the benefit of the moth repellent.

While that was going on, I made up a quick muslin of the Morris jacket, and had my hubbie, who is a fabulous photographer, but is only learning "fashion photography" take some pictures. First time around, it was apparent I needed quite a few additional adjustments. I guess as I move forward in my 70's, my body is changing more rapidly. At least much more rapidly than I would like.

I made some more adjustments, and another muslin, which didn't look too bad, (I never seem to get my horizontal balance lines in the same place on the front!) but still needed a bit more tweaking. I've become much more aware of the back issues lately. I've always needed a sway back adjustment, narrow, sloping shoulder adjustments, etc., but since I did my moulage and muslin, I realized that my upper back between the armholes is narrower than most for my body size. I also needed to make a larger adjustment at the top of the back for the rounded upper back I think I have from sitting at the computer so much. However, I think I have it now, and tomorrow I'll start the cutting and construction of the jacket.

Here's a quick pic of the muslin before I did the upper back adjustment. I think it's going to be a great addition to the wardrobe.

Hmmm. Looking like a mouth breather in this pic! LOL

I have since added a wedge of 5/8" at center back tapering to zero above the upper horizontal balance line. I'm pretty sure that's done the trick. At the minimum, this will fit better than any jacket I could purchase!

So I'll hope to keep up as this moves forward. It should be a quick and easy sew. Fingers crossed!

More later!

For all our North American friends:

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! There is much to be grateful for. 

Jalie 3130 FInished

It is completed finally! The two muslins helped to make this a much better fitting shirt than it otherwise would have been, however, I'm not entirely happy with the upper back.

This one will fill a gap in the closet, though, and I'm sure will be worn a lot. I revised the Jalie pattern quite a bit, and will need to do further revisions before I'm 100% happy with it. Without further ado,

I'm going to use my Suzy Furrer back sloper to see if I can better fit the back of this shirt. 

Fabric is Navy 100% Pima Cotton Broadcloth from Mood, purchased 11/10/19. It's still available here: https://www.moodfabrics.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=311982

I have so many projects lined up now. Next I think is going to be another shirt using my Bootstraps pattern, #54469, which I have already done in muslin, made a few adjustments, and have more to come. The front isn't too bad, but again, the back needs work. I'll be working on that one this week and expect to make it in a Cotton and Steel lawn in navy and teal purchased a while back.  

Excuse the wet hair and serious face. We have to do what we have to do to get the photographer to take pictures!

Again, the back has too much width through the upper back, and needs some adjustments to get the lower back fitting right. I'm thinking it may need an upper back length adjustment for the curvature I now have in that area.

In addition, I've got some navy tropical weight wool ready to sew into a pair of trousers; pulled a piece of wool doubleknit out of the very old stash (July of 1994!) for a modified Grainline Morris jacket; an indigo cotton denim for a much needed pair of trouser jeans, and multiple other shirts flying around in my head.

So hopefully, we'll see a very productive rest of November and December. I'll be gone for a few days mid December to see my oldest granddaughter get "hooded" with her PHD class, (SO PROUD!) and then Dale will be gone for about a week after Christmas to see family in California. While he's gone, I hope to be a sewing demon! Wish me luck!