THINKING ABOUT IT IS NOT SEWING - RIGHT?

Even though I've not been actively sewing...I am thinking about it! I did make a night shirt a couple of weekends ago (I just had to make something).

And I did purchase fabric for and cut out this blouse, View B, but I haven't started it yet. I brought a white broadcloth fabric, think I paid $3.98 a yard for it. I plan on getting started on this soon. I'd really like to make View A in a white stretch poplin maybe for the next project.

I am not actively sewing, but that doesn't mean that I have stopped buying patterns. I confess, I AM A PATTERNHOLIC!!! A stress releiver for me is stopping at Hancocks on a Thursday or Friday afternoon and leafing through the pattern catalogs. I've hit several Hancocks pattern sales for Simplicity, Butterick and McCalls recently. I guess I have to admit that McCalls is my all time favorite.

I had been looking for a straight skirt pattern with interesting back vent detailing. I use to have several patterns when I sewed before (about 15 years ago) but have long since gotten rid of all my old patterns. Still kicking myself about that one-guess I thought I would never sew again, BUT I WAS WRONG! I found this McCalls pattern and I'm looking forwarding to playing around with and experimenting the different back views for several skirts.

There are several blogs that I read almost daily for sewing inspiration. One of them is Carolyn's at Diary of a Sewing Fanatic. Carolyn has been reviewing books from her sewing library and I've been tuning in to find out what she has. I am a real book fiend so it's really hard for me to resist adding a new resource to my library. I keep planning on thinning out my books by selling them on Ebay (BUT NOT MY SEWING AND FIBERARTS LIBRARY THOUGH). Here are several of my latest purchases.

Carolyn reviewed this book on her blog a few weeks ago (Decorative Dressmaking) and after reading her review I just had to have it. I found it for a reasonable price at Abebooks.com for $37.50 which included shipping from Texas. Carolyn was right! This is an excellent inspirational book that gets you thinking about all sorts of possibilities. I think this one will become the favorite book in my Sewing and Fiberarts Library.

Added 12 old Threads Magazines to my collection. This is now my oldest issue - #8 Dec. 1986/Jan. 1987. I now have a total of 34 issues. I just discovered threads last November (remember I had been on a 15 year hiatus operating a business and had just put my sewing way back on the back burner), so I knew nothing about Threads Magazines. I have since subscribed to the magazine as well as it's little sister Sew Stylish which is already being discontinued. (Last issue yet to come, I think). I spent some time this weekend going through 10 of the issues and flagging interesting articles with post its. I think that I will stop tracking down older issues and stick to the current subscriptions ones for now. I think I have an adequate collection at least for now.

The Claire Shaeffer book "High Fashion Sewing Secrets" is really a good book with lots of details. I picked this book up at Hancocks when they had a book sale several weeks ago. Claire Shaeffer is becoming one of my favorite sewing authors - he books are great and when I found out she was born and raised in Georgia it make me like her even more. There oare several others of her books that I have on my to get list.

Make it Your Own is als a good design book that is leading me into daydreaming about changing all of my purchased patterns up if only just a little bit.

I'm hoping Nancy's Fitting Finesse book will help me with my pants pattern fitting issues.

Maybe I will do some book reviews myself one day! I am currently surfing the web fabric stores for some nice black wool blend fabric to make a straight skirt for my sister Brenda. I made one for her when my dd Alondra was still in high school some 17 years ago. Brenda says she wore this skirt every winter since I made it for her. Then last winter it just desintergrated. Well I guess it's about time! So I want to make another nice lined one for her but haven't been able to find the fabric yet. It's the last day of September which has little or nothing to do with this post, but the thought just came to me.

I'M STILL OUT HERE!!!

I haven't posted in such a long time - haven't had time!!! I applied for and got a new job, too a quick trip to New York to visit my family before starting the new job - cause you know how it is building up annual leave. I had a wonderful vacation and then started my full-time instructor job on July 2nd. Lot's more paperwork involved, new scheduling to get use to as well as new students. Until now I had only taught adults, now it's teenagers - and man what a difference!!!!

I have been lurking my favorite blogs although not posting here; and I'm still learning from you others out there. Hopefully I will get this new job down pat very soon and I then I can get back to somewhat regular posting. I'm really missing my sewing, but decided to put it on hold while learning job related things, but..... I WILL BE BACK!

CRYING REAL TEARS HERE...NOT!!!

OK,What about my dress...

that I worked diligently on for two weekends in a row, IS TOO BIG!!!!!!!!!! I took measurements, thought I altered the pattern accordingly, even made a muslin, and the dress is still too big in the shoulder area as well as in the hips. The dress has side front panels and side back panels in both the lining and the dress, and I think that taking this all apart to make adjustments (as well as taking the zipper out to make the upper back fit bitter) WOULD BE A BIT TO MUCH FOR ME! Now mind you, this has been a bit disheartening. At times I have told myself, "self, maybe you just really do not know how to sew". But I have quickly shaken those thoughts off and started over again. I really don't think it so much not knowing how to sew, but knowing how to fit. Gone are the days that I could take a size 12 or 14 pattern out of the envelope and just sew it up. Now I've finally got some hips, IS THIS THE PRICE I HAVE TO PAY for finally having hips?......RATS!. I am still not giving up....I am going to keep right on trudging through this thing until I can finally come up with at least a couple of TNT patterns!!!! My stubborness has got to be s a strong point here!

FINISHED!!!!!!!!

Finished my dress on Sunday!!!
I read several sewing blogs regularly: www.diaryofasewingfanatic@blogspot.com, www.ericabunker.com and www.sewonandsewon@blogspot.com. There are may others that I check out when I have extra time, but these are three sewists who's work I admire. Each has a different sewing style and style taste, but what I admire most about them is THEY DON'T MIND SHARING INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE. I started sewing again 9 months ago after a 13 year hiatus, and sometimes when I look at the work of others I feel inferior about mine. I have had some trying times with my sewing process during these 9 months; however, I have had some really happy times too. I want to be pleased with the work I do and I also want to be confident. I realize that the important thing is to take my time, do my best and ask questions when I don't know - even if the questions sounds silly. If you don't know, you just don't know. I find that somebody out there in cyberland does know and someone will share information with you. Another place where I learn a lot and get help with sewing questions is at THREADS MAGAZINE DISSCUSSIONS. There are a lot of really helpful people there too.

I finished my dress, I did my best and most importantly of all I ENJOYED THE PROCESS! This dress turned out to be a little more detailed than I had wanted. I wanted a stylish summer dress that didn't call for a lot of work and could be finished quickly. THIS WAS NOT IT! Although I would make this dress again, it is not the quick project that I was looking for. If it had called for facings instead of a lining I think it would have gone a lot faster. I have to get brave enough to use my self drafted facings. Getting better with sewing is a process, as is everything else. So on with the process....

SATURDAY NIGHT RANTINGS

I got up early today and started the sewing project that I had scheduled for this weekend. I started this dress last weekend and had hoped to finish it today but didn't.

I finished it all except tacking down the lining around the neckline, armholes and along the zipper. I had wanted a really simple summer dress pattern, however every pattern I looked at called for a lining. I wanted a sleeveless dress with facings for the neck and armholes, but couldn't fine one. The dress is made of pique (which I just love) and I debated using a matching single fold bias tape but opted not to. Then I drafted facings for the areas that I needed to cover but chickened out on using them. Rather than one of these options I went ahead and lined it as called for with a light weight batiste. Here's my dress so far...

Maybe I'll be able to finish it sometime tomorrow - (fingers crossed). Next I'm thinking about making a white jacket to go with this dress because the office I work in is a freezer.

I also wanted to post the two skirts that I finished last weekend. I wore this beige one to work on Thursday with a RTW top, and felt quite comfortable in it. After being away from sewing for so long, I'm feeling a bit self conscious about wearing things that I make. But little by little I'm building up my confidence about this.And here's the denim one made from the same pattern...

I also added another book to my sewing library this weekend (yes, I'm a book fiend). This one is "More Fabric Savvy". It list lots of different types of fabric and gives their fiber content, care, tells you what size needle, presser foot and method of marking the fabric. I had been looking at it for months now and when I was at Hancocks on Friday and couldn't make a fabric selection, I went ahead and bought it. The book is by Sandra Betzina. I already had two of her books (Power Sewing and Fast Fit) and since I thought both of them were EXCELLENT!!!, I felt the third one would come in handy as well as enhance my knowledge of fabrics. It also has some really good sewing tips.

I bought this Singer book several weeks ago when they had a sale on books at Hancocks. It's a handy guide with really good pictures of lots of different techniques. I am sure I will use all of these books over and over again.

Well, I guess that's enough for tonight....

CAN'T WAIT!!!

I finally broke down and ordered this dress form on Memorial Day, and was sort of hoping that I could pick it up at Hancock's today but alas, it did not arrive. They said that the next truck won't arrive until next Friday. I guess I can wait until then, and hope this will help me with some fitting issues...

TRASH OR TREASURE

I finally finished my cobalt blue crop pants. Seems like I've been sewing on them for several weeks now. Boy, this fitting thing with pants has really worn me out. But I presevered and now I have a new outfit to wear to work next week. (Was supposed to finish them last weekend), but oh well... Here are two views of my finished product.

Now to talk about the mistakes I made. The top is a cute and summery which is what I am wanting now. The colors are a nice change for me (THE EVERY THING BLACK AND BROWN PERSON). I am really trying hard to break out of dark colors. The colors of this outfit are still dark, but I am taking it a step at a time, easing into brighter colors...WHY IS THIS SO HARD. I was trying to talk on the phone and sew at the same time and mess around and sewed a wrong side to a right side on the bottom piece of the top. I had already serged and trimed the seam in two places before I realized what I had done and it was really too late to do anything about it, so the front bottom section of the garment is lighter than the top section. I still plan on wearing the garment, and if anyone says anything about it, I will just tell them that it's my fashion statement. MOTTO: Put the sewing down when the telephone rings. I have really been trying hard to get my old skills back, and really trying hard to create perfect or nearly perfect projects - but alast, Rome was not built in a day, and neither am I getting my skill up to the level that I want it to be. I will juest have to keep plugging alone, and it will come back little by little - I HOPE! The pants fit pretty good, so I am calling this project a TREASURE even with my mistakes!

STILL DETERMINED, I started on my next project this morning. Fell in love with this pattern after I saw one that Erica Bunker (www.boundbymyhook.blogspot.com) made several weeks ago -McCalls 5330, View A. I already had the pattern but had not done anything with it, but after seeing her skirt made up from the same pattern, I craved it...so I made it. This girl is so inspiring, positive and such a great sewist! I love her site and visit it often. I have learned so much from reading her blog. Even emailed her a couple of questions and she emailed me right back. She is so helpful. Anyways, I'm making View A in a kakhi sports weight poplin. As a matter of fact it's all done (took me all day long) but sewing on the buttons. I am going to make a denim one by view A also which will be my next project. Might start it tomorrow after Church.

I'm going to be making this top (View B-bottom left) to go with it.

Until next time....FAYE.

MY PANT FITTING DILEMIA

I am still fighting with this pant fitting thing...I am really trying; preshrunk my material (something that I never use to do), made the muslin and even tried to make the adjustments to the pattern afterwards. My pants are still to large in the waist and the hips, eeeeeek! All I want to do is get my pants to fit properly - but who doesn't want that. When I use to sew before, I found a pattern that fit pretty good and made and remade the same pattern until I could almost make it in my sleep (pattern was almost shredded up), but it still worked and I continued to use it.

I love a side zipper so I made these crop pants

and they are still to large. Like I said before, I made the muslin, then tried to make the proper adjustments on the pattern, then cut my fashion fabric. Of course it's hard or next to impossible to make adjustments once the zipper is in. So that I am about to embark upon tonight is taking the facing out, removing the zipper and redoing these to try and make them fit...a real bit job but someone has to do it. But them again would it be worth all that time???? Will they be Trash or Treasure - I'll have to decide.

Anyways, I think this will be the next pattern I will try. I still want the crop pants (atleast that is what I call them) but this pattern is different in that they have a front fly zipper and a traditional waistband rather than the side zipper and waist facing. Well I'm off to sew now, will let you know how it turns out.

NUMBERS CAN KEEP US BOUND!

I was thinking about women and how we relate to numbers. Numbers freak women out - including me! For instance: our shoe sizes. How many women have you seen a woman wearing a pair of mules that are a size and a half too small with the heel of her foot clearly hanging over the back of the shoe? I have, and it looks very painful to me. How about a woman tipping around because her shoes are literally killing her. My shoe size, although I don't like it, is one thing that I cannot deny. I truly cannot stand foot discomfort or foot pain. What about women who cannot own up to size in clothing (me for one). I am highly displeased with my RTW clothing sizes, but I cannot stand to be uncomfortable in my clothes so now I'm buying some 14's and some 16's (eeeeeek). I don't want my clothes squeezing me all day long. The numbers that shows up when I step on the scale are enough to send me into a deep (temporary) depression. My body measurements (which have steadily increased) are not very pleasing to me either. My age, which is another pair of numbers, is just something I am trying not to trip out about, cause it is definately one thing that I cannot change and the alternative is not something I want to deal with. Since I have started trying to get back into my sewing thing - pattern sizes are tripping me out. I keep wanting to cheat on the numbers hoping that "oh well, maybe since I'm in a 16 in RTW surely I can fit into a 16 pattern" - not so!!!! I once heard Oprah say "we have got to own the numbers".

Ok, I'm gonna start owning this pattern number. And I'm going to start owning up to some other things when it comes to sewing, to name a few:

• I am going to make a pants muslin and learn to make adjustments to my pants pattern with the time I have left this weekend.


• I am going to pre-shrink my fabric (got some pre-shrinking as I write as a matter of fact).

I am so ready for spring and so ready for spring clothes. I am so tired of dark colors. I am breaking out! I bought this today:

And this:

And this I already had in my stash:

And this is what I am going to sew it all up on:I got a great deal at Tuesday Morning's on Thursday. Regular price $179.00 on sale for $89.99. Plain and simple but I think it will get the job done. My Singer Diana that was about 25 years old bit the dust (would have cost $250.00 to fix). I have a machine, but wanted to make sure I had a back up so this price was marvelous for that reason.

Well will let you know how I'm doing with "OWNING THE NUMBERS".

NEWS FLASH

OK, just got the word this afternoon from Loni that she received the box that I sent her with the clothes that I had made her. Here's the skinny: she says the jacket and blouses fit perfectly but the pants are too large in the waist, hips and crouch. Well now I know. I won't be able to sew pants for her unless I am there with her to check on the fit while sewing. I took her measurements and bought the patterns according to the measurements but it still did not work! Well I tried, and I know that she appreciates what I did but I won't be able to make pants again...bo ho, bo ho. I'll just go to town on blouses and tops for her and hopefully that will still help her out with her work wardrobe. She said the jacket fit, and it is a easy pattern with a minimal number of pieces to it so maybe I can make her another jacket or two and she can just buy her pants and jeans.

Another thought, maybe she has an old pair of pants that fit well. Maybe she could send them to me and I could de-construct them to make a pattern. WE WILL SEE!!!!

New Top for Loni

Just finished this Lavender knit wrap top for Loni today.

This top is made of a light weight lycra knit. The drape on this hanger does not do it justice. I made this from Butterick 3785. I made it a size larger because of the way lycra hugs you. I made this top using the long sleeved view several weeks ago and she said it fit good and she liked it. Hope she likes this one as well.