February 24, 2008

A SHORT SUNDAY EVENING PRE-OSCAR POST

Had to go out one more time to the Hancock's 50% off all notion sale. I like to stock up a little on much needed items but I also like to pick up notions that I like but usually would just do without. Today that item was a loop turner - much better to buy at 50% off. I also picked up thread, taylors chalk, elastic, and I'm really trying to build my button collection back up. Here's what I bought.
I bought an invisible zipper because I want to practice with my new invisible zipper foot. And got this fabric off the $2.00 a yd sale table to make my vintage pj's from the new Sew Stylish magazine.





I had to return a lamp that had gone bad so I used my merchandise credit on my purchases and only had to spend $.49 today. That makes up a little bit for that coupon blunder that I made on Friday. (lol).




While at the store I ran into a dear friend and former customer of mine that I hadn't seen is such a long, long time. Of course we chatted and got caught up on what's been going on.
Ok, thats it for tonight, got to get ready to try to watch two shows, A Rasin in the Sun, and the Oscar Show.

February 22, 2008

Thanks to Lisa and Alethia for encouraging words about my recent unsuccessful project. It was indeed still a learning process. And thanks to my helpful friend Adrienne for ALL of the questions she answers for me - now she's helped me with linking sites to my posts. I know everybody else already knew how to do this but I didn't. Now I know too, and learning - no matter how minute ALWAYS EXCITES ME!

I love excitement; I've been criticized before for loving it so much but oh well, I still love it. Learning excites me; thinking about possiblities excites me, and my weekly trip to Hancocks also excites me. I'm a FABRIC FEELER (lol). I love to run my fingers through it. Feeling fabrics sometimes bring back memories often from childhood. I can remember learning about some fabrics even as a child. I don't think my Mother knew that she was giving me fabric lessons when I was young - I didn't know it either. Even though she was not an advid seamtress I do remember her talking about fabrics such as pique, seersucker, and eyelet. Maybe it was because she was raising three little girls and these fabrics are often associated with children's clothing. Some way she familiarized me with the fabrics and I still recognize them when I see or feel them. They bring back bright and happy feelings! Thanks Mom for the fabric knowlege!

I try not to live at Hancocks, but I had a coupon that was burning my pocket because it was expiring today. Or so I thought I had a coupon. There was this piece of fabric that I wanted to buy and that 40% off coupon was just the incentive I needed. Well, after I had the fabric cut and had chosen all my 99cent McCall's patterns I scooted right up to the checkout counter with my RUNWAY SLIDE (I love this phrase can't you tell). Slide right up there with a 40% coupon off on Decorator Fabrics! My expression was - WHAT, WRONG COUPON! I didn't realize until today that the 40% off fashion fabric coupons are only in the flyers that are mailed out, not the ones that you pick up in the store. Imagine my surprize. I did have another coupon, but alas, it's not good until March (egad)! SERVES ME RIGHT WITH MY PARTIAL READING SELF! All I saw was the 40% off ending February 23rd.

Anyways, this is what I got at the pattern store (usually known as a fabric store but called such by me because patterns are what I buy most of).















I also picked up two pieces of Retro knit fabric (sans the 40% coupon). The one piece is the knit version of the blouse that I tossed yesterday, same color and pattern. Got to get it pre-washed and ready to go.














And these are two pairs of boxer shorts that I finished for my eldest grandson Velente last night. I made all three grandsons boxers on my visit with them at Thanksgiving. They actually said they enjoyed them so I wanted to make more. Now I have to make two more pair each for the other two boys.

February 21, 2008

2008 SEWING GOALS


One of my 2008 sewing goals is to have no UFO's flying around! Well, does a garment that you actually complete, but just don't like count as a UFO? I think not! After I finished this blouse I just didn't like the way it looked. I tacked the front facings but they just would not lie flat - they kept rolling out - even though understitched. And I didn't like the full puffy sleeves. I decided to alter the sleeves to salvage the blouse, but after spending a full hour trying to remove serger threads from one sleeve without pulling the fabric - I have decided to let this UFO FLY ON AWAY. IF I ever decide to make this pattern again I will definitely decrease the sleeve width, and try to figure out something that will make the facing to lie flat without rolling outward.
Hancock has this same print and color in a knit fabric. I have a 40% off coupon and intend on buying the knit maybe this weekend. I really like the beidge tones and the fact that the print contains black, brown and gray. It has real potential for a wardrobe stretcher. So I won't classify this as a UFO, and I am now shaking off the bad feeling that goes along with spending so much time working on an item and having it not turn out right, and trying to figure out WAS IT THE PATTERN...OR WAS IT ME. So in the words of Mary J, I'm putting my runway stride on and keeping it going.

February 19, 2008

SOURCE OF INSPIRATION


Got my new Spiegel catalog - WHAT A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION for me! I have always loved Spiegel and use to run up quite a tab with them (lol). Now I use if for sewing inspiration because as I look through the catalog I can see so many garments for which I either already have similar patterns or can think of combining several patterns to come up with.
The catalog shows numerous Swap ideas and wardrobing combinations in the newest seasonal colors and fabrics. Spiegel is my number one source for sewing inspiration!

February 17, 2008

NOT IN LOVE...WILL HAVE TO ALTER



I am not loving this blouse! The sleeves are too large and too puffy (caused by gathering) at the sleeve head, and the size of the sleeve its self. It didn't appear that way in the design picture for the pattern. So that all will not be loss, I'm thinking about removing the sleeves and tapering them down to a smaller size throughout because the overly gathered look is just not me right now. Otherwise it's a nice dressy feeling blouse.

February 15, 2008

NEW CAMERA



HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SEWING BUDDY - LISA!!!!




Well my new camera finally arrived! I won't go into all that was involved in getting it, but once it came I found that my computer operating system wouldn't support the camera software. With the help of my sister Pat and Adrianne I've got a card reader and now I can post my pictures. All of this new fangled comptactions really get to me sometimes, but I guess that's part of the learning process.My first picture is of the McCalls blouse that I've been ranting about.


And my New Look knit top. My moleskin vest, and picture below with matching


pants.



Pajama pants fo two of my grandsons



The Vogue knit dress looks really big in this picture, but it really fits like a glove.

Now all I need to do is learn how to line these pictures up......

February 9, 2008

TODAY'S MY BLOG ANNIVERSARY!!!


(CLICK ON PICTURE)
My blog turns one years old today. Happy blogiversary to me! Even though I didn't post for two months in that time frame I am proud of the fact that I have kept this up for a full year. It has turned out to be a really good way to journal and share my sewing adventures. During this time I have become even more passionate about improving my sewing skills. I JUST WANT TO LEARN AND LEARN AND LEARN! During this past year I have:
* developed some really good sewing blog friendships;
* I found me a sewing buddy who is just as passionate about sewing as I am, who shares information, and who really inspires me;
* become quite a copy cat in that I am so inspired by the fashions that I see others create...that I want to make them too (hope ya'll don't mind);
* actually created some projects that I really enjoy wearing. So my blog has been a good thing!

Now concerning my sewing progress I have almost completed this blouse.
Man oh man it has been a challenge. First of all it has 11 pattern pieces, I could have made a jacket using that many pieces. Secondly my fabric choice didn't make it much easier - it is very slippery thus hard to cut and hard to control while sewing. But, I am almost finished! I'm working on the cuffs now; then the hem and, finally give it a good final press and I'll be able to add it to my collection of finished projects...it almost became an UFO!

I suprised myself because I seem to be actually working on my 6 piece swap Goal without really realizing it. I started with the moleskin vest and pants. Then I finished my last knit top and now I realize that the blouse I'm working on (picture on right) also matches the vest/pants combination. All I need to add to accomplish my goal is 1 bottom, 1 top and a jacket. I could count the vest as a jacket because it's already finished but I'm not sure I'm all that much of a vest person. I think a jacket would give me more versitility than a vest. So I'll end up with a 7 piece swap instead of 6 which will be all the better. Next up I'll be making a pair of pants, a jacket and a top to complete this thing. When I set my goals initially I didn't feel I could commit to an 11 piece swap so I opted for the 6 piece one instead. I didn't know that I had already started it until last week during Lisa's visit when she said "That could be your swap". So I guest I could call this my "INCIDENTAL SWAP" or my "ACCIDENTAL SWAP". I am not usually a brown person, but both of the tops that I have made so far do have a little black and beidge, so I'm thinking about adding black pants and jacket.

A 6 piece swap yields 12 outfits. NOT WOULDN'T THAT BE LOVELY! Twelve outfits!, which means I wouldn't need to even think about what I was going to wear to work for 12 whole days. What a wonderful idea! A 6 piece sway involves:
* 2 Bottoms
* 3 Tops
* 1 Jacket

February 6, 2008

PROGRESS





I finished this long sleeved knit top last night. I could have finished it in one sitting, but needed to split it up so I could to get to bed early so I worked on it Monday and finished it on Tuesday night. Wish I could share a picture - but will be sure to do that later. Also wish I had more of the fabric that I made it of, purchased at Hancock's in the fall, it is sooooo soft! I made the sleeves full length rather than the 3/4 length shown on the pattern. It made up quick, only four pieces. The scoop neck is a little low, but ok, next time I'm going to raise it just a bit. The instructions were easy to follow, I did the quick sleeve method rather than the set in type called for in the instructions. Can you tell that I don't like setting in sleeves? Oh, I can do it, but I do not like dealing with all the pins if I see that I don't have to. I'll call this pattern Quick and Easy. I might make the jacket, skirt and pants later.

Next up is this blouse that I also cut out this weekend. After I cut it out and marked it I decided that I didn't want to deal with the slippery fabric at the moment, so I set it aside and opted for the New Look top above. But, in keeping with one of the sewing goals that I made of NO UFO'S, I decided to get this one started rather than allowing it to linger on and on. I'm making it of a print georgette fabric that is also a fall Hancock purchase.

February 5, 2008

I LOVE BEING AT HOME...AND I LOVE TO SEW!

I love being at home. Not that there is all that much happening here, but I just can't wait to get here each afternoon! Besides the fact that I just haven't been feeling all that well lately; I thought I was completely over that head cold/sinus attack thing, but I guess not fully just yet. I feel a whole lot better than I did a week ago, but still not quite there yet. My energy level is so low...and I just hate that! So I'm rushing home everyday to get some rest and power up for the next day.
I'm trying my best to get to bed earlier, but still managing to sneak in just a little sewing. Right now I'm working on this knit top pattern. I wanted something quick and easy and this seems to have done the trick. It's coming together rather nicely. I'm making it in a brown/beidge and black print knit. (still no camera so I guess I'll just show all of my creations in March when I get my new camera.
I haven't experimented much with New Look, and didn't even know until today that Simplicity produces them - see I learn something new every day. I cut this out on Sunday Evening. I try to get my new weekly project cut out on Sunday night, then I work on it through the week. You know how it is, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But lately it's been working out pretty smoothly. My SEWING BUDDY Lisa from http://www.sewonandsewon.blogspot.com/ came over and spent Sunday evening with me - now wasn't that nice of her. If she hadn't come I'd probably just slept the evening away unproductively. We didn't actually get much sewing done this time, but we talked and talked sewing WHICH I LOVED. I know she inspired me to greater heights and I hope I was the source of a little inspiration to her. Lisa gave me a rolled hem foot that fit my Singer Protege perfectly - THANKS AGAIN LISA! And that's not all she gave me...just look at the collection of jacket patterns she brought me...I JUST LOVE JACKETS!



And two blouse patterns too. I FEEL LIKE I STRUCK GOLD! Not by just receiving this lovely gift, but in my friendship with Lisa. God really answered my prayer for a Sewing Buddy, and I thank Him. I am blessed and highly favored! Now, you know, I want to make each and every one of these patterns up. And I should as a tribuite to my Sewing Buddy, of course you know that will take a while. But I can just see myself in each and every one of these patterns. And they are all in my size, and I didn't have even one of them in my stash! If I ever need a jacket pattern - I'VE GOT IT!!!

Did ya'll see this - I saw it on Sewl Sisters site and just fell in love with it. I want one just like the one in print. The directions to make it is on Pattern Review.












So todays end all is...I LOVE BEING AT HOME, AND I LOVE TO SEW!

Paying Homage to Black Pattern Designers...

...for years February has been set aside as a special time to learn about and recognize accomplishments of African Americans and other peopl...