July 26, 2006

Taking Back 'Me' Time

A recent observation was that I needed to start getting up before dawn again to workout. I gave this up mostly with the new job (back in December 2005) as the office was closer and I didn't have to be in to work until later. So, why bother getting up so early in the morning? The answer is Because I'm worth it! I love the way my daily workout makes me feel, but I also need the am decompression time. Some days I clean house, some days I knit, some days I turn on the sewing machine, some days I just sit with the dogs and drink coffee. Any of these things is a pleasurable start to my day. This week I have gotten up before 6 twice. That give me enough time to get a decent workout on the treadmill in. Then I bring in the doggies, go upstairs, pack lunches for both JB and myself, get him off to work, feed dogs and then the next hour or so is all mine! Monday I was loading in the rearranged sewing room. Tuesday morning I surfed the internet, then fray checked the denim skirt that been cut since before the 4th of July. This morning, I trimmed the bottom of the denim, hemmed the sides and put the darts that my body needs in the waist pieces. On the way home tonight I plan on stopping to pick up grommets. With any luck, by the time I head to bed tonight I will have a new skirt to wear to work tomorrow. This Friday I don't work. I have the apricot knit sitting on the cutting table, ready to be cut out and started tomorrow morning, as well as another knit which will become the same top. The top in question is super easy, fits well and looks great! 4 seams, 4 hems - done! Then onto the white skirt! We have a busy weekend ahead with BBQs and birthday parties and I want new, fun, cute clothing to wear. So, guess I better quit talking about it and start sewing :)

July 24, 2006

Sewing Room Redo

JB sent a good portion of Saturday afternoon cleaning up piddle spots from the downstairs carpets. He started rearranging furniture and I finished it Saturday night while the boys were playing poker. I like it. While I'm not positive there's more room - it feels like there is. The treadmill has a new home out of the way. Shelving is soon to be purchased to store stuff on the wall over the cutting table, I want a full length door mounted mirror as well. Oh, I found another piece of white eyelett! I have got to make a white skirt! I have to - I think I'll have to drive to work in my slip in order to keep it clean, but I want one!! Tonight I get to load the fabric back onto the bottom shelve of the cutting table, although frankly, I'm considering moving the books from my 2 cupboards onto the new shelving, taking all the fabric and putting it on the shelves in those cupboards and just having wicker baskets of curent projects on that lower cutting table shelve. I'm curious, do you store your fabric by color, weight, or type? I'm thinking keeping knits, wools, etc together makes sense. But in a little corner of my mind it makes sense to sort by bottom weight, top weight, and still makes even more sense to keep all the brown fabrics together. Any suggestions will be great. Plan on following this post with 'Fashion Shots' as I have several finished garments that have been blogged about but not seen, as well as finished, organized sewing/computer/workout/dog room photos. Thanks for all your support - I'm surprised to see comments from people who I consider to be fabulous seamstresses (sorry for the term - what is PC these days?) Carolyn, Liana, Lisa, Debbie - thanks gals :) I truly appreciate it.

July 22, 2006

Blah ~~ Again ?

I don't know what's up with me. I don't really feel like sewing. I'm more in the mood to organize and rearrange the sewing space. I feel like 'my' space has been crowded out by everyone else. We moved everything into the basement, thankfully, when it's hot outside, the basement is much cooler. Of course, because we moved everything to the basement - and I mean everything (treadmill, glider, computer, dog beds, sewing stuff), My sewing space is crowded. To avoid sewing, I have been knitting. I've been making warshcloths like there is no tomorrow. Don't know what I'm going to do with them, but I'm making them!! I just talked hubby into going to North Carolina for 10 days at the end of October, I really need to get some sewing done. I have a free evening, it's too hot to walk dogs, and the next set of curtain hardware hasn't been installed so I can't work on the next set of panels - it's all about me and I can't get motivated.
What is a girl to do?

July 18, 2006

Boring Updates

Weight Management: Down 1/2 pound since the beginning of June. Still sitting about 5# over my ideal weight, but it's not fun maintaining there - no drink before dinner, no drinks with dinner and don't even look at dessert. I feel good at the present weight, look good in my clothes and lots of things fit straight out of the pattern without a ton of alterations, maybe not worth the stress of getting and staying there. Dog Walking: I'm back to the regularly scheduled dog walking. Even managing to get both pairs of dogs walked on a regular basis. Yea me. Beau man has an ear infection and that affects our ability to take them swimming during the current blast of warm air. I learned that it's perfectly acceptable to use baby wipes to clean the dogs ears. I also learned that they are much cheaper to by at "The Mart." Sewing: Dining Room curtains are up, but need help. The bolt end for the header tape I bought said 2:1. My window is 96 inches wide. My curtains are 2 lengths 56" wide sewn together times 2 - one pair for each side of the window. Plenty of width to cover the window. Once the header tape was on and gathered, the curtains are now too narrow. They look great hanging to the sides of the window, but we might have to close them once in awhile. So, they will hang there while I quit kicking myself and then I'll take them down, unpick the header tape and sew in pleats by myself. Fun stuff that is!! Knitting: Blue cotton sweater, done but for side seams and steaming. Blue tencel sweater, front done, back 1/2 done. Need to redraft the sleeves. The pattern is for a long sleeved sweater, but the yarn is pilling as I knit. I love it, but don't want it to look ugly after the first 20 minutes of wearing, so will modify the sleeve to be a cap sleeve. Will fit with the look of the sweater still. Charity knitting - 3 bear outfits done, 4 dog sweaters and 3 cotton cloths done. Bears to go Erin's Bears and the dog items will be sold with all proceeding going to the local animal shelter. Currently I'm on a Mason Dixon Warshrag run. 2 down, more to go!!! Happy Sewing Everyone.

July 10, 2006

Weight Management

What is it about weight management this is so freaking hard? Why are the good habits so easy to break and so hard to re-establish? I know that in order to keep my weight where I like it, I need to drink about 96 ounces of water daily. Do I do that? No, been averaging about 32. And it's been hot. Haven't been substituting for other beverages, just not drinking water. I also know that I need to eat approximately 8 servings of fruits (3) and veggies (5). I have tons of ripe summer fruits in the house - cherries, plums, peaches, you name it. Not eating them either. They're good, just don't feel like it. Veggies, same situation. Since I was sick a couple of weeks ago, my workout routine has really been lacking. I've managed to get back on the treadmill 3 days per week, but still haven't picked the weight lifting back up. By the time I get back to it, I'll have to start with 5# weights again! On the plus side, I am walking the dogs again and my clothes still fit :) Off to fill my water bottle.

July 4, 2006

Have you ever noticed

that the television keeps you from being productive? I did not realize that until Sunday's productive morning. I could be putting out garments regularly. But no, I almost always turn the television on. Then I find myself just standing at the cutting table watching tv. Not ironing, pressing, measuring, nothing - just watching the idiot box. Doesn't matter what's on it - poker tournament or crafting show. What a waste of time. Since then if I'm alone in the room - no tv. In fact, I'm currently in the market for a little cd player to put downstairs. Noise, but nothing to unfocus me. Have a very safe and happy 4th of July everyone.

July 3, 2006

Inspired by Carolyn

yet again. In her recent post, Carolyn asked how you find time to sew. The reality of my life is that I don't like to get dirty, so I don't garden. I'm not a huge sun worshiper, so lazy afternoons basking in the sun aren't my thing. My children still live at home - at the old ages of 20 & 22, so they are able to help with the housework somewhat - freeing me to do what I love, create. In the old days, when we only had 2 dogs, and my sewing room was on the main level of the house, I fired up the sewing machine daily. It was close to the kitchen and convenient to fit in a seam here or there while cooking. Now that the sewing room is downstairs, I find that I don't turn it on unless I have a substantial block of time to give it. That doesn't mean that I won't do something else, trace a pattern, cut something out, make alterations, rip something that needs it. But mostly my evenings are spend cooking, cleaning up dog hair and walking dogs :) In the spirit of Nike - Saturday night I ran to Hancocks to get thread for the curtains. I was ready to start seaming the panels! My eye was caught be a great piece of stretch cotton in pink, salmon, red and yellow. It was a rather bold print and I really didn't need it. But I loved it. I kept walking around Hancocks trying to talk myself out of it. Finally I gave in and looked for something to match with it. I found a soft buttery yellow cotton interlock as well as a salmon colored cottong interlock. Immediately upon getting home I through the print in the washer and dryer, followed by the interlocks. I headed downstairs and didn't turn on the tv or computer! I just set up the ironing board and turned on the sewing machine. The panels for the dining room are seamed and the top hem is pressed in place. Same for the living room, all that is left is the bay window. I plan to stop at Linens & Things on my way home from work tomorrow for the new drapery rods. By now it was midnight and I was tired. JB got home from the poker game he was out and got on the computer. I finished up the curtain panels and shifted stuff around on the cutting table. By the time I went to bed at 1 - I had the print cut out as well as the yellow interlock. I set my alarm for 6. For the first time in months, I actually got up when the alarm went off. I headed straight downstairs. Stopping only long enough to put on a pot of coffee. By 8:30 the yellow was a new t-shirt. By 10:30 the print was a skirt. I was able to go to the horse races today with JB and friends looks cute, comfortable and stylish in a brand new outfit! Pictures after I've had time to wash and iron it :) Thanks Carolyn.

July 1, 2006

Jessica

Jessica was everything I thought she would be, except . . . I thought she would be larger. Based on the way she talks about herself. But no, she's quite cute and trim. Her dogs are hysterical and her hubby is a looker! We had a great time at the dog park, a lovely dinner and a fabulous visit. She's considering coming back in September to see the Yarn Harlot with me. She loved the American Fido fabric, unbeknownst to me, they are huge American Idol fans, so that worked out great. I hope the bag and needle roll work to transport her projects to her knitting 'events.' The weekends plans are as follows. Once again I'm cleaning dog slime off the floors - I just did this yesterday, but laminate floors and 6 dirty dogs don't mix! So finish cleaning floors, finish ironing curtain fabric - 4 pieces to iron and rip. Then I'm detouring to the border print denim. The skirt is quick and easy and I want to wear it to the 4th of July festivities. After that I will start seaming curtain panels. I can then purchase the new rods and determine hem lengths. Once I have that all down, I'll be back to ironing and ripping - lining this time. Have a great Holiday Weekend everyone. Unfortunately, I have to work on Monday. But it's okay :) Sewing will be done anyway.
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