Wool Flannel

I just got an email from Fabric.com and I love this fabric! But, again, I'm asking for help from the internet sewing mavens. The description says I can use the fabric for a coat or lined slacks, but I want a skirt. I don't wear slacks, nor do I have a pattern that fits. Can I make a lined skirt from this Fabric? I'm looking foward to a long weekend. Last week Mr. J and I spent 3 days in Disneyland with the other staff and spoused from my office. While we had fun, it wasn't much of a 'weekend' if you understand what I mean. So, this weekend, I have 3 days off, then I work 3 days and have another 3 days off! I have big plans! I get to pick my sewing machine up tomorrow during lunch (I hope) and then I'll be all set to play :)

Since we last spoke . . .

I've had several thoughts and ideas floating around in my brain. I'm hoping someone out there knows the answers - and will post them through comments :) First ~ is it still taboo to wear white after Labor Day? I don't want to break any cardinal fashion rules, but I still really want a white skirt. Second ~ it dawned on me after my last little sewing session with the white skirt, the one where I inserted the zipper then tried on the unlined skirt without the waistband attached, only to find that even though the muslin fit - the eyelett does not! I was seriously depressed about it. Now, I know the following will be a shock to most of you, but apparently my hip curve does not match the hip curve of the Simplicity pattern I'm using. I do know that the hip curve on my KS pattern fits. So I started thinking, why not overlay the two patterns to get a hip curve that actually matches me and the flare that I want. So, in my mind I have to tape the two pieces that make the front and back together and then place them over/under (whatever) the other pattern, trace the KS to the hip, then follow the other pieces to the bottom. Right? Please somebody, is this right? Third ~ This is completely about weight management and self-talk. I'm totally in a rut, consequently, I'm about 12# heavier now than I want to be. You wouldn't think 12# would make that much difference, but let me tell you - it does. So, I need to get back to my routine. I'm sure if I say it enough times, it will happen :) My sewing machine went to the spa while I went to Disneyland. Hopefully we both had fun :) Thanks for the help sewing community.

White Skirt (Photoless) Update

UGH!!! I had a long post written and blogger ate it. Maybe when I'm done crying I'll come back and try to remember how witty I was and retype it :) Happy Sewing to all.

Where has the summer gone?

How about a few more photos of projects that actually got done? The skirt fabric was purchase from Julie of Timmel Fabrics . The pattern is Simplicity 7229. The skirt was super fast to sew and I love wearing it. The only changes that I made was to sew the waist band on in two steps rather than one. This let me enclose the seam allowances in the waistband seam, rather than have 3 layers of fabric pressed down as the pattern told me to do. Currently, I have a jean jacket cut from the same fabric, however I will Not Ever wear both pieces at the same time. The skirt was literally whipped up in an afternoon before hubby and I headed out to the beach for a weekend away. It got worn, with the blue slinky knit top for approximately 30 minutes until the winds coming off the ocean got to be too much and we headed back to the B&B so I could put on jeans and a bulky sweater :) So much for attempting to look chic! I wear this outfit with a fresh pair of white keds. The top is Simplicity 4699. This is the same top as the bright peach "Off to the Races" top. I really enjoy wearing this top, it's comfortable and according to my ASG group ~ flattering. Plus it's super simple to make. The fabric is a slinky type knit from Fabrics.com which was added in as bonus to me when purchasing fabric to make The Princess' prom dress. Believe it or not, there is just enough of the smokey blue/grey in the print to make the pieces work really well together. So, currently on the sewing table - the aforementioned jean jacket. It's cut and ready to sew. I purchased really pretty small mustard colored snaps from Snap Source for this jacket, the plan is to put double snaps instead of one large in at each spot. The pattern was modified to add in-seam pockets per Gigi Lewis's article in threads. I purchased heavy cotton thread in a verigated raspberry to chocolate for the topstitching. The bands, cuffs and collar have all been topstitched, just haven't started sewing yet. Also on the cutting table, a print Santa Monica T. So far I have put the sleeves in and ironed fusible bias tape to the neckline. I have not turned and topstitched the neckline nor done anything else to the top since I cut it out in May. Hmmm - maybe I should toss it? Finally, the white eyelet skirt. This skirt is Simplicity 5914, I am making View A, the long flared view. I have the skirt and the lining cut, all the pieces have been edge finished with a 3-thread narrow overlock and the seams have all been put together. Yesterday morning I interfaced the waistband pieces. Tonight I plan to put in the zipper. I am hoping to find some great white lace to attach to the bottom of the lining pieces and then I plan to hem to lace with a large scallop stitch. We are going to Disneyland for the weekend, so no sewing will be accomplished this weekend. Hopefully this will be done over the Labor Day weekend. Fall Sewing is dancing in my head. I hope to have fabric, patterns and ideas to share with you next. In the meantime, I keep knitting warshrags!!!

Nothing but the Dogs!

This is a rather scary picture of Miss Lucy. I promise she isn't threatening or mean or anything - not that anyone would believe that by looking at this picture. Truly if she met you, after jumping like Tigger to try and kiss you and smell your face, then she'd just sit down nicely - on your feet, lean into you and wait for you to start petting her head. If you didn't start soon enough, she might nudge your hand with her head. She turned 3 last Friday, August 11th. She is love who was added to our home as an afterthought - we went to get her brother Beauregard, and she came home with us.

This is the promised picture of Miss Abigail and her human sister, The Princess. The Princess is moving out today. While I know it's totally age appropriate (she's 20) I'm incredibly sad :( There will be no more photo ops of the two princess both laying belly up on the floor. As you can see - Abby got her way and The Princess is actually rubbing her belly while they are both laying there.

Happy sewing everyone :)

How About Knitting This Time?

So, thought I would post some more photos - knitting this time. These three little bears were dressed by me. The local radio stations do bear drives, people purchase and donate the bears. The owner of the LYS that I love (Great Yarns) is on the board for one of the Moyer Foundation charities. Camp Erin is a grief camp for kids who have suffered a death of a loved one. Fontelle provides yarn, patterns, food and opens her store two evenings during the summer. The first night we pick out bears, scraps of yarn to make clothes, have dinner - this year it was on the lawn - and visit with other knitters. It is always fun. Anyway, a dressed bear is placed on the bed of every child who attends Camp Erin. The bear is theirs to keep forever. This is totally a selfish feel good project. The 3 outfits shown were completed in a weekend. I will make more next year. Shown at the left is a warshcloth from Mason Dixon Knitting. I have made 2 of this style warshcloths. The other one is pink. I like this pattern, but it takes too much thought and concentration. You can see the stack of Ball Band Warshcloths on the left of this little beauty. Here is a small sampling of the ball bands that I have made. I have given 6 of them away to date and just keep making more - my kids just roll their eyes at me. But then - they give me reason to roll my eyes at them, too. For Example - May I present Abigail and The Princess, both lying on their backs on the hardwood floor - silly girls! I will have to add the girls later as suddenly Blogger won't let me add photos! hrmmpt!

This is a Test

to see if I can add a photo by my name, you know for when you leave comments and people view your profile. This is the picture I'm trying to use - The Beau Man giving me a kiss - isn't he the sweetest? Everyone should have an animal that loves them :) And of my 4 - Beauregard James loves me best :)

Just Sew You Know -

I hate having my picture taken. Here are a few of the outfits that have been made this year : There are 3 versions of Kwik Sew 3098. The first was out of a stone colored stretch twill. It has a lapped center back zipper. This skirt was originally cut out in a size XL. After cutting, I lost a good amount of weight. I had to retrace the pattern in a size medium and recut the skirt. I was able to reuse all the fabric with the exception of the waistband. Since this skirt has a faced waist, nobody but me (and now anyone who reads this) knows that the waistband is a different color. The top is a McCalls pattern made from wool jersey I bought at an ASG 'yard sale.' The second skirt is from denim with just the tiniest amount of stretch. I used a lapped seam for the center front so I could topstitch both front pieces and leave the bottom 4" open. This skirt was made right after ER gave the fabulous presentation to our ASG about seam finishes. It encouraged me to try something new and different - something that I hadn't done before - namely the lapped same. Worked great and I have the kicky little opening in the front that I envisioned. I wear this skirt alot. I love the comfort of it. This top is the Santa Monica Tee made from an onionskin type knit from Londa. I love this top and wear it often with lots of different colors. The final skirt is my "Off to the Races" outfit. I saw this peachy print at Hancock Fabrics one Saturday night while I was shopping for thread. I didn't need more fabric and I tried to avoid it, but the fabric just kept calling my name. I dropped the fabric into the washer as soon as I walked in the door on Saturday. Before going to bed both the top and skirt had been cut out. This time I cut the front on the center fold, eliminating the center front seam allowances. Both this skirt and the denim one have center back invisible zippers. This is a great skirt, very comfortable to wear - the only problem is the print is so memorable. The top is Simplicity something or other (I forgot my sewing notebook at home). I used the size I had previously cut out for The Princess. Unfortunately The Princess has a bust and I do not! After making and wearing this top once, I washed it in super hot water and dried it in the drier. End result was just enough shrinkage to make it fit better :) Yea. In daylight the top and skirt go together much better. Today's final picture is the second top that matches the print skirt. Again, I swear they go together better in daylight :)

White Skirt

I actually started on this by tracing the pattern a week or so ago. I then tried it on. Can I just say it truly is time to get back to my weight management program? Yesterday I retraced the pattern - don't ask - and cut the eyelett. The princess helped me fit the back as I always need bigger darts. This is gored skirt that doesn't have darts, but the seam allowances work the same way. This morning I plan on sewing up those darts and setting in the zipper - then it's onto the lining pieces. With any luck by the end of the week, I'll finally have my white skirt I've been dying for all summer. Thank Goodness for living in the Pacific Northwest and being able to wear this skirt into early October :) This morning I was up at 5:30 and got in 35 minutes on the treadmill. I made oatmeal with peaches for breakfast. Listened to my body and quit eating when I was no longer hungry - satisfied. Gave the rest to Beau. Now Lucy is mad at me :) I swear I can never win in this house. Tonight the plan is to fix leftover tamale casserole for dinner, walk dogs and work on the skirt while watching The Closer. I missed it last week because JB started watching some crazy movie. I do try to spend evenings with him - usually he comes down to the sewing room to play on the computer and we watch tv down there. Pictures to follow later today. I hate having my picture taken and that is apparent from all the photos I'm in. The Princess took them and told me I was a dork! I just need to find 10 minutes during my work day to move them from my email to yahoo and then load them to blogger - I'm tired just thinking about it :)

And Life Goes On

Hmmm - this daily blogging stuff is for the birds, obviously I can't keep up with it :) I have been in the sewing space lately and not just to cut ends on knitted goods. Last Friday was my day off, after running some errands. I got some more clear plastic storage bins for organizing stuff. Then I got down to business. I cut out two tops. The first was the orangy top that goes with the "off to the races" skirt. The second was from the same pattern and was cut from a fun pink swimsuit fabric that has black, gray and white circles all over it. I've worn both. You think I'd know by now that different fabrics behave differently. The orange is great! Comfortable to wear, looks good. The pink - should have been a size bigger. It's okay, but I'm not sure I'd wear it out of the house. It's a little too snug and wants to ride up at the midrif! Hello - I'm over 40 not an attractive look!! I also managed to get the pattern for my white skirt traced and most of the muslin done. However, next up - altering the bridesmaid dress and making a huge red bow for the Bride to put on her hiney when she walks down the isle! What in the world is she thinking? Oh, well. After that - I'm planning on finishing the white skirt, then continuing work on the curtain panels from . . . I know, I bet you thought they were done. Nope, one done, just stopped complaining about it. Okay - time to get back to work. By the way, The Princess took photos of a ton of new outfits from this summer yesterday. But The Musical One neglected to live up to her end of the bargain and email the photos to me at work so I could post them. Maybe before Friday :