Why?

Do I procrastinate? I'm quickly sewing up those 2 white tees that were cut out last Sunday. They will be done before I know it. Even with some tricks to make them look a little bit better. Clear elastic sewn into the shoulder seams. Bias fusible ironed on the neckline and armholes of the sleeveless top. I think I might try adding a width of fusiknit to the hemlines. I haven't done that before - but I think it's worth a try. After the two white tees? I believe a pink cotton sundress! Same pattern as the purple graphic dress - just sleeveless and the other neckline view. Arizona - here were come!!!

Neglectful

I feel like I'm neglecting the blog. I'm definitely neglecting the sewing space since the reorganization last weekend. I did manage to make some coaster for JB. He was complaining about the lack of a coaster for the computer and really what good is it to have all that fabric if you can't even get a decent coaster! I have been neglecting taking and showing pictures of the fabulous fabric that Claire bought me in while in Seaside, Oregon. As well as the fabulous gift that she brought! Love the cottons!!! I have been neglecting taking the 30 minutes or so that it takes to sew up the two (2), yes two! white t-shirts that I cut out last weekend! They are sitting on the ironing board. Last night I figured out that I have 7 non-work days until our trip to Arizona and some fabulous National Parks. I really wanted to have more dresses. Well you know what they say about wanting . . . So, time to stop neglecting myself - because really that is what all the about amounts to. Neglecting myself. Failing to take care of my soul and do what feeds me in an emotional way. Time to get busy, cutting, sewing, making and just get it done. The nice thing is that really JB doesn't care if the house is a mess - it's not like it's filthy messing - it just covered with dog hair. Come on - we have four dogs!!!!

Do-Overs

Do you do them? Do you ever want to? I'm talking about making something. You loved the fabric, but something about the garment wasn't just right. So you don't wear it. Do you do it over? I don't! I have several skirts that I absolutely loved - but I've grown out of them (the skirts are too big now! not me!) Anyway, I have kept those skirts thinking that someday I will take them in, but I know myself well and I know that will never happen. But I love the fabric - so what to do? Maybe I'll issue a challenge to myself to complete one do-over this year. I have skirt in particular that I could think of that would get worn to death if it fit! Hmmmm - I'll have to ponder that for quite some time (It's wool so I have time!). And maybe this Fall I'll have a new/old skirt to show.

Dress Form or Body Double?

What is your preference? Any Why? I've never had a dress form. Two summers ago - my local ASG group made duct tape doubles, but I was much larger, the tape stretches and sags and within a month the 'double' didn't look like me at all! So she got cut up, stuffed into the garbage (sorry earth!) and the stuffing recycled. Now - JoAnn's has dress forms on sale, and our ASG group is having Connie Crawford. In June we will be either making paper tape doubles or padding out our dress forms as needed. I'm still unsure which direction to go. Any ideas?

Sewing Space Photos

So here are the results of my days of procrastination. These 3 floating shelves used to house binders of embroidery stuff and other miscellaneous clutter. It was usable and I didn't really like it. It looked cluttered. Now - the embroidery stuff has been moved to the three green fabric covered magazine holders. These were 50% of $12.99. Since The Princess was in design school - I have always bought things in odd numbers.

The second shelves holds jars of buttons. There are a total of 6 of the smallest jars, 2 of the medium sized and one large one that all match. The huge 'ginger' jar on the middle shelves holds bits and pieces of left over ribbons and trims. It even has large pieces of trim that weren't originally purchased on spools. I really like the look of it.

On the botton shelve it the larges jar that matches the smallest ones and 2 of the smallest jars. The jars all contain buttons or closures of some sort. The basket on the left is larger than one in the close up photo. It is holding some fabulous wool for an upcoming sweater project. The basket on the right holds spools of ribbons. I had originally asked JB to add a dowel to the bottom shelve so I could dangle the ribbons ala Heather but in the meantime, I look the look of them sitting in this basket. I may even dig through the plastic buckets under the table to find more spools of ribbon :}

There are a few wicker baskets and one extra wire basket sitting on top of the cutting table. I hope to move these to the far left side of the table - but I would

actually have to finish the curtains first! I only have 6 panels left! Anyway - both baskets on the left have fabric for upcoming projects. I really like the wire basket, because I can see what's inside it. The wicker basket on the right has some mending,

2 handknit sweaters that just need blocking and finishing and my pattern book and crochet thread. The crochet stuff doesn't really live there - it's just there for now.

Finally across the way from the cutting table and next to the sewing machine is the new shelves. I bought 3 wooden baskets that look like little picket fences and three wire mesh baskets. One wouldn't fit here, so it's on the cutting table holding upcoming projects. These baskets all hold my patterns. And no - they aren't all there! I still have patterns in two of the blue pattern storage boxes! The ivory metal box on the second shelve is full of elastic and the two oval metal baskets on the top shelve contain zippers - invisible in one, regular in the other. I thought this shelve was wider than it is. I was really hoping to be able to get three of the baskets per shelve. But other than the off balance of having the closed metal box on the second shelve I like it.

While shopping with Claire and Lily this afternoon - I got some cute poker themed fabric for JB - I'm off to make him some coasters for the computer desk and then I'm really going to work on the white t-shirts! Really!

Queen of Procrastination

So, I had the day off. The Best Buy GeekSquad guy who has set up our office intranet was working at my house today. JB wanted dual monitors and when our computer died last summer it was cheaper to purchase the new package that included a monitor that we didn't need. So, one video card later - 2 monitors it is. Anyway - for the last several months, the new monitor has been sitting right next to my sewing table - working as part of the barrier to keep the dogs out. See - they like to steal yarn, chew on my pressing tools, dig through scraps in the garbage - whatever. So I block the space when I'm not in. By taking the monitor out of the box, it wasn't heavy enough to keep the dogs from pushing it out of the way. So I needed something else. I purchased a new wire shelving unit. It's short with4 shelves. I moved the patterns to the top shelf. I also purchase 4 more small glass jars, 2 medium sized ones, 1 larger one and a very large ginger jar style glass jar. While Geek Guy was here, I sorted buttons, I took all the covered buttons out of their packaging and dumped them into a glass jar. I also filled one with hooks & eyes and snaps. They look pretty. I bought 3 green fabric covered magazine holders and moved my embroidery stuff into magazine holders. I bought to ivory wire baskets - put spooled ribbon into one and large vogue patterns into another - although it would look better with yarn in it. Finally I got 2 oval ivory colored tin baskets. One is filled with elastics and in filled with ribbons. The binders and baskets are from the cottage chic line at Fred Meyer and were all 50% off! Tomorrow I'm going back with Claire. I'm in the market for a different container for pattern storage as well as some covered tin boxed for stuff I don't want visible. My space is starting to feel so much more creative. Maybe when this is done I can actually create something again. Off to procrastinate some more by feeding the dogs and finishing cooking dinner.

Inspiration

When I wrote that, all I could think about was the "Anticipation" song and a bottle of catsup. Obviously - I need a nap! Yesterday I got an email from Talbots. As I have been chatting about recently. I need some new white t-shirts. While it's really hard to see the detail in this one, I really like it. It has a very curved underbust seam. Then there is banding on both sides of the front bust - they are pintucked. I have a couple of patterns in mind. But I'm not sure how well they would work. What do you all think? I own the Kwik Sew Pattern 3419 shown on the right. I have made it up before and I like the fit. It was easy to make and is very comfortable to wear. What I don't particularly like about it - I'm not sure how to change the underbust seam from a straight seam to a curved seam. Also, the KS pattern has gathers in the top piece. However, it also have a v-neck included.

The other pattern I have been looking at that I think would work is Butterick 4973. I don't have this pattern, but I'm sure somebody is having a sale! The problems with this pattern is the gathering in the body portion - under the seam, no V-neck included. But the seam is curved.

Maybe it's time I learned how to 'morph' 2 patterns to create exactly what I want. Anybody want to volunteer to teach me?

Busy Week

Because I let my non-working time get fractured by multiple hobbies (knitting, dog walking, working out, watching tv, and sewing) as well as spending time with the hubby - I don't seem to accomplish alot during the week. Sunday was very productive. I finished the purple dress, reapplied the waistband on the daisy skirt (it was 3" too long), attached the skirt hooks on the daisy skirt and the black graphic skirt. I also finished a knit Santa Monica Tee that had been in process since sometime last Fall! My next step was to pull white knit fabric and some t-patterns. I am dying to wear the daisy skirt but the weather isn't cooperating. And while black tights and a cardigan worked well for the purple dress and worked great for Summerset and her new chainlink dress - it's not the look I'm going for with the Daisy Skirt. Hmmm, where was I going with this? Oh yea, my time has been fractured. I did manage to get both fronts cast on for the Lattice & Lace Cardigan. I am 55 rows into the Wimbledon Sweater in a very nice soft baby pink. I have one more crochet pattern I want to swatch for the lining on the black/white skirt. I have Friday off this week. The GeekSquad is coming to do some work on the computer and other than lunching with a friend I have nothing planned. There is nothing on tv tonight that I have to watch so I'm hoping to get the white knit cut out - I have 2 tops planned from it. Actually, I still have 30 minutes until I have to start getting ready for work. Maybe I should get off line and get cracking already!!!

Get Happy!

I feel like I need to start every post with photos of myself in it with how much I hate having my photo taken. But . . . I'll spare you and frankly it always sounds like I'm fishing for compliments - which I'm totally not!

So here are a few things that make me happy. First up - my new car! I love it! Behind my new (it's really 5 years old!) Sebring Convertible is my 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was completely rebuilt from the ground up less than 30,000 miles ago - so basically, while it's 10 years old, it's brand spanking new. I use it to cart dogs around - to parades, the vet, the doggie store, and the dog park.

The car was a screaming deal! It only has 13,000 miles, has been garaged it's entire life and is in pristine condition. While I didn't get to pick the color or anything else about it - it is a body style that I love and driving it makes me happy. Next up is photos of the Purple graphic dress. Quite frankly I didn't feel fat wearing it. Although that first picture looks that way. I felt happy! This is a fun dress. The print is fun. The dress just swirls when you move. And the fabric felt slinky and not hot like poly. Thankfully the Seattle weather cooperated and I was able to wear this dress on the 16th of April with black tights and black shoes and not look like I was dressed for the dead of winter, but very appropriately for the weather we have been having.

One of the attorney's in my office commented that the girls in his old office never dressed up and it was nice to see someone who did.

The dress itself - what did I do differently or the same as the pattern? I cut the fabric on the cross-grain per Sandra Betzina to stop the seams from puckering and it worked. I did not worry about trying to match the pattern - I think it's busy enough that nobody will notice if it's matched or not. I sewed most of the seams with a microtex needle and a stitch length of 2.0 I added clear elastic to the serged seam allowances in the cross-over portion of the fronts. The pattern shows the ties tied into a great big bow on the front. I'm not fond of the bow and JB thought the ties looked funny just tied in the front - they are longer than the skirt when you do that. So I wrapped them around to the back and tied them there.

I felt good wearing this dress all day yesterday. And the super good news - The Princess has already asked to borrow it - I think that means its a winner!

Studio?

What do you call your 'sewing space?' You know the place where your machine lives, where you have your supplies and your stash. Are you lucky enough to have one space large enough to house all of that? Or do you have to haul out and put away some of your supplies when you need them? Do your family and friends take your craft a little more seriously if you call it a 'studio' as opposed to calling it a 'sewing room' or 'sewing space.' Or is it what you turn out - the quality of the garments, or art garments, or quilts - that makes you more serious? Where is this space in relation to the rest of your house and your family's activities? I know some of you have no other hobbies, children are grown and don't really want to spend time with you anymore. But for those of you will smaller/younger children, dogs, husbands, etc. If it's not where the family is - does this cause you disruptions? Okay - the reason I'm asking is this. In our last house my sewing stuff was set up in the laundry room - a very large laundry room - and I loved it. The room was just off the kitchen and had a door so if I was doing laundry at the same time - I could close the door. The family was just down the hall in the main living room and I could hear what they were doing. We only had 2 dogs at the time and they would go between where I was and where JB was. When we first bought this house - I set up shop in the formal living room. I absolutely loved it! The room is large is windows on both the North and South ends of the room. I had a love seat in the room for the dogs/kids/family who wanted to come and watch TV with me while I was sewing. My machines were on the desk under the North facing window with the fabric cabinets on either side of the machines. I had room to keep the ironing board set up all the time and it wasn't in the way of the anything. I also had room to move my cutting table around to let me get around 2 long sides for layout and cutting of formals or just 1 long side for other stuff. I was on the same level of the house as the kitchen and the computer so no matter where I was - I could just sit down and sew up a seam rather easily. About 2 years ago JB decided to move the 60" big screen tv and the new largish leather furniture to the formal living room (can you tell that having a formal living room isn't important to us?). We cleaned up the downstairs, painted most of the room a very pretty yellow and one wall green. The cutting table, fabric cabinets, and sewing desk got moved downstairs, along with the computer and and old oak entertainment center. My personal opinion is that I now have less space, but it is better organized. I can find the stuff now. Also, this is where my dogs live and where the computer is. However, it's in the basement! The kitchen is one level above and the bedrooms are 2 levels above. So, what happens on Sunday when I really got sewing mojo going on and it's time to cook dinner? Well I end up shutting everything off and going upstairs. If hubby is especially tired after doing heavy manual labor in the yard all day - then I spend the rest of the evening in front of the tv with him. If he is going to play on the computer than I will come down and sew. It works the other way too, if I'm involved in a big sewing project and come downstairs, then he will come play on the computer to be in the same room with me. I don't really call my space anything other than the sewing space and I wonder if that makes my family as well as myself put less importance on a hobby that brings balance and happiness to my life.

I'm leaving you today with a picture of the one who thinks she is a princess. There is one dog bed in the photo just barely showing on the right. The Musical One vacuumed upstairs this afternoon and didn't remember to lay the dog beds back out. Being too good to sleep on just one dog bed, Miss Abigail jumped to the top of the stacked beds and went to sleep up there. I wonder if she'd notice if I slipped a pea in there?

The Blogging 8-Ball

apparently I'm behind it and losing. As has been pointed out by my friend Claire - I haven't updated in almost a week. I still haven't posted a photo of my new car (and it isn't happening now either). Have I ever mentioned that I co-lead a Neighborhood Group of my local ASG? Well I do. Yesterday another member and I were putting on a program on needle felting. Well my partner for this program got the chance to go out of town so I was totally on my own. I think it went okay, the group had fun and everyone got a chance to play with needle felting. We have some washing experiments going on now and we may see some small, discreet, needle felted embellishments on our clothing in the near future. The black/purple dress is done with the exception of hemming the sleeves and as soon as I finish vacuuming (yes that is what I'm doing right now - not really updating the blog) I will hem the sleeves. The dress feels tight across the shoulders and I'm not sure what I can do to fix that. I want to make another view from that pattern in a great pink cotton print that I've had for years and love. But I need to figure out the back issue first. Second - the waistband is going to get reattached to the daisy skirt today so that can get added to my closet. Then I think next I will whip up a white t. I actually need a few and I have some good cotton knit so that should be easy to accomplish. Happy sewing everyone - the vacuum and the laundry are currently calling my name. I've got to find the earplugs!!!

I'd Rather Be Sewing

as I'm sure most of you would too. Unless you are Claire most of us are working today. I would even be happy to be working. Instead I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut-off putting out fires. I'm not positive that the job description for "office manager" reads like this. And if it does - I want my old job back!! I am definitely taking a lunch break today. I brought both knitting and the starched sample to the slip needing a lace edge. Something will get worked on to de-stress me. I never did get off the computer in enough time this morning to work on the purple dress. So, here is the plan - dinner tonight is left-overs. I also need to make a pan of rice. Easy enough and doesn't need my attention. I need to serge the seam allowances around the front of the dress. I want to add clear elastic to the serged edge as a precaution. Then that needs topstitching and some basting. After that I plan on serging all the raw edges of the skirt pieces. It should take no time - or not more than 45 minutes to put the skirt together. After that all I need to insert an invisible zipper into the left side seam. I plan on working on another down and dirty skirt project after that - just because I need some instant gratification and everything else I have planned currently is big dress projects! Of course, what my wardrobe is really starting to need is some new summer tops - knits, cute little sleeveless woven things, maybe even a button down or two. Maybe I should focus on tops for a little minute - I have a ton of cute skirts. . . . and she's off on another tangent!!

I Had a 3-Day Weekend

and I really don't have anything to show for it. On Friday - I went to my Weight Watchers Meeting which I had originally considered skipping - but I'm glad I went. It was a good meeting and I stayed exactly the same. Not too bad considering I would like to lose some more pounds, but I'm not really doing anything more than maintenance these days. Then I headed over the JoAnn's. I needed a bag of fiberfill so I could mend Beau's big bear and some skirt hooks and eyes. I also took the brown polka dot fabric and the pink that I found for the jacket to look for something that would work to line the jacket. Originally, I was thinking something brown/pink/cream and possibly a floral. I ended up with a plain cream lining. Boring - but it will work. I also bought 2 pieces of fabric, one for a top and one for a dress. After that I went to Everett. Originally it was planned that I would meet my friend at Great Yarns for knitting, but I was unable to get a hold of her to confirm. I went anyway - but didn't take the pattern for the next up sweater. I did have the pink daisy skirt with me, because I was unpicking the hem during the earlier WW meeting. Anyway - I got the yarn for the knit top. Then I filed a lawsuit for work. By the time I got home, I had just enough time to hem the ties for the purple Simplicity dress I'm working on. Then I had to run out to meet with one of the members of our local ASG. We were working together to do a presentation on Needle Felting on Saturday, April 14th. I got her information, but found out that she got a surprise trip to Bangkok and so won't be helping me. When I got home again - I started dinner, only to have the hubby call and say that he had a really long week and wanted to go out. Saturday morning dawned bright and early where I very lazily sat on the sofa drinking water (I didn't make coffee), finishing the back of the current sweater on needles and watching sewing programs. Hubby had to go to work for a side job and asked me to pick him up at 11:30. I got there at 11:45 - still without having had any coffee. He was now helping with a car in the shop as the customer is our doctor's wife. Then he ran off to talk to somebody and came back to get my driver's license - what? Thankfully this time I brought knitting so I just hung out and swatched for the Wimbledon Sweater. We finally ran to get me a latte and then we had to come back to sign the loan for my new car! I was a little surprised because I had just asked him about it the night before and he said the guy wanted too much. The upside of having a spouse who works at a dealership is the deals - the downside is that I never get to actually pick out my own car. I am now driving a 2002 Seabring Convertible - it's dark blue with a blue ragtop. Completely loaded with only 13,000 miles! And we only paid $1 a mile for it!! Complete steal. Saturday afternoon and evening was spent doing housework. Hubby had to clean and rearrange the garage to fit my new car in and I spent hours literally cleaning floors, walls, glass tables and dusting. It looked great until I let the dogs upstairs on Sunday morning! We didn't finish and sit down to eat until 10 pm.! I literally ate and went to bed! Sunday JB cooked breaky, I helped clean up. Then we walked dogs in the very cold sunshine. I got some time to sew until I had to start dinner. At this point in time the bodice of the purple dress is almost complete As a matter of fact, I'm going to sign off and go finish the bodice. After this - the skirt will take no time at all!!! Although now the dress seems a little 'heaving' for the weather - but it might be okay for a week or so - if I can finish it this week.

I'm Melting

and not like sugar! More like the Wicked Witch! The earlier post wasn't suppose to be about sewing at all. Not sure where it came from - hmmm. Anyway - I'm having a serious mental breakdown. I woke up in a bad mood with a headache. If you've been reading for long - most of you know I have weight management issues. I'm a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and I'm currently below goal - just barely - but below goal just the same. A little more than a year ago, I fell into the bad habit of weighing myself daily. I know, I know - don't lecture. For the most part it works as positive reinforcement that I'm doing something right daily. But there are days! Anyway - this morning I was up 4# from yesterday!!! So, like a headache wasn't bad enough - I have to wake up fat too?!!? After making coffee (which tasted horrible) I fixed myself a buttered toasted cheese bagel for breaky - why not, I woke up fat anyway! Then I got to work. Nobody was there yet - yeah I could get caught up on some work without the interruptions. Right? Wrong! My computer had other plans - crashed continually throughout the day. Come to find out my newly reformatted computer has not one, but two!, viruses. Not sure how that happened. Our IT guy will be out again tomorrow. As if that wasn't enough, the phone kept ringing off the hook and apparently nobody else can answer it!!! Actually - everyone's pretty good about helping out, when they are there. My day just continued to go downhill until I was actually shedding tears over it. I'm home now, having a cup of cocoa and watching Sandra Lee on the Food Network - I mean really - it's got to get better. I am not however, cooking a real meal tonight. Hubby can either take me out or we're having sandwiches - fried egg or tuna. So there!!! Hope you all had a much better day than I.

Un-Inspired

I have been sewing - really! Last weekend I got the lining for the upcoming black & white KS 3337 made, started the heck out of the hem, and then sewed a reinforced straight stitch with a wing needle just about 1/16" of an inch from the hem. I also did the same with a small scrap of the white cotton fabric. I have been trying out different crochet patterns on the small piece, but so far I haven't found anything I really liked. In the meantime I got the purple fabric at the left cut out for Simplicity 3877. I'm making the dress shown in orange on the left in the pictures, but adding long sleeves. I don't know why I think of this fabric as purple I guess it really is more purple than anything else, but after working on it for a bit, I think black is going to be the best choice for any seaming that will show. I had the perfect match in a lavender thread, but when I wound the bobbin, I emptied the spool! Isn't that always the way?

Prior to cutting into the fabric, I prewashed it. I prewash everything! If I can't throw it in the wash and at least hang dry, then it isn't practical for my life with 4 drooly dogs. There is rarely a day that goes by when I don't get drool on my work clothing. I also pulled out Sandra Betzina's Fabric Savvy to see how she suggests working with a poly silky. Her recommendation is to cut on the cross-grain to avoid puckering seams - so I did that. I am sewing with a slightly shorter stitch length and using a fine microtex needle. I also put microtex needles in my serger and threaded it up for a 4 thread overlock with shades of purple thread.

This fabric is ravelling like nobody's business. For whatever reason, I rarely construct with my serger. I use the sewing machine for construction and the serger for finishing. And I tend to overcast each edge individually so I can still press them open. I know it adds more time, but it makes me feel better about how the inside looks, so there!

I also found with this fabric that it's really difficult to get a nicely pressed edge. However, using the iron and pressing - not ironing - and then misting with my spray bottle and pressing again is working well. So far I have the fronts sewn together, the back darts sewn and the shoulder seams put together. I have overcast the edges on all 4 side seams. I overcast these edges before seaming because they don't get sewn all the way - one side gets left open for a zipper and the other gets a deliberate hole in the seam for the tie to go through. I was just about to sew these seams, when I realized I wanted to put the sleeves in flat so I could overcast the raw edges and it would be much easier to do flat then inserting the seams. One of the few seams where the raw edges will be serged together rather than separately is the armhole seams - just because it will be easier.

Okay - I am going to get the sleeves sewn in before I go to work today! So I guess I better publish this post and get busy!!!

Shocked!

I opened my email this afternoon to find what I thought was the strangest email ever! With permission of the author, I'm posting it here: Gaylen I apologize that your experience with regard to the Seafair Pirates was not an enjoyable one. I must apologize on behalf of the Pirates for our part in that, but I would also like to explain. First, I will tell you most of the Pirates are pet owners and you will never go to the Pirates office without seeing at least one dog and a bird in attendance. We are animal lovers too! Because of this, we have a long standing policy which is printed and sent out with each application and/or press information packet regarding the distance between our ship and any units with animals. This is sent to each and every Parade committee. The Seafair Pirates were founded in 1949 and we have attended over 240 scheduled functions in 4 countries last year alone. Because of that, we are what some would consider experts in the Parade Business. On Saturday, when we arrived in staging, I was informed that we were goi ng to be number 16 which put us only five units behind the Basset Brigade. I specifically inquired about our placement out of my concern for your group. I requested that we be moved and agreed on number 33 A, which would have created a much better cushion between our cannon and your dogs. Unfortunately, this was overruled by someone on the Parade committee. At this point, I do not know who but have every intention of finding out. Once we determined that we could not change our position within the parade, we improvised the best we could. We created a significant space between ourselves and the unit ahead of us and we reduced the amount of powder in the cannon to decrease the noise without disappointing the rest of the spectators. Additionally, after the Reviewing stand, we did not fire at all - observing a no blast zone purely out of consideration for your group. It is my hope that you will forward this on to the organizers of your group. When this event is in its planning stages next year, I would be happy to be there to give our input. We firmly believe that all who attend community events should enjoy the experience. That is our goal. We understand that not all people can be pleased, but we do have a responsibility to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. This is not a difficult fix. I was present at the first All Fools Day Parade as were the Pirates and have been a Woodinville resident for 25 years. I hope this gives you a different perspective and understanding we are on your side. Piratically Yours, Mark J. Director of Public Relations/Promotions Seattle Seafair Pirates I responded to Mark with the following email Thank you so much for your response. I'm not really upset with the Pirates that's what pirates do and the canon did sound quieter than it does at say the Lake City or the Brier Parades. We attend both every year. Lake City without Dogs and Brier with. More I was just commenting on what a big baby my big dog is. Beau - the poor guy who was so scared - is a 3.5 year old bloodhound who weighs in at 105 pounds. When scared and trying to run, there's not alot I can do to stop him. Would you mind if I posted your reponse to my blog. I think it's wonderful that you thought it important enought to email me about. Thank you. To which Mark finally responded: Gaylen I'm glad to hear that all is OK. . . . . Feel free to post the original response and if Beau ever gets the he doesn't have to listen attitude feel free to use the pirates to threaten him with. Thanks hope to see you at Lake City. Wasn't that a wonderful dialog. I'm still just shocked that he would (1) see the reference to the SeaFair Pirates on my blog and (2) to actually care enough to send me a message making sure my boy was okay. Now - back to regularly scheduled sewing.

Lots of Pictures!

Some days the worst part of blogging is getting the photos where you want them! To the left is a picture of JB wearing The Man Sweater. The sleeves are about 3" too long, but we just fold them back. I am not knitting them again! I did have to re-knit the neckband 3 times last night. The cast off edge had absolutely no give after being soaked and gently washed and he couldn't get it over his head. I ended up re-knitting it and casting off with a size 7US needle. Now it fits over his head without trying to rip his ears off! And it's the perfect Philadelphia Eagles Green! So JB is very happy :)

Saturday we went to the Annual Woodinville Basset Bash and Parade. There were short legged dogs every where! Dudley dog was absolutely in his element. He loves other dogs. Neither of the dogs shown here are Dudley - although they look a lot like him. He is just out of the picture and you can just see the white tip on his tail.

Dudley is in this picture - he is on the right doing a "meet and greet" with a dog named Elvis. There didn't seem to be as many dogs at the parade this year as there have been in the past. And I didn't take nearly as many pictures as years past - we were short people power as neither of the girls were able to attend with us. Historically people dress their dogs in costumes for the parade. I'm pretty sure the dogs don't enjoy this part of the day. This cute little girl was dressed as Carmen Miranda. Her costume was adorable - but the skirt was dragging on the wet ground and got very heavy and kept putting itself off!

This was absolutely my favorite costume this year. I don't know if you can see her or not, but there is a dog in the cake. You can just see her nose sticking out the right side of the cake - away from the flip top lid. The side of the cake says "Party Animal." About half-way through the parade she didn't want to be in the cake anymore - she was ready for her debut - so her mom was bribing her with treats to keep her in there! We tried to dress Lucy up as an Eagles fan (she is JB's dog after all) but she flat refused to move. She very slowly walked from the kitchen to the entry way where I was able to get this photo, but she wouldn't take another step after that. I can't imagine she was very comfortable - she was just wearing one of JB's regular t-shirts and it was tight around her chest. Here you can see Beau checking her out. I'm pretty sure he was saying "Lucy, My God! What did they do to you?!!"

We took the shirt off and she got to go to the parade naked!

Here's the main reason I didn't take more photos. The Seafair Pirates were at the parade. This year the dogs were in the middle of the parade instead of the end and the Pirates insist on firing their canon regularly throughout the parade. Well Beau was scared to death! Every time he would hear the canon he would run in whatever direction he could go. He would go right up to strangers and sit on their feet, begging them to protect him - because apparently I was failing! Poor boy - he truly was traumatized. None of our other dogs seemed to mind too much though.

Regularly scheduled sewing will resume tomorrow :)

You Lead ~ I Follow

Everyone in blogland is doing it - it started with Erica , then I saw that Claire had done it, well I just had to do it too!

Apparently, I'm a Shape A - hips larger than shoulders. HMM - I always thought they were about the same size. I really, really thought I was more an "H" Shape - by their definitions. But, they probably are right.

However, there are some things that "they" say would flatter my figure that I would just never wear - take this long, tunic-ish style top belted. Come on! Isn't that just going to emphasize the fact that my hips are big and my thighs are full?

I do really like their choice of dress pants. I rarely wear dress pants because I can't find any that fit and look flattering. But some of these would possibly work.

Okay - now I'm off to see who else in the blogosphere is being a follower and then cut out a dress. I got the white lining assembled yesterday and ready for some great trim to be added. It's now upstairs with my tv watching projects. I've done all the Cinderellas (chores) that I'm going to do today until it's time to cook dinner - so the afternoon is mine to play with fabric. Happy Sewing Everyone.