Stitcher's Guild

I'm starting a continuation of the Sharing thread because the old one was getting long.  I'll keep the same naming convention that we had on SewingWorld, so there won't be any confusion about what is the current thread.  Just as a tiny point of order, should we continue the convention of using Roman numerals for each new continued thread, or should we go to Arabic numerals?  Does anyone care one way or another?


So, good morning, it's a new day and a new old thread for us!

Oh, I think Roman numerals are nice, and that's what you've got, so let's keep them.  I think splitting this topic into sections makes it much nicer, and will facilitate searching, etc., although if you haven't tried the Search feature on this board, it is amazing, especially compared to many others.  I was just beginning to wonder if we were on our way to page 328 or something! ;)  This will be much handier. 

SusanW,  Thanks for the very kind wishes!  I hope your flooding wasn't too bad, although any is too much, IMHO! :o  I see that LindaL is having water problems too.  Hope you girls dry out soon.  I'd love to take some of your rain off your hands, as we're starting to suffer from what I'm afraid is the continuation of the last couple years' drought.  We've been just on the edge of real trouble from it for a few years, and can't seem to shake it.

Amy,  I enjoyed seeing your niece's dresses.  I hope all events went as planned, and obviously everyone involved looked stunning! 8)

I too agree about the Roman numerals - nice touch. Does any one know how/why the convention started on SW?

I'd like to thank everyone who has commented on my tee. A word about the Italian fabric and the local shop it came from. Here in Birmingham - UK - there is a large immigrant population, mainly from Pakistan, who do a lot of dressmaking. There are many Pakistani shops selling fabrics to cater to their needs. They are mainly the bright coloured silky fabrics that we associate with the sub-continent that don't translate well into European clothing, although I do sometimes use them as lining. And apart from some absolutely fabulous embroidered wedding silks - at equally fabulous prices - they are at the lower end of the market.

The reason I have said all this is that the Italian shop is aimed at this market. So it doesn't carry the wonderful fabrics that I can find in Rome for example. There is a lot at under £5 a metre - that's inexpensive here - and nothing really over £10.
But it does have some interesting haberdashery which is why I visited this time. Perhaps I should go more often?

And now I'm off to look at pictures and blogs in the hope that it may warm up enough later for me to actually wear my new tee.

The Roman numerals started purely by happenstance.  Leanna Lee, who started the Sharing thread on SW under a different title, was originally responsible for starting the continuing Sharing threads as the pages quickly filled by sewists looking for a warm, supportive, vendor-neutral site that spoke mainly to garment sewing, with other sewing (and knitting, and gardening, and ...) topics welcomed as well. She used the Roman numeral format, so we all just carried it on. 

I am happy to have this topic alive and in such great hands as DL and Lisa.  The numerals are fine either way to me.  I just didn't want to loose the group and their wealth of information.

The flooding has finally abaited here in Virginia.  What a happy thing to not have to tell someone ground water and sump pump failure are not covered. 

I wonder if anyone knows about beading?  I bought  bugle beads to put two rows around the neckline of a top.  Do you prestring the beads first?  I have the needle and thread, but wasn't sure and snoop shopping has not been successful.

Kathryn are your going to do "the coat"?  I was so thrilled to be able to order both the coat and the great pants suit. 

Susan

AnnRowley

I had a look at your new tee this morning.  It looks so nice and I especially like the side view of you wearing it.  That's a really lovely picture of you Ann.

Deirdre

SusanW,
While I'm no beading expert I think you want to individually sew each bead on for safety's sake. You could prestring them and then couch them on, but that would be less secure. Also, the few times I've done this, I used a kind of backstitch and knotted occasionally as I went.

We lucked out here (in the mid-upper Shenandoah Valley), only 7 inches of rain as opposed to over a foot just northeast of us. And we live on the top of a hill so our basement stayed pretty dry. My sister had some real finished baesment damage in NH last month. Too much water... wish we could spread it around to places that need it more (like Liana).

Kathleen C.

Susan, I am glad that the flooding worries are subsiding for you.  We went through a spring flood here in Fargo, but lucky for us, DH and I live quite a way from the river and stayed dry.  It is worrisome though.  Let's see if I can give you my two cents worth on beading.  I do a lot of bridal beading, obviously, and glass bugles are some of my favorite trims.  There are a number of methods to use them as a trim around a neckline or waist, but I'll share with you the quickest and easiest I have found.  Let me start by saying that beading success or failure is dependent mostly on your choice of thread.  I have tried everything from specialty threads to dental floss -- yes, really.  I have settled exclusively on nylon upholstery thread.  It is strong, disappears in the beads, and does not knot up on me.  You will also need to purchase some special beading needles, as the eyes are smaller to go through the beads without catching.  They are very inexpensive and available at nearly any fabric shop.  It is difficult, but not impossible to thread the beading needle with the upholstery thread.  Once you get the hang of it, it is like second nature.  For a trim, I am imagining that you mean to place two rows or a cord of beads around you neckline, right?  If you look in my album, you will see that I use this trimming on a few gowns, one that is ivory satin with just a cord of beads over the neckline and straps, and on my own quickie dress that I am wearing in my cousin's wedding photos around the empire waist line.  

I actually like to use two strands of beads twisted together for added sparkle.  I sometimes use two strings of bugles, sometimes one string of bugles and one string of matching seed beads.  To do this, I knot the end of a long thread, pull through the starting point on the garment, then string the beads onto it to the desired length.  I leave this string attached to the garment, leave the needle on it, and stretch it to the side.  I then repeat the process with a second thread and needle to make the second string.  Now, pull the strings out to their full length and twist them together.  I then pull the needles through the garment at the desired stopping point for the strings -- the other end from where I started.  Now go back with this continuous thread and tack them down, stitching between every few beads on each string.  If you do not want to twist them, I use the same method, just eliminating the twisting step.  The most important thing is to get the strings the right length, so keep measuring and stretching them to see if they fit as you string.  

There is a second method for a single string, but the results are not as smooth.  If you have trouble getting the strings to the right length, you can just knot the thread, pull through the garment, string a few beads (10 or so), the pull through the garment again and stitch between every third bead or so.  Then, go back to where you ended and pull through to the right side again and start another short string at the end of the first.  The danger here is that those breaks tend to make a more disjointed look, or not smooth string.  Hope this long winded explanation helps!

Marianne, thanks for you compliments to my nieces dresses.  The confirmation went very well.  It was somewhat odd, though, to see the whole family in my sewing.  :)

Liana, thank you also for your kind words on my nieces dresses.  I do hope you see rain soon.  We seem to be having plenty up here in Fargo -- more than a former desert of Colorado resident is used to.

Kathryn, thank you for your compliments to my bridal work and nieces dresses.  And, my vote is to stay with the Roman numerals too, although the multiple X's do make a rather funny delimma when we get to parts 20 and 30, as I recall from SW.   ;D

Amy ~ it is so good to have you here!  The pictures of your nieces and nephews outfits are just darling!  I am sure they all looked wonderful that day in the church.

Wow! The inspiration in this folder is unbelievable! I want to spend hours just going through everyone's photos!

First off, I hope all who are in the flooded areas out east are in the clear. I am sending dry vibes your way.

Second, thanks to all for the wonderful pattern images. Phew! Those Vogue patterns are wonderful, as are the others - Sherril, I was loving the Simplicity wardrobe patterns you mentioned. I saw your reviews at PR and want to go back and look more carefully.

Amy, your work is stunning. Thank you for sharing it here. Absolutely beautiful.

Ann, I love your new Burda tee. You are forcing me to go through my piles of WOFs to look for the patterns you've whipped up lately. Just wonderful, and you look beautiful wearing the pieces. I always love seeing the garments displayed in multiple ways, and most importantly on the people who made them! What a treat.

I think it was Mardel who said, "if I left anyone out, it was unintentional." There is so much to enjoy here and so much to say. Kathryn and Liana, thank you for keeping our conversation going along so smoothly.

As for me, I finished another New Look blouse, this time in blue stretch chambray. Here's a pic:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=169bscd.jpg

I really love the buttons. My husband helped me select them from my "collection." I think I'll give him the button-picking job, from now on. Here's a close-up of the buttons:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=4a12scd.jpg&.src=ph

I also finally got around to making Louise Cutting's One Seams. I liked the results, and will definitely use these for beach and pajama pants. This is the straight-legged view with self-lined patch pockets:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=9100scd.jpg&.src=ph

Funny how shoes with heels can make pants that are too long in stocking feet look too short. Here's the stocking feet picture, which also shows up how short-waisted I am! I never wear tops tucked in..... I look as if I've pulled my pants up to my ears, but they're actually just sitting at my waist  :smug:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=36a1scd.jpg&.src=ph

Diane ~ I absolutely love the buttons!  They make the shirt sing!  It is truly a beautiful shirt something you wouldn't find in RTW.  I am glad that you got the One Seam Pants to work for you, also.  You have been quite productive!  :)

Okay, here I am again. Kathryn, your jacket blog is fabulous and I'll have to print it out as a tutorial. Wow. That represents a lot of thinking and work and a big gift to all who read and heed.

Then I went to your photo albums, which I've looked at before, but not recently. Too many wonderful things. Much browsing to be done. What really caught my attention (among a million other things there), was your stitchdiva shrug. Have you worn it a lot? What do you wear it with? So pretty, and looks like a wonderful summer piece. I haven't crocheted anything since  the mesozoic era. Was it difficult? I'm a pretty decent knitter but crochet? hmmmmmm....... do I want to open up that pandora's box of goodies  >:D

Thanks, Carolyn. You are amazingly productive, so I feel complimented! I just read your blog and your question about remedies for sewing slumps. I wanted to say how sorry I was that you had that sad experience with sewing for your daughter. It is so challenging to be a mother sometimes, and to give so much and then have to let them fly as they wish. I have a thirteen year-old and she hasn't let me sew anything for her for years. I keep wishing I could teach her to sew, but she would rather go to thrift shops - she and her friends have just discovered them  :'( So my heart hurts for you. You had a very graceful reaction to the whole experience and I admire that so much!

As for sewing slumps....... I end up desperate for something to wear, and if I'm in a terrible slump I will actually go out and try to find something in RTW and then I am jolted back to reality when the only thing I can buy is a new lipstick. I am propelled back to the sewing machine by schlocky designs and shoddy construction  ::)

Diane, what a wonderful chambray shirt!  I agree with you, that your DH should be the "button chooser" in your house--he really chose well for that blouse. Your topstitching is so perfect, and the band really sets those buttons off nicely. I'm glad to see the one seams made up and worn on you.  They look fantastic--so comfortable and cute.  They are not as bulky as I had imagined, judging simply from the pattern.  What fabric did you use?  Great job on your two new projects!

Thank you so much for your compliments on my "How to make a Jacket" 'blog.  It is hard to imagine that I wrote it over 18 months ago.  How time has flown!

I'm flattered that you like my photo album site, which is really getting chock full. I may have to start a new one!  I have no idea how long it takes that page to load, since I have high speed cable service, and the loading is pretty quick.  I don't know about the other services, though, which is why I'm thinking of starting a new album.

That www.stitchdiva.com shrug is a delight to wear.  It's perfect over a sundress or a tank or tube top.  I wear it a great deal, mostly with white in the summertime, and with black and autumn colors in the cooler months.  My DH says I'm like a crow, attracted to anything sparkly, and I guess he's right, because I love the subtle sparkle of that shrug.  It is an easy project to crochet.  While I prefer to knit, a crochet project every now and then is a lot of fun, and a nice change of pace.

Amy, once again, your beading instructions are print-worthy, and have gone directly into my "Tips and Techniques" folder on my computer.  Thanks so much for the great information!

Diane, love the chambray shirt.  Great style and it is so beautifully made; of course I would expect nothing less.  The buttons really elevate the blouse into somethng special.  How lucky to have a husband with such a good eye.

Diane, beautiful blouse, the buttons are wonderful. Congrats on getting the fit right on the one seams. They are addicting. So easy, instant gratification.

DS1 and his fiancee are coming for a visit for my birthday,thank you for asking Kathryn. I have asked for some fabric-complete with links to the sites, some gift certificates and an 18" doll for the heirloom doll dresses I am making. My DB sent me a professional grade garment steamer, bless his heart! You have a vacuum table, don't you?

Oooooh, sounds like impending gifts galore at your house, Marianne! They sound perfect.  What a nice gift from DB.  I have one of those professional steamers as well, and love it for steaming suits and eveningwear that have been hanging in the closet and need freshening (as in getting out the soft folds from hanging) before wearing.

I have two vacuum ironing tables, one a Pfaff, and one a Euro Pro that came with an attached steam generator iron that has since bit the dust.  The vacuum table portion still works great, though, so I tossed the Euro Pro iron and replaced it with a Naomoto gravity feed iron which is used with that Euro Pro vacuum table.  That Euro Pro table is wonderful because it has a separate vacuum board that has a tailor's ham on it, which also can be used with the suction feature.  I also have a separate steam press with a vacuum suction option.  Major suckage in my sewing room!  ;D ;D ;D

I hope you have some elaborate festivities planned for this upcoming birthday, Marianne.  Dancing in the streets, fireworks, etc...

Diane,  What a great shirt!  I love the style, and the buttons are wonderful.  I can see why you've made it more than once.  It would be fun to see it on you, too.

Marianne,  Sounds like you have the birthday deal all figured out, and that your family is well-trained in coming up with good gifts for sewers!  :)

Well, it's been bookwork to the max today, as it's nearing the end of the fiscal year.  I did get ONE dart stitched ::) and that was very satisfying, actually.  I'm trying the DMC cotton thread, and it appears to sew like a dream.  (I did make a sample, so it's not just one dart's worth I'm basing my report on.) ;)  I ordered some Presencia cotton thread from Fiber on a Whim (http://www.fiberonawhim.com/), a really interesting website for a store in Atlanta, I believe.  They seem to cater to surface design enthusiasts, as well as quilters.  They also have some really neat buttons.  I've been going to try this brand of thread for a while, just never got it ordered, and this is a different place that carries it.  It's supposed to be great, and almost lint-free, so we'll see.  I believe it's from Spain.

 

AmyH, thank you for posting such a useful and  detailed reply to Susan's beading question. As I'm sure many people, as well as me, will find it very useful I asked Lisa to move it to the Pearls (http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,320.0.html) thread so that it can be found easily as a reference.

Diane, great shirt, fabulous buttons.

And thanks for the further comments on my tee.

At the moment I am on the lower end of my moderating learner curve so forgive this rather brief reply as I go elsewhere to exercise my grey matter.

Thanks, Anne, for correcting my recollections on how we fixed my jacket sleeves. We did not remove anything from the sleeve itself; just the armhole. Feel free to add anything else that I may have forgotten!

Carolyn, I did not get this particular piece of fabric from Anne. I did, however, purchase it in it's pink version from her..pink background, white, darker pink, yellow and green lifesavors. I love it! She also carries it in a white background ..can't remember the lifesavor colors, blues and greens, maybe..both were on her website.

Yes, Liana, my day spent at AA sewing camp was so much fun. Another one is scheduled for July 21 and I have hopes of attending. I just love being with people who share my love of sewing, fashion,creating.

Ann, your tee looks great on you. I love the fabric ; I know that you don't do a lot of sewing with knits, but this knit is classy but funky.Just a matter of finding just the right knit and you did.  By the way, I thought you might like to know that I used your Terry Fox sleeve wrap on my lifesavor jacket and really like the technique and results. Keep those techniques coming.

Diane, I have always enjoyed your postings on PR and invariably add to my ever growing list your most recently reviewed pattern! You have such a great eye for selecting patterns for me!!  Thanks!! No exception here. I purchased your latest blouse pattern  after seeing your first one. You also led me to the Mimosa top and pant, both of which I have made. You can see the results of your inspiration in my albums.

I actually sewed some last night!  Not much but about 15 minutes worth.  This effort was given over to the black/creme circle linen pieces that I might actually finish and get to wear before the summer is over.  I really want to take these pieces on vacation with me since we will be attending the Baptist Church my mom grew up in for two Sundays so I need some real finery that will go with the only two hats I own!  Hopefully spending that little quality time with my sewing things will encourage me to spend more, soon!

Diane - the 13 yr old will let you sew for her once she is in high school and needs those beautiful eveningwear pieces.  It is amazing how fast they run back to your sewing skills then!  My second DD learned to sew around 13-14 also.  I think she is such an avid sewer because I have everything available and the possibilities are limitless in what she can make!  Hopefully yours will want to learn soon!

Amy ~ can I make a request?!  Can you post your, "How to use silk organza" tips again.  For everyone who hasn't seen or copied these from one of the old Sewing World folders, you are in for a treat!  I rarely used silk organza as an underlining before Kathryn and Amy got me hooked.  Kathryn because her outfits are so beautifully constructed with the silk organza underlining and Amy because she provided the easiest tip for using it in construction!  So please, Amy can you provide them again!

Fran G ~ I really hope that you make AACamp on July 21st!  And if you do, make sure that you share what you make and learn with all of us!

Marianne ~ boy are you gonna be a happy girl when all of those wonderful birthday gifts arrive!  Happy, Happy Birthday in advance!

Diane, thank you so much for your compliments to my sewing.  Let me add my praise for your chambray blouse.  The buttons are just a perfect touch and the blouse is beautiful. 

Ann, I am flattered that you think my beading advice is Pearl of Wisdom worthy.  Lisa has moved it to that thread.  Thanks! 

Kathryn, let me add my cheer for your jacket blog as well.  I refer to it often -- especially now as I am embarking upon suits for myself.  If there is anyone who has not refered to this blog, it is a real treasure of knowledge.  Thank you for sharing it with us, Kathryn.

Carolyn, thank you for your compliments to my recent sewing for the nieces and nephew.  I will post the silk organza instructions in another post for anyone who is interested.  As I cut out the first in my new series of planned suits today, I am thinking of you, Carolyn. I have chosen to use the skirt pattern that we were all calling the "Carolyn skirt" -- Simplicity 5914.  I am using it for a beige gaberdine.  I am cutting out a silk tweed jacket with a collar  to go with it as a sort of feminine casual suit.  I love having suit separates that I can mix and match, and I think that "Carolyn skirt" pattern will be just the item.  I fell in love with that pattern after you made a few lovely renditions of it, then I used it for my mother.  Now, it's my turn.  :)

Oh my gosh, Fran, your albums are full of inspiration for me!! I love the fabric painted napkins - those are lovely and special. What is your favorite fabric paint? And tell me that you don't literally wear the "garden gloves" for gardening? I love fingerless gloves. Later on I'll try to remember to post a pic of the "elegant gauntlets" I made using Sally Melville's pattern from "The Knit Stitch." I used the recommended Koigu, and those long fingerless gloves have been worn to death.

Love love love the Mimosa pant in brown knit, and the two tops are perfect. Thanks to you I'm reminded of the wonderful pieces the Mimosa produces. We are headed to New Zealand at the end of July, and you've just given me an idea for a pair of versatile pants for that trip - a pair of Mimosas in olive green double-knit. Will have to think about  that one; perhaps that's a good starting point for a capsule. Also loved the Mimosa top. What a great idea to underline it in silk organza!

What pattern did you use for your "Lifesaver Jacket"? And the shawl in your "shawl" album? Absolutely beautiful. I loved looking at it all. Thanks!

Per Carolyn's request, I'll try to post my silk organza tip.  I tried to search SW to see exactly what I had said over there, but to no avail.  SW doesn't seem to want to load for me today, so I'll see if I can go from memory -- please let me know if this isn't the tip you had in mind, Carolyn.  


Underlining with Silk organza:  
I love silk organza as an underlining.  It is lightweight, sturdy, and works particularly well to underline evening and bridal fabrics.  I underline all brial and evening bodices, especially those that will have beading.  This gives support for the beads, and makes the garment fit smoother and lay nicer when finished.  

The problem with silk organza is that it is so light that it can be difficult to work with.  It has a tendency to slip and shift, making it difficult to align underlining pieces with cut out garment pieces and stitch them together.  To speed this process up, I do not cut out my underlining pieces using the pattern piece.  I cut out the garment as usual, then cut blocks of silk organza big enough for each pattern piece to fit on.  I lay the block of silk organza over the cut out garment piece on a hard surface and pin it is place using lots of pins.

Pins are the most important part of this process.  When I say lots of pins, I mean an obscene, ridiculous, insane number of pins.  I pin the organza down not just around the perimiter where I will stitch, but over the entire piece.  I place pins all over the center of the cut piece to secure the organza in every possible direction.  It is important here to set the pins in two different directions -- some vertical, some horizontal to the grain.  I even place a few on the diagonal on occasion.    After the center is pinned thusly, and the piece looks completely ridiculous with so many pins, I then pin around the perimeter where I will stitch, placing pins normally, so they can be removed as I stitch.  When completely pinned together, I have a garment piece with a block of organza laying over it that is nearly covered in pins.The perimeter pins are the only ones I remove as I stitch.  I baste the pieces together with the organza side and all those pins up, removing perimeter pins.  Then, I lay the piece flat on my counter again, remove all the pins from the center, then trim the organza block so that the edges match the cut garment piece.  

Trimming the organza after stitching in place saves time, and is so much easier, as you will not have to worry about the pieces slipping slightly.  The pinning seems a bit excessive, and looks really funny, but works very well.

Hope this is what you had in mind....

Liana, I am stunned by your gorgeous work - I've been tucked up in bed with my laptop looking at your beautiful knitting and all the lovely things you've made. I cannot do any of it justice with my comments. I said something similar at PR, but it bears repeating: I really appreciate the care you take when taking your pictures and writing your reviews. Each review (and I'm in the process of taking a tour) is full of great information and inspiration.

Also, I just read about your recent bad luck. Oh brother. What a series of unfortunate events. I hope things are turning around now. When one is  as creative and artistic as  you, it has to be more than dreadful to be unable to easily move around.

Reading through your blog and looking at your pictures reminds me of a movie I saw recently - "The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio." All your vintage and couture touches made me think of the dresses Julianne Moore wore in the film. Have you seen it? She looks perfectly turned out in every scene, with one terrific dress after another.

Have you always had this finely honed sense of style? or have you taken the time to learn it?

I have "The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio" (just down the road from me, actually) on my Netflix list.  I'm also dying to see "The Devil Wears Prada" when it opens, because I love fashion and I love Meryl Streep, so that combo has me salivating.  I didn't read the book, thinking it was too fluff a piece for something besides vacation reading.  If I like the movie, though, I may get the book from the library, even if I'm not on vacation.

Amy, thank you for your kind comments about my "Jacket How To" 'blog.  I'm so happy that someone with your sewing talent can pluck a few good bits of info as well from that epic!  Let us know how your jacket making progresses.  You've made such wonderful ones in the past!

Thank you, too, Amy for reposting your information about underlining with silk organza.  I've called it "Amy's method" for so long I don't think of calling it anything else.  I even referred to it on a patternreview review that I did.  See, you're famous! ;D

Just a guess, but I bet the movie will be better than the book was.  I didn't think enough of the book to recommend it to anyone, and I like chick lit as much as anyone.

So that's why those sleeves look so good! - not , of course forgetting AnneK's help. It's a really useful technique and one of several that I learnt from Terry Fox. I'll add it to the Pearls thread in due course - it looks as though I shall have a busy w/e as I also think Amy's Silk Organza notes need to be there too. Very clear description Amy, and I really appreciated the "insane number of pins" that you used.

Thank you so much Amy for the beading instructions.  I looked and looked on line and really nothing for garments, so your help is very special and appreciated.  Thanks to for the organza instructions.  I agree they should go up to Ann's pearls of Wisdom.  It is going to be so nice to have a data base of "how to's" for those rusty or frustrating moments.

Diane E. loved your blouse and the one seams.  It is too funny what a pair of shoes can do to change the look of pants.

Kathryn's blogs on the trench coat and the jacket are favorites of mine and saved into my special book of tips that in always lead me through sewing problems.

Susan

Diane,  I am speechless!  What very kind words.  Thank you for the good wishes too, and I hope you aren't "tucked up in bed" being ill, but just having a nice rest. :)  I haven't seen that movie, but it's on the list as of now!  I think style is like anything else, in part.  Once you really start paying attention, you notice more.  I also think that after a certain age, it becomes easier to find one's own style, and comfort level, as we don't need to try to dress to impress, or please others, or to attempt to fool others (or ourselves) with a style which isn't truly ours, and it seems to take a while for most of us to realize what our style is.  As a young woman, we spend a lot of time "trying on" styles and personalities to see what clicks.  I often say that it's almost always too late to try to impress anyone we would truly wish to, because the people we love and admire already know us as we are, and so we'd better just try to impress ourselves.  I mean that in a good way, as in trying to be a better person, etc., not self-delusion, which can also be tempting at times! ;D  Sorry, getting philosophical, here. ::)  Trying to live up to the standards set by the wonderful, generous women on this thread has helped me in so many ways.  It's a daily challenge to aspire to be part of this very (I think) select group. :) 

Amy,  Thank you for the silk organza info!  I remember reading it on SW, but a refresher was definitely due!  Did you ever find a brand of pins you really liked?  I think I remember you bought a pound of pins once to try, but they weren't really what you wanted?

Ann,  I had completely forgotten the sleeve wrap info.  I too am looking forward to seeing it again!

SusuanW & Diane,  I am finding that all my summer pants from last year were made for flat, flat sandals, and they brush the ground with them, but any slight heel makes them look too short.  Very annoying!  So, it's on to more pants, and I stayed up till 2:30 last night working on a pair.  I cut them 2" longer than last year's, which should be plenty I hope.  I was on the ragged edge of not enough fabric, so if they need more, I'll just face the hems.  I don't know why I forget that, as we had to do that to almost all RTW pants when I was growing up.   

Hi, here's a little teeny gripe  :'(

Why would I have every crochet hook under the sun, but not the one that I need for the Stitchdiva shrug?  I saw this fabulous piece in Kathryn's photo albums and had to make for myself; I downloaded the pattern last night (love that instant gratification); I found a compatible yarn in my stash (Koigu merino); and then I looked through all my crochet hooks - why do I have so many tiny ones but not one that will most likely give me the gauge.......  ??? 

I suppose I'll have to trot down to my local yarn purveyor  ::) where I will get distracted by all the new goodies (haven't been in there for a very very long time because the only way to manage my yarnaholism is to go cold turkey).

Wish me luck!!!  :o

p.s. seriously Kathryn, thanks for the idea  ;) looks like just the right little summer piece for my wardrobe!

Wow, take a couple of days off and I miss so much.  Suffice it to say, it will be a long while before I can match any of you for output (work, housework, yardwork!!!!!) but I'm still plugging along. I too am not going to call any names for fear of missing someone, but I am totally blown away by the work you women do.  I also want to say a word of thanks for all the caring and sharing that go on on this board.  Since we had a rain day Monday, I took a PSD (thanks Towanda!).  Using the comments you all made on my green dress, I worked at fitting a tank top.  I used Fitting Finesse, the Singer reference The Perfect Fit and my digital camera to tune the fit.  I used a size 12 for the front and a 10 for the back. The digital camera was a great help and even better after I ran out and picked up a tripod (thanks Susinok!). I was then able to see the tank from all sides.  I did a FBA for a "C" cup and everything fell into place.  I finished the muslin and a wearable muslin Tuesday.  I'm going to try one in fashion fabric this eveing.  Then I'll put up some photos.  I imagined you all as my very own cheering section.  Thanks again for the encouragement, you'll never know how much it helped.

Oh, Diane, you're singing my song.  I want to give sock knitting a try but need to avoid the LYS at all costs, since I already have waaay too much yarn (but nothing that suits my fancy for socks), and when I go there, I just know I'll come back with more yarn than only the little bit needed for socks.  My will power against yarn and fabric is the puniest thing on the planet, I think!  ;D

I hope you get the right crochet hook--around here they sell them at the chain fabric stores and at some of the craft stores, which are not as tempting as the LYS.  Maybe the same will work for you there.  Good luck!

Yay, Melodye!  Isn't fitting success the finest feeling?  It's going to be great to see your photos.

Diane, the correct size crochet hook is sitting with the remainders of your last crochet project. I have a beautiful hook case/pocket thing, but I never put my hooks back into it when I finish a project. I always find the hook I need in the bottom of my project bag ::)

Thanks Kathryn and Marianne, I did end up going to the yarn shop and bought ONLY the crochet hook. I began working on the shrug.It will be a fun project, once I get the gauge correct. I knit loosely and I think I also crochet loosely. Rather than try to find anothe crochet hook  :o I think I'll just size down. Anyhow, we're going away this weekend, and this will be the perfect take-along project. (not that I don't already have several started - why do NEW projects always have more cachet???? This seems to apply to any handwork or craft or work project - I always seem to want to finish baking brownies once I've started......  >:D

Ahhh!  But with brownies, the end result, and gratification, is much more immediately achieved!  Besides, chocolate!  There is a pull perhaps even stronger than yarn or fabric.

Have a good weekend Diane, and have fun with your new project!

Good Morning~  I am officailly coming out of lurkdom and love that I can post since Sewing World would never let me. 

I figure if I post what I need to sew, I will actually do it!  I just graduated with a BS in Clothing and Textiles...finally!  I need to get a working wardrobe going again and it's tough...some places I have interviewed at are ridiculously  casual and others are dressier/trendier like I expected.  What's a girl to do?

I have decided to spend some sewing time on  jackets...these can easily mix/match with casual or dressier bottoms and I will get more bang for the buck.  The other hard thing for me is that some of the companies will most likely want me to wear their clothes, understandable, but I hope I can interject my own things as well!

I look forward to participating.  You all don't know it, but thru 3 18 hour semesters you ladies got me thru and fed my sewing cravings when I was stuck on  group projects with sweet girls that didn't really know how to sew but had grand ideas...it still boggles my mind that so many come itno a fashion curriculum and never have even seen a sewing machine!

Gee, you go away for a few days, and there are five more pages on this thread when you get back... ;D Not that I'm complaining. It's nice to see people finding the thread and contributing. Like everyone else has said, I'm sure I'll miss someone in my comments, but it wasn't intentional.

I should first thank Patti for making me feel not so guilty for rambling on about moving and gardening, when I didn't really have anything fiberly to add to the conversation recently. I'm glad you found it helpful.

Debbie, I'm so glad you're feeling better, and cute panties! I'm sure I'll never have the patience to sew such fiddly objects, but I really get a kick out of seeing the tiny ghosts of your projects past ;D.

Diane, what a pretty blouse -- and DH definitely should be the chief button chooser in your household :D. You've inspired me to get that pattern out and try it again. My first attempt was woefully large in the shoulders -- I guess it's true about choosing pattern size by full as opposed to upper bust, although I'm not particularly busty. I hover between a B and a C cup, so I''m not sure why I have such a problem with the shoulders.

Ann, I love your t-shirt. It looks fabulous on you. You've encouraged me to think outside the box when looking at a fabric I wouldn't normally consider buying, even if I really like the colors.

Liana, I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better, even if progress is slow. I'm looking forward to photos of you in your new, long pants. And the new cardigan.

I'm laughing about the lack of willpower conversation, as I really have a comlete lack of.... Ahem -- Shall we call it moral fiber, when it comes to resisting temptation. I just came back from Montreal, and what do you suppose I bought there if not fabric. I live less than an hour from NYC and I buy fabric in strange "foreign" cities... How dumb is that? But I have to say that I was quite excited to find a jacket length of real Harris tweed that is precisley "me", along with a too large assortment of other, less expensive, goodies that I feel more up to the task of sewing. I spent an hour or so in one shop petting all the Zegna fabrics the owner kept dragging out for me to admire. It was a slow and rainy Monday afternoon, and he seemed to feel the need to amuse me once he knew I sometimes shopped in NY and got swatches from Michael's Fabrics. There were a couple of things that made me whimper, but wool/cashmere/silk at $140 CDN/yd is not in my lifestyle or budget, no matter how pettable it is, or how discounted from the original retail price :'(. I did succumb to a couple of other more wearable (for me)  small pieces from this store, even though he was fairly pricey. I'm just thanking my lucky stars that I did not encounter a yarn shop in my perambulations. My ATM card is smoldering as it is...

We have a four day weekend coming up, and I hope to spend some of it finding and installing a window air conditioner in my beading room, and getting beads and/or sewing machines out and ready to use. I still have plenty of outdoor work to do, but any rainy time will be spent at this task. It's time.

Happy 4th of July! Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Melodye, you put your finger on something really important. Sewing can be such a solitary undertaking, and the support from friends here is something that keeps one going. As Karen also pointed out, posting an intention to complete a project can propel one toward finishing and then posting the results. Someone actually cares and is waiting to hear about how the project turned out!

Congratulations on your fitting success, Melodye! It's such an engineering exercise, getting all the spheres and angles figured out. Have you ever taken a draping class? Our ASG chapter did a pants draping session several years ago, and that was an eye opener for me (although I still struggle mightily with pants).

On another note, Kathryn and Redhead mentioned "The Devil Wore Prada," I thought I'd post this link from today's "LA Times." I hope it works http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/cl-et-devil30jun30,0,1220161.story

The Times writer says the movie is better than the book. Redhead, I also enjoy "chick lit" and that book was a trial. I do look forward to the movie, though!

Nora, in my limited experience with New Look (three patterns so far), I think the shoulders are wide. I am nearly done with the ubiquitous wrap dress, NL 6429, http://simplicity.com/index.cfm?page=thumbnail.cfm&cat=6&type=26&sec=0&id=86&StartRow=19
and I still need to shave about an inch from the shoulder and reset the sleeves, just to avoid the dreaded shoulder droop. I also made NL 6430, http://simplicity.com/index.cfm?page=thumbnail.cfm&cat=6&type=28&sec=0&id=91&StartRow=10
and had to take it in at the shoulder and the sides. Some of this was a function of fabric, but a lot was the design.

If you look at the pictures on the pattern envelopes, you can see those shoulders sneaking down past the model's natural shoulder line - I cannot take credit for that bit of common sense - my favorite sewing teacher, Sandra Betzina, helped me with this at sewing camp. I was working on the aforementioned 6430, and she picked up the pattern envelope and said something like, "be careful about those shoulders - look at this picture - those shoulders are very wide....."

Since then I've paid a little more attention, although I'm still too nervous to cut the right size at the shoulder (probably at least two sizes smaller). I've made the adjustment when fitting the basted garment. Having said all this, that shirt pattern I've been crowing about seems to fit fine in the shoulder. Perhaps it's the crisp shirt fabric?

Liana, the pin hunt for me has ended.  I did purchase that pound of pins through Active Trimmings, and for now, they are doing the trick.  They are much nicer than the cruddy ones Dritz/Prym makes that you get at every fabric store.  They are stronger, sharper, and I was able to get the 1 1/4" length, which I like better than the standard 1 1/16", especially for long bridal skirts.  The biggest improvement over the Prym ones is that the plastic heads don't pop off all the time.  The only drawback I can see is that when they are new, these pins are coated with some kind of goo that takes a while to get rid of.  The first few uses, they stick as they go into the fabric.  I have found that running them into a sand filled pin cusion a few times helps solve the problem, but it is a pain every time I use new ones.  After this original coating comes off, though, they are great pins.  I would recommend them any day over the Prym/Dritz ones.  With a pound of them to go through, I suspect that I won't be buying pins for many years.  I seem to throw away far fewer and go through them slower than the cheap ones from the fabric store.  

I cut out my tweed jacket yesterday, but will have to delay sewing today until I get the oil on my serger changed.  I hate that job.  So messy.  Anyone out there with an industrial serger have a tip on how to drain the oil pan without the oil making such a mess?  I just got the new gallon of oil in the mail yesterday, so better bite the bullet and change it -- hasn't been done in about two years.  

Susan, I am glad you found the beading advice helpful.  I do hope that you will post pictures of your beaded project when you finish.  I can't wait to see it.  

Well, off to change the serger oil -- yuk.

Diane ~ thanks for the links to the review for "The Devil Wears Prada!"  We are off to see it tonight after work and I can't wait!  Had to order tickets at 9:00 this morning and some of the evening shows were already sold out!  You know everyone and his brother is probably trying to see it here in NYC!  I *never* wanted to read the book and from all the other reviews I have read of the movie, it sounds like it is going to be absolutely fabulous.  I will definitely let you know what I think!

Diane,  Thanks for the link.  I didn't read the book either, but this review makes me glad I waited.  The movie sounds much more entertaining, while the book always sounded a little like a pity party.  I am impressed by your LYS willpower! I never have the right size needle when I want it either, although I think I have at least 2 of every size crochet hook known to man, at least in the teeny sizes, as I inherited my DGM's collection.  I did have to share with my sister though, but my GM was very hot on crochet, and had been gathering implements for years, so there were plenty to go around, although we scuffled a little over the "best" size 15. ;)  Knitting needles are mostly what I've bought myself, and I've been replacing a lot of them recently with Bryspun needles, as they're silent.  They finally started making circulars, so that helps a lot.

Carolyn, and anyone else who goes to that movie, please report!

Amy, Glad to know how the pins turned out, but what a mess to have to almost wipe each one clean!  Glad you've got them in good shape finally. 

Melodye,  I want to add my congratulations on your successful fitting efforts!  It really is wonderful to have something "just right". :)  Can't wait for the photos!

Karen Combs,  Welcome, and congratulations on getting your degree!  I predict you'll be posting photos of some very intriguing garments soon, from the sound or your plans. :)

I had hoped to finish the pants I'm making last night, but I wasn't in shape to do the trying on necessary, so I just knitted instead.  I'm combining 2 patterns for a top, and I think it's working.  I should have changed patterns entirely before I ever started, but this should work just fine. (I hope!)

Definitely report on the movie!  I am really hoping to go this weekend.  I hope I don't have to order tickets in advance up here  but I'll check in the morning.  Tonight is the first night of summer concert season and we are going up to Tanglewood for an al fresco feast and concert.  This promises to be the first day without rain for a couple of weeks! 

Congratulations Melodye on the fitting success!  The thrill at getting someting just right is just so great, and we all know the effort that went into achieving that little bit of perfection! 

Welcome to the group Karen and congratulations getting the degree.  I am looking forward to hearing more from you.

Welcome, Karen!  How nice to have you out of lurkdom!  Your last few semesters sound grueling, and I imagine that you're chomping at the bit to hit the ground running with some interesting sewing projects, (to mix a couple of metaphors  ;))  How interesting that fashion design/sewing/textiles students wouldn't know how to sew before getting into the field.  Hopefully they learned before getting their degrees!

Oh, Nora, your Montreal fiber dalliance sounds wonderful.  Don't feel guilty, just enjoy! Will power, schmill power!  ;D

Oh, goody, Liana, another knitting project.  I'm going to head for your 'blog to see what info is posted there.

Diane, where did you take a sewing camp with Sandra Betzina--in San Francisco, as Mardel did?  Wherever you attended, it sure sounds great.

Yes I'm delighted to say that I've been to Sandra's sewing camp in San Francisco. In fact, last year I had the pleasure of meeting Mardel in person. She is exactly as you would imagine: beautiful and gracious and talented.

I'll admit to being a Sandra sewing camp addict. I've been so many times I'm embarrassed to admit how many!  I have met some really good friends there over the years. Since I live fewer than 15 miles away from SF, I don't have to make anywhere near the effort to get there that most campers do. Also I stay in the hotel and pretend to be a visitor to San Francisco. I also make believe that I don't have children or obligations or a life other than that of someone totally in love with sewing (and all things fiber-related). Another embarrassing admission is how easy it is for me to forget my other life (and believe me, the guys at home are making hay while mom's away!).

I really like your NL blouse and your DH did an excellent job on selecting the buttons.  I read your review on PR about LC One-Seam Pants.  Yours look good on you.  I have not made a pair in a couple of years but thinking I could use a pair for summer.

Congratulations on getting your degree :D  I think your decision to spend time on jackets will prove to be a good one.

I haven't been here for about 3 weeks, and I am not sure when I will catch up on all the posts...you are all a chatty group!!!

I finished a painted silk scarf to go with a black faux wrap dress in early June, and then I got a silk knit twin set made with a raw silk skirt for an Alaska wedding.  The night b4 I was to leave my daughter told me I looked rediculous( I did) so I made a linen skirt to go with the twin set, and it looked better.  It was a "typical Alaska wedding", some people in jeans and cowboy boots(men and women) and some people in heels(only women!).

For our Anniversary, my DH gave me a new digital camers, so as soon as I get the softwear loaded I will try taking pics and posting them.

My biggest excitement was when a well known silver artist saw my silk scarf, she suggested we barter some of our work!  That was a nice compliment.   

Thanks to all of you who pushed me forward when I was dragging!!!! :)

Kathryn, don't get started on the sock knitting..it is totally addictive!!!  I wanted to take a small project to Alaska, so I spent $65 on new needles and 2 different sock yarns!!!  Like the $1200 plane ticket wasn't enough.  We all sat around the fire knitting and singing each night, until the neighbors called the police on all of us rowdy 40-50 year olds!  All of the women were knitiing socks, they are so much easier to transport than sweaters!!!

Diane, I can totally relate to "forgetting" all of your family responsibilities....I had a week away, DH was in Brussels and both kids were with friends on a "parent free vacation".  I need to do that every year, not every 15!  It is very hard to be home, almost depressing to have to get back to child/parent care, housework etc.  I will have to carry all of that positive energy forward!

Welcome back, andib!  It sounds as though your trip to Alaska was perfect.  Isn't it funny how our DDs don't hesitate to give us fashion advice, as if we haven't been successfully dressing ourselves since way before they were born!  However, a fresh pair of eyes is sometimes needed to pull the right elements of an outfit together. 

I'm so happy that you got your sewing done before the trip, and that it all worked out well for you!  How wonderful that you got to enjoy a carefree vacation and hear compliments about your projects at the same time.  It's great that you have delightful memories of your time in Alaska to recall as you do the family chores, back once again in the real world.

So what will your next sewing project be?

Well, Diane, I am truly green with envy over your proximity to SB's sewing camps.  They must be lots of fun.  No wonder you sew so well!

Thank you Diane, for the lovely complement.  I would have said the same about you, "beautiful and gracious and talented" and add warm and welcoming.  I am also a Sandra sewing camp addict and can't wait until fall, when I can go again.  I am also completely conflicted and desperately hoping that grandchild to be comes early or (even better for me but not the poor mom) late, so as not to interrupt any of my sewing camp time.  I suppose the pure selfishness of this thought proves that I am indeed only a step-mom.

Welcome back andib!  It sounds like your trip to Alaska was wonderful and I am glad you got your sewing done before the trip.  It sounds like you had tremendous success with your projects.  You are right as well, socks are addictive, and so portable, that they are great for travel or just running around.  Be warned Kathryn.  Of course I am in a double bind because although I see how I can get totally hooked into knitting socks, but I unfortunately don't wear socks much, except to the gym.  Unfortunately they don't tend to go with the pretty heels and dainty skimmers I tend to prefer to wear. 

Up here in the cold north, you can only go so many months without socks!!  I was wearing socks in Alaska...their driest and warmest month is June....avg hi 55, low 45...rainfall 3"......winter is hi 45- low35  rainfall 11"......there are good things about th esnow!!

On the subject of birthday wish lists, as introduced by Kathryn, what are you asking for this birthday, Mardel?

Yeah, Mardel, I hope it's something precious and rare, like three days of uninterrupted sewing time!  Wouldn't that be wonderful!

Kathyrn, that would be wonderful!  :) :) I don't think I could manage it unless everyone went away.  I am hoping for at least one uninterrupted day of sewing (or almost uninterrupted as I will have to run up to the farm stand early, but after that I am free). 

Monday is a working day and I am hoping to get a lot done, office wise and home wise as we have various houseguest visitations and social obligations over the next week.  Although there are no children at home, all grown with families of their own, my DH has reached an unfortunate stage where he is no longer as self-sufficient as he once was, nor as much as he'd like to be, and I can't always count on sewing time as he frequently needs help with various things.  I am hoping to get a few hours of sewing time in on the 4th itself though, between a few other obligations.  I can think of no nicer way to spend a holiday.

Frustration Alert!  Non-sewing Ranting to follow!

Houseguests anticipated on Thursday or Friday are now arriving mid-day tomorrow!  Not their fault really, all the rain has caused their lake house to be flooded out, the docks are washed away, the minimal power is out and so forth and so on.  They have no where else to go and we are on the way home......

but it kind of messes up my plans for the week, and potentially my sewing plans as well  :'( There certainly won't be any Fourth of July sewing and I'll be lucky to salvage any on the 5th as well.

Thank goodness everything here is pretty well organized (even though I tease about how scatterbrained i am).  Let's see how much of Monday's work I can get done this afternoon so maybe I can sneak some personal time in early Monday.

I am still going to see "The Devil Wears Prada" tonight, no matter what!!

My sewing plans have been temporarilly derailed as well. I finally got a quote on repair for my car's a/c and it's three times the blue book worth of the car! So I'm going car shopping unexpectedly.

The serger is going to have to wait a few years! Sigh.

The 4th is reserved for sewing, however, no matter what the state of car buying. I have a friend coming over to sew with.

Susan

Oh, Mardel, I hate that "on the boundary line" feeling. (Our beloved late dog used to meander his way over to the boundary line between our property and dog nirvana - out there. Once he got close to the line, we'd call his name and he would stop, turn around toward us and then glance back over his shoulder toward - out there. Sometimes he would look between us and - out there - several times before he doggy-shrugged and came on back to us.) I feel that way every time I have sewing time planned and real life gets in the way. I look toward reality then I look back over my shoulder at my sewing room....sometimes I have to look at reality a whole long time before I decide it wins. I hope your company appreciates your sacrifice. Have a wonderful visit - and birthday.

Mardel ~ I hope that you got to go to the movies last night and I also hope that your guests stay long enough for you to enjoy them yet depart in a timely enough fashion for you to get a few hours of sewing in!  No matter what, please have a very Happy Birthday!

I am off this week from work ~ we had planned several days in Atlantic City but changed our plans when one of the DDs needed to attend summer school which starts on Wednesday.  Doesn't seem to matter anyway since it looks like the casinos will close on Wednesday due to the state shutdown.  Maybe I was meant to stay home and sew.  Which normally would be a good thing but since I am moving rather slowly back to a state of sewing frenzy, I am concerned that I am going to end up sitting in front of the TV and watching it for 7 days especially since I just discovered (months after everyone else in my household) that we have OnDemand!

Since I was not sewing, I did take the time to put away all the fabric that had been laying around...and I now have fabric closet issues.  I don't think I can jam another piece into my closet!!!!!  I am totally amazed that in a little over a year's time I have managed to fill up all of the empty shelves in there.  Drats!  Now I am going to have to sew up quite a bit more before I can buy anything else!!!  I have several heavy & bulky sweater knits that I purchased from FM during the last winter blow-out, that I want to make up as sweater coats for fall.  Making up the sweater coats will ease up some space in there but I have now thrown away my list for Fashion Fabrics Club.  Makes no sense to buy more at this point to try to stuff into the closet.  *Sigh* I will have to wait.  But I am totally bumming!

Last night I did finally get the black/creme circle linen pieces completed ~ you know the leftovers from the disasterous "One Hit Wonder" dress.  The bodice of the dress became a top with the lovely black satin piping and some really cute buttons which emulate the circles.  And the bottom of the dress became a TNT flare skirt that I added ribbon embellishment to so that it would break up all of those circles.  I am also cutting out a black rayon/linen tank dress to go with the jacket to give the pieces a little more flexibility.  Due to the end of school activities there are no batteries in the digital camera, so I will have to get some more before I can take pictures.  Will post them as soon as I have some!

Marianne, what a perfect description of that "boundary line feeling" between sewing time and the nagging reality that causes us to wistfully look back over the invisible boundary once more before heading back to reality.  Oh my, have I been there many a time.  Maybe if I perfected that hangdog look that your pooch affected, it would have some impact on my family and their demands.  Probably not.  I've got the non-sewing martyr look down pretty good, though. ;)

Mardel, you must feel sometimes like your time is never your own, with your DH's increasing need for assistance and companionship always there.  Is his study adjacent your sewing room, so you two can occupy the same area of the house together, at least?  Oh, and I hope that that DGB decides to come at a time that is convenient for your SB sewing camp getaway in September.  That's a great time to be in San Francisco, and meeting up with sewing buddies must make you look forward to the trip even more.

Carolyn, there's nothing like reorganizing one's stash to put the brakes on fabric buying.  When I die, they won't have to cover my grave with dirt--they can just cover me with my stash instead. The ultimate recycling. ;)

Susan, I hope the car buying goes smoothly and quickly so you can enjoy your sewing time with your good friend.  It sounds like fun.

I spent the last two days working on curtains with DD in her new apartment.  Once again I have learned why I dislike home dec!  All those boring rectangles, without a dart in sight!  Actually, we had fun with the planning and designing (read: changing our minds a half a dozen times, and then trying to figure out if we had enough fabric for the final design--we did).  We're in the "just before the big impact" stage now.  The valances are finished but the curtains with light-blocking lining have yet to be assembled.  The borders are on, though, so it's down to simply sewing up the big rectangles and hemming them up.  I bought my DD an entry-level Janome machine on Saturday and took my "son of serger" over to her apartment to speed the edge finishing a bit.  She is not a sewist--never has been much interested in it, so I think she would rather have had a gas grill than the sewing machine, quite honestly!  Poor deprived child!  Honestly, the hardest thing was working in the non-air conditioned apartment, since DD doesn't want her electric bill to skyrocket this month.  Schwitzing with oscillating fans while sewing on entry level sewing equipment brought back memories of myself at her age. :)

However, yesterday she did ask me to bring over these fabrics (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fzxdoc/album?.dir=fdd4re2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fzxdoc/my_photos) for her to try to make her own Folkwear Hapi Coat on her new Janome, since I have not been able to get to it as yet.  Maybe she'll get bitten by the sewing bug after all!  How delightful that would be.

I'm not going to let myself get too excited just yet, though, since the fabric was also on a list of other things that she hoped I could bring from our home to her apartment.  About twice or three times a week, she stages a raid on our house, carrying back light bulbs, paper towels, baggies filled with different spices (she has discovered the cost of spices, among other things, so taking small amounts from my spice cabinet seemed like a good idea to her), etc.  My favorite story is when she came over a couple of weeks ago and asked if we had any "spare meat" that she could take.  ;D  As if we kept half a cow in the basement just for emergencies!  ;D ;D ;D

Anyway, I'm thinking that if she gets the sewing itch, my sewing room may be the stage of the next raid.  Somehow, though, I don't think I would mind, especially if it meant that I was getting a new sewing buddy in the bargain.

Marianne, that was a wonderfully evocative description of the "boundary feeling"; thank you so much for sharing.

"Spare meat" indeed, Kathryn!! :) Thanks for bringing a big smile to my morning!

I did see the movie, "The Devil Wears Prada", and loved it, loved it, loved it.  I was just grinning for the rest of the evening.  The story line was weak, not all the acting was great, the boyfriend was a real whiny wimp and the whole working woman/morals/dreams/ story line was a little heavy handed, but none of that surprised me.  The movie was just fun! :) I loved the clothes, loved the specatacle, and was just completely entertained from beginning to end.  Meryl Streep was great, almost like a separate little universe around which the rest of the movie flowed. I don't care if it was accurate or not; nothing every satisfies everyone anyway.  I want to see it again and I can't wait for the DVD.  It would be great to sit down and watch it and freeze scenes and get a really good look at things that just flip by in a moment.

Before I knew I was having houseguests today, I decided to clean out one of my closets:  the shoe/sweater closet.  The primary motivating force was that I have more sweaters than I can store, so weeding was required.  The end result was that my sweater collection is fine but I have way to many pairs of black shoes!  Of course I "need" every pair.  At least they are neutral.  Pink shoes are a little strange aren't they?  But I love mine anyway.

I also keep fabric in the top of that closet, on the shelves I can't reach easily on a day-to-day basis.  This is the one closet that never got indexed when I organized, sorted, and indexed my fabric collection because I would think "I can just open the closet door and see those fabrics right there".

Bad Idea!  I found a big beautiful piece of navy wool melton -- enough to make a long ankle length coat -- and I don't have the foggiest notion when I bought it.  I probably looked at it 3 or 4 times a week and never saw it; I didn't know it was there.  Now I have a lot of fabric, but i "know" every piece, or at least I thought I did!  Egads!  Now I have another coat to make because I don't want to put that fabric back in that closet.  I need new coats next fall, or I need to lose 20 pounds. 

So now I have three pieces of fabric that I don't want to store anymore, so three coats in the pipeline.  But what am I going to make of the melton??  It can't be too styled or tailored.  It must be simple.  If I make a long coat, which I would like, I should be able to belt it, or the entire weight of the coat will hang from my shoulders and will become quite heavy.  Of course, it is so heavy I might not like it belted.  But I would like a warm long coat.  Considerable thought is required here, as well as a perusal of the pattern stash.

I was thinking the same thing yesterday as I made a new cover for our down comforter.  I was running those long, straight seams and wrestling with the bulk of fabric while I was dreaming of princess lines and collars.  Oh, well.  You save a small fortune with a little home dec sewing.  Depending on the fabric and style, I bet one or two windows' worth paid for that entry-level Janome.

Glad to hear that The Devil Wears Prada is visually interesting if nothing else.  I am dying to see the movie about the Kabul beauty school that was featured in Vogue a while back, but I think I missed it when it came to town.

Oh, Kathryn, "spare meat"!!!! ROFLOL! DS1 used to come home and devise a reason to 'run to Giant Eagle' and ask me to 'ride with him'. This always resulted in several packages of beef and chicken making its way into my basket. He'd spirit into the house and freeze it, so it would stay cold on the trip home. DH was well aware of the complete ruse but never said a word to spare DS's pride. It only lasted a short time, by September he was on a budget he could handle. The first summer after DS2 graduated I always had gallons of frozen marinara sauce and chili for him to 'help me use up'. But they didn't take my spices!!!!

Isn't it fun to help them set up their new nest? But home dec sewing is deadly dull. :P

Mardel,  Happy Birthday!  I hope you get some unexpected sewing time this weekend after all, or at least a little knitting.  I love the sock yarns you've been showing on your blog!  I am so impressed that you can knit in the complete darkness of a movie theater!  How exciting to be headed for Sandra Betzina's sewing camp again!  I add my crossed fingers to hoping your new grandchild holds off a little, or comes early. ;)  I really envy you and Diane your association, as well as the "camping" experience.  The shared inspiration from just being in a group with that many very serious sewers must be quite thrilling.  Glad to hear about the Prada movie.  Sounds like something I will have to see.  On DVD does sound perfect, to see all the clothing well.

Kathryn,  Glad you're about done with the Home-Dec-thing for a while!  :P  I feel just like you about it.  Just a word of caution.  When using the blackout curtain lining, make very sure that your curtain rod hardware is attached to the studs, as they will be very heavy.  Here's hoping you gain a sewing buddy out of the whole deal.  That would make the H-D sewing very much worthwhile.  Hope you've got that "spare meat" situation under control now! ;D  (I knew you had quite the stash, but wow!)

Add me to the group who likes to knit socks, but doesn't really wear them much.  I also love the stripy sock yarns, but I am more a plain color sock person, but lacy socks...there's my thing! ;)

I've been just grabbing spare moments (very spare! >:() lately to sew a little and knit a little.  I'm closing in on the finish line for the Elsebeth Lavold tank, and I did finally finish the pants and bias top I was working on.  No photos yet, but I'm hoping today I'll get to it.  Now I have to rush to get ready for a 4th of July parade in the next neighborhood that starts in 20 minutes.  It's very casual, and all I have to do is watch, thank goodness!  Today is a "being an audience" kind of day.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day, doing what you want, or at least enjoying what you're doing. :)

Kathryn ~ I loved the "spare meat" story!  I haven't had food taken but I have had sheets, blankets, cleaning supplies, etc. "borrowed."  Still waiting for them to come back home!  ;D  And you are not alone in hating home dec.  My mother is always amazed that I will look at curtains, first before finally breaking down and making them.  To her, I sew so I should just make them.  To me, I hate sewing home dec so I search until I become frustrated and realize that I can make them better and more like what I want.  Sewers do seem to break down into types....I am just a garment type!

Kathryn, You'll be surprised to learn the red Armani coat you wished to make last season has a split second cameo in The Devil Wears Prada!  Mardel, did you see the coat shown in a store window? We spent the afternoon watching this wonderful fluff and loving Meryl Streep. She does a fabulous, believable job and I for one am quite happy I don't work for her. Oh the pressure!!!

Andrea reminded me of Rachel ( my 30 yr old mentoree) who until recently worked full time for Maggie Norris Couture.  She was Maggie's assistant and worked insane hours under tremendous pressure to meet deadlines and keep the customers happy. She now just works on special projects due to a relocation to CT.

During a recent Thursday morning sewing class at AAF, two college age young woman shared their millinery projects with us. Emily began sewing with me when she was 7 or 8 and had spent most of this week with me sewing. She just graduated from the University of VT with a Theater Arts degree and was headed to the Cape for her first real job as a costume designer.  Sydney, who was working with me that morning, will be a third year student at FIT majoring in childrens wear.  Love being surrounded by all this talent!!!  Check out the album titled Millinery 101.

Kathryn,
Love the spare meat story it is too funny..  I lost upright vacuum cleaner to my son and his roommates apartment.  He figured I won't be needing it being we have replace all the carpeting in our house with pergo flooring over the last few years.  He also took an extra set of dishes I had.  He hasn't  come looking for food yet I did give him some of my spicy hot salsa to try out. Him and his roommates got the receipe and made some of their own last weekend.

Anne,  As a hat person, I have to say Wow!  What great hats!  Were these things they had made in a class together, or both just happened to bring their hats?  You know the most interesting people!

Carolyn,  I think almost everyone on this thread would agree with you.  Home-dec is definitely toward the end of the line of favorite types of sewing.  We all love the results, but can we all say BORING?  ;D ;)  Hope I'm not stepping on any toes here, but I do believe we all consider garment sewing to be our first love.  :)

I finished the extra long pants I was making, and the top to go with them, and they're posted on my blog here (http://sewintriguing.blogspot.com/2006/07/lime-pants-apple-top.html).  The bias top was more challenging than I'd thought it would be, as I'd used the pattern before, but this fabric....it had its little quirks. ::)  I like it now, but oh my.  The hem (just a plain hand-stitched hem) took over an hour and a half because I had to literally hold each stitch in place as I took the next one, or it would slide around, and even try to pull the thread I was catching right out of the weave.  I have never had such problems with a simple hem.  The fabric is a georgette, and I think it's rayon, but perhaps poly.  It sure wrinkles like rayon, though!  I've sewn with lots of georgettes before, and have never had one that was quite so loosely woven.  It makes a lovely fabric, and it's great for hot weather, but what a challenge! 

Liana,.    Your pants and top are really cute I love the color and the look on you.

Anne, I too noted the cameo of the red Armani coat. In fact, as I "had" to go to JoAnn this afternoon to get a zipper (to replace one in a pair of pants that had a complete failure after only a couple of wearings -- but that's beside the point here), I picked up the Vogue pattern that's a pretty close cousin to the coat. I think I'm more likely to make it as a short jacket than a full-length coat, but I'm not all that close to doing winter sewing yet.

Anne, when I went to your album to look at the hats, which were really, really spectacular (and I love the sense of style those two young women have), I noted the new Burda jacket you posted. I love it! As others have noted, you have a great eye for detail -- piping, trim and buttons especially. Thanks for sharing.

Pam

Anne, thanks so much for sharing the photos of the young girls and their hats.  What a wonderful set of pictures, each hat more creative and interesting than the previous, if possible!  That sparrow hat is TDF!  And the simplicity of the perfectly formed beret is lovely as well.  They're all lovely.  It would be hard to choose a favorite.

Liana, that's such a cool, summery concoction that you have just finished, the comfy pants and the lovely georgette top.  It looks so fresh, and the colors are wonderful on you.  You've gotten a lot of mileage out of that Little Blouse pattern that you drafted.  It fits you perfectly. I hope the pants behave after they go back into the wash.

I'm loving hearing all of the "house raid" stories by kids who have recently flown the nest. Home comforts look a lot better from afar, for sure!  Hopefully our kids will smile as well when their children do the same to them, several years hence.

I have yet to see the Devil/Prada movie, and am purposely avoiding reading the thread dedicated to it until I do get the chance.  Hopefully this coming weekend my DD and I will go--we're planning on following the show with a stop off at a nearby "watering hole" where we can sip chocolate martinis and dish on the fashions.  Should be fun!

I just pre-ordered my Fall/Winter 2006 Marfy catalogue directly through the www.marfy.it website.  I was hoping to see some of the new styles on the site, but although the styles are annotated as being from the Fall/Winter 2006/07 catalogue, I recognize several from last season.  I'm guessing that the site has yet to be updated with the new pictures.  The website says that the new catalogue has 8 free patterns in 4 sizes included.  I only recall getting 2 free patterns in past catalogues, unless my memory has failed me.  Eight free patterns sounds like a pretty good deal to me.  I really love getting that Marfy catalogue--there is so much inspiration contained in those pages!

Liana, love your outfit. Alas, last summer I had a pair of white one seams that grew every time they were worn. I fiddled with them for a while. My solution was just to wash them after each wearing. Ironing wouldn't relax them appreciably, but wearing sure would.

When I was growing up, the lady next door was running a custom drapery business out of her basement. Every day, she sewed from breakfast to dinner. I was absolutely amazed, at age 5, when she came over one day asking all sorts of questions about making a dress for her daughter. She sewed more than my mother did. When I asked my mother, she explained that Mrs. Greg did a different kind of sewing. I still didn't understand because I knew my mother made drapes at times. I always felt kind of sorry for Mrs. Greg after that...

Ann ~ I did see the red Kathryn coat in the window but I was kinda holding that back and waiting for Kathryn to see it!  I really loved the new Burda jacket and the picturesque setting that you used to highlight the jacket.  Your gardens make such a wonderful backdrop to your clothing.  I also really enjoyed all of the special details like the bound button hole and the fringe.  It is what truly makes your garments so beautiful!

Liana ~ the new pieces are very summery and pretty.  I love how you added the green detailing to the neckline of the top!  I hope you solve the fabric growing issues.  Your Double Burda pants are a winner yet again!  Don't you just love TNT patterns!

Re:  The Devil Wears Prada ~ The bad thing about everyone seeing a movie and loving it is that they start to discuss all the good parts before everyone else has seen it.  It makes it a little difficult for someone who hasn't seen the movie to then go and see it the same way as we did.  It was why I purposely started the discussion in another thread that way people would have the choice of reading it or not.  Not to say that we shouldn't discuss it here but I just remember how I felt after seeing The Sixth Sense after most people had seen it first.  It was very anticlimatic for me and I didn't experience the fullness of the movie!  So I am always acutely aware of how much I share about a movie until everyone (or almost everyone) has seen it.

Well I am off to bed ~ it is after midnight here on the East Coast.  Maybe I will sew tomorrow?!

Thank you all for the very kind words on my pants and top! :)  Carolyn, I did think of you when I did the binding on the neck and armscyes. ;) Marianne,  I hope there will be some kind of solution to this fabric.  I pressed it after prewashing it and before I cut out, and it didn't seem to change it much, although I will admit I didn't really try to stretch it back to its original size, as I like the slight crinkliness, but I did give it a chance to go back to size, as I didn't want something like this to happen.  As you say, maybe it wouldn't have worked anyway.  I'll just have to see.  I hate to just routinely wash things every single time I wear them if they don't need it, as I think it makes them look tired so much faster.  That may be what it takes here, though.

Kathryn,  I just ordered my Marfy catalog too!  :) I can never figure out the Mail/Courier dilemma without trying each one to see how it adds up, as they aren't very clear on the Marfy site about what's what, or at least I can't figure it out.  But, it should come soon!  I recall the last one came quickly even with the mail method.  A friend was telling me the other day that her children (long gone from home) are still slightly annoyed when she attempts to get them to take the last box or two of their "stuff" that's still in her home.  She wonders if she's "Mom's Free Storage". ;D  I remember that my Mom used to gleefully hand me a box of books or something every time I showed up, saying "Here!  This is yours." :smug:  Well, it was my stuff,  :P so I can see how she was dying to get rid of it. 

Anne, Silly me, I was so busy drooling over the hats that I didn't notice the new Burda album!  What a gorgeous jacket!  It's so you.  Lovely color, beautiful execution, great details and of course, a unique and very au courant style.  That's a wonderful button, too.  The dress in that pattern looks very nice also.  Have you made it up also?  You have such a good eye for styles; I'm not sure I would have looked too hard at that pattern, but what a great design!

I'm suffering serious withdrawal symptoms here  - my Broadband connection has been only working intermittently for the last 24 hrs  - there are thunderstorms all round. I 've finally managed to get here to read the posts - just hope I can post my reply.

Anne, how wonderful to see your student's millinery projects. I just love this time of year when all the final shows are up. There's a wealth of talent out there that's awe inspiring. All the shows here have a strict No Photos policy so I can't share like you've been able to. Thanks.

Lovely pants and top, Liana. I've got pants that "grow" too. Linen, and although they look lovely for the first hour or so I'm always appalled by the seriously baggy look when I come to take them off. I haven't found any solution apart from washing; no amount of pre-shrinking seems to make any difference.

Still connected - so I'll post...

Anne, the hats are truly wonderful and what a talented pair of girls and what excellent creative work!  Wow, I am stunned.  Perhaps I will have to pull my hats out again, now that my hair is short again (I never liked them on me with longer hair).  Oops, sorry I'll reveal the short hair eventually.

Anne, I also love the new Burda jacket and the wonderful setting in which you photographed it.  I thought the pattern was mildly interesting, but didn't really think more about it until I saw your wonderful version with your meticulous attention to the details.  Time to rethink.

Liana, your pants and the little georgette top are just wonderfully fresh and summery!  YOu look fabulous.  I hope you find the solution to the "growing" pants.  I have a few like that  and have only had success with washing.  Good luck!  The outfit is awfully nice though.

And I just ordered the Marfy catalog as well.  I was quite disappointed however to see that the new patterns aren't on the website yet.  I really wanted a little more of a fall preview.

And as to home dec, I agree wholeheartedly, although I did end up making TONS of curtains for Miriams first apartment when she moved down to Knoxville.  She helped select the pattern and hang them I think, and might have sewn a seam or two.  She has told me that she has used the sewing machine I got her though, only occasionally, to make Christmas stockings and gifts.  I really did enjoy helping set up her first apartment though, and we had a great time this summer shopping for paint colors for the new nursery as well.  I still have to make the Nursery set I promised, but the baby is a couple of months yet, and they don't have a matteress for the crib yet either.    I do remember Miriam taking a few things each time she came to visit -- too far  for it to be a regular raid.  And Liana, yes, we still have boxes of stuff we wish the kids would take.  They insist the items contained therein are FAR to important for us to discard them, but they are obviously not so important that they feel the need to take them home with them.

Ann, so sorry about your broadband connection.  Hope it stays connected.

Liana, top and pants look great.  I commented on your blog as well.  :D

Liana, gorgeous pants and top! My favorite colors, too. Well one of my favorites... I have so many, LOL.

I finally got some sewing time in this long weekend. A friend came over and I showed her how to make a skirt. We got hers and mine done, and we'll be hemming them today. Right now they are both on my dressform letting the bias set. Pictures here on my blog: http://www.susinok.com/?p=223.

We'll hem them tonight and I'll have modeled shots up. Gotta run, time for work!

We used Butterick 5431, one of my basic TNT patterns that I'll use again and again. I love colorful bias skirts!

Well, my goodness, Anne, like Liana, I just blew right past the new Burda jacket pix on my way to ogle that millinery album!  Thanks to Carolyn's eagle eyes, I got the heads up to put on the brakes and stop at the Burda jacket album.  Wow! What a great jacket!  I love the color, the button, the trim, the fabric, and the silhouette.  Did I leave anything out???  Really, it's beautiful.  A perfect summer topper to a sheath or sundress.  You make me want to run into my sewing room, lock the door, and not come out until I've sewn some straw into gold, as you do.  Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Liana, I confess to not even considering the courier option--it just sounded expensive!  I always choose the postal delivery option.  Even with that, the delivery charges are more expensive than the cost of the catalogue itself.  However, I look on it as buying a wonderful sewing book, because I refer to my Marfy collection often for inspiration.

Susan, cute skirts!  I love your choice of fabric with the big flowers.  So summery and flirty!  Enjoy that new, kewl, (and cool, thanks to A/C that actually works!) car!

Thanks to the combination of a HUGE AND SCARY thunderstorm and an outside drain clogged with leaves, we got some rainwater into our basement laundry room and my DD's stained glass studio down there.  Ugh!  The Shop Vac and I bonded for several hours as I suctioned up the water as fast as it was pouring in.  Thanks to my insomniacal tendencies, I just happened to be in the basement laundry room when the water first started coming through (about 2am), so I was able get on top of the situation quickly.  Even so, the carpet cleaner/dryer folks have come and gone, leaving big blowers and dehumidifiers to run day and night to dry the indoor-outdoor carpeting that covers that entire area.  Then, when it's all dry, they'll come back and clean the carpets (getting them all wet again) and dry them.  I have a good deal of fabric storage in white cabinets in that laundry room, but fortunately, the fabric remained high and dry.  What aggravation, all from a few leaves blocking a large outside drain!  As soon as I cleared the leaves away (with lightning flashing all around and me trying NOT to conjure images of Ben Franklin and his doggone kite and key) the water swirled happily down that drain in a matter of minutes.  Must have been a bad karma night. :-\

I'm on the fly here... Too much to get done today. But I wanted to say thanks to Diane before too many posts rolled by. I appreciate your telling me that the shoulders on that NL pattern are wide in general, and it wasn't just me. Of course, that means that I am too inexperienced to check first, but we knew that.. I've actually disassembled a cheap shirt that more or less fits since then, so I can use that as either a pattern, or as a tool to check other patterns.

Liana, your new outfit is very pretty. I love those colors, although I cannot wear them well. You look so fresh and summery in them though. I hope you can solve the problem with the pants growing because it really is too pretty an outfit for you not to be wearing it.

Anne, your Burda coat is beautiful. as always. The hats are only showing up in the thumbnail views for me, so I will have to go and look later :(

Susan, congratulations on the new car, and the skirts look great!

Kathryn, my goodness... What a story! You're a brave woman, running around clearing leaves out of drainpipes in the middle of an electrical storm. I'm glad you're still around to tell us about it.

Mardel, happy belated birthday. I hope you're enjoying your houseguests, depite the postponement of your sewing plans.

Not much new for me this weekend. I was feeling a bit under the weather, so not a lot got done. But our bedroom is finally completely set up, and the pictures hung. There were extraneous pieces of furniture in there, and the walls were bare. DBF, typical male, doesn't care one whit, but I'm happier ::) I'll be even happier when it's not a too bright shade of blue, but that will have to wait until fall. We did get some yard work done, and purchased a pallet of stone for a rock wall. Unbelievable how much a (fairly small) pile of rocks can cost... No comments about the rocks in my head being sufficient are necessary here ;D

The Burda jacket which many of you discovered on your way to the Millinery album ( no secrets here!!!) was to be previewed today. It was my hope ( with the aid of my teenage niece ) that I would be able to link my post with my pictures. There's nothing like a teenager to get one up to speed with the computer.

At any rate, this Burda jacket was recently finished but has yet to be worn. A new green linen arrival will make just the perfect sheath to wear underneath it and I had better get started or the summer will be over!!! One of the advantages I have in teaching others to sew is that I get to see garments made up on a daily basis.  A student had made this jacket for her sister and I had quite liked the lines . And although I like all the components of the jacket, I'm not 100% certain that I love the style on me. The few times that I have tried to wear it with light neutrals, I have taken it off. There will be no waist-envy with this jacket and perhaps a more fitted silouette is what I have become accustomed to wearing. And who knows, maybe one the green dress is complete, I will love the look!!!


Thank you Pam, Liana, Kathryn, Carolyn,and Mardel for your wonderful comments. Carolyn a special thanks for noticing my work-in-progress garden.  I seem to be spending more and more time outside with no end in sight!!! Liana, speaking of interesting people I encounter in life, the dress form that I use to shoot outdoors was given to me by an elderly student who relocated to a warmer climate. Majorie is a lovely woman who's mother was a survivor on the Titanic!!!


So glad you all enjoyed the Millinery album. Sydney and Emily had not crossed paths until that morning.  I had encouraged them both to bring in their hats for show/tell. It would be a tough to choice a favorite although I am partial to the bird hat.

Liana I love your lastest pants and apple top.  Very becoming and I am dying to know if the shoes are the same color as the pants.  All of my rayons have the same growth problems.  Recently I have taken to remarking/re-hemming skirts and dresses. Wish I had the answer.

Home dec is not even on my list. As a new bride, I tought I'd be divorced before my first anniversary due to my glacial-like pace in making bedroom curtains!!!

Sounds like you had a very scary morning. Glad you and all are safe. You must be tired (and sleepy by now). Are you planning on moving your fabric from the basement so it can air out. Might develop a musty smell if left in area with a high moisture content/dampness.  I know you have the professionals in but might want to move fabric out just in case. Take care.

Anne, your new Burda jacket is lovely.  The lines are very chic and unique.  I love different jackets that break out of the basic lapel jacket mold.  The color is beautiful, and I can't wait to see the dress you plan with it.  The hats are also very fun to look at.  Thank you for sharing them with us. 

All this talk of home dec sewing is nearly frightening to me.  DH and I are building a new home this year, and I will be in the dubious position of having to make all of the draperies.  Ugh.  I have to admit that curtains are not my favorite projects, but every time I go shopping for them awful fabrics and cheap shoddy construction for top dollar prices sends me running to the sewing machine.  The only good thing I can say is that they are quick to make with just straight seams.  To me, the worst part of curtains is all the measuring and squaring.  Not my favorite project, but I feel like I can achieve better results than buying draperies that aren't quite what I wanted. 

Kathryn, how awful to have water enter your basement.  I do hope you get everything dried out and have no lasting damage. 

Liana, your new apple top and pants are very nice.  I love the top.  Can you tell us what pattern you used?  Please let us know what you do about the "growth" problem too.  I hope just washing will solve it for you. 

I did not sew at all over the weekend and 4th holiday.  DH and I took a little trip to Winnipeg over the weekend, which was fun.  We had never been to Manitoba, and since it is so close to Fargo, it was a nice weekend trip.  July 1 was Canada Day, so we were able to see fireworks in Canada that evening.  We returned home on Monday, so we were able to attend the Independence Day festivities and fireworks at home last night.  So, with all of the time away from the machine, my blue/beige tweed jacket and skirt is still in progress.  I put in the sleeves this morning, and hope to get the lining into the jacket and finish it this afternoon.  Back to the machine.....

Diane, we just seem to be throwing compliments at each other! Thank you for yours. I have always admired your choices on PR..you are a favorite!

To answer a few questions: I have only used one type of fabric paint so I guess that it might be called my favorite. I mix Folk Art Acrylic paint by Plaid with a Textile medium called Delta Creamcoat. The result is a flexible, washable fabric paint. The napkins were done by applying the mixed paint to real leaves and then pressing the leaves on to the fabric, which had been spattered with paint.
The shawl is made using hemp yarn from www.hempforknitting.com. The pattern is #409, Cool Hemp Ponchette. Instead of sewing the ends together as shown on the pattern, I just let it be. It was washed after knitting and that adds to the softness.
The "lifesavor" jacket is NM 23366. The smallest size is a 10 so next time I may try NM 23165 which starts at an 8. I am just really pleased with the way it came together..everything seemed to match up nicely. I am going to try to learn how to insert an image or a link in my posts, as I enjoy seeing what others are up to.

I am testing here to see if my post links with the photo I wish to share. Here pictured is one of my favorite coats http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/anne_kndll/detail?.dir=f5c3&.dnm=ff33re2.jpg&.src=ph

Hello everyone!

Happy birthday, Mardel. So sorry your sewing plans went awry. That's definitely frustrating  :'( but you are such a good and kind friend to host your guests when their place is wet  :o  I hope you and DH are having lots of fun with them. I've been gone for a few days and wanted to reply to your comment about being a step-mom - I think many women (bio moms, step moms, aunties, etc etc) just don't admit to their need for their own time. We all crave it, need it , must have it, etc etc etc. I think it's healthy to hope that it doesn't get whipped out from under us by other demands, whatever they may be! So there!  8)

I am revelling in an hour's quiet time before I have to pick up my son from band practice. I love having the computer and house all to myself - oink oink oink ( I wish there was a little piggy icon)  >:D

Marianne, I loved what you said about "on the boundary" - so true and so beautifully written. A lovely image.

Kathryn, how cool about your daughter's Hapi Coat. I haven't read further yet and don't know if she has started it. This board is like reading a good novel. I can't wait to get to the next installments! Also, Kathryn, I totally share your lack of excitement about home dec, although I will admit to loving some of the pretty home dec fabric. Not loving home dec apparently hasn't squelched my desire to buy home dec fabric. Yes, they can heap my stash over me in the boneyard, too......

Susan, so sorry about your car shopping. Ugh. Bummer about the serger  ::)

Carolyn, I haven't had a chance to hop over to your blog to see what's new. How cool that you've got a beautiful new use for the "One Hit" fabrics. That episode will all become a distant memory.

Okay, back to reading some more wonderful tidbits....

Ha ha, Kathryn, "spare meat" indeed!!! I got started on this kiddie game a whole lot later than you all, and by the time my kids leave the nest,  I'll probably be too feeble to grocery shop or fight off marauders. Oh I forgot. My DH does all the shopping. Yup, we'll probably have spare meat!!

Anne, your albums are full of scrumptious browsing fare. I have to go back and look some more. Love love love the garments in the "work clothes" album. So stylish. I'm going back as soon as I finish prattling on here.

Susan, pretty skirts! Congrats on your new car. Sounds like a lot of fun to drive.

Liana, love the new lime pants and apple bias top. Very pretty and summery. Phew! Lots of work on that bias. I think bias is squirelly to sew, but the effort is definitely worth the results.

Thanks for all the terrific info, Fran. I gotta get me some of those napkins. I'm a shameless copy cat. Also, appreciate the pattern info - both knitting and sewing.

As for me, I started the little Stitchdiva shrug about three times - start - rip - start - rip - my crochet gauge is really goofy, but I think I'm on a good roll now. Using Koigu merino http://www.koigu.com/yarn02.htm in a soft pastel teal for my first attempt. Had it in the stash (cannot buy another thing - house will plummet through the Earth to China).

Home Dec sewing! Scary! I had my hair stylist ask me to sew her some pillows in exchange for a haircut. She's not cheap, so I took her up on it.

Why is it when someone knows you sew they ask for boring crap that anyone could do? Anyone can sew a pillow cover, fer crissakes. If my friend asks me to hem one more pair of pants, I'm taking her to the tailor. They charge $8. I'd gladly pay.

Kathryn ~ I am sorry to read about your basement flooding and can't believe that you were out in the middle of the night clearing the drain!  I definitely would have woken up the significant other to handle that task!

Annie ~ sorry that I peeked into the Burda jacket picture folder before you were ready to show the world but the picture when you opened the album caught my eye first!  I had to see what was behind the door! 

After a weekend of activities, I finally settled down to really sew today with very mixed results.  I reviewed the cotton jersey fabric in the Fabric Mart folder but suffice it to say, that today wasn't an easy, breezy sewing day in my household. 

Well I am off to bed.  Will try this sewing thing again tomorrow.  Maybe the results will be better.  I promise photos soon!

Both of the bias skirts are done! Pictures here: http://www.susinok.com/?p=224. They turned out well if you don't look at the hem of my lining... We used Butterick 5431 and it's a TNT pattern of mine. I've made it once before.

This weekend I hope to finish those camel pants finally. Hopefully things will be calmer and I'll get some sewing time in.

I'm also going to Buchanan's Antique Market. There is a woman there that sells old buttons and costume jewelry. I'm going to raid the button stash!

Susan

Kathryn, sorry to read about the flooding basement.  :'(  Been there and done that last week. I did not have carpets and such to clean as ours is a semi-finished basedment with concrete/cement floors.  Mopping up dried up mud/silt is no fun but having carpet would be much worse.  It has been raining all night and early this morning but hopefully no major flooding today. 

Anne, I had to peak at jacket since everyone posting below talked about it.  It is a gorgeous jacket.  Love all the special touches you added to make it an even more unique jacket.

Like your skirts Susan.  Saw your review on PR this morning.

Thanks, Linda (sewnow1004) for the suggestion to air my fabric out. It is airing in the guest room now, and I will refold and replace it when the carpets are cleaned and dry.

LindaL, thankfully, there was no silt, etc--just rainwater from the roof that overflowed into a concrete stairwell outside the basement door.  There's a drain just outside the door which usually handles any water that gets down there, but leaves were blocking that drain.  So at least the water was clean, and everything smells fine--like rainwater!  However, I'm still having the carpets cleaned, disinfected, and dried down there.  We use that basement level a lot, since it is completely finished with carpeting with plaster walls and ceilings, so it has to be as presentable a living space as the rest of the house.  I'm just glad that only two of the rooms were affected and not the entire basement area.  That would have been awful!

Carolyn, DH is recovering from a golf-swing-induced back problem, so I didn't have the heart to wake him.  Besides, I love lightning and thunder--it's a real rush--but only from a distance!  It was waaay to close for comfort that night! 

Oh, my, the Vogue Fabric by Mail mailer came yesterday, and temptation is once again nipping at my heels.  I've not been able to sew lately at the pace I usually do, so looking at fabric is a substitute of sorts.  I was not tempted by the envelope of swatches from Michael that came earlier in the week, but there is a color combination in VFbM that really catches my eye. I love the way they put colorways together in that mailer. Time to hunt through my stash to see if I can come up with a comparable combo, so I can outrun this temptation! ;D  I don't have your strength of purpose yet, Carolyn, to just dump the mailer right into the trash, as you did with your FM list.  I'm still fingering the swatches and dreaming away, telling myself that dreaming is free and does not add to the stash!

Susan, the skirts that you and Medea made are really cute, and I enjoy seeing you both model them.  They seem to suit each of you to a "T".  And could that be the new car I see at your side???

Kathryn, I missed your saga of the wet basement yesterday and am just catching up now:  what a terrible way to start a day, but at the same time how fortunate that you were up and able to handle the situation as it occurred rather than discovering an even more awful mess in the morning!  I am glad you got everything under control -- what a wonder woman.  Airing out the fabric, even if it wasn't in danger of being wet, is a great idea.

Thunderstorms are such a rush, but I would prefer not to have the flooding problems as well.    I was crawling around in the attic on the third and wee hours of the fourth placing and moving buckets to catch the water that is still pouring through the roof; better to catch it in the attic than flood the kitchen.    That roof is not very steep so the problem of the leaking shingles, aggravated by large men, 2000 pounds of bricks and nearly 1000 pounds of mortar on them during the chimney rebuild, is compounded when the rain is very heavy, as a back-flow is created and the water runs back up the roof under the lifted shingles, causing more water to come down into the house.  Well it hasn't rained since Tuesday and is supposed to be nice the rest of the week, so I hope the workmen get out here to fix the problem.

I wasn't particularly tempted by the last couple of mailers Michael sent me, and I always feel guilty because I want to buy things from him.  It's probably a good thing as limited access to sewing room of late has fueled the fabric hunger. 

Susan, the skirts are lovely, and you and Medea look so nice, cool, and stylish in them.  I think a new skirt always adds such a thrill to the day.

I did manage to get in the sewing room late yesterday after the guests were gone and some very necessary cleaning and restoration was carried out to the house after their departure.  I originally hoped I could just retreat to the sewing room, but I couldn't.  Although these guests were my DH's relatives, I can't blame him as we each seem to have a couple of family members who would never be invited to stay at our house if they were just friends, but whom we feel obligated to accommodate, even though I wish I could just bring down a giant sterilizer from the sky after they leave and sanitize the entire house.  I do realize that this is  a very extreme reaction -- I sometimes over-dramatize. We did have a lovely time with them, they are witty, bright, charming people.

Anyway the sewing time was unproductive.  I spent a few hours trying to finish this pair of pants I was trying to alter downward and it was just an unholy mess.  Although they were always loose in a drapey flattering way, I could not get the pocket on one hip to lie right if I reduced the volume of the pants.  It looked way over-sized or pulled in an attractive way, or the entire pant just hung funny.  They were RTW pants anyway, and the fit was never as good as I can get myself, but I had been fond of them once.  I finally heeded the advice of others and just ditched the pants, after saving the very nice quality metal zipper.

Now at least I can move on to sewing something new.

Thank you for the compliments, ladies.

I've noticed that since I've been sewing, I've dressed up a bit more at work. Probably because I have more skirts to wear. Medea and I are both wearing our outfits to work today, LOL.

She's very happy with her skirt and it's her first attempt at sewing an item of clothing. She also found out she had an old 1960s all metal Singer in her father's storage shed. She's getting it mainatained at the dealer now and will have a machine to work on of her own, too. We'll still have sewing days together, however. That was fun. I have lots of room on the dining room table for her to set up a station.

Susan, you have found the true pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, a good sewing buddy with whom to spend happy sewing times!  How I envy you!  I wish I had a friend locally who is as passionate about sewing as I am--he/she wouldn't even have to be passionate, just more than mildly interested would be enough for me! 

Since buying my embroidery machine, though, I have it's "sewing sport" in common with a local good friend, so now we can at least talk sewing on topics that are of great interest to us both.

Mardel, what a chore, to play "catch the drip" in the attic.  Who said that homeowning was easy!  Well I know the peace that comes from putting one's home back together after guests have departed.  It's wonderful to have guests, and it's wonderful to get everything in order, too, when the goodbye hugs are but memories.

I had to laugh at your persisence with those RTW pants that you were "fond of once".  Almost like an old boyfriend--your needs change, you move on, but still you want to work at keeping the good vibes.  Scavenging the pants for what is good in them and moving on is a MUCH wiser choice--and that approach works well with old boyfriends, too (from what I recall from way back in my singlehood days, that is  ;)).

For those who enjoy small take-along knitting projects, I thought you might enjoy the latest issue of
Knitty (http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/patterns.html) , an online knitting magazine that you're likely already familiar with. There are some delicious sock and glove patterns there. That first cabled fingerless glove is a must-knit.

Susan, your skirts are lovely.  And I agree with Kathryn -- I envy you having a friend so close that shares your passion for sewing.  Up until online forums, I was always on my own to figure out new techniques, make fabric and pattern choices, etc.  You have both made beautiful skirts -- and how nice that you can share the same pattern and both have such good results!

I am still working on my first suit, which seems to be interrupted every time I start to sew.  Sigh....  I have the jacket nearly complete.  I am setting the zipper this afternoon, and then it is on to the hand work.  I had hoped to have the suit finished this week, but I have company coming in on Saturday, so preparations for that will take up tomorrow, and the weekend, is taken up with the company.  No sewing.  :'( 

Kathryn ~ you know temptation is insidious!  Keep feeling and looking at those little swatches and before you know it you will have whipped that credit card out!  :)  BTW, I really miss your sewing!  It used to be something to look forward to every month or so, some wonderful gems that had been cooked up in your sewing room.  In my head it is kinda like a fantasy room ~ with all the racks of Tires silk thread, several dress forms, a closet full of gorgeous fabrics, and that wonderful cutting table.  I feel like I have been deprived of some serious visual stimulation.  Now I realize that life has interfered but I have to tell you, I am starting to get a little cranky here without my Kathryn fix!  ;D

LindaL ~ I guess I just assumed that you were like me...that almost every piece came with a dream already attached to it!  And that in your head you were already thinking about buttons, lining, etc. C'mon admit it, you know you were!

I am taking a break from the jacket and skirt combination that I am working on today.  This has been a hard week for me.  In my mind I hadn't really taken this week off to sew and so I have been rather lax about starting and continuing.  No piercing focus on getting garments completed this week, folks.  Just a lot of time with nothing to do but fill it.  And I guess it wasn't really meant to be since the state government closed the casinos and people are leaving Atlantic City in droves, I would have just been one of them if situations had been different. 

So I have pressed on *sigh*  Anyway, I am making a jacket from the Tamatsou dress pattern and I reworked my TNT flare skirt pattern yet again to come up with another variation.  I cut these pieces from the orange linen that I got from FM earlier this summer.  My lunch break is almost over and since I don't have kitchen duties this week ~ read that as SO is handling the cooking ~ I am back to my sewing area to work on these pieces.

Thanks everyone for the very kind comments on my pants and top! :) Ann, I'm glad to know that I was just unlucky on the fabric, and that I didn't neglect to do something that everyone (else) knows about to keep them from growing.  Not that I'm glad some of you have had the same experience; very much the reverse!  

Kathryn, I've never used the courier delivery either, but the way it's all put on the Marfy website, I can never figure out which is cheaper, as on the rate page, it really looks like the courier method is less, but when it's all together, it isn't, so I don't really understand their chart, I guess.  I just try it one way, and then the other.  

Mardel, Happy Birthday!! I was disappointed that the new patterns weren't on the site either, but I suppose they wait until the catalog is officially out, or something.  I suppose we are paying to see it first.  Glad you're back to some "quiet time".  Sounds like quite the harrowing weekend with unexpected guests, leaks and bad RTW pants, but it also sounds like you conquered it all. :)

Susan, What great skirts, and how lovely to have a sewing friend right there!  Sorry the car had to take precedence over the serger, but I guess we don't always get to set the priorities. ::)

Kathryn,  How awful to wake up to a flood!  Even if you were already awake, it's still bad.  I'm glad it wasn't worse than it was, and thank goodness your fabric is safe, and that it was clean water at least.

Anne, Those shoes aren't a match (darn it!), they're a dark tan which looks pretty good anyhow, I thought.  I did get a cute pair with blue and yellow polka-dot bows that look pretty cute with the pants, but need a different top. (http://www.pbase.com/lianasews/image/62991468.jpg)

Amy, the top pattern is Vogue 2683 (http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/voguepatterns/shop.cgi?s.item.V2683=x&TI=20003&page=1)

FranG,  Thos napkins are darling, and how nice to know that such an accessible paint is a good one.  I've knitted with linen, but not with hemp, and I see that Elann has a new (fairly affordable) hemp yarn.  

Amy,  Hope you get to the suit finishing sooner than you think!

Carolyn,  Sometimes we have the time and the will, but the magic just doesn't happen. :(  When you get into the orange linen, maybe you'll suddenly be all caught up in it again.  I hope so! :)

Diane,  I saw the new Knitty too, and there are lots of neat little patterns.  Should be perfect for on-the-go knitting.  I especially liked the lily-of-the-valley bracelet, although I think it's not really "me".  I can sort of see it as a sewn-on cuff on a blouse or something, though.  Maybe with the same perle cotton whipping the collar and some of those neat woven buttons too.  Ooh, I'm beginning to like this more and more! :)

I finished the Elsebeth Lavold tank last night and stitched it up.  No photos yet, but soon I hope.  It turned out pretty cute, but I'm beginning to see why she also has a pattern for those (stupid IMO) detached sleeves.  It just looks a little bare with no sleeves, and if you put on a jacket or shrug or anything, you lose the darling lace straps which are the whole point of the pattern.  Not sure what the answer is.  Wear it in summer with a shawl around your shoulders but not up over them maybe.  I was experimenting around last night with the green silk with brown swirls poncho I made last year or so, which I have since turned into a scarf/wrap.  That was my plan all along, as I figured ponchos couldn't last.  I bound the edges of the piece, and then stitched it into a poncho.  Anyhow, it has returned from whence it came. ;)

Well, Carolyn, if I can hide out from DD this weekend and actually score a little bit of "me" time (what IS that, I forget!!!)  I'd love to hole up in my sewing room.  The embroidery machine has been taking the little bits of time I have had for sewing, but I have been enjoying learning about it.  I still feel like a veritable dunce where ME goes, but once I get a better handle on the Embird program for customizing and digitizing machine embroidery patterns, I'll feel a bit more on my game with it.

I'd really love to play with the black creme circles fabric that has been dancing in my brain (and on your blog and sewing room) since May.  Did you pretreat that fabric?  I had thought, too, to break up the circles.  I have a couple of designs in mind.

I really miss my sundress sewing, which is what summer sewing is all about, for me!

Thanks for the wonderful compliment about my sewing, Carolyn--I'll be running with the big dogs again, sooner than later, hopefully!  Then that Bernina and digital camera won't know what hit them  ;D !

Diane, that Knitty site is so cute!  I've bookmarked it and emailed it to DD who may be sizing up my yarn stash for her next raid, once she gets a load of some of those cute projects.

Liana, I guess I never clicked "Courier" because it just sounded expensive! No, seriously, you're right, the site is not very clear about the mailing options.  Maybe it would be more straightforward to us if we were Italian.  Since we ordered about the same time, we should be getting our catalogues about the same time as well.  It will be fun, flipping through those pages and slipping little paper bookmarks in, all the while thinking that you are probably doing the same thing at the same time!

Kathryn ~ no sweat!  Just calling it like I see it!  But I am getting cranky ~ don't forget!  ;D

Liana ~ you were so right about trying to sew when you aren't really into it...but I have been to the movies three times this week, spent an afternoon with my mother and sister shopping, watched several Netflix movies with my DD's and even read on one of my novels.  Still too much time to fill and I am not good at sleeping the entire day away....so I sew.  But I don't know if I am making the wrong choices or my enthusiasm level is just not high enough because I am not very pleased with the things I am producing and I am wondering if I will even wear them.

It is a beautiful summer day here.  The sun is shining, my windows are open all over the house to let the gentle breeze flow through and I am dreaming thoughts of work!  Somebody slap me please!!!! *Sigh*  Okay, I am trudging back to my sewing area to see what other fabric I can "mess" around with!

Carolyn, what a sad image, you "trudging" back to your sewing room!  You should only be happy there!  You're probably suffering a bit of burnout from all of your wonderful sewing over the past couple of months.  If the only reason why you are going in there is because you know you'll regret NOT taking advantage of the time available, then only you will know if that is a good call to spend the day there. 

Perhaps you can make up a "treat myself" sewing project today--go to your stash and just pull out the one piece of fabric that speaks to you the loudest this morning, and begin playing with it.  Forget that "must get made up before the season is over" pile of fabrics  or pending UFOs and work with just that one fabric that is singing your song this morning.  Put a book on tape in your CD player, or a CD that you love, let that fresh breeze waft over you, and plan and sew away.  You've got to do it for the rest of us who can't get to our sewing rooms!  It's your sewist's duty!  So square your shoulders, hitch up those one-seams, and march in there! ;D ;) ;D 

Seriously, though, my sewing friend, enjoy the day however you choose to spend it.

Carolyn, not that I know precisely what you're feeling, but I understand that "out of sorts" cloud that can linger around time off. There are so many things to do that making up ones mind can become a chore. I think Kathryn's suggestion is a great one. Perhaps, as she says, there's a special piece of fabric that could be made into something that doesn't require fitting and fussing - a purse perhaps? or a tote bag? or a scarf?

Sometimes (for me, that is) having too many choices is crippling - time to spend and loads of possible patterns and fabrics to spend it on. Right now I'm battling the desire to fritter away my time on projects that don't get me where I want to go. I am trying to narrow my options by creating a SWAP capsule for a family vacation to New Zealand at the end of July. Since NZ is chilly this time of year, I'll be getting a jump on my winter wardrobe. I'm trying to take time to plan, and take the time to make decisions and then stick to them. Oh it's so hard! What I really want to do is make another of those New Look shirts (6407). The pattern fits so nicely and feels so nice to wear, but it won't do me any good for  the vacation, and I really need clothes for the trip or I'll end up doing some desperation buying at the last minute. Don't want to do that; want to use my stash and get what I want.

In the meantime I'm fooling around learning how to use a new cell phone - my new avatar is a picture my son took yesterday that I just sent to myself. So cool and sort of a waste of time.

Obviously I can only commiserate and dare not give any advice whatsoever  :-\

Perhaps Carolyn, you are just too relaxed to sew. You've been away from work for a few days now and your body has adjusted to a slower pace. And, you just can't seem to get motivated to choose where to begin with your various projects. It's a hateful feeling as I'm sure you wished to accomplish so much. The fresh air may bring new enrgy into your sewing room!!!

Forgive my thoughtlessness in mentioning  Devil/Prada. We so seldom see movies in a theater, that I was overcome with excitement. And, I'm happy you discovered my latest jacket as it proded me into writing about it. I have since begun cutting out a green linen dress which I am underlining with China silk.  And of course there are so many other unfinished projects awaiting their turn.

Nora thank you for your kind words re my latest jacket. A rock wall???  You are in deep. I resolved this week that I will never be finished in the garden.

Susan, love the cute bias skirts which you and your friend wear so well.  And what a treat to be driving a new car.

Amy, Diane,( great buttons) LindaL thank you all for admiring my work.  I truely love to sew and to take a pattern beyond. Intially I thought there would be a line of beads next to the fringe but I choose to finish the jacket and move on. 

Amy I enjoyed your post on underlining with silk organza and I will go back to read your beading post. Your dresses are beautiful.

Well Carolyn, I have had the kids in camp for three days, with the plan of doing all sorts of chores and painting so my home is more organized and then I will feel good about sewing/knitting, etc.  I have ended up nursing a sore back, chatting with friends, doing laundry,blah,blah, blah(as my DS says) and I have to say I feel really good.  I didn't get anything done on my sewing list, and I am OK with that.  I really believe some times your brain/creative side is just not ready to produce when you think you should.  You may find this time away from sewing will excite you to sew later.  I cannot sew without a vision of why I am sewing.

Diane, thanks for the Knitty link.  I just got th e most hysterical book from the library...Mason Dixon Knitting, by Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner.Good knitting book, cool ideas and so funny I almost wet my pants!  The two authors met online and share a lot about virtual knitting friends.  Very similar to online sewing friends.  Hey, I have an idea...maybe WE should wright a book about sewing, and then it would give the knitting trend a run for it's money!!!

I am so jelous you get to go to NZ Diane.  I was there 25 yrs ago in the winter and loved it.  It really wasn't that cold(I live in the north) but it gets cool at night, and the places I stayed did not have central heating and it got quite nippy in the pm.  You will have a fall wardrobe all ready before you go!!!

well, I have enjoyed chatting with you all, now to go claim my kids at camp!

Anne, I don't think anyone is ever finished with a garden. It's kind of a work in progress by nature. Yours is looking lovely -- you should have a separate garden album. Actually, DBF seems to be enjoying wall construction in some perverse sort of way :D It's a low wall, so it won't require major engineering effort. Easy for me to say... He seems to regard it as his manly duty to construct it, and I'm not going to dissuade him, LOL. I wouldn't mind doing it -- and planned to -- but I don't feel strongly enough about it to kick up a fuss over his having taken over the project, despite the fact that I know it's all a plot to avoid work he'd like doing even less ;D.

Carolyn, I hope you can find your sewing mojo soon; as several others have said, it's frustrating to have time, and no focus.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Edited because I can't spell.

While looking for trims for my granddaughters clothing, I found this really great site http://www.flightsoffancyboutique.com
They have the most amazing beaded trims, not gaudy, but tasteful, not inexpensive, but really nice, some ribbon trims
were even beaded.

Nora, I agree, a garden is always in progress.  I have had this white rhodie for 10 years, I have moved it every couple of years,
because it just never liked where I put it, finally I got it a spot and it looks lovely, it flowered this year, the leaves are
beautiful - so sometimes it just takes time, and then there are the plants that get to big and need to be moved, or you've
changed your mind - I have two peonies that are quite small, obviously they are not getting enough sun - so I will move them.
My husband says my garden is on wheels.

I am not able to post much at the moment due to a medical problem I am having, but can read what everyone has done, and
honestly, even if you can't post much, there is such a wealth of information and inspiration on this thread that
when you don't feel good its a great place to come and get inspired.

Everyone who has done things lately they are lovely just some that I recall, Anne's burda jacket, and Lianas pants, loved the
colour, can't remember who else did what.

Fran

Since I am trying to use all of the functions of this wonderful site, I just did a review of Vogue 8264 in the review section.  And there are new pictures up in my photo album.  Pictures of the reworked black/creme circle pieces which were created from the wadder "One Hit Wonder Dress" and new pieces for my summer SWAP, "Brown & Orange, Circles & Stripes" that I have been working on this week.  Yeah, this is what I have been trudging to my sewing area creating!  :)  You can see the pictures by clicking the link below my signature.  And for more detailed information about the new summer SWAP, there is a write-up on my blog (http://sewingfantaticdiary.blogspot.com/).

Carolyn, your new SWAP is so sophisticated and pretty. I am inspired. Thanks for sharing and for posting the review of the City Shorts.

How convenient that I'm passing by Joann's Fabric after taking my daughter to the movies today. Just might have to pick up that shorts pattern, too  ;)

Wow, Carolyn, no wonder you were trudging off to your sewing room a couple of days ago!  You've been wearing yourself out with all of this sewing!  I love, love, love the dreamsicle/cocoa SWAP--so very Prada!  They've been using that brown/orange color combo for several collections now.  It looks great on you.  The city shorts are perfect--sophisticated enough for city/office wear, but comfortable as well.  Of course those great shoes just add to the outfit, IMHO!  The little EOS swirley print skirt adds just the right amount of whimsy to the collection.  I'd love to see another view of that striped sheath.  That's the fabric that I saw on the FM site and wondered what it would look like made up.  Now you've satisfied my curiosity.  I also love the way the topstitching came out on the orange linen skirt.  Very nice!

Your black/creme circles outfit turned out nicely.  What a difference adding that ribbon on the skirt to break up the circles made!  Of course yoiur toile knit top is great, with the bound neckline adding a nice definition to the print.  The little black sheath is a perfect thing to wear with your circle topper.

Have you completed your July 2006 skirt from WOF?  They call that pattern piece a "banana shape", as I recall.  If it's completed, how do you like it? 

Thanks so much for sharing the great photos of "How Carolyn Spent Her Summer Vacation".  When's your next vacation, so I can start counting down to another great Carolyn SWAPfest??? ;D

Carolyn I love you brown/orange swap.  The pieces real look good together and great on you.  I can believe you made the skirt from July 2006 already I haven't even got mine yet..  that skirt is really nice. 

Oh Carolyn!  The brown/orange/creamsicle swap is just wonderfully fashionable and hip and looks soo good on you!  How thrilling.
:)

I think the black and creme circles turned out very nicely, more nicely perhaps than the original dress!  You made a great save there, and "masking your laziness with embellishment" really raised the garments to another level.  We'll never tell. 

Congratulations!

Carolyn,  What can I say that hasn't been said?  What a great SWAP collection!  I love your colors and the pattern choices as well, and your special "Carolyn touches" really make it a stand-out collection.  The city shorts are so nice, and look nice on you too.  I imagine they will be great for the summer heat.  It's great to have the slacks too, as that will give you a little more season to wear this group.  The black and white circles group is really my favorite I think.  Very inspired choice of skirt embellishment.  The ribbons on the seamlines are just perfect, and takes it from "nice coordinate" to "designer skirt". :)  I wish I could do as well when I wasn't feeling like sewing! ;) 

WOW Carolyn!  You must be pleased with your productivity considering you were not feeling overly motivated.  Great outfits!  So tomorrow, are you going to stand in front of your wardrobe and say "what am I going to wear?".  Not because you have nothing but because you have so much  ;)  Way to go!

Carolyn, I'm delighted that you're back to your sewing again. I really can't add much to what has already been said - it all looks great and, as always, your speed and output just leave me gasping.

I especially like all the spots! Great treatment; and spots always look so classy don't they? 

What a well-coordinated swap! I hope the sense of accomplishment gets you enjoying sewing again. You look wonderful in these pieces.

Thanks everyone for your very kind and thoughtful comments.  Last night I cleaned up my sewing area, it looked like a hurricane had blown through it.  Today I will be out and about and tomorrow is work.  I won't be back in my sewing area for another 2 or 3 weeks since my family has several engagements to attend over the next couple of weekends.  I think that's one of the reasons that I just didn't want to waste these last free days!

Kathryn ~ my next vacation is in August and we will definitely be going away so that was the last SWAPfest (love that word!) for awhile!

Vicki ~ I am such a planner that I lay out outfits for the week on Sunday evening ~ along with jewelry ~ so that I can sleep a little later in the mornings and still be put together for work.  I have to get up so early that every extra minute counts!

Mardel ~ when do we get to see pictures of the haircut? 

I am so impressed with your productivity, Carolyn, and this when you were not even in a real sewing mood!! I love this SWAP as I think the colors are so beautiful..love the orange, love the print, love the brown. Send me some energy, please!

This week my sewing time was spent on making a NM 23293 skirt It is a yoked skirt, lined made with a brown and white print, rather vintage looking. I know that it looks a bit vintage because my daughter saw it and asked if it was for her. She is very into vintage. I have some really cute voile that I purchased at Appleannie and wanted to be sure of the fit before I cut into it. I think that I will just snap a few photos of these things and post them in an album. That I can do, but I cannot create a link from the NM site to here. Lisa, if you are reading this and want to meet me in the sandbox to help me learn that technique, I would love it.

Liana, I meant to compliment you on your lime green linen pants with print blouse outfit. I really love the colors for the warm weather. I have that blouse/shell pattern, but, of course, have not made it up yet. I am actually slowing down my pattern purchasing penchant..say that 3 times!!.. as I have so many that are currently awaiting to be brought to life.

Diane, I neglected to mention that although the gardening gloves in my Louisa Harding album are functional, they will probably be used in a more decorative fashion. I made them for a friend , picturing them on her little back hall table where she has an old pitcher generally filled with flowers from her garden. Her grandmother's gardening tool along side. The gloves were made while I was wintering in FL and will be a part of a Christmas present this year.

Anne, the millinary photos are just fabulous!! I so envy the talents of Sydney and your other protege whose name escapes me. What a fun day that must have been! And here I am wasting my time chasing that little white ball across the green!! More later.

Well Carolyn, for someone who was at sea with her sewing on Friday, you certainly attained hurricane status to finish all those projects.  WOW, I am blown away by your speed and output.  And, everything looks absolutely first-rate!!! I am especially fond of the city shorts, your choice of shoes. and how well all your pieces fit.  The dots too are a favorite as I think dots have such a sense of wimsy.

So I began to read your blog ( to be admired) and wondered if you ever do hand sewing while commuting. When travelling, I ALWAYS have hand sewing along.  Often times I will be wearing this very outfit once I reach my destination. Your two hour commute would certainly lend itself well to this activity. Thanks for sharing your vacation with us.

FranG, at your suggestion of posting student work, I began with  Millinery 101.  So glad you enjoyed it. A question for you.....what is a "clown butt" alteration?

I have posted my NM patterns and fabrics in a new album..easier than trying to create links at least for me..

Anne...the "clown butt" alteration  ..such an elegant title, yes?..is actually called Removing Excess Fabric Beneath the Butt. It was posted by our own Diane E and can be found with detailed instruction and photos on www.patternreview.com under the Tips and Techniques section. I use it all the time; it works all the time.
More later..just got a call from a neighbor who wants to go chase that little white ball!

Carolyn, ditto to what everyone else has said.  I posted two comments on your blog so no sense repeating here. :D

Carolyn, I love the way the black and cream circle fabric ended up. What a wonderful, versatile save you've made. I still love that top with the piping, good buttons BTW. Your walking short "split" stance is worthy of A&F catalog especially with those shoes-which are perfect. Have you devised any way to make your eyelet cardigan more comfortable to wear? I was thinking you could add a concealer placket-buttonholes on both sides of your cardi front then mock panel with buttons on both sides. It would leave a span between. Am I making sense? I have been puzzling over this because flyaway front tops drive me batty. I, too, would like to see the print sheath on, please.

Fran, love your "vintage" skirt fabric and the "real" skirt fabric. Chasing that little white ball can cause stress when it goes astray...

Mardel, so far we are being patient waiting to see the haircut, but things could turn bad if you don't get to us soon!

I have posted pictures of the doll dress I have been working on in my photos under 7 July.

No jacket yet, but I have almost completed a simple wrap dress...needed to get the hands and fingers back into sewing mode.  I will post a pic as soon as I can find the camera.

I didn't help the sewing mojo to

1. go out of town at the last minute for July 4,

2. decide the sewing room needed some tidying up so "i could think" in there! or

3.  Caitlin, my 19 year old, got sent home from camp!  She is the  head Sailing Instructor/Lifeguard and has mononucleosisi!  She was tired and kept going, you know college kids!   ???  Anyway. the whole waterfront staff is down for the count...she said they shared whistles during training...so pray she is well by next Sunday.  I ended up sewing for her for back- to- college clothes.  She picked the ugliest piece in my stast that I bought cheap for a muslin and now has a bright green/turquoise wool jacket.  Her friends love it, maybe I dont' like it because I know there is only about 2% real wool in it and the rest is JoAnn's mystery fiber!!

Carolyn, I don't know if you got my email back from the one you sent me. I am not sure how it works yet here.  Yes, it's me and the buttons on Caitlin's new jacket are from the bag you gave me from the button company you worked for when I visited NYC!

Back to the now cleaner sewing room...leftovers for dinner as DH is out of town so I can sew all day long!

Well, I ended up at Joann's yesterday after dropping DD and friend at the movies. I dawdled around at the shopping center rather than driving back and forth, and it was lovely to sit and leaf through the pattern catalogs.

What do you know? Vogue and McCalls patterns were on sale! I bought more than I could possibly list  :o but here are the ones I'm most keen to make first:

This little Vogue jacket http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/voguepatterns/shop.cgi?s.item.V8300=x&TI='8300'&page=1[/url]

(http://img.sewingtoday.com/cat/20000/cat_img/V8300.jpg) (http://img.sewingtoday.com/cat/20000/cat_img/V8300)

and this Simplicity dress
[url]http://simplicity.com/assets/4072/4072.jpg

(http://simplicity.com/assets/4072/4072t.jpg) (http://simplicity.com/assets/4072/4072t)

Andi, I wanted to thank you for your encouragement about New Zealand. I am so excited! I am planning to have the jacket above done for my NZ mini-wardrobe. I'm still thinking hard about what to bring.

Marianne, your doll dress is gorgeous. Love those little pantaloons!

Karen, bummer about your daughter's mono. I hope she's better soon.

p.s. I'm having trouble posting "clickable" image links, so I've included the addresses in case anyone cares  ???

Diane, when I went to NZ 25 yrs ago, I had 2 of everything in my backpack...2 shirts, 2 pants, 2 undies etc....I even had a solar battery charger mounted on the top of my backpack.  There was a great Yarn shop in Nelson(noth end of the south island) and I picked up a knitting project to do while I was sitting on my own on the side of the road hitch-hiking!!!  The best rides I got were from older couples:husband driving, wife knitting!  Even though I was roughing it, I managed to buy a beautiful pair of black Itlian shoes at a small shop in Aukland and bungie cord it to my pack!  I suspect you will travel with a bit more style than I!!!!  The warmest thing I had was a fleece, and I was warm enough for April/May weather.

Let us know what you end up making! Can you tell I would like to return there????

Diane,  How lucky to stop in and find a pattern sale!  Your NZ wardrobe is really taking shape.

Here's a link to a post by Lisa in the Forum Decorum/FAQ topic about how to do Clickable Links (http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,124.msg210.html#msg210).

I'll give you the short version here.  When you have your URL copied (what you have posted in your posts so far) type whatever you want to be "clickable" into your post.  In the paragraph above, I used the words Clickable Links.  Then, highlight those words and click the Insert Hyperlink button (3rd from the left above the smilies).  This will put a [ url] in front of your words, and a [/url ] in back of your words.  The cursor will be blinking behind the last one.  Use your keyboard arrow buttons (or your mouse)to move the cursor directly behind the first [url, but in front of the ], and put in an equal sign =.  Then paste your URL right there.  That's it.  It's much easier to do than to explain.

You're right, Liana, it's much easier to do than explain,  (inserting a "pretty link") but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy to remember.  You gave a good description, though...it's easy to see that both you and Lisa came from the deep end of the same gene pool  ;).

Diane, I was in JoAnn's yesterday, and no pattern sale in sight there, drat!  I wanted to buy a couple of the new Vogues.  I can wait, though, since they would be for Fall/Winter sewing anyway.  DD and I drove up to Ann Arbor to the JoAnn's Etc. there, which has lots more stuff than our local JoAnn Fabrics chain stores do.  We're still on the quest for the perfect upholstery fabric (read: kewl and cheap) for her sofa.  I have to admit that I was a bit relieved that she didn't find anything that rang her chimes, since I'm not too eager to embark on that sofa upholstery project.  She wants her apartment to have that "shabby chic" air about it, but I think if I were to tackle sofa upholstery, the emphasis would be on the shabby! ;D ;D ;D  I'd rather sew sundresses!  To that end, I bought three pieces of fabric, all at 50 to 75% off for my "sundresses of the future" pile!  Seeing Carolyn's SWAPfest has really kicked my sewing mojo in the shorts (no pun intended), and I'm dying to sew something besides home dec!

Kathryn,
I am surprise your Joann's didn't have the pattern sale according to the joann ad vogue were 3.99 and Mccalls were 1.99 July 7-9.

http://joann.shoplocal.com/joannsalesflyer/default.aspx?action=browsepageflash&storeid=2411984&rapid=284676&pagenumber=6&promotioncode=JoAnnStores-060627

Also hancock had vogue 75% of over the weekend.

Diane, I love the jacket pattern you got. 

Hello, everyone!  I just got back from four days of camping at Land Between the Lakes down here.  The campground that we chose straddles the state line, so I am not sure if our campsite was in Tennessee or in Kentucky, but I must say that we communed more closely with the wildlife than I ever have before on a camping trip--whole families of skunks and raccoons visiting us in the evening, and I disturbed the deer on the way to the restroom in the middle of the night.  My husband's father's people are from there, whisky makers a lot of them, who were moved out when they flooded the area for hydroelectric power and to create the recreation area, so the visit meant a lot to my husband.  His family name marks several landmarks, and his father's birthplace is there.  My big achievement for the trip was getting over the hump on a knitting project (a 2005 new year's resolution now going on over 18 months old now).  Maybe in a few short days I will have achieved.... one sock!  I do that from time to time.  I will reach a point in a project that seems to take a little extra effort to push my way down the learning curve, and I end up putting the thing down.  The good news, is that I don't quit forever, I guess.  I wonder how long the second sock will take after I finish the first one.  I hope everyone else is well.  I really enjoy staying caught up with everyone else's successes.

Hmmm, Linda, I wonder what was up at that JoAnns where I shopped--perhaps the patterns were actually on sale and there just was no sign up.  Usually there is a sign on the pattern drawers or on the pattern table that tells which patterns are on sale.  Since I saw no signs, I just assumed there was no sale.  For some reason, I have stopped receiving my JoAnns flyer, (I had to re-submit my info for it this weekend as well), so I went there not knowing what was supposed to be on sale with the exception of the upholstery fabrics.

Redhead, welcome back!  That Land Between the Lakes area is really beautiful (we've vacationed there in the past)--it sounds like you had a really great vacation, and you've got one completed sock to show for it! I'm on the leading edge of venturing into sock knitting myself (I still have a beaded scarf to finish first), since there were such rave reviews about how fun it is on the Knitting thread here on SG, where Deirdre posted really great sock knitting instructions.

Wow!  I have been gone all day and there have been so many interesting posts!  First, thanks everyone for your wonderful comments on my garments.  I am sure that all of you understand how good it feels when your fellow sewers appreciate your work.  It definitely validates what you do and means so much more because you understand the processes that go into completing a garment!  So thanks for your encouraging words and understanding when I was trudging to the sewing room and also for appreciating my sewing efforts.  It definitely means alot to me!

Fran G. ~ where did you get the black/white fabric?  I have seen it somewhere and can't remember where.  Plus black & white fabrics always touch a fashion nerve with me because I love the combo so much!  I can't wait to see the finished garment!

Marianne ~ The doll dress is stunningly beautiful!  I am a huge admirer of people who sew any kind of doll clothing because that is my second sewing love!  Have you made other pieces?  Do you have pictures of them?  Will you share?  :)  As for the City Shorts photos, I took several stances but this one was the least obscene!  ;D :o  As for the eyelet jacket, I am going to remove the sleeves and reinsert them by shaving off some of the shoulder seam.  I haven't figured out the tie situation yet...I think it is going to mean a trip to Daytona Trims to see if they have some kind of crochet trim that will coordinate with the one on the jacket that I can use as ties.  I will get to this in the next couple of weeks because I want to take these pieces on vacation with me since we will be attending church 3 of the 4 nights that we will be in South Carolina.

Karen ~ I got the email!  And I hope Caitlin is better soon!  I can't believe she is headed off to college, she was just starting high school the last time I saw you.  Karen and I know each other from another sewing list and have fabric shopped together in NYC.  Well just about everyone I knew from that list fabric shopped with me in NYC ~ right Karen! :)  Do you remember those two little girls I was dragging around, well if you look at my Yahoo photo album there are pictures of one of them in her prom dress and she graduated high school this year!  My photo album is in my signature.  It is sooooo good to "see" you here!

I have to tell you that I so appreciate this sewing community!  It is encouraging, kind, sharing and all the things that I want to be when I grow up!  A great big thank you to all who participate here!

Marianne, How did I miss the doll dress?  It's just adorable!  I love your heirloom sewing techniques, and how smart to use them on doll clothing.  Do you make a lot of doll clothes?

Karen, Welcome.  How nice that you and Carolyn have reconnected! Hope your DD has a light case only, and is at least able to take an interest in her new wardrobe.

This is a long story. Once upon a time DMIL had a doll that was dressed as Mrs. Claus. About 15 years ago, she decided they were no longer going to decorate for Christmas (!). She brought the doll to me with the fairly wrinkled old dress and asked me if I would make  a set of outfits for the still very good blond doll so she could donate it to charity. On the way to the donation, she showed it to the ladies on the committee for the bazaar for her church and they OH'd and AH'd and exclaimed how they could make a fortune selling raffle tickets on it during the bazaar and she donated it to the fundraiser (which I think is what she had in mind all along). It was a huge hit.

The ladies found out I did all the work (DMIL didn't mention that at first evidently ::)) and asked if I could do it again the next year. Thus started about 10 years of dolls, each more elaborate than the last. Many came complete with carrying case made by woodworking DFIL. I had one woman who bought $$$$ raffle tickets and still didn't win, who commissioned me to make an exact copy for her. I quit making them when I started back to work in 2000. And no, Carolyn, I don't have one picture :'(

I don't have daughters and there are no grands yet, so I hadn't been thinking doll clothes until the local Viking shop asked if I wanted to develop heirloom classes for them. Doll clothes are a wonderful way to learn heirloom techniques and there are a LOT of American Girl dolls out there begging to have a dressy dress. So this dress is a sample for a class I am teaching in August. If it proves popular, I will design more dresses/classes. And DS1 bought me a beautiful doll for my B'day (after I sent him the link to the Martha Pullen catalog page it was on :smug:), so I will be making some dresses for her. She came in a "very plain" denim jumper.

I bought my coveted Vogue 8304 on sale this weekend! The Sexy Secretary Suit pattern is mine!
(http://img.sewingtoday.com/cat/20000/itm_img/V8304.jpg)
I was adding it to my pattern database when I figured out that THIS is the pattern I'm going to make next! I'm stalled on my crappy gaberdine pants (because of the cheap fabric) and I was at sea as to what to make. Well I'm undecided no longer.

I'm going to make this out of that fabulous tomato red wool gaberdine. I may even buy 2 more yards to make a pair of pants to extend the wardrobe a bit. This tomato red suit is the main piece in my fall SWAP. I've already got all the notions and the perfect pair of buttons to go with it. I'm all set!

This week will be insane at work so I'm not sure I'll cut it out after work. I'll start with the skirt. Then I'll tissue fit the jacket and go for it.

I'm excited about this suit! I fell in love with the pattern day one. Can't wait to see how it looks. The jacket is pretty classic and will go with a lot. If the skirt doesn't work, I can always make another.

Marianne, that dress is so beautiful it makes the heart ache.  I have a doll that my dad bought for me as a girl at FAO Schwartz who has been waiting for inspiration.  I guess it will soon be time to shop for batiste.  This may sound like heresy, but I am noticing that except for a few blouses and a severe lack of anything formal in my wardbrobe, I really have enough clothes to hold me for a while.

I tried to post yesterday, but my post was eaten by cyber gremlins.

Fran, I wanted to wish you a speedy recovery. I hope you are still able to get out in your garden. Your husband might be as amused as I was by one garden writer who referred to the plants that never seem to find a permanent home as "living life on the end of a shovel" ;D I have my quota of those too. Mostly because I'm never satisfied with garden composition, but also because sometimes it takes a while to find the spot that makes the plant happy. I already know I'll be moving a bed or two next spring; the current location is much too shady for the sun lovers that I mistakenly put there.

Carolyn, there's really nothing I can add to what everyone has already said. Well done! And enjoy your new summer SWAP. It looks great on you.

Marianne, what a beautiful doll dress. It's a shame you don't have pictures of all the others you've made over the years; I'm sure we'd all love to see them. And you're right -- it's a very clever and fairly non-intimidating way to introduce new sewing techniques. Good luck with your class.

Well, I spent Saturday outdoors, but yesterday found me too far into poison ivy purgatory to have the heart for it. I spent the day unpacking books and beads. I barely slept last night, and ricocheted out of bed this morning, on my way for the bottle of Benadryl gel. If anyone knows a way to lessen the misery, I'm all ears. I've had it for a week now, and I'm still breaking out in new blisters. Aside from the unpacking, I also worked a bit on my circle jacket, and am now doing the underarm increases that are at the center of the sunburst. The stitch count increases rapidly from this point, so it will take me a while to finish the side front, but I'll post a picture when I do.

Redhead, if you want to see critters, come and visit me ::) We have plenty of deer (and the ticks that come with them), and bunnies, and groundhogs, and foxes. I haven't seen the racoons and skunks yet, but I'm sure we have those too. I'm currently trapping groundhogs and deporting them to the local streamside park. They are very destructive. Cute, but destructive. At my last house, they had dug a burrow down along the foundation of the house, and they've got tunnels all along the foundation of the garage at this place. I'm sure they'll find new playmates in their new home.

Carolyn..the "vintage looking" fabric is actually a very dark chocolate brown. I purchased it from Textile Studio. I may finish my skirt today..another rainy, or at least very threatenng day in RI. What a summer!

You are so-o-o right Marianne about the stress involved in golf, although I find it more frustratin than stressful. Actually yesterday was a pretty good day for me.

Marianne, that doll dress flew under my radar as well.  I'm so glad that Carolyn mentioned it.  I would have hated to miss the show!  It's really a gorgeous dress--cotton batiste?  And of course so beautifully made!  Those folks at Viking have a real gem for a teacher--I bet your class will be full.  It's wonderful in a house full of men (a friend in a similar situation calls it "living on the Testosterosa"  ;D) you can do such girlie girl sewing.

I loved the DMIL story. What an intricate relationship we can have with our in-laws!  Perhaps she wished that SHE had made the outfits for the doll that brought so much $$$ at the bazaar.  It's great that you finally got the well deserved kudos and then went on to help at future charity events. I'm sad there are no photos, but I"ll just let my imagination work on it instead.

Karen, too bad that events conspired against you such that your own sewing projects got derailed.  I hope your DD recovers quickly.  How awful!  How will that camp stay open when so many of its counselors are ill with mono?  I hope she still salvages her summer and has a good one.  After scoring a great jacket from you, perhaps she'll "let" you sew something else for her back-to-school wardrobe.  BTW, although you may think that JoAnns fabric is dicey, the jacket is probably way better than your DD could have bought at one of trendy shops that lures kids of that age.  I shudder when my DD shops at Urban Outfitters, the mecca for high priced cheaply made clothing, IMO!

Fran, that vintage fabric will be lovely in that skirt, but I have to say that the voile dotted fabric from Anne's shop stole my heart.  Sooo pretty!  It's going to make a really great skirt as well--your DD will hardly know which one to "borrow" from your closet first! :)

Oh, Nora, I feel so badly about your protracted bout with poison ivy!  Perhaps it's time to give your family physician a call, so you can get a stronger prescription med to kick it.  It sounds like you're in pure misery.  The nights must be worse than the days, when there is more distraction from the itching.  I hope you feel better soon.

I'm anticipating that next in-progress photo of the circle knitted jacket.  I bet it looks great.

Thanks Kathryn. Unfortunately, prevention is still better than cure. According to the FDA's web site, the only effective meds are prescription oral steroids and they are only indicated for cases that involve one's naughty bits or more than 30% of the rest of you. And, as bad as my current case is, even if my doctor were prescription-friendly, I really don't want to take a 3 week course of oral steroids. The itch/pain is bad, but I'll survive. I might feel differently if I met the FDA's criteria :o All sympathetic comments are most gratefully accepted though.

Nora,  I have a horrible allergy to poison ivy.  Last year I wore long sleeve to the gym for three months because I looked like I had my arms chewed up by a shark!  They gave me a topical steroid called Clobetasol (Sp??) that gave me instant relief and I also didn't get scars on my arms like I was worried about.  It might be worth a shot.

Kathryn, the camp managed to get some friends of other counselors that are qualified to "pinch hit" for a couple of weeks. The camp is on the Oklahoma/Texas border so thereare lots of college kids available and this camp is finished the week before college Rush starts up, a big plus around here!  Caitlin is starting to feel human, even wanted junk food last night so I take that as a good sign.  Carolyn, you are gonna die, but she is gonna be a Sophmore in college!  Allison,the "baby" is a Sr. in High School and the drill team captain this year...a big deal in Texas and is keeping me busy writing checks right and left for are the spirit stuff they need!

Funny for the day...I was sewing yesterday, Caitlin requested an eyelet "scallop-y" skirt, not too poofy, and I was digging thru my stash becuase I know I have that fabric from my smocking days...well, I also had homemade chicken noodle soup on the stove since that is her comfort food...her college roommates stopped by to cheer her up and I overheard one comment "Your mom knoiws how to sew and cook soup that doesn't come out of a can?"  When they left I told the girls they'd better appreciate me because these things obviuosly don't happen in other people's homes!!


DH has the digital camera at our Austin home, I am going out today to buy a new one.  I told him he should have left it here so it's gonna cost him!

Karen, thanks for the tip about the topical steroid. I did get a scar on my leg from a previous bout with the evil weed, so that's good to know. I wonder if it's too late, since it's pretty hard and scabby already. I hope your DD gets better soon. Some folks take weeks, and that's no fun...

Poor Nora  :'( There's nothing worse than those wicked plant rashes. Out here we have poison oak and my daughter has had a few scary bouts, one of which resulted in a course of oral steroids. I wish you well, and I understand the reluctance to take those steroids.

Susan, what a pretty suit! I cannot wait to see your suit. Sexy is right!

Oh, Redhead, the Land Between the Lakes sounds like heaven on earth. I love camping. Okay, truth be told, I love s'mores, hiking, and being outside. Sleeping on the ground is getting more and more challenging.

Fran, I love your new skirt - pattern and fabric are fabulous. Looking forward to seeing you wearing it. What top(s) do you have planned?

Oh Poor Nora!  Those plant rashes are terrible and truly understand your reluctance to take the oral steroids.  I have had to do that the last couple of times I got poison ivy -- now I'm like a maniac if I think I've been near it.  Everything immediately into the wash, me with head to toe scrub and so on.  My poison ivy spreads for weeks, blisters and sores which turn into terribly painful infections.  Last time the doctor gave me the steroids before I got to the 30% stage, all he had to see were the big red ugly infection lines running up and down my legs and arms.  But steroids are nasty things

Thanks to Liana and Kathryn I think I'm now able to post a clickable link. It worked over in the "Blouses" folder. Woohoo. I sure do like learning new things.

Mardel, I love your new photo. Pretty haircut and great glasses - you look maaaaaahhhhhvelous.

Mardel! What a cute hair cut. I like your new avatar. Thank you to you and Diane for the sympathy. My rash is not infected as far as I can tell, but what I don't understand is how, a week after the first rash showed up, I still keep getting new lesions. It's maddening, especially since they're most itchy as they errupt. I expect that I will become progressively more sensitized, and there's no realistic expectation that I will not be exposed again, and this is part of my reluctance to take the steroids; I guess I feel I should hold off on the big guns. There's only so many courses of steroids I want to take... Anyway, as I said, I will survive -- uncomfortably ::).

BTW, Kathryn, the last time I went to Joann's looking for sale Vogue patterns, they did not have the signs out. I knew they were supposed to be on sale, so I took one up to the register just to check. The woman at the register looked surprised when I said there was no sign out, but then said something to the effect that they probably didn't want to deal with the devastation that is the usual aftermath of a pattern sale. I thought that was pretty funny.

Nora,  More sympathy here on the poison ivy, but not much help.  I've heard that wiping down with alcohol right away can help a lot, but I haven't had any since I was very young, and that was poison oak, although we're really lucky, and have both around here.  Mostly by the rivers, etc. as it's too dry everywhere else most of the time, I think.  I don't blame you on the steroids either, although the topical ones would be much different, and worth asking about IMO.  I know that inhaled steroids don't have the same side effects as the oral ones either, just for informational purposes.  

Mardel, You do look really cute!  I love the glasses and the hair.  How did you decide on a different haircut, or do you change every so often?  I know Kathryn gets a new 'do quite often, but I'm very slow on things like that.  My hair was really long, and I wore it up for probably most of 7 or 8 years before I cut it to where it is now, and it's been about like this for quite some time.  I do hope I'm not turning into one of those women with hair that really dates them, (comments solicited) but I'm terminally lazy when it comes to hair, and when I find something that I like that's pretty easy, I tend to stick with it.

Karen, That's such a cute comment from your DD's friend!  (Glad she's feeling better.)  I think we and our ilk will be sorely missed when everyone's buying RTW and "cooking" from RTE! (Ready To Eat)  I am no gourmet cook like many of you are, but it's been a long time since I bought anything that wasn't "actual food" that you had to really cook yourself and figure out what to do with it.  We ate at restaurants almost exclusively for many years, but not fast food type places, and things just don't taste like real food unless you start from scratch.  I don't even like the bagged lettuce, because it always tastes funny to me.  I think it's whatever they put on it as a preservative.

FranG, Great skirt fabrics!  I love the dots especially, as they're so different looking.  It really catches the eye!

Diane,  Glad the links are working!

Thanks for all the compliments on my hair! I do really like it, but I am having second thoughts about the avatar...it's just so darn BIG! I scare myself when I look at it.

Liana, it took me months of thinking I wanted my hair short to actually do it, although it had been short most of my early life.  It was always short when I was a kid and I grew it long about 1 year after college and then went back to short.  I have little patience with fussing with hair.  Somehow in my late 30's I felt the need to grow it long and then I had a terribly hard time letting go of it.  Well, when I was finally ready I guess I was finally ready.

Karen, really cute comment from your DD's friend.  It seems like we are vanishing breed sometimes, being able to cook and sew...hmmm.  I agree with Liana that it just doesn't taste like food unless you start from scratch, although I will admit to going to phases of fancier cooking and phases of plain food -- we are back in the latter now.  Odd, though, how many friends who think of the kitchen as a necessary evil. 

Oh, Mardel, no, the avatar isn't scarry -- I love it!  The hair cut is very cute!

Nora, I am so sorry to hear about the poison ivy.  How awful.  I do hope you heal from it soon. 

Carolyn, let me add my praise to your brown/orange SWAP.  The skirt and white jacket are lovely, and what a wonderful picture of you wearing them.  The colors are so beautiful in that skirt.  Another beautiful set of garments from your sewing room continues to inspire me.

Anne, thank you for your compliments to my dresses, and I am glad you found my tips helpful. 

I finished my blue/biege jacket, and am hoping to get the skirt made to go with it soon.  I am having trouble sewing this week due to an eye infection.  It started with a severely scratched cornea that has become infected and is blurring my vision in one eye.  Grrrr.  Dr. said it should heal up in a few days with an antibiotic eyedrop.  My vision is so poor I can't afford to lose much, so I hope this does the trick. 

Mardel the avatar is good.  The hair is very cute.

Nora I hope the poison Ivy heals soon I can not image what you are going thru I have never had poison ivy.

Amy I hope the eye infection heals soon it is tough when you can't see to sew huh. 

Carolyn I saw you post in Lucy's fabric topic those fabric are cute I can't wait to see what you make them into.

Nothing new here I wanted to sew yesterday but ended up helping DH organize the garage you see we have the floor expoy earlier this month and we now have to put everything back in it.  It is very hot here temps in the high 90's with high humidy. 

I have some fabric laying on my cutting table for a eggplant color ottoman knit for pants euro I believe I will use.  Also a rayon print the seems to go very well with the eggplant color for a top not sure which top I will use either a wrap top or V-neck t-shirt now I just need to get a somee modivation to go it.  I also want to make some shirts button down the front with collars.

Amy, I'm sorry to hear about your eye infection, and about your poor vision in general. Knowing that makes your beaded visions of loveliness even more special.

Mardel, don't be scared because we can actually see you in your new avatar ;D Your old one was fabulous, but this one is more... I dunno, it's more approachable for lack of a better word. And it's the new you :)

I think I'm hair style impaired. Mine was super short for years, until I grew it out about four years ago. DBF likes it long, but it's now too long for my taste. I have to say it looked pretty severe when it was short, and many people seemed to think it was better as it grew out and softened my look. Alas, I too am lazy when it comes to hair, and I've gotten into the bad habit of tying it back in a pony tail.  In addition, mine is neither straight nor truly curly, so a somewhat shaggy layered look is the most easily managed one for me. I got sick of blow drying it, only to have it frizzle in the humidity of east coast summers, or on rainy days. OTOH, my life would be much easier if it actually curled, instead of merely waving on normal humidity days. It's been on my mind that I need to go and have a heart-to-heart with the stylist about doing something practical, stylish and age-appropriate, whatever that might be. At a minimum, it needs a trim ::)

Edited to add that I changed my avatar photo to one of me with short hair so y'all could see what i was rambling on about. I don't have a particulary current head shot, just full length ones like the one I just swapped out.

Linda, I just edited your last post for a spelling error which, had you seen it, you would have flopped right on the floor, dying of embarrassment!  Really, it wasn't THAT bad, but let's just say you'll like your last post better now. (To satisfy your curiosity, you left out a consonant in the word shirt.) Ah, the magical wand of the moderator! ;)  Actually it's pretty sad when fixing a spelling error is the height of one's powers of late!  ;D

Mardel, I love the new avatar.  I love cheery smiles, and you certainly are sporting one there.  The hairstyle is very becoming--does DH like it?

Nora, I like you in shorter hair, but then again, I like your longer hair look as well.  Perhaps a query to a well-trusted stylist will point you in the right direction for your current age and lifestyle, but quite honestly, if you didn't change a thing, you would look just fine by me.

Liana, I'd have to see you in a different hairstyle to judge whether there is a better option out there for you.  I think your current hairstyle is flattering, and as long as it is easy to maintain, why change a good thing?

As Liana says, I love playing with my hairstyles--or, to put it more accurately, my hairstylist does. I tell her all the time that it's not really my hair on my head, but hers, and she just lets me pack it around from month to month.  ;)  She's always trying something new with it.  The last time I was in, she pulled out a tapestry needle and thread and literally sewed in a updo for me.  What fun!  I told her it would be quicker if I could just cram my head under my Bernina.  Not being a sewist, she didn't get the joke. ;)

Nora, I love your look in short hair.  I don't think it looks severe at all.  Put-together, playful, sophisticated, w/ clean lines ...those are the adjectives that come to mind. :D

Lisa

Nora, I really like the photo of you with the short hair and I certainly don't think you look severe, a little more sophisticated perhaps, perhaps a little intriguing, but never severe..  I understand about being easy to care for though, I really do.  this is nice because it is wash and go, or I can fiddle if I like (that doesn't happen very often).  When my hair was long enough it was always in a ponytail on a french twist, or something.  I had to cut it shorter just to get it out of the ponytail, but the inbeteen look was hard.  A good stylist is a wonderful thing and I trust mine implicitly.  He has never steered me wrong, even when I wasn't well years ago and wanted it short short short, short enough to make this hairstyle look long by comparison.  Without him I think I would have to shave my head.

Liana, I really like your hair on you.  You always look fabulous and if you can maintain that wonderful look without tons of effort, go for it.  However, if you are itching for a change, well a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.  If my hair had enough body to look like yours without the funny combination of frizzy wave and fine droop of mine, I would go for that kind of look too.

It's frunny what we do about our hair (or don't do)

Anyway DH loves the hair.  I think he favors short hair on women anyway.  Or maybe it's just that I feel perkier amd somehow more myself with the hair gone.

You guys are funny... Thanks for all the kind comments. I have my days when I like the long hair, and probably more when I'm not in love with it. I agree with Mardel that short hair is a perkier look. Sometimes I feel that all the hair weighs me down, which is why I cut it in the first place. But it *was* a pain in the tail to style, I have to say. It certainly was not wash and wear, which my current style is. I guess I need to get a grip on the graceful updo, like Ann. And Liana, I agree that yours suits you. If you still like it, and it's not onerous to style, keep it and smile :)

Thank you everyone for your compliments on my doll dress. Here's hoping my prospective students like it too.

Mardel, I like your hair short, but I liked it long too.

Nora, I think you look younger with longer hair, at least in the pictures I've seen. Nora, I think it is time to check with the doctor about your poison ivy. My younger son has a terrible sensitivity to it and when he started getting new blisters days after the initial exposure, the doctor became very concerned. He put him on topical and oral steroids even though it was only about 15% of his skin affected. The topical steroids brought him blessed relief.

Liana, I've admired the style of your hair in your various pictures. It compliments your clothing preferences.

Kathryn, before you edited Linda's post, that would have been my thrill for the day :D

Nora, I loved your 'living life on the end of a shovel' - I feel like that sometimes too, don't we all.

I love your haircut, and Mardel too, it looks so updated.

I wish I could get mine cut, but it is baby fine, at my age, who would think, I can't work much with it either, we never did
in Wellington the windy city, it was worthless going to the hairdresser, you stepped out side an woosh the wind went right
through it.  The few times I have had short hair it was a mess.  I've settled for the fact, that I will be an elegant older lady,
like Ann R, hopefully.  Its dead straight too, not a curl in it, doesn't hold a perm, wont take a curl.

I think long hair in the summer is a pain, I tend to put mine in a bun, which my husband is not fond of, but its cool.

Not much sewing, although I have done lots for the grandkids, I don't have an embroidery machine, but I got some metallic
threads for a fish applique for a tee shirt for the littlest one.  The rotten thing was, I had to take my good machine into
get fixed as the screen kept going dead on me, so am sewing with my old elna supermatic right now, and it really is not
as good as my pfaff - but hey the fish look cute, got sequins for their eyes - what more can a 2 year old ask for.

Nora, I have euphorbias in my garden, they give off that milky sap, and boy does it itch - so I know the problem well, we also have
nasty blackberries, and last year I really scraped my legs up - and yes I have been able to get out in the garden a little.

I am a lot better this week, so should soon be up and bossing the family about - at least they think I do - I'm really just
organised.

Fran

Amy,  I hope your eye clears up very quickly.  How awful to have something like that happen!  Sounds like the doctor thinks it's under control, but I'm sure it's no fun right now! :'(

Mardel,  I think your new avatar is nice, and certainly not too big, and how nice that DH likes your new do!  I always ended up with short hair when I was very young too, as my Mom would "trick" me into getting it cut.  I wanted it long, and she would say I was going to get a Tinkerbell haircut.  Well, Tinkerbell has long hair up in a bun, but of course the rest of it was quite short, and that's what I got. >:(  Just a pixie cut.  I still don't like it in photos of me then, and she still thinks it was darling. ::)  Now that I'm in charge of my own hair  ;D there are no more pixies here!  Of course I was in on the "straight hair parted in the middle" thing in school, and it was perfect for my hair, which is absolutely straight, and if it weren't for gel and spray, it would have no volume either.  Isn't it just typical that everyone suffers with a hair-type that someone else is wishing they had. ::)

Nora,  I really like the short hair photo of you, although as I looked at it before I read your post, I thought perhaps you had the back put up in a french knot or something, which would also be very becoming.  Either way, I like the look on you.  It really draws the eye to your pretty face.

Fran, I had to smile at your "wind hair" comment.  I've always remembered an aunt who moved to California and was surprised to find out that people really could wear complicated hairdos and big hats in daily life, because they didn't have the wind continually trying to blow their hats and hair off their heads. :D  Speaking of plants that make you itch, I've become sensitized to creeping phlox, and have had to attempt to eradicate it from my garden.  There's one clump which won't quit, and I break out in tiny itchy bumps if I get my hands into it.  Not horrible, but just annoying.  I had lots of phlox for years with no problem, but one day...

Thank you to everyone who voiced an opinion on my hair!  I worry that it's not what I should be doing, but I do like it, and then it's so very easy that I hate to change.  So, with all your very kind comments, I won't worry about it for a while! :) 8)

Mardel and Nora, the hair looks great!!! :D

I love short hair and I think every time I get my hair cut short, that it will become wash and wear hair!  Not :(  It ends up requiring more time with it than when I wear it longer.  My photo on avatar is mid length which I like.  Right now my hair is much longer but found a new stylist who can make, fine and lots of fine hair actually, look like it has some body.  One day I will update photo.

I think the shorter hair makes you both look upbeat and younger!  Wear it with a smile ;)

OOPs Kathryn, I guess I was typing in a hurry and didn't proof read my post...  >:D  thank goodness for moderators like you   :smug:   

Liana, I love you hair the style suits you style very much. 

I love short hair but... I have let mine grow out the last year or so I am kind of liking it now (DH loves it... don't most men like long hair).. 

;D :o 8) :P

I did proof read this post (I hope there are now mistakes..)  thanks again.

Linda, I do that all the time--my fingers get way ahead of me, and you would be surprised at some of the words that end up in my posts.  Sometimes I catch them and sometimes I don't. Thank heavens for the "modify" button!  Too bad we don't have a spell check button to help us out.  Anyway, your inadvertent typo gave me a good giggle before I modified it, so thanks for that!  I'll take my giggles anywhere I can find them!  ;D

I agree that maintaining shorter hair takes more time.  Long hair is more predictable, day to day, but when I had short hair, each morning I it looked as though I had slipped on a new fright wig during the night.  It took much longer to get it to do what I want it to do.  Being a southern expatriate, with the infused tendency toward the big hair thing (the antithesis to your "Tinkerbell haircut", Liana) I still occasionally had to remind myself that my Dippity Do and hairspray days are loooong past, and to step away from the hair products. ;)

Isn't it interesting how different plants cause sensitivities to some and not to others? Liana, it almost sounds as though you made your creeping phlox mad with your eradication efforts, so it decided to get even with you!  On the poison ivy front, I hope today is a better day for you, Nora.

And ouch! Amy!  A scratched cornea makes my eyes water to think of.  Very painful.  It's a wonder you can focus to sew anything.  I hope each day is better for you as well!

Fran, I can't imagine you in short hair, since your long hair suits you so well.  It's nice that you can pull it up into a bun, especially when you work in those award-winning flower gardens of yours.

I cut out a sundress pattern last night, since I am slowly reclaiming my sewing time.  Patti, who posts here occasionally is on a strict stash-reduction diet, and says that any new fabric that comes into her home has to be made up right away--it can't go to the stash.  Taking a page from her, I decided to do the same thing with the three sale pieces that I purchased at JoAnns Etc. on Saturday.  I'm cutting them out right away so that they're ready for the bits of sewing time that may come my way.  Two of the patterns have to be traced from the recent Burda WOF magazines, so tonight might be a tracing marathon evening.

Ohh Amy I am so sorry I missed that bit about your eye!  I hope it gets much better soon! It sounds terribly uncomfortable! And terribly frustrating to not be able to see the things you really want to do!

I've had scratches in the cornea that have given me problems but mine are due to the fact that my eyes are incredibly dry and don't tear properly.  I have to use drops.  I was out of commission a few days last week when I suddenly had burning and blurry vision in one eye only to find I had a bunch of microscratches in the cornea caused by the dryness.  I am on much stronger eye drops now and my eyes did get better.  It was very frustrating when I couldn't see to do things, and I worried terribly.  I really hope your infection clears up soon!

Congratulations Kathryn for cutting something out!!  It is so nice to get something started again isn't it. 

I have a little more clearing off of my cutting table, a ton of desk work (because I couldn't see the computer monitor well last week), and 18 yards of washed cotton to press (grumble grumble) so I can make nursery stuff and then I can and will cut something for me!

Thanks to all for your well wishes for my eye.  I am seeing a slight improvement in vision today, but still a bit cloudy, and close work is very hard.  Mardel, I can't imagine having to go through this all the time.  Ugh.  In my case, it is not dryness that is to blame, but a contact lens.  I have worn gas permeable hard contacts for years and years, and my eyes have finally developed intolerance to them.  I must have somehow rammed the edge of this one into the eye while taking it out to make the very deep scratch that is there now.  The eye dr. gave me lovely new soft contacts that I can't wait to wear, but can't until the infection is cleared up and the scratch healed, so at least a week in glasses for me.  I am very nearsighted. 

All this talk of hair is so fun.  I never seem to change my cut much.  I have always had long hair.  I got mine cut a bit shorter -- up to about 3" below the shoulder.  For me, this is short.  It is the shortest my hair has ever been.  As a child and up until my third year of marriage I had hair that was past my waist.  I cut it to this middle of my back through my 20s, and now have this new length I tried out when we moved.  I keep telling myself that I will get it shorter as I get older, but never have the courage to just cut it short when I actually get into the hairdresser's chair. 

Okay, I am not online for 24 hours or less and some of my favorite people are falling apart!  Nora ~ please, have your poison ivy looked at.  Something tells me that you have gotten very good advice from everyone and maybe you need something topical on it at least!  And Amy ~ I hope that the drops work quickly to clear up the problem with your eye!  I really think you need both of them to continue creating the exquisite beadwork that you do.

Nora and Mardel ~ both of you look splendid in your new shorter do's!  I had short hair for about 3 years after I was separated and then divorced.  It is now back to the middle of my back and I will keep it that way for now.  A ponytail is just too easy to wear and still look good!

Linda E ~ can't wait to see your new shirt!

I am back at work and overwhelmed already.  What was I thinking wanting to come back here!  ;D  ;D

Amy, I'm glad you are better, even if only a little bit.  I think you'll love the soft lenses.  I wore them for years and then did the monovision thing, one distance, one up close, until my eyes got too dry to wear them.  Boo Hoo. Bifocals for me.    The shortest length you've ever had your hair is the longest mine has ever been and I decided just above my shoulders was enough.  It was still more than long enough for a ponytail, although not a long one, and I could put it easily on my head. 

I agree Carolyn a ponytail is the best, and when mine was long enough that was all anyone ever saw.

Maybe in another 10 or 20 years I will grow it long again and wear it up all the time.  But then who knows.  Right now short hair fits me in mid-life transition mode.

Amy, I am glad you are feeling a bit better. I hope your eye continues to heal so you can get on with the things you like to do, and stop worrying too. I've never been able to wear contacts as I also have dry eyes. I always found that one eye/contact lens would be more or less comfortable, but the other one would be driving me bonkers on any given day. And going outside was a mixed blessing; it was so great to not have raindrops on my glasses, but windy days terrified me with all the little bits of stuff waiting to fly in my eyes. So, I'm in glasses for good I think. But the bifocals thing is my new annoyance. I'm nearsighted and I can still read without glasses, but the bifocal day of reckoning is fast approaching. Driving and trying to read directions is now impossible. I have to peer over the tops of my glasses to read anything. ::) And I now know why my middle-aged customers always used to look incredulous when they'd pick up my necklaces made with really tiny seed beads (14/0 or smaller). They always thought they were colored string until they felt the bumpiness of the beads.

It sounds like I'm in good company with the ponytail thing. I don't wear any makeup, so you'd think I'd be willing to spend some time on my hair, but apparently not... It's some kind of cosmic joke that I actually care about clothing. Actually, I just like cloth and fiber; clothing is an excuse to play with it. And Liana, your story about the "pixie cut" made me laugh; I remember my mom dragging me to get pixie cuts, and me wailing so loudly about it that she finally said something to the effect that my next haircut would be when I wanted/asked to have it cut. I think I next had it cut ten years later, when I was about 16, and wanted a Dorothy Hamill bowl cut with the flipped back bangs :o Yikes!

Liana, that's so odd that you've developed a sensitivity to creeping phlox. Revenge of the would-be eradicated indeed. I just got a supply of disposable latex gloves to use when weeding, which should help in the future. You can get them at Home Depot, or probably any painting department at any of the big box stores; I know I've seen them at HD though. You just use them, and peel them off, inside out, gingerly pulling at the cuff -- you never have to touch the finger or palm portion of the glove, and it's safely inside the glove anyway once the glove is off. If you're really afraid to touch the glove, you can get your husband to pull at the cuff for you. These are thin surgical type gloves, which I find do not significantly reduce dexterity, or the ability to feel what one is doing. Long sleeves are also required for anything that could end up on your forearms.

As for my current PI outbreak, it's still really, really nasty looking, but it now only really itches when I move about. This is probably because the skin is all crusty, and moving stretches it. It was wildly itchy when I got up this morning too, most likely for the same reason (I did sleep last night, unlike the night before). I think I'm over the hump though; I have not had any new lesions for two days now. Thanks again for all the well wishes, and suggestions. If I get a case this bad again I will take myself to the doctor, rather than suffer through PI purgatory.

I meant to ask this earlier but was rushing to read and post during a spare minute! 

Has anyone worked with any of the Silhoutte tops?  I just got #150 Dana's Top from Timmel Fabrics and was wondering if anyone had any tips to share on making it.  Of course, I  immediately purchased some of the $1.95 cotton pucker knits from Fabric.com to try this pattern out.  I mean I don't want to use one of my good buttermilks until I have a working pattern.  >:D  Anyway, any tips, hints, suggestions, would be appreciated.

(http://www.timmelfabrics.com/silhouettes150.jpg)

Carolyn, I've made this tee twice, using nice Timmel fabrics and here's my Dana's Top review at PR (http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=9190) . One thing I'll add to my review is that I wish I had carefully stabilized the crossover v-neck with clear elastic, as the neckline has gotten very slightly flabby over time, and I like my necklines to hug my clavicle - wish I could say "cleavage" instead  ::)  Anyhow, for some reason I didn't take the time to stabilize the neckline  :(

All in all I think the top is nice, but I think your idea of a test is good. Peggy includes several cup sizes in the pattern, which is a great idea. Can't wait to see your version(s).

Well, Carolyn, this is obviously all your fault! ;)  What a great top pattern.  No advice here, but I can't wait to see your test. 

Diane, Your versions are both lovely, and I like the higher neckline on this top.  Great fabrics you chose, too!

Nora,  I'm glad you are feeling ever so slightly better.  Hope it all fades to a bad memory quickly!

I will confess that I've been putting off getting new glasses too.  It's going to be bifocals for sure, and I am planning to probably just go with glasses from now on.  I don't want to do the one eye near/one eye far thing very badly, and as I have quite a bit of astigmatism along with extreme nearsightedness, I have been told the bifocal contacts aren't going to work too well.  I'm tired of not being able to see nearly as well with contacts as glasses, and even though I want to wear contacts, I think I'll just have to quit.  (Small pity party here! ;D )  It is very handy to just be able to take my glasses off and see close work too, as anything close is not a problem.

Well, I need to do some things rather than just thinking of things.  I've decided that knitting really is bothering my shoulder somewhat, and so I'm going to really slow down on that for a while, and actually sew something. :o  I think it's about time! ;D

Nora - I know how feel about the poison ivy. I have had bad reactions to it in the past. I can recommend two things:
1) Go to the doctor, even at this stage. You need to go on prednisone (sp?), a steroid which will really speed up the healing process.
2) Pick up some Tecnu, which is more easily available than it used to be. Even a plain drugstore, CVS or Walgreens or what-have-you now carries this stuff quite often. It actually emulsifies the poison ivy oil and removes it from your skin. It can be used on the dog (sneaky way to pick up poison ivy - the animals aren't sensitive to it!) and it can be added to your laundry to get the oils off your clothes. Ordinary soaps and detergents are not nearly as effective.  And throw your shoes in too. And your gardening gloves.
And one warning: DO NOT EVER BURN poison ivy. You can get it into your lungs that way and you'll really be sorry! And so will your neighbors.

Liana: I was terribly nearsighted too, glasses since I was 10. 3 years ago, DH and I had Lasik, at the same time. My nearsightedness and both astigmatisms are fixed. I only use reading glasses to sew or to read when I am tired. I was getting to an "age" where I was going to need different glasses to read anyway, so we just did it. We are both very happy with the results.

Liana,
I have had bifocal contacts for ten years or so.  Currently I have monovision, bifocal, toric gas perm lenses.  I really love them.  I have been wearing contacts since I was 15 and I can't image wearing glasses all the time.  I do have the monovision weighted toward seeing up close since that is what I spend most of my time doing.  I have a pair of glasses to wear when I drive that I keep in the car.

A few weeks ago you asked what I had been doing.  I still own the embroidery shop but only work part time.  I finally found someone that could do part of my work.  When she goes on maternity leave, I will be back full time.

I made a vest using Rosemary Eichorns techniques and entered it in the Chicago Quilt Show "Stitch 'n Time Fashion Show" and won an honorable mention.  I am modeling the vest in the fashion show at the ASG Conference in Washington.  I am currently trying to get some new garments to wear to Washington.

I love looking at all the pictures of your garments.  You are so creative and your garments are always wonderful.  I read alot but don't always have time to post.

Diane ~ thanks for the links to your reviews.  I really love the prints you chose for your tops.  I am trying to move away from using the same patterns over and over again (yeah, right!  :)) and try some new things.  The pucker knits will be great to experiment with because if I don't like them I will just use them for AG doll clothing.  So I have pattern in hand and will wait for fabric.  I just want to make up a quick sample so that I will be able to make several of these for fall.  Yes, I am thinking of fall sewing already!!!  I have about 7, 8 or 10 more things on my summer sewing list that I want to make and by the time those are done I will be ready to move onto fall sewing.

Carolyn, I have made two tops using Silhoutte patterns.  One many years ago with some success.  The last one maybe two years ago unsuccessful.  The sizes are based on finished garment sizes.  Thus I think you need to measure similar tops that fit you well and decide on the size from that.  For my own peculiar reasons that just doesn't quite appeal to me.  You need to measure shoulder width and other parts to be sure of the fit.  Having said that, many people love her patterns, so I think it is more about successes people have had with her patterns.  I will say that Peggy offers great sewing techniques and methods that appeal to me.  Maybe one day I may try her patterns again.  With your sewing talents, I think you will be successful.

Diane, I really like both the tops, how cute!

Liana, I have only had the bifocals a couple of years, and I don't really need them when i am sewing or doing most handwork.  My up close vison is pretty good and I am quite nearsited, but one eye has more trouble up close than the other, so if my eyes are tired they help. I have never had the same vision in both eyes and as I am getting older they seem to be moving further apart.  I have an old pair of glasses that I don't like much that I had set with my close up prescription.  I don't usually use them but I keep them in the sewing room for those times when I am tired (I tend to cross my eyes then and having the glasses helps since I am not straining my weak eye) or doing very fine hand work; the prescription is just a smidge better than my natural vision. 

I need bifocals to drive.  If I wear just distance lenses I can't read the speedometer and other dials on the car's dashboard.  I adapted very quickly to them for everyday wear.  Sometimes I forget I took them off when sewing, especially if  I leave the sewing room and walk into the rest of the house and wonder why I can't see.

I didn't get into the sewing room today and although it is only 10, I am tired.  Spent the afternoon in the kitchen and spent the 2 hours of knitting group just gabbing and not knitting.  Oh well; I guess I can't be creative every day.

Well, maybe I'll start pressing the 17 yards of baby cotton still sitting by the ironingt board.

Carolyn, I have made a couple of the Silhouette patterns. As Linda said, the measurements on the back of the envelope are for finished garment. If you choose the size that matches your measurements, you will end up with a skin tight garment with NO ease. I chose a favorite blouse that fits well and took the measurements from it. I wear a DD bra and sewed a D cup pattern. Voila, no gaposis! I made one for my sister and she complained there wasn't enough ease in the upper abdomen (bra to waist). I have sewn the garments I have made from this line on the serger-very fast, very easy.

Thanks Diane, Marianne & LindaL for your comments on the Silhouettes pattern.  But I have a question to pose based upon your responses ~ Does everyone regularly just take the pattern out of the envelope and cut it out?  I mean I always look at the finished measurements listed on the pattern pieces and then add additional wearing ease.  Maybe it's being plus sized, that makes me realize that I need additional wearing ease to allow for sitting and moving in a garment.  I looked at the measurements on the back of the envelope and had already calculated where I would need to add more space.  So is that a fat girl thing?  :)

Thanks Betsy. Getting some Tecnu is on my list of things to do this evening. I've heard of it, but not used it.  I always wash gloves, clothing, tools and shoes after I've been in the garden, and go take a hot shower immediately, especially if I know I've been exposed to PI. I have multiple pairs of gloves, and will sometimes use and wash three pairs in a day if I know I've touched some PI with a pair I'm wearing. I don't usually garden without gloves either. But since I strongly suspect that this outbreak is from clothing, I clearly need to use something that is better than my laundry detergent at removing the oil from clothing. The epicenter of the outbreak is *exactly* over a maybe 3" diameter spot of PI I had a month ago on my thigh. My skin was still discolored from that outbreak when this outbreak started up. I suspected it was from the clothing as soon as I saw the new rash, but wondered then why it wasn't elsewhere on my leg from pulling on my shorts. Well... Now it's all over the trail from that spot up and down my leg, which is consistent with it coming from clothing contamination. I'm afraid to wear either suspect piece of clothing again (two days in skorts I've worn in the garden, but not for a while), but I don't really know which is the culprit. Hopefully the tecnu will take care of it, or maybe I should just trash both skorts. I hate to do that, since I like them. Anyway, it is comforting to know that the Tecnu does work better than laundry detergent, but I'm not sure I'll be brave enough to wear either suspect piece of clothing again :( Do you put it directly on the clothing, or put a measured amount of it in the machine?

No, Carolyn,  I think it's a smart girl thing.  It's the kind of thing that you usually only learn from bitter experience though, and when you're plus sized (which I know all about) you just sort of expect to have to make changes to most patterns, so you start by looking at absolutely all the information you've already got, and being on the end or past the end of a lot of size ranges, we get used to making things "our size" whatever it takes.  I think you probably learn a lot that way, and you certainly become a little bit fearless about changes.  :)

I don't know Carolyn; I haven't just cut out a pattern since I was in my 20s, I think looking at the measurements, and if in doubt actually measuring, is just a basic thing that any experienced person would do.  I like Liana's term, "a smart girl thing".  I learned the hard way that I needed to really check things.  But maybe knowing you are going to have to alter everything anyway helps us get to that stage more quickly.  Maybe being plus sized contributes to that knowledge since you expect to make changes.  When I was young it was being tall, and having broad shoulders etc that made me learn.  Now that I am much heavier, I understand about that plus-size thing too, and it just adds another dimension to the process. 

I think learning about wearing ease is a kind of hard thing, but everyone has to do it eventually, no matter what size they are. The process broadens our skills certainly, but also our creativity and our willingness to try new things. 

Carolyn, I was going to call it a "fat girl thing", but I feel better about myself calling it a "smart girl thing"...imagine, we plus sized gals got to be great pattern adjusters b/c of our size!  I always assumed all non-plus sized sewers could cut the pattern right out of the envelope.  My "fat girl thing" I have to get over is cutting the pattern so big, or with so much extra seam allowance that it is almost impossible to fit b/c I have too much extra fabric!

So what colors/styles are in for fall???  I am figuring I will never get summer sewing done, so I should probably start on fall and a winter coat(which I never got to last fall/winter)

Re: Technu...I highly recommend it!  My DH almost showers with it after yard work and we have kept rashes at bay...  I am highly sensitive to it, so he does the yard work in the suspect areas.  Ah, true love!

I've never been able to cut "out of the envelope", and I've never been fat.  Although I'm quite tall I'm short waisted and short armed so always have to do length adjustments. Conversely I have a long rise so have to add length to pants in that area and to skirt hems.
I do tend to stick to the same pattern companies - the independents don't really have an impact over here - and I've learnt what else I need to do to get a good fit.
What I have to do has altered over the years - although my weight has remained constant my shape has changed quite a lot; gravity mostly!  I'll spare you the details...

Liana, do guard that shoulder of yours. It's strange that knitting seems affect the shoulder area; but it does with me too.  I've been trying to alternate between activities recently, sewing, knitting, cooking, gardening and even, occasionally, some housework. But it's really tempting to sit at something when all is going well.

And I'm so glad that poison ivy is completely unknown here.

Ann, Thanks for the support on the shoulder thing.  I'm trying to be really careful, but as you say, when things seem to be going well, it's tempting to do what I want, or I just forget that I have a problem until I've aggravated it again. 

I remember reading once that at one time someone imported some poison ivy into England because of its beautiful fall color! :o  They were told what it was, but couldn't believe it was so bad.  Not sure what happened to it, but it must not have spread.

My approach to cutting out (especially knits) could be called a Lazy Girl Thing. A couple of my sewing camp friends will always remember my famous "sausage pants" - a pair of Chinese brocade pullon pants which were not only cut out in one size that didn't account for the necessary transition to the next size up in the multi-sized pattern, but also didn't account for the fact that the pattern was drafted for "knits only." When I whipped those pants off the serger (yes, I serge-finished the allowances together, so there was no going back  ::)  ) and pulled them on - no, more accurately, wriggled into them  :o , those who were still sewing at 11 pm had a good laugh  :) :) :) :D :D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D  and I would have laughed hard, too, but I could barely breathe, much less pull in enough air for a snicker  :P

Needless to say, those pants ended up as the backs of some really beautiful crazy-quilted heirloom Christmas stockings. And no, there are no pictures  :smug: but the image is indelibly burned in my memory and means that I am now more careful to measure the pattern (especially pants) and proceed carefully.

For my upper body (which, as I mentioned, showcases more bones than b**bs) I still can get away with out of the envelope sewing, but my tops always look better for having done a few minor alterations (and as a Lazy Girl, I sort of have to push myself to do them).

~ Does everyone regularly just take the pattern out of the envelope and cut it out?  I mean I always look at the finished measurements listed on the pattern pieces and then add additional wearing ease.  Maybe it's being plus sized, that makes me realize that I need additional wearing ease to allow for sitting and moving in a garment.  I looked at the measurements on the back of the envelope and had already calculated where I would need to add more space.  So is that a fat girl thing?  :)



How scary a thought is this? Absolutely not. Nearly everyone has to make some sort of pattern adjustment. I always look at the pattern measurents ( not the finished measurements) and adjust accordingly.  Often times when reviewing alterations to be made on a students pattern, I will wiggle a tape measure around them and using the finished ease measurement, give them a choice of width especially if a pattern is loose fitting.

Thanks for your responses.  Liana, I like "the smart girl" thing too!  And I am glad to see that I am not alone in measuring and adding additional ease or other fitting changes to a pattern.  

Oh, Carolyn, LOL about the "sausage pants."  ;D  I think we all must have a story of some sewing disaster.  Mine was making a dress for a wedding in my early sewing years -- before I started actually doing the bridal gowns.  I was just in college, and a friend was getting married.  I made her bridesmaids gowns and flower girls.  She had a young sister of the groom in the wedding who was a plus-size child, and at that time they didn't make girl's plus patterns.  It was one of my first and crude attempts at pattern alteration and it went drastically wrong.  I didn't yet know how to add in the excess ease, so stupidly added it all to the side seams and cut out the bodice.  I put it together while a friend of mine who also sews was over.  When we got a look at it, we both had a really good laugh.  It was so obvious that this would not work.  The side seams were so wide and the armsyce so gigantic it looked like it had been put on a sideways stretcher.  Needless to say I had to toss that one and figure out a better means of altering.  It was a good learning experience, though.

Regarding cutting things right out of the envelope, I admit to doing this when I was younger a lot -- and it also led to a lot of "wadders."  I think that even those of us who aren't in the plus size category are never quite a perfect pattern size.  I have pretty good luck with tops, but usually have to cut a larger size or alter though the hips.  When I sew for someone else I always muslin and mark alterations.  For myself, I muslin this thoroughly only for formal wear.  Usually a simple tissue fit helps me decide on alterations for myself.  I think you made an excellent point, Carolyn, about looking at the pattern finished dimensions.  I do this also and find it a good place to start.

The eye infection seems to be clearing.  The pain is substantially less, but vision is still slightly blurred in one eye.  I am very nearsighted.  I wear a -7.25 perscription in both eyes.  My solution for close work is to wear reading glasses over the contacts, which tones them down.  I can't do the one close, one distance lense because the eye with the close lense would be so nearsighted.  

I did manage to work on the beige skirt to go with my newly finished jacket a bit yesterday, and hope to try and finish today.  With this eye, I am taking it slow.  I'll post pictures when I finish.

I am back again to post and add that I just finished my blue and beige suit and have posted pictures.  They are in my New Photos link in the album titled Suits 2007.  The jacket is a blue and beige slik/cotton tweed and the skirt is a wool blend gaberdine.  The skirt is from Simplicity 5914 -- the pattern we were all calling the "Carolyn skirt" from her lovely versions of this pattern a while back.  The jacket zips, as an alternative to the same button closure as usual.  I thought it would make a nice variation for a more casual suit look. 

On to the next suit.....

Amy, that's a very pretty suit, and a good start to your working wardrobe. I'm glad to hear your eye is feeling better. I scratched my cornea once many, many years ago, and I remember it being quite painful.

Liana, I'm sorry your shoulder is acting up again. You're just not having a good run with the knitting right now :( I hope it calms down soon.

Carolyn, I probably don't even have to comment on the fitting issue, having whined about my inability to solve some of mine in the past, but I can't sew from the envelope and I'm not plus sized. We're all slightly -- or more than slightly -- different from whatever the ideal shape is for the pattern company sloper in our size. There's an illustration in one of the fitting books -- FFRP, I think --that goes to this point. They show a bunch of outline figures that are all nominally the same size, and point out that they would each need (different) alterations to a pattern to get a good fit. Like many who posted about this, I don't remember fiddling with patterns as much when I was younger, but maybe I just wasn't as picky about fit, or I'm blocking bad memories ;D I have fond memories of a few things I made back then, but it's probably just as well I don't still have them, LOL.

Carolyn, don't get discouraged about having to fine tune patterns.  I only sewed out of the envelope as a teenager and maybe in my 20's.  After that the middle seemed to grow out of proportion to the rest of me.  Not a lot...but enough to pose a problem. Now I find that I have become shorter waisted so tops have to be altered.  The armholes on blouses are too low and the crotch too tight!  It's a vicious circle.  I think it's not what size we all were "back then" but more the proportions and symmetry. 
Auntie J

From the package: "Saturate contaminated unwetted clothing with Tecnu. (First check for color fastness by testing a concealed corner of the fabric.) Let soak for several minutes. Launder clothing by itself as usual with detergent and hot water.
Equipment and tools should be wiped down with a clean cloth saturated with Tecnu. Wipe clean or rinse off with running water. Clean hands with Tecnu after handling contaminated items."

And really, it sounds like you have developed a systemic reaction to the irritant in poison ivy. I had one once - I had individual spots all over, like chicken pox or something. Let me know what the doctor says (hint hint  :)).  And I have to add that the last time I got a rash from PI and went through 8 days of prednisone was 8 or 9 years ago now and I have been exposed to it several times.

Let me know how you make out - since this is very off topic, go ahead and PM me if you like.

Carolyn

I have been on the edge of plus-size from time to time, but mom taught me to sew (or tried to  ;D) and she always had to do something for herself ,so I don't recall ever sewing anything out of the envelope. Bare minimum, I have to shorten the sleeves (if I make the long-sleeve version), lengthen the skirt from waist to hip, shorten the skirt from hip to hem, and widen the skirt from waist to hip. Those are the easy ones.

I like the phrase "smart-girl thing" much better than "fat-girl thing". I was always a little sensitive about that (ok still am) even or especially when it was true!

"Smart girl thing" says it all.  It's a rare person nowadays who fits into a specific size from every pattern company.  Whether it's measuring the finished size (a la Peggy Sagers) or the size of the pattern including ease, measurement is critical!  Imagine a carpenter who wouldn't measure the wood before sawing into it!  Why should we as sewists be any different, I'm thinking??? After all, sewing is all about taking two dimensional fabric and adapting it to our three dimensional bodies.  :)  Measurements required! 

Plus, I get nervous when a new sewist chooses a pattern (for the upper body) strictly by bust, waist, or hip measurement.  From my experience, if a garment doesn't hang from the shoulders and upper bodice correctly, it will never fit comfortably.  So selecting a pattern size (for the upper body garment, that is) according to upper body measurements is, for me at least, the most important.  If the pattern size is chosen to fit that area, altering for the bust, waist, and hips are much easier.

Diane, your sausage pants scenario had me ROTFLOL! I wish I had been there to see the sight!  What a funny story.  But, as you said, it stuck with you, and now you're a much better sewist for it.  Thanks for the great laugh!

Amy, your blue/beige silk/cotton tweed jacket with complementary skirt fabric turned out so nicely!  Do you like the way it fits on you?  Is it comfortable?  I love the colors, and like the simple finish of the zipper.  It's nice to wear a zipper jacket to work and not have to worry about any gaps around the buttons as you sit and move.  Will you be wearing it with knit tops? 

Thanks so much for linking us all to the photos.  It is wonderful to see your work.

I will say that when I was in my 20's, I could take a pattern from the envelope and whip it up.  A size 10 was a perfect fit.

Today :-X  Depending on the pattern brand, style, etc., I can wear anywhere from a 12 to 18 at various points on my body.  So no matter, I pin fit the pattern tissue or traced tissue of the pattern for fitting per FFRP book.  From that I tweak and adjust as I as sew.  Once I have a good fitting pattern, I can then whip it up out of the new pattern envelope that contains the now adjusted pattern.

Mardel, reading you blog tonight I saw the MARFY pattern book.  Really nice looking five freebie patterns.  :)

Amy ~ you did me proud!  The suit is so very nice!  Kathryn was asking about the wearability factor and I am interested in your answer too!  This is my new thing because garments look and wear great when you are at home and taking pics but wearing it all day definitely produces some interesting results.

Liana ~ I am so sorry about your shoulder and maybe this means that you need to spend some quality time sewing...*hint, hint*

Kathryn ~ I really liked the carpenter analogy!  I will have to remember that one because it is so true.  What is that saying, "measure twice and cut once!"

Well I am just checking in while I am waiting for Project Runway to come on.  I was out to dinner with friends and kept reminding them that I needed to be home in time to see Project Runway.  Can you say one track mind!  :)

Like almost everyone else, I too have to do a lot of pattern adjustments.  What's been really helpful for me is having patternmaking software.  Although I don't always use it, and often use independent patterns or commercial ones, I have learned a TON about pattern alterations in the 3 years that I've used the software.  I've also learned what a well-fitting garment looks like, something I didn't always know before, even though I've been sewing forever.


The other thing I like about this software is being able to copy commercial or independent patterns and have them fit. I start with the software, then modify the pattern, copying the design details from the line drawings of the commercial pattern or by marrying pieces from commercial patterns I own, such as collars, with a basic well-fitting body silhouette.  I know this software isn't for everyone, but if you're having trouble with pattern adjustments and can afford to try out some software, it might be worth it.  Many of the companies have a 90-day money back policy.

That said, my TNT pants patterns are Loes Hinse Euros, extensively altered, and, more recently, the Oxfords.  I also have some Vogue pants and S&S pants that work well.  I've never had success with pants using Pattern Master Boutquie even though I've probably used it for 75-80 blouses, Ts and jackets.

Diane

I haven't sewn straight from the envelope since I returned to sewing 3-4 years ago.  Being self taught for the most part I did not have the educational background to have a clue about pattern adjustments--I've been queen of adding at the side seam for years.  I've also had some heart breaking wadders because of lack of measuring, understanding pattern sizing and general inability to marry fabric, pattern and body. 
Now I measure at least twice and hopefully make it once.  :)  Far fewer wadders which is a good thing.
Alice

Carolyn,
You are such a wonderful seamstress, it's comforting to know that even advanced sewers have alteration issues!  My issues mostly deal with my back. (Scoliosis, rounded etc...) but I'm happy (relieved) that I am not the only one with fitting challenges and that noalteration issue is impossible to overcome. Though knits do keep looking better...

Melissa

Melissa,

I have the same fitting issues that you have - scoliosis, rounded back, forward head, etc., etc.  Sometimes my patterns end up so cut and pasted, they bear little resemblance to the original :o  Oh, to be able to cut from the pattern as is!!!  I really need a body double, either duct tape or something similiar, but I find that I can't stand long enough for those, so it's just a matter of trying it on and adjusting until I get some semblance of a good fit.  What fits good in the morning may not look as well in the evening when I'm tired and slump more than earlier in the day.  It can be a real challenge! ;)

I've never been able to make anything out of the envelope myself. I used to have to add 2 inches to every seam of the largest size pattern but no longer. However, I still have to check waist and hip on tops that fit the bust. I have to do the petite adjustment, move the bust dart, narrow the shoulders. Once in a while a sway back adjustment needs to be made. On pants I have to increase the back crotch to accomodate a most bootylicious rear end, lower the front waistband an inch, and make a petite adjustment.

But then again, ready to wear doesn't fit off the hanger, either.

I think all that has kept me from sewing all those years. Now I'm just determined to do the fit adjustments and have found the patience from somewhere.

Ann C, how nice to see your new avatar, although I liked you as a blushing bride as well. 

I just posted this info on another thread, but it is pertinent to this discussion as well.  I have had the best success, in sewing for myself and for others, when I choose a pattern by the upper bust measurement and then alter accordingly for the bust, waist and hips.  This is because it's very difficult to correct fitting problems in the upper bodice once the garment is cut out.  I have seen many a garment chosen for the bust size that droops and hangs in the shoulder and upper bodice area.  I like Nancy Zieman's approach in her Fitting Finesse book, where she uses the front width as the measurement to select the pattern size.  She is pretty explicit about which measurements to take and how to then go about selecting the proper pattern size.  The instructions are contained in the online pages of her book at www.amazon.com.

By clicking the book picture on this site, you can "virtually thumb" through the pages and read about her pattern size selection method:

Fitting Finesse (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0848714377/qid=1152790310/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-5736628-0167163?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)

I can also vouch for the usefulness of Nancy Zieman's method. By my full bust and hip measurements, I'm a size 14. But I'm narrower than that in the shoulders and upper chest (front and back), and I'm bigger than a B cup. So, based on my arm-crease to arm-crease measurement of 13" I start with a size 10 pattern for a top or dress. The first change I make is to do a slash-and-spread full-bust adjustment that ends up adding 2" total in width at the bust and hips, all in the front. That gets me the shaping I need for my bust. Then I cut the shoulder seams, neckline, and armscye seams on the size 10 cutting line. Finally, I cut the side seams on the size 12 cutting line. The extra 2" in width I got from the full-bust adjustment means that I'm ending up with a total bust and hip circumference that is the same as if I hadn't done a FBA and had cut the side seams on the size 14 cutting lines.  Voila! Bust fits, shoulders and chest fit, and hips fit.

I have other adjustments I make for other fitting issues (slightly rounded upper back, square shoulders) but that's fine tuning compared to the basics I outlined above.

I do have a caution about Nancy's method, though. You need to be careful how you stand when you take your arm-crease to arm-crease measurement. The first time I tried it, I measured 11 1/2 inches -- smaller than a size 6! I knew that couldn't be right. Turns out I was slouching slightly with my shoulders slightly forward. When I stood with my shoulders relaxed back (as opposed to forced back in an almost military-like position) I got the 13" measurement that corresponds to a size 10. But if I forced my shoulders back into an unnatural posture, I'd measure 14", which would put me into a size 14 which is huge on me in the shoulders and upper chest.

Pam

Pam, thanks for detailing your pattern alteration method, starting with the "correct" size pattern per Nancy Zieman.  It's a lot like the method that I use and have come to trust when sewing for all sizes of people (I used to sew 150 costumes a year when DD was in high school musicals), since it really works!

Altering out for the bust, waist and hips takes a bit more time, but it's worth it when the garment hangs properly from the shoulder and upper bodice, ensuring good fit and comfort as well.  Don't I just sound like the perfect cheerleader for this method?!!! ;D

Thank you Kathryn, Nora, and Carolyn for you compliments to my skirt and jacket.  I have not worn it for a full day yet, but so far the fit is very good.  I altered the jacket pattern slightly at the waist and altered the lining pattern to allow the bagging method -- out of the envelope there was not enough length in the lining pattern and the pleat in the back was a bit small for my liking.  Both pieces seem to fit very well, but as Carolyn says, wearing it all day might bring some surprises.  I sometimes get a little shock at how certain fabrics will behave after wearing them all day.  I won't be wearing the suits I am making for a little while yet.  I will be teaching at the college here, and won't have need for them until the academic year starts, but I will keep you posted if I get any wearing surprises. 

Today, the eye infection is, well, interesting.  For the first time in a week, my vision is substantially improved, but the infection, which seemed to be all cleared up, seems worse today.  Dr. says this is at least a good sign that the vision is improved and upped the dose on the antibiotic eyedrop.  Still no contact usage.  I am just happy I can see better. 

I am starting today on another suit.  I am using another silk tweed I bought at Denver Fabrics when we still lived in Colorado.  This one is a light tweed.  I am using Simplicity 4885:
(http://www.simplicity.com/assets/4885/4885.jpg)

Has anyone else used this pattern?  There is no lining included, so I have drafted one.  I wonder if anyone else has made this skirt.  It seems a bit tight at the knee for walking ease to me and I am planning to flare it just a bit to give more ease there.  Just wondering if anyone had the same experience or I am just being paranoid.  I just hate the feeling of a too-tight skirt.  I was also thinking of using a lining to turn the bottom edge of the flounce instead of hemming it.  Any thoughts on that?  I am skipping the top, which is not what I envisioned with this jacket.  I will probably purchase a collared blouse, which I prefer with a jacket.  I will be making the skirt and jacket shown in tweed with the bow. 

Amy, I want to chime in and say that your new suit is beautiful. Love the jacket and the silhouette of the two pieces together. Love the zip front. The new pattern looks wonderful; might you make the top just to have it for a "dinner suit" look? Seems like one of those fashion spreads where they say "teach all day, and dance all night" I think that little top would look great on you (but I know what you mean about a collared blouse - very nice). Love that bow!

Kathryn and Pam, thanks for the details on Nancy Z's method. I have that book and plan to pull it off the shelf again to try that way of fitting. If I'd used her technique I wouldn't have today's project: picking out the sleeves, taking out nearly an inch at the shoulder, and resetting the sleeves of the ubiquitous New Look 6429 (http://simplicity.com/assets/6429/6429t.jpg) , which is hanging off my shoulders and looking more "maman" than "woowoo." I'm hopping over to Las Vegas with my husband on Saturday night, and we're going to dinner and a show with some of his colleagues before he spends the next few days at a techie-fest. "Maman" (or "mumsie") is not the look I'm after  >:D 

Diane, you and I have corresponded about Loes Hinse and PMB! I had a feeling I'd "met" you before. Great to be here with you! I completely agree with you; that software is a fabulous learning tool. Shoot, I could haul out my sloper and use it to compare to new patterns.  ::) duh duh duh

Pam I agree about Nancy Zieman's fitting method across the chest.  Learning that made all my alterations easier.  I don't use all her techniques but that part alone helped my sewing incredibly.  It is far easier for me to start at the upper chest and adjust for the other bits, than it is to start at the full bust or the shoulders (in my case as mine are fairly wide) and work down.

And Amy, if I didn't say so earlier, your suit is beautiful!

Diane, you'll have to do before and after photos of the "maman" to "woo-woo" metamorphosis! 

Amy, I'm glad you are seeing better, and I hope that the antibiotic continues to work its magic as well.  Take good care of that eye.  I love that Simplicity pattern that you are planning.  If the fabric is very ravelly, you may indeed think about lining that circular ruffle.  However serging the edge and turning it up worked very nicely for this ravelly fabric that I used a few years ago:

ruffle hem skirt (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fzxdoc/detail?.dir=31d6&.dnm=9acc.jpg&.src=ph)

Amy, I have scratched my cornea several times (sort of soured my appreciation of hard lenses) but never had an infection. PLEASE take care of that eye. I'm happy for you that the vision is starting to clear.

Your new suit is delicious. Just "my" sort of colors and I love the contrast. Your planned suit is VERY nice. I would line that ruffle and yes, I would give myself more walking room.

Amy,  What a lovely suit!  I really like the zipper front look!  That trend seems to be hanging on for the long term.  I see a lot of that and hook and eye closures on CF also in the fall shows.  What will you be teaching this fall?  Whatever it is, you'll surely be the best dressed instructor there!  I like your new pattern too.  Maybe a matching cami, as Diane suggests.  How about a little beading in among the tweed on it?  Couldn't you just see a pearl at the same point on a group of houndsteeth?  What a surprise that would be when you untied the jacket. :)

I've tried to measure for Nancy Ziemann's  method too, but I could never get the arm crease to arm crease measurement satisfactorily, IMO.  Probably I wasn't standing just right, as I could get lots of different measurements depending on the day, it seemed. :)  It seems that no matter what fitting method you use, there's always just a little bit of art required amid all the science.

I just did a review here of my method for covering shoes.  Here's a link. (http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,375.new.html#new)  I decided to try doing a pair for the Matka/Organza outfit, and I think they're kind of cute.

Liana, I mentioned this on another thread, but it bears saying again: your shoe-covering tutorial, complete with detailed photos, is excellent.  I honestly feel, after reading it, that I could sit right down and give it a go myself--that's how well it is written.  Thank you so much for sharing your methods and the amount of time it took to photoshoot, upload, and annotate the tutorial.  Some days time is more precious than $$, so thank you for giving us some of yours (time, that is!). 

Amy, I hope the infection in your eye is getting much better, and I am certainly glad that your vsion has improved.  The pattern you posted is wonderful and one I keep dreaming over. 

Liana, thanks again for the shoe tutorial.  That must have been a lot of work, documenting the process and writing it up so thoroughly for all of us.  It is really wonderful that you did that  and I look forward to having the resource and the inspiration.

Liana, those matka shoes are fabulous. And thanks for taking the time to document the process. I never would have believed it was possible to get such professional looking results with just some fabric and a bit of glue, along with bits and pieces of yarn and ribbon. I also really enjoyed seeing the gallery of your previously completed pairs.

Amy, Liana's comment about you being the best dressed instructor amused me, as I have still fresh memories of my professors being dressed in ratty jeans and t-shirts -- fifteen years ago. One shudders to think how they're dressed now. You undoubtedly *will* be the best dressed ;D

And for all of you who expressed such sympathy and concern about my case of PI, I am on the mend. Still wildly itchy, but definitely over the hump. I did go and see a doctor, who prescribed a stronger steroid cream, and suggested Benadryl at night so I could get some sleep. I also got a prescription for oral steroids, which I will keep on hand for any future serious outbreaks, should I be that cursed. Thanks again for all the concern, information and sympathy.

WOW! 

Liana, I am in absolute awe over your shoes and the accompanying "how to".  All my girls have my shoe fetish and I'm so excited about the possibilities. ::)

Karen

Liana, your shoe gallery reminded me of the shoes in Gainborough's portraits (http://www.abcgallery.com/G/gainsborough/gainsborough.html) like this one
(http://www.abcgallery.com/G/gainsborough/gainsb10.JPG)

Especially the embellishments, which elevate the shoes to an extraordinary plane.

Mardel, Diane, and Liana, thank you for your compliments to my new suit.  I do like the tweed very much and hope it wears well.  It is a nice weight, and the colors seem to "suit" me well, if you'll pardon the pun. 

Thank you all, also, for your well wishes for my eye.  It is getting better, and I should be back in contacts next week after the infection clears up.  The vision is much improved, but not entirely back to normal yet.  I am just happy to see relatively well again.  It is rather frightening to lose vision for so many days in one eye.  The constant blurring was both bothersome and worrisome.  Once this clears up, it is goodbye hard lenses for me.  Never again. 

Kathryn, Liana, and Marianne, thank you all for your input on my new suit.  I cut it out yesterday and fused all the interfaced pieces.  This morning I put together the body of the jacket and hope to set the sleeve this afternoon.  Kathryn, I should have known someone who has made such expert and gorgeous suits would have a sample of a similar skirt and some words of wisdom.  You have convinced me that in this case, I need to line that ruffle.  The tweed is a lighter weave silk tweed and it does ravel quite a lot.  I cut out a lining for the entire suit including that ruffle.  And, what a fabulous idea you had to make that ruffle detachable.  On this particular skirt, I think the hem will be too short for my taste with the ruffle removed since it it already cut out.  I will definitely be keeping that idea on file for my next skirt like this, though. 

Marianne and Liana, the top is very cute for an evening look, which is something I hadn't considered -- and I love your idea for beading, Liana.  I will be teaching speech at the college and coaching the competitive speech team.  The team tournaments are the reason for the suits.  I will need to dress in suits for tournaments, which are nearly every weekend. 

Kathryn, Mardel, Nora, Karen, Diane & Amy,  Thank you so much for the very kind words on my shoe covering odyssey! 

Kathryn,  You're right about the time it took to take photos during the process, and I realized after I began that I needed to move along because my glue was drying while I was photographing!  :o Not enough to make a difference really, but more than I thought it would.  So, the glue on the toe was the only one I took like that, and it was all I needed of that anyway.

Nora,  It is surprising to see how well you can do with this method.  I think it's probably best for very dressy shoes, although I did a pair to go with a sundress (the plaid on white) that I wore quite a bit with no problem.  I'm so glad your PI is better, but it sounds like your doctor is really thinking ahead for you, which is great.  I hope you won't have to use the steroids, but PI can have its own complications, so it may be best next time, if there is a next time.  Hope you're able to stay out of it.

Karen,  I foresee a "shoe clinic" day in your future! ;D  I would think your DDs would enjoy doing this, or having you do it for them!  At one time I tried to interest my SIL in doing some, but she never took me up on the offer. 

Diane, Thank you!  That is heady company for me. 8) ;)

Amy, I'm so glad your eye is better.  I wore hard contacts for years and finally had edemas on both eyes, so changed to gas permeable.  They were a little better, but I finally quit and wore glasses for years.  A couple years ago, I tried soft contacts, and I love them, but my vision has never been really great with them, and it annoys me that I have to give up some sharpness to not wear glasses.  I'm about to just go back to glasses permanently.  Like you, I've had them so long; since I was 7, so it's not like I'm not used to them!  You will certainly be the best-dressed speech and debate coach!  My sister was a high school and college debater, and still judges once in a while, so I know what you'll be doing.

Liana, thank you so much for a very complete set of instructions on how to do shoes.  I really appreciate your eforts amidst your creativity.

Amy loved your suit and the projected suit we will enjoy seeing.  I am so happy your eye is getting better.  Eye problems can be so frightning.

Nora, you have had my total sympathy with evry urge to scratch you have had.  PI is nasty stuff.  I got POak cleaning up the yard from Hurricane Isobel and the stuff ate through my outer lip tp inside my mouth.  So I totally feel for you.

I need ideas.  I bought a great pant suit because the jacket fit absolutely perfect except for shortening the sleeves a bit.  The pants are the problem.  I can put them on with out unbuttoning and unzipping them.  They are huge!!  The crotch is fine, it is meant to be mid to low rise and will be about half an inch below the waist for me.  I wonder what would be best?  I can clear it all out going straight down the side seams starting at the waist. Or I can take in CB and the side seams too.  It's hard to figure out which will get the best result.  Any ideas would be really appreciated.

Susan W

This has nothing to do with sewing.  My brain is still having trouble with words, so will get right to the point.

Mardel, I was reading your blog and noticed your sour cherry sauce for your pork loin.  Someone kindly gave me some sour cherries,
but I cannot make preserves anymore, due to my husbands diabetes, if you would mind posting what you did, I would be very
grateful. 

I am also having computer problems, and could not e-mail you, this is an ongoing problem, and the 'geek squad'
are coming this afternoon.

Miss fix it here is unable to fix her computer - give me sewing anyday.

Fran

Liana,
Your shoes are so fabulous.  You are so creative.  Thanks so much for sharing your instructions.  I can't wait to try covering a pair of shoes.

Linda,  Thank you!  I know you could do this with no problems at all, and with your embroidery capabilities, wouldn't it be fun to do some monogramming or another motif for the toe of a shoe, or even the heel?  I'm glad you're not working so hard anymore, but still doing what you want with your shop.  Congratulations on your wins in the ASG contest!  Are we likely to see a photo of your garment? (Hinting mightily!) ;)  Will you be modeling it at the upcoming ASG convention?  Either way, you should be walking on air!

SusanW,  Thank you!  Won't you lose any pockets if you take so much out of the side seams?  You could try basting them to the point you think you need and see how they look.  If they're going to hang funny, you might get a hint of it at least.  I'm not an expert on this, so I hope someone who is can tell you more.

Susan, your bout with poison oak!  Yikes!  Poor baby!  No wonder you remember Hurricane Isabel so well.  That POak attack would ingrain in anyone's memory.  Glad you are at point where you can ruefully look back on it.

I would take in all three seams, both sides and back, so as to spread the alterations around.  That way you won't lose your side details such as pockets as Liana suggested, and the pant will maintain its overall balanced "hang".  Oh, to be that tiny!  ;D

Fran, I hope the "Geek Squad" gets your computer up and running sweet!

SusanW, oh my goodness! How horrible. I hope you had no lasting damage. I had the prescription for the oral steroids filled, and they are now in my medicine cabinet, ready for me to take if I should ever have the need. I would not have toughed this out had I known just how awful it would be, and I certainly won't do it again.

All this talk of eye problems with contacts makes me feel better about my glasses ;D Amy, I'm really glad you're feeling better. Have fun with your teaching. I could use some speech coaching; it's a major fear of mine...

The hair talk a while back has inspired me, through some mental gyrations I won't try to reproduce here, to think about ordering beadable hair sticks. I think they would be a fun project, and a potentially saleable item. Do any of you use hair sticks, or are they totally useless?

Hair sticks are great, Nora!  A lot of fun and they work well, for me and for DD, whose hair is longer than mine, as long as the hair is twisted tightly enough to keep them in.

Diane E., I can't see the Gainsborough painting to which you are referring (red x in white square shows), but I looked through the site and picked these two "Liana's Shoes" candidates:

Gainsborough Shoe Lady No. 1 (http://www.abcgallery.com/G/gainsborough/gainsborough35.html)

and

Gainsborough Shoe Lady No. 2 (http://www.abcgallery.com/G/gainsborough/gainsborough32.html)

Here's another:

Shoe Lady No. 3 (http://www.abcgallery.com/G/gainsborough/gainsborough29.html)



Are they the ones you were thinking of? Thanks for the cute reference, Diane.  I had fun looking at shoes in those paintings.  Those ladies would be so happy to know that their shoes are still making an impression after all these years.  ;)

Susan, I recall you posting over at Sewing World, I believe, about that Poison Oak.  How horrible it must have been!  As for the pants I am no expert but I recently had to do some very serious taking in on several pairs of pants.  I would use as many seams as possible without messing up the crotch curve, perhaps increasing the darts a little too, if the pants have darts.  If they are truly big you might have trouble with the pockets, but you might be able to just move the pocket over a little or recut.  I don't know how this will work on the pants.  It worked well for most of my pants.  Two pairs needed to be virtually recut, and one pair turned out fine, but the other was never right again.  Perhaps someone else has better advise.

Fran, my sour cherry sauce was very simple.  I butterflied that pork loin and cooked it on the grill,  I had garlic, rosemary, and thyme on the pork and I wanted to carry some of that flavor to the cherrry sauce:  I am sure a similar technique would work with many things.

I sauteed some minced shallots in a little bit of olive oil and the added the pitted cherries, rosemary, and chicken stock just to the top of the cherries.  I boiled it until the cherries broke down part way and the sauce became kind of syrupy.  I just kind eye-balled things so I don't really have exact proportions.  I make my own stocks but store-bought would work just as well I am sure.  Sometimes I use more herbs when using purchased stock and maybe add a little wine to enrich the flavor. 

The cherries I used initially are a darker kind of sour cherry, not the really light red ones most farmers grow around here and a little less tart.  But we have been using the cherries in a lot of things, even adding them to a saute pan with chicken breasts and a bit of balsamic vinegar to enhance the pan sauce.

If you have freezer space the cherries also freeze well to be used later in the year.  just pit them, pop them on cookie sheets and bag them up in ziploc bags or containers once they are solidly frozen. 

Ohh, and Fran, I hope your computer completely recovers.

Ok Nora, I think having the steroid on hand is a good idea given all the "taming of the yard" you have been working on this summer. I'm glad you are getting better. Hair sticks are wonderful.  I used to wear them when my hair was longer, if it was dirty enough, my hair is too fine to hold otherwise, but my DSD loved them until she got her hair cut.

I couldn't get to Diane's link either, Kathryn but thanks for doing the "research" and posting those photos.  I know it was such an onerous task  ;) looking at all those pictures of ladies in pretty dresses with lovely shoes.  Thanks for the pictures.  They are wonderful.

Amy,  I really love your new suit and the pattern you have picked for the next one is so nice.  Simplicity really has some good patterns these days.  I am happy to hear your eye is getting better, and you are right, problems that affect your vision can be very scarey.  I had a problem with my eyes about 11 years ago where 'something', who knows what, was eroding the surface of my eyes.    I was trying the monovision with the contacts back then and gave them up as I was so afraid this was causing the problem.  I don't think wearing the contacts helped, but the eye specialist didn't comment one way or another. 

Nora, I hope you have the PI under control.  As a long time Benadryl user, I think this will help you a lot.  I seem to react badly to black fly bites here in Nova Scotia and this really does help.  The flies I am talking about are no bigger than a pin head, but boy do they bite and cause damage.

Mardel, your cherry sauce for the pork sounds delicious and thank you Fran for asking for the recipe!  Mardel it sounds like you are not only an accomplished sewist and gardener, but a cook as well!!!

Greetings Ladies:

I apologize for not posting for so long, but haven't been sewing much.  At the beginning of the summer I made quite a few skirts, dresses, suits, etc., and then we ended up with a mighty cold summer.  After such a harsh winter we deserved a nice summer, so maybe we will have a mild winter instead.

Kathryn:  I have been looking for a crochet or knitting project, and saw your beautiful sweater 2005 #a2.  Where can I find the pattern, and where did you find the yarn?  I am not familiar with those two brands of yarn, but they are gorgeous. 

I have been working with matte jersey, and truly the fabric makes you look slender, like they say, "It makes you look 10 lbs. lighter," and it is true.  My first matte jersey project was a simple dress, no darts, cut in at the waistline and the skirt flare out a bit.  The fabric drapes so beautifully that you just can't miss.  So easy to sew on, and so heavely to wear.

Since it has been so cold, I may as well start on winter projects and get some suits, dresses, skirts and pants made.  It is so cold in the winter that wearing pants is a good idea. 

I looked at some of your ladies projects, and you truly inspire me to bet going again.  You are all so talented and creative.  You are an inspiration to me.

Later,

Leanna Lee

Leanna Lee, it is so great to hear from you.  I understand about not sewing much this summer; I have had great plans, but normal summer business plus a bunch of added distractions have conspired to keep my sewing plans more in the dream stage than reality.  But I am always hopeful.

Thank you Dierdre, and I hope you enjoy the cherry sauce idea as well.  The biggest problem with enjoying so many things is that they all take T.I.M.E. and i am always torn between my loves.  Luckily for me, or unluckily for my garden, I truly despise hot humid weather.  Heat I can take.  Humidity I can take if it is not to hot or at least not sunny, so I have been neglecting the landscaping projects.  Even so, the sewing room shimmers like a mirage; every time I think I have reached it, it dissappears and moves further along the horizon.

Hello, I am sorry about those Gainsborough links. Phooeeeeeyyyyy!! Thanks, Kathryn, for finding the pictures and  creating successful links. Yes, they were exactly what I had tried to post, and I had found another in the same series with blue shoes. Pretty and in the same theme as Liana's.

Well, I'm off to Las Vegas for a quick overnight trip with my husband who will then attend a techie trade show. I hope my version of the New Look dress is less mumsie than it was before I ripped out the sleeves, tapered them, shortened them, and then reset them. If it's mumsie, then mumsie loves showing off her clavicle. It's low!! Perfect for Las Vegas though, in a sparkly acetate and lurex fabric. I tried  a cami but that really looks maman  :P

I like the dress and will post pics when I return. My kids made off with my laptop (and ergo  my camera connection and software). With the computer they can get into bed and watch DVDs into the wee hours at Gramma's.

Happy weekend! Mardel, that cherry sauce looks divine!

Ladies, just dropping in between gym and lunch!  So much happens hear!  Just a link to my latest finished project for your Saturday morning coffee.  Will catch up on all your posts this arvo.

http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=15148

I have had a rough day at work ~ just the way to begin the weekend, huh?  But it is always so nice to pull up a chair, a glass of Mountain Dew and see what everyone here has been up to! 

Amy ~ I am soooo glad that your eye is healing and you can see better!  I also like the new Simplicity suit.  I am sure you will make another wonderful garment.  How many suits are you going to make?  Do you want to wear a different one every weekend or make them mix and match?

Liana ~ I am so glad that you have provided a tutorial for your wonderful covered shoes!  I remember when you showed them to us the first time and I was just amazed at what a wonderful job that you had done.  Now, it is just as nice to have a tutorial for future use!  Love the close-up of your shoe on your blog!

Diane ~ you have probably already left for Vegas but have a good time and remember "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!"  ;D ;)

Leanna Lee ~ it is so good to hear from you!  Too bad the summer weather hasn't been that great!  But at least it does give you a reason to sew fall early!

Nora ~ so glad that the PI is getting better!  And Susan W ~ so sorry to hear that you were POaked so severely!  As others have commented, I am sure that it was an unforgettable memory!

Vicki ~ I read your review at Patternreview earlier today and found it helpful and interesting!  You ended up with a very nice skirt!

Well it is the weekend and due to family obligations, I think the only sewing I will do will be to pretreat my new fabrics!  Oh well, I will take a sewing activity anyway I can get it!  :o

Thanks Kathryn and Mardel for your input on the usefulness of hair sticks. I picked up a couple cheapie pairs at the mall tonight because I, like Mardel, can't stand the humidity this time of year, and I want my hair off my neck. I think I'll get a few of the beadable ones to play with too.

And Deirdre, I know all about black flies. I used to live in Labrador, otherwise known as black fly central :o As a friend of mine used to say, it was like someone blew a whistle the second I walked out the door -- all black flies in the area came to attention and headed my way. It's the same with mosquitoes... You have my sympathies; they're miserable little so-and-so's. For those unfamiliar with black flies, they actually take a small chunk out of you when they bite.

Vicki, that's a really pretty skirt, and it loks great on you.

Carolyn, I hope your weekend is better than your day today ;D

I've been back in lurk mode but I've been reading and looking. Lots and lots of great new pretties to see and I'll just say a collective well-done so I don't leave anyone out.

I've been slowly making some progress on the alterations for my Burda WOF blouse, details on my blog, http://stitchesandseams.blogspot.com/. I'm ready for a test in some fabric but I have to first decide which piece is going to be the sacrificial lamb.

Hope everyone has a good weekend and gets to spend it doing lots of fun stuff! We'll be waiting on pins and needles for the electrician tomorrow morning as our 220 power has decided to go walkabout. While I was cooking tonight, the stove, oven, dryer, and hot water heater went dead. So NOT looking forward to a cold shower in the morning.

Vicki, I loved reading your review of your "new old skirt".  How nice you moved it from your UFO pile without having to do an archeological dig to get to it!  ;D  It turned out really cute, and if your 15 year old is eyeing it, you KNOW you've hit the fashion mark!  You look great in the "new old skirt" with your new shape, too.  Keep up the good work!

Leanna Lee, nice to see you pop in again.  I bet those jersey creations are great!  I checked my photo album, and is the sweater to which you are referring this one, perchance:

Trendsetter Cardigan (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fzxdoc/detail?.dir=5a4f&.dnm=1659.jpg)

Both yarns came from my LYS, and I think that the Trendsetter yarn is still available.  The Annie Blatt yarn is just a polished cotton yarn, so you can use anything.  I just pulled it from my stash because it matched. The pattern is an old pattern from Trendsetter which had dolman sleeves, which I modified for set in sleeves instead. I think that any simple cardigan pattern will work.  I just made it small, without much ease, to sort of emulate a Chanel jacket. I can email you my altered pattern design and instructions, if you wish.

Debbie, bummer about your 220v power!  Hope the A/C is still working!  Thank you so much for showing your detailed alterations on that Burda top!  I absolutely love your alteration tutorials because they are so nicely photographed and so clear-cut, so to speak.  Your FBA with the moving pattern pieces is still one of my all time favorite tutorials!  Anyway, press on with that top!  My fabric is still neatly folded and will probably stay that way at least another week or so.  (More home dec sewing for DD this weekend-yuck!) Keep blazing that blouse trail! ;D

Diane, I'll go back and look for the "lady in blue shoes" and add it to my post above, if I spot it.  Have fun in LV--remember "What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas", but we still expect a full report! ;D ;D

Read review on PR and will post here to say I like it!

Well Diane, I hope you are having a wonderful weekend in Vegas and I am glad the transformed dress worked out so much better.

Vicki, what a lovely skirt!  I can see why DD is eyeing it! What a wonderful compliment anyway to have such high DD approval of a garment that looks so great on you! 

Oh Debbie! What a total bummer about the 220 power! and right while cooking dinner too!  Well I hope your weekend ends up better, even without the hot water. And I love following your progress on your blog,  everything is so clear. 

And on a selfish note, Debbie, I have had a revelation.  I need to buy a green rotatory cutting mat.  I have always had white; the custom made one for my table is white, but white pattern paper doesn't show up at all on a white cutting mat.  Maybe I can get a small one for photos.  Oh my goodness, I've become obsessed.

Have a nice weekend everyone.  I have to go prepare food for a summer picnic and concert get-together.  As usuall, the weekend is packed.

Debbie ~ I found your blog through a link from someone else's and was so glad to see you had a spot to discuss your fitting techniques especially since you describe them so well!  I saw that top in Burda but couldn't imagine it on my figure.  Your alterations are very instructive and I am very interested in seeing the top come to life!  Sorry to hear about your power situation ~ hope its all settled soon.

Mardel ~ have a very nice weekend!  It sounds like you are going to have fun!

I have an afternoon to myself ~ teenagers at work ~ and then I have social obligations for the rest of the weekend so I don't think there is any sewing in my future this weekend.  Oh well, I did just come off a nine-day binge!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

The electrician has come and gone. We're now the proud new owners of a new outside breaker for the 220 lines. Electrician (friend) only charged $50 for his 3 hours of time but the danged breaker was $160 direct from the supply store. Yeowch! At least it's fixed and I can finish the laundry that was in process while I wait for the hot water to heat up again.

After that, I'm hitting Walmart for a price match on the Joann's Simplicity sale since we have to go there anyway. Buying the patterns at Walmart removes the temptation from buying things I don't need at J's, esp. after the unexpected $200 out-go this morning and it also gives me a better chance of getting the 3-5 I want since no one is ever in the sewing dept at Walmart.

Maybe later I'll feel like working on the blouse some more. I hope so, because as I keep passing the paper fitting on Zillie, I'm liking it more and more.

Carolyn, I've been hesitant to "advertise" my blog because it's new and I don't know yet how long/if my interest in it will last. I'm so NOT a diary person but OTOH, it is nice to have a central starting point for my ramblings. Maybe now I can be more short-winded on my reviews. Yeah, right.   ;D   I immediately loved the underbust lines of the Burda top and knew they had big promise to be flattering to my shape. I've been trying on lots of RTW with the upward empire seaming, plus seeing it on others on WNTW, etc. What I think makes this one esp. nice is the underbust dart. Both the absence of underbust gathers and the angle of the dart itself are a Good Thing for the girls and the waistline (or what remains thereof). At least IMO. I do reserve the right to change my mind if the blouse doesn't work out like I'm imagining.  ;D

Debbie, I've enjoyed your blog so far and I certainly understand about keeping it.  I think a lot but don't make the transtion to writing about what I am doing.  Hope the rest of your weekend goes well.

Carolyn, enjooy your peaceful afternoon and have a lovely weekend.

Debbie,  I also enjoy you blog.. I have thought about starting a blog myself.  The problem I have with having one  it that my writing is not very good I tend to leave out words in sentences. Also I am not very good in grammer and spelling I don't want to subject others to that.

You on the other hand do very well in writing and write excellent tips and sewing information.

Your electrician gave you a real deal we have had some electrical work done lately and it cost over 40.00 an hour and they did over 23 hours of work (ouch   >:D  )

Oh, BTW ... I didn't mean to be rude. Just blame it on a scatterbrained Saturday. I forgot to thank everyone for their nice comments about my blog, tutorials, etc. I really appreciate your appreciation  ;D ;D  I try to write things that I'd want to know if I was doing the same thing (which I am!) and usually in these cases I figure More Is More and better too much than too little.

LindaE ... don't think I don't edit myself a few times.  ;)  I almost always have to re-do something either by backspacing or actually editing. If only I was so "well-spoken" in real life. Hahahahahaha! I'm just the opposite and say pretty much whatever comes into my brain. Just ask my husband.  :o

It seems absolutely ages since I posted here and all I can say is how much I've enjoyed reading every ones posts - and blogs.  I'm not going to make any specific comments except to say what a talented lot you all are!

I have finished a knitting project, no photos yet but they're on my "to do" list but life just seems to be getting in the way.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone...

"For those unfamiliar with black flies, they actually take a small chunk out of you when they bite"

Ooooh, Nora's caution about these insects brought back a nasty memory.  A few summers ago, we visited relatives in upstate New York, and I was appalled when one of these evil little critters took a tiny but painful chop out of my forehead.  It hurt, of course, but the scary thing was that in the very warm weather, I was pouring blood from the bite!  Eeeek.

As it healed, it seemed to itch forever, too.  Dang!  A two-fer.

Vicki, That's a darling skirt.  Thanks for the heads up on your review! 

Diane, Enjoy Las Vegas, and your clavicle-baring dress sounds great!  :o Not maman at all!

Mardel, That cherry sauce is making my mouth water!  I also envy your patience and forethought in making your own stocks.  If you just need a different color for photos, put some fabric on top of your mat.  (I know you have some you're not using right now!) ;)

Leanna Lee, So nice to hear from you again!  :) Hope your winter weather is better than the summer.  I think we have your share of the heat lately! :P

Debbie,  I will add my voice to the chorus of those who really like your blog!  Your style is so friendly and readable, and your topics and information are great.  Glad your power is back. 

So glad I know nothing about black flies.  We have some tiny bug that falls off oak trees in the summer and you don't feel the bite, but the resulting itchiness is like the gift that keeps on giving. >:(  They're new the last few years, so hope they'll go away too.

I got my Marfy catalog today, and so I've been looking and dreaming.  :)

My computer is well again.  It had been doing just minor but annoying things since we paid for the new year for Norton
security, it would not let us delete the old one, well, they were just minor, but then a big thing happened - now I don't know
about everyone else, but it seems to me if you are using something, you should be familar enough with it to fix it and I
couldn't.

We got the geek squad in, and although it was rather costly, it did actually help when I saw that it took an expert 2.5 hours
to fix - so obviously it was not really minor - a program was running all the time, and when I would delete the shortcut, it would
pop right back, because the program was still running, and finding where the program was - of course it was hidden.

Thank you so much for the ideas for the cherries Mardel.  You know I just ate one out of the container that my friend had given
me - and it was delicious on its own - sour and all - I am tempted to make a pie or a tart, but the sauce sounds wonderful and
I know we would use it at this time of the year, and it provides such a nice change from the more common sauces.

Well everyone has been so busy, and suffice to say that I have checked everything out and am mighty envious, not only has my
computer been down, but I had to take in my sewing machine, I do have another one, but you miss the little extras on
the newer machines, like the walking foot on my pfaff, I use it all the time - so I am just sewing for the kids - actually its quite
nice - no fitting issues there.

Leanna Lee its so nice you found us, I am sorry to hear you are having a cold summer, it was cold down here in the northwest,
most of June, and it rained as well a lot, but its been nice lately, so maybe you may just get a late summer.

Fran

Linda E, I think you should go ahead and start a 'blog, if that's what interests you--I always enjoy reading your posts, so I'm thinking that reading your blog would be even more fun.  Spelling and grammar checkers aren't all they're cracked up to be, but at least they catch some of my bigger errors, when I use them.  Most of the time I'm just too lazy!  Anyway, if you end up starting a 'blog, let us know!

Yikes, Elona, what a story about the black fly bite!  I guess every area of the country has some pest that needs to be steered clear of.  A friend just told me the story of how she stepped on a scorpion in the shower of the Biltmore hotel in Phoenix, AZ.  Yeeouch!  She was all soapy and in pain, and didn't want to come out of the bathroom because she didn't want her teenage daughters to see her in the altogether. She did and they did, but they all managed to find a bathrobe for her and get her to the ER.

Debbie, it's good to hear that you are a power queen again.  I particularly liked that photo on your 'blog where you put the original pattern piece on top of the similar piece that you drafted from PMB. It was nice to see the comparison.  I own PMB (purchased on sale a few years back) but have never done anything more with it than to play with slopers.  Sadly, it seems to have become a permanent resident of my "To Do" list.

Yay, Fran, it's good to hear that your computer is fixed and that your sewing machine is soon to be fixed.  I feel your pain about sewing with a machine with fewer bells and whistles.  I spent the day sewing on my DD's entry-level Janome (more home dec stuff for her new apartment) and missed my needle-down and knee-lift options mightily.  Plus, I could have used a walking foot.  Boyohboy have I become spoiled!

Ladies, I just love reading this thread.  You all do such wonderful things. But between reading this, the PR down under thread, blogs galore..who has time to sew?  Like others I can't comment on each project as I would be sure to miss someone. 

Thanks for those who have commented on my skirt. I have almost finished another one.  This one is a brown and cream pinstripe.  I already have a brown & white cashmere/wool suit, so I need to make this poly UFO special by more trim  ::)  Kathryn, I think some of your projects must have stayed in my subconscious as I noticed (when looking at your album again) your daughter's Burberry skirt is in a similar vein.  And I think there was a dress as well?  Anyway, thanks for the inspiration ;). I love it when you refer us back to your albums, as there are so many gems in there and it is nice to refer back to it again.  You have no idea how much fun I had when I first discovered your site last year some time.  Many inspirational coffees were had taking that lot in  ;D ;D

I  have a week off work this week and I have so many things I would like to whip up.  Amy, that Threads pattern has given me a bit of an idea (along with Kathryn's geranium suit).  I like the front bow.  Maybe I could incorporate that into a THT jacket pattern.  Looking forward to seeing yours.

Amy & Nora, I have been following your sagas and am glad both seem to be on the mend.  No poison plants here that I know about..phew!  But I have had sandflies leave very itchy bites on me (but only after visiting the tropics).

Liana, I commented on your blog about your shoes,but......they are so amazing I have to comment again.....they are so creative!  Love them!  I really would like to try to do that some day - maybe for a very special occasion.  Actually, I made my bridesmaids hats way back in the early 80's.  Same method - stretch and glue, add tuile and feathers.

Debbie - strewth mate - another blog!.  Better get meself another cardinay and head on over!  (read Chardonay)

Debbie, so glad you keep smiling through all the "adventures" with your renovation, the blog you do is a fun read.  My sympathies at the electrician's cost.  We just paid $156 an hour to find out we had a shorted back hall fixture from one of the lightning rain storms we have been having here in the DC area...he didn't even change the fixture for that.  DH and I are doing that!  Isn't it irony, you get the mortgage paid and those dollars you thought might be extra just go back into the house.

Vicki the skirt is cute on your new figure.  You really scored if your daughter is looking greedily at the skirt.  DD's approval is equal to an Oscar at least.

Thanks so much to everyone that helped with the too big pants problem.  I decided to remake my master pant pattern and then take them apart and recut from that.  I am so glad to have access to Diane E's elegantly named "clown butt" alteration.  I did that plus a vertical application of the same thing.  Worked great.  Now on to Fall pants, I need several pairs.

Saying that, what is everyone's take on the Fall pants leg width?  Haute coture shows very narrow tapered legs and leggings.  I wonder if they will sell?  What will the average lady on the street wear?  I think the line really accentuates any hip you have and that may not be a plus(understating here).  Since I am in a trouser or pant mode at the moment, another question, do you put creases in your pant leg?  I have and I haven't.  There is a school of thought that this causes wear damage to the fabric.  I never crease jeans.  I do crease trousers for work especially if they are part of a pants suit.  So what does everyone do?

Leanna glad your back. lets trade a bit of your cool for the humid hot DC rainy summer.  The floods here have been amazing, but I am so glad no hurricanes to date.

It has been a buggy summer here too, I keep  a tube of Benadryl cream (over the counter in the first aid department) to zap the nasty varmits gift.  It works well, but be careful not to apply it to any fluid leaking rashes, you might just be spreading PIvy or POak.

Off to call DD.  She is having identical twin girls next month.  We are working on a list to stock her freezer with enough ready to heat food she will have some help feeding her DH and two sons 4 and 6.

Happy weekend.

Susan

Vicki, thank you so much for your kind and generous comments about my garments in my photo album.  They represent a body of work, of sorts, over the past few years, and lots of them have become real wardrobe favorites.  It's always delightful to know that someone appreciates them.  Enjoy your week off work--may it be as productive as Carolyn's was a couple of weeks ago!

Susan, you're the snappiest alterations queen that I know!  By the time one of your queries is barely answered, you have taken the suggestions to heart and fixed your problem and are wearing the garment in question! I wish I could be that snappy!  I tend to dance around a project--any project--for a while before holding my breath and jumping in the deep end with it!  I like your method so much better.

And how exciting to have identical twins in your immediate family's future!  Just THINK of the adorable little outfits you can whip up for them!  Fran has made some really cute little things for her DGS, so you can take a page from her book, and you and Mardel can bond over the impending-new-baby(ies)-in-the-family scenario.  Did you see Mardel's cute little cat toy?  Perfect for a little one's nursery.  Carry my best wishes to your DD for a safe, healthy and not-too-painful delivery for the three of them.  I bet her DH and two little ones are all sitting on pins and needles, waiting for the contractions to start!

Fall pant leg width appears to be all over the place, so I would think that you should pick a style that flatters you the most and go for it.  I remember a few years back when I commented that I was attracted to the tailored gaucho look, someone remarked "those will never stay in style". Three years later, they're still going strong. That's what I feel about the super skinny jeans and pants--they'll never stay in style--but you know what? I bet they catch on.  I sort of like Loes Hinse's approach of not chasing after fashion trends all the time.  But it's hard to be currently fashionable and not occasionally slip on the banana peel of a fly-by-night fashion trend. 

It's just noon and it's 100 degrees outside. I have dinner in the crockpot so we don't have to heat up the kitchen more than necessary. I'm so not feeling the sewing mojo right now. I was going to start my suit today. Now I think I'll change my mind on what suit pattern to use with my tomato red fabric. I'm going back to the origional idea of making the DKNY-like suit rather than the sexy secretary. Then I can get some purple wool for the Sexy Secretary. That suit cries out for purple to me. Plus I'm short 3/8ths of a yard, LOL.

The suit I'll make will be a short, rounded closely fitting jacket and a stright skirt with a bit of a ruffle at the knee. The DKNY suit had godets, but I want to make mine with a ruffle going around it (since I have a pattern for that). The jacket pattern I'll use is a McCall wardrobe pattern. It was my first choice and I'm going to go for it. Though I might not get to it today.

Send cool thoughts my way! I think I'll go make some sugar free key lime sorbet.

Susan

SusanW - thanks for the compliment on my skirt.  You must be so excited - two baby girls!

As for pants widths -well I wore to work last week, a very old black pant suit - probably 10 years old and it has very slim legs.  I got lots of compliments (I didn't make them  ::).  And then on another day I wore my new skirt and no one even asked if it was new  ???  Do you ever get that Carolyn?  Then you start thinking "is it so bad that no one wants to comment at all?)

I am hoping pants don't go back to being highwaisted (or even waisted).  Being shortwaisted, I find it much more comfortable with my waistlines below the waist.

Yeah sometimes...but I think its more because everyone knows that I make my own clothes and are totally surprised when I wear something RTW.  Sometimes what I think is the best pieces receive little reaction and something I just threw together or made a few years ago receive a lot of attention.  The adoring public is fickle Vicki ~ it's all I can tell you!  ;D

I think Kathryn hit the nail on the head about pant widths.  In this instance I think you should go with the width that is most attractive on your body but use the "it" colors for fall to distinguish that your pants are new!  Browns and grays are big for fall! The Simplicity patterns site has a good breakdown of what's hot for fall.

Susi ~ it is 96 degrees here in Central NJ.  A reason why I am home so early from our social engagement.  I am just not an outdoors kinda girl and especially not in the heat and humidity!  I am glad to be home in the air conditioning reading my favorite sewing sites!

Kathryn, one thing about sewing with the Janome, you are less likely to wreck the timing mechanism in the machine, it not being
so sophiscated as yours, even the newer machines are more sophisccated in their workings than one would think, even if they
are just plain sewers.

Some of you will remember when a few years ago, I did a whole home dec project for a friend, including I might add a kingsize
quilt - yes and it was my first quilt, silly woman that I am, anyway, it wrecked the timing mechanism on my pfaff, and it was
$500 to get fixed - so sometimes older can be better.
'
I can definitely say, sewing baby and kids things is such fun, no fitting issues, plenty of great fabrics, laces, trims, and patterns out there, my favourite would be Farmhouse Fabrics, Sally is just such fun to work with, and the purchases come wrapped up like a gift with the most gorgeous ribbons.

I think I have almost worked out how to post some pictures here of what I have done for the kids.  What I have been working on
this weekend is identical dresses for my grandaughters, patterns from childrens corner, they really are the best patterns, they fit so well, and the pieces fit together properly, and little denim shorts with a tee shirt with appliqued fish on in metallic threads
for my grandson, but I think the front will have to be recut, as the fish, as my husband informed me, looked more like a tadpole than
a fish, and then I have enough of the rayon batik, with the fish on, to make overalls, that he could wear with or without the tee-shirt, then my other grandson who is three, wants a tee shirt with trucks on it.

I have also been working on a new teddybear - I haven't made one since I made george, hes large and has a droll look to his
face, that was about a year ago, but I seem to have gotten bitten by the bug again - only wish the mohair was not so expensive
at $200 and some dollars a yard - but the faux fur really is awful to work with.

I have used lilli ann mohair coats, I got a brand new one for next to nothing off e-bay, now it would be around at least $300 for something like that, but back when e-bay just started you could pick stuff up for crafts for nothing.

Susan, I like my pants high waisted or at the waist line, and when the low rise jeans came out, I was devastated as it has meant
I now have to make my jeans too, I only have one or two pair though.

And being tall, I like the wider widths too, although I did fall down the stairs the other day, I caught my toe in the hem of the
opposite leg and down I went - so guess you have to be careful with the very wide ones, and I don't think they are that
practical, I think around 20 to 22" is about as wide as they really look ok, after that they begin to look like something out
of the magazines.

Fran

Gee, Kathryn, I loved the Gauchos then and still do but never went ahead and did it.  I wish I had.  Now I wonder if it is too late.  Anyway I think people should make the pants they like.  I like slender pants, or have at times anyway, but I am not sure these super skinny ones are all that flattering except on a lucky few.  Well who knows what will stay and what won't.  I try to just make what I like and hope I don't look too silly.

So much has gone on here while I have been outside sweltering and watering the gardens.  I simply can't catch up, but reading all your posts sure is relaxing and inspiring.

I will look into those patterns Fran, I am looking forward to sewing some baby and kid things in the future. 

Liana, that's a good idea about the fabric.  Sometimes I feel incredibly dense.  I think I thought I needed to show some kind of grid underneath the pattern.  Well, next time it comes up I will see what I can wrap my brain around.

I cna't believe I found my old SW friends again.   ;D  I finally went into SW today and wondered why the last thread was so short.  Thanks to Kathryn's diligence in posting and reposting this link here I am.

Hello to Kathryn, Carolyn, Mardel, Liana, Ann, Amy and everyone else.  Now I'll have to try to catch up on the postings over here.

It's good to be back.
Claire

Claire, nice to "see" you again!

You have a lot of reading to do - so much of interest on this thread and elsewhere. Enjoy...

Claire ~ glad you are back, too!  Like Ann said there is a lot happening over here...so get a cuppa, sit down and enjoy!

Yay, Claire!  I'm glad you followed my trail of breadcrumbs (I tried to leave a trail of chocolate but ate it as I went along  ;) ) over to this site!  Enjoy reading it.  As you know, I still post on SW, faithful to the end, probably.  I enjoy both sites. 

I think the whole country and much of Canada is blanketed by this heat, Susan.  I love heat and humidity because it finally feels like summer, and because I'm finally warm!  I really despise cold weather, so I never complain about the heat.  It certainly does slow one down, though.  It's a good excuse to enjoy those cool drinks! Your lime sorbet sounds tasty as well.

I snagged about half an hour of sewing time this weekend, for myself that is.  DD is still cracking the whip in Home Dec Prison.  Her new apartment is really looking cute, though, and she is happy and oblivious to the HUGE sacrifice I am making for her in sewing home dec instead of sundresses this summer!  Typical kid!

Fran, I've had that problem of tripping on the steps with wide legged pants as well.  They really bear watching for that reason.  I'm going to try a pair of the new super skinnies and see whether or not they make me look like a lollipop  :o.

OH Claire! it is so good to "see" you here! 


Fran, I have tripped on wide leg pants too, not an attractive site, and dangerous as well.  I think I will stay somewhere in the middle, although I am willing to try anything on.

Claire, it is so nice to "see" you here.  Welcome, and I am glad you found us.  

Vicki, your skirt is lovely.  I hope you will post pictures of the new one you are making too.  

Pant leg widths is such an interesting conversation.  It seems like pants change so much, and now they are all over the place.  I was almost dismayed to see a few pairs of "peg-leg" jeans at the mall with the new fall fashions that are starting to appear here.  I remember these jeans from high school.  I was in high school in the era of jeans so tapered at the ankle that a few pairs of mine even had zippers at the ankle so you could get into them.   :o  The were horrible -- but I thought I was stylish then.   ;D  I do hope the acid wash doesn't return.  I so agree with the others who have said that we should pick a style that works for us.  I have seen just about everything out this fall.  As for me, I tend to go with straight leg styles for dress trousers.  I like them to be a little lower waisted -- just below the waist, I guess, but not hip-slung -- I am too old for that look I think.  I do like to crease my dress trousers, but never jeans.  For jeans, I tend to like a straighter leg or boot cut jean.  I did like the flare trend a couple years ago, but think it has passed.  I agree, Susan, about the slim pants showing hips.  If you ever watch "What Not To Wear" on TLC, they throw fits about the slim leg pants for just this reason.  

My eye is slowly improving.  I have regained distance vision and am now just having a bit of trouble with reading from one eye.  The infection is gone, and now the eye just needs to adjust to being out of hard contacts, which could take a month or so.  One more eye dr. check tomorrow, and I should be fine.  

I am working on my tweed suit today that I started last week.  I hope to finish it in the next few days and post pictures soon.  

Hello everyone, wow, so many fabulous projects and conversations! I hope everyone gets a little sewing time in this week; sounds like many of us had other things keeping us from the machines and cutting tables this weekend.

Hot? I'll give you hot: Las Vegas. Not only is it smack-dab in the middle of the desert, but all those buildings and concrete and black-top just absorb and radiate. At 5:30 pm, we walked for five minutes, from the MGM Grand to the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse down Las Vegas Blvd., and it was as if we were a pan of brownies baking in the oven. I am a weenie.

The Las Vegas strip is like another galaxy, with amazing architecture - some almost Gehry-esque, but gaudy enough to proudly set itself apart. One could argue that Disney Hall (http://wdch.laphil.com/about/overview.cfm) and the new Wynn (http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/nevada/las-vegas/wynn.php)  are kissin' cousins. The whole strip, not to mention old downtown Las Vegas, is just plain fantastic.

All that being said, I was grateful to be home within 36 hours. After a short while, the neon and slot machines and silicone implants  :o begin to take their toll on my delicate constitution  :P

People watching in Las Vegas is great sport, but I was as surprised by the lack of fashion diversity as I was by the number of children in the casinos  :-X  Lots of bare skin, makeup, very high heels, and dangly spangly bling; to find the same fashion scene in San Francisco, you'd probably have to head for nightclubs where you're not exactly sure who is what. But enough said  :)

I'll post my Las Vegas dinner dress later on. I know you're all anxiously awaiting that event  ::)

I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who has tripped on her own pants leg!  :-[ 
But you're right... it is very dangerous. I actually fell face first into the back end of a parked car, and broke my nose!  :o

When I was young I wore the leggings and looked great! Those days are over for me now, but I still like the look of young, firm, shapely legs in slim pants. For my mature self... I love the feel of the full leg yet I try to wear my pants just a little bit on the tapered side, mostly because the wide legs make me look huge. I don't go for the ice cream cone taper effect... just a little slimmed off the inside ankle. I think they they give the optical effect of being straight.
I'm in the midst of making some pants right now (well, I will be when I get off the computer), and I'm going for a straight leg look, but with enough drape to be comfortable in this heat. I'm trying the Sandra Betzina "No Time to Sew" pants pattern for the first time. I'm using her full leg pant, but slimming it down a smidge.
We'll see.

Kathleen C.

You're certainly not alone.  I am -at this moment- wearing wide-legged pants I made a couple of years ago. I saw them in the closet and thought "Why don't I wear those anymore?"  So, I put them on...and tripped and fell down my own steps.  Ah, yes.... Now, I remember.  :-[ :-\ ::) >:(

I just lost a post which I don't have time or patience to retype. I did want to say that I'm feeling much better; I'm now just a smidge itchy, and the skin is healing nicely.

I'd also said that I hope Fran didn't injure herself tripping on her pants leg, and then saw Dragonlady's and Kathleen's responses. Yikes! I've tripped on my wide legged PJ's a couple of times, but always caught myself in time. Kathleen, I'm sorry about your nose, and Dragonlady, I hope you didn't hurt yourself.

I hope everyone is safe and cool in this hot weather we're having. I took the opportunity to do some more work on my playroom this weekend. It's getting there...

Claire,  I've been wondering what you've been up to!  Glad to see you here.

I don't know what to think about pant widths for fall.  It looks to me like they're all over the map, from leggings to super-wide with pleats and cuffs.  So, as everyone else has said, pick what looks best on you, with maybe a nod to fashion, just to let 'em know you are up on the latest. ;) 8)

I think most of us are past the point where we can grab any trend that passes and get away with it.  We need to choose things that we like, and probably alter any fads to suit ourselves, as we usually do anyway! :)  That's one reason we like to sew, I think, is that we're our own designer and we can grab what we like from anything we see.

Hope you're all keeping cool.  We're melting again today. :P 

Diane, I can't wait to see that dress!

Oh, and yes, I've tripped on my own pantlegs too! ;D  Also, am I the only one who's ever caught a doorknob in her pocket when walking down a hall with open doors?  (You have to be going around a corner) You do come to a screeching halt! :o

I hope all of you are keeping as cool as possible!  I just finished painting for the day, and I sat down with a cool drink...you all really keep me in stitches!  I can't tell you how often I used to get one shoe stuck in the opposite pant leg...usually when at church!!!

Liana, I not only get pockets caught on door knobs, but I ripped off the entire sleeve of my Grandma"s Vintage Lambskin jacket on the large door handle going into church(hmmmm, seems like a pattern here!).  I do stuff like that all the time!

Re: Pressing/Creasing pant legs...I was at a funeral today and the fellow in front of me was wearing Khaki Microfiber trousers.  It was very obvious that the cleaners he uses presses the heck out of those creases, b/c the creases were almost black, where the warp was worn off, leaving only the black weft fibers.  Church is a great place to see what people are wearing and practice your fitting skills.  I often imagine what I could do to make that top fit the lady in front of me, or why would someone chose those pants with that top...

Hi, I wrote a review of the New Look dress (http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=15221) and it shows the before and after alteration pix. Overall the dress would have been better with cap sleeves, but I just didn't want to bother. What did I tell you: Lazy Girl  :P

Anyhow, hopefully the original dress, before hemming and minor alterations (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=50b7scd.jpg&.src=ph) turned out a little less mumsie (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcegelston/detail?.dir=a70ascd&.dnm=6efbscd.jpg&.src=ph)

p.s. I trip on my pant legs too  ::)

Amy, I made a suit last December using the Simplicity pattern you referenced. It started out as a project to wear to a Christmas ballet. Didn't finish it, and so it's been hanging in the closet unworn; however, I may wear it this December.
I did not line the skirt flounce since the suit was made in Green velvet material and I felt that lining would stiffen the flounce due to the weight of the material. I elected to use Maderira Decor serger thread in dark green as a decorative hem finish. I have an Elna 945 serger with all the Pro cards and they have various selections of decorative finishes. On the sleeves, I used satin ribbon cut on the bias to finish the flounces. I also made satin piping for the seam lines betwen skirt body and flounce and sleeve and flounce. At the last minute I decided to make a camisole and finish in machine made lace with the conintuous hoop on the embroidery machine and threaded with 1/4" green velvet ribbon.
You can see pictures here:

Green Velvet (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/notime2sew15219/album?.dir=1ef8&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos)
There was a review on PatternReview last year by someone, not sure if it is now in the archives. You can probably check by listing the Simplicity pattern number and do a search.

Good luck on your project!

Barb

Diane, your dress turned out really well. The adjustments you made really made the difference!

Ladies all the talk about the hot weather is making me jealous - so I don't suppose you want to see my (at last) finished raspberry corduroy coat?  No, oh well..... And I have never tripped on my pants - maybe you need small feet to do that ? ;)

So yesterday (day 1 of a week off) I finished my 2nd UFO skirt, and completed the lining in the coat.  I even put in a double welt pocket in the lining!  Nobody is allowed to look at it really closely as it is a bit dodgy.  But hey, it works.  And it was my first  one.  And it is inside!

Thanks Amy for the compliment on my first UFO skirt.  Photos of no 2 to follow (after I have taken them ;D)

Wow, Barb, that is a great suit! The flounces are really impressive - I love the patterned velvet, too.

Diane - nice job on the NL dress - not mumsie at all!

Diane, your wrap dress turned out so cute!  I bet you looked *really sparkly* in that LV sunshine, unless the dress did not come out until the sun went down, that is.  Your alteration ideas were all spot on, since they greatly improved the dress for your figure and height.  What a good eye you have for that!

Barb, it's wonderful to see that velvet outfit again.  Such perfection!  What are you sewing on now--something fun, with some great embroidery, perchance?

Vicki, bring it on!  We can look at that raspberry corduroy coat as we sip our iced tea!  It'll be great to see UFO #2 as well. 

Nora, I wonder why you keep losing posts.  Didn't you lose another one recently?  I don't think that has ever happened to me here; it used to happen on SW if another poster was trying to post to the same thread that I was also trying to post to.  Boyohboy did that ever frost my apples!  (Uh, maybe I should say "fry my apples" in this tropical heat!)  Do you think it is a problem with SG or with your browser or what?

Andi, how sad that you ripped that coat on the way IN to church.  Someone was probably checking you out from behind during the service and deciding to add more money to the collection plate to help out the poor lady with the torn coat  ;D ;) !

Oh my gosh, Barb, your  green velvet suit is lovely. I cannot believe that you made the lace for the camisole. It is beautiful and so perfect. I'm not worthy to share in the same folder  :)

Andi, what a sad story about your gramma's coat. I hope it was fixable. Why is it that we never have accidents with crummy stuff we don't care about  :-\

Vicki, Kathryn, and Betsy, thanks for your encouragement and kind words. Kathryn, I struggle with alterations, and I still have so much to learn about the small changes that make a difference. As far as sparkling in the sun - yup - it's a sparkly dress and there was a lot of sun.

The whole thing about sparkly or shiny, vs matte finishes, is kind of interesting. I took several wonderful knitting workshops with Sally Melville (http://www.knittinguniverse.com/xrx/athena/ProsDetail.php?ID=1402) , who is beyond cool  8) , and she talked about preferences for shiny or matte clothing. I hadn't ever thought about that before, but I definitely do not gravitate toward shiny fabric, and use it in very small doses, if at all. That's why the lurex fabric sat in my stash for so long, because the colors and the print are right up my alley, but the gold sparkles just relegated it to near-unwearable status. Then along came an evening event that I thought it would work for, and I got the dress partially made, but then it still sat and sat, unloved. Then along came DH's LV invite, and finally! an event for sparkles! It's possible that the dress may only be worn another time or two.

Melville's thesis for your preference had something to do with th amount of shine in your skin (I have shine to spare) and other stuff, but I certainly "got it" when she talked about it. I have some sparkly novelty yarn in my stash that may get very lonely waiting for the right project.

Anyhow, food for thought when picking fabric. On the same note, Sandra Betzina pointed out something similar, but having to do with prints. She said that those with animated faces (guess who she used as an example  :P ::) ;D ) don't do well with busy prints near their faces, because the print and the face (!) compete for attention. Again, this "felt" true, and any impulse prints have either languished unloved on the shelf, or they've ended up as skirts. Every time I make a top in a pronounced print, I'm kind of uncomfortable wearing it  :-[ :-\ ???

Wow you miss a day, and its hard to catch up.  Barb, I love that green velvet suit, its much better than the picture on the pattern cover, did it take long to make the lace, it always seems such a good reason to have an embroidery machine, but on the other hand, I bet it takes a long time to make - another reason to have more than one machine.

Fancy tearing off a sleeve, I've never done that, but I remember when I was learning to sew, I had an old treadle, it didn't even sew
backwards, and I must have altered the tension somehow, I think I was 10 and I was so pleased, I had finished my first dress, I was
playing tennis with 'boys' and the bottom fell off from the bodice and I was standing there in my panties.  Without so much as
a blush, I think I stepped out of the skirt, picked it up and walked away - my mum had told me a similar story - so that was the best I
could think of doing.

But catching a shoe or something in a pants leg is dangerous, in this case it was my toe, my big toe.  In this heat I don't bother with shoes in house - a bad thing really.

Diane that must be why I tend not to wear prints under my face, people say my face is 'animated', that makes me feel rather like a cartoon character, but on the other hand, my hands do not wave about in demonstrations like some friends I have.
I never feel comfortable in definite prints under my face, on the bottom fine, I love floral pants or jeans.

Raspberry corduroy sounds lovely, rather refreshing really.  I haven't alas started any summer sewing, it just seemed that I wanted to clean my stash out of kids stuff - so am still busy doing that.

Liana, thanks so much for putting all the eye candy on your 'fashioned' I knew I could count on you, I just can't bear to spend all that time pouring through the stuff, its so nice to know you have the best of whats there, not only that, but its back referenced as well.  I took a quick look at the last seasons stuff too while I was looking.

Did you fix your tank top that was too long.

Fran

andib, Wow, a whole sleeve?!!  That's awful!  I hope you were able to repair it, as that's almost tragic with an heirloom like that.

Diane,  What a great dress!  You have really shown what a difference just a few little tweaks can make in a look.  Good for you for sticking with it and getting it just right.  That fabric is so pretty, and I'm glad you got to use it, too.  Very interesting about prints and shiny/matte.  I'm definitely a matte fabric person.  I thought your description of feeling "uncomfortable" when wearing certain prints was a good one.  That's how I feel when wearing certain colors.  It's almost a feeling of being exposed, and as if you were going to be found out as an impostor for wearing this particular thing.  Isn't that strange?  But it just happens.

Barb,  I certainly haven't forgotten that great suit, but how much fun to see it again!  You do such beautiful work.

Vicki,  I agree with Fran, bring on the raspberry corduroy!  I'm starting to really think about fall sewing again.  Maybe it's the really hot weather.  It makes me long for fall.

Fran,  Thanks for enjoying Fashioned!  I'm behind, but it's coming along.  There are some interesting things, as usual.  I haven't done anything to the tank yet, but I have it put aside along with all my notes on what to do, including your kind help.  I think it's going to be a little while before I can stand to do it. ::)  I need to make a couple shirts for DH in the next couple of days, as the fair is coming up again. 

Like Fran, if you miss a day or two reading here, you miss a lot.  Diane, your dress is lovely saw it first on Pattern Review this AM.  Barb your green velvet suit is beautiful.  Love what you do with lace embroidery for cami.
:D

Barb, I love your suit. I remember seeing it before, but again is good ;)

Liana, I haven't treated myself to look at your fashion blog yet, perhaps tomorrow.

And here is Raspberry Corduroy coat (http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=15223)
and skirt no 2 (http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=15225)

Kathryn, my missing post yesterday was entirely due to operator error. I hit the wrong button when trying to post. The other day I somehow posted in the wrong thread without realizing it. I *still* don't know how that happened... A brain is a terrible thing to lose ::) Which seems to be a theme with me, because one of the things in the post I lost was me whining about how I was spending more time frogging than knitting my circle jacket. It's something to do with the non-regularity of the increases. I just can't seem to get it right, and have to count every increase row -- which means every knit row. And somehow I still sometimes end up with one too many stitches when I get to the next row. Now how did that happen?! >:( It's not that it's difficult; I just can't seem to keep track of how many stitches I'm doing between increases on any given row, or count -- take your pick. As this is going to take a frustrating while, I think I will start something else to knit when I'm disgruntled with the jacket. I'm thinking something lacey...

Barb, I remember that suit -- gorgeous. So beautiful, and beautifully made.

Diane, what a pretty dress. You did a great job getting the fit perfect for you. And thanks for the comment about the height of the waist. I usually need to shorten the bodice for things that have a defined waist, so it's good to know that this is already a bit short, since I also have the pattern and fabric for it. Your comments about prints and shine really hit home with me too. I have more print skirts than plain, but very few print tops. As Liana said, I just feel like I'm in someone else's skin when I wear them, especially if they're bright. Ditto for shine. And I feel like a sofa in print pants. My hips are the widest part of me, so they do not need to be upholstered in a print. Draped, OK. Upholstered, no :P

I'm glad I'm not alone in catching body parts, door knobs/handles, etc in flapping bits of clothing. I have ripped pockets more than once on door handles, and caught toes in pants legs. I'm OK if I have shoes on -- too big I suppose :o

Liana, how hot is it there? I heard on the news this morning that it was 108 in Kansas City, and 120 somewhere in SD. We are expecting a mere 96, but we have the humidity to make it truly miserable.

Vicki, I was posting at the same time as you, so I missed your reviews. I love your coat and skirt. The coat is such a pretty color, and I really like the shape. I have that issue of BWOF, and several pieces of fabric that would work, including some corduroy... The skirt is really cute with the double layer of trim. Straight skirts are not for me (see comments about hips), but fabulous on you.

Wow, Vicki, you can share the corduroy with the sweltering masses any day!  What a pretty coat!  And I think your pockets turned out nicely--no need to hide that double welt from the world.  The lining is TDF.  The perfect bit of whimsy.  Even your cell phone charm is a cute accessory for the coat!  Very, very cute.  You did a nice job with those unusual sleeve seams--not a pucker in sight.  Really a superb job!

I can't decide which skirt I like best, UFO1 or UFO2--they both look so nice, and the trims you used are so rich-looking.  I love the look of lace with menswear type fabrics, and that's part of what makes both of those skirts so eye-catching.  I can't believe that you let them sit in UFOland for so long!  But then, if you had finished them back then, they might not have turned out so pretty.  After all, I'm assuming that there have been a few trips to Hong Kong, picking through piles of trims, between when you first started the skirts and now.  Your trim selections are wonderful.  I guess I'm casting my "fav UFO" vote for UFO2, with UFO1 the runner up by a thread!  ;D

Nora, sorry that pilot error caused you to lose your post. Don't you just hate that?  My fingers have been having a mind of their own lately on the keyboard as well.  It's dangerous for a moderator, because there are many more buttons to make a mistake with.  Sometimes I wonder if my mind hasn't just gone on vacation and forgotten to take me with it! ;D

Diane, how interesting about shiny/matte and prints.  I love big dramatic prints, especially in circle skirts, but tend to use shiny fabric (except doupioni, my all time favorite fabric) sparingly.  I can just imagine SB pulling you up to the front of the class as the example of an animated personality!  Those sewing weeks must be such great fun!

Barb, I just had to go through your green velvet suit album once again today.  The ensemble is such a work of art--understated and elegant.  To have such a creation, unworn, hanging in your closet is almost decadent!  It will knock the socks off the folks who get to see you in it this coming holiday season.  You make that embroidery machine sing, for sure, this time by making your own lace for trim for that cute little cami.  Once Amy sees it, she may want to make the top featured in that pattern as well.  It goes so nicely with the suit.  Thanks again for posting the link to that marvelous outfit.

Wow, I could just settle in and spend the morning absorbing all these wonderful posts!

I am so glad Liana, Andib, Nora and any others that I am not the only one who catches my pockets in doorknobs.  I have had some extremely ungraceful moments, so odd falls, and a few tears due to that tendency.  Oddly I don't catch my toes in my pants, feet too long I guess but I do catch my heels in them frequently.  Perhaps because I like them on the long side?  Or am I just clumsy.  I think there is a reason some people used to call me "clutzina".

Diane, the dress is really lovely and looks great with the alterations you made.  Thanks for the heads up on the waist length too.  I always lengthen, and I have a little chart with the average amount I need to lengthen for each pattern company, but it is good to know if a pattern differs from the norm and account for that before, I cut.

Thanks also for the whole sparkly/shiny/matte discussion as well.  I love sparkly things but am not comfortable in particularly sparkly clothes.  I even prefer my dupioni washed.  And I love prints but when I make or buy prints to wear next too my face they never get worn.  I like skirts better.  Hmmm.. I wouldn't think of myself as having an animated face though, perhaps it depends on which version of me gets out of bed that morning, the quiet one or the other one.

Barb, I remember that suit well and had a lovely time looking through your photos of it again.  Thanks for bringing it back to attention.  You do such beautiful work.

Vicki, the raspberry corduroy coat is absolutely fabulous and I love the lining and the pockets.  That coat is enough for me to be inspired to think of fall sewing, although I for one really do want to sew a few summer things first.  And both of the skirts are great, although I admit to thinking that UFO2 is really special and I almost started drooling when I saw it.  I had to go stuff my face with chocolate just to keep from ruining my keyboard.

Have a great day everyone!

Nora ~ the thermometer on my balcony last night said 95 degrees at 11:01 pm!  I know that I am a little further south and west of you but girl, it is hot where I am!  All I heard all night long was the hum of air conditioning units!  And it was 88 degrees when I left the house this morning at 6:20 am.  Just a little too warmish, for me!

Barb ~ I remember that green velvet suit!  I am so sorry that you didn't finish it last December and hope that you will get an opportunity to wear it this year.  It was such a stand-out because of the details!  I think your lace accented camisole is probably what finally pushed Kathryn over the embroidery edge!  You always make such wonderful, detail-oriented, can tell you spent weeks and months in your sewing room outfits!  I mean not that I am envious in any way!  ;)

Vicki ~ Great job on the skirts and the jacket.  I love trim!  And I love your use of trim in the skirts.  To me that is always a great way to update and truly make a garment "yours."  You've got me thinking that I need to take out my black/white fabric for the D&G knock-off skirt where the trim is already sewn and the skirt only needs to be constructed.  I put it away at the beginning of spring because it is definitely a fall look to me!  But I am inspired!  The corduroy jacket is wonderful also and has me thinking of fall jackets!  But the lining is priceless ~ really loved the details in your new pieces!

Diane ~ I have to admit that I had to go back and forth between the two pictures several times to see the subtle differences in the before and after.  You definitely fine-tuned the fit on that beautiful dress.  And I am glad that you had a great time in Las Vegas with your husband.

Liana ~ I haven't looked at your fashioned blog because I didn't know that you had started to update it.  Will definitely go over and check it out.

Speaking of fall fashions ~ I got the new issue of Marie Claire and it lists the ten top trends for fall.  Those plaids that Michael Kors used in his fall line are front and center.  I am glad that I have one piece to use and probably will get just one more for a jumper!  I can't believe I am contemplating making a jumper!  :)  I am truly a slave to fashion! *LOL*  This issue also had shorts made from a glen plaid fabric (Mardel sort of like the one you just got from FFC!) and this beautiful cashmere grey sweater with a deep v-neck that they showed how to wear with several different pieces to create different looks.  Of course, my DD gloamed onto that page and asked if she could visit the fabric closet!  Not!  Check your own four shelf stash first, thankyouverymuch!

It really hit me this weekend (probably because I wasn't sewing) that I only have about 6-7 more weeks of sewing so I need to whittle my summer sewing list down.  At first I thought there wasn't much on it but but I still have more than I can possibly finish so I have what I hope is now a more manageable list left:  2 dresses, 2 skirts, 2 pairs of pants, 2 tops, and a coordinated set of six pieces.  I still have to finish the jacket to my Prada Dreamsicle Swap ~ thanks, Kathryn for the new name! ~ and the black/white toile cardigan and matching tank.  And please, no comments on how fast I am because I am truly thinking I should slow down and make just one amazing outfit ala Barb!  I still need to make AG doll clothes for my niece's birthday which is quickly approaching and fall sewing visions are definitely dancing around in my head.  I really want to work on several sweatercoats from wonderful pieces that I bought at the end of last winter and a denim jacket or two.

Vicki, thanks for letting us dream there really are cool days to come.  Loved the coat and the skirts.  Congrats on your firsts, the pocket and for the great use of trims.  Editing to congratulate Vicki and to say thanks to Nora and I am sure we will get to see a coat from her soon.

Barb, that's a lovely green suit.  Loved the lace you made.  I can't image how many cones of thread that yardage required.

I felt sad about the injuries, but I had to laugh at the tripping on the wide pants legs...Grace is not my middle name either.  Thanks to all for their ideas on pants.

Diane, now I know what maman is and how to avoid the look.  You definitely looked hot, great job.

Carolyn, now I am off to look at the Michael Kors collection to see the plaids.   I want to look at the cashmere too.  Just editing to add thanks, some great ways to use plaids that exist in my stash and closet.

Susan

Nora, I'm doing some knitting at the moment with awkward shaping and I put a marker (a loop of contrasting thread, or you can buy plastic ones) just before the increase/decrease and just slip it on the next row(s). So when you get to the next shaping row you can see clearly where the last one was and position the next one without counting. A sort of pattern emerges which it only takes a few rows to learn. Hope yours are regular enough to do it this way?

Vicki, love your raspberry coat specially the lining and pockets. The patch one is a really good idea - and your printed lining is great, as are the skirts.

Sweltering here too, 93 in my garden this afternoon but no hum of a/cs here - domestic a/c just isn't something that we have. Hotter tomorrow we're told and then like all our heat waves it will end with a thunderstorm - and we really need the rain. My computer and sewing are in an upstairs south-facing room so I'm afraid I'm doing other things for the next day or so...

Ann, sadly, I already have a marker at the beginning of the increases, and I'm still too brain damaged to get it right. The problem is that there's no rhyme nor reason to the increases, at least none that I can see; you're making a half circle/pie, starting from just a couple of stitches. I'd have enough trouble if it called for an increase every four, then every five, then every six, and so on, stitches, but it's not that predictable. Maybe I'm missing the big picture. I'm quite sure the existing increases line up in ridges, but more get added every few rows, and I'm just not "getting" the pattern. I'm OK with regular patterns, it's the seeming randomness that's doing me in here. I suppose I could mark every increase...

Susan, it was Vicki who did the jacket and skirts, although I *wish* it was me ;D

I just came back from lunch, and it's toasty out there. One of the things that's keeping me out of my playroom, despite the fact that it's too hot to be in the garden right now, is that it has a bank of three windows that face southwest. This will be very nice when it's cooler, but not right now. I did find the air conditioner this weekend and put it in (as well as one in the bedroom), but I need to also install shades. I got Roman blinds last night; now they need to go up. I also got shelves from IKEA for the closet, so I can unpack the rest of my boxes. I'm almost there, for this room anyway.

Vicki,  What a great coat!  I love the color, and in fact, I was prepared to love it as soon as you said it was Raspberry colored. :)  I think there's something special about corduroy coats, too.  They have an insouciance just from the fabric itself, and that lining is just wonderful!  I love all your extra pockets, and they reminded me of Ann's lipstick pocket.  It's so nice when something is customized just for you.

Your skirt is just as nice!  I have to cast my vote for Skirt #2.  I love that lace, and I was wondering until I got to the close up, whether you'd attached the lace behind the hem or not.  Very nice combination of trims, fabric and pattern.  It's quite a success, I think.  You have me longing for cooler weather.

Nora, It's not so bad today, only about 90, but it's been 100 and over the last week plus, with humidity around 50% or more.  Tomorrow it's supposed to be 105, and then on from there.  There were readings of 110+ in the state yesterday, so it's very widespread.  No rain in sight either, so we are really pleased with the high dew-points, as humidity is the only thing keeping the crops from drying up right now.  I go out and water, and I'm dripping almost immediately.  It's just like a free sauna! ::)  Thanks for asking, as I know you all are having the same heatwave.  It seems to be from sea to shining sea.  (Probably hot water there, too!)

Carolyn,  I love plaids too, and am thinking about this skirt.  I've had the photo on my rolling list for a while, as I love the fabric manipulation.  It's from the Ruffian Fall 2006 RTW collection, shown on Style.com
(http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashionshows/F2006RTW/RUFFIAN/RUNWAY/00020m.jpg)

Barb, you made my day with your gorgeous version of that suit!  I agree with Kathryn that it is almost criminal to have something so beautiful hanging in the closet begging to be worn.  Your version of the suit will put mine to shame.  It is truly beautiful.

Diane, the NL dress is very nice.  The fit looks perfect, and your alterations made all the difference in the world. 

Fran, I got a good chuckle out of your story of the skirt parting ways with the bodice of your childhood dress.  LOL  What a funny story. 

Vicki, your UFO skirt #2 is very nice.  I love the trim.  What a nice and versatile skirt.  I love your raspberry coat too.  The pockets are beautiful.  It helps put me in the mood for more fall sewing.  While everyone is sweltering with summer heat now, I am still in the suit and fall sewing mindset.  Fall weather will come quickly in Fargo, and I won't have time to sew then. 

Well, back to the sewing room to work on that Simplicity suit now that Barb has inspired me with her lovely version. 

Liana, speaking of shirts of your husband, I wonder how many men do not fit their shirts.

It is beginning to drive me nuts that my husbands shirts do not fit nicely across the back, I am itching to cut and slash while he
is wearing one.  My fingers are truly beginning to itch to make him some shirts.

He has never worn short sleeves, but this summer he asked me to cut the sleeves off a couple of them, so I did, and now they
really do not fit, I guess a short sleeve is drafted differently than a longer sleeve, as I notice drag lines more so now across the
back than I did before - being tall 6.6 men do tend to stoop.

Ann I understand about the airconditioning.  We never had either that or central heating in NZ and still don't.  When I was a kid
the fire did not get lit until 3pm, that was a ritual, and us kids were so glad, because it really was cold.

Not that this is any consolation, but my brother in NZ said they are having a rather wet and cold winter, I hope that is not going to
follow over here.

It has been very hot here in the northwest too, they are forecasting temps for the 90's on the weekend, and I don't pick
beans, runner beans that is, until the end of august, this year and last year, I have been picking them in July.

I liked it in NZ in the summer because it still rained, it would pour, but then be fine for days, here we have months without so
much as a drop, although we never really have water restrictions, where we did at home, but having a good shower of rain
is just so good for the plants, its like giving them a dose of fertilizer.

So I guess then I am not the only one not able to sew when its really hot, my sewing room, even with the air conitioner gets
just too hot.

Fran

Liana, thank you for posting that skirt.  I love, love, love it.  It fits so perfectly with my current project list.  What inspiration, I love the fabric movement on the front.  It is a definite keeper.  With your eye for fashion, what else have you seen manipulating plaids?

Does anyone have a good mail order source for YLI zippers?  Google results weren't much.  I need to order a bunch.

Susan

Debbie, I like your blog.  Thank you for the tutorial or article on the coverstitch.  You have the baby lock cover stitch, is there something that you don't like about the baby lock?
Dia

Hi Susan, it looks like my favorite mailorder sources only stock YKK zips - SewTrue (http://sewtrue.com/index.html) and Atlanta Thread and Supply (http://store.atlantathread.com/) .

Tell me about YLI zips: what sets them apart? Thanks.

Liana, I love that skirt you posted.  What a really neat way to work with plaid.  I hadn't looked at that collection either, but see I will have to go check it out.  You always find the most wonderful things. Obviously you have a great eye for detail.

Yeah, I sympathize with not sewing.  My sewing room is on the hot end of the house but luckily it is not on the west.  It does cool off in the evening a little faster than the room next to it which is southwest.  It seems hard because about the time I am ready to get into the sewing room it becomes beastly in there.

This too will pass, or so they tell me anyway.

Thanks Nora, Kathryn, Mardel (LOL), Carolyn, Susan, Ann, Liana and Amy for your kind feedback on my skirts and coat.  I think skirt no 2 is my fav as well.  I wore it out shopping today and it stood up to the workout ;D

Liana, I love that plaid skirt (or check as we call them here).  I have another UFO - Red and black plaid cut on the bias.  I had put in the invisible zip but did a bad job and broke it!  But I am not keen on the red and black. 

I have just checked out your Fashioned blog, Liana.  Wow, some very interesting stuff there.  I am happy to see bows will still be around next year!  And embelishment ;)

Amy ~ I am sure that your suit will be just as beautiful as Barb's!  I am so looking forward to seeing the finished pieces?  Are you going to do another one after this or will you then have enough to wear for the competitions?

Liana ~ what a great example of a plaid skirt!  Now how did they accomplish that diagonal plaid in the center of the skirt?  Do you think it was woven into the fabric or cut and sewn that way?

The weather finally broke here last night but there are huge power outages due to either the terrible thunderstorms we had last night or just the mass of humanity trying to keep cool.  Yesterday at work they lowered the power in our building because the subways were losing power and the electricity went out at LaGuardia Airport!  It was just toooo hot here!  Liana ~ we don't seem to be having any issues with rain!

Your weather broke Carolyn!  You are not that far away!  Well, it's only in the mid to upper 80s here, but the humidity is continuing in the 70-80% range during the day.  Oops, Alert, they tell me it will drop to the 50% range for a few short hours this afternoon before returning to the previous pattern.  Oh well.  I am sorry I complained about too much rain.  We could use some now.  It is all south of us.

I want to know about that skirt too.  I think it is pieced.  Liana, what is your take?

Our weather broke yesterday.  It was relatively cool (in the 80s) with a bit of a breeze.  Good nighttime sleeping weather, IMHO.

Leave it to you, Liana, to post a photo that gets all of our creative juices percolating!  That's such a cute skirt.  I bet a quilter or two is even eyeing it to see what would be done with a mixture of wool fabrics.  It's all about the subtlety of color to counterbalance the strong design of the plaid.  Very nice.  Thanks so much, Liana.

Vicki, with your coloration, I can see why red and black don't instantly appeal.   But for a skirt, with a simple black sweater, I think it would look wonderful on you!  I made one a few years back from a Nancy Erickson fabric that she called "schoolgirl plaid". Here's the link:

Schoolgirl plaid skirt (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fzxdoc/detail?.dir=7024&.dnm=eccd.jpg&.src=ph)

It's great to wear with knee high boots in the wintertime.  Not that you have much of that where you live in Australia!

I have had wonderful success with zippers ordered from www.zipperstop.com, Diane, where I get YKK zippers.  I think Mardel orders from them as well.  I have heard that YLI zippers are some of the better-made ones (edited to add: OOPS, I think YLI is a brand of thread.  That's what I must have been thinking of!).  Only once in my lifetime did I have a zipper separate on me.  Of course it was on a fitted sheath and the zipper was from my stash, and was a zillion years old, since it was an unusual color.  Once that happens (especially in a public place--I was at a meeting at the time) it makes one run, not walk, first to the ladies room to try to fix the errant zipper and second to a website that sells a good quality zipper such as YLI (edit: oops again) or YKK!  It's an eerie feeling, having a zipper slowly undo itself down your back, as you squirm to position yourself against a wall and wall-walk like very a large bug out of the meeting room! ;D ;D ;D

Oooh, Dia, I'm eager to hear about Debbie's coverstitch as well.  I have a couple of friends who have coverstitch machines, and I have machine envy, even though I don't sew that much with knits.  A single-purpose machine sounds so decadently delicious!

It was around 102 both Saturday and Sunday. Yesterday it got up to 108. Forecast says 100's for the next few days, breaking on Friday with thunderstorms. After the storms the forecast says low 90s.

I'm SO glad I have a car with A/C now! OMG!

On the sewing front, I am going to purchase Wild Ginger's Pattern Master Boutique on Friday (payday...) I've been browsing Pattern Review of all the lovely things that have been made with this software. I think it will also help me out in furthering my knowledge of patterns and how they go together. I have LOTS of books that can help with construction. Most of the time when using patterns I have to refer to them anyway instead of the pattern sheet.

I can't WAIT to play with it and make a simple top! That FITS! And I'll be making lots of shorts in order to test the pant patterns. Ohhh do I have plans!

Yes, I too have ordered zippers from zipperstop with great success.  I haven't used YLI zippers but the YKK have been good and I've not had a problem with them.

I was so lazy yesterday that all I did on my suit was press the lapels in place.  I really should do more today.  Speaking of tweed suits, Does anyone out there have an easier tip for transferring dart markings to tweeds and other fabrics that refuse to show tracing paper or pencil marks?  This particular tweed is being rather a beast when it comes to markings.  Tried everything from markers to tracing paper.  Is there something I am missing?

Carolyn, this is not the last suit I have planned.  I have so many suit fabrics in my stash just begging to be made up, and I do need them this year.  I have a feeling time and ambition will run out on me before I get them all done, however.  I would like to get at least two more done before the school year starts.  I can have two "cheater" suits by just making a couple of quick skirts too.  I managed to find two very nice jackets on the clearance rack at the mall for a really great price, but both need skirts.  I have been on the hunt for some chocolate brown colored skirt fabric to match the one, but the fall fabrics don't seem to be out yet in our local shops.  Hopefully soon.  I got these lined, nice quality jackets for $20 each!  :o

Liana,  I just had a look at your Fashioned blog.  What inspiration!  I loved seeing all the new jacket and skirt looks since I am in suit mode at the moment.  It looked as though the tailored jacket is still in, and most it seemed were paired with more flared or full skirts.  I love that look.  I do hope it translates to the RTW fashions this year.  In Fargo, however, I think things are a few years behind.  :)

Speaking of tweed suits, Does anyone out there have an easier tip for transferring dart markings to tweeds and other fabrics that refuse to show tracing paper or pencil marks? This particular tweed is being rather a beast when it comes to markings. Tried everything from markers to tracing paper. Is there something I am missing?

What about tailor tacks? This is my favorite method of marking. Just popping in for a luchtime fix asI have been busy these last few weeks. Looks like I have much to catch-up on.

I love tailor tacks, too. Since I tend to cut things out in batches, and then approach construction slowly, tailor tacks are the marking method with the longest "shelf life."

Kathryn, your "schoolgirl" skirt is gorgeous. You and Vicki have me longing for a closet full of beautiful skirts and little tops to wear with them. Also, Kathryn, thanks for the link to the other zipper source. I too have always had good luck  with the YKK zips. Your busted zip story was funny, although I'm sure that wasn't funny at the time  :o

Liana, I can't wait to dawdle over your fashion blog. Thanks for all the work that went into putting that together.

Amy, I use tailor tacks as well, only I use that thin elastic thread for my tailor tacks because the thread is sort of grabby and doesn't fall out as easily as the cotton thread I have used in the past.  Just get a big-eyed needle and a spool of elastic thread, and tailor tack away across that tweed!

Diane, thanks for the compliments on my plaid skirt.  It's an oldie but a goodie, for sure!  You're right about the zipper feeling I had at the meeting.  I was soooo embarrassed, especially after having garnered so many compliments on the dress about my making it!  It was great for my humility  ;D !  Since I hate berating inanimate objects (no real gain since they can't offer any rebuttal), I just looked at the zipper balefully before going online to order its replacement.  ;)

Amy, tailor tacks would always be my preferred way.

There is a mini tutorial here. (http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,342.0.html)

Hope this helps...

Kathryn, Diane and Mardel thank you for the zipper sources.  I think I goofed about the name of the zipper, as Google didn't turn up with any.  I am sure now it is YKK.  I have to admit to being lazy about getting them locally.  But after Kathryn's story I may be getting over that.  The store that sells them is in a nightmare traffic area on the way to the airport and the tech corridor and there is never a good time to go for just a zipper.

Liana, I want to add my thanks to those already said, I love your sharp eye for fashion trends.  Also a big thanks to Carolyn.  Between the two of you, I get to enjoy fashion trends with the limited time I have.

Congrats Amy on the two new jackets, that's a great way to get new suits.

Fran, glad your old buddy is back.  I am sure that feels good.

Ann, nice question abouta marking.  I will enjoy seeing the replies from all the creative people here.

Susan

Carolyn & Mardel,  I think it's probably pieced.  It's just 2 squares out of the same fabric turned on point, and probably pieced, although I would think you could appliqué it, especially if it's a thinner wool, as that appears to be.  I have no idea if they did the same thing in the back, but I suppose they could have, although you wouldn't have to, by any means.  Wouldn't a plain back with a bias kick pleat look cute?  And yes, Kathryn, I suppose the quilters would have the advantage over us here! ;D

Amy,  How nice to have 2 suits half-done before you've begun!  As you noticed, there are lots of suits shown, and quite a few of them are coordinated rather than matching pieces, so you're ready to go.  I've wondered too, why the local fabric shops never get the fall fabric much earlier than fall RTW hits the stores.  After all, we need a little lead time, thank you!  That's one thing nice about living in a "fashion backwater".  There's plenty of time to catch a trend before it leaves the area (or even gets there.)

I've never ordered zippers online, but I'm about to order a 46" bag-style, double-pull zipper with the large, plastic teeth in a wild color.  It's for an unusual bag I'm going to copy, and I keep seeing it in a wild floral print on white with a white zipper, but I really don't want a white-based bag!  So, I'm planning on something entirely different, but the zipper will still be a focal point.  Anyway, I was very pleased to find that ZipperSource (http://www.zippersource.com/) will make any size, style and color you want, and their minimum quantity it ONE zipper! :)  I had almost given up, until I found them.  Has anyone ordered from them?

Susan, YLI is a brand of thread.  That's what I must have been thinking of when I responded to your post about the "YLI zipper".  Sorry for the confusion!  I've gone back and edited my zipper post. :-[ 8)

Liana, that www.zippersource site is a really kewl one.  I hadn't seen it before.  Let us now how that rockin' zipper looks when you get it! ;D

Amy -
I use tailor tacks on every fabric for every project, or a modified version, anyway. I had a bad experience with tracing paper a long time ago (It never washed out of the fabric) and whatever it was, was ruined. I cannot now remember what the fabric was, I suspect cotton, or even the project - it is a bad memory. I use contrasting thread, though, not always soft white cotton thread as Ann does, so I can see it.

Kathryn, your plaid skirt is beautiful.  I really love the waist treatment.  Mmm, I am thinking maybe a belt with piping?  My skirt is just Aline, but I do  have heaps of extra fabric.  And lining, I wonder if I have anything interesting......


I hope ladies the weather cools a bit for you.  What you need is some balmy evenings to wear those summer frocks out to buy icecream ;D  Here it is 5.8c (42f) at 11.30 in the morning and I have the central heating and a fan heater going!   :(

The reason I use soft cotton thread - not always white - as opposed to regular thread is because it's less likely to damage the fabric when its removed. Most sewing thread these days has a polyester content, for strength, but that means that it can cut through softer fibres when it's removed.

I use it (soft cotton) for basting too, although I know that some people prefer silk because it's less likely to leave an impression from the iron. But I've never had that problem.

I also try to use a colour that's not a strong contrast (I used white for the photos so that you could see it) so that any tiny threads left behind don't show and also to prevent "crocking"  - the transfer of colour from the thread to the fabric as you pull it through.  I've seen a row of pink spots on white fabric as that so-visible red thread was removed - not me!
I have black - for black and grey, white - for white and pale colours, and beige - for everything else, and if I'm close enough to see to stitch then I can see the tailor tacks too.

Catching up again---

Vicki your coat is such a wonderful colour and this and the skirts looks great on you. 

Diane E.  You dress is so nice on you----worth the time you took to make it fit as you like it----The comments on the sihiney fabric are interesting.  I am attracted to bright and shiney, but hardly ever wear it.  Of course this doesn't stop me from buying these types of fabrics---- ;D

Nora glad to hear your PI is getting better.  A hint regarding fly or mosquito bites to take the itch out-- Apply a dab of clear nail polish to the bite---it does work, something about the air not getting to the bite.  I read this in a novel of all things.  I think it was a Tami Hoag novel---someone was talking about being bitten by chiggers and this was the suggested remedy.  So I thought heck, give it a try, and it does work.

Amy good to see your eye is better and you are getting some more of your excellent sewing done.

Kathryn---I enjoyed looking at your school girl plaid skirt, so very nice---I don't think things like this ever go out of style..

I feel like such a slacker here when I read about all your wonderful stylish garments.  I hope I haven't missed anyone, and if I have I apologize.  I have been sewing up a stack of tees, which I had cut out early in May.  Very ordinary and boring in comparison to the fashions I see here. ::)  I am taking my time with the finishing of hems, as I am awaiting delivery of a new CoverStitch machine, which should be here tomorrow or Monday at the latest.

Finally the weather here in Nova Scotia is more reasonable and seasonable.  Last night it went down to about 15C or 60F, which used to be the norm here.  But, in the last few years our climate has changed dramatically. 

Deirdre

I think this Global Warming thing has us all mistrusting the weather, even though it's seasonal spikes and lows have been going on for a long time.  It's hard to know what is due to what, but I'm glad for one that summertime weather is back, with the hot days and the cooler nights.  I think the thunderstorms have been particularly evil this summer in our area.  So strong!

Vicki and Deirdre, I'm glad you like that little plaid skirt.  The plaid looks I see for Fall show some of that playing with plaids, using different angles. 

Deirdre, when your new coverstitch machine arrives, you'll be whipping right through that stack of T-shirts. Did you get inspired by Debbie's coverstitch machine, as Dia did, or have you been thinking about getting one for a long time, and just decided to take the plunge?  I'm assuming you'll be using it on all of your machine knit projects as well.  You'll really be putting it to good use.  Too bad we don't live closer.  I could knock on your door to borrow a cup of coverstitch for the rare knit top that I make!  ;D ;D ;D

For marking pieces ~ I use both methods.  Sometimes I mark with tracing wheel and paper, sometimes I tailor tack.  I think in my case it has to do with how fast I am going!   I know, I know that fast is a dirty word but if I am making a simple straight skirt ~ tracing wheel and paper it is!

Deidre ~ I do sooooo much more ordinary and boring than vavaboom sewing!  I mean its against the law to go out in public without clothes on and I usually like what I make so much better than what I can find in the stores!  Also, by sewing it myself, I can make some of the skinny girl clothes in a plus size!  Why manufacturers still don't do that ~ I don't know!  But I guess I should rant about that some other place!  ;D ;D  BTW, congratulations on the new coverstitch machine!  And I for one would love to see your new t-shirts!

My weekend plans have changed so I am going to get to sew some this weekend after all! Yippee! Y'know this would happen right after I have cleaned off my sewing table and put the fabric away that I am just not going to realistically get to this season.  I just haven't figured out if I should make one great dress to take with me on vacation or start work on a bigger project!  Guess I will share when I decide.

Carolyn, thinking of your weekend sewing plans has inspired me to NOT work hard on painting our bedroom but sew tommorrow, so on the weekend I am doing the "grunt" work when my DH can see it.  Somehow I feel guilty sewing when he is working like a dog.  THis way I still get to sew and won't feel guilty, and I will still get th egrunt wok done!

After reading pages of posts I have to compliment all of you on your garments....Diane I like that dress on you, and it makes me wonder if I should take it off my to do pile, as you look so sleek and fit in it!  Note to myself: restart Pilates!

Barb, you suit is wonderful!!!  Hopefully you can find a lot of occasions to wear it this winter.

I love your coat and skirts Vicki!  How I would love to have cooler weather!!  I don't know how people manage without A/C...I am not a big fan of A/C, but anything over 85F I need it.

I am sorry if I missed anyone by name...everyone has such lovely work, it really keeps me inspired to keep at it!  Thanks to all of you!!

Thanks to all for the advice to use tailor tacks.  This is, in fact, what I ended up doing.  I have to say that I use tailor tacks on some projects like this one where nothing else will work, but admit that they are not my most frequent method.  I tend to opt, like Carolyn, for tracing paper for speed on smaller projects, and a marking pencil and dot system on other things.  I think I got out of the habit of tailor tacks because I had a few bad experiences with them showing with pressing and leaving marks in bridal satin even with silk thread.  ::)  I have only one type of tracing paper that I will use.  I get it in 24"x36" sheets from Active Trimmings.  The chalky nasty stuff that Dritz makes and sells at the fabric shops is horrible.  It won't wash out of anything!  I use the large sheets I get to transfer beading designs too.  I hardly ever use a wheel though, preferring a dull pencil. 

The suit is nearly done, but my gosh I am moving slowly.  Seems like I keep getting interrupted on this project.  I do have my next one planned out though, so I should be ready to start another soon. 

Carolyn, I received my new machine yesterday, but haven't even had a chance to look at it yet.  Meanwhile here is a picture of a watch I embroidered on the wrist of a long-sleeved tee that I made of black rayon/lycra from Timmel Fabrics.  I made this the end of April, and haven't yet worn it, but I am  pleased with the result.
(http://f3.yahoofs.com/users/41ce59f7ze8bde894/cc56re2/__sr_/b2d5re2.jpg?phgTMwEBSqZZUVYo)
I glued Swarovsky crystals at the hour, half-hour and quarter-hour points on the watch

Kathryn, I have wanted a coverstitch for a long time.  In fact the Huskylock 936 that I purchased about a 1 1/2 years ago, does have the coverstich, but I am too lazy to convert it.  The Janome 1000CP was discussed on the Creative sewing list (a Yahoo group) a while ago and had great reviews, so as they say the rest is history.

Deirdre

Deirdre, what a cute t-shirt that must be, with the machine embroidered watch as embellishment.  I assume the watch is waterproof  ;).  It is really a clever design, and you're sure to garner tons of compliments when the weather cools, giving you the chance to wear your new shirt. 

Enjoy your coverstitch machine!

Deirdre,  I can't see your photo, but it sounds really cute.  I can't wait to hear how you like your new coverstitch machine.  With all the knits you work with, I should think it would be the perfect stand-alone machine for you.


I've been working away on DH's shirt that I will enter in the fair, and will probably finish today or tomorrow.  I feel like a real gambler this year, as I'm only making one.  Usually I start with about 3 or 4, and quit on them as they become "non-fair-worthy". ;)  (I go back and finish them later.)  So, this one has to be perfect from the start. :P  It's some of this wonderful Swiss cotton that looks and feels like silk, it's so smooth and fine, so I didn't have much fear of the fabric fighting with me, which is usually where the problems arise.

But, the really great news is.....it's raining! ;D ;D :) :)  Actual rain, too, none of this .10" stuff.  Looks like an inch so far, and it's still coming down. 

Deirdre, I can see your photo just fine.

Liana, I would love to ship you some of the rain we've had this month.  We've had standing water near my perennial bed that lasts for 2 to 3 days after each thunderstorm, the ground is so saturated.  Look for a HUGE box from me via UPS with some thunderclouds in it  ;) .  Best of luck on your State Fair entry!

Deidre ~ you and Kathryn have a special arrangement because I can't see the picture either?!  And I so want too because your design sounds soooo cute!

Liana ~ glad you finally got rain!  Hope more of ours goes to visit you.  Everything here is soooo very lush and getting a little overgrown since it has been so well watered!

Hi Deirdre!

Based on the properties for the red-x in your post (I can't see the picture either) you direct-linked or "hot linked" your photo from yahoo photos.  Unfortunately, they don't allow direct linking—and if you do it, they generally break the link after a few hours.  I'm guessing that Kathryn got to your photo before the link was broken (lucky girl!) and is probably seeing it now based on a cached image on her computer...she might lose it if she refreshed the page when she's on it, BTW.  The rest of us apparently didn't get to it soon enough. :(

Could you edit your post to give us a link to the photo in the yahoo album?  (Yahoo wants us to see their ads, afterall... ::)—and we still want to see the t-shirt!) 

There's information on photo posting/linking here (http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,124.msg331.html#msg331).  You used method #2 (which is my favorite too...), but since you use Yahoo Photos, you need to use #1...  Let me know if you need more info!

Thanks,

Lisa

Thanks Lisa

I am giving this another try:

Watch machne embroidered on a long-sleeve, black rayon/lycra tee:

Deirdre, hope you get the photo post sorted out - it sounds great and I too would like to see it.

Liana - you can wish some of your rain on me please! Still dry as a bone here.  And good luck with your shirt!

Kathryn - belatedly - your plaid skirt, I love it! Is/was there a pattern? Looks my sort of shape.

Edited to add-
Got the photo Deirdre and its absolutely lovely! What a great idea. Where did the design come from?

Thank you Kathryn----I think it will be waterproof, but the tee is black, so maybe it won't have to see water that often ;)

I can't wait to get to the coverstich machine----the tees I have ready for this step are all coloured, and the machine is already set up with white thread.  So I figure I can knock off a white tee from the pile already cut out and give it a whirl before changing threads. 

Ann-hopefully by now, the picture problem is fixed---

Weather----I guess parts of our province are in for some nasty weather later today---remants of the hurricane moving up the East coast.

Deirdre,

Love the embroidered watch!  Thanks for uploading the picture!  Everyone will be able to see this for a while, but remember that uploaded pictures (method #3) are subject to deletion after 30 days, so it should be considered temporary. :(  Consider adding a link as well, or get a photohosting site that will allow you to hot link!

Thanks again,

Lisa

Deirdre, that is such a great embroidery job and so clever and original idea for the T.  Makes me want to get the embroidery module going.  Between you, Kathryn and Ann, I am really hungry to go play with the embroidery module.

Liana and Ann, I think most of us would send our rain your way if it were possible.  The ground is so saturated, any accumulation of water just stands for several days.

Happy weekend to all.

Susan

Ann, I'm so happy that you like the plaid skirt.  The pattern is Vogue 7318 and is OOP.  I checked EBay but don't see it listed there.  You might try the OOP pattern service at www.voguepatterns.com.  That skirt does look like you, Ann  ;).

Deidre ~ I am sooooo impressed!  When I first looked at the picture (thanks for getting it loaded!) I thought it was an actual watch and wondered where the embroidery was?  ROTFLOL!  That is some serious embroidery because it looks real!  Great job!

Dierdre I love the watch.  That is so clever and so beautifully done.

Ok, I want to spend more time with the embrodiery module.  You all will get me beyond the brief dabbling I have done lately.  But even more I want to sew something I can wear out the door,.

Deidre, I did the exact same thing as Carolyn -- when I rolled down the new posts I saw the watch and thought it was a real watch until I read all the posts!  I does look very real.  What a neat idea!  I love it. 


I have finished my tweed suit all except for a buttonhole which I will do in a few minutes.  Pictures will come along soon.  I ended up not lining the ruffle as I had discussed, but simply hemming it because the tweed seems like it might have a tendency to "grow" and I didn't want it to outgrow the lining and lose shape. 

Liana, I can't wait to see you fair entries.  I remember seeing your DH's shirts you made a while ago for the fair.  I am also glad to hear you are getting rain.  I hope some of it comes up north to us.  We could use it. 

Deirdre,  What a great detail on that Tee!  I thought it was real, too.  I'm so impressed that you could do that, and on a knit too!  I would think that would be even tougher, and yet that watch has so much detail which is just perfect.

Thanks for the good rain wishes, everyone!  Amy,  I hope you get some soon.  They put out a new drought monitor yesterday, and I notice that ND is in bad shape.  Actually, a huge portion of the country is rated at least Unusually Dry if not worse.

Thanks for the good shirt wishes, too! ;)

Deirdre, the watch is very clever. I laughed when I saw it, since I was scrolling upward through the posts and knew what it was. Very cute idea...

Liana, I was somewhat nonplussed when you said something about lack of rain the other day. As Carolyn said, we've had so much we'd happily give some of it away. I guess I should pay more attention to what's going on around the country. Anyway, I hope your inch or so is a harbinger of more to come, and that all the folks in drought stricken areas see some moisture come their way soon.

We have house guests this weekend, so not much of anything will get done. But it will be good to see our guests, as it has been several months. I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Thank you Amy, Ann, Carolyn, Liana, Lisa, Mardel, Nora and Susan for all of your compliments on the watch. 

Liana - it was really very easy to do.  It was my first stitchout with my recently purchased embroidery machine the Janome 300E.  It was a very dense design but stitched out beautifully, even though I used a heavier-weight thread than recommended for this design.

Ann- I have had this design for probably ten years, since I first had my Husqvarna #1+.  I believe it was a free download from a site in Europe, perhaps Balarad.  Back then some of the commercial digitizers were offering a lot of excellent free downloads from their sites and they were always exceptional.  I always had in the back of my mind to stitch it out on a black tee and finally did.  Sometimes it takes time to get things done, you know  :o ;D

I really encourage anyone who has the embroidery capability on their machine to get with the program and use it.  I see that embroidery on garments is still a pretty hot item and notice that the new Marfy catalogue shows a suit with embroidery, which brought to mind the man's suit that Ann mentioned a week or so ago. 

Mardel - speaking of Marfy, I never did answer your post on the Marfy topic when you asked what took my eye.  To tell the truth each time I look at the catalogue I see something more that I like, so it would probably take forever to answer you.  I still think that coat you picked is one of the best as far as the coats go. 

Deirdre

Deirdre, I don't think 10 years is out of line at all!  Sometimes it takes a while for the perfect "canvas" for an idea to show up.  Really nice, though.  I know what you mean about the Marfy catalog.  I keep seeing things I like, but I guess that is the idea, after all!  Speaking of embroidered suits, (and I know which one you mean, I liked it too) Valentino has one in his Fall Couture collection that is fabulous.  The placement of the motifs is just masterful.  Here's a photo of the front and the back.
(http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashionshows/F2006CTR/VALENTIN/RUNWAY/00140m.jpg) (http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashionshows/F2006CTR/VALENTIN/RUNWAY/00150m.jpg)

Nora, I can understand why you're surprised by anyone with no rain, as it's hard for me to realize that somewhere, someone is actually getting some rain! ;)

Oh Liana, I agree that suit is absolutely wonderful (the Valentino that is) I had saved a copy to my inspiration folder and was hoping you had liked it too, one of the reasons I was eagerly awaiting your Valentino review.  It is things like that that will finally get me embroidering.  Although not too soon as I am not going to put all that work and time into a suit that will be too big in a couple of months. 

And Dierdre, everytime I look at the Marfy, the lists get bigger and bigger.  I have not been capable of doing any winnowing yet.  I still love the coat though, and the dress Liana posted, I think on the Marfy thread.

Deirdre the watch is just masterful, so ingenius.  I heard that the Janome 300E does not have a colour screen, it comes up
in black and white, does that bother you.  I have been toying with the idea of an embroidery machine for a long time, the one
thing I tend not to like about them, is that the dense designs make the fabric stiff - I've tended to get more into applique
with my grandkids things, which is what I would be using it for, on the other hand I really want a coverlock machine.  Its not a cheap
hobby sewing is it!

Liana, I just love that suit too.  I guess one reason why I like your 'fashioned' is that I tend to like a lot of the same things, plus
you put things that I would copy out, even if the garment is not that nice, often its a cuff, or a collar treatment or something that
we are looking for.

I do not think that things date that quickly, unless its such a definite fashion statement like the football shoulders in the 80's were.
They were dated almost overnight.  But on the other hand I still have patterns from the 80's that I wouldn't hesitate to make
again, because they are classical and with little updates on them, they are new again.

I think thats truly what makes some of these European designers so good at their job, they are able to make a fashion statement
without often being blatent about it, so that the next season, its out.

I hate the way Harpers Bazaar have at the end of their mag every month 'whats in, whats out' - how can something be out
in the matter of a few months.

Mardel, have you seen the embroidered trim around, its beaded and quite expensive, but lovely.  I intent to make full use of it on some of my fall sewing this year, if its ever cool enough to get into my sewing room again, the temps hit 97 round here today.

Fran

Thanks Deirdre and Andib for the compliments on my coat and skirts.

Deirdre - I would also love to see your tshirts.  I love knit tops, they are so comfortable. ;)  Your watch top is fantastic!  Why haven't you worn it?  It looked real to me!

Amy - I am looking forward to seeing your suit.  I am keen to make one, but am finishing up bits and pieces first.

While you all have been sleeping I have done a review of a dress I made on Friday.  The fabric has a story.  A friend from Brisbane (QLD Aust) got the fabric for me from a shop near where she lives.  It reminded her of a Missoni dress the cost $2300 and thought the colours would suit me.  Two other Melbourne girls also asked Vonne to buy them some as well.  So I wanted to be the first to make it up  >:D.  But I really wanted the stripes to be horizontal but the stretch was going the other way.  In the end I chose a simple style and hoped for the best!  It survived dinner out last night for DH's birthday and it didn't fall apart or stretch out of shape.
PatternReview of dress (http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=15289)

Happy weekend sewing everyone!

Vicki,  What a great dress!  You look wonderful in it, and those really are your colors.  It does look like a Missoni, too.  I like all your design changes.  You are really good with trim and what to use on a garment to really give it that special touch.

Mardel,  That suit makes me think a little more strongly about an embroidery machine too. 

Fran, Thank you!  I agree that it's often a garment that you don't like as a whole that will have some part or detail that is just perfect. 

Vicki, just love that dress!  I must admit that I haven't looked at McCall's catalogue for ages; I should.  The zig-zag hem was an inspired decision - what class!

Meanwhile I'm progressing with my embroidered sleeve idea - nothing like that wonderful Valentino of course, but at least a nod to current thinking. It will be a while yet before I have anything to post..

Vicki, thank you.  I haven't worn it as we went away just after I made it and didn't take it with me, and when we came back it's just been too hot.  But I am sure I will wear it lots in the cooler weather.

Your new dress looks great on you---especially the colours, perfect on you.

Deirdre

Fran, thank you.  You are right the 300E doesn't have a colour screen, but I am used to that as the Husq #1+ doesn't have a screen at all for the embroidery unit.  I don't have a problem visualizing the colours I want.  I know some people seem to not be able to do this.  It always amazed me when I was selling knitting machines and teaching, that people would say they didn't like a particular garment in a magazine or book, and when I asked why, they usually said it was the colour.  I had to assure some of them that they could knit the garment in any colour they liked, but some just weren't able to visualize it.  Strange, isn't it?

Fran, there are some wonderful things done with applique on the embroidery machines.  I think you would enjoy something like the 300E standalone unit.

You mentioned the 'football shoulder' look of the 80's.  Am I the only one here, that liked that look?  :o  I thought on the right person the whole look could be very slimming, and there were some really beautiful sweaters made back then.  I noticed when looking through the latest Harper's that they are showing some drop-shoulder sweaters and I mean drop shoulders, really kind of sloppy looking.

Deirdre

Vicki, the dress looks wonderful on you, and I like the way you picked up the turquoise color for the accents.  The little zig zag hem is a great idea. How lucky for you that the fabric does not ravel or run, allowing you to be creative.  I absolutely love the colors on you.  Your DH must have been one proud guy to have you on his arm for his birthday fete last night!

Fran, I love the last page of Harpers--the one that prounounces what's in, what's out.  I always get a good laugh from it.  It helps me keep my obsession with fashion in perspective  ;D.  Mostly, what they decree as "out" hasn't even hit the stores where I live yet, sometimes for good reason, though!

Vicki ~ I love the dress.  My DD was standing over me as we looked at your pictures and we both said "ahhh" at the same moment when the picture of the dress's hem came up!  It truly is a wonderful dress!

Deidre ~ you are not alone with loving the 80's styles.  I did too!  To me the "football shoulder pad" was open to interpretation ~ you didn't have to go 2" with a shoulder pad when 1" achieved the same silhoutte!  But the clothes were more tailored, more feminine.  Hey I was a big Dynasty fan and I loved Alexis and Krystal's outfits!  Nolan Miller was the fashion king! *LOL*

The DD who sews also works part-time at Talbots and has just handed me the new Fall Catalog!  I am starting to get excited!  Fall is definitely in the air.  So I am off shortly to start sewing up the last of my summer pieces and to start dreaming of fall!

Fran, I have seen some of the new beaded trims and think they can be quite gorgeous.  I will probably get some and do something on a jacket or coat but I am not sure quite what yet.

Vicki, I saw the dress on Patternreview before coming over here and it is fabulous and looks spectacular on you.  Those colors are just perfect for your complexion and hair.  Wow oh wow!  Your DH must have been thrilled to show you off.

Dierdre and Carolyn, I love the 80's too but often modified the shoulder pads to be not quite so big.  A lot of those clothes were so tailored but soft and feminie too.  I just loved  the styles then; and still do love many of them.  I don't think some of my favorite 80s patterns will ever leave my stash, and they will be remade.  I also think a lot of those styles flattered a wider range of women than some of the styles today do, but there are always a lot of extreme things at any point in time.  Besides for me, It was an attractive look as I am tall and have broadish shoulders.  It was a look I have always been able to pull off rather well, far more easily than the small close rounded shoulders that were popular more recently.

Vicki, I saw your beautiful dresses at PR. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. Your trims are lovely and inspiring.

I am away from fast internet for the weekend (so can't view much of what's being discussed here), but I also wanted to say that I saw your trompe-l'oeuil watch, Dierdre, and loved it. Art like yours helps me to expand my view of what can be done with machine embroidery. Creating lace (like what Barb did for her green velvet suit's cami) and creating an embellishment like your watch, puts embroidery machines on an elevated plane.

When I bought my sewing machine, Winnie the Pooh sold me on the embroidery unit  :o I was a nursing mother at the time, and all I could imagine were cute little embroideries on baby clothes. Those babies are long out of their onesies, and my machine has gone from the extremes of producing Winnie and little flowers on tea towels to using only its straight-stitch and zig-zag for clothing construction. At some point I found the creative grey area. Although my machine is no longer state of the art, there are still plenty of designers like Angie Spong in New Zealand (http://www.angies.co.nz/) making lovely art for my dear middle-aged Pfaff. Also, thanks to folks like Carol and Mel Patrick at WabbitWanch (http://www.wabbitwanch.com/), people like me, with a Macintosh computer, Pfaff, and limited patience, have learned to digitize embroidery designs.

Well, I didn't mean to go on and on! Now I'll get my just desserts when I have to wait for this message to post (tick-tock tick-tock).

Carolyn - a me too ;D ;D on watching Dynasty.  I thought the clothes were fabulous.  I must admit I am now a Y&R junkie, for the most part because I like to see what they are wearing.  They are always up to date, if not ahead of the game in fashion. 

Mardel - I am not tall,  but those big-shouldered styles seemed to suit me as well; probably because I was naturally big-shouldered in comparison to my slim bottom half.  Thus, I often could wear these styles without even wearing shoulder pads.  Now, of course my bottom half is catching up to my top half  :(

Diane - thank you for the compliments on my watch.  You mentioned your Pfaff is older, but can you not convert the latest designs to your format? 

Liana-the Valentino suit is absolutely gorgeous---(wonder if Ann is working on something dramatic like this---Ann are you listening?? ;))

I finally had a chance to try the new Coverstitch machine today and it works so well and very easy to use.  I love it.

Deirdre

Liana, love the Valentio suit.  Got me thinking about embroidering again!  Have not embrodiered anything since my Vogue suit a few months ago.  This is really a lovely suit.  Like others I am saving to my inspiration file.

Vicki, your Missoni style dress looks great.  What pretty colors. :D

Wow, that is great!  Glad you showed us this.

Deidre and Carolyn - I was also a fan of the many of 80's styles.  I had narrower shoulders but I loved the shoulder pads because it helped camouflage some of my top-heaviness.  My favorite outfit during that time was a Liz Claiborne dusty lilac 3-piece sweater ensemble - cabled wool/angora sweater skirt, shell and long cardigan.  Both the shell and the cardigan had medium-sized shoulder pads.  I literally wore that outfit until it fell apart.  I also liked the big cinch leather belts...I've seen a few in stores that are identical to ones I still have in a box somewhere.  Of course, twenty years and 2 kids later, I'm not able to 'cinch' the waist in nearly as much as I could back then!  ::) <sigh> 

On another note, I'm digging out my recently reclaimed sewing room today, and I found a number of older (80's?) patterns.  Some are definitely OUT, but I could see how, especially given the fall forecast, I could actually use many of the suit patterns this fall.  I also came across some great plaids that I'd kept all this time.  Given the discussion about plaids in another thread, I'm thinking I can definitely put them to good use too.

All this talk about the 80's makes me want to go put on some Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel.  And why do I keep hearing "We are the World" in my head?  :D

Vicky, VERY nice dress. Congrats on the success of turning the stripes. I have agonized over the same decision-and have never regretted it. Have you shown it to your sewing friends who bought the same fabric-just as inspiration >:D

thanks Deidre for you input on the screen.  It made me see that I don't have a problem with colour either.
I can go to the fabric store without my swatches - I usually forget them, and match buttons, zips and
thread perfectly - my mother was even better, she made her own fairisle patterns and just used colours as she
went along, I have a much harder time doing that, being able to imagine what colour will work with what others
is harder, but in sewing I don't seem to have a problem.

I too had less trouble with the larger shoulders, than the more fitted styles of today.  Mostly I think because I am
tall, and also bigger in the top half than the bottom, I used to of course, like many others, alter the shoulder line
a bit, as they often would not hang right without constantly adjusting them, but what I did lke about them was
you could wear a sweater underneath them, now a jacket is just exactly that, a garment to be worn with as little
as a cami underneath.

For those of us who live a casual lifestyle, this is very annoying.  I also look rather silly with short jackets and the shorter
sleeve length, looks like I was out in the rain and shrunk my jacket.

Another thing I have noticed as I have aged is that I feel the cold around my rear end more, so tend to want to
something with more coverage.

Mardel one of the beaded trims I saw was not on just a straight piece of ribbon type backing, but it was unsusual in that
it was more like say venice lace appliques, but were joined together, and it was beautifully beaded.  I have lots of green
in my stash that would love to be embellished with it.

I wonder if with the leggings longer jackets with bigger shoulders will return, not as big as the 80's, but they would have to
be bigger than the natural shoulder we see now, because the leggings are a slimming line, so the top would need to be
balanced with a wider look.

Kathryn, I agree, I haven't even seen the 'outs' most of the time, before the new 'whats in' is appearing, it takes two years
for a trend to appear here on the west coast. 

Vicky I am now going to look at your dress.  Stripes are always awkward.

Fran

Thanks Liana, Deirdre, Kathryn, Carolyn, Mardel, Diane, Linda and Marianne for you comments on my dress.  You guys really inspire me to look at things differently and think about how I can make the garment "special".  Marianne, my sewing friends are a bunch of Aussie chics on PR, and yes I hope they see my review  >:D >:D.  Yvonne now wants to know what I am going to make with the left over fabric (I have enough for a skirt - maybe I will have the stripes downwards and then I can have an elastic waist).

All the talk of embroidery has made me think maybe I could incorporate that into my proposed suit ::)  But that would mean I would have to learn how to use it!

But next on the list is the UFO check skirt and a cardigan that is from fabric that was a gift.

By the way, we all had a great night out on Friday for DH's birthday!  Unfortunately earlier in the day I (and my 2 DD's) were delivering the cake to the restaurant and we had a car accident.  Some poor silly girl drove out from a driveway across a busy street.  Maybe she though she would make it, but realised she wouldn't and decided to stop - IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.  And yes we hit her.  Lucky all of us were ok, only car damage.  Youngest DD went a bit hysterical and needed to be consoled.  I like to think that maybe it was a lesson sent to teach the young girl and my 2 DD's to be ever watchful and drive carefully!

Life has been rather hectic and it seens  I can only find the time to check in here once a week. Thanks all for the favorable comments on the "Green Velvet" suit. I noted that there are more posts on the use of machine embroidery and the possibilities. As most sewists, I have more ideas than I do time. After sewing for so many years, I never seem to run out of ideas.
Fran,  I have quite a few children applique designs that are a combination of applique with machine embroidery. They are all made on the machine. I'm sure you would find occasions to put a new embroidery machine to useI have several nieces and nephews of varying ages. I made this outfit for my niece two years ago.
[url=http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/notime2sew15219/detail?.dir=c42a&.dnm=1f22.jpg&.src=ph][/url]
[url=http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/notime2sew15219/detail?.dir=c42a&.dnm=f2a4.jpg&.src=ph][/url]
I just used scraps of material that I saved for the applique pieces.
Vicki, your coat, skirts, and dress look wonderful. I especially liked the trim on the 2nd skirt.
Liana, the Valentino suit is very inspiring. Good luck on your entry at the fair. I recall that you won first place last year.
Kathryn, like you, my personal sewing time is non-existent right now. My niece wanted a pillow embroidered for her new baby, an aunt needs a pair of pants hemmed, my sister asked me to alter her outfit for our brother's wedding, and I completed two flower girl dresses for the wedding. I really don't enjoy sewing for others, but haven't learned to say no to relatives. I recall we had this discussion awhile back. Oh, did I mention that my niece's husband would like a Santa Claus suit for Christmas. 
Kathryn, your plaid skirt looks timeless. I'm partial to long plaid skirts worn with sweaters. I noticed the piano in the background of the picture. Do you play? I took lessons for over 11 years through grade school and high school.  I don't get much time to spend with the piano over the past few years, but keep telling myself that "someday" perhaps when I can retire and leave the corporate world behind, I'll spend more tiime with the my piano. Poor thing just sits there to be dusted.

Deidre, the embroidery of the watch is fabulous. Great idea!

Yes, I'm listening - and no, my embroidery is a far cry from this dramatic Valentino look!

I just wrote a note but lost it somehow >:(, so here it goes again.

Vicki-I am sorry to hear about the accident, but glad to hear no one was hurt.

Ann-your suit may not be as dramatic as the Valentino, but I bet it will be just as lovely.

LindaL and notime2sew---thanks for the compliments on my watch.

notime2sew--that appliqued outfit is darling.  I had another look at your suits while visiting your albums---beautiful.  You do lovely embroidery work.

Deirdre

I always enjoy reading from someone new who comes out of 'lurkerdom.' Well, I someone old who is coming out of 'glancerdom.'  I tend to get on this site, glance through the posts and, if I have time, look at photos, all with the intention of posting 'soon.' Yesterday I printed out this thread and ended up with 114 pages of posts! That was my bedtime reading--and what a pleasant read it was! I am, as usual, astounded at the creativity of the women who post here--everything from millinery to doll clothes, suits to evening gowns, gorgeous children's wear to coats. Wow! And thanks also to those who have shared sewing, embellishing, and fitting tips. And for those who write blogs and provide a link--thank you!

My initial thought, as I read through the 114 pages, was to make comments on everyone's work--but then we'd need a whole new thread--and I would likely leave someone out of the praise-a-thon. Suffice it to say that I am inspired.

My own sewing of late has been of the 'instant gratification' school--some simple skirts for myself and for my youngest daughter, who saw my KS 3242, view A, in a tropical rayon print. Rima said she'd like the skirt for herself, but in a shorter version and a solid rather than a tropical print. She got the shorter version in a lipstick red rayon crepe--very pretty!

Just last night I finally finished a knitting project. The yarn was purchased many years ago; I don't think the company exists anymore (Plantation, by William Unger). The pattern was in an old McCall's Needlework magazine (1986). The top is simple, with cap sleeves, and the lacy leaf stitch pattern is very pretty. One of my instant gratification skirts (LH 4-gore with godets, made up in a Liberty of London pansy print) works very well with it.

Remember back in the first SIPP thread I mentioned that I had two events coming up this summer? The first was last weekend--my mother-in-law's 90th birthday party. I ended up wearing a coral linen dress and matching jacket (one of the Adri patterns--the dress is on the bias and has an asymmetric hem). This particular dress is not underlined---but the quality of the linen (from Michael's fabrics) is superb--and given the weather in Wichita last week (103 degrees) the outfit ended up being a good choice. I still have my class reunion (in August, in CO)--we've been officially informed that the reunion (just one event) will be 'casual.' I think that puts the kabosh on my first-choice outfit---the Tom and Linda Platt origami top and pants in hammered satin.

Or maybe not  . . . .

I've enjoyed reading everyone's input about hairstyles. For quite awhile I had a short, spikey cut for my sliver locks, by my youngest daughter (she of the lipstick red skirt) persuaded me to let in grow out. It's now just above shoulder length (I do have bangs that can be worn as bangs or brushed back) and I get a lot of compliments on it. I do like that it is long enough to pull up in a clip (or a pony tail for more casual days).  I long ago decided I wouldn't color my hair (I might have felt differently if the gray had come in mousey, but it really is silver/white).

I hope to post more often!

patti

Vicki,  Thank goodness no one was injured!  What a learning experience, though, all the way around it sounds like.

Patti,  It's so nice to hear from you!  Glad the linen worked well, and yes at 103 degrees, that was a great choice! 

notime2sew, What a darling Easter outfit.  I loved looking through the rest of the beautiful garments in that album.  You have quite a talent for combining embroidery motifs with your total look.

I finished DH's shirt yesterday except the buttonholes, which I can't do until I get some buttons I like.  I think I want a fairly dark blue.  The fabric is a deep french blue, with 1 and 2-thread stripes, which I was sure were white until I tested white thread, and then it became obvious that they weren't quite.  I finally settled on a light-medium gray thread, and now that it's done, the topstitching and the stripes read as white anyway.  Whatever, but it works.  I made a couple changes to this pattern from what I usually do.  I did a chevroned yoke with a CB seam (thanks to Ann Rowley for the idea) and I also made the collar slightly larger, which I think is an improvement.  Anyway, you can see it without the buttons here (http://www.pbase.com/lianasews/shirts).  The first 3 photos in the gallery are it.  It will go to the fair next week.

Well, I finished my suit from Simplicity 4885.  Pictures are in my new photos album in Suits 2007.  It is a silk blend tweed purchased at Denver Fabrics when we still lived in Colorado.  After a year aging in my stash and a move, I figured it was time to make it up.   ;D  I have the next suit planned out, but haven't started yet.

Vicki, your dress is very nice.  I really like the turquoise trim.  It pulls the color out of the stripes very nicely.  Also, I am sorry to hear about your car accident, and happy that no one was hurt.

Liana, your DH's shirt is wonderful.  I so admire your men's shirt collection.  You are sure to win another prize with this shirt.  The monogram on the collar is such a nice touch.  Can't wait to hear about the results of the fair. 

Amy,  Your suit is so pretty!  I love the color, and the ruffle on the skirt is such a nice touch.  Thanks for the kind words on DH's shirt.  I don't have to