Oops & Opportunity

Did I not just admit to being a patternaholic and look what showed up in my inbox - an offer - OH THE TEMPTATION. From Thursday through Saturday, all Butterick, McCalls, and Vogue patterns are on sale for $3.99 to BMV Club members. Warning. Alert. Note to self. Do NOT go there.

I wrote a friend and asked if she was managing to resist and if not, what did she order? Her reply totally cracked me up. She said... I have been having similar conversations with myself about patterns. I get weak though when I look at new arrivals. Addiction is an hour by hour struggle. I understand.

I do NOT need any more patterns. I do NOT need any more patterns. I do NOT need any more patterns. I do not need... oh... I need a zipper... let me go to Fabricland... I can avoid buying patterns by...

... buying more fabric. HELLO! Wednesday night, I cut out the denim I bought on Monday and yesterday, I started sewing it. YUMMY... like when you buy a pair of pants that actually fits and think quick, get another pair or when you find a t-shirt that washes, and washes, and washes, without stretching out, and wears like wonderful. Times like these are times for seconds, and thirds, and fourths. I could have resisted. I could have stood strong except...

... when I prewashed the fabric, it shrunk considerably. After several shrinking after the garment has been sewn episodes, I've upped my pre-washing routine from hot wash, hot dryer to hot wash, hot dryer followed by cold wash, hot dryer. Following that routine, the denim went from more than enough fabric to not nearly enough which is what caused the whole problem in the first place. I went back for 4" for the waistband and came home with 3 meters. Hmm... But, but, but, ... it's YUMMY! I console myself that yes, I'm weak but at least it was on sale.

The problem started when I went to cut out the center front and center back panels. The remaining fabric wasn't long enough for both pieces. The cut end was really skewed and crooked. I could get the back pieces in full but the front pieces were short several inches. This is an oops and an opportunity.




Using the pattern piece from the Simplicity 9825 (plaid from last week) skirt, I shortened the center front pieces and created a yoke pattern. First, I traced the line of the Simplicity yoke and then...




... I added a seam allowance to both sections. This Burda skirt has a seam at center front. The Simplicity yoke does not. That meant transferring 1/4" from center front to the side along the bottom of the yoke.




Next, I pieced, serge finished, and pressed open the center front seam and top stitched both sides. Then, I added the yoke, pressed it upward, and top stitched it in place. After that...

... I added the two side front pieces, serge finished and pressed those seam allowances open, and top stitched them as well. Here's the front section finished.




Right now, I'm creating skirts in front and back sections that are completely finished before sewing the side seams because I keep losing weight and it's easier to take it in if I don't have to open up waistbands, facings, or hems. Back when I was struggling with my weight, I never would have imagined it was allergies. Now I'm wondering how many other women should go get that checked. I imagine the weight loss will eventually end when I get rid of all the stuff (read fat) I have stored up for a rainy day and when the food issues settle out however, for now, it's a nice bonus to this blip in my path.

Today, I'm cleaning house, making it all shiny clean before Howard gets home tomorrow. He will be home just over 24 hours before he leaves for Guatemala early Monday morning so we plan to spend as much time together as possible in-between him packing.

As far as I know, all the paperwork is now in place although he did have to find a lawyer while in Detroit to witness his signature on something. Every government has its hoops for the team to jump through. The Mexican one seems the toughest so far but that's probably because they haven't gotten to the Guatemalan border yet and because, when they do, they are being met by someone from the ministry which will make it a LOT easier. Eventually, the two school buses will be there. YES YES! It's going to make a tremendous difference to the ministry and even so, I am SO GLAD that it is not my butt driving nine days in a school bus. They were not designed for distance. Me either. All my padding is on the sides not the behind - VBG.

Have a great weekend. - Myrna

Grateful - as much as I joke about my addiction to fabric and patterns, I am SO GRATEFUL to have this way of de-stressing and of expressing myself. Time in my studio is keeping me sane right now. YES YES!

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Personal Growth - The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash -- along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant -- dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ -- God's righteousness.

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong; By no means do I count myself an expert in all this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward -- to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision -- you see it yet. Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it. - Philippians 3

What do we know in high school? Nothing. My graduation yearbook lists my goal as "to be someone". Besides being quite a statement on my life at that time, being someone is not measurable and therefore not attainable. It took some growing up to get from there to here and thankfully, I'm not still in that struggle. Life is full of ups and downs with happy mountain moments and deep valley strife. One is pure fun. One strengthens and builds character. It's hard for me to imagine smooth sailing. I've learned so much in the struggles and yet, I couldn't make it through without my faith. I'm glad that I am at least pointed in the right direction, looking to be the best me, all that I can be.... and for divine intervention - LOL.