Peer Pressure

I'm finished knitting. The four sleeve seams are joined and I'll do the underarm and side seam after it's blocked. Here's the front before blocking.




Now that I've pinned it on Millicent and know it's snug but not too snug, I can remove most of the markers. Some I'll keep to help me stretch and pin evenly but I don't need them all. I'll do the blocking today so I can wear it on Sunday.

I must have missed them last time - or more likely having the sweater with me this time did the trick - but these buttons look just about perfect AND they were on sale 50% off. Works for me.

LOTS of things were on sale. It is NOT a good thing for a fabriholic like myself to be going to Fabricland on a regular basis. Luckily Kyle's done his exams now. This fabric below is actually an indigo blue. The color rendition is really bad. The section to the left is the wrong side. It's lighter with dark mottles. The right side is dark with light mottles. Both sides are useful. The bolt was in the discount section, 140 cm wide, 50% off, $1.50 a meter. I got six. Like the paisley from Monday, it's a drapey, smooth, and slightly sticky fabric that goes wonderfully with the denim I bought for the skirt and will fit into my SWAP plan.




Apparently we never overcome peer pressure. We are forever influenced by what we hear, see, and read which makes sense and is a good bad thing in my books since I'd love to believe I'm more individualistic than that. However...

The other day I told you how much I liked this blouse on the Selfish Seamstress' blog. Elaine has a wonderful sense of humor and of style and is both competent and creatively curious. She's inspiring and I imagine I'll be influenced by many of the things she produces even though I'm almost old enough to be her mother and we have radically different body types. The first posting I read on her blog was for the English Tutor Dress. WONDERFULLY done. She started with Simplicity 2473. When I saw this New Look 6909, it seemed to combine what I liked about the blouse and the dress. I just have to decide if it will appear too young on me.




Yesterday, I read about Shannon's Spring Sewing Plan on Frogs in a Bucket. She'd just finished a New Look 6831 blouse. I wouldn't have looked twice at that pattern without a little prompting however, between Elaine's and Shannon's blouses, I am now the happy owner of my very own copy. It will be perfect for either of my new blouse fabrics.




Mary Nanna of Make it Smirk posted Bermuda Bahama, Come on Pretty Moma using a free download from Manequim magazine. LOVE those. I haven't worn shorts in years. Apparently I think I might again because I bought Burda 8157 due totally to her influence although I imagine - IF I sew them - that I'll wear them with pantyhose and heels like the model.




A young couple with three absolutely adorable children sit in front of us in church. We occasionally allow them to snuggle their own kids. Mostly we steal them for prolonged cuddles. Vanessa, the Mom, has a fabulous t-shirt with a split in the back with a drawstring. I'm guessing I can copy it using this Burda 7742 pattern.




The pattern is in the Burda Young Fashion line-up. I'm trying to figure out what exactly is "young" about a turtleneck with or without sleeves because them seem pretty classic to me. That leaves the split back. Is Burda saying split backs can only be worn by "young" people? Hmm... if so.... guess I'm "young". I love that curve of my back. Can't wait to show it off - maybe with the Bermuda shorts.




That little dot of orange light is the Olympic torch. Yesterday, we left for guitar early because the torch would be passing along the street where the lessons are and parking was scarce. After the lesson, Kyle and I waited around for the torch to appear - about 30 minutes - watched what took seconds and was, as he said, not really a big deal before hurrying home to make it (barely) through an intersection before we would have had to watch again only to discover that the torch was passing down the road behind our house and we could watch it from the balcony. Too funny. Obviously, I should have checked the route except that it's not nearly as interesting when you don't know the runner. Last time, in 1988, my friend Wendy was running. WAY more fun.

Gaylen wrote: ... do you think it's something that could be mailed?

THANK YOU - I thought about that only butter needs to be refrigerated so probably not. If Howard can't pick any up in Detroit, I'll give your offer some thought. Normally I'd drive to Kelowna to meet you only that's the weekend my husband is coming back from Guatemala. How long are you there? For shopping - if you're in Vernon, there is a WONDERFUL Fabricland there. The one in Kelowna is not nearly as nice but still not bad although coming from the US our prices might make you gulp.

I'm sewing a skirt today out of the denim I bought on Monday using the Burda 8213 pattern - a trumpet skirt. This is one of my favourite styles. I was going to make the Vogue jacket only it won't go with my sweater and I want an outfit for Sunday. I'm getting to the end of bottoms. The SWAP calls for four so I'll have to shift to blouses or the jacket next week.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - NOT getting stuck in traffic for half an hour with a tired, hungry teenager

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Personal Growth - You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion... - 2 Corinthians 9: 11

Susan Being Snippy wrote: ... so I wonder, do I give too much to the wrong people and not enough to the right ones?

FABULOUS question Susan. I thought about it a lot yesterday. I was thinking about the different kinds of giving and the things that we give such as time, and friendship, and knowledge, and so much more - things beyond money. When I read a verse like the one I above, I immediately feel like it's telling me I HAVE to give but it's not.

In reality - as with all things - there is a balance point. Just as we can hoard, we can give too much. For example, so much time to others with none for ourselves and our families or so much money to others that we cannot meet our own financial responsibilities. When things like this happen, it's not good and ties in with what the pastor said on Sunday about the importance of deciding how much and to what we will give because there is an unending demand and the answer is individual to each person and organization.

For me, I check attitude. I stopped making gifts for people a LONG time ago right after I found the quilt I'd carefully matched to my SIL's nursery crumpled and shoved on the bottom shelf of the change table unused. It wasn't the only time I'd seen a gift unappreciated however, it was the final straw. It seemed ludicrous to be giving people gifts they didn't want especially if making that gift wasn't necessarily something I wanted to do. Too much bad attitude all around.

I've also had to check my nature. I tend to over give especially in areas of money, things from around the house, and knowledge, and BIG TIME in the area of friendship. I give way too much and end up hurt. Every time I hear the lyrics from Kelly Clarkson's song, they make me think of certain people and situations. They go - Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk. Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt. Because of you not only me, but everyone around me. Because of you. I am afraid. This is the pendulum swinging too far the other way. There is a "safe place" at middle ground that I'm working to find.

I think that all through life we are learning how to find those balance points between too much and not enough. The gut clenching, the resentment, the attitude are sure signs for me that this is not a giving situation. Sometimes, I'm wrong. Sometimes I have to give myself a chat but most times, these are indicators to JUST NOT GO THERE.