Productivity has been down all week. I've been feeling slightly off but if I avoided too much looking up and down or moving quickly, it wasn't too bad. Did you know that cleaning house involves a lot of looking up and down and moving quickly? Darn near did me in. I was getting so wobbly that my son finally took over and finished the dusting and vacuuming while I lay on the couch attempting to recover.
The house is clean. That's it. Not a thing got done in the studio. No knitting, no sewing, not even any project planning. My pants are still sitting on the work table waiting for the side seams to be basted together, which is frustrating, but, oh well. That's life. Today is a new day.
Maggie wrote - I haven't been to your blog in a while so looking at your most recent pictures I can tell you've lost weight!!! You look great.
LOL - thanks. The weight loss and the compliments are the bonus part of all the food allergies. If you're not interested in the fashion sewing Maggie, look back in January to see the pictures of my exhibit. It's on until this weekend which is great because my daughter flies in tomorrow morning and will get a chance to see it.
Carol wrote - Clear elastic is great. I sew it into...
KID, MD wrote - Clear elastic is absolutely the most brilliant invention ever!
Apparently I missed something because I wasn't aware of this notion before opening up the jeans. More information please. Why is it so wonderful? How and where is it used? I'll give it a try in a t-shirt Carol. Thanks.
KID, MD - Thanks for the link to Sew Sassy. I clicked through to the site and will check it out later. I'd already ordered the elastic from Pam at Fashion Sewing Supply. I've purchased from her before with excellent service. I hope it comes soon. Shipping to Canada from the US can take FOREVER only now that I know it's the "secret ingredient" to the comfort waist, I can't wait to try it.
Meanwhile, I'm moving slow this morning. I slept in. I'm going to read blogs with my one cup of coffee. And then... hopefully... I'll get this second pair of jeans basted together and can wear them around the house for a few hours. Once I see how much the stretch bags, I can adjust the seams and then finish them up tonight. My lack of wardrobe is reaching a disastrous stage. As spring arrives and we move toward summer, there's almost nothing in my closet to wear so I want to see how these work out both to make more and to have something to wear.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - feeling somewhat better this morning
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Personal Growth - Life's ups and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine your values and goals. Think of using all obstacles as stepping stones to build the life you want. - Marsha Sinetar
As little girls, we had to learn to pick ourselves up after a fall, get first aid for our scrapes, and then venture back outside to play. Recovery and reentry are also crucial skills for creative women. The world often knocks us down, and we wear the scars to signify the blows. We have to choose whether to retreat or retry. So many of the women in this book decided to reemerge from collisions with adversity. Remember their stories when you feel like you're all alone out there and want to hide out in your safety zone. Too many women get rejected once or twice and lock their creativity up in a closet forever. We all lose as a result. - page 162 of The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women by Gail McMeekin
Sewing fashions, creating textile art, living life is all about trying this and trying that, gathering information through experience. In each experience, there is much to learn and that learning gets taken forward into the next and the next garment, art piece, moment in life. There are many things that can knock us down. It's our choice to stay down or to get back up and keep moving, to see life from a negative perspective or to see it as full of potential and opportunity.
I love clear elastic because although it stretches like crazy (400% or more!), it recovers incredibly well, even after you sew through it. I use it to gather by just cutting it to the length I need and zigzag stitching it onto the fabric. It's awesome! So easy! I can see it working well in the comfort waist since the recovery is so good. It is also great for stabilizing shoulder seams and neckline (esp. wraps) in knits. I know that it is used a ton in active and swim wear, although I've not yet used it for this purpose.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know that Pam carries it. It's always useful to have multiple sources!
This is why the internet and this sewing community is so wonderful. I know no one who sews and I live in the country so there is no call for schools or classes. I have learned new skills and techniques from the other sewists as well as learning about new tools and notions. I hear about independent pattern companies that I would never otherwise have heard of. On the whole, my sewing is VASTLY improved because of the wonderful ladies and a few blokes out there who share their wisdom and experience. It's nice to know I've helped in some small way.
ReplyDeleteHiya - I've just found your blog & have recently bought a bunch of clear elastic tapey stuff. I was intending to use it on my kids' tops (shoulder seams etc) but couldn't get it to stay still while stitching it. So I'm very interested to see how comments go on this post too. I'll let you know how I get on with experimenting with it....
ReplyDeleteI did as you suggested. The textile pieces are beautiful. so much texture and colour. Enjoy your visit with your daughter.
ReplyDeleteMaggie