Size Steps And Style

In The Happiness Project, author Gretchin Rubin talks about what creating a collection can do for your happiness. She's referring to a collection that is all your own, one that you have built personally. When others add to your collection for you, its individuality and vibrancy is almost always lost. I used to collect antique purses, just a very few, and only ones that I really liked. As my collection became known, I received purses as gifts. Most of these (but not all) were not antiques or were not styles, colors, or shapes that I enjoyed. As a result, I lost interest in the collection and gave most of it away. 

When I was in my traditional quilting and country decorating phase, I collected antique sewing machines - about twenty of them including decorative, children's, portable, and seven treadles. After a while, the appeal of the country look wore off. As my decor became more colorful and contemporary, the sewing machines no longer fit in plus I was tired of moving them as those were the ten years in which we moved seven times. Most of the machines have since been sold or given away although there are still two portables - one crank and one electric - tucked under the stairs that I really should try to sell to Peter - LOL. 

In her book, Gretchin talks about the burden that a collection becomes when it gets too big and ungainly and the fun leaves. My fabrics and patterns are a collection. A few weeks ago, I cleaned out the pattern stash. Now that there are spaces (to breathe) in the drawers and I'm sure that every pattern has purpose and potential, I'm at peace with this collection but not so with the fabrics. 

Tuesday at work, they started receiving the new fabrics. They emerged from the boring brown boxes in bright glorious color and visual texture. While I admired them, I found myself thinking I don't want any more fabric. I've been purchasing fabric at a rate seemingly a million times greater than I've been sewing it at. As a result, the fabric closet is full to overflowing and not much fun any more. This may be another reason why I'm having difficulty sewing lately. I'm overwhelmed. 

Yesterday, I decided it was time to sew something and to keep sewing something after something until  a significant dent appeared in the stash, large enough to breathe, large enough to find a new sense of direction. By that time, the shine will have worn off of the new fabrics at work, I'll know which ones truly appeal to me, and they'll be on sale. Perfect.
 



AND... if I'm going to sew... how about something a little different like Kwik Sew 3781 - the pattern I bought while in Nanimo this past February. The minute my friend Caroline turned to this page in the catalogue, I was hit but a huge wave of pattern lust that I've relived every time I've pulled it out of the drawer. For some reason, I absolutely love this piece and so... I'm sewing it... or at least a muslin of it.



The pattern calls for lightweight woven fabrics such as cotton, cotton types, taffeta, linen, silk, or shantung. The piece above looks a bit like a flocked taffeta only it's most likely polyester. It's not quite as stiff as taffeta and has good body. I believe it's a drapery fabric although I bought it in the bargain center. The section to the left is the right side and the section to the right is the wrong side which is perfect for a pattern like this where the wrong side is somewhat exposed. It's not good quality. This will be a muslin - most likely not wearable - but a good test of the size, steps, and style.

The housekeepers came yesterday. When they arrived, I asked for the key back saying that I would be getting them quarterly rather than bi-weekly. They were okay with that - or so it seemed - only they did a crappy job. The cupboards weren't wiped down, the front of the microwave was still sticky, there were crumbs on the floor in the kitchen and gravel on the landing, the dining room table still had stuff stuck to it, and the bathroom mirror was smudged - to name a few things. Darn. Maybe I'm too picky but it's annoying to be paying for that service. I'm glad I've decided to do this myself. I'll do a good job and earn "my" money and get those things I've been wanting. A win-win.

I'm working today - eight hours. If things are significantly more organized by the end of the day, I'll volunteer for four hours tomorrow otherwise, I'll sleep in and move slow. I have a date with my husband tomorrow night, for dinner, before I drive him to the airport as he's out of town next week just when there will be a push to get the store finished up for opening day on Thursday. They may require me to work longer hours at the same time as I'm required to single parent. Don't you just love how these things always seem to coincide? Weird. Have a great weekend.

Talk soon - Myrna

 Grateful - actually choosing a pattern and a fabric and cutting them out. It feels like progress - finally.