To The Collection

The sun is shining through the French door in my studio. The sun is gorgeous. The door is not. It needs cleaning. Some days that never ending list of repeat chores can just drive you crazy if you know what I mean? I did it once and I don't want to do it again. LOL - oh well. Get over it. The joys of being alive.

I mentioned hopping about from Fabricland to Fabricland on the weekend. That means - of course - that I added a few more pieces to the collection. The fabric far left is a sweater knit. It's on the pricey side but I've used it before and know it sews and wears fabulously. I wanted more.

The blue is a polyester rayon lycra suiting blend. It was on sale for $7.00 a meter and has a lovely color and drape. I bought enough to have options.

The two print fabrics are actually the same. It's a knit remnant. I chose it for the side on the left thinking it looked wonderful with the grey knit and was a possible overlay. When I got it home and washed it, I discovered that the "right" side is the other one. Even so, I won't be using it. I like the other wrong side better. Too funny.

When Howard was in Guatemala in May, he sent me pictures of fabric so I could chose the one I wanted and then - unfortunately - when he went to pick it up at the market, the stall was closed. He left some cash with a friend who later bought and brought this piece back to Canada and gave it to her mother who lives only two blocks away. It took a month or so to make it over to our house. We were walking by the other day and they flagged us down. Too funny. It's lime, fuchsia, black, and gold - 37" wide by 8 yards long - which is apparently a standard length for wrapping. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. I'll start by figuring out if it's color fast and if not, how to make it so.

Today, the towels. I didn't do them yesterday. I did wash all the dishes and sheets and they need to be packed up this morning because I'm working tomorrow and that's the 1st and he's moving right straight after work. He just can't wait til the weekend. Moving out - an exciting for him, not so much for me - event. Another one of the joys of being alive. Actually, I am excited for him. I'm just being a mother.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - that my children are healthy and whole and that moving out is part of the path of becoming an independent, self supporting, adult. It's the way things are supposed to be. I know that and most days, I even embrace the whole idea - LOL. I have plans!

The Sewingless Sewing Blog

When I woke up this morning, I did not feel like blogging. Apparently, that's going around although I can't be nearly as eloquent about it as Peter was in yesterday's non-posting.

My serger doesn't usually sit here side-by-side with the sewing machine. This is its Wednesday place when Wendy is over to sew. It hasn't shifted all week which is rather telling of the sewingless-ness of this sewing blog. Some weeks are like that. And I'm working on the simplest pants ever. How hard could that be. I'd say I'm going to sew them today but so far I haven't started so we'll see.

Last night, I noticed these ripe cherry tomatoes clinging to a vine that died earlier from too much rain. Somehow, the tomatoes persevered. That seemed symbolic of hope.

For the past few weeks, we've been accumulating things for Aryck to move out with. His move is my focus of today... or possibly tomorrow. We'll see how it goes. I have until Thursday after work to wash the new sheets and dishes and serge away the ravels on some towels we're passing along to him. He's quite capable of doing this on his own. Doing it for him is a gift. We aren't the kind of parents that buy our children "stuff" all the time however, we love to spoil them when there's an occasion... like moving into your first apartment. It's a milestone for all of us.

I'm taking Aryck grocery shopping on the weekend to stock up on the basics and we've already collected most of the necessary kitchen supplies. It's enough to get him off to a good start and after that, he's on his own - and he'll be fine - although I was very relieved to hear that the apartment only has a shower and not a bath tub. Aryck LOVES baths. He takes an hour long one every day. I imagine he'll be home to take a bath once in a while and that's just perfect. YES YES!

And now... breakfast and then an appointment and then possibly sewing while washing.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - blah days eventually blow away

The Last Week

Late Friday night, while we were watching the news, the door opened and in stepped our youngest son. We were supposed to pick him up Sunday morning only he caught a ride home early. Apparently, he missed us and wanted to come home. Isn't that ever so nice to hear?

He had a day to himself Saturday because I'd already planned a play day. My friend Monette and I took the long route - via the Fabricland in Salmon Arm and then the one in Vernon - to my other friend Lorraine's house on the far side of Vernon. She and her neighbour Gail (above left) were hosting an art show. Lorraine creates textile art; Gail paints. They each worked from the same photo and created an interpretive piece. The exhibit was set up in Lorraine's yard. Her husband creates set designs for theater. The back boards were painted wood and the floor painted cement. It was a wonderful setting for their gorgeous pieces. My favourite...

... was the sunflowers. The painting that went with had a Van Gogh overtone and lots of texture. The textile piece is three dimensional with layered beading. Each one of the center bits is three beads shaped to form the intricate pattern of the sunflower head. The piece is not much bigger than a sheet of paper. It's incredibly well done. HOURS of work.

While we were there, a group of woman arrived that knew me and I recognized them... sort of... only I couldn't remember the where's and why's and names. With all the travelling I have done to take courses or teach workshops or visit exhibits or join groups - along with the blog - people often recognize me more easily than I recognize them so... if you see me out and about and I don't call you by name... PLEASE do me a favour and remind me how I know you. Just assume I don't know. I won't be offended. I absolutely love meeting people, making friends, and chatting. It's funny... sort of... not... I used to remember easily. Now, there's this menopausal brain fog. It can't be helped. It's my age - LOL.

On the way back, we stopped at the Westwold Carrot Company, a fresh fruit and vegetable store with home baked breads, pies and cookies, arts and crafts, and gourmet culinary items like pickled beets, peach jam, and maple syrup. The spicy bean soup mix above is gluten free. That caught my attention plus I thought the packaging was very pretty.

This week is a week of lasts. It's the last week my oldest son will live at home. It's the last week of my job. And, it's the last week of summer before school starts. I thought the timing of those last two was well planned although it was totally coincidental. I have had a first day of school tradition for the past twenty-one years. I'm not changing it even though I have no children in school this year. Instead, I'll call it my Fall Planning Session or something like that. This year's timing seems perfect for a bit of what comes next planning. YES YES

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - a fun day with a friend

Personal Growth - It's been a long time since I included this section and I have no idea if it'll become regular again or not but here goes. The last chapter of Barbara Johnson's book contained a powerful thought.

So give your _______ (she wrote child but you could fill in the blank with any concern) to God and then focus on getting your own life in order. Also keep in mind that you are not responsible for what you cannot control and that God has only called you to be faithful. He did not call you to be successful!

A Geranium

Yesterday, I did not sew. I cleaned my son's room. I took myself out for lunch. I went for coffee with a friend and had a long chat and a warm hug. I finished the book on grief and then researched prolonged grief and the stages of grief and how to overcome grief. I watched this video on grief which led to downloading Barbara Johnson's book Stick A Geranium In Your Hat And Be Happy. The first chapter is called Pain Is Inevitable But Misery is Optional. So true. Why do we forget? The chapter ends with these lines...

 Life is about 10 percent what you make it... And 90 percent how you take it.

... and this poem from an unkown source...

Choose to love - rather than hate.
Choose to smile - rather than frown.
Choose to build - rather than destroy.
Choose to persevere - rather than quit.
Choose to praise - rather than gossip.
Choose to heal - rather than wound.
Choose to give - rather than grasp.
Choose to act - rather than delay.
Choose to forgive - rather than curse.
Choose to pray - rather than despair.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - it's all been done before - everything is connected

UnderPleated

Coffee was longer than I anticipated yesterday morning which meant that cleaning started much later than I'd have liked however... my house is now clean-er although not spotless by any stretch of the imagination. It was the get us through kind of clean. In a couple weeks, I'll spend more time and actually get the crevices and cupboards.

When I emailed inquiring where my box of table paper was - after waiting two weeks - I received a phone message saying that it had shipped yesterday. Strange how that always happens. The answer is always yesterday. It arrived expedited mail which doesn't take two weeks. I believe them that it was yesterday but I think that's only because I emailed. Either way, it's a box of potential. Imagine all the patterns traced and garments sewn and fun had. And then there's the money saved by buying in bulk. All good.

I worked on the Burda 7400 pants last night. They're so easy you overlook the obvious. When tracing the pattern, I assumed the pleat looked like the one above bringing the two "clips"  together in the middle. In reality, it looks like...

... this with half the pleat starting at the side seam and both ends meeting at the "clip" that I had incorrectly assumed was the other end. With all the sizing lines on the Burda pattern, I missed this although it's not just the the fault of the lines. I saw what I expected to see.

It was only after I'd figured out why the leg bottom was so much bigger than the leg band, that I could clearly see the seam in the illustration in step 15. It's obvious now. I underpleated. This is often the case when we make a mistake. When we read the instructions or look at the illustration, we see what we expect to see instead of what's really there. The pants should be simple to finish now. Hopefully today. I'd like to wear them to work tomorrow.

This morning, I plan to clean my youngest son's bedroom. It's my last chance before he comes back from camp on Sunday and it desperately needs it. Cleaning it for him will give him a head start on keeping it clean. He thinks when his brother moves out that he can have both rooms. I think he could use more space but I'm not willing to give him another room until the one he has is clean-er. We'll see how that goes. Besides, his brother has six months to choose to move back. It might be best to leave that room empty for a while.

Several months ago, I started reading The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. When I wasn't getting through it easily, I put it aside until yesterday. It's a book about grief. There was a line about prolonged grief and its affects on the immune system that caught my eye. Something to ponder.

When you read a book about grief at a young age, you gloss over the details. It's happening to someone else. At a more mature age, its possibilities are too real. You realize this has and will continue to happen to you. Aging is such an interesting experiment. Like every other part of life, we don't get to practice. There are things I could have done better. Oh well!

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - actually seeing the instructions

In Transition

For some things, I have infinite patience. For others, none at all. Upgrades would fit into that last category. It annoys me to no end to have a process all figured out and then it changes. I'm a turn the key and the car runs kind of girl. I don't need to know how.

On Sunday, Howard upgraded the keyboard, the mouse, and several of the programs on my computer and something was missed. Not all functions are working such as the publish button on Blogger. Go figure. Yesterday, I wrote the posting from my lap top. Today, I'm trying the not so new - as in it's been out for years but I've been ignoring it - editor format and so far, it's working. I may be forced to change.

The dress fabric is folded and back in the closet. A dress wasn't what I wanted to sew right now. The shrug pattern was copied, then refolded and put back in stash. It reminded me of Vogue 2934 with its waistless - and extremely unflattering on me - shape. I wasn't in the mood for a wadder if I could help it.

It appears that I am once again in transition, between two things, with a vague description of the direction I'm heading in. It has many similarities to an unwanted upgrade. I'm not quite done at Fabricland; there are four more shifts. After that, I'll be home for a while until I hear about the job I've applied for or until I move in a different direction. I've decided to assume that they will eventually interview and hire me because I know this is a job I want. I'm realistic enough to know that I might not be what they are looking for however, I'll deal with that when and if. For now, I'm going to walk in that direction.

Coming back home, I don't want to slip into jeans and a black t-shirt again. I've enjoyed getting dressed up more and there's no reason why I can't continue to dress like that at home on some level plus it'll provide motivation for what to sew. My work is transitioning. So are the seasons. My wardrobe needs input.

The job I've applied for is in an academic environment. It's an on-call position involving secretarial work in different departments at the university, some of which dress more professionally than others. While it's not jeans, it's not three piece suits either so there's room for diversity in my wardrobe.

I'm starting with the Burda 7400 pants. I'd show you the picture but it refuses to go where I want it to so I'll edit and add later from my laptop (which took forever as well. LOL - I guess I'm not always grateful for new learning).

I read through Sham's posting about this pattern yesterday and have cut one size smaller in the front than the back to accommodate the combined sizes/excessive ease drafting of the pattern. Right now, I'm debating the length. It's 43". With my 1" petite adjustment, that's currently 42" and my waist to floor length is 40". I'm debating how much to shorten the leg by to accommodate the fullness needed for the bottom cuff. I think I can do this later as the leg is basically straight from the knee.

This morning, I'm out for coffee with a friend, and then cleaning, and then I'll start on these.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - the sharing of other blogs and pattern reviews

Continuity And Originality

The comments on yesterday's posting went in an interesting direction. They were more about copying than about the actual question - how original can we really be? My point was not that copying is good or that copying is bad but that copying is inevitable. We cannot pass through life uninfluenced by the world around us and - as we've seen - for all that the world keeps advancing, it also keeps re-cycling. Fashion alone shows us that.



While I want to be unique and original, I'm certainly not setting any trends or living a fashion forward lifestyle. Neither is my house. Or my yard. My car. My career. Or any other area of my life. I am more creative than some, less creative than others - more original than some, less original than others - inspired by some, inspiring to others. That's the circle.



Copying is an age old method of learning. Apprentices learn through copying the skills of the journeymen they work with. When I learn a sewing technique from Marcy or Sandra or Ron or Pati, I am copying the current masters who learned from the masters before them who learned from the masters before them. Each adds to the story as it develops.



When I sew a dress pattern, I'm copying the original even though I'm adding my choices to the outline. If I sew a little black dress, that's not unique. Chanel did it. Did she do it first? Are we all copying her? Possibly - but then again - there were black dresses before Chanel so how original is a black dress? How far back would we need to go to find the first black dress and whose idea was it? I find these thoughts of continuity and originality intriguing.



If I string some beads and make a necklace, it's been done before. If I paint a picture or write a book or knit a sweater or organize my studio or decorate my house or get dressed to go out for the evening - or anything else I might do - I'm doing things that have been done before. I'm copying. Knowing that everything I do has an element of copying to it, I wondered how original can I really be? I think the answer is about trying new to you things and about pushing your limits and not settling for less. I don't know about you but I know when I'm doing less than my best. Life becomes dull and stagnant rather than vibrant and energetic.



There are different ways to push your limits. Those are individual too. Since my return to fashion sewing, I've been taking workshops focused on fit and on re-learning fashion sewing techniques and I have developed those skills further while being influenced by - and copying - what I learned from these instructors. That was exactly what I needed then and now, I'm ready for something different. I just registered for a workshop next summer with Marcy Tilton and Diane Ericson that combines creativity with design with fashion sewing with creativity coaching. That is so my thing and I'm really looking forward to it. However...



... having taken workshops before, I know that when I return my work will be highly influenced by what I learned. It will look like copying until enough time has passed for what I learned from them to stop being instructional and start being inspirational - to merge into me, take on my twists and turns, grow, develop, evolve, and become more my thing than theirs. That's the way the circle goes.



When I moved from traditional quilt making into textile art, I decided to work in isolation for a year. During that time, I didn't read blogs or magazines, take workshops, visit art exhibits, or talk to other artists, and I didn't allow anyone to critique or even comment on my work. I didn't want to be influenced by or care about any one else's opinion or about pleasing them on any level. I wanted to rely solely on what I could develop from within. It was a fabulously stretching year that changed areas of my life I had no idea it was going to touch. It was an experience I am glad to have had and one that I can see repeating again at some point although not right now - right now I'm greatly enjoying the interaction with others who sew.



How creative can you be? What limits are you pushing?



Talk soon - Myrna



Grateful - My son. He's 22 today.

How Original Can We Really Be?

When the alarm went off this morning, I felt like hitting the button, rolling over, and going back to sleep only not much gets accomplished that way so I got up. Roll over days are rare. I'm such a morning person. Normally, I prefer to get up and get going. It must be those grey skies today. The whole weekend presented more like fall than summer. Apparently, we're not having summer this year, just teaser days.









My stash is stored in the closet with the fabric folded and then placed folded end out in a box with the box placed on side so that each piece of fabric is contained, visible, and touchable. On Friday, I fingered my way along the piles until I came to this paisley print in shades of green. It's lighter weight, drapey, and there's more than enough yardage for Vogue 8743 so I pulled it out and then it sat on the work island all weekend. I didn't feel like sewing. Mostly, I worked and read.



Earlier last week, I watched a video at Silhouette Patterns and in it the woman talking - Peggy I believe - indicated which pattern copied which garment by which designer. She was very up front about the fact that she had developed the pattern from seeing that designer's work.



Later in the week, I was reading Marcy Tilton's book on skirts and in it were techniques that I first learned from Pati Palmer, and later from Ron Collins, and then read in Sandra Betzina's books, and then recapped again in Pati's books and... It made me think about how much information is new and how much is recycled. It seems it's all recycled but it had to start somewhere.









Last fall, I was shopping in a women's dress store in Nanaimo (BC, Canada) that is just around the corner from where Sandra Betzina and Ron Collins teach their spring workshop. Hanging up was a blouse that looked exactly like Vogue 1165. When I mentioned the pattern to the shop owner, she said yes, she knew about it, that the original blouse was designed by a small start up company, and that she'd been incredibly disappointed to see Sandra and Ron pour over every detail of the original, copy it, and put out the pattern. I was disillusioned. It made a woman whose creativity I have admired for years suddenly way less creative and when I saw the blouse above in a store in Vernon the other day and it reminded me strongly of Vogue 1260, I wondered who copied who.









We're all inspired by someone or something. It's impossible not to be. I like the button arrangement on this blouse. Look how they are all different and how they are placed. The first five are close together to avoid gaping and the remainder are spaced along the rest of the button opening. It's a fun idea and I certainly have enough buttons to do this but will I? Maybe but probably not.



In this case, I wouldn't be copying for profit which is a completely different thing than copying for personal use although even that has some grey - plagiaristic - areas. What matters to me is being original and unique, not dressed just like everybody else, which I've come the conclusion is quite difficult to do - LOL. What do you think? How original can we really be?



Talk soon - Myrna



Grateful - teachers and learning

And This Is Helpful How?

There's some stuff swirling around in the background of my life right now that I don't feel like talking about and may never feel like talking about even though it - obviously - influences what I'm sewing and reading and writing. That's true for all of us. Our lives are multi-faceted.



One of the things I realized early on in my art career is that we all see through the paradigms of our own experiences. Because our experiences differ from the experiences of the author or artist whose work we are viewing, we can never fully grasp their message although at some times we'll be closer than at others.



I make every attempt to keep that awareness in mind as I write the blog especially when I feel misunderstood. I try to remember that what I write is being read through the filter of my reader's experiences which differ from mine and that written communication - minus tone and body language - is far more difficult to interpret than it appears.



I realize that when we blog, we are putting our lives out there to be judged and critiqued and that in the process we will get all kinds of responses... HOWEVER... I hope readers realize that they are reading only what the blogger chooses to tell them which does not encompass the whole of every action and every thought and every decision and every circumstance in which the blogger finds themselves. We can experience understanding and empathy however, all factors will never be known nor equal.



I do not find any version of make myself look better by making you look worse healthy no matter which direction it's stated in. What is, is. We each handle our lives to the best of our ability with the resources we've been given. In my opinion, the opportunity to share each other's journey, to support and encourage, is one of the most incredible gifts of life. That's the focus I prefer to live and write and create from - not that I'm perfect.



Gail D wrote - Your symptoms are not that unusual and can be treated. You seem to be dithering about in a panic, and it's time for some action! ... for God's sake, use drugs as prescribed... You're extremely fortunate that you have only the challenges you have and not what I have... You'd never survive it.



And this is helpful how? I'm somewhat stunned by this comment and not quite sure how to interpret it so I'll chose to assume the intent is positive while noting in response to dithering about in a panic that reading back in the blog would illustrate how invalid that observation is although not all doctor's appointments and treatment options and prescriptions taken and naturopathic remedies pursued have been mentioned because - IMHO - reading about another's health gets beyond boring quite quickly.









To get back to sewing - yesterday was a bit of a lump on a bump kind of day. I went for coffee with a friend and then picked out two patterns for my next project and then curled up in the wicker chair on my front porch in the sun with Marcy Tilton's Easy Guide To Sewing Skirts to learn more about waistband options and then went to work and then home to bed and this morning, I'm working for four hours and then we'll see.









With all those dress patterns in my stash, it seemed time to actually sew one so I picked Vogue 8743, the longer version, and Burda 7583, the shrug bottom left. I have several fabrics to make a - hopefully wearable - muslin of the shrug with so I'll test that pattern first. The dress takes 5.1 meters of 60" wide or 6.8 meters of 45" wide fabric which is more than I regularly stash so it's doubtful there's anything in there that might work... but... you never know. If not, I'll have to buy something... on sale... when I see it... but... Oh! Darn! LOL!



Talk soon - Myrna



Grateful - life's learning curves, an incredibly helpful private email, the article Assume Positive Intent

The Cardigan Copy

I picked up this black button to go with the Kwik Sew jacket thinking it was perfectly wonderful only it wasn't until after I had loaded this image that I realized it had...









... a basket weave and floral design. Apparently, my eye sight is even worse than I think because I was absolutely positive that it was an abstract design - VBG (very big grin) - and it's not. Now that I know what it really looks like, I'm not even sure I like it! Too funny. Yesterday was one of those days.









The detail above is of a cardigan I saw at Winner's last fall. It's knit with a lace overlay on the front only. The back and sleeves are plain. The full garment is below. The RTW version didn't fit me well or I would have bought it. Ever since, I've been going to copy it and ...









... finally... yesterday... pulled out the pieces and started. Luckily, I began with the front. In my mind, this embroidered ribbon over organza fabric (from stash) has always been the perfect overlay until...









... I laid it over the pattern piece and realized that the motifs were spaced too far apart to be of any use - which was fine - because I knew I had another lace in my lingerie stash that might work if there was enough and if not, there's another lace at work that might work, or, for sure there's one at the Fabricland in Salmon Arm that will do the trick. So I carried on.









My version was going to be inspired by the Winner's cardigan as opposed to a direct copy of it. I wanted to rib the entire back as well as the section below the waist on the front, use a plain knit for the sleeves, and add more ribbing around the neck and front opening with buttons and buttonholes. I chose the fabric and started ribbing and didn't like it so I'll finish this ribbed section and use it along with the unribbed fabric to create a t-shirt and get something else for the cardigan. You'll get the rest of the story later - The Cardigan Copy - Part Two. I have another fabric in mind. It too is at the Fabricland in Salmon Arm. Designing this cardigan still tickles. Eventually, it'll get sewn, and when it does, it'll be gorgeous. I just know it.



Begin rant...



Normally, on Wednesdays my friend Wendy comes over to quilt while I sew on my current project. I called her last night and said I was too tired and too crabby for company. My doctor's appointment totally wore me out. I would really love to show up for an appointment and be heard from the perspective of I know my body better than you (the doctor) do, I know more about allergies than you (the doctor) do because I've had time to research them while you haven't, and here's what I need you (the doctor) to help me with. That's not how it went.



If I'd gone in with a nervous breakdown, an anxiety disorder, or severe depression, I'd have gotten help. Instead, my doctor said he'd never heard of anyone presenting with allergy symptoms such as mine and that there really must be something else going on in my life (and that had to be stress but not menopause) that was causing these issues. It was very (reduce me to tears) frustrating. And then, to top that off...



... I found out via a friend that my doctor sings in a choir where it has been made abundantly clear that no one is allowed to wear scents of any kind because three of the members have near anaphylactic attacks. Obviously, he's heard of someone who presents with symptoms such as mine because how is my throat swells up much different than saying I feel like passing out or throwing up? Severe is severe. I had to beg for blood work just to determine if anything else was abnormal. It was SO ANNOYING! Yes, I should get another doctor. No, it's not that easy.



End rant... thanks for listening.



I work five to closing tonight. I'd planned to spend the day sewing bras with my friend Sharon only this time she's the one feeling tired and grumpy so I'll sew first, meet her for coffee later, and then go to work.



Talk soon - Myrna



Grateful - the ability to be honest with my friends and receive support AND... the scam that wasn't actually a scam is going to be a seriously nice chunk of change, enough for a fun holiday with Caroline to celebrate our 50th birthdays next year. YEAH!

No Perky Plaid Pants For Me

On her blog yesterday, Carolyn of Handmade by Carolyn showed fourteen versions - with number fifteen currently under construction - of Burda 7767, a men's shirt pattern. Carolyn always lists the pattern used at the bottom of each posting and I had noticed that they were repeated quite often with a wide variety of interpretations and thought the many ways in which I interpreted pattern X would be a fun posting so I asked for it and it was - fun, inspiring, encouraging, motivating. I'm so thankful Carolyn followed up on my request and hope she'll put together more of these postings. If you haven't seen it already, take a look.









When I'm reading blogs, I enjoy seeing which fabric the writer bought and the patterns they plan to pair with it and later - hopefully - the results they achieved whether those results are successful or less than. It's always a learning opportunity.



I bought the two fabrics above yesterday. The one on the left is a soft, light weight knit with good recovery. The one of the right is a medium-weight stretch cotton... I think. I have no idea what the content actually is. I shop almost exclusively by feel often without checking the content or the care instructions which makes me not very good at the name that fabric game. I either like it or I don't and...



... I don't really care what the fabric is if it feels right, looks right, and drapes right plus everything I buy goes through a hot wash and a hot dry - twice - and if it doesn't survive that, I'm not interested in sewing with it. That sounds rough but it's actually rare that a fabric doesn't survive the prep stage. Many people keep records of their fabrics. Maybe I should - but I don't - possibly because...









... a lot of what I buy is from the bargain section where the content labels have been ripped off and replaced with an "as is" sticker - like the fabric above. It's a lighter weight twill or denim of some kind with a soft stripe. This is the piece I bought during the sale last weekend at $2.50 a meter. For $7.56, there is enough for a pair of pants like...









... Burda 7400. I can't remember who recommended this "fluctuating waist" pattern but I really appreciated it. The style has a Marcy Tilton overtone. The ribbed waistband is 3" high with elastic in the bottom portion. It's the elastic that holds the waist. That much ribbing is probably too much for me as I'm short waisted and my waistband is already up under my ribs. I'm often attracted to high waisted styles but they rarely look good on me. Notice how fun and perky those plaid pants look on the model in the 7400 pattern and then...

... how fattening they look paired with the blue, short sleeved jacket in Burda 7401. That lack of waist definition and that broad stripe across the hips is not doing anything for her (or the jacket pattern) just as it does nothing for me. Something to keep in mind. No perky plaid pants for me.



I bought the Burda 7401 pattern when it first came out because I liked the jacket shown bottom right. A few weeks ago, when I was at the Fabricland in Salmon Arm, they had the pattern made up and on display. I asked if I could try the sample on, they said yes, and even though it was several sizes too big the look was still flattering. It's so nice when you can try before you sew - VBG.









I also bought this cardigan yesterday. This is one of the few times when a garment looks much better on me than on Millicent - I hope - because she looks rather fat and frumpy. We'll see. I'll take a few pictures of me wearing it and if I don't like the look, it's going back. If I do keep it, I'll add elastic through the back to pull it in more.



My friend and I went out for breakfast yesterday, then to the bulk food store in Armstrong, then out for lunch and shopping in Vernon, and got back home around dinner. It was a fun day - however - after a day of playing, there are a few chores to do around the house this morning. After that, I'll sew something only I have no idea what.



The last three pieces I've sewn are part of the Autumn 6-pac. So far, I have a black jacket, a grey skirt, and the black/grey/white blouse sewn end of July that I'm allowed to sneak in. The very loosely written "rules" call for one jacket, one bottom (skirt or pants), two underlayer tops, two overlayer tops, and possibly one more bottom. I'm thinking about a black cardigan. I want my pieces to be primarily neutral so I can add color in the accessories, tops, or cardigans to widen the possibilities.



Talk soon - Myrna



Grateful - a fun day with a friend

One Black Button... Or Two?

I have an extensive stash... of all kinds of things... including buttons. It seemed entirely reasonable to me to expect that somewhere in those many jars would be one useful button just right for this jacket. After all, I only needed one and yet...









... none was exactly right. The closest to being acceptable is the button third from the left, top row, just above the swirly one. It might work. I'm not sure especially because I'm now wondering one black button... or two? You'll see why in a minute.









I stitched the lining to the garment along the bottom, clipped, pressed toward the lining, and edge stitched to make sure the garment rolled to the wrong side and the lime of the lining wasn't visible from the front. Technically, that should have made the lining slightly longer than the jacket which would have been perfect except that...









... in this finished image, it looks the opposite - as if the lining is too short and is pulling the garment upward. Closed in the front and on me, it's not quite so obvious. The jacket is wearable although next time, I'll make some adjustments so this doesn't happen again.









See the dotted lines on the front panels in the illustration? That's center front. The instructions clearly say to overlap center front for the button placement. Doing so makes the finished garment look like...









... the brown line drawing below rather than the red model garment above on the pattern envelope. I liked that V shape of the hemline on the model garment only it's missing on mine. When I...









... cross the fronts, the hemline is continuous which makes me think that there should be two buttons - like a double breasted front - otherwise the one button looks like it's been accidentally placed too far to my left. In real life, how far over the button is placed is more substantial than the drawing - like the button placement on the model garment without the hemline advantages. What do you think? One button or two?



FYI - those are pins holding the front together in the photo and I've inserted shoulder pads even though they're not mentioned in the instructions. Don't you think the model looks like she's wearing shoulder pads?



I'm out for breakfast with a friend this morning and then we're heading off to Armstrong, back to the bulk food store that I mentioned a month ago. The prices were so good that we've decided to go back and stock up some more. In particular, I'll check out the spices as I knew the prices were low but didn't know enough to compare. I still don't. This time, I'll just trust that they're a good deal and stock up on what I commonly use.



Talk soon - Myrna



Grateful - hope

A Fabulously Frayed Edge

Last night, I didn't set the alarm and this morning, I slept in. It's nice to do that once in a while and give the body a chance to wake up naturally without buzzing and rushing and all kinds of interference to those healing sleep patterns. At least that's my take.



I made it through the weekend at work which totally surprised me. Friday was difficult but I went outside for fresh air at lunch and during the afternoon break and it was manageable. On Saturday, I worked four hours and on Sunday, five. That was definitely easier. I noticed on Sunday that the air system wasn't blowing nearly as often. That helped too. This week, I have three four hour shifts and the week after I've asked for time off so I only have one eight hour shift which should be quite doable so... we'll see what happens.









What I didn't have this weekend was a lot of sewing time. Just little bits but I did sew together the lining and shape the shoulder pads. I picked them up at the Snip & Stitch in Nanaimo where I take courses with Ron Collins. They are - I believe - imported from Japan and are thin and nicely shaped, much nicer than any other shoulder pad I've bought in the past. To me, they look like they have Warm & Natural batting in the middle although the layers are tapered so there's more toward the shoulder and less toward the neck. Ron taught us how to...









... pull out several layers in the middle to flatten them even more and then stitch across in 1/8-1/4" intervals while pulling the pad into a curve behind the needle. This shapes the shoulder pad to sit better against the body inside the sleeve.



I hadn't intended to add shoulder pads to the jacket until a conversation with Lorraine, my friend who is a couture seamstress and - unfortunately - lives in another town. She commented that it might be more slimming to add shoulder pads to the jacket especially as it looked in the cover photo as if the model was wearing them. I wasn't sure at first however, after pinning them in place, they definitely added something especially to the back armhole which I thought was a still too low. Hopefully, tomorrow the jacket will be done and you'll see what I mean. I'm almost finished.









For the lining, I used the rest of the lime green from my Mother of the Grad dress. There was just enough. The jacket is semi-tailored. Interfacing is added to the facings and upper collar as opposed to the garment body and the lining is sewn right sides together with the garment around the outside edges and turned through the side opening. It's more informal. The pattern - Kwik Sew 3827 - is well drafted and the pieces fit together nicely, as do most Kwik Sew patterns I've sewn.









When I started this project, I wasn't sure if I was going to line the jacket so I serge finished the seam allowances and pressed the seams open. Even with a lining, I think this neatens and lengthens the life of the garment... and it's fun... and I like the way it looks.









The fabric is hard to describe. It's black with a grey overtone as opposed to the blue tone you see in these images. It has an embossed motif and is similar in hand to a medium-weight denim, firm but not stiff. The design reminds me somewhat of table cloths. The selvage had a fabulously frayed edge that I removed first to use in a future project. So many times, the selvage is really quite interesting and it goes to waste. I've learned to check and preserve it first.



This morning - after I wake up and read blogs and eat breakfast - I'm sewing. This afternoon, I have a doctor's appointment to discuss the sudden changes in my allergies. My GP doesn't know anything about allergies or hormone issues however, that's always the place you have to start. I'm assuming he'll order blood work to rule out any other possibilities.



Talk soon - Myrna



Grateful - I made it through the weekend at work health wise and finance wise. There was a big sale. Even the bargain center was half price. I only bought one piece - VBG.

Vogue: The Enablers

Did you notice that Vogue is having another $4.99 sale this weekend? I now think of them as Vogue: The Enablers after all, they just had a sale last weekend. I ordered four patterns and when they arrived on Monday morning I was totally astonished. Typically, my order takes 21-28 days. Hmm... yes... well... actually... the order that arrived on Monday was so old that I'd completely forgotten about it. So forgotten about it that I ordered two of the patterns again. I guess I really liked them - LOL. Here's what I ordered...









Vogue 8485 - this one is totally Elizabeth's fault. She's sewn two pairs and they both look fabulous and I am in need of pants especially ones with fluctuating waistbands.









Vogue 8379 - I saw this on a blog somewhere and it was so pretty and seemed like such a versatile pattern that there was no reason not to add it to my already extensive stash of dresses that I never sew anyway. I've sewn about three dresses in the last two years. I've bought about twenty dress patterns. The ratio doesn't compute.









Vogue 8756 - I love the fitted shoulders and draped front of this jacket. In fact, I love it so much that this is the pattern I've ordered twice and I have three copies because I bought one size for the jacket and one size for the pants. They're basic, nicely fitted, straight leg, practical pants.









Vogue 8743 - Another dress. I have several dress patterns like this one BUT... they didn't come with the cup sizes and that is so much easier than trying to figure it out myself. Not that I can't. I can. But this gets me to the fun faster.









Vogue 8747 - bought for the same reason, the cup sizes. And the pretty gathers. And the shirt tail hemline. And the collar opening. Just a really nice pattern.









I've read on several blogs where the writer thinks they are the last person to the Vogue 1250 party. Since I hadn't even ordered the pattern yet, I just may win that award cause who knows when I'm actually going to sew it but... apparently... this looks good on everyone which made me think ME TOO although it's another dress. See ratio above.









Vogue 1236 - my plan was to sew this for the summer heat. That would be the heat that hasn't arrived. It's been nice for the last few days but nothing sustained like we're used to enjoying. I have a feeling the dress is on hold until next year now but then again, I may have a lot of sewing time in the next month and we may have an extended summer and this looks like a quick sew. I can hope.









Vogue 1254 - I loved the lines on this dress. It's just so beautiful I had to have it for my Mother of the Groom collection. Neither of my boys is engaged. Neither is even dating anyone. Both are too young to even consider getting married IMHO however, I have about twenty dresses in my MOG collection already. I even have some potential yardage. I definitely won't be caught unawares when the time comes.









V8724 - cup sizes again. They'll get me every time. I think adding cup sizes is one of the best decision pattern companies have made in the last few years AND... it's another summer heat dress for my hopeful collection.









Vogue 8750 - After the A-line that felt frumpy, I saw this pattern and liked the lines of the longer images. I think that skirt would have looked better longer so I might give it another try. If not, I like the slim version as well.







Now that they're so reasonably priced, I own more Vogue patterns than any other pattern line. I like the fit of Burda the best. If they'd make it easier for me to buy with frequent sales, I'd be a big customer. The others I buy intermittently. This McCall's 6361 pattern is designed by Palmer/Pletsch. Their patterns always come with great instructions and fitting tips. I think the top right skirt lengthened would make a great jean skirt for fall, the shorts are the right length if I was ever to wear shorts, and I'm interested in the pant sewing tips. It's an educational purchase.



And... while I'm confessing... I seemed to have had a wee small panic attack last weekend about the end of my job and therefore the end of paycheques. I went on an on-line shopping spree. I ordered some more glasses from ZenniOptical.com which I'm telling myself I would have had to order anyway. I ordered a case of table paper for tracing patterns when yes, a few rolls might have done the job but it was cheaper by the case and I'm telling myself I would have bought them eventually anyway. I ordered the patterns above. Other people buy magazines. I buy patterns. It's cheap therapy, entertainment, whatever you want to call it so no excuses here. AND... I put in an order to the wholesaler for pins, needles, hot iron cleaner, black Metler thread, Gingher shears, and a few other things. Just in case. Cause I'll use them anyway. Right - VBG.



Progress has been made on the jacket. It should be ready to show you next week. I like how it's looking so far although next time I'd raise the armhole some more. It's lower than normal which creates some sticky outy parts at the back. Oh well. It's vastly improved... and looking good.



This morning, I'm off to work, supposedly for an eight hour shift. I'm apprehensive about how it's going to go BUT... it'll go the way it goes and there's not much I can do about it. I'll be surprised if I make lunch. If that's the case, today will be my last day. I'm not willing to take that risk much longer. Update on Monday.



Talk soon - Myrna



Grateful - the health that I do have - things could be a lot worse