Has anyone else here found, after looking for a pattern, that they had more than one copy of the same pattern in the same size? Or, since they can't actually find the pattern, given up and gone out and purchased another one, only to find it on the shelf above the cutting table, ready to trace? Well, yeah. This happened in the last two weeks. Both of these things. Combined with the 'I cannot sit down anywhere because of the piles of stuff' and I don't want to sew because of the piles of stuff, I have come to two realizations: I have too much, and it is time to thin.
I hate thinning stuff, but it has to be done because if I don't, I won't sew. I refuse to think of it as 'wasted money' (it will bless someone else, I am sure), but it is frustrating to take bags and bags of stuff away from your space that you will never use or sew. Tastes change over time. Mine certainly have. More to the point, my children's tastes, and sizes have changed. I have thinned five full garbage bags of things like patterns that no longer fit anyone in our house, and are not classic enough to keep for the grandchildren or friends' children sewing, dated books or magazines that really no longer are worth their shelf space. These will bless someone else, Even fabric got thinned: fabric that is for babies, or is too small a piece for anyone to use except a toddler, or simply isn't going to get made by us any time soon. There are three sewers in my house now, so when a fabric really doesn't make that cut, it needs to go out. I had three copies of Kwik Sew's sewing for babies; really? I need one copy. Someone else will enjoy the others, because they are good books.
(There should be a picture of many boxes and black bags here, destined for our local second hand shop, but I will spare you).
On the sewing front, I have been working on bits and pieces that go together, for my summer blues wardrobe. I've been trying to do some versions of a pattern for the Sewing Pattern Review One Pattern, Many Looks. I've been playing with the Silouettes Three Piece Yoga pant pattern, for this. Some versions are much better than others, lol. The denim yoga shorts went from my body into the black bag. They were cool, but just didn't work, even with the fun pockets. Just not comfortable. But, I am wearing the black knit city shorts version right now, and they totally work. From that pattern I have made two pairs of shorts, two pairs of capri pants and a pair of pants. I'm going to add a pair of stretch denim pants and a pair of stretch denim city shorts, and then post a review. But, I am still in picture challenged mode. Hopefully tonight.
26 July 2011
2 July 2011
Working on the summer capsule....
Does anyone ever stick to a plan more than a weekend? Since this has gone on so long now, I changed a few things, but that always happens. I decided I would combine some ideas from Sewingplum's blog which has really great line drawings of shapes that will work for me with a little bit of tweaking of my tnt patterns, with the skeleton of ideas from Dr. E's Sewing 6 pack.
About 3/4 of the spring capsule is sewn. I've settled out on steel blue, plum and white between the two wardrobes. All those colours will work with my black basics from last summer, and I can extend them to grey if I need to add another deep coloured basic, but I'm trying to lighten things up this summer.
SPRING: A touch of the blues:
This is a more casual wardrobe that can be dressed up or down, depending on the circumstances. This means layers, light, washable, and mostly knits.
Trousers (neutral)--blue yoga pants, tnt pants with a modification of elastic in a bound waistband
1 blouse to match--v neck tie neck shell, done
1 complementary blouse: reversible lace/knit shell with ruffle edges, in layers
1 complementary blouse: still thinking about this one, maybe it will be a pink shell
1 Layering top/cardigan (to match skirt/trousers)-blue ruffled swing style jacket
Jacket (co-ordinating neutral)- zipper jacket, to match the yoga pants, still working on this one
Additional pieces:
Dress--pull on knit dress with big blue flowered print--done and awesome
Pants--blue, straight leg capri style
Skirt in matching blue knit--Eileen Fisher style, with fold over waistband
SUMMER
Dress--another pull on knit dress, of some description, maybe grey?
Skirt (accent colour)--plum skirt, using the slim skirt style of Eileen fisher, with the foldable waist band to vary length
1 blouse to match skirt--plum knit blouse with draping sides
1 blouse to complement skirt--draped front neck shell, simplicity pattern tnt
1 blouse to complement skirt--white shell, lined lace front with plain white back, tnt pattern
1 light layering top/cardigan--white cardigan, with lace back matches the lace on the shell
Planned bonus pieces:
leggings in black and blue, from the newest Ottobre Woman Magazine
capri pants in grey, plum and steel blue
About 3/4 of the spring capsule is sewn. I've settled out on steel blue, plum and white between the two wardrobes. All those colours will work with my black basics from last summer, and I can extend them to grey if I need to add another deep coloured basic, but I'm trying to lighten things up this summer.
SPRING: A touch of the blues:
This is a more casual wardrobe that can be dressed up or down, depending on the circumstances. This means layers, light, washable, and mostly knits.
Trousers (neutral)--blue yoga pants, tnt pants with a modification of elastic in a bound waistband
1 blouse to match--v neck tie neck shell, done
1 complementary blouse: reversible lace/knit shell with ruffle edges, in layers
1 complementary blouse: still thinking about this one, maybe it will be a pink shell
1 Layering top/cardigan (to match skirt/trousers)-blue ruffled swing style jacket
Jacket (co-ordinating neutral)- zipper jacket, to match the yoga pants, still working on this one
Additional pieces:
Dress--pull on knit dress with big blue flowered print--done and awesome
Pants--blue, straight leg capri style
Skirt in matching blue knit--Eileen Fisher style, with fold over waistband
SUMMER
Dress--another pull on knit dress, of some description, maybe grey?
Skirt (accent colour)--plum skirt, using the slim skirt style of Eileen fisher, with the foldable waist band to vary length
1 blouse to match skirt--plum knit blouse with draping sides
1 blouse to complement skirt--draped front neck shell, simplicity pattern tnt
1 blouse to complement skirt--white shell, lined lace front with plain white back, tnt pattern
1 light layering top/cardigan--white cardigan, with lace back matches the lace on the shell
Planned bonus pieces:
leggings in black and blue, from the newest Ottobre Woman Magazine
capri pants in grey, plum and steel blue
14 June 2011
Long time, no chat
Wow! I have been away a long time. It is report card evening, and I am procrastinating. Back to sewing, and I will also chat a little about my knitting.
On the sewing front--I'm going to do a Spring and a Summer 6 pack in the next couple of weeks. For those who don't know, the original idea is here. I love the idea, and the basics are great. I've been wearing the pieces I made at Christmas every day. On the great side for this system of wardrobing: I can get dressed in 5 minutes. On the not so great side--everything I currently wear is black or dark brown.
I really need to lighten everything up for summer. I am tired of black and brown. For this round, my base colours are black, bright blue, stone, and white. The summer wardrobe will include some lemon yellow, and plums and pinks, just because I like them. I need summer basics of all kinds, badly. I currently own one pair of black capris, one pair of denim shorts that are far too short to wear to teach in at school, and one black sleeveless tie shell. I need to fill out some warm weather work clothes, and some warm weather casual clothes.
SPRING:
Trousers (neutral)--pull on yoga pants, in cotton lycra/spandex blend, in my blue base.
Blouse/top to match--sleeveless tie shell, in matching blue cotton knit
Blouse/top to complement--vogue cowl pattern, in wild blue/pink/plum print knit
Blouse/top to complement--printed georgette tie shell, sleeveless
1 Layering top/cardigan (to match skirt/trousers)--blue knit draped front sweater coat; made from a really cool ruffled sofa throw that exactly matches my cotton lycra blend.
Jacket (co-ordinating neutral)--this one will be my tnt jacket, with a zipper and pockets, out of matching fabric to the pants.
Additional pieces?
--draped neck sleeveless blouse in a printed knit.
--dress--something in blue? Not sure about this one
--blue capri leggings
All of these will go with all my black neutrals, and with my three pairs of denim pants.
Summer:
Dress: my tnt sheath dress in a blue stretch texture cotton
Skirt: something swirly and blue, and cotton, and full
Top 1: a sleeveless white draped neck shell (Simplicity tnt pattern), made from the same fabric as the front of the swing jacket with the lace back
Top 2: a sleeveless blue cotton shell, fabric to match the skirt? probably a swing style tunic length top
Top 3: Something with the asymmetrical shoulder look (I have an old new look pattern that has this look)
1 layering piece: Simplicity swing jacket with a lace back, and white knit for the front. I have seen cardigans similar to this in RTW, and love the idea.
Additional pieces: I need capris for work, so at least three pairs of capris, with cuffs, in rayon poly lycra, black, blue. Possibly a pair of blue, black or white leggings to go under the skirts. Since everything I own will go with any of these, I think this will be a great start.
On the sewing front--I'm going to do a Spring and a Summer 6 pack in the next couple of weeks. For those who don't know, the original idea is here. I love the idea, and the basics are great. I've been wearing the pieces I made at Christmas every day. On the great side for this system of wardrobing: I can get dressed in 5 minutes. On the not so great side--everything I currently wear is black or dark brown.
I really need to lighten everything up for summer. I am tired of black and brown. For this round, my base colours are black, bright blue, stone, and white. The summer wardrobe will include some lemon yellow, and plums and pinks, just because I like them. I need summer basics of all kinds, badly. I currently own one pair of black capris, one pair of denim shorts that are far too short to wear to teach in at school, and one black sleeveless tie shell. I need to fill out some warm weather work clothes, and some warm weather casual clothes.
SPRING:
Trousers (neutral)--pull on yoga pants, in cotton lycra/spandex blend, in my blue base.
Blouse/top to match--sleeveless tie shell, in matching blue cotton knit
Blouse/top to complement--vogue cowl pattern, in wild blue/pink/plum print knit
Blouse/top to complement--printed georgette tie shell, sleeveless
1 Layering top/cardigan (to match skirt/trousers)--blue knit draped front sweater coat; made from a really cool ruffled sofa throw that exactly matches my cotton lycra blend.
Jacket (co-ordinating neutral)--this one will be my tnt jacket, with a zipper and pockets, out of matching fabric to the pants.
Additional pieces?
--draped neck sleeveless blouse in a printed knit.
--dress--something in blue? Not sure about this one
--blue capri leggings
All of these will go with all my black neutrals, and with my three pairs of denim pants.
Summer:
Dress: my tnt sheath dress in a blue stretch texture cotton
Skirt: something swirly and blue, and cotton, and full
Top 1: a sleeveless white draped neck shell (Simplicity tnt pattern), made from the same fabric as the front of the swing jacket with the lace back
Top 2: a sleeveless blue cotton shell, fabric to match the skirt? probably a swing style tunic length top
Top 3: Something with the asymmetrical shoulder look (I have an old new look pattern that has this look)
1 layering piece: Simplicity swing jacket with a lace back, and white knit for the front. I have seen cardigans similar to this in RTW, and love the idea.
Additional pieces: I need capris for work, so at least three pairs of capris, with cuffs, in rayon poly lycra, black, blue. Possibly a pair of blue, black or white leggings to go under the skirts. Since everything I own will go with any of these, I think this will be a great start.
12 March 2011
Motivation...and a review
I've been ruminating this week about motivation. What motivates me to get up off the couch and move? Or sew, or knit, or create, or.. even clean?
I started going to Kaerobics in January because I knew I needed to start moving, that I wasn't dealing with my life stress well, and I needed some social motivation to exercise. My oldest, who was my gym buddy, went to university. I stopped going to the gym. I knew I needed to do something active. Kaerobics is my social exercise time; I get to hang around with my god-son, and my husbands bff and his wife. It is my chance to go out and socialize, after running around like a fool and sweating my brains out in a fun way. I am learning; I am having fun, and I like it.
Yesterday was the First day of March break, and I decided I was going to be lazy, sit around, watch tv and drink a glass of wine instead of going to Kaerobics. I wanted to leave school early for once, not sit around until it was time to go to class on the last day before March break. This morning, my body is explaining to me pretty clearly that I need to get up off the couch and move. Other times I've missed class, I've been sick, and didn't want to infect anyone. This time--I can tell that I needed to get up and move and my body is whining. It wants some motion and some go. That, my friends, is new. I have energy, and my body wants exercise.
A friend at work mentioned the Body for Life challenge, where people take a challenge and totally change their bodies in 12 weeks; the pictures are pretty amazing. I found a copy of Body for Life for Women at the bookstore last night on the clearance shelf. She wants to do it again.
The challenge seriously tempts me. The whole book reminds me very much of the No Excuses Work Out System, which I already own but do not used consistently. 12 week challenges, do interval based exercise combined with weights, change your diet. Yep. All in NEWO. Personal training component--available in NEWO (at a cost). I've got NEWO. I know it will work for me if I do it. My current excuse is that I don't have a heart rate monitor (yes, it is an excuse. Probably one that I will change today). So why am I looking at another system instead of using the one I have?
I seriously think I'm being ineffective with NEWO because I don't have a target goal and the personal motivation that will keep me focused for the short time. There is nothing wrong with NEWO; I know it will work in the long run. In fact, I intend to stay with it for the long term. The issue is with me and my own personal motivation for the short term. The Body-for-life for Women book actually expressed this really well for me, in the form of questions. What is going to be my pm motivator? What will get me to the gym on that really bad day when I feel like going home and having diet coke and potato chips for supper? How am I going to deal with my toxic stress?
In the past, I've exercised to deal with the stress of change. I exercised a lot after going to University and being transferred to a new school. Exercise helped me tremendously at that point. It dealt with my depression, and left me able to cope, and my body liked being a size 6-8. It felt good. I've been dealing with serious toxic stress in the last four years. On top of dealing with developing life threatening allergies and physical limitations and chronic pain, well--you get the picture-- my oldest has left home, I'm working at a brand new school, and I'm dealing with chronic pain. I'm not trying to make excuses. This is my reality. But, I need to do something to change how I'm dealing with my reality because I don't like the flabby body I've got right now. If I can change my body to be something I like to hang around with in 12 weeks, then I am going to seriously think about it. And, I know from the last time I went through this kind of thing in University, once my body gets to that nice space, it likes to stay there. So, 12 weeks means June, and I can stay focused for 12 weeks.
My personal challenge has to do with the diet. Most of the diets suggested in these exercise programs fail me. I am anaphylactically allergic to low fat foods (fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs, nuts) along with melons and mangoes. Almost every protein supplement depends on eggs or albumin produced from eggs, nuts or fish components to be effective. All of the above will kill me, which rules out the 'supplement portion' of the body for life challenge, I think. I have to check ingredients to be certain. I can only eat red meat. So, I can't just take a diet program that uses low fat as the basis of change in diet and use it. NEWO was no exception. But both of them suggest water, which I am trying to do consistently. Healthy balanced portions, more veggies, more frequent meals. So, it will take some thinking and planning to get this to work for me.
So working through some of my reasons for starting to focus on changing my body.
Why do I want to exercise? What do I want out of the whole thing?
I started going to Kaerobics in January because I knew I needed to start moving, that I wasn't dealing with my life stress well, and I needed some social motivation to exercise. My oldest, who was my gym buddy, went to university. I stopped going to the gym. I knew I needed to do something active. Kaerobics is my social exercise time; I get to hang around with my god-son, and my husbands bff and his wife. It is my chance to go out and socialize, after running around like a fool and sweating my brains out in a fun way. I am learning; I am having fun, and I like it.
Yesterday was the First day of March break, and I decided I was going to be lazy, sit around, watch tv and drink a glass of wine instead of going to Kaerobics. I wanted to leave school early for once, not sit around until it was time to go to class on the last day before March break. This morning, my body is explaining to me pretty clearly that I need to get up off the couch and move. Other times I've missed class, I've been sick, and didn't want to infect anyone. This time--I can tell that I needed to get up and move and my body is whining. It wants some motion and some go. That, my friends, is new. I have energy, and my body wants exercise.
A friend at work mentioned the Body for Life challenge, where people take a challenge and totally change their bodies in 12 weeks; the pictures are pretty amazing. I found a copy of Body for Life for Women at the bookstore last night on the clearance shelf. She wants to do it again.
The challenge seriously tempts me. The whole book reminds me very much of the No Excuses Work Out System, which I already own but do not used consistently. 12 week challenges, do interval based exercise combined with weights, change your diet. Yep. All in NEWO. Personal training component--available in NEWO (at a cost). I've got NEWO. I know it will work for me if I do it. My current excuse is that I don't have a heart rate monitor (yes, it is an excuse. Probably one that I will change today). So why am I looking at another system instead of using the one I have?
I seriously think I'm being ineffective with NEWO because I don't have a target goal and the personal motivation that will keep me focused for the short time. There is nothing wrong with NEWO; I know it will work in the long run. In fact, I intend to stay with it for the long term. The issue is with me and my own personal motivation for the short term. The Body-for-life for Women book actually expressed this really well for me, in the form of questions. What is going to be my pm motivator? What will get me to the gym on that really bad day when I feel like going home and having diet coke and potato chips for supper? How am I going to deal with my toxic stress?
In the past, I've exercised to deal with the stress of change. I exercised a lot after going to University and being transferred to a new school. Exercise helped me tremendously at that point. It dealt with my depression, and left me able to cope, and my body liked being a size 6-8. It felt good. I've been dealing with serious toxic stress in the last four years. On top of dealing with developing life threatening allergies and physical limitations and chronic pain, well--you get the picture-- my oldest has left home, I'm working at a brand new school, and I'm dealing with chronic pain. I'm not trying to make excuses. This is my reality. But, I need to do something to change how I'm dealing with my reality because I don't like the flabby body I've got right now. If I can change my body to be something I like to hang around with in 12 weeks, then I am going to seriously think about it. And, I know from the last time I went through this kind of thing in University, once my body gets to that nice space, it likes to stay there. So, 12 weeks means June, and I can stay focused for 12 weeks.
My personal challenge has to do with the diet. Most of the diets suggested in these exercise programs fail me. I am anaphylactically allergic to low fat foods (fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs, nuts) along with melons and mangoes. Almost every protein supplement depends on eggs or albumin produced from eggs, nuts or fish components to be effective. All of the above will kill me, which rules out the 'supplement portion' of the body for life challenge, I think. I have to check ingredients to be certain. I can only eat red meat. So, I can't just take a diet program that uses low fat as the basis of change in diet and use it. NEWO was no exception. But both of them suggest water, which I am trying to do consistently. Healthy balanced portions, more veggies, more frequent meals. So, it will take some thinking and planning to get this to work for me.
So working through some of my reasons for starting to focus on changing my body.
Why do I want to exercise? What do I want out of the whole thing?
- To avoid the wheel chair, and the high blood pressure medication in the long run.
- To have some personal balance in my life, and develop some stress resiliance.
- To feel better.
- To like what I see in the mirror.
- I want to be around for my kids in 30 years, not in a wheel chair, but up and playing with my grandbabies.
- I want to be able to play pick-up basket ball and soccer this year. My hips hurt today, which means that the exercise is making a difference, because they didn't hurt last week. I want to be able to run without huffing or hurting myself. I want to not hurt when I lift a full size basket ball. I want to make the baskets, not struggle to lift the ball.
- I want to look good, not jiggly or fat, in a fairy costume in June when Faeryfest comes around. Enough said.
23 December 2010
Goals for the year...Breathe and Finish
At the end of this term, I will have been staff for 8 months (hard to believe), and part of the group for two years. My children have nearly grown up with my knitting for HPKCHC--certainly become teenagers and young women. As a part of the HPHC group, I have explored many different ways of knitting, dealing with deadlines and online moderating in a sometimes very high paced environment. I helped build and grow a new, and hopefully more sound, structure to the group after some significant challenges in September. I learned some dyeing, and to spin. It wasn't where I thought I would be going in January last year, but it has been valuable and creative in a different way. September, though, was absolutely, without a doubt, insane in terms of time and investment and energy. The kerfluffle, and the aftermath, just took time and energy to work though. In the end, the structure was sound, but the process to get there was time consuming.
In September, my oldest also left home for university. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that my oldest left home, and going to university was the side benefit. She is, as far as I can tell, doing well. She got her first adult job: seasonal retail sales. This is something that everyone should try so that they learn to appreciate how much work it is to do, I think. I think I explored feelings of change and loss. Our celebrations and traditions are changing because she has left home. It is expected, but I am finding it hard to feel my way through this challenge of parenting a young adult, particularly one who is dependent on 'bank of mom' but doesn't want to communicate with mom or dad.
Combine a parenting change of this level with a significant change in job to a new school with very few resources, and I have had a tiring year. A lot of time is put into development of resources for teaching, and not so much into cleaning the house or dealing with the changes of having someone leave with all the stuff in two bedrooms still in piles. I guess that is part of mom-hood--cleaning up someone else's messes. Well, the house is still a mess, and she is coming home in two days for an unknown period of time to stay with us for an unknown period of time. Planning is challenging at my house right now.
Then, I added costuming a play to my fall schedule; a world premiere play, written by a good friend of mine. The play was awesome. Costuming, however, was not originally on my goal list. I don't regret doing it. I went into it, though, knowing I didn't have a lot of emotional flexibity with all the changes I was dealing with, and I got through it, but it was hard. I am exhausted in a way that I didn't expect would happen because the fall was simply so challenging.
I'm sure I could have added something else to the insanity, but seriously--three major things, plus several deaths in November, have made me think about my life, and where I want to be next year. True, I want to have goals, right now my energy level makes me think my goals need to be very simple: get through, build space to breathe, use stash, create within the framework you have with the stuff you have, enjoy the process and the people around you, just breathe.
22 December 2010
Too much yarn and what I've been doing in my 'spare' time
November was a miserable month. I did not knit; what I did knit, I ripped out and stashed back into the wall of stash, or gave away in a fit of frustration in small noodly balls of wool.
Instead, I costumed an original play, called when Santa's Away, written by Ken Cameron. It was awesome. It was exhausting, but here are some pictures:
 | ||||
| When Santa's Away | Assorted Elves: DD1 is the artist in the center. |
5 December 2010
Best Laid plans...and all that
We all know about plans--right? How they rarely survive past the first stage of planning because something happens? A change of plan because of boredom, fabric choice, pattern choice...you get the picture. My wardrobe seems to be suffering from Best Laid Plans syndrome. At least, though, everything is still black.
I did make a black top.
It wasn't the top I was expecting to make, but that happens, apparently more often than I though. It is black, it is knit, and it fits. I think I changed my mind about the wrap top, partially because I was lazy and partly because I was bored. After reading about tie neck tops, and how well they work in Carolyn's wardrobe, I wanted to try making a v neck tie top. Hers are sleeveless. Mine has long sleeves, a v neck, and ties that measured 30" by 4 1/2" cut.
The only things I would change would be to make the v two inches lower, so that the neck isn't so high on me, and to shorten the ties; I'm short. I don't need 30" of tie, more like 27". The top is a PMB5 draft, with slightly too much ease. It was drafted for wovens, with 2" of ease; I made the top from a nice stable knit, and it doesn't need that much ease on me, so I took it in about 2". But, otherwise, looking good. The tshirt draft is a really nice draft in the new pmb, much better than the old draft. The lengths are good, and the shoulder curve is lovely.
Now to make that top again in something red, and sleeveless.
I did make a black top.
It wasn't the top I was expecting to make, but that happens, apparently more often than I though. It is black, it is knit, and it fits. I think I changed my mind about the wrap top, partially because I was lazy and partly because I was bored. After reading about tie neck tops, and how well they work in Carolyn's wardrobe, I wanted to try making a v neck tie top. Hers are sleeveless. Mine has long sleeves, a v neck, and ties that measured 30" by 4 1/2" cut.
The only things I would change would be to make the v two inches lower, so that the neck isn't so high on me, and to shorten the ties; I'm short. I don't need 30" of tie, more like 27". The top is a PMB5 draft, with slightly too much ease. It was drafted for wovens, with 2" of ease; I made the top from a nice stable knit, and it doesn't need that much ease on me, so I took it in about 2". But, otherwise, looking good. The tshirt draft is a really nice draft in the new pmb, much better than the old draft. The lengths are good, and the shoulder curve is lovely.
Now to make that top again in something red, and sleeveless.
1 December 2010
Endless Black--or surviving back stage as a stage hand
Last week was tech week on the play. This means that I spent the week plus a day or two, at the theatre--evenings and weekends, while I teach full time. The good part was the play--it rocks; the cast rocks; the costumes rock. The bad part--well, as crew I'm supposed to wear all black. And, I usually can, except that I actually ran out of blacks on Saturday. This is unheard of--how can I possibly run out of all black clothes? Black is my base colour (or one of them at least). But, by Sunday I was wearing dark brown pants and a burgundy shirt. Yep--not black. This means that my blacks wardrobe needs to be expanded. I decided to make an all black 6 pack (well, in reality more like a 6 pack plus). Note: My husband says that I need to do laundry, but we all know that this really means that I need more clothes.
A 6 pack is normally a bottom, and two sets of layering tops, and a coat. My six packs are more like two bottoms, and two to three sets of layering tops before the coat.
This one will end up like this:
I'm going to call it Backstage Baby.
Tops:
1. Funnel neck top--black stretch velvet, made from the Travel Wear two pattern. Quick, easy, fits really well. Love it.---done
2. Vogue wrap top with the huge shawl collar, from some black knit.
3. Extra--black funnel neck top with white daisies (just because I needed a change, lol)--done.
Wrap layers
4. Black zipper fleece jacket, in my tnt jacket, a PMB pattern I drafted at least two years ago
5. Black knee length ruffled sweater with hood (the theatre is cold, and I need to replace the black sweater that is getting sad in its old age)
Bottoms:
1. Silouettes Yoga pants--black texture knit--done. Great pattern, perfect crotch curve. I shortened the pattern 5" to fit my short legs, but otherwise this pattern fit out of the envelope.
2. RPL stretch crepe as Hollywood waist band bants.
Since I like to sew my wardrobes in outfits, my next outfit will be the Hollywood pants and the vogue wrap top. Both are turning into tnt patterns. Quick, easy and cute. I need to do a little shopping: I have to go buy more 1 1/4" elastic for the waist band of the pants, since I just finished the roll. And, I want to make the sweater as a refashion from a polyester ruffle sofa throw, which I need to go purchase.
But, this is a wardrobe at its most basic--what I really wear, what looks good on me, and what is already a tnt pattern. Not exactly exciting, but I will sure wear all these pieces again and again. I'm backstage for another play in April. Maybe, with a little bit of sewing, I won't run out of clothes next time.
A 6 pack is normally a bottom, and two sets of layering tops, and a coat. My six packs are more like two bottoms, and two to three sets of layering tops before the coat.
This one will end up like this:
I'm going to call it Backstage Baby.
Tops:
1. Funnel neck top--black stretch velvet, made from the Travel Wear two pattern. Quick, easy, fits really well. Love it.---done
2. Vogue wrap top with the huge shawl collar, from some black knit.
3. Extra--black funnel neck top with white daisies (just because I needed a change, lol)--done.
Wrap layers
4. Black zipper fleece jacket, in my tnt jacket, a PMB pattern I drafted at least two years ago
5. Black knee length ruffled sweater with hood (the theatre is cold, and I need to replace the black sweater that is getting sad in its old age)
Bottoms:
1. Silouettes Yoga pants--black texture knit--done. Great pattern, perfect crotch curve. I shortened the pattern 5" to fit my short legs, but otherwise this pattern fit out of the envelope.
2. RPL stretch crepe as Hollywood waist band bants.
Since I like to sew my wardrobes in outfits, my next outfit will be the Hollywood pants and the vogue wrap top. Both are turning into tnt patterns. Quick, easy and cute. I need to do a little shopping: I have to go buy more 1 1/4" elastic for the waist band of the pants, since I just finished the roll. And, I want to make the sweater as a refashion from a polyester ruffle sofa throw, which I need to go purchase.
But, this is a wardrobe at its most basic--what I really wear, what looks good on me, and what is already a tnt pattern. Not exactly exciting, but I will sure wear all these pieces again and again. I'm backstage for another play in April. Maybe, with a little bit of sewing, I won't run out of clothes next time.
30 November 2010
Sorrow and Loss
Some Novembers are better than others; this one has been a hard one. A year ago, Remembrance day, my grandmother died. We had three deaths at church in a week. One of them was one I didn't expect at all--her breast cancer had returned, but she had been given about three years. She lasted two months. To finish off that, our fish is currently breathing his last. I will be surprised if he lasts the night.
Snape has been with us since my youngest was four. He was named Snape after the Harry Potter character, that first year the book was published, because he ate nearly all the other fish that shared his tank in the first year. After the second year, we gave up keeping other fish with him. For the last five years, he has regularly followed us along the glass of his tank every morning, giving us the evil 'feed me' glare. There is nothing quite like sitting to drink your coffee, and wondering what is looking at you, only to realize that it is your fish. He has been our companion through many ups and downs. And, it will be hard to lose him.
I shouldn't complain--he is nearly eleven years old, and his type of cyclid rarely lives longer than 8 years. But, seriously, losing him will be hard. We plan to get other fish (in fact, we were looking at other fish his size, knowing that he was close to elderly and probably wasn't going to last past Christmas), but knowing that and watching it happen are just different experiences.
So, here's to the house cup, and all that I haven't knit for this month. Here is my sweater, and how far I've gotten. I'm not going to finish my mitten--I'm having a hard time focusing because of my fish. And, it isn't an excuse that I want to post on the cup, somehow.
Snape has been with us since my youngest was four. He was named Snape after the Harry Potter character, that first year the book was published, because he ate nearly all the other fish that shared his tank in the first year. After the second year, we gave up keeping other fish with him. For the last five years, he has regularly followed us along the glass of his tank every morning, giving us the evil 'feed me' glare. There is nothing quite like sitting to drink your coffee, and wondering what is looking at you, only to realize that it is your fish. He has been our companion through many ups and downs. And, it will be hard to lose him.
I shouldn't complain--he is nearly eleven years old, and his type of cyclid rarely lives longer than 8 years. But, seriously, losing him will be hard. We plan to get other fish (in fact, we were looking at other fish his size, knowing that he was close to elderly and probably wasn't going to last past Christmas), but knowing that and watching it happen are just different experiences.
27 November 2010
Swap once more
Swap fever has begun again. For those who don't know, swap is Sewing with a plan (in other words, making a wardrobe that works together). Not as easy as it sounds, or looks, in my opinion, since I usually end up making two or three pieces that just don't go somehow, and so usually sew 14 or more pieces to get the final eleven.
I completed the very last swap that Julie ever ran, and I've managed to complete two since then, but somehow, last year swap fell by the wayside. I don't know why, except that I didn't really have an inspiration piece, and it was too....? I think I just got too busy, and school was extremely stressful towards the end. Sewing was definitely the last thing on my mind after I was surplused from my position. I did find a new, and way better, position at a brand new school, but I didn't complete the swap. And, then I started costuming a play--but that is for another blog post, I think.
The contest this year is here, on Stitcher's Guild. This year, the options for organizing the eleven garments of the swap are as follows:
Option #1:
6 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
4 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accesory)
Option #2:
2 dresses -single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
6 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
2 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accesory)
Option #3:
5 dresses -single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
4 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
1 bottom - jeans, pants, shorts, skirt or kilt.
1 your choice (not an accesory)
3 garments may be purchased or previously sewn.
1 may be knitted or crocheted.
And, every year there is a twist. This year--Every garment should be made with a technique or feature that you haven't tried, or haven't mastered.
And here, my friends, is my challenge. How do I include techniques that I haven't tried or mastered in a wardrobe that isn't full of single amazing inspiration pieces? Those who have done less sewing have a lot more options with this twist, because, let's face it--if you are new to sewing, you haven't mastered a lot. But, I've been sewing for a long time, and I teach other people to sew for fun. The things that I haven't mastered or worked at are things like sewing with leather, or traditional tailoring, that don't fit into my casual wash and wear school teacher lifestyle, or a really for garments that are inspiration pieces that you make a wardrobe around. I'm finding this part of the swap challenge more....challenging....than I expected.
I think it probably goes without saying that I will be using option 1. I wear separates, and I don't really wear dresses. Well, maybe I wear one or two about once every two months. And, we are going into cold season, so dressing in layers is the norm. There is snow falling outside as I speak, and I love my wool sweater collection, and pants. My new room at school also has a wall of windows, which means that the wind cools the room quite effectively, even when the heat is on in the school. Those sweaters are getting a workout this year. If I do make dresses, they will be the 'plus' part of the swap--you know, the eleven final pieces, plus all the other stuff that got sewn and works with the wardrobe but didn't make the cut for the photographs LOL.
My colours are also easy. Since I started sewing with endless collections, where everything has to go with something else in the closet, I've limited myself to colours that work together well. So, black (deep grey), blue, red/cranberry, plum, and deep cinnamon brown are the backbone of my clothes colours. I can't see that changing any time soon. It makes getting dressed in the morning really easy.
So, enough of the complaining--time to do some problem solving about this swap thing. There has to be a way of making this work (literally).
I completed the very last swap that Julie ever ran, and I've managed to complete two since then, but somehow, last year swap fell by the wayside. I don't know why, except that I didn't really have an inspiration piece, and it was too....? I think I just got too busy, and school was extremely stressful towards the end. Sewing was definitely the last thing on my mind after I was surplused from my position. I did find a new, and way better, position at a brand new school, but I didn't complete the swap. And, then I started costuming a play--but that is for another blog post, I think.
The contest this year is here, on Stitcher's Guild. This year, the options for organizing the eleven garments of the swap are as follows:
Option #1:
6 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
4 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accesory)
Option #2:
2 dresses -single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
6 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
2 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accesory)
Option #3:
5 dresses -single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
4 tops - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
1 bottom - jeans, pants, shorts, skirt or kilt.
1 your choice (not an accesory)
3 garments may be purchased or previously sewn.
1 may be knitted or crocheted.
And, every year there is a twist. This year--Every garment should be made with a technique or feature that you haven't tried, or haven't mastered.
And here, my friends, is my challenge. How do I include techniques that I haven't tried or mastered in a wardrobe that isn't full of single amazing inspiration pieces? Those who have done less sewing have a lot more options with this twist, because, let's face it--if you are new to sewing, you haven't mastered a lot. But, I've been sewing for a long time, and I teach other people to sew for fun. The things that I haven't mastered or worked at are things like sewing with leather, or traditional tailoring, that don't fit into my casual wash and wear school teacher lifestyle, or a really for garments that are inspiration pieces that you make a wardrobe around. I'm finding this part of the swap challenge more....challenging....than I expected.
I think it probably goes without saying that I will be using option 1. I wear separates, and I don't really wear dresses. Well, maybe I wear one or two about once every two months. And, we are going into cold season, so dressing in layers is the norm. There is snow falling outside as I speak, and I love my wool sweater collection, and pants. My new room at school also has a wall of windows, which means that the wind cools the room quite effectively, even when the heat is on in the school. Those sweaters are getting a workout this year. If I do make dresses, they will be the 'plus' part of the swap--you know, the eleven final pieces, plus all the other stuff that got sewn and works with the wardrobe but didn't make the cut for the photographs LOL.
My colours are also easy. Since I started sewing with endless collections, where everything has to go with something else in the closet, I've limited myself to colours that work together well. So, black (deep grey), blue, red/cranberry, plum, and deep cinnamon brown are the backbone of my clothes colours. I can't see that changing any time soon. It makes getting dressed in the morning really easy.
So, enough of the complaining--time to do some problem solving about this swap thing. There has to be a way of making this work (literally).
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