2011 in Review!

It's leap day and I don't have someone to propose to, so I have to do other impressive things like beat my mile goal time (holla! yes!) and finally post my year-in-review. 

January !

2^nd: Bethie’s tweed dress

12^th: Scott’s Spice Pack

20^th: Bryce’s fireplace

January was a “clean-up” kind of month. I had a lot of Christmas gifts to finish and deliver. I was really stoked about Bethie's dress, but I made the huge mistake of choosing brown tweed for the fabric. I am fairly certain she has never worn it because it is brown (and a little big, but who's checking?).

February !

6^th: Chris’s bed pocket

22^nd: Jenn’s skirt   

We went to Mexico in February, and that seems more impressive than finishing up a skirt (hemming it, really) and making a bed pocket.

March !

23^rd Turquoise playsuit

26^th: bedroom curtains & ties

27^th: curtain ties (for the front room's curtains)

27^th: Cate’s pillowcases

Ah, the first playsuit! Made a size too big in some cheap yardsale fabric. Oh, how I love it! And my best curtains to date. So pretty and remarkably even in the hem!

April !

6^th: Michelle’s camel skirt

17^th: 5 pairs of bloomers for the KDVS Fundraiser!

May !

-fail-

But even if I didn't sew, it seems that I did wash a dog that month.

June !

12^th: Michelle’s light blue net dress

16^th: black w/ red & tan flower dress

30^th: coral window pane romper

Wedding dresses and other lifetime goals! I'm still mega proud of the dresses I made for Michelle and myself for Clara's wedding, and I can't wait until the return of romper weather. It should be a good time for all. 

July !

12^th: Michelle’s yellow playsuit

15^th: two headbands (one of which matches Michelle’s playsuit)

24^th: Orange/tan paisley Sorbetto top

 A Colette Patterns-heavy month, if I do say so myself.

August !

23^rd: teal skirt w/ black/white/red buttons

31^st: bed pocket for me

My teal skirt...why must you rumple so? I also need to do some serious fixin' on the lining, which I've shredded with my power stepping.

September !

2^nd: Jenn’s Art Tote bag

3^rd: Merril’s bloomers

22^nd: Thrift storedress modification

30^th: Blue BurdaStyle sleeveless top (never saw the light of day)

You guys haven't seen this shirt, but it is all around bad news. Susan is so embarrassed to be seen in it! I'm starting to think the buttons are cursed (they were used on my doomed Sencha blouse, too) since everything they touch turns to awful. Hrm.

October !

11^th: Atmosphere bag (decoration)

21^st: Jenn’s houndtooth wiggle dress

 Jenn didn't give me a picture of her in her houndstooth wiggle dress. I'll remember that. My atmosphere bag is pretty fun, though!

November !

12^th: Stella’s skirt

12^th: Cate’s sleep top (adorableness, why don't I have a picture?)

December !

1^st: Michelle’s laptop bag

1^st: Cate’s bloomers

11^th: Bryce’s eye mask and bloomers

16^th: Cate’s sleep top (I had to go back and finish the hems, then it was really done)

21^st: CJ’s bed pocket (which he keeps at the ranch)

24^th: 12 lavender sachets

24^th: Bethie’s white eyelet top

24^th: Claire’s summer fun dress

24^th: My red/tan lace dress

Busy month, don't you think?

That is my 2011 in review. December was easily my most productive month and May the least productive (I was distractedly working on Michelle's blue dress for Clara's wedding the WHOLE MONTH), and there were lots of bedpockets and bloomers. Colette Patterns dominated the show with thirteen items (though eight of those were bloomers), and my own love of cutting out shapes for home decor purposes made a good showing too. (hello bed pockets and curtains!) At the end of the year there were over 40 notable things I had sewn. Wow! Good job me!

Now that we're entering March, any ideas on sewing goals for 2012? It's not too late!

Rainbow Collection: Yellow Playsuit (for Mishunky)

AWESOME! I have now completed my "yellow" requirement. This was kind of a cop-out because my yellow mission was pre-determined--Michelle bought this fabric in early June (along with some other no-strings-attached fabric) and demanded a playsuit. Well, a playsuit she shall have!

Disaffected? Disinterested? Pensive? Furious? Lost?

She demanded a playsuit after I completed the turquoise playsuit from March. The benefit of having made this pattern before is that I had a better handle on the sizing this time. You might notice that it...ya know, fits. We stuck with the Colette Rooibos (wonderful stuff!) and a sturdy yellow linen-like material from JoAnn's. The blue and white contrast fabric is also from JoAnns from some wonderful sale that was going on when we stopped by for notions for her bridesmaid dress. The blue and white contrast fabric is a little on the sheer side (I am forming plans for its next use!) and super soft like a face full of puppy bellies, but without the puppy breath or needle-like teeth. Pile-of-puppy fabric.

Close up of the contrast fabric on the neck.

In other exciting news, I finally used my double needle! It was rather easy, too! That wasn't a surprise, since I had read about how it is a really easy technique to make hems look more decorative; however, I used the double needle because my belief is that two rows of stitching are sturdier than one. Playsuits should be as strong as my will to eat chocolate!

Victory!

Thus, I declare Rainbow Collection: Yellow Playsuit a success! Doesn't she look like a daffodil of a geography teacher?

So much sass for one geography teacher...

Next up, I was planning on making a blue skirt from this linen I've had since last November...then I wore a particularly ugly shirt to work today with my suit. I also happened across this free pattern and though I'm not crazy on the pink there, I imagine many of my sheer fabrics would light up this pattern and make something box-of-crayons-wonderful to fulfill the "top-bits-covered" requirement of suit-wearing. With a slip, naturally--I ain't no sexretary! 

What do you think should come first? Skirt that I've been talking about FOREVER or new summer top?

KDVS Fundraiser--Bloomers!

Yay, the bloomers are all done! Five pairs, sizes XS-XL in blue with lil' yellow flowers and dark blue embroidery (only shown in the last picture). In spite of the best intentions, the bloomers are the only things I'm sewing/completing in time for fundraiser. I ran out of time and I don't want to offer a sloppy product in KDVS's name. So, bloomers are the end of the line, and don't make me tell you how I managed to screw up what should have been a very cute and simple cafe apron. Another time. I'm really sorry, dudes--nothing sewn for you this round.

Bloomers are for playing!

and for monkeying around.

If you pledge during One-on-One tonight and want a pair of bloomers but find that your size is taken, there is still a chance that you can get them in your size! There will be a premium listing under the craft section available only between 8 and 10pm on Monday the 18th where you can tell me what size you want and I will make you a pair (limited to five). It's that simple!

Didn't DJ Sister do a bang-up job of stitching these? I think so. Thanks!

You can pledge to the fundraiser at fundraiser.kdvs.org or by calling 530-754-KDVS. Whee!

Late March Progress, Fundraiser Preview!

Slipping in just under the wire, I was able to be "somewhat productive" for the month of March. I finally made the curtains for our bedroom!

I also made the pillowcases Cate had requested, though I didn't take any pictures. They even had a decorative ruffle, but you'll just have to imagine it.

Now I'm onto fundraiser items. First on the list are five pairs of bloomers in a pretty cornflower blue with small yellow flowers. (sizes XS-XL, one of each)

Michelle talked me into this fabric at a yardsale--I think it is bloomeriffic!

Though all of the fabric is cut, I'm yet to stitch them all together, thread elastic and ribbon, and embroider. (I'm hoping Michelle remembers that she said she would embroider them. Hrm...)

Five pairs of bloomers cut-out-yet-not-sewn; not particularly impressive looking.

So, also on the cutting mat are plans for potholders and a cafe apron. Any ideas for anything more guy-ish that I can sew before next Monday? April 18th, One-on-One will be awesome! (8-10pm)

Heavy Duty Playsuit!

I mentioned this dress (opaquely) before; I cut the pieces out before we left for Mexico thinking I'd have all day on the 7th to work on it, thus finishing it kind of in time for the Sew Weekly challenge. A canceled flight from Cancun to Los Angeles made a mockery of my sewing plans and ate up all of my sewing-Monday, and the pattern pieces stayed in the bag until last week, when I set small sewing goals to accomplish each night, i.e. sew the bodice on Wednesday. I finally got to hem it last night, and I'm pleased to say that I am now the proud owner of a heavy (heavy) duty (duty) playsuit (heavy duty!)!

ease in fit makes it ideal for sassin'

I picked up this turquoise fabric last summer when Michelle and I were yardsaling to find raw materials for Burning Man. I loved the color and the fabric, which originally gave me pause due to its canvas-like properties, worked out really well for this project. Regrettably, there were a number of small stains and defined faded areas here and there on the fabric, requiring strategic pattern placement/cutting, but I think I was successful in not making a pre-stained/faded dress. My sizing difficulties continue; though I'm okay with it for this particular project, the dress seems big all over. Why is that? How are my inches different from the inches of pattern makers?

good for dancin' too

This is the Colette Patterns Rooibos dress, which has a fun opportunity to pick a contrast fabric for the top of the bodice. This is excellent because I used to have this ill-advised habit of buying fabric sample packs where nothing was bigger than a half yard. Um, I don't quilt, and you'll be hard-pressed to make anything other than a purse out of such a small piece of fabric. At least I struggle...

close up of the neckline, on Susan the dressmaker thinger

I fulfilled my sewing resolution for March, and it might very well be my Easter dress! But you never know, my next project might be another springy dress, in spite of the fact that my office wardrobe is seriously lacking.

Cover Your Fireplace! If you're so inclined...

Being as I've been deliriously sick all week, I've had a lot of time at home. Most of that time was spent sleeping, but when you wake up at 2pm on a Thursday, you are suddenly grabbed with the urge to "do something". There was no way that I was getting dressed, so I figured I would show you some pictures from my last project which might come in handy for your home, or for a friend's. As Chris pointed out, many of our friends in houses have fireplaces they cannot use for one reason or another, including our friend Bryce. She had brought up the idea of covering the plyboard that blocks her fireplace with a fabric version of a fire, but I didn't get to act on that until a couple of months later.
What helped me jump in was this awesome black paper/fabric I have that I thought would be really awesome as the background, since most other fabrics wouldn't look cold enough to be the cavernous space around a fire.

I had originally wanted to use a red paisley as the majority of the fire's area, but couldn't find one that suited my vision so I turned to my wall o' fabric and willed myself to be open minded. The "red" section of my fabric wall claims almost as much space as the "blue" section, so there was a lot of awesome stuff to choose from. I ended up using some impulse buys from shopping days gone by, fabric/old-saris-cholis-etc my friend Preet donated to my sewing cause months ago (ever handy), and some of my favorite quilting fabric that I bought for love of the designs. This is a good opportunity to use fabric pieces of any size you have lying around.

Each flame tongue was cut, then had its seams pressed under, had the seams stitched under, then was placed on the fire background to be stitched on. It was annoying, but a good exercise in patience. The seam stitching made the final stitching part a lot easier, so I'm glad I did that even if the small fabric pieces kept junking up my machine.

The logs were the final part to go on, though I suppose it would look pretty neat to have them overlap with the fire more. I took some liberties with the wood selection: it was originally supposed to be faux bois, but I was feeling punchy so I used this animal print I had on hand. Bryce thinks it looks more like stone than wood, but I'm still a fan. Oh, the fire had to be stitched to the outline in there too. That's important.

And then we put it in front of her fireplace! (disregard the off-measurements--we never established what was length and what was height.)

So, if you have a fireplace to cover, make this project your own!

Bethie's dress and some sewing resolutions

Remarkably, I finished Bethie's dress in a week; specifically, the week after Christmas. Also known as the week when I was both physically sick and sick of sewing. But, I have now completed my first dress using an unprinted pattern! It is also the oldest pattern I have used to date, being from 1954.

Beth tried it on when we dropped it off, and though I would like to take it back and alter it a bit (re-do the darts to their original width instead of the less deep version seen here, shorten it another inch or two), Beth seemed unwilling to give the dress back. I guess that is a good thing?

This is the first project of the new year, and it brings me to my sewing resolutions: 

• I vow to create one to two "big" projects per month, and 
• I vow to create more things for myself. 

A "big" project means an article of clothing, not just a tote bag or traveling pouch. In spite of sewing for the past three years (anniversary of my first Craft Center class this month!), I still only have two dresses and two shirts I have made for myself. I never wear the shirts because of awkward fit issues and unforgiveable rookie-sewing mistakes, but I wear the grey dress bi-weekly and the green dress whenever I can rustle up an occasion. (There was also a drop-waist 60s dress fiasco in there; no pictures were taken and I donated it to good will because it made me look like frumpy maid)

So, more projects and more things I get to keep in 2011! Once I finish my to-do list for others... :)

Oh, and I'm also going to be more active or something. And leave my house more to hang out with you. Yeah!

Ah, gift exchanges...you're bringing me down, man!

Today was our holiday party at the COG, replete with gift exchange. Below is an excerpt from the event appointment.

Please join us to celebrate the holidays SACOG-style with a potluck and "white elephant" gift exchange.  A sign-up sheet for the potluck will be placed at the reception desk the first of December. ...We've modified the gift exchange from previous years with the hope that people will bring a gift that others might actually want and enjoy.  For years, we had a white elephant gag gift, but we discontinued that tradition after people got tired of receiving the same old bad stuff every year.  A good rule of thumb is that if you wouldn't enjoy receiving it, then it's likely no one else would, either.

 Well, that is fair. Except...if we're not supposed to bring white elephant gift, why is it still called a white elephant gift party? I know I'm arguing semantics here, but it makes me snort each time I think of it. This prompted me to augment my original gift selection.

Behold, the White Elephant power pack!

I guess it is misleading. If you look at this for a split second, you are most likely to notice the Hello Dolly album and little else. However, when you remind yourself that we don't live in a flip book, you notice the Ginger Elizabeth bittersweet candied almonds and the (damn nice, if I do say so myself) tote bag. And the burned ELO CD is just icing on the freakin' cake. 

You might have guessed this by now, but the person who did receive this gift disregarded everything but the Hello Dolly, so the legitimate gift of candy and a tote was lost...forever. He pawned all of the items off (minus the album, which he wanted to see if he could sell--ill-advised plan of action) on another co-worker.

I'm too sensitive for gift exchanges when there are handmade items on the line, as well as chocolate that I swear by. That was a damn nice tote--I finished all the edges (for once) and I think the color pairing is wonderful, if not a touch springy.

And Hello Dolly is WONDERFUL!

Correlation or Causality?

While working on this purse,

I broke two needles.

I feel rather confident in my assertion that the purse broke the needles. I will defend this stance in court. But I guess the real question is how did some upcycled suiting and quilting cotton break not one, but TWO sewing machine needles? Anyone?

Christmas crafting continues, though I have been procrastinating like nobody's business on a particularly difficult pattern that has me in over my head. Wish me luck!

Current Status

Today is the Bazaar, which means that today is the day all of the sisters get together and bicker relentlessly determine the theme for Sister Gift*. I made a cake to smooth things over as we use the process of elimination to figure out what will torment us the most for the holiday season.

*Sister Gift is the drawing of names between Beth, Jenn, Michelle, and myself; each sister must get a special themed gift for the sister who they drew--today is the day we draw names and select the theme.

Regrettably, most of our sister proxies are not here--Leslie's cat is sick, Bryce's parents are in town, and Claire lives down south. Things are not looking good.

In other news, I purchased an obscene amount of fabric for Christmas gifts last weekend. As you know, there is nothing to motivate me to do things I've been procrastinating on than to give me a more daunting task. Once I got home from the monumental fabric trip, I mended my two brown skirts and finally made a holder for Timber's papers (for his walks, not to keep him in the country legally). I think it is pretty cute, don't you?

Well, it is time to go walk that dog before we head off to Stockton. Sneak peak of Christmas fabric below, whee!

No definite ideas for this one yet, but isn't it pretty?
Send thoughts, ideas, projected recipients to me! (there is much more than this, but I already have those projects mapped out)

Finally finished!

Cate's purse is done!

Finally, I can go back to focusing on myself. What a relief!

Notes on this purse:

• I still can't measure. I had to adjust the lining approximately 80 times. I couldn't tell you why.
• I like how the bird is lighting on the button. Yep, I planned that! But I still can't measure. 
• The outer Echino fabric was purchased expressly for this project, but the lining was donated by Preet last year, yay recycling! (thanks, Preet!)
• I don't know why I was procrastinating so much, it only took me two nights of work--one for cutting, one for stitching. Could someone remind me of that next time?

I am medium pleased with the final result. My only quarrel with the purse is how it droops on the bottom when it is hanging. Dagnabbit purse, that is why you are lined! Actually, I take that back, I'm pretty pleased with this purse in spite of the sagginess. Might be my best looking satchel to date, and I had the foresight to include (two) pockets this time!

We'll see what Cate thinks next week. She's not too good at feigning reactions, so I just need to be there when she opens it. :)

Better Homes and Gardens Sewing Book: A New Hope

As I recover from Sunday's embarrassing, completely uncalled for bike accident, I have been trying to organize all of my upcoming projects and ideas. Last week I received a boon from Michelle in the form of our mother's 1970 edition of the 1961 Better Homes and Gardens Sewing Book, an item that survived one house fire or another from the looks of the spine. 

This is exciting not only because of the book's history, but it is also my first technique-based book. I have a few project-based books, most notably Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing, and I have balked at acquiring more books of the like because it seemed limiting. This sewing book, however, compiles alteration tips and problem solving techniques alongside chapters devoted to special fabrics and recommendations on which fabrics are good for which projects.

I look forward to reading it cover to cover, in spite of the spiral binding's separation (curse you, Better Homes!). I feel like that would probably be a better approach than waiting until I screw up and then seeing what I should have done.

The first project I have in mind which uses this book's knowledge involves a dress I was thinking of making for Brian and Vanesa's wedding, or possibly Claire and Nick's summer "this isn't a wedding" event. I was likely going to use Simplicity 2588 again, though with a full skirt, without sleeves, and hopefully without the mini-hunchback bubble my plaid dress suffered. I want to use the chapter on alterations to fix that hunchback bubble, and the chapter on interfacing to line the dress since the pattern doesn't make any mention of lining. Oh, and it will be in Amy Butler's martini in green fabric.

image courtesy of Cotton Candie Fabric

I will continue to ignore that pile of shirts I mean to alter. I will ignore them for some time, until they magically disappear. Or until Chris alters them for me, wouldn't that be a dream?

Bloomers, much better!

Yes! I finished the bloomers, more or less in time for the fundaiser (one day late). I'm pretty pleased with them and I feel they turned out very well, especially considering that this was my first time making the pattern, and my first time making french seams. Being a total monkey, I didn't take any pictures of my super stellar french seams so you'll have to pledge money to KDVS for the bloomers to see what I'm talking about.

Here is the size small

and here is the size large

The mediums have pink ribbons just like the large ones, all are quite cute. I made them out of some sheets that were donated to my sewing stash, so I'm really glad to have found something that worked well with the fabric pattern. Seriously, what was I going to do with light pink and green flower fabric? But now I'm thinking of making a pair for my boss's birthday because she really likes pink frilly things, we'll see what happens there.

For those not in the know, this week is the KDVS annual fundraiser, I made these bloomers as a pledge thank you. If you pledge $25 through the website or by calling 530-754-KDVS any time of the day or night before midnight on Sunday the 25th, you can haul home these bloomers; they are listed under the craft section. Now go pledge!

Bloomer style, bam bam

Some terrible pictures, but I had to mark the occasion somehow and all of the batteries in the house are dead! (which means no camera. lame.)

I finished one pair (of three needed) of bloomers!

Can you believe this is the size large? I shudder to think of what the small ones will look like.

I'm going to bed now, I'll post some better pictures later, like when it is light again. Cheers!

That dress I keep talking about

Well, I finally finished it! I actually finished it a month ago or so, then I made the other necessary alterations three weeks ago, and I even wore it to work two weeks back. Prepare yourself for multiple views of said dress!

This was Simplicity 2588, more or less the exact same version as the one I made for Michelle in blue, but this one has tabs on the front. See the button? It keeps the tab in place.

You have to do the sit test before you...um...buy the dress. Well, I can sit in the dress, so we're all in luck.

This photo serves two purposes: it shows you the wacky pucker in the back that resulted from my attempt to eliminate the weirdly large gap (I'm not wearing a bulky bra, that is all the result of sewing without foresight); and Chris, see? You can totally see that piece of lint on the dress. It's right there above the unsightly zipper bulge.

Even with the zipper mishaps (zip-haps?), I'm pretty happy with this dress. I'm still excitable about how the plaid pattern has purple accents, and I like the tabs bunches, and it is the most professional-looking thing I've made. I feel it is kind of understated, doesn't scream "I made this!! See? Look at the crazy things I did!" and that (on occasion) is a good thing. Thanks to Chris for photographing me. :)

Now, if you don't mind, old woman has to go to bed. The tweed ride is tomorrow and I just made some really shoddy repairs to a dress-type-thing I found at the thrift store. We're all dying to know if the seams will hold through the whole ride! Perhaps I will post on it?