Sewing and Creativity

I finished sewing up McCall's 6287 a couple of days ago, but I didn't get a chance to remove the basting until this evening.  It looks exactly as it does on the pattern cover, although a little uneven hanging on a hanger.   I'll be making a pair of white pants to wear it with.  I have a silver cuff, a silver chain, and white sandals I'll accessorize it with.  The style may be a little young for me, but I don't care.  I love it!

I went to Joann's today and picked up three of the patterns on my list.  McCall's 5972 (view B, I had a dress similar to this when I was younger),  Butterick 5600, and 5357, the webwsite reports this as pattern of the week.  I'm thinking I'll make B5600, view C, in a coral pink linen that I saw on Denver Fabrics.

The days I haven't been sewing I've been working on a simple pattern for a folding carrier for all my nail brushes, including the brushes for acrylic, gel, and all my nail art brushes.  I have about 9 or 10, and I want an altered art/modern quilt type carrier.  I have most of the materials and supplies.  I'll post a pic of the raw materials tomorrow.  I've been doing nail art, too,  and will post pics of those nails when I get a couple more finished.

I am so grateful that all my family that lived in Ringgold, GA survived the tornado.  Some friends have lost all their possessions, including their homes, but they are alive.  That is the most important thing.

Sewing

I received the May issue of Burda yesterday.  Way earlier in the month than I usually receive it.  I was totally underwhelmed.  I didn't find anything I wanted to sew.  Used to be I would find several things I wanted to make, lately, I find, maybe, one thing.  I'm considering letting my subscription lapse.  But then I think what if? There is an issue with numerous things I want to sew and I have to spend the time looking for the issue and then not find it.  I don't mind spending the money.  And I do enjoy looking at the magazine, even if I don't sew anything from it.  I really enjoy the style pages and the decorating ideas.

I spent most of my sewing time yesterday getting my cover-stitch machine re-threaded,  (It's been a while since I've used it.) and testing on scrap fabric.  I'll baste the hem in place before I stitch it.  Usually, I just eyeball it, and am good with accurately folding back the same width.  Does that make sense?  LOL I think today I'm going to pre-wash the tricot and a knit fabric for my next top.  It's McCall's 6282.  I have a cream and black leaf pattern jersey, similar to the fabric on the short sleeved dress.

There are a couple of patterns I want to get when they go on sale at Joann's.  Butterick 5575,  Simplicity 2224.  I think a pair of black pants (2224) to go with the top from 6282.  I love the jacket from 5575.  I think it looks almost like a vest and blouse on the pattern envelope.

I'm still having back pain.  Hard to sit for long periods of time as well as stand or walk.  Some of the pain from the herniated disc and some of the pain is from arthritis.  The arthritis is not limited to my back though.  The worst is that it is in my hands.  They are so stiff and achy at times, it makes it difficult to do a lot of things. Stretching helps, so I stretch several times a day.  I have an appointment with my chiropractor in an hour or so.  I had Girl on her leash when she lunged and it hurt my back, yet again.  It seems that it only took a few seconds to undo all the progress I've made over the past several months.  

I started Weight Watchers back in October 2010.  I'm about a third of the way to goal.  I haven't started a formal exercise program yet.  Just a little walking.  I still have my old workout plan, lower body, upper body, and a run/walk schedule here.  I'll just decrease the weights and work back up to the weights listed here.  

Burda

 I received the May issue of Burda Style yesterday.  Way earlier in the month than I usually get it.  I was totally underwhelmed.  I didn't find anything I wanted to sew.   Used to be I would find several things I wanted to make, lately, I find, maybe, one thing.  I'm considering letting my subscription lapse.  But then I think what if? There is an issue with numerous things I want to sew and I have to spend the time looking for the issue and then not finding it.  I don't mind spending the money.  And I do enjoy looking at the magazine, even if I don't sew anything from it.  I also enjoy the style pages and the decorating ideas.

I spent most of my sewing time yesterday getting my cover-stitch machine re-threaded,  (It's been a while since I've used it.) and testing on scrap fabric.  I'll baste the hem in place before I stitch it.  Usually, I just eyeball it, and am pretty good with accuracy.  Today I'm going to pre-wash the tricot and a knit fabric for my next top.  It's McCall's 6282.  I have a cream and black leaf pattern jersey, similar to the fabric on the short sleeved dress.

There are a couple of patterns I want to get when they go on sale at Joann's.  Butterick 5575,  Simplicity 2224.   I think a pair of black pants (2224) to go with the top from 6282.

I'm still having back pain.  Hard to sit for long periods of time as well as stand or walk.  Some of the pain from the herniated disc and some of the pain is from arthritis.  The arthritis is not limited to my back though.  The worst is that it is in my hands.  They are so stiff and achy at times, it makes it difficult to do a lot of things. Stretching helps, so I stretch several times a day.

I started Weight Watchers back in October 2010.  I'm about a third of the way to goal.  I haven't started a formal exercise program yet.  Just a little walking.  I still have a workout plan, lower body, upper body, and a run/walk shcedule here.

What??

It's April 17th already.  I haven't posted since January.   I have thought of numerous things I wanted to blog about, but for one reason or another didn't.  Mostly it's because I want to post pictures when I blog.  But I don't have a good place to take pictures.  Especially when I want to take pictures of smaller items, such as a bottle of nail polish.  Clothing items I can just hang on the back of a door.   The smaller items I really have to work at getting photographed.  I enjoy blogging even if I don't have pics, so I'm just gonna do it.  lol

Fabric and Sewing and Patterns! oh my!
My sewing mojo comes and goes.  Mostly it has been on vacation, at least for the past couple of years.  Same for my knitting and crocheting mojo.  I have decided that I will go into my studio and sew every day.  (I have a dedicated room for sewing. So I can leave everything as is when I want to quit for the day and don't have to put everything away.) Even if for only 10 minutes.  I use the term sewing to include tracing off patterns and cutting out, as well as taking needle and thread to fabric.   This past week I worked a few minutes a day on McCall's 6287.  I'm making the top, view A, in black jersey, as shown on the pattern envelope.  I'll post a pic when I have it completed.  It calls for leaving some of the edges unfinished, which I don't care for.  I'll be using my cover stitch machine to finish them.   I also got a couple more pieces of fabric and will post pictures as I complete the garments.

I haven't been following all the sew-a-longs, SWAPs etc as closely as I normally do either.  :( I still have pics of a SWAP on Flickr, I had planned a few years ago and never followed through on it.  I'm thinking of updating the patterns and finishing it.  I AM interested in seeing all the jackets that have been made for the 12 jackets in 12 months challenge.  I live in Florida and rarely wear a jacket, even in the winter.  But after receiving last month's Burda, and looking through it, ironically, I only saw one pattern I was interested in sewing.  The parka on page 57.    I'd like to make it in a forrest green or dark teal.

Yesterday

Yesterday. Last evening, really. I didn't post because I spent the few minutes it would take to type a blog post, knitting. I didn't have much to say either. I wasn't going to do another two line post that tells of my newest cast on, or how much I was loving the scarf, just so I could say I did a post every day in December. I will keep the NaBloPoMo badge on the side bar to remind me I need to follow through though.

The weather here in St. Pete today is much cooler, and it's raining. I rarely wear jackets or sweaters, and I haven't owned a winter coat since I moved here from north Georgia in 1980. I don't miss having to put on a coat just to walk down to the mailbox. I do, however, miss looking stylish in a new coat, scarf, and gloves. I still have a couple of coat and jacket patterns on my to do list: Vogue 1129, a trench coat that I don't see on the Simplicity site at this time, and a cardi-wrap. And after glancing at the sites, I see a couple more patterns I want to put on my list, McCall's 5937 and McCall's 5815. I don't check out the new patterns the way I used to. I'm going to spend some time perusing the websites of the "big four" pattern companies later.

These days I'm really slow in my knitting and my sewing. I have a purse half done. I have the fabric and pattern laid out for the cardi-wrap, but haven't actually cut it out or started sewing it yet. I've blogged several times about the SWAP I wanted to participate in a couple of years ago. It was the reason I started this blog. I have the patterns, and most of the fabric I want to use. But, haven't started to sew anything.

Part of it, is just because I don't have any energy. There is some depression here, and I think that is because of my weight, my back pain, and stress. A vicious circle. I also believe that it is up to me to do something about it since I have named the problems. I need to own them and do something about them. Is this TMI? Maybe. But, I need to do something to change my life.

I'm a big believer in self improvement. (I love reading self improvement books, using one thing from this one, and another thing from another one.) So, here is a list of things I'm going to do (and it may change as time goes on, but at least it's a start.) I'm going to start going back to Weight Watchers, I'm going back to this gym and this gym. (Yes, I have a membership in both, and haven't been using them.) Some things I like about one and some things I like about the other. Maybe this will motivate Walt to start going again too. When I get medical insurance I'll go to my doctor and get the usual lab work, x-rays, etc..done. I'll also address depression and arthritic pain with him. Until then, I'll continue to take Tylenol, which does give me some relief from the back pain.

I also believe that I need to do something creative everyday, sewing, knitting, crocheting, altered art, etc... And I haven't been doing that until recently. So, I'm going to continue knitting, but I'm going to sew every day, even if it is just one seam.

I will be posting about my diet, workout, knitting, sewing, and other artistic endeavor until I have made all these a habit again. And this time I won't stop. It isn't how many times you fall, it's how many times you get up. So starting on Monday, I will be embarking on my self improvement program. This will give me time to write out menus, go shopping for food, get a workout class schedule from both Lifestyle Fitness and Shapes to determine which classes I want to attend, and get a new Weight Watcher's meeting schedule.

Wish me luck! LOL

My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match.
However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows
that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into
victories.

Bjorn Borg
(1956-, Swedish Tennis Player)

Shopping!!!

I went shopping this morning. I LOVE shopping! I had to get some electrodes for my TENS unit. Got an ink cartridge for my Dell printer and went to Barnes & Noble. I couldn't find the book I was looking for so I went to Borders where I did find the book. Organic Body Care Recipes. We studied aroma therapy earlier week in class. I was already familiar with it, but this class helped expand my knowledge. We are also required to make three items and display them in a basket for a project. I started making mental notes as to the colors, scents, and items I wanted to put in my basket. One of the scents I want to use is lemon. It smells so fresh. I am thinking I will use the colors purple and white. I want to make a small purple eye pillow. Among the other things I'm considering is an eye cream, bath salts, bath bombs, and soap. I may change my mind after I read through the book I got today and my text book, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy.

I went to Weight Watchers today, I'm down half a pound. I'm not disappointed with the small loss, any loss at all is better than staying the same or gaining.

I have two sewing WIP (works in progress). They have been lingering on my sewing table for over a year. I love sewing, but just don't do it as much as I used to. I love doing other things too. I read other sewist's blogs and admire all the projects they sew. I'm ok with the fact that I'm not a prolific sewist. There is a cardi-wrap sew-a-long on Pattern Review. I've had a McCall's cardi-wrap on my WIP list for several months. I have the material and the pattern, but haven't actually cut it out. I'm going to see if I have enough material to make Simplicity 2603 instead.

The Biggest Loser starts the new season on Tuesday. The previews are showing one of the "losers" from last season coming back. He was one of my favorites and I was disappointed when he was voted off the ranch. He was working so hard to lose the weight and get healthy. I'm so glad he's getting a second chance.

McCall Pattern 5271

I finished McCall's pattern 5271 today. I completed the sewing a few days ago, but wasn't able to pull out the basting threads until today. I chose view D because I thought it would help to conceal the fluff I have on my stomach better than the other views.

I choose patterns I think will be flattering to my body shape and then I tend to choose patterns by the colors used on the models. I can visualize patterns in other colors and fabric patterns, but I am drawn to certain patterns due to the colors. I also tend to use the same colors in different tints, tones, shades and values. I never wear brown, oranges, yellows or greens. I've seen gorgeous fabrics in these colors but, I've never worn them. I'm thinking over the next few months I will try to find a yellow, a green and possibly a brown that will be flattering to my skin tone.

I'm still working on the Amy Butler Kimberly bag. I'm hoping I'll get a few seams sewn today. I still can't sit and sew for more than a few minutes at a time due to back pain. I've also prepared the pattern and laid out the red jersey I'll be using to make a simple jacket, McCall pattern 5241.

McCall Pattern 9576

I finally finished McCall's 9576 jacket. I really like this jacket! It's made from fleece and very warm. With the temps dipping here in Florida it's going to be very cozy! It's difficult to tell from the picture, but all the plaids line up, and the hem IS even! LOL

Fabric

Today while I was at the gym, 3.5 yards of this jersey fabric was delivered. I'll be using it for this Burda top and yoga pants. I originally was going to use it to make this top. I've also placed an order for this fabric, trailing leaf pattern design, in wine and pink. I think I will use McCall's 5179 or Butterick 4914.

When you give away a little piece of your heart, you're giving away the only thing you can give away, which, after you do, you got more left than you had before you gave some of it away.

Don Hutson
(American Sales Trainer)

musings

I love James Lee Burke. I especially love his Dave Robicheaux series. These are the kind of books I like to have on hand for a few months before I start to read them. Then, I read them very, very slowly, because I don’t want them to end. I always have a “NOLA” themed weekend where I have a dressed fried oyster po’boy or crawfish etoufee and listen to zydeco music.

There is a trench sew along on Pattern Review. I have some periwinkle supplex that might make a nice trench. I might get a pattern this weekend and try to sew-a-long. I like McCall's 5525 and Simplicity 4084. It seems as though several other sew-ists like the Simplicity pattern also. It's from the Threads magazine collection.

My diet has consisted of the same thing for the past three days. I’ve been looking for some easy recipes that are high in protein. I’ll need some variety for dinners. I don’t mind having the same things for breakfast and “snacks”. Oatmeal, cottage cheese, ham, and pineapple is my favorite breakfast. The protein bar isn’t the greatest, but it’s tolerable. It certainly isn’t as bad as some I’ve eaten. I’ll also get a few ingredients to use in my protein drinks also. Different flavorings and fruits, etc I did my upper body work out today. Tomorrow I’ll do aerobics again and on Friday I’ll do a full body work out. I read a few pages daily in my old Muscle Media or Energy for Women magazines to help with motivation.

The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the one who will win.

Roger Bannister
(1929-, British athlete, first person in the world to run a mile under 4 minutes)

Weekends

I always look forward to weekends. Even when I'm not working. It's a time to relax and not think about things seriously. Time for gathering with friends and hanging out. Time to sew and craft and shop. Three of my favorite things! oh! and catching up on a few of my fav TV shows. I don't watch very much tv, but I do have a few favorites, Boston Legal, Nip/Tuck, and The Riches (LOVE Eddie Izzard, he's hot!). I keep up with Dancing with the Stars, but don't watch it any longer.
Several days this past week we have had smoke from the fires in Georgia and north Florida. It is awful. I can only imagine what it is like to live close to the fires. It's hazy and the odor of the smoke is horrible. It's difficult to breathe and there is ash on everything.
The odor and haze wasn't so bad this morning. I was able to go to my WW meeting and to Joann's Fabrics. They had a sale on McCall's, Butterick and Vogue patterns.
I picked up Vogue 8307 (when I try to link to this pattern the site tells me it isn't in the database yet, yet if you enter the number and do a search on the Vogue site you can see it), I plan on making the jacket in a charcoal gray wool melton and line it in red or bright pink. I also got Butterick 4986, and McCall's 5193, 5395, and 5314. I'm not sure what I will use to make these. I also picked up some tags for altered art and Quilled Greetings Cards.
I've been talking for ages about my SWAP. I'm slowly, very slowly, agonizingly slowly working on it. The truth is...I am just not going to start sewing on a new wardrobe until I get to my goal weight. I don't want to have to keep tweaking the patterns to fit me. Failure to reach said weight is not an option, no matter how long it takes. So, until then.....I'll just keep planning.
That's the way I am. I will talk and think about something for a while, depending on what it is, the "thing" I want to do may take a few minutes or a few years. But, once I make up my mind to do something, watch out! here I come! LOL
I have been reading other blogs and marveling at the beautiful green plants. Here in Florida it seems like we are always on water restriction. We don't have a lot of green in our yard. I wanted to do some landscaping this year, but it now low on the priority list due to me leaving my job earlier this year. I did plant some caladium bulbs a couple of weeks ago and they are coming up finally.

ramblings

I woke up earlier than usual this morning. Got up, exercised, then got ready to go to the Weight Watchers meeting. I like to get there early so I can get my "favorite" seat. LOL I'm down another 1.4 pounds. Right on target for my 5 pounds a month weight loss. I had two soft taco supremes for lunch. I like that I can still have a bit of fast food and stay within my points range and still lose weight. I finally got around to re-checking my total daily points target and I lost a point. Now I only get 23 instead of 24. hmmmm.....not real happy about that, I have a healthy appetite and I LOVE good food. Unfortunately it shows! LOL I have to admit though, I do feel much better. And I'm not to unhappy about the number of points. I still get to eat anything I want....in moderation.

After the meeting I went to Joann's Fabrics. They had a sale on McCall's patterns. I picked up these patterns:
5317, a bubble dress, usually I don't like bubble dresses, but this pattern isn't obvious, 5179,
another dress, which I love in the blue, and will probably make it in that color, and 5330,a straight skirt.

I also got a one pound skein of yarn from Caron. It's a beautiful soft baby pink color. I'm using it to make pattern swatches. I printed out the pattern swatch directions from Lion Brand. I started with the wide rib pattern. It's an easy one. I like the simple basketweave and will probably do it next.




This is My Virtual Model, I can "try on" outfits in online dressing rooms. It gives me an idea of how some clothes will look on me. There are several virtual dressing rooms, Sears, Glamour, Lands End etc.....It isn't quite as rubenesque as I am LOL I used to wear my hair that way though. Right now it's below my waist. I am considering coloring it a nice red with chocolate and caramel low-lites and getting it cut very short. Kind of like Lisa Rinna's do.

I tried to put MVM in the side bar, but for some reason it wouldn't take the code. I've had this happen several times. I still can't get the flickr code to work or the code from bloglines. I've emailed bloglines, but I'm still getting the error message indicating I'm not using the correct user name or that I'm using my email address. Neither is true, I'm using the user name they gave me. This is very frustrating. I'd very much like to have the flickr badge there.

I finally found ALL the CDs Dell sent with the computer that was delivered in December. They had all been neatly put away for safe keeping, just not in the place where all the other important CDs are kept. This is the third Dell computer I've owned since 2002.

My first computer was a Gateway in 1998. I got rid of the dinosaur last year. I loved it when I first got it. top of the line! Didn't take long for it to become obsolete though. I remember when Walt and I (for those who don't know Walt, he is my ex-hubby who I share a house with) first went shopping for a computer. I had a list of specific things this computer MUST have. The guy at the store laughed when I said I wanted a hard drive with eight!!!! GB of memory. He said no one will ever use that much memory! LOL How short sighted!

The next one was a HP bought at Walmart at 6 a.m. on a September (2000) Saturday morning after having been up until 4 a.m. working on the Gateway, because of a virus. The only thing I can say about the HP was that it was an ok computer. It was, after all to be just a back-up for when I got the Gateway working again. However, it was the other way around. The Gatgeway became a back-up for the HP. Somewhere along the way, I realize that I MUST NOT be without a computer. I go into withdrawal. LOL I not only have a back-up computer, but a back-up ISP also.

In 2002, September, I got my first Dell. LOVED IT!! Fast forward to 2004, Walt decided he wanted a computer. I had been trying to drag him kicking and screaming into the 21 century to no avail. But wait! He wants a computer??? So we get him a Dell! Doesn't take long for him to retreat. Take it, he says. Don't have to ask me twice! So my Dell goes into back-up and his Dell becomes mine.

It's December 2006, and we decide it's time for a new computer, back to the Dell website. We choose another Dell and it's here in a matter of days.

So, now we have five dekstops, and two laptops. Time for some house cleaning.
The Gateway and HP get trashed. Too old and slow to do bookkeeping and playing with VB code on any longer. The hard drive from the HP gets put into the first Dell and given to my sister and brother-in-law whose computer had just bitten the dust. Now, I have a new Dell with RoadRunner, and a back-up Dell with MSN, just in case. LOL