Official Day of the WIP

Tags

cooking, Cynthia Rowley 2215, patterns, sew exhausted, sewing, Simplicity 2215, thanksgiving, vintage nightgown, Vogue 8577, WIP

Thanksgiving is just around the corner here in the states. It’s a day of thankfulness where we gorge ourselves on turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and all the trimmings with family and friends. In my house I have The Vegan Daughter, the daughter that raised a turkey for FFA during high school and now refuses to eat it, and the daughter whose favorite meal in the whole wide world is turkey and gravy. My son is coming also and I am sure he will just be happy to get a good meal! But it means at my house I get to be creative. I will be preparing LOTS of vegetable dishes (OH how I LOVE roasted veggies!) and making a few recipe adjustments. But I have promised Juliette I will not mess with her turkey and gravy!

I like Thanksgiving well enough, but for me it is a two-fold reason for celebration. I get a fantastic meal and a day with my family, and I get the day off! And the Friday that follows it! A 4 day weekend as a matter of fact. So I have decided to dub the day after Thanksgiving the “Official Day of the WIP” for me. In other words I am going to pull out all of my WIPS that were cast to the side for one reason or another and do my best to finish at least a few of them. 😀

I recently organized my “sewing room” and threw all of my WIPS in a box. Some of my WIPS just need buttons!! Like this pretty pink chiffon blouse. This is Cynthia Rowley 2215. It is a pretty simple button down blouse. I received the fabric from Ann at Pretty Grievances a while ago. I think I will get some good wear from this come spring- once I get those buttons on!

Cynthia Rowley 2215

I need to finish this coat on WIP Day for 2 reasons. #1- I am having a WIP day and #2- Because I needed to have a coat made for my Sewlution. This coat is 3/4 of the way finished. I just need to put the sleeve lining in and the shoulder pads. Finish off the lining and do the buttons and buttonholes. A few hours is all I need! And being WIP day will be an all day thing I think I am good to go!

I also have this dress. It is lacking buttons and sleeve binding. That’s it! Another one I cast to the side before completely finishing. I think because it is just not me. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE the dress and wish I did not feel so silly wearing it- But I do. 😦 Maybe it is the super full skirt. Maybe it is because I don’t normally wear the color. I am not sure! I think I will finish it up, wear it somewhere, take some pics and THEN decide!

If I get these all finished up I have ONE more. A vintage nightgown I started on the other night. I would say I am about half way done!

That is how I plan on spending my Friday! Then I still have the WHOLE weekend for starting something new! Which, if you are anything like me you are always down for a new project!

How about you? Do you have extra days off for Thanksgiving week? Will you be doing any sewing?

Laurie

xox

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#LameSewcialist

Tags

birthday, Dog Under My Desk, Ear Bud case, Earbud case Pattern, Sewcialist, sewing

The last few weeks I have been a pathetic example of a Sewcialist. I have managed to keep up with MOST blog reading and I did make it to my first #FabricChat onTwitter. But for the most part I have been severely lacking in the Sewing and Social departments and feel out of touch. SIGH…

I blame most of this on work. Between the big event we had (where I got to stay on Coronado Island for 4 days) and our recent product launch I have been working quite a bit. Product launch is over now and things are back under control. WHEW.

Anyway- this is all I made this week.

Dog Under My Desk Earbud Case

I used Erin Erickson’s Dog Under My Desk pattern… And I LOVE it. My earbuds were getting all tangled up in the bottom of my purse and my laptop case. I hated it. So I made this little case. And now all my kids can expect one for Christmas! This is an easy to follow pattern and I can use up quilting scraps! I knew I was saving them for a reason! 🙂 She has more patterns that I am interested in. Check her out!

In other news, my baby turned 17 years old yesterday. Geez… where did the years go! I don’t know! (I am having a bonfire party for her tonight!)

And look at our new family member! Juliette, for her birthday, received this ball of cuteness!

Juliette and her “Charming”

He is a 5 week old Holland Lop bunny. SUPER affectionate and litter box trained. Now she has someone to snuggle with. She has wanted one for a while and when I saw this cuteness I caved. His name is Charming and I am thinking I will call him Prince. I am very excited about making Juliette a Christmas dress and Charming a matching bow tie. (lol)

Next week will be a better sewing week for me. And I am sure I will do my best to spend a little time on Twitter too!

Happy Sewing! (Or crafting… or knitting… or cooking… or reading… or whatever you do best!)

Laurie xo

Which Comes First- The Fabric or the Pattern?

Tags

clothing, easy sewing projects, fabric, fabrics, patterns, sew, sew exhausted, sewing

I am sure that must be an age old question. And one that frankly I still don’t know how to answer. So I was curious how others viewed it and thought I would put it out there for discussion.

I am torn. How many times are you shopping and see the most fabulous piece of fabric and think, “What could I make with that?” Do you buy it and “stash” it hoping the perfect idea formulates or do you pass it by because you “sew with focus” and it’s not on your list?

Do you evaluate your wardrobe and decide you need two new blouses, choose the pattern or patterns you’d like and then go off and find your fabric?

Or maybe you just buy piles of patterns you like, pick one you’d like to make and go find some fabric to use!

Maybe you have PILES and PILES of “stash fabric,” and when you decide to make something you choose from your pile and find a pattern you think will work?

Seems to me there are too many ways to answer this question! And no matter how I argue in the favor of one after a few minutes I am all too ready to jump over to the other side!

For me there is no rhyme or reason. Sometimes I am super focused and want to make a Holiday Dress. I go pattern looking and choose the perfect one. Then I go fabric and notion hunting and make my dress. But there is always that time I have found a pattern I LOVE and looked high and low and not found the correct fabric I had in my head and went with something else altogether.

You ever want to make something you already have the pattern for, search at stores and online and just can’t find the fabric you pictured and end up with 5 new pieces of fabric that you’re gonna make in to something neat?” (Ummm- I am pretty sure I don’t know ANYONE like that…)

I admit that sometimes I wish I only bought what I was going to use. There is a part of me that wants to be super organized and focused in my sewing, have a list, buy only what I need, sew it up and move on to the next project. But most of the time I am so happy I have patterns galore and a nice stash of fabric so I can sew on a whim. Sometimes I actually like that a thought comes to me in the middle of the night- “oh my gosh I just had a vision of the perfect little gingham dress for daughter #2 and I know I have that fabulous piece of fabric just waiting for me!” And I am all set to go. 😀

And having stash means when the budget is tight and I can’t spend I can still sew from what I already have. YAY!

I don’t think I answered the question… I think I just rambled on and on. But I did figure out that this is how I sew:

Scenario #1: The fabric came first.– While browsing through the online fabric stores (with NO intention of buying I am just bored), I see the most GORGEOUS, AWESOME aqua snake skin like jacquard that I MUST have. Ok… Ok… deep breath. What can I make from this? YES! I have that Burda Blazer pattern I bought on sale a few months back. How much fabric do I need? 2.5 yards? Perfect! And it is ON SALE!!!!!! Woo Hoo! OH! And isn’t Jungle January around the corner? Can I use an aqua snakeskin for Jungle January? Well no matter, I HAVE to have this!

Ok… What am I going to wear this blazer with? Dang, I have REALLY been wanting to make Jamie Christina’s Mission Maxi.… OMG! Wouldn’t this aqua snakeskin blazer look AMAZING over a black jersey knit Mission Maxi???? Please oh please let me find a good black jersey… OMG– They have a black jersey and it is ON SALE TOO! This is the best day ever! (and I order the Maxi dress pattern and 2 new pieces of fabric).  (All three of these items are on the way!)

Scenario #2: The pattern came first.– Today I am going to organize my patterns. Damn I have a LOT of patterns. Why do I keep buying patterns? I am NEVER going to be able to USE all these patterns. Maybe I should try to win the next pattern pyramid so I can give a few away?- but wait, that won’t work cuz I’ll get to add a few to my collection… Ohhhh, I LOVE this this 1940’s vintage nightgown pattern. I HAVE to make this pattern now!!! I remember when I bought this! Ok … Ok… Lets see- I don’t think I have the right piece of fabric to go with this. It really needs to be made from a lovely voile or cotton lawn… and some lace too! Fire up the computer and start looking. OMG- Fabric.com is having a voile sale!!! I am all over that… Look at that aqua cotton voile?! $3.99 a YARD. Geez I can’t pass that up! AND they are having a sale on lace too?! White lace and aqua voile would make the PERFECT vintage nightgown! I am SO excited! And sheesh- as long as I am paying for shipping I may as well order a few other pieces of fabric… He he he…  The ummm …extra fabrics are going in my stash? (This is up after I finish my red denim jacket- all washed and ready to go)

I am pretty sure I have lots of scenarios I could share… But I think I am going to go sew… I have LOTS of projects in my head I’d like to work on. Some I still need just the right fabric for!

xoxox

Laurie