Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

Well, shoot. The last few weeks I have been a bit under the weather in the health/happiness department but it appears things have taken a wonderous turn. For the first time in a long while I feel hopeful and excited.

1. I've been dreaming again....which is awesome. What's the point of sleep if you can't play in dreamland?

2. I have been asked to pretty much assistant direct the after-school production of "Guys and Dolls" after a 6 year hiatus from theatre.

3. I have an *audition* on Saturday which scares the ever-loving-crap out of me, see above.

4. Career counseling starts Tuesday.

5. My yoga instructor told me she would extend the 100 bucks I put toward unlimited classes in November, to the NEXT 30 days, as I started my job November 2nd and have not been able to hit a single class SINCE. Until yesterday.

6. Our trees and flowers are blooming like MAD!

7. I finished a skirt, a pair of pants, and 2 shirts....one of which is pictured below.

The rest will be posted soon....the hubby has not been home to take pics of me---except for this one last night after I returned from my meeting with the drama teacher. He took three photos and my eyes were closed in all of them.

The sad thing?

There was no flash.

It's New Look 6816 and went together in under an hour.

Fabrique

Okey Dokey.

These are the bits from my stash.....the prints will be skirts (and maybe a matching blouse here and there to create a dress effect) and the solids are knit tops.

For the most part, I am working with rusts, various shades of olive green, brick red, mustard and purple.

I am not a huge pink fan, but I realized that some of the pinks on my fabric shelf would make fun bottoms to match the tops.

I also received a bright green blouse for Xmas from my hubby and need to make something to match it....so the pink and green burn-your-retinas-Kaffe Fassett below will serve that purpose.

A fine circle skirt it shall make.

I have other ideas for the rust woolen and green twill....probably more tailored pants or pencil skirts.

But the quick-sew patterns come first, so I can change out of my sweats.

And waiting on these coordinating knits from Fabric.com:

Not EVERYTHING will match, but enough of it will coordinate that I will never have to say,

"I have nothing to wear!"

Ever Again.

Dammit.

Swappish Part Two.....or, "Git a Move On"

I have decided since I seriously have no clothes, that the vintagey thang is going out the window entirely for the first installment of my new wardrobe. I just can't be bothered to trace a bunch of brittle patterns, make and alter muslins, and *then* sew them up in apparel fabric when I am living in ill-fitting jeans and baggy flannels (and working close to full-time).

I JUST CAN'T BE BOTHERED.

So the bulk of this first round is comprised of *very* easy-peasy patterns (that have a good review base from the pattern review website...and were purchased at the Joann's President's Day Sale) made with knit fabric that will continue to fit if my weight goes up or down by 10 pounds.
They are also designs that supposedly enhance my so-called "body type" as outlined by Kendall Farr in her book, The Pocket Stylist....more on this later.


Since I am horrible at sticking to the rules...this will not follow an official "SWAP" to the letter. I am just gonna make a bunch of garments that match.


I went thru my stash and found a couple of blouse knits and a few bottomweight/flirty-skirty fabrics to work with. Then I ordered yardage of various inexpensive knits from Fabric.com to make tops to match said bottomweights and flirty-skirties.

I'll post pics and swatches of the fabrics on Tuesday.


Until then, here are the patterns:
(not *all* of the renderings--just one or 2 from each...click the images for info):






After these are done (couple pairs of pants, 6 tops, 4 or 5 skirts) I'll think about whipping up a vintage dress. :)

SWAP part one.....or, "Out of the Rut"

This the the tough part.

I went thru my closet this week and got rid of everything that did not fit, was out of style (that's out of *my* style), washed me out colorwise, and was too bloody uncomfortable to wear sensibly.

Which means I now have no clothing.

Like, nothing.

For real.

I have about ten items that don't match.

So.....I have been living in poorly-fitting jeans and an old flannel the last few days, thinking "Poo! Poo! Poo!!"

Clothes are a good thing to have. Especially clothes that make you feel good....and make you feel as though your outward appearance is a truthful expression of your inward selfy-self.

According to this philosophy, my inner self is a washed-up, sloppy grunge chick.

This lit a tremendous fire under my ass.

After I stopped feeling sorry for myself, I marched into the sewing room and began a mock up of a simple 1950's blouse.

I have the fabric on hand for a nice olive twill raised-waist pencil skirt to match said blouse, and to match two other shirts I plan to make this week.

I also have the fabric to make another skirt that will match those two blouses.....and pants that will match them.....etc etc etc.

So begins the journey.

Photos to follow soon.

:)