Oh, this life.....

Well crap....it's been a few months (almost ten??) since my last post. This year has been CRAZY. My marriage ended, I moved back to Idaho and i have been busy doing theatre thangs....and sewing, of course. :)

Here's some of the love:

Vogue 1152

Butterick 5603

A vintage butterick...I will have to look it up. ;)

Vogue 8728

I will make a more thorough post soon. :)

My last post was in June?

How is that possible? :)

Well....time has been spent collecting patterns (at a *much* slower rate and this one is the new fave):

and sewing:

(Almost done---after major alterations, it still needs to be pressed, buttoned, and hemmed--with about five inches whacked off the bottom first!)

and whipping up simple skirts seen on other people's blogs...... :)

and baking bread! Mmmmmmmm....this is the year to really dive in and get the science down.

Fall is in the air.....and life is good good good. :)

Firstly,

I want these shoes.

I also need them in brown.

And coffee and cream.

And red.

But brown would probably be best, so they would go with almost everything, and I could wear them all the time.

Sigh.

How does two months pass so quickly??

I did a play, it was fun, I feel better.

But now it's time to sew!

Today I am making a t-shirt from my original SWAP plan and cutting out a 30's dress in this fabric:

So mote it be.

I also have some great plans in the works for my 4th of July dress.

The dress on the right.

And that's the fabric I am thinking of using.

With white revers and navy ric-rac....with a red bow.

Or maybe red ric-rac and a navy bow.

Or maybe navy revers with white ric-rac!

I just don't know!!

(Or maybe a NAVY dress with that fabric as the revers and trim. DRAT. Too many choices!)

However.....

The temptation to use that fabric to sew up a flouncy 70's dress is overwhelming.

We shall see.

Edit: I LIED.

I may have to use THIS pattern instead:

Not Dead Yet!

It's been awhile, but Mama has been busy......in a good, but stressful way. :)

The wardrobe overhaul was interrupted by preparations for our family visit from the UK. I quit my job on the 13th of March and spent the next two weeks scrubbing floors and organizing closets.

It's a good thing I'd already gotten rid of so much or there wouldn't have been any room for our guests :) .....HOWEVER.....because I got rid of darned near *all my old clothes* and did not have a chance to sew, I feel like I have been wearing the *same three outfits* over and over since February.

Now that the wee bairns are no longer sleeping in my sewing room, I am spending the next couple hours putting it back together so I can get some things put together this weekend......I hope.

As I said, life has been BUSY. I got cast in a show (hurrah hooroh hurreee) and have lines to memorize, I am in the midst of a nutritional overhaul (no shite sugar, flour, or processed foods for the next three weeks----you know, that was supposed to say "white" sugar, but I think I'll leave the Freudian typo) and doing some very interesting cognitive work with a kick-ass psychologist (speaking of Freud....).

Also....the highschool production opens late next week, so I am helping the kids this week with their makeup application, and I am sure I will be there before a few of the performances lending a hand and support.

Sooooo....sewing may have to wait a few. But we'll see. I've been known to sneak in a few stitches. ;)

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.

:)

Sewing With a Plan

I am doing this.

Sewing With a Plan.

Nothing matches, nothing fits, and I feel like a frumpasaurus.

I have never really learned how to put things together.....how to combine different fabrics like a quilter. Chanel said fashion is proportion. And mine is changing faster than I can cram the Funions in my mouth. (I don't really eat Funions, but you get the gist).

So I am starting my wardrobe storyboard this week.
I will draw from my pattern collection and 30's / 40's fashion catalogs.

It looks like lots of people do this kind of thing, and the organization makes alot of sense....nothing in my life is organized and it is beginning to show in my closet.

It took me forever to pick something to wear out last night...and I felt like a linebacker in my off-white bolero.

sew on.

Work: Bad

You see what happens when I get a job?

MY CREATIVE LIFE STOPS.*

I have *GOT* to find a happy medium

Today is my day off.....

so before I meet a dear friend for half-priced apps this evening,

I am going to cut out my Amy Sedaris dress.





See? It kinda looks like her in the middle there.

I'll wear it with tights and make a cheeseball!

I've been waiting to find the perfect fabric, and the MOMENT I spotted this delicious vintage polyester at Valu-Village, I just knew.

It would be rad if I could finish it by this evening, but it's not required.
I've decided home projects don't need deadlines.

Otherwise it feels like a job....and you know where THAT gets me.

P.S. Just did a tissue fitting and the girls are too big! Looks like I will be making a mock-up of the shirt first before tackling the dress. Grrrrrrr. But that's cool. I'll stick that big butterfly collar on it and rock it with jeans! I guess there is a silver lining.

*I have not sewn anything for myself in months. Or written a fairy tale. Or gone to yoga.....wtf????

She's Crafty, Like Ice is Cold

I landed a job at a local arts and crafts store in the yarn and fabric department!

Thank. Goodness.

It starts Monday, and I am so freakin excited I can hardly contain myself.

It means brushing up on crocheting, learning to knit, and regularly sewing up a storm.....but that is so good and refreshing and inspiring and ooh la la that I am so so so so happy.

The women who interviewed me were very silly and kind.
I felt at home immediately.
It will be nice to spend a good chunk of time with crafty women.

They said it can get a little nutty around the holidays,
but i just can't imagine it being like a crazy shift at the restaurant---waiting on 30 people at once, running around like a loon at 11 o'clock at night, knowing you'll be there for another 3 hours.

The entire store is smaller than the restaurant where I worked...and my department is nestled in the corner.

However, it is a flourescently lit hell.

I have anti-glare coating on my glasses, so hopefully that will keep otherworldly headaches to a minimum.

After my interview I mentioned to one of the employees, "Boy...a person could spend a chunk of their paycheck here, huh?"
and she replied, "Pfft. What paycheck?" :)

So today will be spent celebrating, by whipping up our Halloween Costumes (I found a great Bride of Frankenstein tutorial) and then crocheting a scarf with basic stitches.

Then it's time for Smallville and a big pan of Mac and Cheese.

Me.

Well, sheesh.....it has been an interesting month and a half...I have not sewn a darned thing...well, the same unfinished flannel shirt has been hanging off my dress dummy for about a month, but I have not touched it.

I've read seven books.....three of which were read on a spontaneous vacation to Hawaii. My bestest buddy had booked a trip awhile back, and I was able to go at the last minute. This did wonders for my mood and Vitamin D levels, as both were critically low. :)

We hiked in a magical forest and spent much time at the beach.....a rogue wave took my back out for a day or two.....

But it was worth it.

I ate a truckload of fish tacos and took in some lovely tropical sunsets.

Finally got around to reading Orlando (awesome), Lucky Jim (hysterical), and The Great Gatsby (classic). On the way home I started Anne Perry's

Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Victorian Mysteries.

Now on book 4.....they are highly entertaining.

It has been a beautimous pacific northwest autumn. The weather is amazing.....crisp, cool air...changing leaves and bright blue skies. The welcome rains started this week.

This is our magic tree.

The winds came last night and blew the leaves away.

Sigh.

I've also been busy writing fairy tales. More on that later.

There is a local yoga studio that is kicking my butt. In fact, I am going to head off to a class now. lest i procrastinate further and miss it........

Just got back! See? Didn't even know I was gone. Ever since my first class back in 1989, I have wanted to be a yoga instructor. Life has always thrown my off my game, but every time I come back to the practice I am reminded of how awesome it is.

So we shall see.

Right now, it is about getting me physically and spiritually on track....the instructing may or may not follow.

Russ and I are going as "Frankenstein/Bride Of" this year for Halloween...I know, I know. I wanted to do turn of the century swimming costumes....but my husband held his ground. Sigh.

We'll let him have this one.

Our dinner club this month was "Oktoberfest" themed, so we had spiced cider, pretzels with beer cheese sauce, meatballs, schnitzel, rot kohl, salad and german chocolate brownies. It was heavenly. The pretzels turned out wonderful---they even *looked* like proper pretzels. :)

I followed Alton Brown's recipe from the Food Network. Well worth the time. I subbed half the flour with whole wheat...next time I will go full whole wheat, but i did not want to produce franken-pretzels on the first try. :)

(I have a long history of ruining yeast breads.....but these turned out, and I think I discovered my errror.....so I am hoping I can produce some kick ass rolls for Thanksgiving this year! Recipes always appreciated.....)

This is the german beer cheese sauce:

Ingredients
3 c. shredded sharp white English Cheddar
2 c., Gruyere or mild cheddar, shredded
1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup ale (I like Bass)
1 tsp. dry mustard
hot sauce to taste
A few drops Worcestershire sauce

Combine cheeses in a bowl with flour. Add beer to a small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add cheese in handfuls. Stir constantly, melting the cheese in batches. Stir in a figure-eight pattern with wooden spoon (important, so you don't get a gloppy mess). When the cheese has melted, stir in the dry mustard, hot sauce and Worcestershire.

Sorry.....no pictures, sadly. We ate them before I remembered to get out the camera.

Highly recommended, if you like strong tasting cheesey goodness like Welsh Rarebit.

For the cider I heated a few Bengal Spice Celestial Seasonings tea bags in a big pot filled with unsweetened Apple Cider. Orange slices floating on top....

YUM.

HAPPY AUTUMN EVERYBODY!!!!!

Yeah, Autumn!!!

Well, I don't know what you folks are like, but I prefer planning for Halloween ahead of the game.

This year I have decided that my husband and I are going to wear turn of the century swimming costumes. He is not completely sold on the idea, but I know he will come around as the holiday approacheth. He is so busy by the end of October, he usually winds up wearing what I want him to wear with very little complaints.

Whoa. This blog is being interrupted by the last serving of Baskin Robbin's Quarterback Crunch ice cream that I just remembered is in the freezer.......It's the only good thing about football season.

The pacific northwest is fairly chilly by Halloween, so a black flannel dress with matching cap and striped wool stockings sounds quite pleasant.

Folkwear has a decent pattern.

It seems to make up quite nicely.

I am not sure what colors I will choose...the traditional ones were black or navy. Black would certainly be in keeping with All Hallow's Eve.

The cap needs some stuffing to make it poofier, and I would add some purple and black striped socks.

And vampire teeth.

(I am going to see The Damned, afterall!)

Maybe I'll be non-tradish like these ladies and boast a cacophony of hues. Who knows. There's plenty of time.

I'll stick Russ in a woolen striped union suit and a boater. We'll wax his mustache and part his hair in the middle. He doesn't believe me, but it will look awesome.

I just finished Rosalind Russell's autobiography, "Life is a Banquet" and it was fantastic. Really, really good. Filled with day to day happenings and very little "look at me" hoopla. The introduction was written by her husband shortly after her death, and it made me cry.

After finishing the book I read it again, and it damn near broke me.

I have always liked her----ever since my mom brought home "The Trouble With Angels" and "Auntie Mame" when I was sick in bed with the flu at a tender young age. She said, "Watch these! They will make you feel better!" And they did. :)

I still find her very inspiring---such great comic timing and sass.

Anywhoo....now I am reading Alison Weirs, "Eleanor of Aquitaine" which is kind of a snoozer compared to the life of Roz...but I am still reading the begats, so it will surely improve.

I've been lazily working on the same flannel shirt for about a week. It's olive green, which is good. I would like to pull my thumb out today and finish the darned thing. In the wintertime I prefer to wear nothing but flannel shirts and jeans...it's a good thing I live in Seattle. This pattern looks like it might be a tried and true. If it is, I'm gonna bust out about six of them. I may have to put some darts up the front, but I don't know yet.

It's Simplicity 3260.

Every single pattern piece, the envelope and the instruction sheet (both sides) have "Deanne Frederick" scribbled in pencil, along with address stickers. (?) Perhaps she lent it out alot? Whatever the reason, it made me giggle.....and I decided Deanne Frederick was OCD.

So yes...back to the sewing room for me.

I am so glad it's September 1st.

Our maple leaf is turning magenta again.

And soon it will be misty and crisp.

And the porch will be covered in spiderwebs, glistening with morning dew.

I am so excited.

P.S. My hair is fixed....but it is short. Shorter then it has been in ages. But it feathers well...which was crucial last Saturday.

My buddy had her 37th birthday party at the roller rink--and it was disco night.

Apron Strings and Other Things

I finished Butterick 6567 yesterday.
The fabric has little doggies all over it.

I originally purchased the fabric to make a shirt--but was afraid it might look a little homely--so an apron seemed the obvious compromise.

Cuz it's okay, and even encouraged, to look homely in an apron.

(Or a "Pinny" as my english hubby calls it....he says lots of cute things, like "Ice Lollies" and "Toothie Pegs")

The waistband on this pattern was a bitch.

Seriously.

I don't know who approved the illustration, but it was confusing as all get out.
I checked out the pattern review website and was relieved to see others had struggled with it as well, and it was not just my own limited mental capacity.

I think it is really cute, but I was pretty aggravated for a good hour or so while trying to figure it out.

There are a few little aprons in this pattern so I think I'll make a couple of the smaller ones for Xmas gifts and the like.

And a few for myself too!

P.S. Saw Depeche Mode again last week, and they were splendiferous.

The Damned are playing in Seattle for Halloween.....tickets go onsale tomorrow.

Life is good.

Except for my hair.

Which still sucks.

Middy Midderton

Welly welly well.

I got my hair cut into a traditonal "Middy" a few days ago, and I am not quite sure how I feel about it.
This is by the book, by the diagram, no holds barred.
If I try to curl it in rag-rollers, as I did when my hair was in a layered bob, I wind up looking like Little Molly Mushroom.





Or a 1970's June Allyson. Sadly, I can find no examples of this on google.


However, I found a younger June Allyson.






I might be able to pull that off, actually.

And then grow it into this:



The 1940's husband-stealing June Allyson.

Anywhoo....I was a bit concerned when I realized just how short my hair was going to be.


I want to grow my bangs out a bit anyway...and the only way for me to comfortable do that is whack off the rest of my hair.

This is definitely a cut that needs to be styled properly to look good....which means it needs more maintenance than I am accustomed to providing. :)

This is what it is *supposed* to look like styled, but i think the drawing makes the haircut look alot longer than it actually is.....and my stylist followed the diagram, even using a tape measure.







If you pull that hair down from the ear, it would extend past the chin....and mine is nowhere near that length. Lies, lies, lies, Ivan of Hollywood.

Also...my hair is stick straight...and although it is fine, there is ALOT of it. I used to think this was bogus, as everybody says that about their hair, but my stylist confirmed it the other day. Even curling it with an iron takes forever. And it is quite heavy to boot. So the layers are a good thing, I suppose, as it will make curling easier.

BUT, I have yet to master the pin curl....and could never really see myself sleeping in them, so instead I found these neato thingies on ebay today, and I have very high hopes.





They are called Curl Bobs. I think. Or Gayla Hold-Bobs? I am not sure if the bobby-pins are the bobs, or if the curler is the bob, but either way they look pretty kick ass. :) I got three of them in different sizes for FIVE BUCKS.

You place a small section of your hair inside it, slide it down to the ends, curl it, slip the pin inside, pull the curler out and VOILA! You have a pinned curl. I would imagine they would get squished if you tried to sleep in them, so I think this will be a morning time endeavor. We shall see.

I was watching Joan Crawford in "Sadie McKee" yesterday, and noticed her hair is layered kinda like mine (just a tad longer) and all of it is curled *upwards* at the bottom, which is darling.


I achieved the look with a curling iron (sorry, no pics of me, but here is a lovely one of Ms. Jane)







and it turned out SUPER CUTE, but the curls only lasted an hour or so, and then they stuck straight out as if I had stuck my finger in a socket. So a wet-set is definitely in order.

I am going to try these rollers when they arrive next week......and if they do not work, I am cutting off the back so I have a nice stacked bob.




I have also thought about perming it, but I swore, sometime around 1990, to never perm my hair again.
I don't know...we shall see. I prefer 30's hair over 40's anyway....and the bob would be more 30's.....sigh. I will make a decision after next week.

It is irksome. :)

P.S. The temp has dropped FORTY DEGREES since the heat wave last week. So all I can think about is nice, warm, soothing bowls of Phở.



YUM.