Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Travel Packing and Travel Sewing.

What do you find most difficult/frustrating/annoying/challenging about traveling?  Airport waits and security check ins?  Baggage fees and fears about lost bags?  Packing decisions for your destination and all its weather possibilities?  Cell phone data plans and sketchy wifi?Last minute sewing and finishing to make the deadline?  My answer, all of the above.  All of a sudden Mr. Lucky and I are on a whirlwind of travel over the next several months...so much so that a friend asked me if there was some illness that he didn't know about?!  No illness, I am happy to report,  just a tight, full schedule of events.  
One of most anticipated trips starts at the very end of this month when we are finally off to our Bruges/Amsterdam/London trip. We'll be joining a one week bike and barge trip from Bruges to Amsterdam.  Let's face it, that's the easiest part of packing.  I need layers of leisure wear, padded bike leggings, my bike helmet and a rain jacket.  They told us to bring rain pants.  No, I'll pass on that and just get my leggings wet if it rains during the day....or sit on the barge with a  good book if the rains are present all day long like they were here in Baltimore recently.
The hard part of the packing and anticipated sewing project is what to plan for the evenings of those weeks and for the seven or eight "city" days that we have on our own. I admit it, I like clothes and I like variety and those "likes" don't always mesh with easy travel packing....especially when half of that packing is already taken up with "activewear."   So I am auditioning outfits and working out combinations.  Here are some of thoughts so far and what I am sewing next week to fill in a few gaps.

Color scheme: black, of course, the traveler's standby, along with brown...actually one of my favorite neutral combinations.  I've been assembling outfits to audition them and here's the grouping so far.  One problem already is that the weather has gone from very chilly temperatures in Belgium and The Netherlands to far more lovelier forecasts....which means I'll be reevaluating these outfits in the next few days.


Fun RTW leggings and a Tilton ITY knit top
Tabula Rasa knit top that served me well in London two years ago...and the scarf has a hidden pocket.

RTW Chicos lightweight anorak look with Margarita tank top
Style Arc Elle pants and RTW sweater
Chicos sweater and another pair of Elle pants
Silk kimono Simplicity1318 with same pants

I think I would like one more tunic and one more tank top sewn before we leave although I certainly have RTW ones that would coordinate if time gets away from me...which it often does.  There's gardening to do as well now that it is warm enough to put in the 60 caladium bulbs and a few other fun things on my calendar.  Yes, truly a lucky girl lives in my house.

Weeks two and three of Me Made May17 have zoomed by. Mr. Lucky and I flew down to the South Carolina Low Country for the most amazing family wedding weekend.  Loved seeing cousins and their children for a happy reason, were awed by my cousin's new home....just completed in time for the festivities and even got to visit with a childhood classmate who moved to the area.  So here are some of those mid-month Me Made May items:
Elle pants go to the Delaware beach
Draped front cardigan from Pamela's Patterns, self-drafted travel purse, Bathrobe from the Tabula Rasa jacket pattern
Berry season means time in the kitchen in a Simplicity Daisy Kingdom apron with Maryland crab appliqué

Low Country South Carolina sunset in a Vogue cardigan
My favorite Jalie Elenore pant and my adorable cousin once removed
The adjusted wedding dress in poor lighting.  The hidden strip of fabric worked perfectly to invisibly lengthen the dress to my knee level.


Burda sheath dress and the wonderful fabric flower from Latvia for Sunday morning brunch.

So back to the packing and deciding and sewing.  I hope you have something in your sewing room that has you smiling with anticipation.


4 comments:

  1. Packing for a trip -- I had my easiest one yet. Where I didn't overpack! Alaska is even more casual than Oregon. Lots of layers though. Definitely knits. Out on the town at the ritzy Seven Glaciers restaurant at the top of Alyeska resort was still jeans, black tshirt and a slightly fancier jacket. Try to remember that you won't need 1/3 of what you take....I'll try to remember when I travel to Japan next year.

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    1. I so struggle with the overpacking dilemma so thanks for the encouragement. And a Japan trip sounds fabulous.

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  2. I hope you will do a follow up post when you return, as we hope to do a similar trip next year, and I would love to know what worked for you. Safe travels. Barb

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    1. Yes, I don't think I will have any easy way to post as I travel along but will share my fun, my observations and I know some sewing related comments are forthcoming as well.

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