Sewing Resolutions

I truly enjoy the end of the year photo collages and remarks made by sewers around the world.  There's a common thread of sew more, worry less, master some new techniques and use more of the already stashed collected patterns and fabric.  I'm good with all of those.  I did not make a formal, written plan for sewing in 2010 since I only started blogging in September.  I did make a verbal commitment to get a fitted dress made (done), work on welt pockets (not done) sew from my stash (definitely done) and get a wrap blouse pattern fitted and sewn (half way there.)

Last sunset of 2010

I'm keeping it equally short and simple for 2011.  Sew 12 jackets.  Ok, maybe not simple, but certainly short.  As  part of that project I will make welt pockets for at least for one of those jackets and I'd like to work on my lining and lapel techniques.  I'll definitely sew a lot of things from my fabric collection but I'm not foolish enough to commit to not buying fabric in 2011.  On the other hand, I will be donating and gifting pieces from that collection which deserve to go to new homes, the same with patterns that I'll never use.
Nothing too unusual about these plans.
But 2010 has had a profound effect on me in other sewing related ways.  When I heard in the late spring of this year that the wonderful Shannon Gifford (remarkable Patternreview teacher) and Fred Bloebaum (terrific pattern designer of La Fred patterns) had passed away at such young ages I was so saddened for their families and our sewing community who lost inspiring, encouraging, patient and creative teachers.  They were both younger than I am, even more tragic that they died right when their lives were full of joy, family and accomplishment.  Yes, I know in my head intellectually that any day on earth could be my last day, but their deaths were reminders at the heart level.  Not long afterwards, my husband and I were out for happy hour one evening and I reminded him of a plan we have.  We've always said that when the dog dies (mind you, that could easily be 5 or 6 years away since Sam  is a healthy 11 going on 12) we'll take our big trip to Australia and New Zealand.  Well, that night I decided that who knows if one or both of us will outlive the dog and I want to take that trip now.  So that is why late this February into the first two weeks of March we'll be traveling for my "bucket list" trip.  Sam will be heading to a great kennel here in SW Florida and we'll be flying off to New Zealand for 3 weeks hiking and touring the South Island.   I'll be sewing up several pieces to take on that trip over the next two months in between planning more details of our visit.  It's more than a little ironic that sometimes it takes sadness and pain for us to fully experience joys but that's the contradictory nature of life.
In the meantime, wishing you a happy new year and the chance to fulfill your heart's desire this year.

Making Design Decisions

Now what?  That's the stage I'm at in this sewing project.  A few weeks ago, when it started getting cold here in Florida (yes, "cold" being a relative term) I made another version of Burda 8294, a bias, lined skirt from a silk herringbone plaid.  Quite plain on its own but I have two sweaters that I will wear with it wit, one a navy V neck and one this medium teal-ish blue from my Ann Taylor visit.  I also have a stash of glass marcasite buttons from an Ebay purchase years ago and collection of random blue silk dupioni pieces so I'm looking to see how I can combine these elements.

Today I've replaced the sweater buttons with the glass ones.  I've also made my first attempt at a Kenneth King inspired silk dupioni flower.  Mine only vaguely resembles his luxury version but I'm liking the color combination.  I think I'll refine my technique....or just call it "rustic" if that doesn't succeed and make a flower collection for the neckline of the sweater.  But what about the skirt?  I could just leave it alone....good grief, not that!  Maybe I could add a seemingly random scattering of buttons along the hemline

or maybe use these bias strips to do a design.  In this tryout I'm glorifying myself by forming "J's" along the hem, you know, sort of CC Chanelish.

Glass buttons on the hemline

My final idea for the afternoon was to combine the two, doing a serpentine edge with the bias and then interspersing the buttons along that line.

Bias strips and glass buttons

Oh, the blues in the skirt are much more bluer than the pics....where it looks grey.
Any opinions or other suggestions?   Hmmmm, I'm leaning to just plain skirt as I look at the pics.

Ok, that's it for today.  I'm heading out for a walk then have to get cooking.  Tomorrow is a picnic on the beach with friends at sunset, followed by fireworks at 7:30.  For once I'll be glad to have them early because of the chill in the air although usually I find it hilariously funny that we have early bird New Years here in the land of retirees.

Embellishing a Holiday Sale Sweater

Our Christmas celebration here in SW Florida was low-key, enjoyable and I also loved seeing the variety of celebrations among blogging friends around the globe.  Mr. Lucky and I went out for brunch on Christmas Eve and wandered a beautiful mall afterwards.  After buying a new saute pan on sale at William Sonoma,  he sat in Barnes and Noble while I cruised the stores doing some snoop shopping and ultimately some real world shopping.  I was eyeing jackets in Saks Fifth Avenue to get some ideas for what I want to work on for the 2011 jacket sew along.  Then I stopped at Ann Taylor for their 40% off everything sale.  Ended up with three sweater which you will be seeing over the next few weeks.  It's been so cold here in Florida (no, I understand, not as cold as elsewhere!) that I was looking for sweaters with real warmth.  I wear mostly rayon nylon blend sweaters and knit tops because they are cooler in warm weather.  But wow, this morning there was frost on the golf course and on our cars and I was COLD.  So I was excited to find a few silk, rayon cashmere blends, perfect for some real warmth but still lightweight.  I've been so inspired by the blog Grosgrainfabulous this past month.  Grosgrain blog  Every day in December (!!!) she bought a thrift store sweater and embellished it, very Anthopologie without the price. Anthropologie sweaters Now, at my age I have to be careful with that Anthropologie thing....too much and I don't look hip, I look like the Carol Burnett washerwoman mix wardrobe.

I don't wear solid black too frequently so wanted to embellish it with something softer.  Luckily I had yards and yards of this lace, I believe inherited from my mother when she was on a yard sale binge in the 80's.  Measured the neckline to the first button, tripled it and gathered the lace then hand stitched it around the neckline.  Did the same at the pocket area and I'm quite happy with the result.

In addition to this fashion project I did get some home dec sewing done over the past few days.   Recovered my dirty ironing board cover and then made pillows as requested for the great friends who watch our condo for us in the summer.  I'm not even a fan of blue in decorating but I love the indoor outdoor fabric she chose.
It's good to be back blogging and sewing.  I love holidays, festivities and fun but I also like my solitude and quiet time.  That's what easy projects like these give me, time to think and regroup.

Merry Winter Solstice

They resemble mittens but they are actually socks ....stretch Polarfleece and Polarfleece 200 socks made from the Green Pepper pattern, to be exact.  These are among the most well-received gifts I have ever made so here's the batch for this year's presents.  I have purchased different weighs and designs of Malden Mills Polarfleece over the last ten or twelve years.  It is absolutely the best imaginable, never pills, stays looking new for years and wears like iron.  For years LL Bean would only use the genuine Malden Mills Polarfleece in their garments.  I even visited the retail store (now closed to anyone except full roll buyers) at the factory in Lowell, Massachusetts.  Business readers know the story of Malden Mills from the mid-1990s when a fire destroyed the mill but the employees were kept on while the company rebuilt.  Fashion and the economy did them in by the new millennium and they have now filed for bankruptcy a second time.   Malden Mills History news report   Like so many other textile manufacturers in the US, cheap overseas competition has cut into their business strongly.  They are still the highest quality manufacturer in their field with an amazing and admirable collection of technical fabrics.  But their limited line of fabric means that much of the fabrics and designs I liked are no longer available to retail fabric buyers.   G Street Fabrics used to have "less than a yard" leftover cuts, most likely from clothing manufacturing.  Look at outdoor wear catalogs these days and very few of the items are genuine Polarfleece.   Oh well, it's a global economy, I know, but I sure miss the choices I used to have.   When I made a tied fleece quilt for a friend's son who is an avid Boston Red Sox baseball fan, I hated the thin fleece I had to buy from Joann's just to get the licensed design.  I used up more of that Polarfleece collection by backing it with a thin Polarfleece 100 to give it substance and endurance.

Now the cards have been written and mailed, the presents are completed and delivered, what's a girl to do today to celebrate the winter solstice?  Go kayaking, of course.
It was a gorgeous sunny day here, unlike the nightmare weather in Europe and other parts of the US.   If you are reading this post from one of those areas, I hope you are keeping safe and warm in such treacherous conditions.
Mr. Lucky and I rented kayaks and cruised the estuaries near the Gulf of Mexico, spotting birds (even a bald eagle), fish and then this surprise among the mangrove groves:

Merry Christmas from southwest Florida!!!

Changing for the Better

2010 version Simplicity 2603

It's been an enjoyable holiday season in real life but I haven't been having too many sewing successes in the sewing room over the last week.  No matter, I am pleased with a slight adjustment I made to an already sewn garment.  Don't you wonder sometimes why you spend your time carefully constructing something that fits but then don't really make a regular part of your wearable wardrobe?  I have severely edited my closet closets over the past five or six years and continue to do so each season.  It's made it easier to become a bit more ruthless about discarding what I'm not wearing.  This cardi jacket was one of those items that had to change or go.
I made the "short" version of Simplicity 2603 during the late summer and early autumn of 2009 when it was a sew along on Patternreview.  As my review stated, I was mostly happy with the result.  So here we are a year later and I have hardly worn the sparkly grey version (and never wore the blue slinky version in my review.)  Ok, what's the risk...go ahead, chop off pieces in a few places and now I'm thrilled.  Much less fabric around my neck and down the front, shorter length is a better proportion and now I have a light, swingy sweater like third layer jacket.  Is it sewing? Is it refashioning?  I don't care what you call it, I'm happy to reclaim and enjoy this pattern.  Now I see a few more in my future....and ones which I will actually wear.

2009 version Simplicity 2603

Removed 4" from neckline, 2 " from length and 2 inches across front diagonal.