Another Box-O-Patterns from eBay, and More!

I ordered another assortment of patterns from eBay and it arrived yesterday afternoon. This one's got some good stuff in it, although not quite as sweet as the last two I've won (see here and here if you want more details). Don't get me wrong--this one is still very good! 49 patterns, of which 33 I'd consider keepers. 67% positive is not a bad average, especially at a cost of $0.68 per pattern for the ones I'm keeping.

I also received a fabric that I bought for the Michelle Obama Convention Dress. It's rayon blend doubleknit from Lucy's Fabrics. The fabric is royal blue vs. the turquoise of her dress, but that's ok. I look great in all shades of blue. I happen to have a couple pairs of earrings that will coordinate, so I'm even accessorized!

And, there's a package from Fabric Mart that I expect to receive any day now. Yep, I'm still buying stuff because I don't have time to sew much...there's just something wrong with that.

Farewell, Paul

This morning, I heard that Paul Newman had died, and I felt very sad. Not just because he was an amazing actor, but also because he was a humble man who did a lot of good for others. This obit by Dahlia Lithwick appeared in Slate (http://www.slate.com/) this morning, and I'm sharing the link because she expressed what was truly special about Paul Newman much better than I.

Armchair Sewing for Fall

I've pulled some patterns that are likely candidates for fall sewing. We'll see how that goes, given my recent track record of almost no sewing. But hope springs eternal, as they say. And with the seasons starting to change, I'm more in the mood.


So, what am I wanting to make?


Well, one thing is Michelle Obama's dress from the convention. This one:

It's been a while since she wore it, but it captured my imagination. I already have a similar pattern, Vogue 8181.



Now I just need to get the fabric--yep, all that stash but nothing I want to use. What I think I want is a doubleknit, something substantial with heft and a bit of stretch. So I'm web shopping to see what I can come up with.

It's more than likely that my dress will turn out looking different from Michelle O's but that's ok. In fact, I like it! So don't be surprised if the dress is a different color with a different neckline, etc. We'll know where the inspiration came from.

The Prada skirt is still on the horizon, I remain in the thinking stage on this one. I don't want it to be a real complex project, but I think I need to test out a couple of skirt patterns before I cut into the lace. I also think, given Liana's experience, that the lace needs to be hung so it can relax.

What else?

Skirts. I live in them, and for me, they're fairly simple projects. I've pulled out several pencil-type skirts to consider. Since they all look similar, I'll hold off on pictures until I've narrowed the choices down.

Tops. Although I like the look of shirts and blouses, mostly I wear knits. It's a good bet that I'll be sewing more of them. Of course, I'll be making this TNT that has been the basis for so many knit tops:


I'd also like to do some more sewing with Loes Hinse patterns, such as the Cowl Top (shown here in the non-cowl view):

And/or the Boatneck Top (shown here in the non boatneck cowl view):

I'm still working out dresses and jackets, so I'll need to post more about them later. I know I'd like to make both, but there are soooo many choices, I really have to narrow them down.

Catching Up

ETA: a photo of the completed pj's and a slight modification to the accompanying paragraph, since I obviously completed both of them.

The month is over half done and this is the first blog post I've done for September. Ugh!!! That's what happens when you have three major closings in three weeks after returning from vacation (was that already a month ago?). Today I had a pre-scheduled day off, so I'm home. I needed a little hiatus since I've been going to the office on weekends to try and keep up with the work load.


The plumbers should be here in a little while, we're still trying to figure out why the swamp cooler is leaking into the guest bathroom when it runs. The weather is cooler now, so I don't really need it, but we need to get this solved so the hole in the bathroom ceiling can be fixed.


This is one of many projects that need to be done around Casa Flan before I can even think about putting my house on the market. DF continues to negotiate for a move to his side of town (Far NE Heights), even though the real estate market continues to be stagnant around here. Mind you, DF is a renter so he really has no stake in the matter. It would be so much easier if he'd move in with me when his lease runs out, at least for a while. My house is nice and the neighborhood is too, even if it's not his favorite. IMO, if he loves his neighborhood so much, he should have bought a house up there, you know!?!





On the sewing front, I've done a little bit this month. This is the 3rd month in a row that I've made at least one garment for myself, in accordance with PR's garment-a-month challenge. This time I've made yet another couple of pairs of pj pants from that TNT, McCall's 2476. I do them assembly line on the serger, so both are fun prints in shades of yellow. This is where I can play with goofy fun prints that I'd never wear otherwise. I have 2 more cut out but will hold off on them for now. I've got very many pairs already made in cotton and flannel, so I'm set until some wear out.


I also bought another set of Sterilite drawers for the sewing room. I'd really like one more, but Walmart only had 4 on the shelf. I need to see if I can find another one when I'm out and about later today.


I'm not one for fabric moratoriums and such, but I really need to stop for a while. I'm running out of space and it's getting ridiculous. I don't want my sewing room to be a monument to my stash, I want it to be a work room where I can be creative and step away from my professional life for a time. With too much stuff and no place to put it, there's less room for that to happen, in both a mental and physical sense.


Oh, I also want to make sure I give some credit where it's due. A couple of blogger friends have had giveaways on their sites, and I've won stuff! First up, Materfamilias had a book giveaway and I won Simon Doonan's new fashion/style book, Eccentric Glamour. I also liked the card, a pretty abstract of koi? I'd like to hear more about the artist.





Raesha of My Love also had a giveaway, in which she shared a collection of vintage souvenir patches she scored while thrifting. I got this cool Yellowstone Park patch, complete with Old Faithful and a bear! Isn't it great? Another nice card too. Also, thanks for sending along your business card! Since we're both in ABQ, we really should meet up sometime.