Material Girls, November Edition

What a nice way to end Thanksgiving weekend--sewing with friends. Our location is closed on Sundays, but we still get an opportunity for shopping since it's a sewing store. Great if you're missing some notions or see a fabric you just have to have.

I cut out a long sleeved T from Kwik Sew 2565, a TNT that I retraced to my current size at last month's meet up. This one is something of a prototype--I'm using a mystery knit that I bought a few years ago at  Fabrix in San Francisco. I added a generous 1" of "fit insurance" to all vertical seams. Hopefully it won't be needed, but good to have if I do.

I also worked on a UFO from last year, the OOP Butterick 3257 vest. After making the fur one, I cut another from an interesting polarfleece remnant I found at Joann's Hancock's. The base is regular polarfleece, with a plastic-y layer laminated on top. The resulting fabric looks like quilted leather! Unfortunately, I didn't it get it done last winter and lost interest after the weather warmed up, so it's been languishing in a bag all year. Fleece garments are perfect for Albuquerque weather, so the timing is again right.

The mojo is back just a little. Thank goodness for TNTs and UFOs!

Show Me The Brooches!

I worked today, so I wasn't sure I'd have time to put a blog post together for Deja Pseu's show and tell. But hooray, I got out a little early and had the opportunity to take a few photos.

I wear a lot of silver and silver-colored jewelry, due to my coloring and my location in the Southwest. Here are a few selections:

My church is trying to pay off a building debt and this kitty came from one of the fundraisers. I am a cat person, so I have a bunch of different pins with cats on them. This one always makes me smile when I wear it.

The spider is a Native American sterling and malachite piece. The local tribes see the spider as nature's weavers, so they are viewed positively. As a sewist, I feel like it sort of represents my hobby as well. I got this one at a silent auction several years ago.

The horse is also a sterling piece. It was a gift from a long-ago relationship. The guy ended up being kind of a dud but he had great taste in gifts! I still wear this one frequently; it's a good shape for a lapel.

This heart is pewter and has a matching set of earrings (much smaller). It has kind of a rodeo look, but it goes with a lot of things. Another great one for a lapel. I've had this one for 20+ years; it came from a long-gone boutique here in Albuquerque.

This Weekend, I Cooked

Today was my turn to share lunch hosting at Vestry. Two of us do it each month, and it usually works out to twice a year. Not bad. However it meant that this week's creativity was in the kitchen instead of the Sewing Cave. I made two dishes, soup and dessert.

photo: Fine Cooking Magazine

The soup recipe came courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine, a sister publication of Threads. I don't remember signing up for its emails but I've been getting them for a while now. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what to make, when Chicken Soup with Lime and Hominy appeared in my mailbox earlier this week. Familiar, yet different than our usual New Mexican style food. It went over very well with the group.

Photo: justataste.com

For dessert, something sweet and seasonal but not too heavy. This recipe for Cranberry Orange Juice Bread came from Just a Taste, via Pinterest. I didn't prepare the batter quite the same way since I wanted my KitchenAid to do the work, but it came out very tasty regardless.The tartness of the cranberries contrasted nicely with the rich, orange batter. I doubled the recipe, so I still have a loaf left over (yum!). Next time, I think I'll use mini loaf pans, which will be great for gift giving.

DH and I are going out for dinner on Turkey Day, so no slaving in the kitchen on Thursday. I'm hoping I can get some sewing done instead! We shall see.

Tracing but No Sewing

No actual sewing since finishing the Now Shirt.

Material Girls was last weekend and I got some tracing done. I needed a new version of Kwik Sew 2565, a go-to TNT pattern I use for T-shirts. Time for a clean copy in my current size. It's been OOP for several years but it's a good basic. I've sewn it a bunch of times and a few versions are still in rotation. I also traced off the Loes Hinse European Pant while I was at it.

While looking for something else, I also located a pattern and tracing have been missing in action for a while now, the Loes Hinse Boatneck top.

I think I have plenty to work from, if only I can get some energy. Darn work.