Last One!

I am finally finishing up the last dress. I plan to take a full day to work on my SWAP after this and then do a bit each day. Not having December to work was hard for me with the SWAP. I always have a lot of free time in December.
All along I have been working on winter-able pieces/outfits and wearing them as they were completed. I have nearly worn out one pair of trousers. Now when I look at them I am tired of all of them. I want Spring to be here now. I realize that officially it is Spring on Friday, but I want the real deal with birds singing, flowers blooming and NO MORE SNOW! I guess I will have to move on to more Spring like clothes, maybe make a new jacket. This is why I never post a storyboard. Too many changes.

Worlds

I got one more dress shipped out today. Three down, two more to go.
Also, I finally managed to get the new roll of paper in the Visa machine.
Big day.

Memories

Today I was digging though a plastic bin of trims, looking for something appropriate for the dress I was working on. At the very bottom of the bin was a small sachet of soft unbleached cotton with a ribbon drawstring. I crushed it and thought I could still make out a slight scent. It was a sachet I held in my hand next to the roses of my wedding bouquet. Inside is a bit of heather from one of my father's funeral arrangements from 1984. His birthday is March 28th. He would have been 79 this year. I still miss him.

Karen's Purse

My friend Karen requested a purse. Well, she mentioned that she liked a style and I said I would make her one. Unfortunately, I couldn't really picture what she wanted and could not find a pattern of what I thought she wanted. I ended up making a pattern. Well, two actually. The first was a flop. Her description of long and narrow with buckles diagonally on the bottom did not fit the first one I tried. It just didn't end up long and narrow.
The bloody buckles took forever, so I took that one apart and started on another bag. This one might be a little too long for my taste, but my trendy babysitter OK'd it, so I proceeded with it. Karen is a very sensitive person, who wouldn't want to hurt my feelings if it wasn't what she wanted. She says she likes it though. I hope she means it.

Maisie's Birthday/Valentine's dress.

Maisie's Birthday/St. Valentines day dress. Maisie turned two on February 8. Since the date is close to Valentine's Day, I made one dress to do double duty.

I must get it back on her and get some better photos. These were from a try on over her leggings when she had just gotten home from daycare.

She didn't like the flash.

Long time

Wow, it has been a while since I have written.
I have been ill with something ever since sometime in mid November. A cold/cough became a sinus infection. Antibiotics and a Prednisone inhaler took care of that, but gave me a yeast infection around my eyes, which I still have. Nothing from the MD seemed to help, so I have been following a Naturopath's suggestions for trying to rid the Candida from my system. No starches or yeast in my diet, so no sugars, breads, pasta, rice, potato etc. Nothing fermented, so no vinegars, soya sauce, etc. Basically lots of veggies with lean meat, lemons, limes, almonds and olive oil. Sounds like a great salad. Sounds like a lot of great salads. Gets a bit old after a while, especially when my eyes water and flake and burn still.
Also taking Oregano Oil, ground flax seed and Super 8 Probiotics.
I am ready to switch to Tequila shortly. At least if it doesn't work I will be more relaxed and maybe not even care.

Christmas Dress

This was a very quick little dress made from some silk my mother gave me. The bodice is self lined and instead of seaming it at the back, each back section was cut with the edge on the fold. All four sections are sewn together at the shoulders.


Just needed hemming at this point. I never did get a picture of her in it.

The Boy

I don't sew much for my son any longer, but this is just to prove I have one.


Army is everything to him right now.

Bassinet-Maisie's Christmas Present

I made this using a Vogue pattern. She seems to like the handles tied together, so it a bit of effort to get her babies out sometimes. They all pile in for "Night Night" and again before daycare.
Side View
With quilt
Fully loaded
Notice the stickers on the biggest baby's forehead.
Sticker Jail.
Apparently foreheads were made for stickers

Boiled Wool Jacket

Showing the grosgrain facing to stablize the buttonholes.

The fabrics for this jacket were nearly free from Fabricland. The store sells memberships which offer discounts on purchases. They also give you a stamp card and stamp with every purchase. Every $500 worth of stamps gives $20 off of a purchase. I buy a lot of basics for the business there, but I keep the stamp cards for my personal purchases.
The wool was purchased while on sale, then with a members' additional discount, then $20 off. The ribbons had been purchased with a stamp card for another project.
The leather buttons were from a sweater of my dad's. After he died, my mother and I went through his work wordrobe and kept a few things to use as materials (and reminders) before the rest went to Goodwill. I have used the buttons on numerous garments since then.

Maisie is a character

Some of her Self Decoration


This was from the food colouring in the icing on her brother's birthday cake. Gross! I made Dh take her clothes off before she ate so nothing but the bib would be stained.
Stickers!
Ketchup- this is what happens when you lick the plate.

Christmas projects/clothes for me!

Underway For Christmas:
Bassinet for Maisie-cut, half sewn
Dress for Maisie-half sewn, needs hem and possibly lining
PJs for Leo-fabric chosen, not cut
Handbag for Mum-done
Handbag for Karen-waiting for fabric
Handbag for Bunny-waitin gfor fabric
Knitting bag for Mum- fabric chosen, not cut

Underway For me:
Coat for me- needs buttons/buttonholes
Cardigan- needs embroidery
Three pairs of trousers-need hems
One top-done
One handbag-done
Knit scarf- edge crotcheted and ends in

A jacket for a Christmas Party

Here is a simple jacket I made in a hurry for my husband's "Customer Appreciation Night" for work. I am back in black in this one, but nothing beats black for an evening out- or candle light for making ANYTHING flattering!This was made using the Vogue Chanel style jacket- I will have to look up the number. It is made from some silk from FabricMart Fabrics. The silk was great to work with. It sewed and pressed beautifully.
I changed the neckline to a low V, bound the front edges and added ruched cuffs in silk charmeuse. It closes with a snap and then there are the charmeuse ties to cover it. Very simple and flattering. I didn't get a photo in it though. It was the first time my husband I have gone out together and not taken the baby. She cried and fussed with the sitter and we hurried out the door- no time for pictures.

Some sewing for myself

I have been trying to get away from the red/black colour scheme I have worn for so many years. As I get older, it is not longer flattering on me. I am trying to use brown with blue and or teal. The trouble is that my accessories are all suited to black. It is an expensive and time consuming proposition to move away from that.
I have wanted a new handbag for a while now and have not been able to find one I like. I happened upon some brown leather in my attic, left behind by a friend years ago. I have carried it around for nealy 20 years, so I figure it is mine now (she has long agreed to that, but I still resisted using it in case she wanted it). I had a style in mind, but have never made a purse before, so decided to try one right from the package. Here is the result:

The outer fabic is from Emma One Sock and it is lined with a synthetic suede from Timmel Fabrics.

I had a few problems with the binding on the top edge, but it looks Ok from the outside. I am not usually one to accept that, but this was a first attempt and a real learning experience.

Almost back!

Wow, it has been a while since I have posted at all!
The qualifiers for the World Championships have been going on all over North America so it has been very busy at work. I mean 7 days a week, 12 hours a day for about seven weeks. I think I deserve a holiday!
I have been sewing up a storm, just not for me and mine. The entire time I work I plan my personal sewing. It is kind of like dangling a carrot before the donkey, so I always think of it as my carrot sewing. I should be able to start some next week and am very excited about it.
I should probably clean my house first, but chances are I won't until I have at least cut something out. Where to start? Christmas dress for Maisie? Camo jammies for Leo? Desperately needed winter coat for moi? Four foot tall appliqued nutcracker wall hanging for my sister?
I think I had better start with something simple, like a top for me!