Rainy & Gloomy

This early morning moment was the best weather we've had in several weeks. I took this pic of a snow-capped Mauna Kea from our upstairs deck a few days before Christmas, at about 7AM before the clouds moved in. I think it's rained every day since then: over 22" of the stuff just since Christmas day here in Hilo. There's a lot more snow up there by now, but we haven't caught even a hint of a glimpse of it.

After so many years on the dry side of Maui, where average annual rainfall was something like 9", I still getting a kick out of wet weather. And of course all this rain is what makes our local waterfalls and gardens so lush and lovely. The downside, though, is the clouds have been so constant and thick that it's gloomy and dark both inside and out. I've actually managed to finish a few UFOs this week, but haven't been able to get a decent photo of any of them, even with a flash.

Hubby and I are off to Waikoloa tomorrow (dry side of the big island, where the beaches and sun are) for a long New Year's weekend. Lots more sewing to be done when we get back, although my time for it will be limited: even more non-sewing projects lined up and awaiting attention.

Whenever the weather lightens up, as it's sure to do eventually, I'll post some updates on the completed garments.

Broke the Embargo

I broke the fabric embargo this morning. Multiple excuses for giving in to temptation:

1) This great deal ends 12/29 at midnight EST. Why until Jan. 1 and miss out?

2) It will probably be 2009 before I pick up my parcel from our PO box, and it will be '09 before I pay the AmEx bill. Kindof fudging the "no more fabric purchases until 2009" thing, but close, so close!

3) Wanted to get the discount on this fabric to feature in Mum's next b'day gift (she turns 75 in Sept. '09 and will want me to make her something). Once it arrives I'll shop locally for coordinating prints and solids.


4) Bought a yard of this pink/white print to go with two I already have for a six-panel skirt pattern I plan to make with mixed prints. I can almost claim that fits the "fabric needed to finish a UFO" exception. Except that I haven't started it yet, so it's a UFO only in my mind.


5) Can't really justify this Xmas print, but it was on sale and I am thinking ahead to next year. Would like to make either a tree skirt or Xmas placemats/napkins; have a few FQs in the stash but needed a main fabric. If I wait 'til next year's holiday season it will be too late to buy fabric, because I'm just too slow at getting sewing projects done.


Also added to the order enough of this truly stunning Kaffe Fasset cotton to make a blouse.

Received a 5" sq. of it in the KF charm pack I bought pre-embargo, have been drooling ever since at the thought of making something to wear from it. No excuse, other than to get the discount. I'm already working on a "wearable muslin" of a blouse pattern which, if it turns out well, the new fabric will be perfect for.

On the plus side, I first went nuts and loaded up the shopping cart with at least twice as much stuff, then got strict and deleted a lot of it. Sneaky way to indulge and feel restrained at the same time.

Don't wanna sound humbuggy, but it's serioulsy time to BAN SANTA from this house! She's been WAY too self-indulgent this year. As usual.

My New Sewing Machine!

I am now the ecstatic owner of a BabyLock Decorator's Choice: list quoted as $1299, I paid $699 plus got free servicing on my old machine which desperately needs attention (probably a $100 value right there). And a fab service plan for the new one at a very good price, too. Thanks, Discount Fabric Warehouse (Hilo store).

If I'd had a bit more in the budget, I would have come home with the Quilter's Choice model, but the only added feature I really felt I valued was the automatic thread tension (I can get a 1/4" foot separately), and that didn't seem worth the $300 it would have cost to upgrade. I'm accomplished at many things, surely mastering thread tension can become one of them.

Learning curve for this machine is a bit steep for me, as this is my first computerized machine, but am going through the manual step-by-step and so far so good. Biggest challenge is resisting the tempation to just "wing it" and see if I can figure it out, but I'm taking it slowly and "by the book" for once. So far have wound a bobbin (lovely, smooth, evenly done), threaded the machine, and played around with the stitching options on scrap fabric. Am tickled pink with the automatic needle threader, drop-in bobbin, and handy-dandy thread-cutting button. So easy! Mastering the control panel is going to take a while, but I'm ready to tackle basic sewing.

First up, buttonholes on two UFOs. Second up, get that new battery into my camera so I can take some pictures of stuff I promised I'd post last month.

I was going to post a list of the UFOs I want to get done by the end of the year, but am beginning to suspect (given that it's already 12/10 and I've done so little sewing lately) that I should aim low and avoid Jan. 1 confessions of failure on the UFO front. So, no public list, but I'll post things as they're done.

Still Here

Yeah, uh, I did kindof fall off the face of the earth for a while there. Reason for that here. Got as far as getting a new camera battery, but haven't even installed it yet. Might get around to some photos, and possibly even some sewing this weekend.

Post-project-deadline meltdown ate a lot of this past week, but in between monster catch-up tasks on mundane stuff like balancing checkbooks and paying bills and doing laundry I've started researching sewing machines. The deal (with self) was that if I finish a draft of the novel before 12/31/08, I get to buy myself a new sewing machine.

I'm leaning heavily toward a Babylock Decorator's Choice, at least partly because it's a brand I can get locally, also because it has the features I'm looking for and appears to deliver great value for price. Not that I know yet what kind of a price I'll be able to get here, but current deal with self is as soon as Christmas cards and packages are all in the mail I can go machine shopping.

Give-away + Simplicity 2957 & 2962

One of the sewing/crafts blogs I follow has a wonderful give-away going on, to celebrate 100 posts (I'll get to 100 eventually). Details here.

PROJECT REPORT

I've finished Simplicity 2957 (will add garment photo as soon as I have one; discovered my camera battery is dead, thought I had a backup, then remembered that's the one in the camera).

I made a "muslin" made from quilting stash fabrics, to see if this is something I'd like to make from "nicer" fabric, and no, I don't think so. It will work as an around-the-house dress, but I don't love it. Not out of cotton, anyway.

The little Asian-inspired shoulder flange thingies on View B look so cute on the pattern envelope, but a little odd in real life. And the whole thing is a little too voluminous. But it's comfortable, and fits better than expected, so I'm may try with more modifications and a knit fabric. I've already lengthened the torso 2" so the midriff would be in the waist area, not riding up on my tits, and made the whole thing shorter (it was not a good length), and changed the center-skirt gathers (whose idea was that? how unflattering to anyone with a tummy!) to pleats toward the side. I would have added a contrast band at the bottom, too, but didn't have enough of my contrast fabric to do that. If there's a next time, I'll make the V-neck bands a little narrower, they're kind of clunky.

Instead of the tie-in-back sashes, which I also didn't have enough fabric for, I made a wide band that's attached in the left side seam and wraps around to the right, where it will button just in front of the side seam. Still haven't found the button-hole guide for my sewing machine, but this is a "muslin" so I'm okay with making sloppy freehand ones. And I think fabric buttons would be cute, from the main fabric. So, yes, technically this is still a UFO, until the buttonholes and buttons are done.

There are things I still like about this dress, though. I might make View A (with the short sleeves) someday from a jersey. However, that requires that I first:

A) purchase some knit fabric (after the fabric embargo ends), and

B) learn how to sew knits

So, probably not something I'll do right away.

Next project: Simplicity 2962.

From stash fabric, of course, and I plan to do a contrast yoke. I want to use what I've got left of the goofy Kaffe Fasset I used to line the Taxi Tote. And maybe the yellow Amy Butler "martini" bubbles, too. It may come out looking like a nightgown, but that will be okay. I'm still in need of loose and comfy garments to wear around the house on steamy days.

I think I'll make the smock length (View A), but without the frilly sleeves. Those are soooooo not my style. I might add a contrast band at the bottom and lengthen it to mini-dress length. When I bought this pattern I thought the gathered pockets were ick, but now I think they're cute.

Is this one going to be way oversized, too? I might try making a size smaller than usual. First up, let's see if anyone has reviewed it.

Pattern Frenzy

OMG, I'm supposed to be saving up for a new sewing machine and I just LOST IT (self-control, that is) at this etsy shop.

I've ordered five (yes, five) Japanese dress pattern books. And that's just what I found on the first two pages of the shop. I'm especially eager to explore "Chinese Style" because I'm loving this:

I got the last one in stock of three of these books, which is how I rationalized part of the purchase. With shipping, it's way more of a splurge than I can justify unless these are Christmas gifts to myself. Every year I swear I'm not gonna do that again and, oops, here I go and it's not even December yet. Then again, last year's Santa gifts included a ton of fabric that's still in the stash pile. Surely it's time I made something from it? With these new pattern books maybe that will happen. Except for this wrinkle:

As best I can tell (sizes are in centimeters), even the size large in these books is going to be a size too small for me (I'm a 10 off the rack, which I guess is gargantuan in Japan). Plus I'm 5'8" and even American patterns need some length adjustments on me. I'm either going to spend a huge amount of time/effort redrafting these to fit, or will have to settle for browsing/inspiration only.

I should know the size thing was going to be a problem: one reason I've given up clothes shopping in Hilo is that so much of what's available is sized for the petite/scrawny Asian ladies who outnumber (tall, well-fed) caucasians here. Even our local Macy's has a huge petites section, more muumuus for both the slim and the oversized than you would believe, and not much for me.

Refashion #1

I've been toying with the idea of committing to a wardrobe refashion period, and have just taken the plunge with a 6 month signup. Not an official member yet (awaiting reply, verification), but am ready to go. I considered starting with a 2 month trial, but that felt wimpy.

Six months is the real challenge, because it will take me through a 5-day writing conference in early March for which I wish to be nicely dressed without purchasing anything new. I have in mind a few things I'd like to make by then. I'll be doing more stash-fabric projects than refashioning (I have yet to be bitten by the thrifting bug), but have a few dodos in the closet that could use reinvention.

UPDATE: Just heard back that Wardrobe Refashion signups are closed until January, and I should get back in touch after Dec. 15th. Sheesh, if you're going to put limits on participating, shouldn't that information be CLEARLY posted somewhere on the website and "rules" and signup pages? And although she already now has all my info, I'm supposed to mark my calendar and do it all again? Nuh uh. Don't think so. I'll go ahead and pursue this challenge on my own, but I'm not gonna bother joining a group that doesn't make it easy to participate.

Refashion #1 happened last night. I love these Blue Ginger rayon dresses, so soft and comfy and perfect for the climate in Hawaii. I have worn out (literally, to shreds) several of them. This is the only one left that's in okay condition (i.e., not completely worn out). Another crappy photo. Don't know why I'm having so much trouble snapping in focus these days. And horrible lighting, color is way off.


The problem is this dress started out short and after several years of washings is now even shorter: barely 33" from shoulder seam to hem, and that includes the teeny ruffle at the bottom. On someone petite, or 18, not a problem, but I'm 50 and 5'8" and even though my legs are good for my age, this dress is way, way too short.


So I cut it off just below the bust darts, ripped out the zipper (to be used another day), stitched up the zip seam, folded down the cut edge to make a casing (didn't bother to measure or press or pin anything), threaded with 3/8" elastic, and voila, a cute skirt that's a little above the knee: more flattering on me and considerably more age-appropriate. I can wear it in public (if I iron it)!


Total project time: under 45 minutes.Now I'm looking at what's left of the dress and thinking it could be a yoke for a smock-type something. Wonder what I've got that could go with it...