November: Check-In

I know I am a few days late. I have been working hard and getting ready for th next year. I know, how am I thinking about the next year when this one is not over yet…I just have to. I always have to plan something, and 2017 had a few too many goals. 2018 is shaping up to be a bit different. Any way back to finishing this year!

 

Goal 1: Harvard Top 100 Book List: I am still reading “Dubliners” James Joyce, I finished “The Bell Jar”  by Sylvia Plath, and I am still listening to “Cloud Atlas”  David C. Mitchell, I also started and decided not to read The “Divine Comedy” by Dante Alighieri. I am learning to adult by not forcing myself to read something I have no interest in.

 

Goal 2: In November I purchased nothing new, but I did collect a new items when I went to the beach. I have some plans for these things but it will be 2018 projects.

Goal 3:  49% or 82 projects.

Since HalloweenI have not sewn as much as I would like, but I have turned many projects into scraps. I also made 3 baby blankets for a friend having triplets!! I will have a ways to go, but I think I can make it.

• Used: 43.71% and 73
• Made: 42.51% and 71

Goal 4: November was a half and half work month. As most of the “work” I did was purging. Boy did it feel good!!

• Proposed Hours: 30
• Actual Hours: 30
• Daily Average: 1

October Check-In

There is month or day for everything, however this one was the best- National Sewing Month! I took total advantage of it! Bernina had a community post which I entered and you can find here, check out my sewing studio.

Goal 1: Harvard Top 100 Book List: I am still reading “Dubliners” James Joyce, and “The Bell Jar”  by Sylvia Plath, and I also started ;istening to “Cloud Atlas”  David C. Mitchell.

Goal 2: Once again I only purchased notions, however Kelly and Ashlynn did purchase some things for their costumes,.

Goal 3:  49% or 82 projects.

Because of all the sewing I did for Halloween I used quite a few items from the Collection. I am moving along and nearing the end, hard at work to complete this goal.

• Used: 39.52% and 66
• Made: 35.93% and 60

Goal 4: September was a prep month for me. I am getting better again in the sewing department, thank goodness. If I keep up this pace I think I will finish Goal #3.

• Proposed Hours: 30
• Actual Hours: 50
• Daily Average: 1.6

Halloween with Friends- 2017

I usually only make clothing for myself, but I was asked by two of my good friends to help them make their costumes as well. I agreed to help them as long as the learned to sew of help in some way.

I started with Ariel from the Little Mermaid:

The tail was fit exactly to Kelly and then I added fins. The shiny scale material was not from the Collection but the material from the fins was. I sewed them together and, we were done with the tail. Kelly continued to work on the top of the costume.

I also helped my friend Ashlynn make her costume of Ching Shih also known as Madame Ching, she commanded 300 ships and between 20,000 and 40,000 pirates. So I started to teach Ashlynn to sew, “right sides together”, her new favorite phrase.

She sewed together the bodice and the underskirt we used that was a men’s dress jacket we kept the pockets in. Green over skirt, waste band the costume was done, but I started working on the accessories

Everything was finished a week before and the night of the Halloween Party we got ready.

I think that all the costumes that night turned out very well! And almost 7 items removed from the Collection.

 

Halloween 2017

Once again it is Halloween!!! I LOVE this holiday, it is my favorite and this year’s costume was inspired by New Year’s Goal #1. In August I finally finished the “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon”. I then went on to read The Escapist also by Michael Chabon. After reading I found a character that I wanted to be for Halloween. These are all the clues I am going to give until the end product, any guesses?

As usual I am using items from the Collection to create this costume here is what I found that I can use:

The Stats:

• Teal Suit: 45% Cotton, 30% Polyester, 25% Rayon, $4
• Light Teal Fabric: 100% Polyester, $6 (Partial)
• Light Teal Skirt: 100% Polyester, $3 (Partial)
  • Total: $13

 

I start to disassemble the suite and get the pattern ready. I learned a lot about this patter but more on that later. I thought that Halloween night might be cold, so I chose  a more total body costume with thicker fabric feel so I could stay warm.

I laid out the pieces, both the exterior and the lining.

After sewing them all together I learned a very important thing about this pattern. I used the back panel of the pattern that determines which of the sizes to cut out. Once I sewed it all together I realized that it was one panel too wide.  I had to remove the last panel at the back to make it fit correctly. Lesson learned: not all the patterns are correct.

I then started to put pleats in the skirt and add it to the bodice.

I finished by putting the straps and wings on the bodice. The accessories I purchased or made and from the Collection I found gold ribbon which I turned in to a head band.

I finished almost a week before Halloween!! That is a first as I usually finish as I am walking out the door.

Luna Moth!

We had a great night! Check out the other costumes that I made in 2017.

September: National Sewing Month Check-In

There is month or day for everything, however this one was the best- National Sewing Month! I took total advantage of it! Bernina had a community post which I entered and you can find here, check out my sewing studio.

Goal 1: Harvard Top 100 Book List: I started reading “Dubliners” James Joyce, and “The Bell Jar”  by Sylvia Plath, I’ll let you know how it goes.

Goal 2: I have only purchased new notions for my Halloween costumes, but no new projects.

Goal 3:  49% or 82 projects.

This month was one where I did a lot of prep for October and a lot of cleaning out of the Collection. I had a lot of outfits in the Collection that were very nice peices that could have easily been worn by someone else without any alteration. Those items I have donated to a womens group. The other items I either cut up into scraps if they were small or donated them to a local organtization that upcycles crafting supplies called Up-Stitch.

• Used: 36.53% and 61
• Made: 32.34% and 54

Goal 4: September was a prep month for me. I am getting better again in the sewing department, thank goodness. If I keep up this pace I think I will finish Goal #3.

• Proposed Hours: 30
• Actual Hours: 50
• Daily Average: 1.6

 

Dress for a Wedding

I had a dress that was my go to for EVERYTHING!! I originally bought it as a Salvation Army for $3.00 and it was a Vera Wang! I will admit that I loved the dress and was very sad when I took it out of the wash to find that it ripped!

The Stats:

• Vera Dress: 5% spandex, 95% cotton, $3
• Navy fabric: 100% cotton 5 yards, $25
  • Total $28

Dress for a Wedding:  was an inspiration because my former boss and great friend was getting married. I would have worn the black “Vera” but I had to improvise, and did so as follows.

 

Unfortuately these rips were not fixable. But since I liked the dress so much I decided to take it apart and create a pattern.

 

I took copius notes and marked everything I could think of.  I even put all the correct interfacing in the dress where it was supposed to be. That dress was one of the best made I have ever taken apart!

I finally finished the pattern, cut the fabric and all the interfacing. I wanted a week and started sewing the dress together 1 day before the wedding. (I know cutting it close!) I have to cancel plans inorder to sew it, and the one question I kept getting was “do you have a back up plan?”- my answer NO!!!! I had to get it done.

Thankfully everything worked out and I did finish. Albeit, with only 1 hr to go, but it was done and if I do say so myself…it looks pretty good.

 

I even made earring, necklace and bracelet to go with it.

 

I like this dress a lot, but I also learned many things about this pattern. There are a few tweeks that I am going to make before I try another, but at least one more it coming.

I am sure you are all aware, I started this blog to mostly get my Halloween costumes out into the world becuase I spend soooo much time on them. Well HALLOWEEN is apon us and the costuming has begun. Come back and check out the progression!

Check In: July

My theme of this month was: last month was way too much.I started a few projects, but didn’t acutally finish them, I’m hoping that in August I can kick it back up again. None the less here is what I did:

Goal 1: Harvard Top 100 Book List:

So for the 5th month in a row and I still trying to finish these two books. In my defence I have read 3 other books while trying to finished these two.

•  The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon,
• Middlemarch by George Elliot.

Goal 2: I have not even looked at my collections or had interest in thinking about making anything, so not purchasing new projects was easy.

Goal 3:  49% or 82 projects.

I did complete a few items that didn’t make it on the blog because they were “fix this seam” sort of projects, but they came out of the Collection none the less. I also only have 32 projects to go and I have 5 months!! I need to start sewing!

• Used: 29.94% and 50
• Made: 25.15% and 42

Goal 4: July was a sad sewing month and I did very little work… August will be better.

• Proposed Hours: 31
• Actual Hours: 8
• Daily Average: .25

Cutting Board

I know I usually write about sewing or beading but this weekend I had a new adventure and I am eager to share it with you.

My father found an old butcher block that had not been loved for a while but he asked if I would want. I free butcher block! Heck yes!! Even if it needed a little love. So I collected my tools and started.

I am very happy that my parents have all the tools I needed. Always remember safety first. Both my dad and I started to sand. Beginning with a 40 grit sandpapers and removed all the black stains from the wood. I then sanded with 60, 80 and finally a sanding block of 180.

After all the sanding was done I oiled the board, all surfaces, to ensure the long life of the board. I love the look and it fits exactly on my counter and I use it every day! This was a quick afternoon project that I would very willingly do again.

 

Check-In: June

My theme of this month was: “There is nothing like procrastination.” Truly, I thought I would spread out the work for June’s Mini Capsule Challenge more. I did not. I did spend a lot of time outside and made a lot of jewelry, which I hope to get on Etsy soon. I will post when I get this done.

Goal 1: Harvard Top 100 Book List:

Those sunny days that I thought I would sit outside and read, well they became more active outside activity days. So for the 4th month in a row and I still trying to finish these two books.

•  The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon,
• Middlemarch by George Elliot.

Goal 2: After last month’s close call of nearly purchasing something I didn’t purchase any new projects. I did purchase some new pattern to help me complete the project I already have.

Goal 3:  49% or 82 projects. This moved along at a good clip this week, mostly because of the Capsule Challenge. At the end on May I said that my two closets had some wiggle room, well not one is nearly empty, I think there are 5 hanging items left in it! The main “working” closet however once again is stuffed to the immobile point again, but I can see that I am making progress.

• Used: 28.74% and 48
• Made: 23.95% and 40

Goal 4: June was a busy month! I worked on a lot of projects. I have finally exceeded my goal of working at least one hour a day. I now just have to keep it up for the rest of the year so I can complete Goal 3.

• Proposed Hours: 30
• Actual Hours: 74
• Daily Average: 2.5

Part 2: Mini-Capsule Wardrobe Challenge

I have reached the end! The Mini-Capsule Challenge is over and I have completed it. I am not going to write about it as a picture is worth 1,000 words, but I will say that this challenge was a bit much, but I did learned some valuable lessons.

1. I am good at procrastinating.
2. Slow down and think before you sew.
3. Taking pictures of this many outfits is terrible. (Thank you for the help Mom and Dad.)
4. I need to make outfits not just pieces. (This will be a future project.)

The Mini-Capsule Challenge was:

• 4 Tops
• 4 Bottoms
• 4 Pieces of Jewelry
• 4 Shoes
  • Creating 14 outfits.

Here is the matrix that I followed to create the outfits.

Here are the outfits and the chart tells me to put them together. I got a bit loopy at the end of the photo shoot, it took forever!

What ever will I come up with next? Back to the Collection  to find the next project!