Happy Holidays to all

We got a lot of snow overnight, about 8" and a bit more today. I'm sad to say both of my girls weren't able to make it up for Christmas, but neither were the step-daughters who both live closer by. We're all just snowed in.

I was able to finish my wool jacket earlier today and wrote up my review for PR.

Here's the photo:



I finally painted my nails today. I honestly don't know what happened, but a couple weeks ago they all broke off and started peeling badly. I finally decided enough is enough and painted them up. They are short....oh well...they will grow.

This color is China Glaze Stroll. I don't know if I've posted it before or not.


I hope everyone had a nice holiday.

My daughter's blog

Michelle Wrong's Weaving Blog

I'd love to send any readers of my blog off to visit Michelle's new blog. She just got a new loom and also started a blog about it.

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Right now I should be asleep. I have a case of morning insomnia going on. There I was, wide awake at 4 AM, contemplating what's wrong with that HotPatterns shirt.

Yesterday I decided to can it. I did a couple new muslins and NEVER was able to get rid of the fold. I kept messing with the armhole. I made one with the neckline a bit smaller and that fit well, and then added a bit in the shoulder width back.

But this morning I was wondering if the problem is in the neckline....duh. Not the neckband, but the top of the front bodice. The top definitely gets it shaping from the large drapey neckline, and the top has great shape at the waist, no doubt about that. It clings in such a nice way that you feel slimmer.

Maybe that's why I want to make this work.

So I'm thinking maybe if at the scooped out part I raise it, add fabric there. Maybe it's a bust issue. I really don't know.

I keep picturing ideas in my head, but I can't solve anything.

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Then when I gave up on that yesterday, I started to sew together my wool jacket I had cut out. It is so nice to sew when everything is prepared. I actually basted the whole thing together, fit seemed good, though the little dart seemed low. I raised the dart, sewed it all up, and now think it's a tad high. Give me a break. I don't think it's even able to be seen, thanks to the great iron and steam.

I'll keep working on this today.

No more complaining

Seriously folks, I went upstairs and just completed the top after complaining about it.

Here's the finished top.


My husband likes it. He's been doubly sworn to tell the truth on his opinion on outfits I make. If he doesn't like them....fine. I reserve the right to like something though.

But I wasn't totally sure on this one.

My review on Pattern Review is completed. Here's the link.

Not sure what I think

I worked up that HotPatterns Sunshine top, and I'm not sure what I think. Don't you hate it when everyone raves about a pattern and then you aren't crazy about it?

I don't like the fold it makes right at the top of the chest and every review/photo I've looked at has it in the same spot. My bust fit at the size 12 so I worked it up like that. I read that the sleeve was a bit smallish, and the pattern did look small. My biceps are necessarily big, but I have a decent enough cap on my shoulder. I just used the size 14 for the sleeve, it's knit so no biggie easing that in.

It does fit, but the scoop of the neck makes me feel very exposed. I can add a bit to the inside of the neckline I suppose.

I left it long since I didn't know how long I want it. I should just cut it to normal t-shirt length, hem it up, and wear it, stop my complaining and see how it goes.

I need to make note to scoop out the armscye, maybe make it size 14 from the bust down.

Merry X-mas to me

Today was a great present day.

First I went shopping to get gifts for the family, and a Rowenta pressure/steam generator iron jumped into my cart. I got it at Bed Bath and Beyond for $169 minus the 20% off coupon they always send in the mail. So I guess it was around $134.

I've already tested it out by ironing on the interfacing for the front of the jacket I'm working on.

Then when I got home, I had a present from Fabric.com waiting for me. Whoohoo. Here is a picture of Lucius testing it out.

This is what I got.


And my first HotPattern.

The shiny jacket in person....on person

Seriously, this is one shiny jacket. Now I have an impression when I put it on. I feel like an old lady overdressed for a holiday party. I brought it to our KC Pinheads lunch and I'm not 100% on the concensus. I think people just try to be nice at times, rather than 100% honest, and I need the honest (thanks Jennifer....lol.)

I put it on when I got home to take some pics, and I can maybe see tossing it on over a simple grey top, and just wearing it with jeans....not for a party. I could wear it to our dance place at night, it's dark, no one would see me, it would hang over the back of the chair...lol.

I'm not throwing it out yet. I still think I'll topstitch the front edge and collar.

Okay, here are the photos. You can see how the satin sags over the bust. Also though, I have leather jackets that do that too. It's all about support and how much structure the fabric has, etc. It's quite interesting.





So even though it's not perfect, I learned a lot. My sleeves are starting to go in like a dream. I finally have the easing thing down. I've just been doing the 2 rows of basting and pulling them in. From my reading though, I'm going to try some other techniques next. And I got this lining bagged almost perfectly.

Next time around I will follow the instruction by Kathleen Fasenella on her website and her book for doing the lining.

I decided to continue with the jacket making and I started a new pattern last night. It's Burda7934, here's a link to the page and the line drawing.

I am using view C without the tie belt and with some extra CF so it overlaps and just doesn't meet in the center.

The princess seam is very flat, not much shaping at all, so I need to work on that. The basic muslin I got done last night fits pretty well, but I have a bust, and when I wear my good bra, it's up there. I was cutting out the size 16 at the bust and increasing below, but since doing the muslin, I think I might start over and do the 18. Plus once you got over the size 16, the bust in the princess seam actually has a dart. I need to look at the pattern. Or maybe I can just add to the side front panel a small FBA, but I don't know if it will give it enough shape.

There aren't any reviews of this pattern. Oh, it also has all the lining pieces in the pattern too.

Spent the morning snoop shopping at Chicos

I've accepted the fact that I like the styles from Chicos. I have bought a couple items there, but it's pretty expensive. I have a tank and jacket combo from their Travelers collection which is out of a teal slinky. I also have a pair of jeans which I really like too.

I attempted to copy a jacket style recently, and totally blew it. It's all in the details, and I've discovered how easy it is to view the details at the Chicos website.

I still have to post the photo of my jacket, but it doesn't compare at all. In viewing the original photo I got the idea of a shiny jacket for the holidays, that's how I read it. But now in reviewing the details I see some great little things I missed and could have incorporated into my pattern. I'm still learning though, I can accept that.

Here's the shiny jacket:


Do you look at it and just see a shiny jacket with princess seams? Now look at the details.

Now I see a zipper and it looks like it has pockets in the front. What appeared to me first to be a shoulder princess seam is actually an armhole princess.

And that wasn't a pocket at all, it's actually some waist buckle thing, though I don't see a buckle (it's mentioned on the webpage.) And look, the hem is done as a separate piece. I really like that as I think my hems aren't so good (at least when I'm trying to bag a lining.) This is something for me to think about.

On to the next jacket. This one has terrific detailing and sewing ideas I would like to try. Look closely at the lining? The details are in the lining....so is there no facing?


The awesome bracelet doesn't hurt either.


The collar looks bound.


If the collar is bound with a bias piece, then what is happening here at the front of the jacket?


But here it doesn't look bound. So how did they wrap this fabric around to the other side and have it be so smooth? I'm still kind of liking the bound edge idea.

This is just a cute jeans jacket out of a shiny brown denim. It's adorable...shiny brown denim, go figure.

And I love the non-traditional buttons, they are perfect.


This jacket doesn't look like much, it doesn't hang well on her unbuttoned, but it's got some good details.


I love the sleeve details and the topstitching. And the jacket edge is bound. I'm not so good at figuring out how and when to topstitch. This gives me some new ideas.



This is just a cute jacket, and I love how this lady looks in it. That's what I want to look like when I grow up.

Pretty standard details.

Cute cat alert

Is this cute, or what? This is Lucius, the super fat cat, enjoying a snooze on a holiday wall hanging I haven't yet hung up. He was found as a tiny starved, near death kitten, and look at him now. I guess once he discovered food he never stopped.

Sewing went alright today, I finished that darn satin brocade jacket.

Can you tell how happy I am?

I'll get photos and do a review tomorrow.

But every item I make, I always feel like it's incomplete. Dang, there is so much to learn, and so much learning to do to make it right.

This has been an experience in why it's important to spend one's time on a sewing project using good quality fabrics and such. I struggled on the princess seams on this. The fabric doesn't have enough support, the weave makes it "sag" (which isn't good where boobs are involved" and interfacing does not fuse well to it.

The whole jacket just is missing support.

At this point I'm kind of tired of jackets, I don't feel like this is turning into a TNT, not yet at least (let me work it up in wool.)

I'm also questioning the shoulder princess seam. I think I prefer the standard princess over this style.

My head is spinning a bit, I'm confused, I'm questioning....and I don't know where to go.

Capes and stuff

I'm still working on finishing up my jacket in the satin brocade, totally sick of it. Down to the lining and putting that in.

So I'm starting to see reviews about capes and cape jackets and I'm starting to get interested myself.

Just thought I'd share a few photos of Victoria Beckham in capes. You might not like her, she is super skinny, whatever. But this lady has fashion style beyond belief, at least in my opinion, and it's gotten better as she's gotten older.

Finished Jacket

I did my review for PatternReview, but I'll put the pics in here too.




I think the fit is pretty good. I have a bit extra right under the largest part of my bust, so I raised the bust point on the paper pattern and hopefully that works for the 2nd jacket I'm now working on.

I don't like the mushiness on the top of the sleeve, but I think that's just a fabric thing, and I don't want to spaz out over every little detail.

Now I'm onto the next jacket. I bought a polyester brocade at Joann's for 50% off and it is so pretty. I'm not a total snob yet about my fabrics and have no qualms about using this for a fun holiday style jacket.


The background is a very dark black/brown, and the colors are quite true in this photo. I bought the same green to use as a lining.

Since this stuff ravels and frays with the best of them, I've decided to just serge all the edges as I cut them out. I did test first to see if the edge shows when ironing, and it doesn't. It irons like a breeze and makes a nice sharp seam.

Here's the inside of a piece after serging it, but the colors are far from true in this photo.


The plan is NO top-stitching, and all seams pressed open.

New Patterns

Seriously, all I have yet to complete on the blue jacket are the buttonholes and buttons. I bought buttons and then couldn't find them, so I went to buy new buttons yesterday and came home with two new Vogue patterns from the JoAnn's sale.

Both are tops that incorporate the shoulder princess seam.



So lately I've been really lazy about taking care of my nails. Winter is starting to get hard on my skin as I have eczema and I have to be careful. I actually chewed off a nail recently, shame on me. I've been keeping on at least one coat of a clear treatment, but that just isn't good enough for my nails.

I'm starting to have peeling also. I can guess much of this is due to the fact that I'm not taking my vitamins and biotin (which is supposed to be great for nails.)

Today I did a decent manicure, filed down as much of the peeling as I could.

I did a layer of NailTek Hydration Therapy II (for soft peeling nails,) two coats of Barielle Nail Brightner, and a top coat of Poshe.

Keep your eyes open for nail products from Barielle at TJMaxx and Marshalls. I got the nail brightner for $3.99 and I love it. It's basically a sheer white with brightners that make your nails look nice, plus it goes on well.


A very few people have lovely natural nails and nice cuticles, but most people don't. You truly do have to work at it. It's winter and we need lots of moisture. So get out the hand creams, use the oils and keep those cuticles moisturized.