That darn Pattern Stash

I have decided to deal with my Pattern Stash by entering the Pattern Stash contest on Pattern Review. I have no grand hopes on winning, as the winner is decided by who sews the most new patterns, but it's just a way for me to sew, try patterns I've had collecting for ages, and not worry about perfection.

Here's a quick view of some of my options:




I did my first pattern today from an old vintage (1980....ouch) Simplicity pattern.  I so totally would have sewn this top in high school.  Basically I did, but not this exact pattern.  I made a gazillion Hawaiian camp shirts back then.

My changes were in the sleeves for the most part and I added a bit over the belly and butt.  This pattern is a half-size pattern, which I think is a woman's petite, and it fit me wonderfully.

The fabric was a linen from FabricMart online; it was possibly a linen/cotton blend, but I don't remember.



It's kind of nice not dealing with all the extra lines from today's multi-sized patterns.

Not talking much about the whole style thing yet

Hey, I was pretty impressed to see I had views on the post from the other day, and even a comment, considering I'm one of those lazy bloggers. I blog for myself so it doesn't really matter all that much, yet at the same time I do learn from others so hopefully someone learns from me.

Like I said, I haven't started to talk about the whole style thing yet, but needless to say, I'm not what I'm always trying to be.  Maybe that makes sense, maybe not.

I started to work on a pattern I started on in the past but never completed.  This is the Eureka! Pants that Fit pattern from Fit for Art.  I think I won it once from a Pattern Review contest.  I can make pants that fit, I'm shaped like a soft block, but I don't always like how I look.



One thing that keeps popping into my head after the style consult was that it's not about my body (though it is to some extent) but more to how I feel about clothes and my personality and such.

I made up a quick muslin today starting with the size M with the Back 2 (there are 3 back pieces per size - flat, medium and curvaceous....my words, not theirs.)

Now I will post the first few muslins and you will have a peek into my messy sewing room also:

These first two are on my phone, straight out of the envelope with no darts sewn in (eek.)  But you can see the balance lines are all straight.






Instead of just making a hem I shortened 3 inches above the knee.  Other alterations were to let out the waist so I could put darts in the back.  I also did some tucking and darting out to make the fit better.  You don't get to see that all, it's pretty much "fitting a la Peggy Sagers."


This is a completed photo on the cell phone, doesn't the front look great, a few wrinkles in the back but I've accepted that we have to move around and this fabric has zippo stretch.  It's a nice menswear wool/poly blend.  I have enough to perfect a 2nd pair of pants if I choose.



Here I had my son take a few photos out in the garden and this is the harsh reality.  There are always more folds than you think.

Whoa Baby! Had a style consult and this kind of blows my mind

A few years back I had my color analysis done as I was feeling dull and drab.  I probably should look back through this blog to see if I commented on it at the time.

Just recently I saw my consultant doing a live Facebook webcast and I realized I had been putting off doing the style consult, because like usual, I'm always waiting till I'm skinny again.

Oh Annette...get a grip...skinny is, skinny isn't, it's just a body.  And what I like and who I am really isn't all that different no matter my size.  I've been skinny and I've been fat (oops, now) and the styles don't change terribly much.

The talk in my head does though.  I have this thought of what I "should be" now that I'm an "older woman" and more "mature."  Ha ha...if you know me, I'm so not mature.

So back to what I was talking about.  I saw the webcast and decided then and there to contact the consultant and make an appointment.  That appointment was yesterday.

I wore a shift dress I had finished sewing the day before.  I'm trying so hard to dress up and to be a lady and dress properly.  The dress had a medium to large floral print on it.  I wore it with slide on sandals and large tear drop silver earrings.  I looked okay, I never feel great in what I wear.

We were to bring a few items we love from our wardrobe and a few we don't like and perhaps don't know why.  I wadded them all up in an Aldi bag, along with a few onion peels and a receipt still in the bag.

That's about as put together as I get.

Linda, the Consultant, asked how I was getting along with my "colors" and I told her that I tried but that I felt I was struggling still.  One thing I noticed the entire time was how she listened to all the words I would say.

She commented that my nail polish wasn't a "Spring" and I said that I didn't like the spring colors on my nails, they weren't right.  Honestly, I keep trying, but corals and such don't "wow" me like a dark intense color does, or just something funky or sparkly.

Then she she plopped me in her color chair and flipped a drape over me, and we both said we liked it, then the next and both of us sort of sighed...it wasn't as good.  She went through a bunch and it was becoming clear to me that the slightly bluer shades were better.

When my colors were done before we decided I was a Spring, and in the House of Colours world what is called a Blue Spring.  It's basically the Clear Spring you'll see from other systems.  The blue range is best.

We're all still just a jumble of DNA, and colors are just a bit of a random mix in the bowl.

I will be going back soon as she thinks I was typed wrong, and that I might be what they call a Sprinter Winter.  Which is a Winter that looks like a Spring, versus the Spring that has some of the winter colors.

But I have hazel eyes, and golden freckles, and it is confusing.

One when I was having my foundation color matched at the Bare Minerals store, two of the employees were arguing over my color.  One was saying I was cool, since my undertone is cool, yet the other said I was warm as I had warm freckles.

I have always felt fairly neutral, able to lean either way.

Before we get into the styles though, I'll wait until we get the new color analysis done.  There is no need to focus on sewing new clothes if my colors aren't right.

Well, here's a little taste of the analysis information.  I don't have any other photos though.  I'll try to remember to take some when I get my colors redone....just for fun.

It's Springtime, and I've sewn so much

Since I haven't posted at all, I figured I'd just write a bit and see if it motivates me to actually post what I'm doing.

I saw that the last time I posted was during the PR Sewing Bee...which I did not win...and did not expect to win. It was my 3rd time, and I swore I'd never do it again. To make sure I wouldn't do it again, I immediately requested to be the moderator (or whatever the term is) to host the next go round this Fall. I think that will be pretty fun and extremely time consuming, but I am looking forward to it. 

My first grandchildren were born last year, one in August and one in October. I really thought I'd be excited to sew for babies, and nope, that didn't happen. They both got cute quilts I did sew (hey, something I could post) and each an outfit just recently. Baby clothes are so cheap to buy that it's actually hard to rationalized the $17/yd organic cotton at our local shop.

Foot surgery in December put me out of commission for awhile and all I did was knit. Yes, I actually knitted 3 full sized shawls. Ha ha...something else I could post photos of (maybe tomorrow). I sewed a bunch of tops and yoga pants to get me through comfy times at home for those couple months, and they were a good success.

And just recently we have been having renovations done on two bathrooms, and as I have 2 large dogs to keep out of the way of the contractor, they've been sewing with me. I have sewn tops and capris and tanks galore. Awhile back I told myself all my stash is to be used, clear it out, use it up, blah blah blah. It's been quite freeing.

I guess blogs are just for rambling anyway.

3rd Annual Pattern Review Sewing Bee Round 2

Oops, so I'm not the best blogger.  Whatever...

Here's the photos of my jacket.

Whoop Whoop Whoop! PR Weekend Time!

Tomorrow I head up to Chicago with Melody, Judith and Charlene, otherwise known as Ody, JAS, and CharKS on PatternReview.  We're taking the train up from KC, a 7+ hour ride and I have my knitting ready.

My bags are semi-packed and I still have nothing to wear.  I've done a lot of sewing recently, yet they are still pieces that don't go with anything.

I definitely feel fashioned challenged.

Well, as it's too late to worry and I don't like feeling stressed, I'll just accept it as it is for now.

But, when I get back and start sewing again (since I know this is going to be highly motivating) I think I'm going to work on outfits.  I have "pinned" a bunch of things I've like over the years on Pinterest, so I'm going to work with things I've liked, and then try to recreate them.

That's my plan at least...I also have baby stuff to start working on as I'm expecting 2 grandsons by this Fall.  They will be my first and I have lots of projects to do.

So until next week....happy sewing.

Let me think about it

I've actually had a few people mention "my blog" recently, and to be honest, it's kind of (obviously) not on my mind lately.

I've done a lot of sewing, gobs actually, but I don't know what to write about.

If I make an item and want to remember what I've done, I just tend to write a review for Pattern Review.  It's pretty funny to go back and read old reviews.

So maybe I'll get the blogging bug back, maybe not.  But I still have the sewing bug, and fabric buying bug, and pattern buying bug.

And I'm really looking forward the Pattern Review Weekend in Chicago.  I've never gone to one before.  I'm truly looking forward to meeting all the other sewing enthusiastic women who will be there.  That will give me something to talk about on this blog.

Oh, and I did make my red jeans for the Shopping Spree day.  Till next time around.