2015: the year of making

Its still January early in the year so I'm counting this as a new year outlook post. mmkay? (Apparently, I forgot to actually post this after I finished editing. Doh!)

I noticed a lot of resolutions to cut down on RTW acquisitions and to focus on making more "cake" and less "frosting". (total aside, but doesn't it just make you want to eat cake every time you see those references? no, just me then?)

I don't normally buy much RTW because (1) I don't enjoy shopping and now that I'm about 10lbs heavier than I care to admit (and 20lbs heavier than I should be), I like it even less; (2) even "throw away" fashion seems expensive to me; and (3) RTW doesn't seem to fit me particularly well (and, again, now that I'm heavier it is an even more depressing endeavor). Therefore, cutting back on purchasing RTW is not really any different than my everyday. If anything, I probably need to suck it up and just buy some basics because I have one pair of jeans that fit and I don't hate wearing and about a handful of long-sleeve shirts. Thankfully, my work clothes mostly fit so I'm good there for a while. Apparently, I was ahead of the curve with a capsule wardrobe because everything I own and wear fits in my half of the closet. I think my sister makes up for it since everything she owns covers 2 whole closets plus.

So, where does that leave me relative to the world of sewers and crafters? While I would love to have a completely me-made wardrobe the reality is that I don't have much time to sew. I have very limited time to myself and its split between reading, knitting, sewing, running, and making a small attempt to keep up with the madness that is my housework. There are also two little humans who take up most of my time when I'm home from work:

Therefore, my big "resolution" for 2015 is just to make stuff as much as possible. I'm trying to get over my perfectionist streak, exhibit A:

(Can we say WONKY? I was all set to rip out the seams when my husband pointed out that my daughter won't care. All she will care about is that it is a Hello Kitty blanket with a pink border and that if I rip it out it will take even longer before she can use it. I've got more material to do the same blanket for my baby girl only with a yellow border. I'll just have to apply what I learned this time around to hers and all future blankets.)

Also, I think the main thing for me is to just do something creative so I feel like myself. Small projects are my friend, exhibit B:

(frog template from Coloured Buttons)

The only other thing is to create things with and for my girls. I want them to feel free to be creative and find positive ways of expressing themselves. I also want them to have things surrounding them that were made with love for the times I may not be able to be there physically with them. (That Hello Kitty blanket will be for my daughter to take to school for nap time.)

We'll see how far that gets me. I'm hoping by just trying to get stuff done instead of setting impossible goals for my creativity I'll actually spend time creating things instead of paralyzed by the idea that I won't do a good job and "waste" the yarn/fabric.

Wish me luck!

PS I joined Instragram. I blame Stephanie. However, I think its a good platform for me--low commitment so I can just do quick posts and feel like I'm doing something. Plus, I like the interactive-ness of it. Although I have gotten some questionable followers (who knew Hello Kitty attracted so many "interesting" people?), I think I may actually keep up with this social platform.

Marlborough Woman

*Warning: this post will contain lots of discussion of b@@bs and my b@@bs in particular. You've been warned. 

So, as a young girl, there were a couple of things I wanted to be: tall and voluptuous. Fail on the first count and sort of on the second. (To add insult to injury, my little sister is both.) I developed early so I thought perhaps there was hope. Yes, I had bought in to all those VS ads and thought I should be practically falling out of my bra. However, it was not meant to be. I stopped growing at a respectable 34B. The "trouble" was that I was not thin so my rack was not particularly impressive. My good friend in high school wore the same bra size but was super skinny so she looked much more well-endowed. First lesson in the fact bra size does not determine your look.

I had a fairly hourglass figure back then so it was OK--I could wear a strapless top and still look perky. Then in grad school I gained a little more weight all over. Still an hourglass figure but the b@@bs were not even. I know that uneven cup sizes are pretty common but it makes finding a bra that fits difficult. I went on to wear a 36C for many years. I just had to be specific about type and brand. Who knew that my favorite would be a minimizer style? The stable woven helped support the weight and kept the slightly larger side completely covered so you couldn't see any difference even without a shirt.

Fast forward to pregnancy #1: I had a lot of rib spread. At one point I was wearing a 40B. After the first few months of breastfeeding everything went back to normal but, of course, breastfeeding b@@bs are a little, ahem, fuller. However, it is recommended that you not wear underwire when breastfeeding because of possible damage to the milk ducts. (Another reason to make sure you are wearing the correct size.) It is very annoying that at a time when you are most likely to have heavy weight and extra volume your "appropriate" options are little better than a light support sports bra. Let's just say there were some noticeable after-effects.

Until pregnancy #2 last year, I fluctuated from 38B to 36C depending on my weight. During the actual pregnancy, I was wearing a 38D I think. Breastfeeding this go around meant I was wearing a 36DD. So, my voluptuous dream was finally fulfilled but at what cost? At my age (cough, over forty, cough cough) and 2 rounds of breastfeeding... let's just say the girls could definitely use some TLC if I'm going to avoid having my b@@bs reach my navel in another 20 years. Based on my various styles and sizes, I had an idea of what constitutes the perfect bra but no idea where to start.

Then (cue angels singing) I found women who were sewing their own bras! I started reading Cloth Habit, VeryPurplePerson, and, of course, OrangeLingerie. I found Madalynne and took her bra making class at The Sewing Party. I liked that she made it seem so simple and straightforward but I felt like I needed some hand-holding through the first bra making adventure so I bought the Craftsy class, Sewing Bras: Construction and Fit with Beverly Johnson. This is exactly the kind of detail that I wanted. I bought the Craftsy kit from Sweet Cups Bra Supply (the US supplier since I'm stateside but the original Bra Makers Supply is located in Canada). The shiny milliskin is not exactly what I would pick for myself but I wanted to stay as close as possible to the class before getting too crazy. The kit arrived today so we'll see when I'll actually be able to get to it. I'm hoping sooner rather than later but we have plans for tomorrow (Sun.) and the work week is always hectic.

About a week after I had sketched out my dream bra Norma release her Marlborough bra. Seriously, it looked almost exactly like what I had sketched out so I knew I had to have it. I don't have anywhere near the skill to make this bra yet but when I do, I plan on making a ton. The makes from Kathy Sews and Fehr Trade only reinforce the fact that this pattern is awesome.

At first, I was a little awed by how much it would cost to get all the supplies but then I figured all these materials cost about the same as two good RTW bras. If I can master the pattern, I can buy source materials in greater quantities and just dye them different colors. Not to mention, I would be able to have matching panties for every bra! (I don't know about you, but I have a ton of bras in my drawer but always reach for the same 2 or 3 so its like only having 3 bras anyway. Panties to match? Ha, like the panties to go with those RTW bras are comfy. Now I'll have a drawer full of bras & panties I will actually wear. happy happy joy joy Its the little things in life, people.)

Trying to find my sewing self

So, The Sewing Party was awesome. I really appreciate that I can go back and watch the different presentations for a full 90 days after the fact. There is hope that I can actually get one of the projects done in that time. Some of the things that I found more interesting were things that I had not even thought about "attending" beforehand.

I had high hopes that I could finish at least one thing before the actual event but I only got as far as cutting out the pieces for the Grainline Lakeside Pajamas in a cotton voile I got from Fabric Mart. Of course, once I cut them out, I realized that it is way too sheer. I will have to line them. I keep thinking I'll get to it but then I don't. I wanted some cotton batiste but the big box stores around here don't carry it. I should just order some but then there's the issue of paying for shipping which leads me down the rabbit hole of putting more fabric in my cart. Because if you can get free shipping with at least $50, guess who is going to wind up with $75 worth of stuff in her shopping cart?

I really liked the post by Did You Make That where she discusses how fabric buying offers its own creative fulfillment. When I moved for my husband's job, I didn't have a job and I maybe bought enough yarn to last me the rest of my natural life. For more prolific knitters, its probably not that bad but it is for me. I have plastic bins under my queen sized bed, the guest bed and then there are some bags with half-finished projects. Again, with the kids, I have very limited time to knit (or crochet) and quite honestly, its pretty hard to pick up and put down projects quickly.

I'm trying not to do same thing with fabric so that I have a stash and basically no projects to show for it. First, I don't have the room--now that I have two kids, all my closet space is taken. Second, I really want to make sewing something that I actively do rather than just fantasize about. Of course, I'm finding out that I usually forget all the notions that I need. With only one big box store in the area adn no other fabric stores, it limits what I can easily get. Also, since I'm not experienced at sewing or how different fabrics behave, I worry about buying the "right" things.

Anyone want to become my mentor and/or fabric buying guide? Because some of these websites have fabulous looking options but it is overwhelming.

Old Skool Blogging

Back in ye olden days, circa 2008, when I started blogging, blogs were more like personal journals that you shared with cyberspace. These days there seems to be more focus, both in terms of writing (clearly, most people are not posting their first drafts) and in terms of the content shared (yay for all those picture tutorials). Also, I don't remember more than a handful of bloggers making money off of their blogs and now there are professional bloggers with sponsors. (Good for you! If I could pull it off, I totally would.)

I was reading how when you start blogging as a paying endeavor (full-time or not), you have to be more mindful of more than just what you want to write. Does your sponsor require that you make a project with one of their products? Or at least mention them regularly? Did you remember to disclose affiliated links? (As an aside, does anyone really care? I mean if I'm reading your blog and you link to something that I want to buy and you make some money off the transaction I don't see what the big deal is unless that item somehow costs me more because you are getting a commission. But I digress...) Do you feel pressured to post tutorials as soon as you figure out how to make something? (Again, total sidebar, I read one blogger who was concerned that this pressure has led to some bloggers posting tutorials for techniques that they barely know, thereby possibly leading others down the wrong path.)

I feel like I'm still stuck in the old skool paradigm but everything has shifted. Ironically enough, at work I'm considered the most tech-savvy. I like computers and I usually understand the logic of how everything works so when we get error messages I can figure out what's wrong. However, I never really got into social media (I'm talking about Friendster and the inital incarnations of MySpace and Facebook). Now there are so many outlets, the big ones being FB, Pinterest, Flickr (making a comeback), MySpace (also making a comeback by specializing a little more), Instagram, Google+ and SnapChat. I can't keep up with them all and I'm feeling a little lost in terms of which really fit my need to find an online community (since I haven't found one IRL) and in which I can realistically participate.

How cute from www.peachpops.com

Dude, I don't even know what some of those icons are for...

How do you decide which ones you want to participate in? How do you keep up when you have a job, kids, and never seem to have enough time for non-essentials? (Seriously, I have yet to figure out how to get more than 6 hours total of sleep and that doesn't include the days I just say f* it and stay up to do something just for me.)

A List and A Prayer

I'm putting my plan out there to help me stay focused and actually finish some things. Knowing me, I'm giving myself lots of time to complete it.

So here is what I'm hoping to accomplish in the next year (in no particular order):

1. finish the 3 (oops make that 4) quilts I started and never finished
2. make the Marlborough bra
3. make the Lakeside Pajamas
4. make Vogue V1419, aka the Ralph Rucci coat

I have purchased the fabric for #2-4 and (in theory) have all the fabric for the quilts in #1.

Now this may seem rather random but there is a method to the madness. First, those quilts are actually all pretty far along except for the 4th. I've slowly been acquiring what I need to complete them so the real challenge will be finding the time since 2 really just need the quilting done. For me at least, quilting is not something I can do in short spurts. As for the rest of the sewing list, I'll get into more detail with project posts but I decided to go with things I want to make and wear rather than "easy" (or apparently logical). We'll see how that adventure turns out.

The first quilt on my radar is one I started years ago, Lover's Knot by Eleanor Burns. Seriously, I think it was 2007.  I started this for a friend's little girl who is not so little so anymore. I think it will just become a lap quilt for the house. Technically its still big enough for the girl in question but (1) I would feel compelled to have something equally awesome for child #2 and (2) I really like this one and don't really want to part with it.

I stalled out on this one because I never found a backing fabric that I felt went with the top. There are 2 fabrics that I purchased but neither really worked for me so it just fell to the wayside. Since then, I have discovered that you can just make a pieced back however you want. I know, it seems so obvious now in retrospect. Don't judge me. To give you some background, I had only taken a couple of quilting classes at this point and backing fabric was always something purchased separately to cover the entire back. It never occurred to me that I could create a pieced back. Cue the modern quilting that I have "discovered" and I went back and pieced the fabric that I had left from the original.

I think the back is a little smaller but I have a plan for how I'm going to make it work. I picked up some metallic pink quilting thread and all I need is to get the fabric adhesive spray to baste this together and then some straight line quilting. If I get this basted this weekend, I could, just maybe, actually get this done before the end of the month. I'll keep you posted.

I've seen lots of other lists making the rounds in the blogosphere--what do you have on your agenda? Do you make realistic plans or just go all out, sky's the limit type planning?

Practice, practice, practice

Well, I finished another pillowcase for Pie. (Why yes, I was late to that as well.)

This was my first pillowcase:

Can you tell Pie picked the fabric? I tried to explain the concept of finding matching fabrics but all she cared about was that she liked them. Oh well. It actually doesn't look too bad after the fact.

Here's my seam:

Meh. Not great but I can live with it especially since Pie won't care.


Through the joys of technology and YouTube in particular, I followed along with the Missouri Star Quilt Company video to construct it.

Oh, yeah, she picked this fabric as well:

The seam matching is a little better:

Here's my French seam:

There is fabric for one more stellar (insert eye roll) pillowcase. However, since the dining room table doubles as the cutting table and sewing table, it is going to have to wait for another weekend.

Lessons learned: remember to engage the IDT (Pfaff's version of a walking foot)! Despite careful cutting, I wound up with more fabric along the top of the pillowcase for that first crucial seam so when I checked the it, some fabric wasn't even caught in the seam! Did I rip the seam? No, I was lazy and just put in another seam next to the first one, ensuring that all the fabric was tacked down. In the French seam, you can't tell since its enclosed. Yeah, I don't think I'll be a couture level seamstress any time soon. I like to be done and see the fruits of my labor ASAP. Plus, the time it took me to sew the second pillowcase was all the time I had before Bunny woke up from her nap. I'm also pretty slooowww at this point. My machine and I are getting to know each other on a different level.

I really want to find a place to set up my machine and cutting mat so that when I do have a little time, I don't have to spend it clearing the dining room table (because, yes, there is always stuff on it), wiping it down (no telling what sticky mess is actually still on the table), and setting up the mat to then remove it so I can set up the sewing machine. Sigh. I miss having my own room. However, since I have no desire to share our bedroom with the girls, I'll live with no craft room for now.

Sewing Plunge

Well, I did it!




I registered for The Sewing Party. I am committing to making at least one garment between now and then. Surely, even with my penchant for procrastinating and super full schedule, I should be able to manage one basic piece. Maybe a Sorbetto?

I want to take all the classes. I'll have to somehow convince my hubby to watch the kids so I can take the classes and try some of the projects. Totally looking forward to Madalynn's class on bra-making. I am tired of trying to find a bra that fits. I wear one of those weird in-between band sizes and in-between cup sizes so finding a bra that actually fits is difficult and usually quite expensive. Plus, I have some design ideas that I need to see if they will work.

I'm thinking of this possible schedule: zippers at 1:30pm, mastering measurements at 3pm, and the skill-building class at 4:30pm. I'm not sure I'll have the stamina for more that day. But, joy of joys, the classes will be available for another 90 days! I'll be able to watch other classes and review the classes I do watch. I'll just have to make sure to carve out the time. 

Perhaps you too should join the party!