In Sewing News Today...

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There has been no sewing since finishing off the concert costumes Sunday night. Instead, I spent the evening cleaning up the workspace and machines. I'm not finished. There is a great deal more to put away and clean up when I come home from work. It will certainly be nice to get rid of all the clutter that ensued with that unexpected project. 

While I was cleaning, I started to wonder who I was kidding? You know, when I wrote about trying to start and finish a lined jacket for Mama R. Sometimes I can be such a dreamer. Foolish, silly dreamer.

I'm trying to get things ready, just eight more days and then I'll be forced to slow down. It will be the perfect time for some slow sewing.  

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Yup, I said slow sewing. That actually should be my 2014 sewing resolution, slow sewing: take things slow, enjoy the process, pay attention to detail, do more hand sewing. Haha, I wonder how long that would last?

Well, since I'll be laid up for awhile I'm trying to gather up all the mending and hand sewing that I might feel up to doing. The plan is to keep it near by incase the sewing bug hits.  

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I think I'll cut and throw in the pattern pieces that I'll need to baste with underlining too. Sooo, much to do. But first, I have got to warm up the car and get to work.

Happy Sewing!

Back to Regular Scheduled Sewing...

WooHoo! 

The stars for the Advent concert at the school are all done. Oh my goodness, what a relief to have those finished. The kids have been asking when they would be finished and I promised to have them done by Monday. As the words passed my lips, I cringed at the thought of all that I have on my plate.  

There must have been a sewing goddess, angel or Christmas elf looking over the project because I'm not sure how I managed to pull it off this weekend. I'm just thankful that they are done.  

Now, it is back to regular scheduled sewing. I have ten days to fit in some sewing before my scheduled knee surgery. The big thing on my plate is a jacket for Mama R. I don't know if I'm going to be able to get it done in time for Christmas but I'm going to give it a try.  

I've been working on this pattern, Vogue 8916. The wearable muslin is not finished but it is at the point that Mama R knows what modifications she would like to the pattern.  

She would like the neckline curve dropped in the front, add about an inch to the length and adjust the sleeves to be long sleeves.  

Simple enough.  

I just have to squeeze this little project into what little time is left after work, appointments, shopping and cleaning up for the holidays. I just hope the sewing goddess, angel and Christmas elf don't go too far. I might need more of their help. How about you, are you doing any Christmas sewing? 

Happy Sewing!  

Too Cold to Sew?

Oh my goodness! It almost feels too cold to sew.

Right now it is minus thirty-five with the windchill. I was freezing at work and still can't shake the chill off!

The sewing machines are in the basement and it even feels chilly down there. I think I need to make a pair of these just so I can sew.

I don't know about you but when I feel this chilled, it is hard to shake it off. BRRRR!

I did suck it up and managed to finish off another star. Two down, six more to go. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to finish off another one before I call it a night. It looks like I'll be avoiding the cold as much as possible this weekend and focus on finishing up this project.

Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

Have a table load of stars to finish sewing.

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Instead, I drove Mama R to a hair appointment, scored a hair cut for myself while waiting, came home and passed out.

Yup, I felt this tired. {Source}

Sometimes you just have to recharge your battery despite how much sewing is on your table.

I'm feeling panicked that they must be finished in a week. Not lovin' this feeling.

It did motivate me to serge the edges of two more stars and then I gave up since I tend to make mistakes when I'm tired.

Still feeling panicked about getting them done. And I need to wear my ski pants tomorrow that has been in my mending pile to be shortened. I don't like to do mending and alterations.

It has not been a productive sewing day. Unless you count...

Over at Butterick where I was able to score kAtheRine Tilton's latest pattern which is on sale right now.

Gawd, I love happy endings.  

You're a Star!

There is a whole lot of crazy-ness going on my sewing table right now. What started out as "just serge the edges" of eight kid-size star cut-outs has turned into a real production.

Finger elastics, ankle elastics and neck-ties, oh my! All for a worthy cause, for those little stars. Sew much sewing, sew little time. The kids will be taking to the stage for their curtain call in nine days! Yikes!

Happy Sewing!

Sewing Interrupted...

My sewing has been interrupted. Yes, right at the craziest time of the year!

I've been asked to serge the edges of stars for the school's Advent Concert. There will be eight stars in total. I don't mind serging them at all.

The big "pain" comes with changing the thread in my serger. I'm in the middle of sewing something in black thread which is currently on my serger. But I need to change the thread to gray spools to match the gray fabric. Even though my serger has been good to me over the years, it is a pain to change the threads. Sew...

Dear Santa,

If your reading my blog, all I want for Christmas is this:

I know it is quite extravagant when I have a serger in working condition. But this one has Jet-Air threading and an automatic thread delivery system. 

Please Santa.

P.S.  And a speedy recovery would be nice too.  

Thanks!    

Pressing Cloth

Do you use a pressing cloth? If sew, is it a commercially or hand made pressing cloth?

I'll admit, I'm kind of a peasant when it comes to pressing. Understandable, since ironing is one of my least favourite activities.

I have never purchased a pressing cloth, ever. I've used a pressing cloth in the past but never something that I picked up at a store. Instead, a pressing cloth has always been a saved piece of fabric from a discarded old cotton shirt. Yes, what some would refer to as a rag. 

I've upgraded recently.  

You see I'm testing out Vogue 8916, the jacket pattern, for Mama R. I'm working on a wearable muslin in a floral velvet denim. Mama R isn't all that thrilled with the fabric, but she does like the pattern. Score, since I have a beautiful wool and silk blend for her actual jacket as long as this wearable muslin is to her liking fit wise. And I have become smitten with this muslin jacket and I do very much like the fabric. Sew, I have unintentionally scored myself a new jacket. I'm starting to get off topic...

Oh yes, pressing cloths. I was fearful about pressing this fabric using my old peasant ways just because I wouldn't be able to see through the cotton cloth and I didn't want to apply direct heat onto the velvety surface. Do I bite the bullet and purchase a commercially made pressing cloth?

I was torn. I basted the edges and it is at the stage that it could really use a good pressing.

What did I do? ...

Well, I cut into that silk organza that I picked up last weekend. Karen over at Did You Make That? was right when she sang the praises of silk organza pressing clothes. This piece of fabric can take the heat. And the best part, you can see through it.

Better yet, if you don't have any silk organza kicking around to make your own pressing cloth, Sunni over at a fashionable stitch can hook you up with one.

Happy Sewing!