Squeezed One In Afterall

Well...I just finished this skirt. This is part of the nautical wardrobe I'm working on. This brings my finished or nearly finished total up to 4 garments. Ten are required for the contest, but I have 12 planned. Here's the pic with an update below that photo. I'm very close to being 1/3 of the way done.




Red Jacket - ALMOST DONE!

Red Skirt - pattern purchased and fabric readied

Navy Skirt - fabric ready and pattern purchased.

Navy Top - fabric ready and pattern purchased.

Red Polka blouse - muslin completed

Red Polka skirt - 100% COMPLETED!!

Navy Blouse - muslin completed

Contour Band Pants - fabric ready and pattern purchased.

White Capris - fabric ready and pattern purchased.

White Tunic - design changed to a zip-front hoodie, ALMOST DONE!!

Purse - cut out

Red Tee - ALMOST DONE!!

Nutt'in New to Report

I was hoping to hit the ground running yesterday. Use this long weekend to get a lot of sewing done. But it didn't work out that way. Friday I had to help with a spelling bee at the school. Then I had grocery shopping to do. Casey had a friend over and I was low on groceries. Things get ugly quickly if there is not an adequate supply of snacks available to teenaged boys! So Friday was kind of shot by the time I was done fixing and cleaning up the Taco/Nacho/Burrito Bar for them. I was too exhausted to think about sewing. I don't know how women work full-time, cook, clean, errand run and still find time for a hobby. Or energy to do anything. The kids at the school are great. Super. Love 'em. But after a day or two subbing, I'm completely exhausted!

Sunday is church and then two more teenaged invasions for the afternoon, spending the night and then snowboarding at the Hilltop all day Monday. So...before I knew it the weekend was filled up and gone! Today is the only day I have available. I hope to get at least some sewing done today. And if I pick up pizza instead of cooking for Sunday's Teenaged Invasion, I might be able to get some sewing done during the onslaught. We'll see....

Love my kiddo and am more than happy to delay my plans. His ability to develop friendships and enjoy fellowship is far more important. He will be gone in a few short years. Sniffle. Sob. The last one out of the nest. And once the nest is empty, my sewing machine will still be here.

Priorities.

Charity

Trial Run on the Red Polka Dot Skirt Pattern

This is the "muslin" test run of the Nautical Wardrobe skirt that will be made from the red polka dot rayon. I had a pretty good feeling about the pattern so I went ahead and did the "muslin" in a manner that would make it actually wearable. French seams. Bound hem. Beaded detail. I will make up the real thing in the next few days and get it posted. But here is the muslin. It's pretty bright, but I have a sweater in the exact shade of pink in the skirt. And then with a black jacket to tone it down...I think it will be do-able. In addition to the red skirt, I am also working on a white hoodie. I'm replacing the white lace-up tunic with a hoodie. It's more practical and less "costume-y." The hoodie probably has about 3 hours left on it. So I should have two more pieces finished by the weekend.

FINISHED SKIRT


BEADED DETAIL


Charity

Eyelet Paranoia

So...I'm almost done with this long-sleeved tee for the nautical wardrobe. It was a little plain so I decided to add some eyelets along the neckline and at the sleeve hem. The only thing after that is to hem the sleeves and the bottom hem. But I'm nervous about setting these eyelets. You have to cut a hole, poke the eyelet pieces through (one in front, the partner from the back) and then pound it in place. Once they're snapped together there's no removing them. And if you cut the hole too big, it will show around the edge of the eyelet and the eyelet can pull out. So it's a very exacting procedure and I'm nervous to start it. Sigh...I must have a Sewing Self-Destructive Streak that causes me to choose projects whose final steps I detest. This is how UFOS are made (UnFinished Objects). And no...I haven't finished the buttonholes on my peacoat yet. :(



Charity

Wardrobe Contest Progress

Weekly Progress Report on my Nautical Wardrobe

Red Jacket - done except sleeve hems and buttonholes/buttons

Red Skirt - fabric ready and pattern purchased.

Navy Skirt - fabric ready and pattern purchased.

Navy Top - fabric ready and pattern purchased.

Red Polka blouse - muslin completed

Red Polka skirt - Cut out

Navy Blouse - muslin completed

Contour Band Pants - fabric ready and pattern purchased.

White Capris - fabric ready and pattern purchased.

White Tunic - design changed to a zip-front hoodie, cut-out and interfaced

Purse - cut out

Red Tee - all done except hems, facing and embellishment

Sewing Lessons Day

Today I am doing something a little different with my two sewing students. We will be working on our projects for part of the time. Emily on her sheath dress. Sarah on her pin-striped vest. But we will be breaking a little early for a Project Runway-style mystery assignment. Inside each of the little favor boxes below is their assignment, $15.00 cash and just some pretties and candy to "inspire" them.

The purpose of today's lesson is to begin a journey that I hope will help them begin to think like artists instead of seamstresses. I'm not really interested in teaching someone to sew on buttons and hem a pair of pants. That will automatically be learned in the journey. What I DO want to impart is an eye for beauty, an ability to see the potential in the unexpected, an ability to think outside the box. I want more for Emily and Sarah than that they learn to sew. I want them to explore the world of textile art. The difference between "that homemade look" and gorgeous design is to approach garment sewing as if one was an artist and the medium just happens to be fabric.

So....to that end, we will have some fun and play today. I'll share more about the specifics of their assignment later.



UPDATE

We are done with our day and I am whipped! This was their assignment. I drove them to three thrift stores. They were to buy items that they would use to create a new design. Earrings might be glued to buttons to create jeweled closures. Wool sweaters might be felted for creating a hat or purse. A evening gown might be deconstructed and used to create a little girl's fairy costume. A vintage tablecloth might become a funky jacket. It was totally up to them. They only had 15 minutes at each stop and only $15.00 with which to buy their materials. For the first minute or so, they seemed a little unsure, but then something clicked in their head and soon they were grabbing curtains and beaded sweaters and men's silk ties and the "What if's??" and the "Couldn't I's???" started to fly. I was amazed at how quickly their brains kicked into gear and they began to see the possibilities in the most mundane of items.

They have one week to distill these items into three cohesive designs which they are to sketch onto last week's homework...their personalized croquis. These designs will be placed into their Design Notebooks and hopefully find a place in their project line-up. Sarah wants to finish her vest and Emily her sheath. Then they plan to sew some japanese purses together. Then we'll see if their Mystery Assignment purchases will be reworked into some fun new creation!


Charity