Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder..........

and anxiety makes you sleep less.  But let's talk about what makes me happy...FABRIC!

And now that I've bored you to death with the last weeks of nothing to review, I'll just give you a little update on what appears to be a new hoarding habit that's developing in the fabric world of my closet.

Gorgeous Fabrics

This beautiful print I intend to make Vogue 1224 Tracy Reese style- Why is it you look for the exact fabric that is on the pattern envelope?  When I received the fabric today at work, the package made my day.  It was a frustrating day and it's such a treat to get packages that don't contain more work!
          All fabrics were purchased on line at Gorgeous Fabrics.com.  The fabric is actually more multi colored that I thought.  There is very little white when you get close it's only in the and then there are tan and taupe mid tones. At first I wasn't sure but it's kinda great.  Look at it on the form!  A bigger motif than the pattern envelope but it's super bright and cheery. Can't wait to see Allison C finish hers version of this style so I know what to expect from the pattern.

Gorgeous Fabrics- the source and the fabric is pretty too!

Next up- this great yellow!   How awesome is this?  Yellow looks great on me for some reason.  I love it.  And the motif has some swirly flower in the middle.  
This is my first time purchasing fabric on line so it's interesting to get to see the full repeat after just the small swatch.  And again, I have literally no imagination and chose a yellow for the fabric.  We'll see if I actually make this style out  of this fabric. Right now, that's what's intended.
          Finally an impulse purchase..............

Gorgeous Fabrics.com

Kind of a stretchy mesh. Will need an under slip or lining of some kind.  I don't have a pattern for this one but I really like the way it's draped on the form.  If only I had the patience to drape again.......sign.

           So, I haven't been here for awhile due to life stuff that gets in the way of stuff you want to do...... if you know what I mean.         Specifically, I've been trying to sell my house in California because I no longer care to be a long distance landlord and because frankly it's a total pain in the ass as well. It's annoying to have someone complain about your beautiful antique Wedgewood stove when you would rather just be the one using it.  They don't even cook!  I've lost a lot of sleep over the last months and finally I'm in escrow, cue the angels, AAAAAhhaaaa!!!!!.  And for two blessed nights in a row I slept all night for 8 hours!  yay!!!!!!!   Maybe the mojo will come back.
           And speaking of coming back, I will be back from my work trip at the end of April.  Yes, I leave on 3/28 and get back on..........wait for it....................four twenty never.......4/20!!!!!!!  April twentieth!  Stop thinking about the other 420 you freaks.  So, perhaps there will be fabric shopping in Sham Sui Po (totally spelled wrong but it's in Hong Kong) and maybe I'll find something in the market in Vietnam and when I come back the house escrow will be closed and I will have a pile of spring dress projects and maybe.... just maybe it will be above 55 degrees Fahrenheit!!!  Have I said how much I hate to travel?  More on that later for sure.  Or maybe something from the road.
      Thanks for stopping by I'll be here all week and then gone FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vogue 8685 a Winter Dress and Winter Wonderland

After finishing the wool coat I was exhuasted.  I've been super busy at my new job and I get home every night and just want to lay on the couch after dinner.  But, that's pretty boring and lots of episodes of American Idol and Oprah are stacking up and those are really what I play in the background when I sew cause you don't really have to watch them, I can just listen.

This weekend was amazing.  We went up to Mt Hood for the weekend and participated in Romp to Stomp out Breast Cancer- benefitting the Susan G Komen foundation.  This is a snow shoing event where they have a 3K race, a 5k and 3K "walk" and a little tikes dash for the kids. 

My friend Meg in front

View from the trail

It was a beautiful day with sun and fresh powder and although it was super cold (about 11F) I was toasty in my gear from various Oregon companies (Columbia Sportswear, Mt Hardware, Sorel and Ice Breaker).  We went out in the first wave of 5Kers and stomped our way through the snow and never let up the pace.  My only complaint would be that my face swelled up in welts from the cold later in the day- no dates for me on Sat night.  If you've never participated in a snow shoe, it's super fun and easy!

After dashing home through the snow on Sunday morning I started a project for this Vogue dress.

View out the front window of my Beetle- no chains- scary!!!

 I decided to make a "muslin" to see how my adjustments would work out I used some old knit dresses so that's why it looks like a franken muslin.
I made a 2" full bust adjustment and it lengthened the bodice about 1".  It was way too much and with the stretchy fabric, I decided to reduce the modifications so it wouldn't hang off me later.  I ended up with about a 1 1/2" full bust adjustment and lengthened it about 1/4".  I had to also alter the midrif and yoke patterns for width on the front as well as the skirt.

when I cut it all out on Tuesday night I barely squeeked out the pattern pieces. And the reason for that is because I bought the fabric originallly for a short sleeve Burda style dress.  But because I discovered that even if the office is heated, I'm freezing ass cold all the time there because my desk is by the window (i know boo hoo) and it's just not that warm. 

So if I made that dress for winter I would have to wear a long sleeve shirt under it and that would just defeat the purpose. So, I changed to this cute dress that I was going to make out of matte jersey and might still in the short sleeve version.  I'm making option C, long sleeves and straight skirt.  I'm told that the fashion is going away from "Mad Men" and toward "Boardwalk Empire" but alas, I'm Joan and not Margaret.
More later....

Pattern Review Simplicity 2508 and More Pics

More photos of the coat with me in it this time. There are some things I would have done better but not enough to make me not wear it.  I wore it once and thought the buttons needed to be repositioned but turns out, they are ok.

cut my head off a lot - need to adjust tripod- sorry

And no shoulders, oops

I did a pattern review here.   Moving on to next project.  One more dress for winter.