Tick Tock

I couldn't help myself this week, I had to grab that vintage inspired alarm clock fabric and get it sewn first in the queue. (It helped that I didn't have a zipper for the black and white wool check blouse slated up first). I felt daring enough (after a good pin fitting with this new to me pattern by Indygo Junction), to use the "good" fabric.

It's actually a very old out of print pattern "The Everyday Jacket" and Fabric of Vision had one copy still hanging around so I grabbed it up.

It is still available here should you want it.

Anyway, it was a relatively quick construction. Sandi has this pattern made up and she gave me a few tips. The neck is high and the sleeve darts might need some adjusting. I did both of those adjustments in the tissue fitting stage. I couldn't be happier with the finished result.

These over sized prints are fun but hard to use sometimes, this was a perfect pair up in my mind.

The fit is quite good and the top doesn't stray into the too voluminous category. And I got to use these beautiful vintage buttons!

I have to say my pattern library has grown and grown again. $.99, $1.99 and $4.99 sales on patterns are the culprit. $.99 is a very small price to pay for some quality dream time even if the pattern never gets made up! There have been some great sales in the last 2 weeks and while I bought a modest 5 patterns at Sewingpatterns.com the one I am most excited about is this new one from McCalls!

It may look like just another shirt pattern but I like the shape and the interesting saddle sleeve/yoke construction this one offers, not to mention the pretty necklines in two variations. I fell completely in love with it when I got out the instructions to peruse. This is a Palmer/Pletsch pattern for McCalls and has excellent instructions on how to do common adjustments that might be needed. What I loved is that they aren't canned. They are shown on this pattern and step by step.

As it turned out I needed to do a small FBA (full bust adjustment), and how nice was it to have the lines already marked out on where to cut and how to do it. If one had never done one before, this walks you through it painlessly. Good job! Now let's see if the pattern really works in fabric. The grey print mushrooms have made it to the cutting table. Another of my many favorite fabrics.

In general news, we are having a series of weather events. They keep predicting high winds and I keep waiting for them. But we have had snow and rain and all sorts of messy stuff in between. The horses are making good use of their stalls. Gene and I took pity on them yesterday morning and I opened the little paddock and stall area back up to easy access. They came, they each took to their own stalls and they stayed, only moving out for bathroom breaks. The boys are quite neat really if they can come and go at will. I left it just as it was for the overnight.

The dogs all had fun playing in the snow. Robin, like his big sis Stella, had himself a grand time un-burying hidden toy treasures, then either tossing them about or parading the find around, prancing like a (very) little pony. I watched from the kitchen window for a good 15 minutes until the games were over and everyone noticed they were cold and tired. They piled up on the deck to wait for the door person, who I might add, is very well trained. ;)

Parting shots: Family Portrait.

Them's that plays together, stays together!