Oh What the Heck...

When I first started sewing seriously I tried out a Revisions pattern and it was awful. Then recently, the bohemian artwork sucked me in again. How quickly we forget and it is a good thing I think in some instances.



This pattern allows for lots of different fabrics or patterns to be used. Such a great way to move leftover fabric pieces up creatively!



Anyway, I spent just about 3 days of sewing this one up. This is a very fussy precise pattern. None of the steps are hard, there is a just a lot of them and truly, it is best they are followed as written.
I actually love this one, against all odds. I'm not fond of overly fussy patterns, I certainly have had bad experiences with the drafting on the previous pattern and oh, I hate doing button loops almost as much as button holes, but the sleeve is sublime.



You basically make a vest, (a fully lined vest), finish with a bound armhole and then attache the sleeve which is also bound on the underarm section.





Pretty and airy.





I will make this pattern again with just a couple of changes. I would like the neck higher and I might add a hood, the sides on the back to mimic the front side curves and go down a size on top but still grade out to the larger size over the hips. I did not do the pockets as loose bags. I've done those before and they are just kind of a pain getting caught on everything.

I'm also getting ready to start a new winter coat. This is my muse but it won't be exactly like this coat of course. The shape and the hood appealed to me but I wanted my coat to be a raglan sleeve and I'm changing the pockets I think. A lot of design choices will happen on the cutting table for this one.



I have assembled some lovely dark green wool, a taupe organic cotton fleece interlining and some "like the real thing" faux fur. It's champagne sable and it is soft as any mink or sheared sable I've ever felt and it will be the hood lining. It will be hitting the cutting table this weekend and on to the sewing machine next week.

We had some snow here last weekend and it certainly put a damper on our super moon.



 It was rather super but my camera skills are not. This is what it looked like as it rose with the fog around it.



For all my animal loving friends and followers, I give you this amazing bit of advocacy reminding us that pets aren't just for the holidays but for life.

I'm leaving you with Gary Jules doing Mad World. It is isn't it?

Parting shot: Smoochie recuperating after major dental surgery this past Tuesday.

Forbidden Fruit

Not literally, but figuratively, white, in this household has forbidden fruit status. And I love white! There is practically no one from age 4 to 94 that doesn't look great turned out in something clean and white. Nothing replaces a crisp white shirt under a suit, a bright white T elevates a simple pair of Levi's and who doesn't feel the excitement of future adventures like a pair of new white canvas sneakers cause? White in my book has it all over black. Sadly, white is not practical here, land of red clay dirt, slobbering horses and multiple paws of mud. This year I vowed, more white, more lighter, brighter colors and be damned with practicality! I sew, I'm getting better with my growing skill set and I can always make another, or something better. Bring on those whites and lights!

So I broke out that white linen cotton blend I had been saving. Saving for what I don't know, but it hit the cutting table last week for a Sewing Workshop Liberty Shirt.

 

 The fabric is stiff and crisp and wrinkles easily. I wanted more of a tunic and I had an idea to use the way it shows things underneath through it's not quite opaque surface. I lengthened the body by an inch, I practiced my miters and I made a minor adjustment to the collar.



 I don't like the stand up-ness of it, I wanted my collar to be tame and lie where an obedient collar should! The snap is for detail only. And then I went to work on my little design feature. I had bought a yard of a Dala Horse print I saw on line. Maybe pillows or napkins or ?. Anyway, there they were, those white and charcoal horses, just waiting for something wonderful. I fused them to the wrong side of the fronts, then faced as the pattern calls for. I like my little ghost horses.



I even used the selvage in the crease of the right cuff.



If you have been following for any length of time, you know I love to use any particularly pretty selvage end as a design feature somewhere on the garment. I've paired the top here with the light lavender linen pants. Can you feel warm spring breezes?

Okay, back to reality.... In other news, the dental double whammy hits on Friday when Peter has his turn on the table. We tried keeping some dental issues in check with antibiotics but it just ain't happening. A few have got to go, and the last remaining top front canine is the catalyst. Who would have thought the little bugger would have kept that one so long?  It has made it through a number of dental procedures over the years. With luck though, Peter will hang onto those back molars for the rest of his life. Fingers crossed for the little guy as it is always a bit trickier with his heart condition. But quality of life is just as important and when your mouth hurts, there is very little joy in the world.

My cold is waning. Sunday was a lost day. I felt like death and other than staggering out of bed for a drink or to feed something, I slept over 19 hours into Monday. I had plenty of company. Nurses Stella, Robin, Charlotte and Jack stayed for the duration.
Rodger was head purrrer and Bea kept the monsters in check under the bed. Smoochie played nurse to Peter. Smoochie, you are simply the kindest dog I've ever know.

That about covers the goings on here for today!

Parting shot: What friends are for.

And I Know Better

Sometimes, well I get sucked in by a unique artsy pattern with lots of possibilities and I forget the basic rules about what looks flattering on me and what doesn't. One of the most unflattering things for someone who is short, ample and wide shouldered is something that accentuates the shoulders. I mean really, I might pass for a stunted line backer in certain clothes. Essentials for flattering garments are shoulders that fit and fit well. Shirts with a non set-in self sleeve (one that is cut with the bodice of the garment) rarely look good, and when they do, it's because the fabric is very light weight. A good set in sleeve is a must when tailoring for a less than ideal body shape. So, what the heck was I thinking with this vest pattern and it's volume of shoulder ???

Beats me and I spent a fair amount of time fitting the body. Nothing and I mean nothing is going to change the basic design of this garment. Not only is it unflattering due to the added width, but also, it puckers going under the arm. I used chalk on the pattern to follow the pucker lines.

It is going in the box of shame. Simple as that. It wasn't a complete loss. I spent a lot of time with some different seaming treatments.

This pattern was written to use with felted wool, which can have a raw seam. In all fairness the softer line of the wool MIGHT have been a bit more flattering. I also made a wonderful little quilt to go on the back.

After all was said and done, I didn't like it on the vest because the piece (sized according to the pattern directions) was too big and certainly too wide to be appealing. I took it off and will save as I rather like it alone anyway.

Gene had a good time poking fun at it, saying that it would look great at a Star Trek convention. I told him I would be happy to complete it and give it to him to wear. ;)

Klingon costume anyone?

Other more successful endeavors include towel 5 which is using a deep green linen single and some spinning. In fact I am going to head up and do some more of it.

Parting shot: The Criminal Line-Up, They are Guilty of Something, I just don't know what...

The Goddess of Small Miracles

Small miracles happen every day. Outside your window, with each soaring bird, the chipmunk that catches your eye, a small flower that appears in a previously barren spot, found time, a project that engages both mind and body, a well chopped onion.

They are all around us if we only take the time to see, hear, feel and note them. Life erupts in the fine details and so often we fly right past them waiting for the big stuff. Yesterday was simply chock full of those little special details. Minutiae.

The warp is done and ready to be wound on.

It looks very much like the previous warp with the silk sari. I substituted a novelty yarn, Tahki Lucky, which happily was also 50% off. And it is strong, 100% nylon.

We had to do a little proactive loom preservation.

Princess Stella just couldn't resist the plastic tie knobs on the treadles. It's easy enough to add and subtract treadles on Hannah. They just sit on an individual cradle under the foot rest.

I know I'm just doing plain weave on this scarf, so really only need the two still tied up for tabby.

We also had our senior & baby combined vet appointment yesterday morning.

Dennett had blood drawn for another liver panel and I am happy (read delighted, overjoyed and grateful beyond words) to report that the milk thistle supplement has indeed made a difference. His panel is just about normal in that area. Now there are still anomalies, but they are holding just where they are. They fall into " it is what it is" category. He's all set until fall unless we have any changes.

Stella also had her first look see. I'm happy to report we have a healthy fit puppy. Good joints, no loose knees (luxating patella) which is common in many small breed dogs. She weighs a whopping 3.6 pounds, which while I thought her maybe a little skinny, Dr. Beth assured me she was at a perfect weight. Much better to have a fit puppy than a pudgy one for growing bones.

Stella handled herself well, relaxed with strangers picking her up, played when they initiated it, let Dr. Beth clip her teeny tiny toe nails and Vet Tech Nic take her temp all with a pleasant and winsome demeanor. She thought the wormer was just wonderful stuff. She'll go back in two week for her second puppy shot. The first shot was given by the breeder the day before she found her way home with me.

She is also doing great with her schedule and Uncle Smoochie is doing a grand job of entertainment every day. At the end of morning play time this is how they usually are.

I can pick her up and put her in the crate all sleepy and go out and do my outside chores without worry. I do so love small miracles.