Labor Day weekend--Digging out my Mojo

I wish a happy Labor Day to my North American friends.


I haven't been sewing recently. I thought that my Mojo disappeared--I was avoiding sewing. I identified patterns I wanted to sew and fabric in my stash I wanted to use, but I never got started on any project. I spent some time looking for it in my apartment. It took a week or two for me to realize that my mojo was still in my apartment, but it was BURIED under a huge stash of fabric, patterns, books, dance clothing, fitness clothing and other random stuff. It really depressing being surrounded by too much stuff.

I've lived in the same apartment for 12 years (really in the same complex for 20 years). I haven't done a major re-arrangment of my furniture in err. decades. I did to a major de-stashing last year, but at that time I didn't go through my books, closets, etc. I have not re-located in literally decades, so it's time to thin out my possessions (Example: I have LPs, Cassettes, CDs and digital downloads in my apartment). I do not have an empty flat surface. So I'm spending this weekend going through as much as possible. I have several plastic bins (mostly fully of fabric) on my patio, and I'm going through everything to get rid of the obvious stuff. I've made two donation trips (books and shoes) and I have stuff set aside for electronic recycling, stuff for a dancer-garage sale.   I'm also cleaning and doing minor repairs. I'm pretending I'm moving. I may end up renting some storage space, but I'll have a clearer idea of my possessions. There is a lot to do, so I had better get cracking

Bloglovin, I think

Follow my blog with Bloglovin I'm claiming my blog for Bloglovin'. the Deadline caught me by surprise.....

Sewing on Saturday night with Sylvain Reynard

I'm sewing again. I'm currently tracing out Jalie 2796 (the multisport skirt). it looks like a fun pattern! I'm hoping that sewing these garments will help inspire a more active fitness routine.

I've gotten in to the habit of listening to audiobooks while sewing or doing things around my apartment. By total random choice, I borrowed the book Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard from the library. Apparently it's part of a series. Has anyone in Blogland heard of these books before? Is this fiction in the genre of 50 shades of Gray or post-Twilight? I haven't read the Gray or Twilight series.

I selected it from the list of newly acquired audiobooks. I'm enjoying the story--I would describe it as a throwback to Harlequin Presents novels (circa 1980's), complete with the ultra mysterious, but wealthy Alpha male, the meek heroine (frequently compared to a rabbit), a charming beta male, and bitchy other woman, mixed with some accurate observations about classics (it takes place in a Humanities graduate studies department in exotic Toronto. I've been to Toronto and I love that city). I've been listening Dante's Inferno while driving to work and I keep cracking up and laughing because the dynamics are highly similar to a Harlequin (AKA Mills & Boon) romance--I read so many of these novels in junior high school, so I find it highly amusing to hear the narrator talk about chewed lips, expensive cars, a scowling heros who interrogates the heroine frequently about her meal habits and "whose expression hardens" the heroine disagrees with him. I am taking care to drive slowly and carefully so I don't get in to an accident. And with all the chewed lips, I'm using a lot of lip balm.

I see that BBC 2 is starting a new competion series called Great Sew Off. I see several familiar names from the internet sewing world. I hope that the series migrates to US television somehow. I saw a little bit of the Bake-Off series when I was in London and I thought it was a lot of fun.

Proposing a Happy and Productive 2013!

Hello, my patient friends out there in the internet. There are several explanations for why have not been posting for the past 5 months. Please pick and choose any combination of explanations because they are all true.

1. I have been away from my sewing machine.
2. I have been crazy busy at work.
3. I was crazy busy packing, de-cluttering and stashing in order to prepare to be away from home for a long time.
4. I have lived and worked in another country for 3 months. London! it was great!! yes, I was crazy busy at work, so I didn't meet up with anyone--sorry! I did go fabric shopping, though. I have come to realize that it's a form of torture to shop for fabric when you don't have access to a sewing machine. Yes, but between work, dance, touring, I did manage to get some shopping done. I'll try to post some pictures of my purchases.
5. I came home, did laundry, slept, and packed again for my vacation.
6. I spent 3 weeks in Egypt! it was great! No, I wasn't scared--I went with several friends and I made new ones. I saw lots antiquities, learned some dancing, brushed up on my bargaining skills and bought souvenirs, including fabric and buttons. It was a happily exhausting process.
7. I'm crazy busy at work. :)

Sadly for now, my new reality is that my international jet-setting days are over for the foreseeable future (I had a lovely time!). I'm working on reconnecting with friends, sorting through piles of postal mail, coping with the realization that I'm a packrat with a hoarding situation (it's not a unsurmountable situation, but it does need constant attention). Immediate Goal? clearing of my sewing/cutting table so I can sew some simple tops for work. Intermediate Goal? find a space for my serger. It's been in a box for several years and it deserves to be used. But before I work on these, I'll probably head out to the sewing and quilting show. I found an invite in that pile of postal mail.

Hurricane Sandy

To everyone who resides in Hurricane Sandy's path, my thoughts are with you. I hope that the storm turns away and that the warnings are for nothing, but I know that the anticipation and worry is real. Stay safe and stay calm. Rose

Still here! (mend and repair)

I'm still here--Ive been pretty busy with work. It hasn't been all work and no play--You may have seen me on other blogs (Sham's Communing with Fabric and Jilly's Jilly Be Joyful). My thanks and appreciation to my blog followers. I don't have any pictures, but over the past few months I have been sewing:

panties/underwear - based on Ottobre Women (May 2009). Sometime over the past 5 months, I read the suggestion that I cut out the panties, store them in a scrap bag, and then when my sewng mojo needs help, sew several pairs of panties. It's a good idea for using largish scraps of fabric, and it does get my mojo going.

Camisoles--I used this sleepwear pattern from McCalls (5248). It's quick, but and elegant.

I've been doing quick and dirty alterations on work trousers. My trouser size range is at the top end of 'regular' retail and the bottom end of plus sizes. I've had luck with purchasing trousers on amazing sales from Anne Taylor in the "curvy" style. The trousers fit in the hip, but the waist have been too large. My quick alterations include taking in the waist at the center back seam or at the side seams. I sew through ALL the layers, including the linings--this is what makes it quick and dirty. I would never PAY for this sort of alteration, but for me it works. My purchase price is much less than I would spend on making the trousers. If you try this at home, use basting stitches to check on the fit and the appearance of the trousers, before using a shorter stitch length. It usually takes me 2-3 attempts to make certain I have an acceptable fit and appearance, and the seam ripper is your friend.

RE-Waistbands If size difference is too small to sew in a tuck, I've been sewing waistband elastic along the inside waistband (two pieces along the sides, from front to back). I've used this technique on a skirt--and it's great.

I did go to Artistry in Fashion at Canada College. Ronda Chaney graciously organized a sewing bloggers meet-up before this event--Thank you, Ronda! I try to go to this event every year (I had to skip it last year because of my broken foot). I enjoy meeting the independent pattern designers and the sewing pattern fashion show. This year, the desiger was Marsha McClintock from Saf-T-Pockets. I'm glad that I went--the garments in the show looked much nicer than the pattern envelope illustrations (is this the Kwik-Sew Syndrome?). Marsha shared the tip that pretty much any fabric can be made waterproof by using Nikwax. This product is used the washing machine. I have several (fashionable) rain jackets that are no longer waterproof. I purchased the two products (the TX Direct and the TechWash), and gracious, my jackets are water proof again! They have a strong recommendation from me!

At at the rate I'm posting, will hear from around New Year's. Again--thank you for your patience!

Simple Fold-Over Elastic Project

I hope all is well! My main activities for the past few months have been work and exercise. I have not had time to sew, but I am still reading and commenting (as time permits) on different blogs. I did come across this simple foldeover elastic project--I thought I would share. Enjoy! Twistband Hair Ties