I Did a Stupid Thing...

Ugh! Don't you hate it when you make a quick decision that requires a long, multi-step solution? Me too.

Fact #1: I have been going gray since my mid-thirties, a strand at a time. When I noticed all the gray roots amassing in the center of my front hairline I started to use dye. Years later, I thought I should go lighter with the color for a better transition. However, when I tried a Revlon dye three shades lighter; instead of dying my entire head, it stripped back color from the front 2 to 3 inches, revealing pure white strands. It was much more growth (and lack of color) than I had expected so I panicked and redid it with a darker dye. However, it got me thinking, perhaps going gray wouldn't be so bad or hard, if I did another Big Chop one day?

However, at that time I wasn't ready. I thought I would still need that allusion of youth to get a job and pursue a romantic life.

When I did change my mind, I started researching how to avoid cutting all the dyed portions and most importantly, my length off. Perhaps, there were some natural ways to strip dye out of hair. I was actually inspired by this 2017 post on the Coco's Loft blog. My first experiment was with a recipe of baking soda (it opens up the hair cuticle), a strong dandruff shampoo, and common dish detergent. I did notice, immediately, that the lather was a bit brown, so I think this method was working but at that point my last dye job had been months ago. So too little, too late.

So, what's the stupid thing I did? Well, I couldn't stand the multiple shades in my hair. The white roots and the darker ends, I was fine with them. It was the middle section of my strands that were actually white underneath the old brown dye which was now faded and dull. My hair was now three distinct colors. I wanted that middle section and the dark ends to blend together so... I tried the "dying it three shades lighter" thing (see above) in hopes of repeating the earlier result...stripping back to the white strands and evenly dying the rest.

Well, it didn't work! The dyed hair got darker and the glorious 2-inch white roots I had been cultivating now looked stained, as if I rubbed coffee grounds in my hair. Disappointed is not a strong enough word for how I felt. I tried the baking soda concoction again but it didn't work this time

To the rescue, came Color Oops, a commercial color remover, which is what I should have done in the first place. This ammonia- and bleach-free color remover is supposed to restore hair to its original shade; however, for me it only took mine back to before my most recent stupid dye job. Unfortunately, the smell was highly sulfuric, like rotten eggs, and lasted over a week despite frequent shampoos.

Check out that growth!

Fact #2: I am now letting it grow out naturally, occasionally applying a purple toning shampoo to the brassy tones of the fading brown dye left on my actual white strands. The truth is I would be perfectly fine dealing with the white roots and the dark dyed ends, just not the "masked" hair stuck under that dull and too-slowly fading dye.

Fact #3: I am living for the loveliness that is @grombre on Instagram! Besides the gorgeous inspiration of all the women not fighting their changing hair color but also the revelation that people are going gray at a much younger age than I thought. The majority of the stories on there have people finding their first grays in their teens or early 20s and then dyeing for decades. So sad that gray hair = old (so we feel like we must dye if we are under 60) whereas if the stigma was not perpetuated it would be, "when it happens, it just happens...no big deal" What an easier life it would be, right?

Oh Hi, 2017, Come On In

Okay, I wasn't going to write about the New year transition. I personally had a bad year and just couldn't wait to see the back of 2016 (I know I'm not the only one!) However, I feel I have to acknowledge the end of one year to truly appreciate the beginning of another.

Since May, I've been in a holding pattern professionally and an apathetic funk emotionally. Physically, I swear I can feel each sign of age and deterioration going on in my body.

Good news is that before the holidays I finally sought help and am slowly pulling myself together. My biggest hurtle right now is not focusing on the decisions that have brought me here. Hindsight has revealed them not to be the best but they were the decisions I made with "the information I had at the time".

One thing that helps me immensely is my love of sewing. Unless, of course I am paralyzing myself with indecision and procrastination for fear of making a mistake. Which, by the way, seems to be the old strategy for running my life that did not work. So I need to change that in order to get back on track. Some of my best and worst experiences, jobs, and relationships seemed to just "happen" without any direct action from me. I have made the mistake of letting my day-to-day life and its circumstances lead me to and fro instead of actively leading the way.

I have some goals for the new year but I'm not making any resolutions. In fact, some of my goals are so basic as to be laughable but when you have been brought low, those are some of the hardest to accomplish. Goals like getting appropriate sleep (I have a bad habit of actually going to bed in the early hours of the next day), eating healthy, and caring about my appearance (I kept putting off fixing a cracked tooth, I don't know when was my last professional haircut, and sometimes I let my gray roots get ridiculous.)

I need to put myself back together again and hopefully you will see signs of the progress here on the blog, whether my sewing output increases or my posts start to reflect more interests and experiences outside of sewing. I'm looking forward to learning a new way of thinking (and reacting) after all these years of my dreams feeling out of reach.

I guess I could say that my overall theme for 2017 is To Be Better.


P.S. One of my smaller goals might involve participating in my first PR weekend!

Future Goal: Repair Wardrobe Disconnect

I used to keep an actual scrapbook of fashion clippings that I pasted the looks I liked. Of course, I now have Pintrest and Flickr to record my favorites.

Scrapbook images from the Tweeds catalog.

The funny thing is how the items and looks have stayed consistent over the many years even though the items still don't currently exist in my wardrobe. I don't know when I will be sewing again, but my future plans include creating the life where the wardrobe I have always wanted will exist. Believe me, when I reveal the wardrobe you won't be shocked, in fact, you'll probably wonder why I haven't put it together before now. You're not the only one wondering that... Perhaps I didn't think I deserved it yet?! Yes, yes, I DO have issues...

Striped knit tee shirts, crew, boat, and v-necks
Same type shirts put in silkier matte fabrics for dressier occasions
Similar shaped fine-gauge sweaters
Slim flat-front ankle-length pants
Carrot topped pants with fullness at top from gathers or pleats that taper to the ankle.
Long-sleeved shift dresses
Fit and flare dresses, with darted bodices and full skirts
Full skirts in above- and below-knee lengths
Collarless duster jackets and cardigans
Simple beautiful pieces incorporating drapery and unique twists

So when I get back to sewing this is hopefully what you will be seeing. Luckily, the projects currently in my sewing queue fit in this group and I have already taken a step in that direction. My eldest sister gifted me some holiday money and I just happened to check out the Mood Fabrics website and bought myself some striped ponte knit goodies for that top entry on this list in jade and brown and in mustard and jade!

Does anyone know where I can get a wide striped red and white knit like that second example? I can't find any that are not see-through.

Contenders For A Possible "It" Jacket

I have a desire for a new "throw-on-over-everything" jacket. A popular choice would be the "waterfall" jacket. This style is definitely enjoying an extended 15 minutes right now. Usually I do not like to wear what everyone else is wearing but some of these are extremely flattering, finish off an outfit so well, and most importantly, are SO MY STYLE, I can't help myself!

Check out some of the jacket sewing options from the Big 4:

Simplicity 1758, view C

New Look 6273

Butterick 5928, view C

  

Vogue 8756

Vogue 8839 view A

2) Another choice would be a cropped jacket with unique collar details.

The first pattern of this type that caught my eye was McCall's 6611 (OOP), from the Fashion Star collection. However, the pattern is now out-of-print and that has me worried about the construction and the consumer satisfaction level.

Here are some options from the independent pattern companies:

The Salme Patterns cropped blazer (#107) unfortunately does not have a lining; however, this leather version is so tempting!

Republique du Chiffon has developed the Julia pattern. It is a sophisticated design, but it is new, reviews are scarce, and the instructions are in/translated from French.

The Papercut Patterns' Bellatrix pattern is intriguing with its elongated rounded collar, semi-Princess seaming, and two hem length variations.

By Hand London came out with the more angular and boxy Victoria Blazer and I have seen some cute variations around.

Right now, I have a specific jacket in mind. I have my eye on Jen Beeman's Morris jacket, mentioned here on the Grainline Studio blog. Originally, part of a Hound collection from a few years back, I would really like this to be my new "IT" jacket. I love the unusual lapels and angled hem but it all depends on when the pattern is released.

So...I Changed My Mind...Sue Me!

I know I said, "No more wardrobe plans" but yeah, I changed my mind.

Yesterday, we had a peek at what beautiful weather could be like and I became inspired again about clothes and pretty outfits. So I made this little plan up, most are projects that I actually purchased fabric for years earlier (save two projects with free fabric!). Recently, I have been making projects from either free swap fabric or recycling old fabric but I have neglected these and the already-spent money is making me feel guilty. Therefore, my plan (subject to changes) is to finish these off before August and the upcoming fall sewing. I have mentioned most of these recently but this spells it out clearly. So there.

The great thing about this plan is I have other priorites right now and I can't spend ALL my time reading sewing blogs so if I cut that down I also cut down seeing inspiration for other projects. THIS is what I will be working on so no need to scout more fabric or lust over new patterns. Any purchases, sewing, or research will be limited to these projects.

Supplies still needed to complete:

1. New Look 6656 - two 1/2" buttons (optional)
2. New Look 6145 - nothing
3. Simplicity 5289 - 22" zipper
4. BBW Sew U jeans - 3/4" to 7/8" button
5. Vogue 1992 - nothing
6. Grainline Moss - 7" zipper, 1-5/8" button
7. Simplicity 2591 - nothing

Muslins are in the works for two of them and I will be cutting one out in the final fabric this weekend! I am not promising which one will be next or when I expect to finish it. That is the kind of plan I can work with right now.

1. 22. 2014 - Phoenix Rising From the Ashes

• Cut and pasted together two free PDF patterns, the Crepe Suzette clutch and the Yellowtail Camisole from Disparate Disciplines, now Seamster Patterns.
• Cut out and stitched together a Colette Clover muslin in a mystery cream fabric with maybe 5% Lycra. I only cut the pant legs pattern halfway down the thigh to conserve fabric.
• Worked on new pattern alterations for the Grainline Moss skirt. I have now cut out the fabric for a new muslin!

Ok, here goes: I have bought a few items and I feel EXTREMELY guilty about it. You see while I do have some money to live off I still have not found a new job and should be saving right? Well, here is my explanation and perhaps my justification for the purchases.

Coming home three months ago did a whammy on my self esteem, but in a way I wasn't expecting. I felt good about my self professionally and I will get another job. However, emotionally and physically, I felt like crap. I let my hair grow out and the mixture of new gray growth and my faded dyed hair made me look mousy and washed out. Even when wearing makeup, I felt horrible.


Legacy Lane 21 - America's Best

Eyewear: Because of lack of funds, I have been wearing old glasses (w/ a very old prescription) for more than a year and my eyesight has been compromised, I gave up on driving at night or god forbid, at night in the rain. Why I didn't fix this earlier can only be blamed on the depressive state I was in while in Richmond. No wonder I felt unsure of myself since I couldn't even trust my vision when out and about.

Legacy Lane 27 in Brown

My style had also changed quite a lot since I first purchased those glasses and I felt I looked older and conservative with them on, which of course, didn't help my self-image much. In order to feel better when interviewing for jobs I knew this had to be fixed. My eldest sister came to the rescue by offering to pay for the eye exam and a 2 for $69.95 deal through America's Best eyewear. I now have two pairs, one in no-nonsense black and another pair in a brown that matches my skin and that are also "baby's first bifocals".

Makeup Shockingly, perhaps the biggest change was the wrangling of my eyebrows. Over time, they have become sparse and seemed to disappear at a distance and in photos. You know how a great eyebrow (think A. Hepburn, Ava Gardner, ) can frame a face? Well, I needed that especially with new glasses bringing them into focus. I decided to check out Ulta (similar to Sephora). Having already purchased NYX Cosmetics products before I looked at their extensive range of eyebrow grooming products, in particular, their auto eyebrow pencil w/ attached brush for only $5! Penciling in the empty spaces and creating a more commanding shape did the job. Even my father remarked on my eyebrows at breakfast! Now, that's saying something! For just a dollar more, I also bought some of their matte lipstick in Alabama as all my lipsticks now have to be dug out of their tubes.

  

Rockstar Tuxedo Stripe Skinny Jean

Jeans: I have full or wide-legged pants in wool and tweeds for fall and winter and have slim casual pants for spring and summer. However, I wanted something cuter and figure flattering for winter too. I went to Old Navy seeking corduroys on sale but no go. These flattering "skinny jeans" with their subtle tuxedo stripe were on the clearance rack for $16 and then further reduced down to $9.99! How could I possibly pass those by? They make me feel great and amazingly make everything I put on seem younger. They are also a cheap alternative to the similar Madewell Tuxedo stripe skinny jeans seen here for $135.00.

New All-purpose Shoes: My most worn shoes of the last two years were some quasi-riding boots that developed a hole in the sole and a pair of Clarks Mary-janes that unfortunately, I wore the entire time I was moving and cleaning out my apartment. Therefore, they are not in the best of shape. I do have a pair of practical black fabric pumps (10+ years old) but they are worn only for interviews. I needed to find a pair of shoes I could wear with pants and the kind of top and skirt combinations that I practically live in.

Earth Origins McLean

These Earth Origins "booties" from Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse fit the bill quite well and luckily could be paid for with a Christmas gift of money. Practical but cute.

Ok, so that was my confession, there is no more! I hope I will soon tell you about a new job, won with the help of these items and this new boost of confidence. Wish me luck!

The 2014 Wish List

Happy New Year!!

Last year, I said I wasn't going to set myself up for stress by making any definite sewing plans. But, we all know, the planning is the best part of it all! So, here's some of what I would like to attempt in the next six months or so. There will be some finishing up of earlier planned projects like that Simplicity 6656 duster coat and my turquoise Moss skirt; however, I now have more primary priorities in place (career & debt) but these things are what I would like to spend my "free" time thinking about.

Starting with a few small things:

Create a black knit turban for bad hair days using this free tutorial. Done!
Stitch up a practical corduroy clutch purse using a free Fabric.com/HotPatterns download. Done!
Make a full skirt made from Vogue 2747 using my now unneeded red poplin apartment curtains. Done!
Attempt Simplicity 5287, a vintage funnel neck dress, in free green double knit.

Projects I want to try:

Last year, I posted an inventory of the handmade wardrobe items that I still wore from my own closet. I still have quite a few RTW items in my wardrobe. Well, I don't believe in getting rid of stuff before it's been throughly used and bordering on threadbare; therefore, I got thinking...how about altering or embellishing all my RTW pieces and reclaiming them in my own style, so that any Me Made Mays or such would have an advantage?

Why not try reverse applique such as that done by Alabama Chanin. I feel like taking apart some of my RTW knit items, restitching them with raw seams, and adding simple stitched embellishments like this. You know...reclaim the handmade from RTW! It's another way to increase the handmade garment/accessory numbers in my wardrobe. Luckily, I've got lots of embroidery floss from my Wee Wonderful doll supply stash and I also have ribbon and inherited button collections from numerous "no longer with us" personages.

Start on my muslin for the Colette Clovers. I took apart these H & M stretch woven pants in order to make a pattern and will compare that with the Clovers to help mitigate any problems using the Colette pattern.

Muslin and create the Built By Wendy Sew U pants. The fact that they were referenced by Sallie as the basis for these jeans is all that I need. If these work, I won't need to go purchase that popular Jalie jeans pattern.

I would like to try out these Shelby Kaava #302 Vuokatti leggings using this free downloadable pattern or trying out this tights tutorial from Handmade By Carolyn. I find I treat my store bought tights harshly and I hate the expense.

Underwear and more underwear! I also have my eye on this DL01 balconette foam bra by Make Bra. The best thing about it besides having no underwire is that you can cover the cups with woven fabrics which will make it a stash-buster. *Bonus from moving: I discovered many discarded t-shirts that I wouldn't wear again but could use for these.

Oh! and I will also be participating in Stash Diet 2014, since all the projects above will be supplied from my existing stash. I won't be posting specific goals or fabric counts but you are free to check out my stash (with fabric content and amounts, if possible) on Flickr here.

A Change In Plans

Due to circumstances that were unfortunately under my lame control, my life is about to change.  Hopefully for the better.

I am leaving Richmond and moving back to my hometown.  I'm sure long-time readers have noticed an underlying theme running through this blog for a long while, the fact that there were many things I had to deny myself because I lacked the money.  I have some financial issues to clear up as I have been running on fumes for quite a while.  For the last five years I found myself in a job that was meant to have been temporary, which I took to gain experience but for very little money.  At some point, I lost the motivation and confidence to move on and get a job that fully utilized my skills and challenged me.  School loan payments, medical bills, and the misguided notion of living alone drained my resources and filled me with constant stress.  So my goal is to not only pay off debt but to shore up my confidence, and improve my allover health. 

So wish me luck.  Actual sewing by me will be sporadic but what else is new?  I have many (oh so many) draft posts on fashion and style to publish on this blog, so don't go anywhere. I actually have two finished items to show you but packing has gotten in the way of photo shoots and one of the projects is still embargoed.  I do hope to make it back for the Hollywood Costume exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in November since I'll only be 90-some miles away, so perhaps I'll see a few of you there?

Happy Holidays To One And All

This past year:

Wow, what can one say. 2012 had it ups and downs. Unfortunately, it is ending on some truly tragic negatives. Which I can only hope means that 2013 will be our salvation: that real change and responsibility will be put in place to benefit all and not just some. This sentiment amazingly, refers to so many things this year, not just the obvious. We are in this together; that's the only way we prosper, as a world, a country, and as individuals.

Hug your family and friends, let them know you love them, and look forward to a new shinier year.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!!!

Oh, What....

A Beautiful Morning, Oh What A Beautiful Day!


Goody, I can relax now.

Department of Education, Get Your Act Together!

It has been a while since I wrote here about my on-going college experience. I am in my last semester and May 12, 2012 will be a momentous day for me, but that's not what I'm writing about now.

The Department of Education has made changes to how I pay one of my school loans and it is causing trouble. For weeks I thought the frustration was just mine, but now I know it is affecting many and it needs to stop.

The issue: The Department of Education (DOE) made a business decision and handed over their management of the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan program to an outside private company and they were not prepared. No official notice was sent from the website I had been using for almost a decade about the change, instead the new companies contacted me by email instructing me to now make my payments to them. Fishy!

The site I was automatically transferred to from the former official site http://www.dl.ed.gov/ was the Direct Loan Servicing Center, a private company. To log into their system I had to first create a new user name and password. Call me surprised when I get in and see the most basic of websites. I was sure I had just been had. Then I tried to access my payment history...they don't have it. WTF! How am I supposed to trust them if they didn't even get the archived data from the first company. At this point I was convinced I had been caught by a phishing scheme.

Luckily, I've found official confirmation that this was the right site, but I'm not happy and I am not alone. Note that there are 719 comments under that article and the majority are negative.

The other company that contacted me was Fedloan Servicing. They did the right thing and mailed me information that showed a connection to the Dept. of Ed and shows awareness of my past payments. They are also listed by the National Student Loan Data System as the guaranty for two of my loans and their website looks legit.

Department of Education, get it together, ok? You are dealing with the finances of people who came to you for help. Show due respect.

Update: Currently the Direct Loan Servicing Center (myedaccount) won't allow me to access my 1098-E form so I can complete my 2011 taxes. All of the PDF files are damaged. I tried to call them yesterday to get the info over the phone and their phone system was on the blitz, first it was cutting in and out and then it dropped all my subsequent calls. My email to them received a general response saying someone would contact me. I'll keep you updated on when that happens.

Say It And It Will Be Done...

1. I will start on two new projects this weekend, an easy top and an even easier dress. I have already altered the pattern pieces and just need to lay them out and cut.

So now that I have written (said) that on this blog I must be held to it.

Give me h___ if I have no progress to write (talk) about on Monday, ok?
Thanks!

UPDATE: I was a very bad girl. No sewing happened. I thought about it a lot though. Does that count?

The Coordinated Summer Wardrobe

Over the last few months I did a little bit of fabric shopping. As I've written before, most of my pants no longer fit and I don't own any shorts. So I felt some new fabric was warranted. I used my state tax refund of $50 to buy most of this so I don't feel guilty. I don't, I swear!

Here are the goodies and the projects that these are destined for:

Brown heather linen-like, Daphne batiste (for linings) in papyrus, Prairie Rose Swiss dot, a stone gray polynosic woven, and an Alexander Henry Mocca print in chocolate. What I love about these fabrics is that unconsciously I ended up with mostly items that go together, with the designer print standing alone. They are destined for a top, two dresses, shorts, and pants.

The Swiss dot is destined for a sweet top, perhaps a 2nd Sorbetto? I was only able to get 1 1/2 yards of this, so it is pretty precious. The brown heather woven is the same fabric used on this skirt. I chose it this time to make a pair of shorts, either classic style Vogue 2532 view B, skirt-like Style 1902, or Vogue 2883, a combination of the two.

Luckily, I bought enough of the brown to also make a Simplicity 2406, view C dress, the gray will be pants from Vogue 1922, and the coveted AH print will either be another New Look 6939 or the Vogue 2883, view B dress. I first need to compare the patterns to find the least sack-like one.

Mosaic Multi Dots matte jersey

Of course, there was one fabric I did not buy because it wasn't on sale. I love this Mosaic matte jersey at Jo-Ann. I've been wanting this fabric for over a year now. Next time I have money and it's on sale, IF it is still there, it will be mine!

The Easy Quilts of 2011

Okay, looking through the archives of this blog it seems every year I talk about making a quilt. I now have so many saved tutorials and patterns that it is truly ridiculous. But one day...one day it will happen. In the mean time, here are a few I want to share with you. If you make any of them please let me know. Perhaps, I can complete a quilt through you. The Purl Bee's Zig Zag quilt Here's a handy tutorial on an easier way to construct the triangle blocks.  And from the Crazy Mom Quilts blog, here is another great way to make a zig zag quilt without using ANY triangles. Another design from the Purl Bee blog is this unique Sunny Tied quilt

Thank you...and See You Soon

Thanks everybody for the beautiful words about my Good 'N Plenty dress! I was so overwhelmed and touched by how many of you decided to comment to let me know you liked it. Lately, I wondered if anyone was even reading this site. I definitely suggest you all make yourselves one as it really was easy, even though I dragged my feet on mine.

I am finishing up one last wardrobe item and then I'm clearing up my sewing/craft area for a while. I don't like how sewing has become just another thing on my seemingly endless to-do list instead of being something I can't wait to get home to do. So, I'm taking a break. I'll also be taking a break from this blog and from SHELTERhome. I need to devote myself to another higher priority task which involves making more money so that I can pay some bills. I think I was using sewing, blogging, and reading blogs as an excuse sometimes. A very flimsy excuse, at that.

So, I have one last post here (maybe next week) and there is a doozy of a post that I just put up here. If you like the mid-century set decor of Mad Men, how about looking at my break-down of the one set that has not received any Internet love until now...I present to you the very feminine and put together home of young married couple Joan and Greg Harris. How no one else has written about this little jewel box of an apartment beats me. I hope you will enjoy the time and research that I put into it.

By the way, it is my third breakdown of a female TV characters' home, check out my other posts on Mary Richards and Monica Geller-Bing.

Take care, and I hope you'll be around in a month or so for my return because I have some great projects planned on the horizon.

Wish me luck!

Temptation...

Well, this week I visited both Hancock Fabrics and Jo-Anns to drop off applications for part-time work (yup, I live dangerously) and took the time to peruse their fall offerings.

Hancock had some rayon challis prints, nothing spectacular but it made me notice I hardly ever see this fabric anymore. In high school, most of my sewing was with challis and I loved it for long skirts with just a bit of structure and lots of flow. In the fall, there were always some incredible prints in fall colors. I wore a lot of rust, brown, and cream back then.

Also did you know that Hancock carries an entire John Deere collection of cotton, fleece, and flannel prints? Um, yeah.

Gray-Red, Larkspur brushed plaids - English Accent collection

Grey-Brown, Purple-Black, and Black-Grey-Blue brushed plaids British Frenzy collection

At Jo-Ann's I fell in love again. They have two new collection of plaids, houndstooths, and tartans called British Frenzy and English Accent that are just lovely. I would want skirts, shawls (and I don't even wear shawls!) jackets, and maybe if I were feeling frisky, a pair of plaid cigarette pants.

Oh my, what the wardrobe I would have if I ever had the money, time, or motivation. Some day, some day...

Images: My own photo (from high school), Jo-Ann Fabrics

A New Header For The New Year

Happy New Year!

Yes, I was awake, watching "Away We Go", took a break at 11:59 to toast myself with sparkling grape juice and listen to "Being Alive" (remember?) to coax me into a new attitude for life in 2010.

Ending 2009

Sewing-wise:

• February: winter scarves for my sisters and their men (sorry, no pictures)
• April: gray "quick project" skirt, 2 Wee Wonderful dolls and a pair of baby booties
• May: Worked on this thing for the last time!
• June: yellow top (Simplicity 3835), hopscotch skirt (Simplicity 8126)
• July: Anda dress
• August: 2 knit dresses for my nieces (Simplicity 2804)
• September: purple knit top (New Look 6807); three half slips
• November: I even discovered an oldie but goodie, that I've since worn (see below).
• December: knit dress (Vogue 9277)

 Me at the Virginia House.

I only bought a few notions, a few yards of extra knit fabric from the niece project, some lining fabric for this Colette pattern, and four vintage patterns. I even sold some four yards of my stash fabric so I was pretty good.

I was amazed at how my feelings about sewing are different than they used to be; I LOVED sewing when I was younger, the more difficult a project, the better. Now I have no patience....NO patience whatever! It's amazing. I hope in the new year I will get that love back as I can't keep away from a good sewing blog but with that comes disappointment in myself. Not particularly healthy, no?

Life-wise:

In 2009, after five years, I finally went to all the doctors one is supposed to see regularly like your dentist, etc. Which proves without a doubt that I've been scared to really live my life since I moved back here. That crap is going to stop in 2010.

Happy New Year!

The New Year Prophecy

Some years ago I got it into my head (and still can't get it out) that what I'm actually doing on New Year's Eve, when it hits midnight, would influence the coming year. I want to stop doing that, as it's a lot of pressure, but every year or so it turns out eerily so.

Check this out from last year's post on my New Year:

...When I got home, I turned up the heat, had soup and toast, and laid down for a short nap. I woke to see on the clock 8:20 PM, vowed to get up but the next thing I saw was 3:20AM on the clock! Oh well...I sure hope this doesn't mean I'm doomed to sleep through 2009...

As it turns out that is exactly how I would describe what I DID DO with this past year. I sleep-walked through the whole thing.

So tonight, wish me luck.

Happy Holidays!

Sorry, I didn't post this message earlier but I was too busy having a great holiday to blog. YES, despite my melancholy this season and the like-minded posts I wrote about it, I had one of the best holidays I've had in awhile. I didn't even need to make a Bingo card* this year.

Excerpt from a November New York Times article on holidays and tension:

Betsy said her cousin also complained of holiday meal tension with her own family, so the two devised a strategy to help each other cope. Each made bingo cards, but instead of numbers, the squares were filled in with some of the negative phrases they expected to hear during the meal, like “That outfit is interesting” or “Your children won’t sit still.” As comments were made at the separate family celebrations, each woman would mark her card.

“Whoever fills up a bingo row first,” Betsy said, “sneaks off to call the other and say, ‘Bingo!’ ”

I not only met new cool people, got to talk to my great-aunt about sewing (she made my mother's wedding dress!), played with little kids, three dogs, and two cats, ate great food every three hours practically, but I also spent up to two hours with either a loving, purring kitty or a four-month old baby on my lap. Hoo-boy, this was a fun holiday! Hope yours was great too.

Here's to 2010 being even better!

*The Bingo cards are an excellent idea; wish I had them years ago! Thanks for letting me know about them, ATG!