Itching to get back into my sewing!! What to make first???? Hopefully will have sometime this weekend to decide and get started. Sew many things, sew little time!~!

A Merry  Christmas to all!!! What you believe, how ever you feel May you find the Magic of this time of year!!

Next year it's going to be different! Oh my, haven't we all said/heard that before. Well I am saying it again, of course, in my life every year is different, unfortunately the end result seems to be the same. I just don't know how to make the changes I want, but I know I want this time of year to have more meaning. I am liking the "Holiday Season" less and less as time goes by. As always to much to do, no time to do it, and trying to "please" too many people. I need to really sit down with myself and figure out what I want out of it, how to explain it to others and how to make the changes necessary.  I know alot of the "issues" I'm having with this year is missing the people who will not be physically with me, (My dad who passed this year, My daughter and family) but it's more than that, it's the feeling of "Obligation"; the having to do this, having to do that. I know, I know, we all have obligations but when there are more and more things one does because they feel they "Have To" it's something that has to be addressed. We shall see what happens, of course with the unknown changes that are to occur in the next year some of this may be a mute point.

Anyway.... What a crazy couple of months it has been, vacation, hurricanes, hospitalizations, dealing with all the emotions of the Connecticut tragedy, getting ready for the holidays, Phew!!!  I haven't had the time to update here. Hopefully I will get some photos and brief descriptions of some of the thing I done up in the next several days. I think I am done with my Christmas sewing and of course am already thinking of next year! So many things I want to Sew!!!! With the new year will hopefully get back to wardrobe sewing though not as completely as I thought but a month ago. One of the changes in my life has lead me readdress my sewing. I have decided to put off buying that new machine for at least a year (hopefully mine will keep on chugging). My hubby and I have joined a gym and signed up for personal training! I have wanted to do this for quite some time so when hubby suggested we do it I jumped on it! Going to the gym three times a week will cut into my crafting time but being physically active is so very important. And need to see financially how this will effect the budget before I spend the money on a sewing machine.

In three weeks I have gone from not being able to do a full body pushup to being able to two perfect and one almost!!! Go Me!!! The funny thing is now that I will have less time to sew I am going to need new pants. Oh well may have to buy some while I learn to fit and start making my own. Also plan to revamp some of the ones I have, a nip and tuck here and there. All to be decided next week or next year.

Well enough for now. To anyone reading this May you find the Magic of Christmas and May you hold it in your heart throughout the New Year!!
 

The pull of the moon

I've been thinking of late, the phases of my life or at least my crafting life. I'm very much like the moon, my interests waxing, waning then waxing again. Sewing, cooking, knitting, herbs are the most prevalent with others moving in and around them. Right now Sewing is at the peak, knitting has decided to make a comeback. I'm not a good knitter, super beginner at best. I know knit, purl, yarn over. Garter and stockinette pattern is my only forte and any "pattern" in the except all the way across and back my mind just doesn't want to wrap around. I've made a couple of sweater for the grandbabies and scarves as gifts. I have decided to make scarves again, Ruffle Edged Scarves, for several of my "girls". The idea started during the hurricane, what a perfect time to knit if I was knitting. Sitting in the dim lights of candles and lantern I couldn't read well nor do sewing. But knitting especially a very simple pattern would have worked. So it was in the back of my mind of late and then my boss and I were talking and the subject of these scarves came up; someone we both know made them and my boss liked the look. So... the pattern was sent to her and she gave it to me.
And now momma is in the hospital so I can bring it with me as I sit with her and knit. Timing is another of those interesting things to think about. Hmmm another case of synchronicity???

 Also making adorable little mittens ornaments for all the great nieces and nephews and perhaps others if I have time. Found the pattern online at www.oliverands.com and decided to do a slight variations of hers. 

Will post photos of both the mittens and scarves once I have one or two done. Can I get 15-20 mittens as well as 4-5 scarves done by Christmas??? We shall see.

Pillow for Kassie

 One of the many things I love about sewing and having a stash of many types of fabric is being able to do quick and spontaneous things. My son brought home a big basket for our cat Kassie. She's seventeen years old now and it's getting harder for her to jump up on the furniture. I thought for a moment and Oh I have the perfect fabric for a pillow to put in it. Went in, found a piece of gray fleece and ten minutes later Voila! a pillow for Kassie. That and an old T-Shirt of Phil's and she's a happy kitty!!!

Big Blue and The Rescue

Sewing can be humbling. It teaches you to pay attention to details, look before you leap, and think outside the box among many other things. I wanted a Fleece Jacket, found some great Blue Fleece and what I thought was the jacket pattern I wanted. Cut out the pattern, the fabric, sewed up a storm and then, wait, wait this isn't what I wanted. The hem line belled out and there was much to much fabric under the arms. HMMMMM. So muttered about, signs of frustration building, then my sister stopped by while I was walking around in the jacket trying to decide to just pitch it, finish it and donate it, or cut it up it a thousand little pieces!!!! She loved it, understood what I meant but still thought it was good. SO we took a closer look at the pattern, well, in some ways, the good thing was it looked just like the pattern, Why didn't I notice those things before? I think I was to focused on the front seams that I really liked. Hopefully that will teach me to pay closer attention to the WHOLE picture!! 
  Okay, so great, it looked like it was suppose to, I still didn't like the way it looked on me.  Now what??? Well I took a critical,look at the jacket while on trying to determine just what I didn't like. First the belling bottom, Thought about a number of ways to possible fix that. Had I noticed it sooner (like before I put the zipper in and hemmed it) I think I would have changed up the bottom and put in a drawstring (Dee's idea) but I wasn't going to rip out all that work so decided to attach a piece of 5/8 inch black elastic to the inside hemline. It helped!! not perfect but pulled it in just enough to take a bit of the belling out. Something still not right, I haven't the experience to do anything about the underarm but could possibly do something about the long slope of the shoulder. Decided to try a dart across the top front to back, Eureka! it worked and lined up with the great detailing of the front. Hey she good, she's good! LOL That in turned pulled the sleeves up enough that I didn't have to rehem them.
  The jacket still isn't exactly what I was thinking of but definitely wearable at least until I get around to making the one I originally had in mind.

  I probably won't use this pattern again for me, unless just the front with a different sleeve arrangement.  I wasn't happy with the way the directions had you do the pockets, so would do those differently as well. I know as I continue my sewing journey I will gain the confidence to read the pattern and say no I have a better idea and know how to implement it. For now I will value the learning experience gained by this one and glow a bit in being able to save it from the scrap heap!

Also learning how to set up my camera with it's timer so I don't have to wait for someone to be around to take the photos!!

Reading other peoples blogs has help me tremendously in accepting my mistakes. There's comfort in reading about the "Disasters" of those who seem to have so much more experience. I have to remind myself that while I have been sewing most of my life it's been on and off, and some of the sewers in my life were Get Er Dones, not taking the time to take their work past the obviously homemade look. They did fine but didn't grow, I so want to grow and need to relearn many things and undo some bad habits. Also must learn to be patient with myself. That I think will always be a hard lesson for me.

Made it through and a bit of a rant!

Wow where do I even begin. So very much has happened over the past several weeks, my head is spinning. I guess I will start with my thankfulness. I and mine survived!! Not only survived but came through with what in face of others have, I am calling minor inconveniences. It is interesting how one's perspectives can change in a flash. I had no heat nor electricity for eight days. The fact I had a home, running water, and a stove to cook on through all of it and Hot water for a good part of it; I was able to save most of the food in my freezers and refrigerator, I was one of the most fortunate ones. For this I am so so grateful.

 It wasn't until last evening have I been able to look to at photos of the devastation and destruction. I know these areas so well. I have lived in Monmouth County, New Jersey for all my life (except for a short spell in Va that I choose to push from most thoughts (don't most of us have those!). My heart wrenches with the sight. BUT "we" will not learn from this, some will but that collective "We" will not. Those areas so sensitive to the power of this storm and those that are predicted to come Will not learn.  Homes will be rebuilt in those same places, people will be allowed to live there and build even more, the beaches will be replenished at astronomical costs to the people at a time when so many have so little. It truly makes no sense to me. We cannot continue to be ostriches with our heads in the very sands that are very likely to be washed away again and again. I am not an extremist not an hysteric, I consider myself a relatively intelligent person. I do read, I do listen, I do minor research when I'm not sure of something. Our climate is changing. We are going into a new cycle of weather, what exactly will happen is unsure, but is has been shown the central and north eastern coasts will see more and more crazy storms for at least a number of years. Come on people can we find a little sense???

Enough of that for now It does nothing but aggravate me, SO I am going back into my cocoon. Back to my little world that I know and love. My family and my friends are safe and picking up the pieces. This I will focus on.