Thursday, April 3, 2014

Popping up from the Rabbit Hole

Heh.  How does this happen?  I happily blog along, posting my progress on sewing and other crafty fun things, and suddenly I get totally sucked into life and completely ignore the blog.  I haven't been ignoring sewing though, completely on the contrary!  I've been very productive in March.

Yesterday, I thought a bit about why I've been not posting, as I completed yet another project (this time a shiny black faux leather snakeskin print - whew, lots of adjectives for that one! and I think it looks awesome on me) and realized a few things.  The biggest one is that my pictures are kind of crap (I'm talking about you, cellphone photo and nighttime basement lighting), and they don't honestly (in my opinion anyway) represent what I've been sewing, or completing, or wearing.  I've also been putting off taking pictures of my completed objects because quite honestly, I've outgrown my dressform (ahem, need to ramp up the exercise now that spring is here) only by a bit mind you, but enough for my completed items to look BLECH on it (yeah, that's a great descriptive word).

I just realized while reviewing my draft post, that after working a full time plus job all week , I also have been going to pattern drafting class on Friday nights, garment sewing class all day Saturdays, and ski patrolling all day on Sundays at one of our local hills.  Hmmm...geez...and I wonder why I haven't been posting??!

So, I've retreated down into the rabbit hole, and not posted.  I'm also WAY behind on actually reading the blogs I've subscribed to - like 749 posts behind on Bloglovin.  I'm doing what I can to catch up, because I LOVE the inspiration and feel connected to my sewing/knitting/decorating/cooking internet friends that way.  That being said, I *still* have been finding time for sewing.  I sew at night, and even on my lunch hours when I'm working at the office for the day (I live only 10 km away so it's a quick drive up the highway).

Here's a bit of a re-cap.  My goals for March included:

  • Finish grey version of McCalls 6436 Check!  Done, and worn a few times.
  • redraft pants pattern and sew mockup (homework, but I'm loving it!!) Check!! I have PERFECTED the pants sloper and am very excited!  I'm working on my sixth pair of PERFECT pants, which I only have to hem and they'll be done.
  • make at least one pair of OhhhLulu panties in woven fabric Hmmm.  Nope, though I have been thinking a lot about this and designing many pairs in my imagination!
  • find cream wool crepe and pink wool crepe in my stash (this could be the one task that takes the longest!!) HAH.  I didn't find either fabrics, and actually purchased a pink wool crepe to fashion my skirt for my spring SWAP plans.  The justification for that is that I didn't want to take the time to search through my stash, I wanted to spend the time sewing!!  LOL.  I also subbed the cream wool crepe for a high quality cream poly crepe, which suited my purpose as well. So technically I can cross that one off my list.

My sewing goals for April include:

  1. Make a few quick knit tops for the tradeshow I'm attending starting on Sunday (cutting at least one out tonight!).  Oh weekends, how I love you now that skiing season is over.  I can accomplish SO much!!
  2. Make at least one pair of OhhhLulu panties in woven fabric.
  3. Revise Spring SWAP plan, I veered off track a bit and need to review and refresh the plan
  4. Come up with a design for my "exam" trousers/pants - due on April 25th.
  5. Sew an outfit for myself for an evening event on May 3 that I'm attending
  6. Pick a pattern/design an outfit for an event I'm attending on May 16 I've already chosen the fabric, just have to narrow down the design choices!
  7. Sew a dress for my daughter for the same event on May 16 (mockup/muslin is already done, fabrics are chosen and in display on my dining table)
I'm also hoping to do some research on a cheap (inexpensive, not poor quality) tripod and remote for my camera, so hopefully I can post some of the awesome stuff I've been making.

Hmm - that sounds like a busy month.  Throw in a bit of travel for work, and I wonder how much posting I'll get done this month!  ;)  I think I'll leave off the knitting goals for now.  No pressure!