sewing and stuff: Today

Listening to the peaceful sounds of the birds and silence, sitting here drinking tea and composing this,  I am grateful.  This is simple, easy, wonderful to me.

I am looking over my shoulder at my shirt I still need to take a picture of, and I still have to go to the store to buy the matching thread...it's okay.  it'll get done when it gets done.

I have been reading about cloth and about fashion history.  I am looking for a fashion history book that is written like a magazine.  I love magazines and find the format so pleasing because I am a visual learner and love pictures.

sewing: refashion

The life artist shirt from the picture in the previous post  is now refashioned..  I just have to figured out one detail and I will post a picture. I kept the sleeves, the neck, and the back of the original shirt intact.

sewing: me and my dressform

This is my dressform.  I have an Ali Edwards shirt that I no longer wear. I am probably going to refashion it very soon.

sewing: stitching for the wash

I am preparing to sew more so I am stitching the ends of fabrics that might unravel.  Now  I am going to throw the yardage in the wash.

sewing: completed shirt

Here it is!  My completed shirt. The hems on the sleeves aren't sewn  I chose to leave them unfinished.  I forgot to get a picture of the back detail.  I wore the shirt yesterday and it was quite comfortable (it is made of knit fabric), just don't get close enough to see the stitches.

sewing: haul

First picture:  bag is about to burst
Second picture: patterns, patterns, patterns,
Third picture: flannel, cotton, and knits, plus scissors and a bias tape maker.

Sewing: Mantra

Today  I focus on this mantra :
When I sew I have all the skills I need to produce a beautiful well sewn garment.  The machine I use has the correct tension  no matter what stitch I choose.

Joann Fabrics has a sale today for the New Year.  I will be back tomorrow with a haul picture.

Sewing: I finished my first shirt

Well, I finished my first shirt.  It is a mess but it is my first shirt and I wore it around the house after I finished clipping the final threads.  My husband was glowing, he was so happy for me.  I am a silly head, so when things  don't "work" out  I make it  "work"  on some level  and it is all fun time after that.  My sewing machine's tension is all off.  I noticed that is works on certain stitches and not the ones  I wanted to use!  So  my stitches have strange tension.  I tested  it  30 times of a scrap piece of fabric and it worked fine, when I started on my shirt  it was all wonky again.  I decided to just keep it that way  after ripping out the stitches  5 times.  I learned a few things  I needed to know  on this shirt  so now  I am off to the next project..soon. Oh  I will post a picture of the shirt on Saturday.

Thrive: 2011

My word for 2011 is THRIVE.

1

: to grow vigorously : flourish

2

: to gain in wealth or possessions : prosper

3

: to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances

Definition #3 is what I was thinking about, but the word actually chose me.  I asked the question what is my word going to be for 2011 and later  it "dawned" on me that I have been seeking to thrive.  Those closest to me know all the details to why this word is so appropriate.  So this is my focus word..

What is yours?

Vizcaya

A recent visit to Vizcaya, my husband and I had not visited this place together, one of my favorite places in the world.  We took our cameras and walked around for two hours.