Baby It's Cold Outside!!!

Here it is almost noon, and the temperature is a whopping 11 degrees out, with a "real feel" of -11.  Damn you Polar Vortex!!!  It's cold ya'll.  The kind of cold that takes your breath away when you have to stumble out in to the 3 inches of snow that are on the ground!  The kind of cold where you have to hurry home from the grocery so that your produce doesn't freeze, and you are cussing everyone in front of you at Starbucks because you NEED a peppermint mocha to warm up.

Here in Indy, we had about three good days of Fall before old man Winter hit.  I am totally unprepared.  No snow boots, no Winter coat, not many warm shirts to be real honest.  I have sewn lighter knits in to some long sleeve shirts, but I need heavy fabric for this weather.  All the sweater knits that I have are just too thin.  I did pick up some sweatshirt material and I will be putting that to good use today or tomorrow.  I also have a few things made that need to be photographed, but they will have to wait!

Friends, I hate to leave you with a short post with no pics, but there are snow boots to be found.  Wish me luck!  

Random Thoughts Thursday

Friends, I am not going to go in to much detail but I am still being plagued by respiratory issues.  I am not doing much sewing or fabric cutting, because I binge sewed one evening (using the serger of course) and the next morning skip to the next paragraph if you have a weak stomach my sputum had textile fibers in it.

I remember reading a while back an article related to garment workers and them having lung problems because of exposure to tiny fibers that would get stuck in their lungs, but I never related that to my own sewing.  I searched the vast interwebs looking for this article, but I could not find it.

I think that maybe I will consider wearing a mask when serging from now on, or at least until my respiratory issues subside.  Since I was already sick, I was a mouth breather which surely lead to more fibers getting in to the lungs.  Don't think for a second that I am blaming this plague on my sewing.  There are mitigating factors here.  My child brought this plague in to our house.  It's mold season.  I have not been taking the best care of my self (stress ya'll...lots of stress).  You get the picture.  What I am saying here is that I think it is possible that sewing fibers may have irritated the situation.   I have NEVER had bronchitis or any other lower respiratory sickness prior to this.

Tell me friends, have any of you noticed more respiratory issues since you started sewing?

Earlier this week I was contacted by Sewmanju, letting me know that I had won a copy of the new Marbella pattern from Itch to Stitch.  I quickly downloaded the pattern, but have not yet taped the pieces together.

Photo from itch-to-stitch,com

One thing that I can already tell you that I like about this pattern is that the sizes are layered in to the pattern, so you can print only the lines for the sizes that you need.  For me I only had to print the 20 which is the largest size available, and I will be grading up from there.  I see this being made in to a perfect LBD in a textured fabric.  Another thing that I like about this pattern is that it is available in sizes 00-20 with pattern pieces for cup sizes A-D.  They even tell you which pages to print for your cup size so that you don't waste paper.  Love that!

Once I am back on the horse, this will surely be one of the first makes on my list.  

One last thing.  Have you heard about the sewing reference book: Fabric for Fashion: The Swatch Book?  (I linked to the Amazon listing, but I am not an Amazon affiliate).  This would make a great addition to any sewist's library.

Image from Amazon.com

Santa, if you are reading this book is at the top of my wish list!  Page after page of fabric swatches with tons of information on construction.  All the swatches are in their raw state so no dyeing or bleaching...just the natural state of the fabric.  What is not to LOVE!!!

What is on your Holiday Wishlist?  I will be posting a full post soon on great items for the sewist in your life, so feel free to give me any suggestions.

Rocking the Curvy Sewing Collective Wrapalong

Well friends, in case you haven't heard...I totally rocked the CSC Wrapalong!  

Here is the dress that I made, and you can read the details of the dress back at this post.

There were two other winners as well, and they really rocked their dresses too!

Debbie who blogs at Stitches and Seams made a classic black and white wrap with a twist, using the Gillian pattern from Muse.

Sabrina who blogs at I Sew, I Knit also made a Vogue wrap dress but used a different pattern than I.  I LOVE the print that she used!

Amazingly, Sabrina and I were both first time sewalongers!  

We each received a $50 gift certificate to Smuggler's Daughter!!!  Woot woot!

I have my eye on a few things...

Maggie London Blue Water Lillies from smugglersdaughter.com

 I can already see the floral dress this would make in my mind's eye!

Tyrian Purple Ponte from smugglersdaughter.com

Yes, I may have a purple addiction.

Teal Sweater Knit from smugglersdaughter.com

Because I need teal leggings!

Congratulations to my fellow wrapalong winners!!!  I can't wait to see what you get from Smugglers Daughter.

November Sewing Projects

Hello Friends!  I feel like it's been a month since I last posted.  November is here (how can it only be 50 days til Christmas???), and October went out with a bang.  Our Halloween was spent finding indoor trunk or treat locations, because it was snowing and windy.  Can you believe it...snow already?  We visited a few senior retirement communities, and the little guy's gangster costume was a big hit with the older crowd.  They were calling him a G man, and make all kinds of jokes with him.  He hated the attention, but loved the candy!

The forecast here is looking cold.  I think we may be in for another brutal Winter here in Indy!  With that in mind, I am trying to think about what items are wardrobe musts for this Winter.

I intend to make a couple more Laurel Tunics from Green Style.  I kind of half arsed reviewed the pattern here.  This time I will be making it in a few sweater knits.  I love leggings and long shirts in the Fall and Winter.  So these Laurel Tunics will be in heavy rotation.

Photo from www.greenstylecreations.com

I think that these are the knits that I am going to use to make more Laurels.  I know the stripey floral is more of a Spring print, but I just don't care.  I make what I like, when I like! ;)

Whats on the cutting table?

I am in search of cable knit by the yard because I think it would make a beautiful Laurel, and if all else fails I see a king size cable knit blanket being made in to something fab to wear.


There is also a chambray tunic with leather details on the November sewing list.  I will be using McCalls M6885 and cutting it down to tunic length.  A long tunic that will cover all my bits when I wear leggings of course!  I will be making view D minus the waist tie, and with the addition of placket sleeves.

I don't have a link or pic of the fabric, but it is just a basic dark blue chambray.  I am not sure what color my leather details will be as there is a lot of leather floating around the sewing haven waiting to be re-purposed.

I will also be working on a shirt dress for Mary's Autumn of 1,000 Shirt Dresses project.  I have the fabric for this and I think I have settled on a pattern too, but this one is a surprise, so no sneak peaks on this one.

I have a fabric in the stash that is begging to be made in to a cape, but I am not sure if I will get around to this.  I seem to be gravitating towards easy sews right now, and this is a woven hounds tooth that is going to be a pain to sew.

You would think with the Holidays drawing near, I would be doing some unselfish sewing in November too, but I just am not feeling like making gifts yet.  I am sure December will roll around and I will be in panic mode making gifts for others.

So friends, what is on your sewing list this month?  Do any of you have a source for cable knit by the yard that you care to share?