Hello Funny Pants

Today was my day off from work.I decided to make a muslin for pants from my weekend pattern purchase,Butterick 5192.This is a Connie Crawford Long,pattern.It boasts "modern fit with ready-to-wear sizing",which appealed to me,because sometimes I'm lazy,and don't want to do a muslin.However.something in the back of my mind said,"make a wearable muslin"and I'm glad I did.

I took my hip and waist measurements and cut out the appropriate size and put together my muslin. I make them Capri length because I was limited in fabric and figured if they fit I could use them next spring.This was not to be.They are waaay to big.

Have you ever made something so funny looking,that you could get mad,because you were laughing so hard? When I turned and look at the butt in the mirror,I almost fell out...laughing that is.

Look out!

The center back of the waistband has a little hill in it.I think that is for extra butt room so that, when you sit,your pants don't slide down.
I'm going to go back to one of my TNT pants patterns.I'm not knocking Connie Crawford Long's pattern,I'm just telling you that this one runs extremely large and it was far from the "ready-to-wear"pants,I've ever worn.
I'll try the jacket from the pattern some other time.Right now, I need pants.
Oh well ,back to the sewing room.

Great Weekend

It has been a great weekend,even though I had to work on Saturday.Friday afternoon,I cut and sewed up this sweater jacket from McCall's 5485.The fabric is a chenille knit from my stash.This jacket was so easy to put together.There is no interfacing or buttons.Sewing with knit is the way to go,when you need something quick and easy.I needed something easy after struggling,for two whole weeks, with this jacket,from McCall 5188.I used dark brown crepe fabric and lining fabric from the stash.I had a very hard time getting the sleeves in properly and had to take them out twice.Not one notched lined up during the whole process.I'm not too happy about the fit but,I'm think I can slide by with wearing it,till I make a better one.

, Saturday morning I went to a huge yard sale and found this Rowenta iron,practically new and in the original box with the instructions,for a cool $2 bucks.It will be great to have one for my classes and sewing getaways.After the yard sale,I went to work for a few hours,but my weekend fun continued after that.I got off from work at 4pm,picked up DD for a little fashion shopping for her and pattern shopping for me. I picked up these. I spent the evening sewing,talking and eating pizza,with my friends,Linda and Ebony.Time spent with them is always a pleasure. After seeing their beautiful creations,I'm filled with all kinds of ideas for the next few projects.They both love sewing with knits and have gotten me addicted too.

Today,I went to church and spent the day relaxing with tea,magazines and a little more sewing.

I'm totally renewed and ready for the week ahead.

The "Real Fit For Real People"Jacket

Way back in July,I began working on a jacket,using the Palmer and Pletsch book,"Real Fit For Real People".(see this post) As I was going along,getting a good fit,I decided to learn tailoring techniques using a book by Cecelia Podolak,"Easy Guide to Sewing Jackets".Both books are loaded with techniques that are well illustrated, easy to understand and best of all ...they work.

My jacket was finished and, after I made a pair of matching pants,I entered it into the Georgia National Fair.Now I have my suit back,finally and here it is. I wore it today,for the first time.


The jacket is from Vogue 8042 and the pants are from Vogue 8157.Both pattern are recently OOP but you might have them in your pattern stash.I plan on using it again and again.The alterations I require are:

• FBA
• Reduction in the shoulder area for slope shoulder.
• Increase at the sides
• Shortening the sleeves

While DD had time to take a few photos,I threw on the garments I made during my last "sew-in"with my friends,Linda and Ebony . I made the black pants from ponte knit and cut out the jacket during our gathering.I finish the jacket and top the next couple of evenings.

The jacket is from McCall's 5241 .The tank top underneath I copied from tracing a RTW top.I used cotton interlock fabric from Hancock Fabrics, for the jacket and top.I'd like to try a lighter knit, so that maybe it would drape closer to the body and create a more flattering effect.The necklace was given to me by Ebony.She made it! She is very talented.

Well I'm heading back into the sewing room.Since "Project Runway" season is over,I've got an extra hour to use for sewing time.

Quick Quiz

Check out this little quiz. It's super fast, just 2 questions.

Here's my result.

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are an Ingrid!

You are an Ingrid -- "I am unique"

Ingrids have sensitive feelings and are warm and perceptive.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Give me plenty of compliments. They mean a lot to me.
• * Be a supportive friend or partner. Help me to learn to love and value myself.
• * Respect me for my special gifts of intuition and vision.
• * Though I don't always want to be cheered up when I'm feeling melancholy, I sometimes like to have someone lighten me up a little.
• * Don't tell me I'm too sensitive or that I'm overreacting!

What I Like About Being an Ingrid

• * my ability to find meaning in life and to experience feeling at a deep level
• * my ability to establish warm connections with people
• * admiring what is noble, truthful, and beautiful in life
• * my creativity, intuition, and sense of humor
• * being unique and being seen as unique by others
• * having aesthetic sensibilities
• * being able to easily pick up the feelings of people around me

What's Hard About Being an Ingrid

• * experiencing dark moods of emptiness and despair
• * feelings of self-hatred and shame; believing I don't deserve to be loved
• * feeling guilty when I disappoint people
• * feeling hurt or attacked when someone misundertands me
• * expecting too much from myself and life
• * fearing being abandoned
• * obsessing over resentments
• * longing for what I don't have

Ingrids as Children Often

• * have active imaginations: play creatively alone or organize playmates in original games
• * are very sensitive
• * feel that they don't fit in
• * believe they are missing something that other people have
• * attach themselves to idealized teachers, heroes, artists, etc.
• * become antiauthoritarian or rebellious when criticized or not understood
• * feel lonely or abandoned (perhaps as a result of a death or their parents' divorce)

Ingrids as Parents

• * help their children become who they really are
• * support their children's creativity and originality
• * are good at helping their children get in touch with their feelings
• * are sometimes overly critical or overly protective
• * are usually very good with children if not too self-absorbed

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged by Sandy of Sandy's Sewing Niche. Thank you,Sandy.Here are seven facts about me.

1. I took my first sewing class in 7Th grade and did not learn a single thing.The teacher spent all her time with 3 of her favorite students and totally ignored the rest of us.


2. My Mom taught me how to sew after the sewing class fiasco.I still didn't want any part of sewing.I made a couple of things because she forced me .Thank god for mothers.


3. I love watching horror movies,while eating Lemon Heads,buttery popcorn and Coke


4. I still read comic books between the "serious reading"novels,spiritual,motivational and how -to books.


5. I began teaching my own sewing class this past August/Sept. This was something I've always dreamed about doing. It is fantastic. I think I may have found my passion.


6. I think have too many hobbies.That's why I had to get a job.LOL. Sewing,painting,knitting,doll making,reading...there just isn't enough time in the day.


7. I like to cook from different recipe books .Today I made a Humming Bird Cake from the book,"Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott.

Now I'm tagging:

Charlene

Kelroc

Kassmin

Lesa

State Fair Sewing

The Georgia National Fair has opened and my friends,Linda and Ebony were so excited.We entered items in the sewing competition for the first time and guess what? We won ribbons and ca$h. Here are Linda and Ebony with the fabulous pant suits they entered and won ribbons for.I'm truly blessed to have these ladies as friends.It made this experience absolutely fabulous.I won 3 blue ribbons(1st place). One for this pantsuit.It is the one I blogged about here

back in July.

One blue ribbon for this trench coat.
I won a blue ribbon for my jeans which are not pictured and red ribbons(2ND place) for this jacket,a pair of coordination pants(not pictured) and a rag doll.

This post is not about boasting or bragging. It's about encouragement. I think that when we put our works out there for others to see,it says,"Hey you,this game is fun! Come on and play! "

It was nice to see so many others participating in this sewing competition. I wonder if any of them blog?

After all of that walking around and looking(4 hours) and 30 extra minutes of me trying to find my car(I went to the wrong parking lot),and long drive home,I had no energy left to sew.

I went to bed with a Threads magazine,a Coke and a smile.