SCOOPIN' THE GOOP

Grace told me the other day that we needed to make another jack-o-lantern and when Grace says we need to do something we don't waste any time doing it! Jim went to three places before he found the perfect pumpkin and we set to work after school. Grace was insistent that this was a girl so we changed her name from Jack to Jacqeline. So ours is not a jack-o-lantern but a jacqueline-a-lantern. Grace took her home and put a wig, a crown and earrings on her! So cute!

A GOOD OUTCOME

I was rather disappointed after my class with Sandra Betzina with the jeans I was making but decided to keep working on them. (The details about the remake are in an earlier post.) And I am so glad I didn't quit because in the end they turned out quite nice. I very happy with the overall fit and although they were a bit labor intensive I will probably make them again with a couple of minor changes. I'll lower the waist not just in the back but all the way around by 1/2" and cut the front leg slightly larger on the outer edge. I like my pants and jeans to fall straight from the largest area of the hip and not curve in at the knee. I will also skip the belt loops - I did them this time but not like the pattern instructed but as they would be done on any other pair of jeans.

For the pockets I used a cotton print, it adds a bit of fun and reduces the bulk in the stomach area. I also did not serge the seams but pinked them before topstitching. One of my favorite tips from Sandra was to use a triple stitch for topstitching. I had never paid any attention to this stitch before but am so glad I discovered it.

I REALLY WASN'T GOING TO DO THIS

but it was like I was back in junior high andjust because everyone else had one I wanted one too. In junior high it was a tent dress and a bench coat, today it is a maxi dress. I don't think I'll get much wear out of a maxi dress but I loved Erica's and so I decided I'd just throw caution to the wind and live large. And the best part, I did it all for $6.00 and a few hours! I found this cute lycra knit at Joann's for $3.00 a yard and used super easy McCalls pattern 5039. I envision wearing my maxi dress at home for casual dinners on the patio or when we go to a friend's. And it will be nice to just slip on at the end of the day when I want something comfortable but I'm not ready for my pajamas. I made it by a size 12 and the only alteration was to lengthen the bodice 1 1/2".

AUGUST 25, 1979

at 7:00 in the evening I married the man I always dreamed about. A kind and gentle man, a man who would cherish me, pamper me, love me, treat me with respect, praise me, protect me, encourage me, provide for me, challenge me, understand me, excite me, die for me, teach me, laugh at me, listen to me, be proud of me.... me, me, me. The list goes on. This dear sweet man I married does all this and more. He's made me a better person, through his selfless ways he has shown me what it really means to love someone. I pray God gives me another 30 years with my sweetheart so I can give back to him just a little of the joy he has given me.

THE LAST OF SUMMER

Our garden is a sad reminder that the last days of summer are here. We are still getting a few squash and some tomatoes and the peppers are turning red but the vines are staring to die and I know it won't be long until I come home with an empty basket. This city girl is proud of our well stocked freezer since this is only my second year for a garden. Next year I hope to add a few more things to the mix and go totally organic. The only thing I don't like about the garden is that it shows no respect for my schedule - if I'm busy or traveling it still grows! And when it grows there is food that will spoil if I don't do something with it, Right Then! I don't know why I didn't grasp that concept sooner.

The last days of summer also mean it's time to wind up summer sewing and make a few transitional items. This dress, Vogue 8555, is the last garment I'll make for warm weather. It is an easy feminine dress that suits my style and I will definitely use the pattern again. The fabric is a loosely woven cotton rayon blend so it was necessary to underline the bodice and midriff inset for stability. I eliminated the side pockets, shortened the skirt 2 inches and added 3/4" to the bodice lenghth over the bust area to adjust for a full and low bust. I cut a size 12 except at the shoulder and there I cut a size 8. I needed the length over the bust but not from the shoulder to the bustline. I have a wonderful gray and coral floral that I got at Textile Fabrics last month in Nashville that would be perfect in this style but...
I also have piles yes, piles of fabric in the floor of my sewing room begging me to bring them to life. I have decisions to make.

POCKET RESTYLE

My jeans are almost finished- all I have to do is sew on the pockets. When I pinned the original pocket on the jeans to determine the placement I realized how big the pockets were. So I started looking at my other jeans and saw that those pockets were a good inch shorter and instead of being a rectangle they tapered 1/2 inch in on each side. So I decided to remake them using the pockets of the ready made jeans as a quide. This was a good reminder to be more observant of garment details and save myself a little time by not remaking things.

JEANS with SANDRA BETZINA

Last month I had an opprtunity to take a jeans/pants class with Sandra Betzina. At first I was undecided as to wheather or not it would be to my advantage since I had spent several months working to make a pants sloper that I was pleased with. I wasn't sure I wanted to invest the time or money involved to make a pair of jeans that might never be to my satisfaction. But in the end I decided to give it try.

One great thing about the class was that Sandra had her jeans and pants made in every size so that the students could try them on. She measured and fitted each one of us and then showed us the necessary alterations. The major adjustment she had me to make was to add 1" to the crotch depth. In all my many years of sewing I have never found it necessary to add to this measurement! But hey, she's the expert so I did as I was told. I also tapered in the back yolk at the center back and tapered from the side seams to the center back taking off 3/8 of an inch. These are adjustments I've always made.

I prefer to make my test garments in fashion fabric so they are wearable and I don't usually find that muslin will duplicate many of the same qualities of the fabric, consequently there are still adjustments to be made to the final garment. So why not just make it fabric similar to the final garment to begin with. So for my jeans I used denim that I purchased from Fabric.com. The class was from 8am to 3pm and it was about 11 before I could actually start sewing. I don't know about anyone else but for me that is not alot of time to make jeans so after I constructed the pockets I just machine basted everything else together for a fitting. I was not happy with the fit but Sandra thought it was great. The waist was half way between my waist and bust-- this is not generally the way I wear my jeans so I left the class rather disappointed.

I felt there was potential and I didn't want to give up so I took the jeans apart and
recut the back piece and cut a new fronts, thankfully I had lots of fabric. I took out the 1" Sandra had me add to the crotch and magic happened! All that remains to be done is sewing on the pockets and hemming. I am so excited and can't wait to get them finished and take a picture! So in the end I made only a small adjustment that I would have made anyway and I have perfect fitting jeans.