Happy Holidays were indeed such.

2 reasons I haven't posted much:
1. Finals
2. These two:  Mom and Brother.

I have been sewing, so more adventures soon!

SLM

When finals are over...

... has been a mantra for a while now.
I am currently taking a 30-minute break to stand in line at the post office to pick up mailing supplies so that I'll be able to send things to my mom and brother for Christmas, and thinking of all the things I would rather do tonight and tomorrow morning instead of writing papers and exams. Lovely how that works out, isn't it? But. I have motivation in the form of fabric goodness that really, REALLY wants to become a quilt. I picked up some cottons that work together too wonderfully for words… I'm trying to bribe myself to finish paper #1 by getting to put them all together in real life and not just in photos. And when paper #2 is submitted late tonight, I get to wash them all while I work on exam #1 and paper #3. Then it's cutting time! I'm excited to make my very first quilt top.
And a tree skirt.
Thank Heavens for the kind words of encouragement from lots of people in many spheres of my life. I wouldn't make it through without it.

Pretty presents...

I'm hoping for a China-Free Christmas.  Here's some of the progress.



Mom's gift.  Has been decided upon, and I'm soooo psyched about it, because I think she'll really enjoy it.  However, she reads so I won't write.  I'm still hoping to persuade her to spend Christmas in my home (AHEM, Mama, pleeeease say yes?) so I can see her open it.  

Jewelry Sets:

Well, much like my sewing, I get the concept out, and I get the things put together, and it’s those finishing touches like, oh, closures, and matching earrings that get put off… But it’s all there, and it’ll get knocked out pretty quickly once I sit down for a second. 

 

Quilt:

The fabrics are coming together nicely.  I'm really getting excited about it.  I bought my mat and ruler and rotary cutter 2 weeks ago on Sunday (hooray for straight lines), so real progress is a-comin'! But... I will say I really like the fabrics I have right now...  We found some in a shopping adventure and others are old shirts that were favorites and no longer fit after big weight loss... They look great with the things in the quilt, they are 100% cotton, and I can't think of a more special way to re-use them.  

And honestly,  have you ever realized how much fabric is in a single shirt?

Wow.  Sleeves themselves are huge...

At this point, I’m going with measurements, and a wing and a prayer.  So far,  I have inspiration photos from pinterest and I've made inquiries for advice from the lovely ladies at SG.   I’ll add the widths of the strips up as I go, and make it to the measurements that I’m aiming for… I’m giving some thought to the whole idea of the back, and piecing it with log cabin squares, or maybe another shape… And some pillow covers.  But my goal currently is to have the piecing all done by finals and to find a good source for batting and all… I suspect I’ll be headed back to Whipstitch for some advice.  


Now to finish work so I'm allowed to play!


Happy day, friends.  

Christmas promises

I am not buying a single pre-made, straight-from-a-big-box-store decoration for my home for Christmas.

There, I said it, so it MUST be true.  Right?

I did buy things…

An angel to hang over my nativity (Ten Thousand Villages, an amazing Fair-Trade store)

A citrus garland from Columbia (Ditto)

A tree stand (bought at the local Ace Hardware)

And I have a few things…

Christmas balls purchased on sale last year after Christmas

White lights

Crystal from an old chandelier

Ornaments from our family Christmas tree that I’ve cherished since I was a kid

A nativity, made in Peru, from my mama

As for making things?

Already started on paper ornaments.  These are so much fun, and will make great bows for Christmas gifts!

An idea is floating around in my head for a tree skirt.  Thrift Store here I come…

It’s the holidays, y’all. 

What are you making?

Christmas is a month away? WHAT?!

Gwen and the calendar (Can you believe it’s the middle of November??) got me thinking Christmas... And I AM making gifts.  There isn’t, in my humble opinion, a substitution for handmade things or carefully chosen things… and if I give gifts, I give these kinds of things.

Yes.  I have started.  I have necklaces and earrings for many of the ladies in my life.  The boys will get baked goods.  My baby brother is getting recipes and the supplies to make them and shirts that’ll fit his gangly arms… which I won’t be making.  Blankets galore for little ones and expecting parents.  Mom reads the blog so I don’t know that I’ll talk about her gift… I’m excited about it though. 

I am making one gift that's pretty huge... A quilt.  Pinterest knows about it.  The recipient knows about it and has agreed not to read about it... and chose the palate with 3 lovely fabrics, pictured, and added to it with shirts and other reclaimed fabric.  

I’ll be digging into the collection and looking at vintage fabrics- not all flat folds of fabric but upcycling too- to mix in.

Now YOU get to hold me accountable for it too.  Here's to finishing by Christmas, right?

“But Sarah…” you might be thinking, “You don’t quilt.”

It’s a true statement, friends.  But… I dunno.  Something tells me that although this quilt is my first solo attempt, it will not be the last one, and will be a good way to sew more than I have been.  You can probably guess there hasn’t been much sewing happening… and you know, my mood relates to it.  I was soooo crabby yesterday it wasn’t funny, and while there were many factors, I think one of ‘em is a lacking in flexing my creative muscles. 

So I will flex them in the coming weeks... I've already started.  Some straight lines.  Lots of alterations are on the docket, and more are no longer on the docket... It's kinda nice.

I am well aware that a large part of me really wants to create too, though… and I will.  The quilt is a part of that, and so are some really great dresses and skirts.

Whipstitch Fabrics

Online, Whipstitch Fabrics is home of Sewing Buddies and many other great forums.  And some amazing classes and tutorials.  And a creative and ever-changing blog.  A great Etsy store. 

But, as I am an Atlantan of sorts, I finally made it to the brick-and-mortar store, friends!  And boy, am I glad I did, even though it’s waaaay after I mean to.  It’s so great.  I can’t wait to have an excuse to go back, and boy, do they give you plenty of excuses…

Great quilting fabrics and good clean lines… 

Pretty baskets of half-yard cuts and fat quarters. 

Great spools of antique ribbon that will be a great pair of headbands…

Open space they share with everyone when they aren't teaching their awesome classes.

And the light... Oh, the natural light.  

I didn't take pictures of the store, just the great stuff I got from it... A definite foul on my part.  But it won't be the last time I'm there.  More eventually!

Wardrobe Wednesdays: Overlap

I had to do a closet switch, FINALLY.  

This is a great thing, friends... Fall temperatures have necessitated the pulling out of sweaters and jackets  and made vests feel appropriate once more... Have I shared how much I love vests?  I do, I really do...

But we'll talk about that later.  Let's go back to categories.

As I was thinking about my categories, I felt the need to show you guys how much they overlap.  So, I put some work into a chart this week.  And then realized the chart didn't do justice to how much overlap really happens, so we're a day late because I took some extra time.  Next week will be about versatility basics too, but there's the diagram... 

The overlap is important.  There are things that I wear to class and on the weekend, like jeans, and very rarely sweats.  There are things on the other end of the spectrum I wear to class that I wear to church and to work.  

There are things I will wear like it's nobody's business.  Seriously.  Most often these are dancing things and fun sun-dresses, and man oh man do I love em.  But... That's me.  

I think everyone could do these kinds of diagrams, and I think overlap happens.  Overlap is the product of well-made pieces and a cohesive wardrobe.  Pat yourself on the back for it.

Categories will be back next week with some more on overlap and list time.  This post is too late already!

Fall and Projects

When real life hits, escaping to the land of ribbon and lace and fabric, glorious fabric, will often make everything better.

Well, I'm counting on it.  Reality bites every so often, and now is one of those times.  So, to keep my sanity and update my fall wardrobe, I'll be sewing along with a 6-piece wardrobe!

They have top and bottom suggestions, but I see some dresses happening in addition to some staples.

I've updated the queue.

The projects, in order of "appearance":

swirly 10-gore (maybe partial circle or kickpleats instead) skirt in brown floaty rayon from stash... possibly with the bow from the Lunch Date skirt I want to make.  

herringbone vest from stash

herringbone pencil skirt from stash

denim half-sleeve jacket from stash that I started last year and apparently didn't blog about

red swishy dress from stash

green knit top from stash

Notice a common thread? 

Yup.  I'm on a fabric diet.  It's time to use what I have and finish up old things too... It's all this crazy organizing.  I want to be a good steward of what I have, and that means using it, not it sitting on a shelf.  Plans from old SWAPS are turning into this cluster of things I will wear.  Yay!

Wardrobe Wednesday: Categories!

The Academic Wardrobe is providing the food for today’s thought.  In planning a wardrobe, you have to plan for YOUR life… and what that looks like.  So, the idea of what composes the perfect list of basics and the perfect number of things you should have off of that list of basics should get based on how you live your life.  Here are my categories and some things:

-Class/weekend (4-5 days/week in class)

-Dance/going out (dance at least once a week, going out twice a month)

-Work/Church (3 days/week)

-Gym (ideally, 3 days/week)

      Running/general workout

      Cycling

-Dress-up Day

      Interview/funeral/preaching clothes

-Dress-up Night (maybe once or twice a semester)

      Cocktail hour, weddings, evening-wear

-Weather

      Rain, cold, etc.

-top drawer

      Undies, jammies, etc.

Now, how many of what go into each of these categories? How do you decide?

Consider your habits… How often are you doing these things?  I put my usual schedule in parentheses. How much space do you have to donate? How often do you like to do laundry? You want to make sure you have enough clothes to get you between laundry days. Bottoms can be re-worn sometimes, tops less often.  Enough to mix it up is nice, but not so much that you don’t wear things… And this is where you really have to determine YOUR perfect amount, in the words of the unclutterer.

Okay.  Now, this is the part where I leave it right here and go achieve this step in my own wardrobe.  I'd love to know if these are steps any of you are taking in your own wardrobes, or which systems and categories you have.  

Happy day, friends!

Wardrobe Wednesday: Clean out 2

Well, it turns out that school is counter-productive to wardrobe reform. 

But.  Fall is not.

As the seasons change, I have a great desire for cohesion, friends.  And a touch of paring down.  Nancy’s Week 1 has been my guideline, and I really do want to work on it, it’s honestly about the time to do so right now. 

I want to organize, and get control of things while it’s still warm enough to clean out, and run back and forth to my car, throw open the windows, and pare down Summer before I have to add Fall and Winter clothes into the mix… because here in Georgia, it may be fall according to the calendar, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it.  And the cleaning? Well, we won’t get into that.  This is, after all, Wardrobe Wednesday, not one of  Sarah’s crazy nesting/cleaning/home-making post.  Go here for that. 

I’m on an organizing kick, and I’m going to link to some things I think will help me, and maybe they’ll help you too!  There are some links that are general, but all are on my current wavelength. 

• Apartment Therapy has collected closet things. 20 beautiful ideas that gave me a serious case of closet envy.
• When you see these, you’ll need something attainable to aim for, go look here for a very comprehensive, picture-heavy post.  Organizing Made Fun is great AND attainable for all of us. 
•  Discardian’s hanger trick: flip em around, and when you’ve worn something, it gets to be flipped back.
• Lest these things seem expensive, go check out The OrganizedHome’s post on frugal organizing- not everything needs an expensive system.
• Peter over at Male Pattern Boldness is always great, and his Daily Ditch is an inspiration.  
• And on removing general clutter in our lives, Discardia is great.

Be inspired, friends! Clean out those closets before winter sets in!