Ira Glass says it best.

Something we all should know:

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.” 
― Ira Glass 


Here's to fighting through it.  
One garment, one necklace, one recipe... one whatever at a time.  

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.  

I want to make this skirt.

This, friends, is the Lunch Date Skirt from Spotted Moth.

If you haven't looked around this website, you should. It's dreamy, wonderful sewing eye-candy and man-oh-man, what fun.
... and I have an idea of how to make this cute little skirt, but time? HA!

I have made an epic fail of getting summer sewing done. Life just... gets in the way.

Really, Greek just gets in the way.

For my sanity's sake, Finish-It Fridays may make a glorious return...Heaven knows the refashions awaiting are plentiful... But until I conquer Greek, it's anybody's guess...

How do y'all do it?

How do you balance sewing with life?

Anybody wanna make some curtains and slipcovers for me?

Ugh. Home dec sewing...

Ah yes...

That most dreaded, but necessary chore, doing any form of sewing for the home. I am not looking forward to lots of squares and rectangles, but they're coming...

-bedskirt

-at least 3 pillow shams, if not 5 or 7(living and bedroom)

-curtains, maybe

-covers for nightstands

Fun times, but SO glad to have a big girl apartment to sew for!

Stashoholism Confessional

(props for the term go to The Slapdash Sewist)

I confess… And I have pictures.

Well, it started when I went to Hancock’s for a thing of hem tape… and it was all half off. I walked out with 4 things of trim. I meant to get 2. That’s nothing compared to the amount of damage I did when I saw the $1/$2/$3 table… I bought much of what’s now in the baby blanket stack I showed earlier this week, and a set destined for an apron, which didn't make it into a photo but which you will see soon- probably going to be a wedding present before the end of the year, and some prints for my stash and my sewing buddy... At a third to half the original prices for most of it. That makes it better, right? I saved almost twice what I spent. I get points, right??

If it had stopped at Hancock’s I’d probably be okay, but fabric.com had to go and take an

additional 20% off of my entire cart of deeply discounted pretty fabrics for Spring… so I added some more yardage to the stash. Maybe not as deeply as the Hancock’s stuff, but the thing is I think I’ll sew it all up before the summer is over. Somehow summer sewing is on my brain at the moment, and I won't get too much time to do it in so I felt the need to go ahead and stock up. While the sale signs were up. I can tell you, of the… 20ish yards of fabric that have made their way into the stash this month, I paid full price for a whopping half-yard.

These prints were just too good to pass up- Wild World Bon Vivant in cornflower on the left and Atlas Carnation on the right. Both vaguely reminded me of Istanbul, and I wanted those colors in my closet for spring and summer... As I rarely feel that way about prints, I gladly paid the final price of $3.14 a yard for it( on sale and then couponed too... WIN!)

The solids? Well, I didn't expect the little bit of polish/sheen on the pink broadcloth, and we'll see how it washes, but it's probably going to be a dancing skirt/dress. It pairs well with the carnation print, so they'll play nice at some point. As will the far left blue with my cornflower print , which is described as a lightweight cotton blend twill... It's airy enough to make me think of spinning like a little girl. There was also the white shirting which feels wonderful and has a pattern for a dress shirt ready to go, and an oxford cloth and a pinstripe... More summer dresses.

And here's to posting more. There was a fair bit of catch-up to do, which I have done this week, but this is my stress relief and cheaper than therapy so I see more sewing continuing to happen too.

Even so, it’s time for a fabric diet. Here’s to making cards, using what I have, and only buying notions for a while.

Any tips?

Easter dress... Yes, it IS 5 days away...

Well, I could finish a long-loitering UFO, McCall 5801, or I could cut into some new fabric…

We’ll see. This IS Holy Week, the worst time ever for me to decide, oh, a new dress for Easter. But the one I’m working on? So BROWN… Maybe if I don’t have to buy anything. And I choose a really simple pattern. That I have. And have fabric for. Hmm… Shouldn’t be too difficult.

Option from scratch: Simplicity 4224, view B. I would add kick pleats at the princess seam(5 minutes of altering the pattern for lots of fun? Yes please!), and maybe white(or straight contrast) trim at the hem, drop waist, and as a rosette. No tie belt. I have everything, I'm pretty sure, and it's a pretty straightforward pattern... 6-pc Princess bodice and a skirt, as I would make it, with 4 pleats. Even if I lined the top(I hate facings) I don't think I'd make it too complicated.

Or am I crazy?

We shall see...

Absence meant sewing this time...

A skirt and a dress to be more precise! From stash! Well, the bundle from Fabricmart, but that counts as stash I think... anywho, I made an 8-gore swing skirt a week ago, and could not go straight from the pattern, though I did use one. Simplicity 4881 was the starting point, but did I stop there? Hahaha...

I shortened the pattern 1-1/2" right off the bat, then removed a good amount of width at the top of the pattern to make it more suitable to my stretch knit. The hole in my wardrobe was filled! The skirt came together quickly, and my alterations worked like a charm. Next time I will add gores for even more fullness, but this is a good skirt the way it's drafted.

Photos soon.

And a post about a refashion.

And a dress I made from scratch.

Oh, and the EASIEST baby gift ever. I'll be putting together 2 packages this week, one for my Sewing Buddy, Shannon, of Little Elephant Stitchery. Check out her shop too, she makes some pretty amazing things! My cousin Vanessa is also due next week, so she'll be getting some goodies too- for baby brother and big sister.

Wow, I need to take lots of pictures, or so it seems. Lately I have tried for a garment a week, and have added more yards that will be garments for the summer... but school has to finish up first. We'll see what makes the queue!

3 down, 1 to go!

Yup, almost through. I am working on (ahem, procrastinating) a 15-page paper due tomorrow. I've made some stellar advances in laundry, and I'm sure when I get back to campus I'll make stellar advances in apartment-cleaning before the oh-my-goodness-I-have-to-do-this-now ship firmly arrives.

My procrastination efforts have involved crafting, I'm sure you're excited to note. Here are some bullets before I return to the grindstone.

• pre-washed SWAP fabrics in a laundry marathon
• found an AWESOME tutorial on making continuous bias tape and a new blog to read along with here at Pretty Jane. You'll see the results soon in many a project.
• had dinner with a friend and got a promise to learn how to make chicken parm from a real Italian!
• made a necklace for one of my dinner buddies
• helped another dinner buddy find some cool clothes- he's a shopping- challenged guy friend
• the dishes
• blogged... but I suppose I should really go this time. This paper is not going to write itself.

Wish me luck!

1 down, 3 to go!

Today I've lived in the OT and daydreamed about the day when Hebrew will be done. And it's going to be a pretty good day. Tomorrow at noon, I'm going to walk out of Hebrew and not look at it much till February, when I start Hebrew Exegesis. (Exegesis: critical explanation or interpretation of a text in the bible or portion of the text, often using the original language said text was written in) It's going to be a long night to get there, but the good kind of long night.

Wednesday afternoon I am going to take a short Sabbath of sorts for some shopping... helping one of my dinner buddies find some clothes for himself, covertly buying gifts for the same friend, and picking up some beads and clasps to work on gifts for other friends. It's gonna be a good break.

After we shop, I hope to feel refreshed enough to dive in to the next exam's studying, taking breaks to make gifts for 2 friends and bake 2 or 3 big batches of cookies to send home with friends. One more final on Thursday, and finishing up a 15-page paper on Friday and I'll have finished my first semester.

And then pageant craziness on Saturday and Sunday, and I get to define my very own routine for a whole week... YES! Work at the church in the mornings, have lunch, walk the dogs, and then afternoons of gift making, sending, and maybe even some things for me cut out and coming together...

4 more days...

Happy New Year

You know what I just realized?

Advent began yesterday. Wishes for the new year are not out of place- Advent IS the start of the church's year. I knew, this time last year, my life would look pretty different today, but like this? Couldn't have guessed it... I am glad it looks the way it does though. It's been tough to do, but the best things aren't always easy. Actually, the things that end up being the best are the ones you work for... and that you don't expect, or that aren't the cookie-cutter.

Looking back on the semester, a conversation with one of my favorite pastors comes to mind. He told a group of entering students that the first year of Seminary breaks down your faith as you know it into pieces. The second year shifts them around, and the third puts them back together.

This semester has been a growing time, and I'd be lying if I said it was easy, or that it wasn't worth it.

So today, I'm thankful. I'm glad to be where I am, what I am, and whose I am.

The week ahead...

Today- Hebrew studying, a paper to finish, and a paper to start

Tomorrow- Hopefully time to stop being a sick kid!

Some more Hebrew, my very first staff meeting, Hebrew quiz(zes), and last lunch with everyone here before the holidays start...

Followed by a house-sitting walk-thru and last swing class! These have been SO much fun... If you are in the Atlanta area, check out Down South Swing. They have a lot of really fun things to offer. And they also have some really awesome weekly things they do for the whole community, which just makes it that much better. It's been a good time connecting with my buddy I conned into doing it with me too- I hope he's enjoyed it as much as I have.

And then Tuesday I've got classes with finishing up a paper in between and then I'm DONE! W will be in town that night, my mama the following afternoon, and it'll be the bees knees.

How are YOU celebrating?

Today I'm thankful for the conversations we had tonight- even if I really should have been studying Hebrew instead of enjoying a long, somewhat leisurely dinner. We sat around and sat around, and it was amazing to be in the midst of awesome Brazilian hospitality of a couple of fellow students.

Soul-Filling and Soul-Killing

Alright. This is a bullet point post because I have noooo energy. I'm gonna start with the bad to end on a good note...

Soul-Killing:

• the sheep VOLUME of stuff we have to read for all of these classes
• being away from the people I've thought of as family- my college circle is very much missed.
• 3-hour night classes
• class sizes- I have one class with 61 people- most of my entering class.
• adjusting to adult life- budgeting, getting up before 8 every day...

Soul-Filling:

• classes. Focusing and learning.
• my first apartment
• people. This is the only thing that makes me miss undergrad less- I have been blessed with a second group of really truly amazing people to grow with over the next 3 years
• Decatur. Need I say more? This is a great place to live.
• encouragement abounds here, in everything. Our half marathon training group brings back some awesome memories of times at Transy
• an awesome church job
• being close to family. My mama has already visited once, and I've visited her once. I have no crazy long car trip for Thanksgiving, and can be with family for a weekend anytime I feel the urge.

Today, I'm thankful the good outweighs the bad.

Guess what came?

Well dear readers, this week has been crazy. A couple of days ago I went to check my mail and was greeted to a mailbox overflowing with goodies... including this!

BeeBee sent me the Burda turtleneck that everyone is raving about. I opened the envelope, and it was exciting to see what had everyone raving. I went to my fabric trunk to see what I'd make it in. And then it hit me.

The few knits I have are at my mom's house. 3 hours away.

And you know what else hit me today? Whatever Seminary funk is going around. Or allergies.

But... I did some cutting and a refashion before it got me. My "rough draft" of the pencil skirt for my suit set- McCall 5817- is cut out. I expect alterations, I just don't know where and how much. I'll have to experiment with a lining if this is to be a wearable muslin as well- the pinstripe is on the thin side. And hey, a girl can never have too many pencil skirts. The refashio was of a skirt I've had since middle school. Before my growth spurt, it was low-waisted and went to the floor. It now fits at my waist, as the tailoring intended it to, and I cut it off to just above knee length and brought the flare in about an inch on either side. And voila! Something I will wear!

Tonight I am thankful for understanding professors and TAs. They understand that health is first. And that work is better when we're healthy. Everyone seems to be hitting the rocks with health at the season change, and the profs have been really great about it!

Bedtime, folks. Tomorrow I'm going to start answering questions/comments. A Seminary one first, I think. But I'd like to have more questions to answer, all the better to not have to think so much. Keep bringing em!

SWAP: Reason and Plan

Leaving that in the state I did yestersay, I wonder who had already called it... And who all is reading this, and had watched me plan here or on SG... and who is waiting for me to say it's different.

Do I have more time this year? No.

Do I need to make time this year? Maybe.

What's my motivation? Well, this is much more about Seminary and self-care, so I'll forgive you if at this point you just kinda tune out...

Right now it's about self-care. I don't need the clothes. I really don't. But... My brain needs the stretching outside of the realm of Seminary. I would really like to use this SWAP as a different kind of prayer, and at the same time to have something that isn't about religion and learning to be a pastor. The Seminary experience thus far has stretched me SO much, and I really need to own that, embrace it, and give myself a way to step away from it. SWAP will do that, I hope.

A very inspiring trip, ironically through a class, led me to Laurie Wohl, who works with textiles in a very prayerful, meditative fashion and embodies prayer in a very real way in her art. Hearing her speak about this prayerful way for doing what she did-and the pictures can't compare to the privilege of seeing her work-was inspiring. I hope to take some of the same kinds of things into my sewing for now, and to allow this time to really be a blessing.

It's all about self-care too. And I am really okay with admitting I feel the weight of school right now. I'm in 17th grade, and this is my fifth year of a more rigourous, disciplined kind of study, and Seminary really lives into the rigourous part of that. The ways in which my faith and life are changing and growing and expanding are intense right now, and I want to use the sewing as a creative outlet. I know hand-sewing will go to craft night, and sketch pads and swatches. And I may do something so that there is a chance for every piece to live in that atmosphere, where we foster each other in our creativity.

No, sewing isn't the only thing I'll be doing for self-care. I think I need to make a return to journaling, and start taking care of myself physically too. And to that end, I'm taking Swing Lessons to tune balance (and cut loose a little) and training to run a half-marathon. It's intense, and I have a LONG way to go before I'm ready. But never fear. I'll get there, hopefully before race day on March 20.

On that note, Today I'm thankful for my running group, "Team Ephesians". We have a morning group of about 5, maybe more, and today was our first group run- 3 times a week we'll gather and run. It's kinda terrible, but much better with the group than it would be by myself, especially meeting at 6:45 to go run. Encouragement and accountability!

Necklace Number 3: Pastel-ish Prettiness

We all need a touch of these colors in our lives every once in a while... And I have to confess, there was a person in the back of my head on this one. Although it took me a while to realize it. Anywho, I thought I'd share a secret of the way I do necklace making with you guys today... It's kinda silly, but I don't like to knock it too much because of how well it works.

You see, I have this stack of paper plates. Anyone that knows me in real life knows I am vehemently opposed to paper products as a rule- In my apartment we use cloth napkins and dishtowels for all of the things paper napkins and paper towels would be used for.

And I feel like I'm cheating on Mother Earth and the dishes all at once when the table is set with paper. But that's because I'm a strange person with odd quirks, and you'll have to forgive me. The point: This application of paper plates is one I can get behind. Those edges are replicated in very few instances, and I just don't like beadboards. And the best part? I can pull out a stack of paper plates for friends to play too. It's just more fun to play with friends.

Today I'm thankful for tours. I told y'all about how my apartment is being shown, and how that's given me motivation to get things put up on my walls and all... I'm just all-around glad I did it. Tomorrow's the big day, but spending time painting this week was just... awesome.

I'm just running late this week...

But tonight I will be done with midterms and there are already plans happening for something crafty to go on... We have had massive amounts of studying to do, because that's what happens when you're a student. You do crazy things like memorize details out of text after text... in this case, the Bible.

Hey, it could be worse.... I love what I'm doing and am blessed to be doing it!

I hope y'all will forgive me for a fluff post... I'm making necklaces tonight and have fabric goodness to share too!

settling in

Slowly but surely, it's happening.

Seminary really is a learning and growing process, and I feel at home. My mom visited last week, and she can attest to the fact that there are things on my walls, that my sewing machine has a home, and that it's shaping up to be a cute apartment. Pictures soon. The last of my first classes is tonight, and then I suppose I owe y'all a real post.

For now,

S

A skirt and a dress

Well folks, here is some honest-to-goodness wardrobe planning!
I made a stop at Hobby Lobby(read: the only fabric store around) to pick up thread, and they happened to have one of their wonderful sales going that day... Simplicity patterns were 99 cents each. The only time I buy big 4 patterns is if I get them for 50% off or more, so I was super excited! 6 came home with me, 2 of which I have immediate plans to sew up!
Cynthia Rowley has some great patterns for Simplicity, and I picked up top pattern 2593(pictured) this week, and dress pattern 2586 which has a very similar line and a deep hem in the spring... and I am going to combine the two! A dress with that amazing, fun neckline. Did I mention it's stash fabric from my grandmother? A dress for under 5 dollars? WIN!
And I am also going to make a corduroy miniskirt, using Simplicity 2564 as a starting point, and adding front and back pockets and a 2-button tab while subtracting some length to make a great casual skirt for tights and boots this winter. And all I have to put into it is the cost of buttons and the pattern. Stashed coduroy! A 5 dollar skirt!
Look at me, gabbing on my sewing day... I finished a box of alterations to send which means I can sew for me. So I am going to make the most of it!

Happy Saturday!

A degree and a direction

I have my degree, safely passed into the hands of an awesome mother who currently has the frame for it.
I have a direction.

As I may have shared, I begin Seminary in the fall. I will be moving into the Atlanta area and starting a 4-year course toward 2 degrees I hope will equip me to use inborn gifts and better serve God as a chaplain in the military.
I'll be moving into my first apartment and finding a course of study and a routine in a new place. I think, in time, this blog has come to encompass more than sewing, and really will continue to do so more and more... but I will try to post about the things I do sew. I hope that doesn't detract from you reading... and I know if you're family and you read you'll be excited to hear more about life I live not in front of a sewing machine.

I'll probably talk about faith and conversations and the growing I know will happen in the next few years. Hope you'll be along for the ride!

A busy week

... But I DO have sewing goals, and I WILL have pictures!

For sure:

-Blue beach coverup for me

-pink beach coverup for Laura

-deep pink dress for "formal" on the beach

Maybe:

-pink dotted Swiss dress: I have seen lots of cute skirt fabrics with a top made with a purchased or similar shirt, and I like the idea of that... I have 2 fabrics I'm considering using, so we'll see!

-brown circle skirt on yoke: I still have to pattern the yoke, but I have some thoughts. So another we'll see. And I have trim and buttons already, so it'll be cute.

-changes to a dress of my Mom's- I wore it for my Senior portraits, and look forward to finishing some pretty cool modernizations that could make it a favorite this summer.

Definately outside of sewing:

I will be babysitting twice and writing a paper and doing the food shopping for a 4-day trip to the beach in SC! It's going to be a great way to spend my last May term break.

I'll also be addressing my graduation announcements- all 40 of them!

As far as SWAP goes, I won't finish.