I’m probably a bit late on this, but if you were participating in Jungle January this year, Ms. Grievances added a SWAP option to the fun. My SWAP partner was Sarah from MusingsOfASeamstress, and she got me some fantastic stuff!
There’s a lovely ocelot print cotton(? It feels sort of like a crisp rayon challis), some delicious smelling lotion, and some cute socks (which I’ve already worn, ha!). Thanks Sarah!
Now to finish up with my blouse testing to cut into my new fabric…. 😉
I’m in the jar over at DidYouMakeThat, about using some of the fabric that I’ve been hoarding because it’s “too good to cut”. So, in order to help keep me in line, I’m posting the picture of the fabrics that have thus far remained in my stash. Also, a couple of these, I have no idea what I should make with them, but I know that you, my brilliant readers, have some fabulous ideas to help nudge me along. 🙂
Click to embiggen!
Here’s what the pieces are from top left to bottom right:
(Note: some are repeats because of the way I took the pictures and then collaged them.)
So those are my “too good to cut pieces”, and surprisingly, of those, 2 came from Jo-Ann’s, so they aren’t all in this pile because they’re expensive pieces, they’re there because I loved the feel/color/print. 🙂
Are you wondering why I would hoard these? Do you have any ideas on what to use them for?
As in, more than one. Dilemma #1 and the main reason for this post? Technology. My laptop (the main computer) is being difficult. Mainly, the battery and it’s charger are refusing to work together. It’s kind of a lengthy explanation, but the gist is that I have to jump through hoops to use this thing. So much for technology making life easier. 🙄 So, now I’m trying to decide if I want to replace it with a tablet (original idea that we’re kind of leaning away from now), a netbook (a possibility), or just a smallish low end laptop. I’ve have stared at specs I don’t fully understand until my eyes have crossed. I’m still no closer to a solution. I think the tablet would be nice, but they’re pretty limited without buying a crapload of accessories for them that drive up the final cost significantly. I mean it’s $150 for the keyboard for the Transformer Prime, and an extra $70 for the one for the iPad 2. By the time you buy a case, you’re looking at ~$700, and I could buy a pretty nice laptop for that, that can do more than a tablet anyway. So yeah….
My other dilemma? Which of these to go with for a cute shirtdress:
Here’s the poll.
Yesterday I went in to Dillard’s and spotted this dress. It’s a Calvin Klein, size 12 (OMG!!), and I think it fits fairly well, considering my serious body flaws. Warning! Unflattering, crappy cellphone picture!
Too rich for my blood
This dress wasn’t a great shade of red for me. Too orange-y I think. I do better with the blue-ish (or is it purplish?) reds. Regardless, I think it makes me look like I have at least the slightest illusion of a waist, even though I really don’t. I’ve been dying to make a dress like this using Butterick 5559, but wasn’t sure if the style would work or not, and didn’t want to go through the effort only to find that it didn’t suit my figure at all.
Another cute option would be this one: Butterick 5676, which the fabulous Karin made over at SewHereWeGoAgain. Gorgeous, right? I think fabric choice would seriously impact the “dressy” factor of this dress, so I would have to choose carefully to suit the occasion.
I also got quite a haul from fabric.com yesterday too. Unfortunately, I have a dilemma. The first one is that I got a “freebie”. There’s a half yard of a pretty stretch lace that I didn’t pay for, I should probably send it back. The second is that I ordered the purple colorway of one of my fabrics and got the red colorway instead. I mean, it’s pretty, and I’d be happy to use it, but I think I’d rather the purple…unfortunately, there’s not much left since it’s on clearance. Hopefully I can catch it in time.
Anyway, my fingers are tired of typing, so I’m calling it quits for now. Hope ya’ll have a lovely weekend!
Hello again! It’s Thursday already, can you believe it?! And I’ve got another thing that ticks me off. If you know me well, this isn’t a surprise, but, that’s how I roll.
This time my peeve is about wool coatings. See, last year, I bought this really adorable coat pattern from Collette, called the Lady Grey. There was a sew along, many people were just as enamored as I am, and well, let’s face it–it’s cold in the winter where I live. Oh sure, it’s hot here now, but soon enough it’ll be frigid.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. The wool coatings. Apparently, there is some sort of crazed conspiracy to keep people depressed during the cold months by forcing them to wear drab colored coats. This also–as you might imagine–prevents them from being easily seen should they encounter an unfortunate accident during those coat-wearing months. I mean really, what if it’s a dreadfully cold and foggy day, the snow is on it’s way, and you fall down a ravine? Who is going to see you in your “earth-toned” coat? (To be clear, “earth toned” means the color of dirt. Brown. Or that slightly reddish color that Oklahoma and southern Kansas is famous for, perhaps Texas too, though I wouldn’t know from experience.) Or perhaps something happens in a forest? (We don’t have any here, but I’m told that such things really do exist.) How will you be spotted if you are sporting a coat the color of the leaves on the ground?
Oh sure, you could break down and buy some plaid coating, but those tend towards either drab (see above) or crazy lady.** Of which I am neither. I hope. I’m more in the market for something in teal, emerald, sapphire, amethyst, or some other jewel tone that is NOT a yellow of any sort. (Yellow makes me look and feel like a sickly banana.) I want some color in my life! Something to help improve my mood during the winter, not make me look as dark and broody as I feel!
OK, rant over. You may now go back to your regularly scheduled blog reading. Have a great day! 🙂
** I guess there is also Tartans, but while I’m of some Scottish descent it’s pretty watered down and/or clan-less. Besides, my surname is decidedly German…rather like my nearly purebred husband, it would just feel awkward, ya know?
Splinters & Stitches 