2015 (in blog) Review

Wow another year has gone by! Just wow! It amazes me. Looking back I feel like I worked a lot and didn't spend a lot of time doing crafts and sewing. I wanted to sew more. That didn't really happen.




I will say that while I did not sew as much as I wanted to, I DID get rid of a lot of things. I did a lot of refashioning last year (see 99 refashion challenge) and I had a lot of clothes. Too much clothes, so I have been on a purge and then purged again. And then during my Christmas break, I purged yet again more things. It is so freeing to not have so much stuff. According to my boyfriend, I can get rid of more. But hey, baby steps.



Let's recap my post from the beginning of this year (and laugh), all of my comments are in RED

 For this year, I want to continue to get rid and use the stuff I have. Also a LOT of sewing. I really want to get this fabric stash of mine down. Also this is a blog about sewing ;) Well I think we all know how this turned out... I didn't sew very much and the stash did not decrease- it increased! Sigh... Craftsy had a sale, blah!

1. Continue the RTW Fast
I enjoyed it so much this year that I want to continue. And well frankly, I just don't spend that much time shopping anymore. It is not that hard of a stretch.
Nope! This ended when I needed something for an event and fast. I could have sewed but with little time this did not happen. I opted to purchase some nice things, like sweaters and pants. I just can't make those, and I live really close to Ann Taylor Loft and when they have sales, just wow. So I broke

2. Make 1 thing from each sewing book. I am bringing this back from last year. And if I don't use them, it is time to part. NOPE>>>>>>> Nothing. I don't even want to talk about it. :(

1. Burda Style Sewing Handbook
2. Thrifty Style
3. 49 Sensational Skirts
4. Generation T
5. Custom Couture
6. Pattern Magic 
7. Pattern Magic 2
8. Pattern Magic Stretch Fabric
9. Drape Drape 1
10. Drape Drape 2
11. Drape Drape 3
12. Little Green Dresses

3. Pattern Review.com, again bringing this back from last year. I really should get my reviews online.
This is almost comical, the answer is no.

4. Sew through my scraps, make for charity. Goal for charity is 300!!!!! Yes, setting those sights high. But in all honesty, a quick sew bib, counts as 1. I am aiming for bibs, dolls, dresses, shoes, and maybe stuffed animals. And really, that adds up fast. Bibs themselves add up fast. And I purchased a bolt of fusible fleece last year in hoping I would have more spare time but I did not.
Well I got halfway... 150! Wahoo. That is impressive. So impressive, I needed another bolt. I haven't used all of it, but I got another one. Yay! I will award myself 0.5 points.

5. Sew through my fabric.  Get it down to 1 suitcase. For reals! I have been saying this for a long time but then I got that Groupon to G Street Fabrics and discovered their discount wall. OMG it is heaven. But I got cool fabric. I was doing so well until that groupon and an insane fabric sale at Hancock Fabrics. Who can pass up wool that cost normall $27/yard for 2.97? Seriously!!!!! also decided to not put a number on it but I will still keep track. And I am still a member of MGAM (make a garment a month). So minimally I should make 12 things for myself. That is easy and less stressful.
Um no, I have more. But I will give myself 0.5 because I did sew 12 things for myself.

6. Sew something for my boyfriend. I have always wanted to try out a men's pattern. It is worth a try. He is always whining complaining talking about how I never try sewing for him. 
Boom! Yes! I have not blogged about it yet but I have sewn 2 things for him now. I have made him 2 simple mens tshirts that actually fit his really broad shoulders. The first one was a muslin. The second one I just finished and it is fabulous. He was so happy. +1 point for me!

7. That darn T-shirt quilt of mine!!!! It is no longer an option... it is a must! Bonus if I sew one of my quilt patterns I purchased with a gift card I was given...
well I have sewed the blocks together and began the back. I have not finished it yet b/c I am a big chicken. I big, fat chicken. only 0.5 points to me, at least I got some sort of nerve to finish it. The quilt is HUGE, quite like a beast.

8. Finish 1 craft kit, most likely the irises latch hook.
Yeah nope. 

7. Get rid of 1 the bling/sewing stuff boxes. I have boxes of hem tape, hem lace, bias tape, piping. Not to mention all those beads and sequins.
Oh yeah, I got rid of more than 1! It was like 3-4, I forget. But I had to since I um, err had more fabric. Sad. But +1 point for me.

8. Get the coverstitcher to work and behave. So far I have not been successful.
Big fat chicken over here. I have no idea why that machine scares me. I tried to find someone to pay for their time and have not been successful.

9. Read another book for fun. But also read 3 science books.
+1 Boom done!

10. Sewing goals: shorts, pants, coat, pintucking, shirring, circle attachment, try and use all of my sewing feet. I am still putting together this list.
nope, nope, nope, nope.

11. Get my Refashions down to 1 bag. I decided last minute to stop putting numbers to my sewing and just roll with it- the biggest thing I need to do  again with everything I have in my current stash- doable.
nope, I actually inherited some cool things.

12. Make it through 1 round of T25.That is 10 weeks of cardio madness.
I have almost finished alpha so 0.5 points to me.

13. Finish going through all of my bellydance DVDs. I am sort of embarrassed I didn't finish this last year. Where did the time go?
yeah no but in all fairness I am not dancing.



14. Try something new and different. Anything! I may be strong enough for trapeze soon. Thank you aerial yoga!
This girl got on a Segway for a tour and DID NOT HURT HERSELF. It was sort of crazy but then I was a natural on it. I would love one but I have stairs so that will not work! +1 points!

15. Complete my sewing videos I purchased on craftsy. Again, it is going with the theme of using what I have. (Just finished 1 of them- wow totally fabulous!!). There is a total of 18! Eek!!
I have done 4 now. Not even half.




 So let's round up my total.... I have 6.5 points out of 15, actually that was not that depressing. 43.3% completed! Yeah! I am actually surprised that it is that high in # because I was really sort of depressed about everything I did (not) sew.

 I will say that I did support more independent pattern makers and I have more patterns from small businesses and not something I can buy from Hancock Fabrics. I have found they fit better and I don't play the guessing game with the Big 4 pattern makers.

I actually sewed 48 things this year, some for me and some for others. I did 12 refashions  total. Still impressive. If only I didn't take in more things! Sigh.

Look for post next year (har har har) on what my goals will be for 2016.

Have a safe and happy New Years!

Best Wishes,
Lauren

Lion PJs

It has been a really busy November/December. I wrote a review that sucked up pretty much all of my time. It was very reference heavy and I finished in the nick of time. And it was submitted, like right before Christmas submitted. So I worked my normal work schedule and then it was write, write, write. I then have taken time off to decompress and well frankly, clean up my place and spend time with my boyfriend. I have not sewn in forever, my machine has been highly neglected. Now that the end of the year is almost hear, I get slightly dizzy with everything.  But I made it through Christmas, we did simple food and I just sat around and did nothing It was fabulous!

I realize that the past several weeks, this blog has been neglected. Sorry but not sorry. I try to schedule but I also told myself years ago that  I would never put my blog before family or work. This was something to be for fun and also something to showcase the sewing, refashioning, and crafts. Also, a good way to me to document in case (or will) forget. So what I am trying to say is I put my life first and blog behind that.

I finally just painted my fingernails, in getting fancy for New Years (which no idea what we are doing but will just probably involve football) and I have to sit down and not move. Really hard for me to do, but on the brightside- I can sit and write for the blog. :) In more good news, I dusted off my sewing machine and did some sewing! Yeah!!

I actually had this project done for a bit but I never scheduled this post. I have this cute cotton flannel covered with lions that was just enough to make a PJ set. When I got an issue of Simply Sewing magazine and when I saw this pattern that came with this magazine, I knew this was the pattern! It looks pretty simple!

I cut a size small b/c I felt this was going to be big. So this was a unique pattern in the fact I had to add inches in the middle of the shorts leg pattern. I cut a few inches (like maybe 2-3) less then what was recommended since I only had so much fabric. There is no front or back with this shorts pattern. For my non-sewing friends, usually pants and sorts have a rise in the paper pattern in order to cover your bum. So need more bum coverage than others but usually it curves up. This pattern is just straight across-it is a simple easy pattern.

I flew threw sewing the shorts. Ahh. I love easy shorts. Next I did the shirt, pretty easy. Instead of using ribbon, I used bias tape, since I had it on hand. And the little bit I had was enough to make just the right sized straps. That was pure luck!

Super quick sew! Done! I love my new PJs! The top fits just right and doesn't expose too much. It sits weird on the hanger but there is only elastic in the back part of the top. So it does pull.

If you got this issue of the magazine, I would recommend this pattern. This could be easily sewn up in a weekend day. And they are super comfy! :)

Here's to more blog posts soon! :)

Cheers,
Lauren

Striped dress, McCalls 6319

Today is a sewing day, I decided to use my knit stash (cough, cough pile...) I liked this pattern from McCall's 6319. Looks like a simple dress, I chose view A. I opted to not use the zipper.

I cut a size 10 b/c I had a feeling it would be big based on how the model is standing. I needed a lining for this reddish-pink, cream and blue striped fabric. I chose a cream color. It was a quick sew. The bottom hem is raw because this knit is super thin. Just like the red skirt I just made. I did not try to match the stripes because I knew I could not do it since it drapes. Here is my new dress! Super soft and comfy

Here are some better photos when I had just finished sewing it to prove that I do clean up well, I just do not like to take after pics sometimes.

Fit is great!

Easy sew. Nice dress. Win win!! I might not get a lot of use out of it until after winter but I will try!

Cheers,
Lauren