So many things to say

I feel badly about dropping below the radar on this blog, because it is important to me. I think I will catch up with posts on various topics if you don't mind. I am going to be away later this month and want to get reconnected in my blogging before I go.

In two and a half weeks we are off on a little trip to DC and points south and I am pretty excited about that, and have been scrambling to get my assignments and marking to the point for all of my 97 students that I can press Submit on the online grading system at school the night before we take off, and then the next morning just do that. My daughter is a pediatric oncology nurse and working a night shift that night and coming with us for the first 4-5 days so she can see her brother in Washington and we are going to pick her up at 7:00 a.m. off her shift, load her in the car and head out. She should sleep until we hit the outlet stores in Maine.

My first story from this month:

A few years ago I took a machine embroidery course. There was a very nice woman there but she had a lot of trouble with her project. I remember at one point she threw up her hands and said, "Can't do this, I'm always just all thumbs." Well guess who the surgeon who operated on my DH last week turned out to be. I am assuming orthopedics is easier than sewing. Must be. All went very well, although there is a random staple that we can't quite explain, no where near the incision. He feels terrific though and that is all that matters.

Second story:

My dear daughter, mentioned above, is into her second trimester of pregnancy. On my learning curve is that this is not my pregnancy and she has actually been very sick, something I never was, which I realize has nothing to do with anything. She has been sick to the point of being quite miserable so one thing we decided to do was to go to matinees together when our schedules allowed to take her mind off it. 

The world of matinees is new to me and I have to tell you it is terrific. Instead of hordes of junior high kids we usually have the afternoon theatres to ourselves, except maybe for another mother and daughter duo. The rules are we go only to girly movies that require no thought and where the clothes are as interesting as anything else.

I had forgotten how important clothes are in movies. With all my angst over personal styles I realize that this is exactly what a costumer designer does for a film. Each character has a style that both reflects her personae and makes the most of her appearance.

Now isn't that exactly what we are all trying to do as we SWAP and in our discussions at places like Stitcher's guild?

Most instructive.

OK this is what I have noticed:

1. Colour is important. Obviously the actresses have to look good but they have to wear the clothes not the other way around. Colour draws your eye to the main characters, the extras are usually wearing neutrals.

2. Styles are actually very simple, very simple. Again probably that makes sure that the clothes don't dominate, there might be some decorative detail but the shapes are very simple. In one scene in Duplicity Julia Roberts wore a plain pant suit with a mandarin collar jacket and no closures, as plain as it could be, but in a wonderful silk in an unusual blue.

3. OK if the clothes are simple and the colours strong, accessories are interesting and key to the character. Remember Meg Ryan's cardigans in You've got mail?

There is a theme here and of course you only see the themes that are moving in the same direction you yourself are.

I have been wondering in my busy life just what I wear that I feel most comfortable in. 

I hate to admit that lately it has been the three elastic waist straight skirts I made this month and knit tops and sweaters. So how many fancy sewing projects do I need or want right now? 

Sometimes when I look at other people's blogs I am so impressed with the quality of the workman ship or the ambition of the garment that I think that's what I need to be doing too. I love these pictures and descriptions and undoubtedly spend hours and hours every week enjoying the sewing I see being done in other lives and in other homes. 

The truth is that I have done far more complex sewing in the past and imagine that when my life adjusts to give me sewing days and weeks on a regular basis rather than sewing minutes and hours I will be able to do more of that again. But right now, today, this week, this year, this life, I have to be more strategic in how I apply my time and energy and contrive how to feel the best I can in my clothes (as in comfortable and confident that I look as sharp as I can) with what I have to work with.

For me right now that makes fit a priority, more flattering colour and good fabrics.

Fabrics.

Now that's what's missing. I have been diligently sewing up a lot of the back log but what I am left with is basic - how excited can I get over yet more black linen blend. Who wakes up early to go look at basic black yardage?

I most definitely need to get myself into a place where the fabric is delicious for once and capable of making me feel that way when I wear it. Serviceable I can buy, beautiful I need.