I stand corrected, or in this case educated

Well first of all my apologies, cosplay, of course I get that. Makes perfect sense. Speed readers unite.

I know all about anime, and can spot a steampunk outfit from across the street, but this one has passed me by, or at least my neighbourhood in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

I read more, once I read the helpful comments, and realized that I understand cosplay, and like all women have been doing this, dressing in character or like a character, so much of my life.

Hands up if you ever suited up for work, or heaven forbid are old enough to remember when dressing for success meant a version of what men wore right down to the little scarf numbers (Palmer and Pletsch did early do-it-yourself instructions) that were lady ties.

Haven't we all done this? Haven't most women dressed the part at some stages of their lives, or tried to redefine themselves with wardrobe changes?

It is a really interesting question.

The bride who feels like a princess. 

The woman who is caught by a co-worker out getting milk and is horrified someone she works with has seen her without make-up. 

The way you feel in your first heels, like a real grown up woman. 

The way you want to get out of those heels the day you decide you are wearing them for someone else. 

Why you put on your lipstick when you have had bad news. 

Why wearing flannelette pyjamas makes you sleep safe like your dad was still in the living room.

Everyone is so sure the way women should look and we try so hard to pick up on that.

What are you wearing is the first most important question.

I wonder if we are really asking, who should I be?

Or how much unlike you can I risk.

At some level I think sewers, an undoubtedly cosplayers, are exploring this - one trying to find self definition through self expression, possibly the other trying on different ways of being.

As for me right now as my own life is opening up again, post child raising, work more strategic than routine, I am wondering if it is time to dress the outside like the inside - which is something I am going to have to do myself. 

Wonder what that is going to look like?

Early spring McCalls

Just when I was about to further descend into Christmas preparations with the usual combination of self-delusion and over ambition, I had a good reminder to stop taking myself too seriously with the arrival of McCalls pre-spring collection - reflecting the trend these days to move onto the next thing before you have experienced the first. 

(I remember the melt down of my youngest son once in a department store when he saw the "Back to school" displays up on the last day of school before the summer holidays.)

There was one knit dress I liked, mainly because there was some waistline gathers rather than the usual knit dress belly articulation that seems to go with interesting bodice treatments:

There were also a few that are definitely not making it into my to-do pile, although I assume that they are exactly what some folks are looking for, and I am trying to act now as if I am sophisticated enough to believe that is true, or that I actually know these folks:

No these are not Halloween costumes but something part of a cultural phenomenon called co-play, which I had to Google and I suggest you do too, which was a term I had, until I did that, assume meant you let someone play with your truck without hitting them over the head at daycare.

I have to give McCall credit though for going after new sewing communities, if not this one.

Remember my dress for the wedding?

I know I know I am a crappy blogger photographer and who just rushes off shots so she can go onto the next thing.

That said I did promise you all a while ago a picture of the dress I wore to my son's wedding (Marfy sort of burgundy dupioni ).

Well just now my most excellent daughter-in-law sent me this picture, of me dancing with one of my son's very best high school buddies.

I had asked Maddie if she thought I should let me hair go natural (that would be greying) and she sent this along with a note that I would maintain my "spark and energy" even in grey and white.

This kid's a real catch.

So this is my wedding dress project picture, in action:

I had a real good time at that wedding. Real good.

Drive by

Yes I have been sewing my brains out, but because friends and family read my blog I can't show you what until after Christmas.

Speaking of which I also hope to finish a dress for my daughter today, a Christmas party emergency number. We will get shots of that.

On an aside the current issue of Collette's Seamworks ezine came into my mailbox today. I was struck by some of the photos, but this one in particular which is a wonderful illustration of what a difference dart placement makes. I am brewing a review of Indie patterns soon, but this is a case of why remembering the basics in execution is worth the thought:

A hope post

A few months ago I got a call long distance from my son Ben who is doing some work on windmills in Texas.

Driving across the job site he saw a small, sick, starved dog on the side of the road. He was at work but stopped anyway and picked her up. He couldn't keep driving.

He called me to ask me to get on the phone for him to find a no kill shelter in his part of Texas.

That took some doing. In fact every place I called, and he was working the car phone while he drove, they told us that they would have to put down any sick animal he brought in.

But they don't know my Benny.

In the end he located somehow a woman who was running a private rescue for sick and mangey dogs who told him sorry no room left, so many needy animals.

Ben went over there anyway and with a donation and offer to volunteer he persuaded her to take in the pup. He kept in touch and helped when he could.

Now months later here are shots of that little dog. Happy, fit and now placed in a forever home in Colorado. They call her Dreamy.

This little story reminds me that bothering to help and not giving up are principles to live by.

You never know, you just never know, we all need to remember that.

My Ben and the dog he found.

Chairs and learning styles

Well here is the dad's lazy boy done.

My part in this project was much of the disassembly, cutting, sewing and moaning.  My husband did the hard part, the putting it back together, stapling and not giving up.

The spouse like puzzles and likes detail. This is after all a man who buys crabs and spends five hours cooking them and squeezing out the meat to make a crab quiche like he hasn't even heard of a can opener.

Here he is in action picking up where I left off with the chair:

And below here he is doing the test elevation in recovery mode. It was a huge job, particularly for our first ever upholstery job:

   
And here is the final chair, with the weird eyeball fabric I thought at the time would update it:

Now I can absolutely say that if I did not have my husband's persistence this would not have ever been finished. Once I got into taking it all apart my own personal reaction was, you have to be kidding, this is waaay too much trouble.

I am not a fussy sewer. I can be careful and precise when I sew but it is not something I like to repeat too often.

I like variety, the challenge of a new pattern, trying to figure something out. My mind is so often on to the next project before I finish the current one.

I am a garment sewer entirely. I like that there are two sleeves and one collar. I would not enjoy 50 sleeves and 25 collars one after the other. It is beyond me how quilters can do 524 pieces the same. In fact one of my sisters, who is a meticulous quilter and I should add also great at upholstery, and I once tried to make a quilt together for our parents. I did my squares and sent them to her. She sent them back to me.

"Haven't you heard of a 1/4" seam allowance?"

I eyeballed it. Got it done didn't I?

Well not really.

I operate more on enthusiasm than a system.

It has taken me a long time to understand this is just part of my style and to go with it try to make the most of it, rather than trying to meet other expectations.

This orientation is why I am always a SWAP drop out, and probably why I nixed my one Chanel jacket project.

I am careful if I can do it once and say "Cool" but not if I have to do it over and over again.

Does this make sense to you?

What kind of sewer are you? What kind of projects do you enjoy most? 

What kind of sewing have you accepted you don't enjoy and stopped doing it?

What guilts have you given up?

This matters.

Grainline Linden top

A while ago I promised a photo of my Grainline Linden top and here it is.

There are few things you need to know about this pattern. 

First there is a lot of ease in it. 

Probably designed for sweatshirt fabric or as a layer, although this loose bamboo knit version was great for a home day for me. I made a 12 which fit my measurements exactly and this is the fit. 

In a class I am doing for beginners with this pattern students tried on samples and most of the younger women are making a 4 when their measurements are more 8-10. 

Consider that.

As you can see the neckband is quite narrow, fine, but for beginners I am having them it twice as wide because getting used to stretching a neckband with your hands to fit the neckline first out is hard and I want them to have a success.

Also it should be noted that this is a raglan T shirt, something that we haven't seen too much of lately. Raglans are really the most comfortable sleeve shape, good if you have sloped shoulders, and easiest to put on children, and those with mobility issues. Worth remembering. I always sew raglans for babies.

Not too much else to say except this picture is taken on my daughter's back deck and you can see the state of the landscape around here.

I am also confirming my status as the sewer with the least staged pictures on the internet, notice the sock feet. In Canada we take our shoes off the minute we get in a house and Canadian homes usually have entries full of random piles of shoes. It is considered sort of rude to leave your shoes on even in the summer. A by product of all the slush, snow and salt we would otherwise track in I guess much of the year.

I am wearing some Barb pants by Stylearc in this shot too if you are interested. As well as about 20 extra pounds I see, proving that those second helpings (I have the appetite of a 14 year old boy, although I do understand I am not a 14 year old boy) do take residence.

Going to do something about that some day.

Now off the finish the chair project. Have to get that in the out basket today or else.