Homearama 09

No sewing again this weekend, I guess I should fess up to why my sewing mojo has gone missing, it's charity sewing--or sewing for someone other than myself. I promised to make a dress for my co-worker who was responsible for the Ms. Peggy bounty of free fabric. I thought that was only fair and with that promise so went my mojo. I did wash the fabric and I'm going to make myself cut it out tomorrow. She's going on vacation next month so it would be nice to finish it before then. I'm so selfish when it comes to sewing.

Oh well, we're all a work in progress aren't we? On to Homearama! It was awesome as always, even better this year because it wasn't in the middle of August and there were only 5 homes, usually they have at least 10 or more and that's a whole lot of walking when each house has 3 floors. I uploaded them to flickr so you can browse at your leisure, but here are a few of my favorites.

The landscaping was just beautiful, every house had a water feature.

Love this bedroom.

What little girl wouldn't love this room.

I couldn't find a sewing machine anywhere in this house but I really like this design element.









I made another neck warmer with the intention of it being a Christmas gift but it does match my coat. Love the button, it was an extra button from a suit I had eons ago.

I'm cabling, yipee!

It's a short scarf all that cabling got old really fast, I trimmed it out with crochet to prevent the sockette roll.




I hope everyone had a great weekend.

Needlework

No sewing this weekend. I didn't even rework the top, maybe next week but my knitting and crochet needles have been busy.

I checked out Knitting for Dummies for the billionth time. My friend requested a neck warmer for Christmas and they had one, I didn't like their version so I came up with this seed stitch and added the funky button. The yarn is Lion Brand Super chunky that I got on sale at Hobby Lobby. My DD said it felt like a neck brace, she is such a little Eeyore, that's what I use to call her when she was little.



I also made this scarf for a co-worker who has been begging for something forever. The color is actually very purple. I forget where I got the pattern but it was very simple, I think two lines, quick and easy. Which seems to be what I need this weekend.





I also made a cup cozy. I've wanted one forever, just never took the time to make one, this is crocheted, again super simple but serves it's purpose no more condensation or ring marks on my table and I used up a lot of my scraps. I made another one for a smaller water bottle.




Not much going on this weekend, I had an exhausting work week and just needed to veg, in that vein we're going to see "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs" LJ loves 3-D movies.

I hope everyone has/had a great weekend.

Two Outta Three Ain't Bad

First I'll show you the good, then we'll get to the ugly.

Butterick 5260, out of my 1.00/yd Hancock veeeery stretchy knit. Came out great, love it. My Mother would give me a karate chop in the middle of my back for my posture, sorry Mom I'm rolling my shoulder's back now. She would always say that to us, roll your shoulders back, but I digress.

The I see straight through you top, Butterick 5388, also a winner.

Now for the ugly. This is Simplicity 3790, which I've made a couple of times both times with mixed results, this one, not so good. It started out as view D, I lengthened the sleeves about 4 inches, it wasn't enough and then I didn't like the length of the top so I used the band from view A, disaster. It looks extra funky but I'm not giving up on it. I'm going to move the band up to the waist and add a ruffle/flounce to the sleeve, we'll see if this one can be rescued. I love the color of the fabric and would hate to see this in the NTBSA bin, (never-to-be-seen-again)

We'll have to see what the weekend brings. Oh I have to share Homearama is starting this weekend, I LOVE Homearama. This use to be me and Gwen's event but she's working 19 jobs now and won't be able to go with me this year so I've recruited Trudi, hopefully we will go next weekend. Whenever we go there will be lots of pictures of the outrageously expensive homes. The first time I went I was still renting this horrible little house and I felt awful when I left but now I just go to see and get new decorating and paint ideas, it's a blast. I'm content with the home that God has blessed me with, it is enough. There are two different links on each Homearama but neither site is very good, you'll just have to wait for my review.

I see right through you

All I can say about Butterick 5388 is I want more! I want one with the cowl neck for winter and I want one in a spiffy print. This top was just what the pattern said Fast and Easy.

I worked 12 hours today, my allegeries were giving me a fit and I still managed to get this top done in no time.

Then I saw Julia's post about the benefits of being a cyber bridesmaid and ran to my mailbox and my bridesmaid gift was there too. What a nice surprise and I love the beads, KMQ you know that might end up as a zipper pull lol. Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and personal gift.

I love a good sale

And that's what I found at Hancock this weekend. Although I got there an hour before they were closing I think I made out pretty good. I thought they closed at 7 but they close at 6 on Saturday's. I tried to resist buying any more patterns but I failed and purchased these four.

The first one is cut out in this sheer black and white, view D. I was hoping to get it finished this weekend but as usual life got in the way.

The green and light yellow are stretch knits the rust color is a pin-striped woven fabric. I'm thinking about making the scoop neck vest out of it, we'll see.

This is the only thing I was able to get finished this weekend, and it's super simple and super easy, it's Butterick 5260 view B. I got this fabric at the Hancock sale for 1.00/yd. I'm glad I checked my receipt he over charged me 10.00 for the rust color fabric, even though they were closed I went back, ten dollars is ten dollars lol.

My DD turned 27 this weekend. I just can't believe I have a daughter that's 27 years old, where did the time go. I've always loved her "birthday dinner", fried pork chops, mac and cheese, and greens. I always fix onion rings with my pork chops something I picked up when I lived in Chicago. For her birthday cake she requested a 7-up cake. Happy Birthday Brandi, Mommy loves you.

That's about it for me, we still have to cut the cake. I hope everyone had a great weekend.

Sunshine and Rain

That's what we had for the concert, to quote Frankie. It only rained a little and as always Maze put on a great show. I love seeing them over and over because you know the show is going to be great and Maze performs their songs like they are on the CD not some crazy concert version like some artist. Forgot to mention Chrisette Michele also put on an excellent performance. There were other local acts which made the concert really long, it started at 4pm and Maze didn't come on until 9:30, long night especially when you have to go work the next day.

The top was perfect for a summer concert.

As you can see the chemical intervention was a success.

I did get this cut out, I still have to cut out the lining and mark the pattern but this will be on tap for this weekend.

It looks like everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. All in all it's been a great summer.

Sheer Delight

I finished McCalls 5384, view A and a tank top from my "vintage" pattern 6205 to wear to the last concert of the summer. Tomorrow we will go see Frankie Beverly and Maze and of course there's rain in the forecast.


I have had this fabric forever, well not really but I think I purchased it last year off of Hancock's clearance table. I kept flip flopping between this pattern and McCalls 5666. I think this fabric would have worked in either pattern but I'm happy with the one I choose. I think I waited so long because I thought this fabric would be difficult to work with, I was so wrong. It was a dream, the reason being it could take the heat. I didn't have to worry about using steam, a press cloth or having my iron on a pretty high setting, in other words this wasn't a whimpy sheer fabric, I'm sure it's some type of polyester blend.




I tested a french seam and a serged seam finish, I went with the serged finish because it provided a flat seam and I used a pretty coordinating thread that I didn't mind showing through.




In case you can't tell the top is the serged seam and the bottom is the french seam.


Here is the tank top, simple construction with bias tape finish. The color looks off and I don't know what I was thinking because I purchased it with the sheer, the color looks like it doesn't match but because the fabric is sheer it really doesn't matter.

My hair needs a chemcial intervention which I will do tonight. I think I'll fire up the grill tomorrow before the concert. I hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend.