Tickled Pink This Valentine's Day

To have finished hubby's muslin for the men's shirt Sew-A-Long. I asked him to put it on for some photos and he wore it all day and out to my sister's house,  telling anyone who would listen, "Lassie made this for me!".
Cute!

I think I did a pretty good job of matching plaids~especially for my very first time.

It does have kind of a funky collar. Very retro. I think I might redraft this and do the traditional collar here.

I think I will do the cuffs, pocket and yoke on the bias when I do the real shirt.

All in all I am quite pleased with this shirt. It feels like a huge accomplishment, especially with the way my back has been lately. I can't wait to get started on the new shirt.

The Griest Buttonholer did not work out. It was the wrong one, which I only found out after following all the directions for getting it in and then realized it was for a low shank machine. I have a slant-shank. I had to haul my other machine out and get it all set with new thread...la, la, la...but I am happy I did, because I have a vest I made for Miss Moll Doll which just needs buttons and I can get that done today or tomorrow.

I am also going to order my yarn for the knit-a-long with My Gum, by Golly 

I am leaning toward this color. I can't wait to get started!!!!

Sending love to all on this day of 'hearts'

I Believe in Miracles~It's a Disco Inferno

It's hard to concentrate when the Bee Gee's are singing Night Fever. Admittedly I grew up during the disco era. I hated it!!! I was a hippie and thought the whole idea of big heals, disco balls and the like...were just...let me say horrid!! But somewhere deep in the depth of my being I found joy yesterday as the song "I Believe in Miracles" entered my head when I realized that somehow I had the right and wrong side of the sleeves correct. The vision of amputation and reattachment of arms so the sleeves would be right, that Peter mentioned the other day, was still fresh in my mind.

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And then more happiness when I realized I had the right and wrong sides correct as well (notice the blue painters tape on the proper side below).

 And my tailors tacks matching up? I DO believe in miracles.

I thought I would put some disco music on while I sewed ~Thanks Pandora (isn't dancing good for a bad back) Sure am glad I took that Ibuprofen earlier...cause if you could see me now. 

PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC WHITE BOY. I"M FUNKEN OUT IN EVERY WAY!

Speaking of the 70's. The other day Pam over at GoRetro did a blog post on this knitting/crochet booklet. Stephanie and I thought hubby and Frank would look dashing in a couple of these. Stephanie thought Frank could rock the pimp looking guy (top left) and hubby, the suede hat-hippie looking outfit (bottom right). We all agree the hot man in the bottom center was our top pick. Anyone up for a Knit-A-Long?

Ah, freak out!
Le freak, c'est chic
Freak out!
Ah, freak out!
Le freak, c'est chic
Freak out!

Have you heard about the new dance craze?
Listen to us, I'm sure you'll be amazed
Big fun to be had by everyone
It's up to you, it surely can be done

Young and old are doing it, I'm told
Just one try and you too will be sold
It's called 'Le Freak', they're doing it night and day
Allow us, we'll show you the way

Is this supposed to be about sewing? Or did a Delightful Distraction take hold of me. At least I'm smiling...and that is more than I can say about the past few days. Did you think I'd crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die? Oh no not I. I will survive!!! I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high!

About to Sack the Placket....WAIT! Last minute appeal was heard and accepted

Here is my attempt yesterday at the sleeve placket. It took me awhile, but I finally GOT what I was being asked to do. Directions can oftentimes be very hard to register in my brain. Pictures work better sometimes.

I had mine looking just like the picture here:

 But then when I folded it over it bunched over to the right.

My suspicion is that it has something to do with my snipping. I feel a bit snippy at this point as well. 

LIGHT BULB

I looked around a bit to see what other plackets (Peter's specifically) looked like and I realized that my inside 'whatchmacallit' was too big. I had folded it over too much. Once I shortened its horizontal width the placket did not bunch anymore. You can see in the first photo how wide it was and the new and improved version below.

Not bad for a first try. I am so thrilled that this is just the muslin. Who cares about how it will fit hubby, I am happy to be learning all these new things.

Cheers and applause do need to be tamed down for a moment though, as the inside is not so wonderful! Blech!! 

And hows about those matching plaids. Please tell me that the placket does NOT have to be matched perfectly. Maybe in another lifetime as a seamstress for the King, I might be able to do something like that.

Speaking of a 'seamstress to the King'. I was, wasn't I? In my down time, and there has been days and days of it at this point,  I read the book "The King's Mistress" which is an historical novel about the life of Alice Perrers. Fascinating stuff going on in the house of the royal family circa 1360 and onward.

The book talks quite a bit about the cloth and design elements in the clothing that was worn. Escarlette was mentioned many times although I could not find much specific information on what it really was other than expensive cloth.

Well that is how my day is unfolding. My back it still quite bothersome. I had to break down and take some Ibuprophin today. I took a small walk outside which felt nice. The warmer weather is delightful for sure. I am not looking forward to dropping temperatures later in the week, but thankful beyond reason that the huge storm the forecasters were speaking of for the later part of the week, is going out to sea.

Toodles for now.

Pathetic Plaid Problemo

Okay...I admit it...I have moved ahead with the MPB Sew-A-Long. But there is a method to my madness. Just from reading many of the comments on Peter's blog, I am aware that I really know NOTHING about sewing. I am an amateur..BIG TIME. I feel that I need to be one step ahead in doing my muslin because it is going to take me many days longer to get it done than my fellow sew-a-longers.

Case in point-the instructions for my pattern start off with sewing the patch pocket onto the left front side. Whewww glad it does, because so many problems have already cropped up with just this small item.

I made the pocket.
It looked nice and straight while I was making it. Looks like crap in this photo.

I spent over an hour trying to get the lower edge which is curved to be the same on both sides. I found this  video which I thought was terrific and happily got to doing it like she said.

I sort of got it to work...not really. The fabric I am using does not hold a sharp crease and the curved edged just kept coming undone. I thought I was really fancy and got out my heat-n-bond hem stuff...and ironed it down with a pretty nice curve. I was quite proud of myself. And then this....

OMGoodness...the plaids don't match. You're kidding me right?
After the (excuse my language)anal-ness of my cutting? This almost caused me to jump out the window and then I realized with all the snow we are getting it would have been about a foot drop.

So back to the drawing board I went. This time I matched up...forgot the curved lower corners and made them square...and ended up with this.

 Not bad. BUT it is not exactly in the position the pattern calls for.
I don't know if you can tell from the photo below, but it is about 1/4 inch or more too far to the left.
You can kind of see the crease where my fingers are.


So the questions are these:

1) should I have gone ahead and started the pocket (granted it is only the muslin). Don't really answer this I know the answer already.

2) when will Peter do the pocket on the Negroni? I don't have that pattern so have no idea when it calls for putting the pocket in.

3) How the hell do you work with plaids? Is this only the beginning of my nightmare? 

Oy...Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

And a big happy birthday to my Daddy who is 84 today.
My parents went on a cruise and were supposed to come home yesterday.
God only knows when they will be able to make it back east.