A Few Purchases

Even though I haven't been sewing much (new job) that doesn't stop me from buying sewing items. Why should it? After perusing the New Look catalog at Joann's I decide to pick up a few patterns and some notions that I needed.

New Look 6648 (chill mode)

I love this style of shirt. Once I find something I like I am likely to have LOTS of them. I can think of 3 RTW shirts in my closet that are like this. Two of them are the same but just different colors. I have a few knits in my arsenal to make this.

New Look 6915 (work mode)

And another I like what I like shirt. I have some RTW shirts very similar so I wanted to see if I could just make a few more that I like. My work wardrobe is lacking and with spring knocking on the door hopefully I can whip up something wearable for work.

Somebody, please kick me back into sewing gear!!! This weekend I was going to sew but I just needed a weekend of nothing. I was able to recharge my batteries some and hopefully can get back at the sewing machine soon.

Can't Let It Go

Have you ever cleaned out your closet and just could not let go of some things that you really needed to. Well that is what I did the other day. Start cleaning out my closet. I did manage to get rid of a nice chunk of things so progress was made but for some reason some items I just couldn't toss.

Now that I know a tiny bit about sewing some of the the things that no longer fit me the way I want can probably be refashioned into other items. Dress into shirts. Skirts into shirts. Skirts into different skirts. You get the drift. I may or not be able to do anything with them because lets face it the fabric is not going to get bigger which means I would have to get smaller. I'll have my daughter take a look and see if she likes any of the fabrics and wants to try and refashion into some items for her wardrobe. These hips of mine are going to do me in!!! My recent frustrations with sewing are also making me think just restyling a few items will be fun and help me get back on track.

UFO- Can I Finish--- PLEASE!!!

I started this sweater on January 1st and it is still not done. I told my daughter she would need to try it on a lot as I go along so that we can make sure it fits properly. She had been doing pretty good until about a week ago. I needed her to try it on and no go, to busy, then sick. UGH. I just need to finish the bottom ribbing and the arms but I really didn't expect it to take so long. Part of it is my fault as my knitting mojo was in hiding. I will finish though. SOON!!

Maybe I can finish this weekend. Maybe, we'll see. I have a lot going on right now so all things are coming to a grinding halt!!!!

I Think I Cut the Wrong Size- McCalls 5522

VENT..VENT...VENT and RANT. I am in the process of cutting an 8 for McCalls 5522. I looked at the envelope sizes and measurements on the pattern pieces at least 10 times and now I look again today and am cutting out an 8 instead of what I probably need, a 10. GRRRRRRRR!! Thank goodness I was only aiming for a wearable muslin and thank goodness I have 2 daughters so it may fit one of them it turns out anywhere near decent.

I don't even want to go back in the sewing room. Everything I have made thus far is a wadder. I am going to the library and getting a book to make pillowcases. I am serious. February may just be pillowcase month for me. I am totally that frustrated with sewing right now. I know it takes time and consistency but I may just need to take 20 steps back and start all over as if I never even tried. Back to square 1 for me. Thanks for letting me vent if you read this far!!

I'm off to knit until I can get my mind right.

Old vs. New- Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing

I got the original Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing a couple of months ago at the thrift store. I knew the new one was coming out as well but for $2.62 I snatched it up in a heartbeat. My library got the newest version so of course I was all over taking a look at it as well.

Just recently I needed to look up some information on pleats. Great time to compare. After thumbing through both of the books a lot of the pictures and information are exactly the same. There are a few differences though (this really pertains to the pleats section as I did not thumb through and compare the whole book).

First we will take a look at the Index and you can see there is an obvious difference in the number of pages dedicated to pleats. Twelve pages of content in the original versus six in the new version.

Here is the content difference:
Vintage 1976 Version
-page of different types of pleats
-page of fabric considerations for pleats
-section on pleating on plaid fabrics (never even considered this, interesting)
-section on estimating amount of fabric needed

2011 Version
-has a pleated skirt pattern at end of segment
-color pictures

It appears contentwise everything in the 2011 version except the pattern is in the 1976 version. You can see the 1976 version has a few more details which to me are important fundamental details. The new version also has color pictures and nice glossy pages but when it comes down to the content section for pleats, I'll stick with the original.

Anyone have both the old and newer versions of this book? Which do you prefer?