This from McCalls Patterns:

At first I thought it was just the turquoise blue hosiery I hated.  But no, I realised when I saw the line drawing:

wide lapels (ugh!) pocket flaps on the widest part of the hip (double ugh!) and a RUFFLE  on the bottom of the whole shebang? (BUCKET!!!)

I realise that although this has just been released, SOMEONE NEEDS TO RECAPTURE IT AND NEUTER THE HORRID THING BEFORE IT BREEDS!!!!!!

I can get with the ruffle at the bottom of sleeves things - really I can.  On a bell sleeve, it CAN be super cute.  I am waiting with bated breath for the May Burda World of Fashion magazine to come (in about 4 weeks time) because I think this jacket is adorable.

See?  But that McCall’s pattern is the mutant offspring of a princess line coat and a provincial production of “My Fair Lady”.    And even though I would quite like a pair of turquoise leather gloves (well, maybe - although a classic plum or scarlet would be better) NOT EVEN THEY can excuse the hideousness of that coat.

There is no possible universe in which this outfit could look good.  If you happen to see anything like this In Real Life, I suggest you back away quietly - don’t run, you don’t want to attract its attention.  *shudder*

Sorry, all - I am truly miserable and while I lovelovelove getting your comments, I am just not up to replying. Arrgh! Thanks you so much for them, they DO help - but I think something is really WRONG. I’m just so tired and feel so HEAVY all the time.

Mr Beloved thought I was up reading too late- nope, even putting the book down and turning of the light and putting on my CPAP mask at a reasonable time, (ie, before himself even breaks away from his computer!) and sleeping right through until about 5-6 am when the dog says she has to go OUT, I’m STILL EXHAUSTED.  So much so that I crashed out from around 2pm til 7 this evening.  THIS IS NOT RIGHT!!

Did a few minor errands today - needed more pattern tracing paper so I can trace off a Jalie pattern - possibly this one - to make up in the $2 metre knit I scored at Spodshite yesterday.

Also got to the library - my turn with the Trinny and Susannah Body Shape Bible finally came up (there were a dozen reserves ahead of me) - but after a quick look through I’m more confused than ever about my shape.

Haven’t lost any centimetres off my waist or hips in the last 4 weeks - but my weight is now down to 107.9 - that’s lighter than when I left Canberra, at the end of 2003. Yay!

It probably would have been a little bit more if I had said no to dinner with the girls before we went out on Saturday night - but hey, ya gotta live, right?

And now - I’m back to bed. For those of you lucky enough to be able to work, I’m sure that sounds like BLISS - it’s not when it’s your whole LIFE!!

Whine whine whine.

Had a lovely night out with the girls on Saturday night - dinner at a Thai place (Thanks, Sue, for bringing wine - yum!) and then off we went with several THOUSAND other women and a few intrepid blokes to see Menopause the Musical. Fun, but LOUD!

I have spent the last two days entirely in bed - Mr Beloved wakes me up and makes me eat stuff, and feeds me cups of tea, but that’s all the energy I’ve had. Pathetic.

Tried to sew a dress to wear for the big night out and it was even more DISASTROUS than the last attempt!! At least now I know that long full sleeves with elastic at the bottom make me look older than my grandmother…. and that the weight of knit fabrics makes a HUGE difference to the alterations I need to do- which I spent AGES on - and which were then TOO BLOODY BIG.

BTW: I HATE THE F****KING CONTRACEPTIVE PILL. It was supposed to suppress ovulation and therefore the pain - NOPE. after some research, did you know that every kilogram heavier you are than 70kg makes the pill less effective? Great. I’ve had 4 migraines and feel like I’ve had PMT all month and THEN been run over by a garbage truck. And the diet? That’s just a loss right now - I think if I even walk PAST food I’m putting on weight, I don’t even have to eat it. I am NOT looking forward to seeing the dietician tomorrow.

Right, that’s about enough whinging from me - I’m off to make a last cuppa tea for the evening and watch CSI:NY.

Yes, we went and saw Sex and the City: The Movie. Yes, the dresses were fabboo - and yes, we cried - even the one of us who claims to be QUITE hardhearted shed a tear, didn’t she, Chriss??

Best dress? Ooooh, such a choice! The rose dress. DEFINITELY the rose dress! Not the shape so much (cos bubble dresses on bigger bodies= CIRCUS TENT!) but the print - I am sw0ooooooooning for the print!

Also? Tomorrow, I’m getting my hair cut. OFF.

Yep, you heard me - OFF!!

See, there’s this dyed LINE in my hair (from when I gave up getting it dyed) that looks totally BOGANish, and since I refuse to start smoking Winnie blues and wearing flannie shirts, the only other option is to REMOVE IT. WITH SCISSORS.

My hairdresser doesn’t know yet - except that I changed my appointment from “Trim” to “Style Cut”….

In other news - tonight I decide whether to attempt to pull apart the Domino fabric dress and re-sew it smaller. Cos - this “sack of unsmiling potatoes” look? BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!

I can’t believe I just blogged that picture. Have I NO SHAME at all?

Well, since I have…. should I attempt to unpick it? Or just give up??

Thanks all for your good wishes - the pain is almost back under control - HATE getting a bad flare-up like that!

So Saturday - was FANTABULOUS! Sue, Chriss, and I went to Brisbane and had a lovely time. Sckafs fabrics was amazing - a real Aladdin’s cave of fabrics, trims, hats, and fascinators - swooon!

Here’s what I got: (obligatory fabric haul on bed shot, for the PR girls!)

From Fabric Barn in Sumner Park: beautiful polyester jersey, cream/grey/black dots - 2.1 metres.

From Sckafs in Indooroopilly Shopping Town: the yummalicious polyester jersey in cream/chocolate different scale dots - reminds me of dominoes a bit! Also 2.1 metres - I was being optimistic about the size I was going to cut out, I think. Might have to be some creative piecing now to get this to work!

And the black with red squiggles fabric - from Sckafs bargain bin, $5 per metre: it’s only 1 metre wide, and I got just over 2.5 metres. It’s permanently pleated, (so behaves almost like a knit - lots of stretch), dries in a nano-second, and would be perfect for a reversible top of some sort: I can’t decide if I like the black or the cream with black side better. In any case, the mark which we were hoping would wash out didn’t - so I’m going to have to plan and cut this one carefully. ( I did get a further discount - only paid for 2 metres, and that was the end of the roll, or I would have bought more!)

Also - a couple of pieces of tailors chalk (chipped due to my carelessness, bugger!) to replace the pieces Constance J. Woodle ate (ewww!) and some new pins - nothing worse than trying to sew knits with big old blunt pins.

And today in the mail: Jalie patterns! I’ve been reading everyone’s reviews of them for ages and not been brave enough to order, but Sue and I took the plunge. First up - the twin set, I think. The pattern paper is HUUUUGE, since there are 27 sizes printed on the one sheet, but once I trace off the right size I think it will almost take longer to cut than to sew! I also got Pattern #2804, the Empire Crossover Top; Pattern 2215 (which I ordered for the little skirt with the attached undies, but now I really like the pants and shirt as well), and Pattern #2682, the V neck top.

There’s nothing on TV tonight after Time Team, so if my back holds out I might actually get something made.

Also in the mail today - something I won off ebay. Which I probably didn’t NEED but I really really WANTED - since I have such fond memories of looking at Mum’s copy all those years ago:

I know, I know - totally frivolous! I don’t have kids, I barely even KNOW anyone with little kids - but - *sigh* I am going to daydream about these patterns! Mum was incredibly creative and took the bloomers from one design, the bolero top from another, and the little hat from a third to design my fondly remembered bee costume (hey Mum, any photos?!?)  All the patterns were given as diagrams - it was up to the dressmaker to draft out the patterns in the correct size.

Right, now we’ve had dinner I can go try and clear enough floor space to actually CUT something out!

I missed ANOTHER quilters day. Grrr! I am SO SICK OF THIS PAIN!

Went to the gastroenterologist yesterday - he was much nicer than he seemed last year - thank goodness! Agreed that my issues are NOT his department, and also agreed with the course of action that my GP had already planned. Good to know, but not particularly helpful on the day.

Also - he acknowledged that while I don’t have diagnosable coeliac disease, I do have a wheat intolerance. YAY! Why yay? Well, now I feel justified in avoiding gluten most of the time, but can allow myself the occasional piece of toast if I really feel like it.

No sewing happening either - tried a sleeve from the Rio jacket in muslin and Mr Beloved reckoned it looked like something Frankenstein’s monster would have sewn! Also, the whole tricky seam is on the back of the sleeve, where it can’t even be seen - so why bother?? I still like the look and drape of the vest so I might have a go at that. I might even just put a plain sleeve in and make the jacket…

Sorry no posts with pretty pics - all I want to do right now is hunch over a hot water bottle and moan. I realise that isn’t helpful, but you try exercising when your lower abdomen feels like it has a bread knife cutting into it!!

GRRRRRRRRR!

OMG, I did it!  I worked out how to make the overlocker do a really nice coverstitch!  WOOOOOT!

Right now am sooo tired - and have lost a VITAL piece of paper for a job I needed to do…ummmm… yesterday-ish?

Meantime, STOP!  DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL!!  EXCITING *yawn* PICTURES OF A COVERSTITCHED HEM  WILL BE POSTED TOMORROW!!!

(Well, I was excited!)

After what feels like aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages of reading other peoples reviews on PatternReview.com, at long last the NEW BURDAS ARE HERE!!!

Even better - THE BURDA PLUS IS HERE!!

[Mum, I'll be popping yours in the post tomorrow. Along with the January one which I really really liked a lot of things from.]

Some months I want to make EVERYTHING in the Burda magazine - some months - meh, not so much. I love every pattern except one in the Burda Plus - so that’s 29 out of the thirty illustrated. Not bad for $20, eh?!

The March issue of Burda WOF - well, not so impressed with the plus size selections, but there are some very pretty patterns in the regular sizes. For now I have enough alterations to make on a plus size, there’s nothing that would realllly tempt me to grade up a smaller pattern.

Now if you’ll excuse me, that lining fabric has just finished going through the washer; it’s still so windy here (but not as cold, thank goodness!) that by the time I make a cuppa tea the lining will be dry and ready to cut out.

Off to SEW!!

Well, Sue is was being very good today and sewing up a skirt. She had to stop to go get lining, so we popped over to Lincraft - only to find them shut. BUGGER!! One of the few stores in Toowoomba actually open on a Sunday , but we missed it! Never mind, we went and had a coffee, then I loaded her up with even MORE books and magazines once we got back to my place. (Yes, Canberra folks, Caity’s Library is still going strong!)

I have been looking through the stash, finding a lot of bigger dressmaking pieces of fabric from way back when there was a big fabric shop in Canberra down around where the Casino is now - the name has gone from my head. (”Fabric something-or-other” - anyone remember?) ETA: Annie reminded me: Home Yardage!  Thanks, Annie!

Discovered I have SCARLET wool/poly crepe - 8 yards of 60″ - perfect for one day making this suit. Not now while I’m still shrinking, though. Damn - just realised I have this pattern in sizes 18-20-22 - now I’ll have to go looking for it in the smaller range… arrgh! Of course it’s OOP…(Out Of Print)

Isn’t it DIVINE? Of course, I need the mink wrap too, dontcher know - and the hat, and gloves, of course. Just the thing for popping up to Woollies for the bread, yes?

(I know one thing about glove making - the fourchette is a BUGGER! “What’s a fourchette, Caity?” A fourchette is the gusset in between the fingers. Not found on el cheapo gloves. And I am NOT talking about the female genital piercing of the same name, owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Although I bet that makes your eyes water, too.)

Do I even remotely DRESS like this? No. But I’d like to. And pattern buying is nothing if not aspirational! I mean, I can’t be the only one who lies in bed and reads pattern instructions, can I? (Ok, I also read dictionaries, I may be just weird.)

Also excavated enough fabric to really have a good fang at some shirts for me AND for Mr Beloved: two shades of blue tshirt material, one of bottle green (it looks browner in the pic) - and quite a lot of a scarlet stretch velvety thing (think I’ll keep that one for mine, not sure it’s Mr B’s colour!)

Now that my overlocker (serger) and I have declared a truce (and may even become friends) I can consider sewing this sort of thing.

Don’t worry, the sewing obsession will lessen and I WILL get back to quilting eventually. The prospect of actually fitting (with alterations) into even the largest size of patterns is just so thrilling!

And as the lovely Rooruu commented on my coat patterns post:

I notice, however, that many of them are what you could call afashional, not specific to a year or season, based on interesting shapes, so they don’t date.

Yep, that’s me - although I adore reading the fashmags, (”Aby-bloody-synnian Vogue!” chimes in Mr Beloved, channelling the AbFab fashmagslags themselves) drooling over the impossibly expensive designer gear at Net-A-Porter, and checking into Style.com every day, I’m not a slave to fashion. For one thing, I’m not rich. (ha! We actually live so far below the poverty line that we ASPIRE to being poor!) For another, I am not 6ft 2 tall and I weigh a LOT more than 40 kgs.

But I know what I like, even if I don’t wear it a lot of the time.

I have no memory of buying this either, but isn’t it yummy?

*Swwooooooooons and has to go lie down with a nice cuppa tea.*

Marimekko “Always Mod”

I have ONE piece of Marimekko in my stash, that I got as a trade many years ago.  It’s lime green with orange flowers and I love it too much to cut it up!

In other news: Today I bought a new book.  Which is very helpful, so I’m off to read some more.  I have got a photo to trace off to see my body silhouette (so very confronting!)  like these women did.

The author, Annabelle van Tongeren, is an Aussie who has dressed a lot of our celebrities, and the book is beautiful.  (And looking at her gallery, I remember seeing one of her gorgeous dresses ages ago in Australian Stitches magazine - but that’s not one I keep, so I can’t tell you which issue.)

You know, when I finally get down to my goal weight, I’m going to find a way to have one of those makeovers.  In the meantime,  I’m going to try and learn and sew as much as I can to keep me motivated.  Only another 47 kilos to go!

…and not getting terribly much done. I’ve been mostly in bed since Wednesday - arrrgh! Twenty minutes of a fairly fast walk without any preparation, followed up by a fast-ish 10 minute walk down town on Thursday and I am BUGGERED! Hate hate hate hate that. It’s not just the hip and knee pain and muscle tiredness, its the overwhelming fatigue that gets me.

We did have time to pop into the Salvos thrift store on Friday on the way to the greengrocers, where I scored about a metre of green knit fabric - which solves the “What do I use for a muslin?” issue for at least B5001. It won’t have quite the same properties as the nice jersey I’m planning on using, but it was $1 - and that’s the right price!

Probably only just enough to check the bodice, but that’s the main worry - that, and the arms, which I have to make sure are large enough - nothing worse than heavy arms looking like sausages bursting out of their casings, yuk.

I’d love to make it in this jersey from Kerryn’s Fabric World - exactly the colours I keep coming back to this winter, browns, caffe latte, teal, and blue. Yum.

Instead the first iteration of this dress will be in a black jersey overprinted with a beige and coffee swirly, as modelled here by the faithful Dolly Bustenschneider. (That ‘u’ should have an umlaut, never mind.) The main shot was taken with flash, the detail shot without flash. I don’t know which is the more accurate. In some lights the beige print almost looks gold.

This fabric (like most others in my stash ) has “gunna be” a whole heap of different patterns - I originally bought it for the Wong-Singh-Jones Kimono Wrap Dress from Hot Patterns, but that will have to wait for another time.

I have recently decided that black is NOT a colour I should wear, since it makes every zit, wrinkle, and dark circle look a hundred times worse than any other colour. I’m hoping that this will ‘read” ok with all the beige, but even if it doesn’t - hey, I’m sewing it up anyway!

I need to take a leaf from Sue’s book and just get in and SEW THE BLOODY THING! I have so many books, back issues of Threads, and other advice running through my head that I’m almost afraid to cut ing out, cos I know I’ll do something wrong. *sigh* My recovery from being a rigid perfectionist goes better some days than others…

In any case, not much will happen in sewing today - first we get to watch the Red Bull Air Race (vrooooooooooooom!) then the V8 Supercars at Barbagello (Vrooom! Vrooooom!) and then tonight the F1 from Turkey (Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeroooooooooooom!) Not often we get a decent run of motorsport like that!

At least I’ll get the paper pattern cut out, that’s a start.

[Later Edited To Add: I did get the pattern cut out.  But once I started tissue fitting and reading the finished garment measurements printed on the tissue pieces, I decided that I needed to go buy the bigger pattern size after all - BUGGER!  Back to the drawing board, eh?)

Vogue 2017, copyright date 1997.

“Fitted, interfaced, lined, above hip jacket has raised neckline, shoulder pads, side panels, no side seams and long, two-piece sleeves with button vent. Semi-fitted, interfaced, line, straight skirt above mid-knee or above ankle, has waistband, side front seams, no side seams and side front button closing.”

I could happily and make and wear this RIGHT NOW - except that I couldn’t be bothered altering that pattern UP so many sizes. When I have lost more weight, though, look out!

I was feeling guilty about my pattern stash - so many patterns that are still in factory folds - but now I look on them as inspiration. As in - I want to wear that!

Just watched Trinny and Susannah’s show where they fit 1000 women in the right size bra. I cried. Seeing someone transformed by something so simple as actually being fitted properly - wow.

This ties in with my new sig line over on PatternReview.com (and something I have expressed previously on this blog) NO MORE FRUMPY CLOTHES! I’m getting closer to feeling able to try some new things for example - I really really REALLY want to make this dress.

The new things are: I haven’t made anything in knits for a really long time; and - I haven’t ever made anything that looks quite this glamorous. But I’m so sick of frumping around in baggy mens size t-shirts and jeans… I bought a size 24, even though my current measurements are closer to the 26 - but that’s where the pattern range split, and I can see myself using the smaller sizes soooooon.

(Ummmm - at the moment ANYTHING that’s not superfrump = glamorous. I’ll work up to actual evening gowns if I ever have a life that needs them, yes?!)

My excuses for not starting this dress right away, even though I have some lovely stretch fabric that I could use:

• I’m waiting on some thread for my overlocker (woolly polyester) although I could just use the plain thread that I already have, it just would make a slightly less nice seam finish…
  
• I should buy something cheaper to make up as a muslin first (cheaper than $20 per metre for knit that drapes the same way? Dream on!)
• I don’t have room to cut the dress out (unless I actually - *gasp* made the effort to shift the lounge room furniture and vacuum the floor)
• I can’t sew when I’m tired (well, in that case maybe I should just lie down in bed and never get up again, eh? LIVE WITH IT!)

Hmm. I may have just run out of excuses.

* Must be read in ABFab Eddy voice, dahhhling!

Well, I TOTALLY score at the town library today - one of the books I have been COVETING but had no $$ to buy (since I spent up big on patterns and had to renew my domain hosting - life’s tough, innit?)

Christian Lacroix On Fashion (ISBN-13: 978-0500513910) is a book to LUST after if you have even the tiniest interest in fashion and the history of dress. After several introductory essays, we get down to the business at hand, as described by CL himself:

“This is not a retrospective, but my own look at the costume collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, from which I chose pieces from all eras, some never before exhibited. I chose those that were most inspiring, those that best told the story of fashion that I would have wanted to tell if I were the museum curator that I intended to be when I was a student.”

And of course being a Thames and Hudson book, everything about it is superb. (long time readers of my blog have probably already picked up on my obsession with books that are well constructed and well designed. I find it really difficult to read badly designed and poorly made books, ugh.)

The photography is brilliant, with the garmetns showcased amongst ( what I assume must be) the warehouse of the museum. Of course, I would have loved more detail shots, but we can’t have everything (and there is always the wonderful Fashion In Detail series - I only own the 17th and 18th Century one, but I would love to own the 19th C, Around the World, and Modern Fashion all from the V & A Museum ).

I know that this is a book I will want to go back to over and over again- every page is inspiring - the details, the colours, the cut! And the photos are arranged in sensible categories such as “”Flowers”, “Back to Front” and “Cobwebs”. Part of the joy of this book is looking at a double spread of clothes then flicking to the catalogue details, only to find that an outfit that looked like one era is in fact from another period entirely. The first photos in any category showcase some of Lacroix’s (how does one add the possessive there? that doesn’t look quite right) own designs - which emphasizes his mastery of historical material and genius for re-invention.

The last section of the book features computer generated sketches (apparently now his favourite way of working) for both his history of fashion and the Fall-Winter 2007-8 haute couture collection. I had never seen these drawings before - and yet they are in the loose flowing “ink and colour” style of several of my favourite illustrators (Ralph Steadman, Ronald Searle, Gerald Scarfe immediately come to mind)

I’m off to watch Grand Designs (it was a beautifully transformed church in Ireland - sigh!); then I think my notebooks and I will be spending a few happy hours with this book.

I’ve been looking at this “Gypsy Gripper” tool and saw on live at the Stitches and Craft show last week. It’ s the same tool that glass repair people use to lift panes of glass - a really good lock on suction handle. Someone had the wonderful idea of using them to hold your big (and little!) patchwork rulers steady while you use a rotary cutter.

So - did I pay approx $36 for the “official” patchwork version? NOPE!

I went to Aldi who had them on special this week for $10.

And it works BRILLIANTLY!!

If you’re only using a small ruler, you just flip one of the little levers down to hold onto that.

So - locals - they were at the Clifford Garden store, right down the back.

I bought an overlocker (serger for those Norte Americanos who might be reading!) in (mumble mumble does a quick count back on fingers) 2004. And have hardly used it all. Not least because I kept meaning to go in for classes, and then the dealer closed…

Then the other week we happened on this book for ONE DOLLAR. I can’t pass up just about ANY book for that price (it’s a sickness, and it’s hereditary - I come from a long line of bibliophiles) and this one - well, I think I might have even paid *gasp* full retail price for! (ooh, grammar. Never mind…)

Okay, it’s from 1992; but the basic info is all good, even if the illustrations look terribly dated now (Aww. come on - you KNOW we all wanted to look so glamorous with those big bows on our butts! I can remember coveting exactly that dress on my best friend’s sister…)

Anyway, with the help of the clear and well labelled diagrams, today I managed to:

• Clean and oil the beastie (hmm the only one of my machines not to have a name, I think, which tells you how very slight our relationship has been ’til now)
• Work out the hieroglyphics on the program card: squiggle glob glob 1/1 triangle triangle square actually means: rolled-hem-stitch-width-adjuster-thingummy DOWN! Ahhh!!!
• Re-learned how to change threads without having the re-thread the beastie (cool!)
• Have a go at actually doing a rolled hem (with view to using it on the skirt that I posted as “almost finished” this week - just need the hem, and a hook and eye at the waist- arrrgh!) AND refined it to get a better look AND  now I know which thread to change so I get the right colour on top.
• Have dug out the extra feet that were a bonus with the machine and actually worked out what they are - next step, using them!

Mr Beloved reminds me that we went to a Stitches and Craft show in 2005 where the rather enthusiastic speaker was extolling the virutes of the serger - and made an unfortunate series of hand gestures which triggered this cartoon:

So now I know - it has a name - Die (Der? Das? Just what gender IS a serger, anyway?) Uberlocker.

I’m off to play with some more samples.

As Sue mentioned, there was SUCH A DEAL on Simplicity patterns over at Pattern Review (25% off!, May 5 to May 12)

So I finally after drooling over this design for EVAH (well, not really , just since it was released on the Simplicity site) ordered 2981. No reviews yet on Pattern Review, though, so I’ll be flying solo! I was still hesitant about it since the long sleeved version needs - wait for it - 7 and a half yards of 45″ wide or 5 and three quarter yards of 60″ wide!

But then Sue said “Buy something cheap and we’ll stamp it!” DUH! Of course! That’s brilliant! I mean, what’s the point of having those dyes and fabric paints if I can’t use them to dress up some plain fabric, right?! Clever Sue.

And then, cos I was REALLY ANNOYED when I went into *chain sewing store* that the patterns I wanted were $Au 25 EACH, I ordered Vogue 8120 which looked utterly FABULOUS made up when we saw it recently at the Stitches and Craft Show but is just - blah! - in the illustration:

This doesn’t show you the way the funnel neck hides the fat pad at the base of the neck (yeah, you know what I mean, anyone over about a size - hmmm - 14?)

I may have ordered another one. Or two. Perhaps.

And now I am anxiously eagerly awaiting the arrival of the March Burda World Of Fashion magazine, and Burda Plus (surely THIS must be the month it gets here?) and the latest Ottobre woman mag - and then I will be on a “NO MORE PATTERNS til I have sewn up this lot” regime! (Well, except for the monthly Burda WOF, but I do send most of those on to Mum -right, Mum?!)

And now - to bed. I have an appointment with the exercise physiologist at 9 am for a “Heart Rate Monitored Walk” complete with multiple blood tests for lactic acid production. After which I am meant to know exactly what heart rate I need to walk at to burn fat best. Wish me luck!

ARRRRRRRGH!!

I though I’d make a simple little skirt, nothing flash. I chose this pattern:

Dead simple, innit?

Bought cheap fabric which I thought would do for a knock-around sort of skirt.

BUT - first I cut it out in the wrong size. And blithely sewed it up without fitting cos well - I’m ALWAYS the biggest size, aren’t I.

Except I completely failed to take into account the recent weight loss. La la la, try it on to see hem length - and watch it fall straight to my ankles, since the waist is the only fitted place on the skirt. Oops.

Unpick the whole thing and start again. (And leave it for a few more days.)

Re-cut, sewed next size down. (Leave it for another few days.)

Decided to use invisible zip.

Put it in back to front.

Unpick.

Try another method of inserting invisible zip - hmm, right way this time, but not really invisible!

Mr Beloved (quite rightly) insists I have a cuppa tea.

Get out The Book (so glad I found it - safely filed under my sewing machine. D’OH!). When Ms Betzina says “Idiot Proof invisible zipper” - she means it’s even CAITY proof! (Although for a moment due to my complete directional dyslexia I thought I’d sewn it back to front again - but then I zipped it up. Ahem.)

But then - the waistband treatment on the pattern was STUPID. Using narrow (half inch wide) twill tape to finish the waistband as though you were using petersham? DOESN’T WORK. It just doesn’t. There isn’t enough width to turn the top of the waistband down.

No worries, I’ll buy petersham (it’s a ribbon, with unlocked edges so you can make it curve - see here for an illustration.) Eventually found some at Lincr*p today - in only one size, one colour, and well hidden away from any other ribbon. (Yeah, that makes sense… NOT!) And at $4.99 per metre!! When I know (thanks to the girls on Pattern Review) That I can buy the same width from the USA in a gazillion different colours , for $US 2.89 per yard… and the postage isn’t much.

But - I wanted to wear the skirt tomorrow, perhaps. So I lashed out ($2.99!) on a packet of pre-made bias binding. All was going FINE With that until… I notice I had sewn the invisible zipper in about a quarter of an inch HIGHER on one side than the other.

FLIPPIN’ HECK! I can’t believe all the hassles that have come up with one little skirt!! All stupid little mistakes that I shouldn’t be making - although, it HAS been a while since I’ve sewn clothes. Mostly because at my current size and shape it’s pretty much like sewing circus tents.

No progress photos - they’d mostly be of me TEARING MY HAIR OUT. But here’s a photo of the almost finished skirt:

Which is now TOO BIG again!

I don’t care. I’m going to hem the damn thing and take it in at the waist with a safety pin on each side for a couple of weeks.

(Actually, I might make it again next week- with the petersham waist band - and another size smaller.)

Well we did go down the hill to the Stitches and Craft Show, and I must say Sue and I were both quite restrained in our spending! It was wonderful to go with another sewing type, really changed the focus. We watched most of the fashion parades and found them really worthwhile - proving again that the illustrations on some patterns do NOT do them justice.

For example this jacket - a bit *meh* on the pattern, but STUNNING made up - a really versatile little jacket. Stephanie (Perpetual Patterns & Can Do Books) had sold out at the show, so I might have to mail order it.

There was one model in the show that was a size 14, D cup - and admittedly she was nearly 6 foot tall, but she was NOT a lightweight skinny minny - so wonderful to see a REAL size model looking great in the clothes on parade.

There were no photos allowed in the show (pity, since some of the clothes made up from commercial patterns really were scrummy) and the art garments by Ruth Osborne, Kirry Toose and Trudy Billingsley were full of interesting ideas for lesser mortals to borrow. Sue Neall (of Stitches, the Australian Sewing Guild and now Sew Inspirational) did a great job hosting and explaining the parades, and also managed a quick change for each parade - the woman never stops!

Another pattern that was definitely a “flick past” in the pattern book but absolutely stunning made up - this little crossover top , Vogue 8120. We saw this made up in knits and in several colours - it looked smashing.

As did the tunic and flat front (but elastic waisted - very nice, not your granny’s elastic waist!)pants in  Vogue 8335. Again - not a stunning illustration, but wow, terrific sewn up.

I mentioned that I was reading Pattern Review before heading down - I only ended up buying one pattern - the Sewing Workshop Mimosa Top and Pant.

(I know, a bit summery - but I’m planning on wearing long sleeves under it. And the pant looks very flattering.)

Kerryn (of the astonishing makeovers in Stitches magazine) was at the Australian Sewing Guild stand at the show, and I showed her the pattern for the top - she suggested that on my figure, extending the bottom edge to a diagonal would be more flattering that having a strong horizontal line just above my hips. I’m definitely making a muslin first one this one.

And this is the fabric I bought (from here - they don’t have fabrics on their website, but will very soon) to make the top. Now that I look at it draped on me I’m wondering if the print is a bit blocky… what do you think? It’s more rust/brown/tan than the orange-y flash photo shows, really - but I think it’s ok with my colouring?

Wait ’til you see the fabulously wearable fabric Sue bought - oh my, just swoooony!

I would have loved to go to some of the workshops that the Australian Sewing Guild was running - but there just wasn’t time.  Maybe next year…

Thanks to everyone who cheered me on in my weight loss. IT REALLY HELPS! And we are soooo enjoying life without the neighbour Weasel. Oooh, he was a horrid little man. We have 10 neighbours (we own a long narrow block that runs along a lot of backyards) and only ever have real problems with 2 of the houses. Here’s hoping the next lot of renters are quiet people.

Ever been in the situation where you KNOW you’ve got a book, but just can’t find it? I’m not even sure if I’ve seen it since the move to Toowoomba, but I’m sure I wouldn’t have (deliberately!) got rid of it - arrgggh! I’ve been looking for this book for DAYS now. I don’t think I’ve lent it to anyone… if I did, please let me know, eh? It’s one of those really handy reference books, and I’m missing it!

I’m definitely headed down the hill tomorrow for the Stitches and Craft Show. I’m really looking forward to going with Sue - at last, another sewing chick! Tonight I’m digging through patterns and reading reviews (PatternReview.com - awesome value!) to see what I should spend my limited $$ on.

In all the digging around, I did re-find (is that even a word? UNEARTHED, perhaps - I swear, the Time Team would have their work cut out for them amongst all my stuff!)

[click to see bigger images]

This is Vogue 1407, and has someones name and 4/4/66 written on the front. New in Factory Folds! Of course, nowhere near my size - but it’s very close to the size I will be at my goal weight, I hope.  “Narrow, sleeveless dress with a two-piece look at front has a deep V Surplice neckline. Wrapped coat swings wide, three quarter length set in sleeves.” It’s so NOW I’m almost tempted to grade it up and make it… almost! The front wrap over is actually an overlay on an otherwise plain sheath dress, but doesn’t it look good? (and why are the instructions on a 1966 pattern SO MUCH BETTER than instructions on current patterns, hmm?) Although this is one of those vintage patterns where the only markings you get are perforated dots. And this is the little blurb about the designer:”JO MATTLI (Mattly) - Swiss charm and Parisian taste combine in the designs of this member of London’s couture group. Mr Mattli has designed the clothes for many English films.”

I think I paid 20cents for this pattern at an op shop. Whereas tomorrow I’ll probably be paying $30 for this pattern - if I can get it! Or this one….or maybe this one?

And now I’d better go turn up the hem on my other pair of jeans - don’t think it would be cool to wander around a Stitches and Craft Show and watch the fashion parades with my jeans rolled - ugh!

[later ETA: But first, I have to go sort through all the art materials that were previously stashed under the kitchen table, as Mr Beloved just had to pull them all out to retrieve a mrrrrrrrooooooouuuuuuusssse! that Miss Kitty Bing brought in as part of her "catch and release" program - she's still looking for it, but it's dead and gone into the bin - ewwwwwwwww!]

It suddenly got cold!  Brrr!  And here am I still looking at things I was “gunnasew” for Summer…

Not much happening here - trying to work out if I can re-schedule a medical scan so I can go to the Stitches and Craft Show in Brisbane instead (scan not urgent, so no panic there.  Just trying to sort out the PCOS stuff *sigh*  I’ve had the pain for months now, another week won’t make any difference!).

And I’d really like to go to the fashion parades at the show - especially with the independent pattern companies, their illustrations don’t really tell you how the garment will look made up.  (Mind you, neither do the big 4 - how many times have I seen a terrific garment sewn up, and been amazed that the drawing was so blah?)

Today’s post brought the Patchwork Quilt Tsushin and Quilt Japan magazines I ordered from New Zealand Quilter.  Lovelovelove those mags!  (Wish I remembered more of my Japanese studies, and that I hadn’t lost all my textbooks to one of the exes or moves, but never mind.)

Look at this beautiful shrug!  I reckon with some trial and error with the diagram I can make something similar.  Hmmmm!

Ok, I’m too bloody cold to stay here and type - I’m off to bed with a hot water bottle, my new magazines, and a notebook…

Well, now that my host server has decided to WORK again (grrrr!) I can post!

I’ve been crook, obviously. Booked in for another scan next week, and seeing my helpful GP again soon. Got to get this sorted out, arrggggh!

HOWEVER, on Saturday I had the BEST day - went to Brissy with Sue. GIRLY SHOPPING!! Oh man, I’d forgotten how much fun it is to just wander around the shops. I didn’t try on any clothes (there were no fat chick shops) but Sue did, and managed to score some good buys. I had fun just seeing what was “in” in ready-to-wear, and we both grabbed piles of ideas for our sewing - especially from the David Lawrence outlet store - over-runs, samples, and seconds, but still worth checking out.

For example - knit dresses with double faced satin ribbon on the inside of cascading edges and hems - not only helps stabilise the edge, but also means the dress looks really finished inside and out.

There were some really - interesting! samples at the Cue store - things that I’m glad someone said “Ummm, NOT for production!” - and that was also the only store with no mirrors in the dressing rooms, just one big one on the back wall of the store - which I agree with Sue was icky - you kinda wanna know if something looks REALLY dreadful before you have to come out into the glare of the whole store, you know?

We looked at shoes, yum - agreed that the slightly furry leopard print shoes would either

a) have to be petted all. the. time. or

b) be guarded carefully from our dogs….

The find of the day, however, and one we both REALLY regretted not buying (we didn’t even check the price!) was this handbag. Forgive the bad pics - I took them with my phone and I was so busy laughing that the phone shook! Is this not the absolute muppet-est handbag you’ve ever seen?

Sue and I looked at this and immediately thought of the Yip Yip aliens meeting the telephone on Sesame Street….

Isn’t it FABULOUS!! I would be unable to use it, it would become a puppet that I would have to keep playing with. But I am seriously considering driving back down to Jindalee just to get it…

I tried on lots of hats (Have I mentioned I LOVE hats?) which reinforced my determination to get sewing on some - hats hats hats!

Eventually we were shopped out and headed over to the 2QAQ meeting. LOTS of inspiration from the Reddy Art Quilters, who had brought along their journal quilts and Artist Trading Cards (ATCs); and an ATC swap which got out of hand (some people are GRABBY!) and ended up being inequitable. Grrrrr. Simple rules, you get ONE BACK for each one you put in - Linda should N OT have ended up short!

Thankfully, the wonderful organisers of 2QAQ have said the swap will NOT be a free-for-all next time, to prevent that happening again.

I was really thrilled that Sue’s ATCs were all snatched up, too. Next month I’ll have some done… my small contribution to the economy of Jindalee DFO was to buy two small rubber stamps from Smiggle - an elephant, and a skull and crossbones for Mr Beloved. So my ATCs will certainly feature those!

But right now, I’m off to watch the F1 grand prix. If the weather is warmish this week we’re planning some fabric dyeing; and on Tuesday I’m hoping to be well enough to get to quilters and am taking my Shiva sticks and supplies so we can have a bit of a play.

I was laughing myself silly the other day when Terry mentioned her excitement when she finally got her hands on the latest issue of Quilting Arts magazine - (”The new phone books are here! The new phone books are here!”) and I have to agree - this must be the best issue yet! (Terry’s article on finishing small quilts will be put to use TONIGHT - how good is that!)

Also laughing because one of the ladies at Quilters today said “Where are all these fabulous new garments, Caity? I think you’re making them in fantasy land!” (I dreamed I was….)

Well - yeah, and no - I’ve been asleep most of the last week. Not very productive! But after one of those horrible sleepless nights last night (and a good sleep in this morning, making me late for Quilters) I think I’m just about back to the right cycle. Maybe I’ll get more stuff done this week.

(and BTW - WHY can’t I buy bras like this with good “forward projection”, huh huh huh? It’s EXACTLY what I want. Hrrrmph. Bring back Maidenform’s stitched cups, say I!)

Talked with the dietician today about goal setting. One of my big problems has been that I get overwhelmed by the big end goal - I need to break it up into manageable DOABLE chunks of specific tasks.

I have too many ideas floating about, I need to pin them to the pages of my journal. For example: the new Ricky Tims Rhapsody Quilts book arrived yesterday, along with a book I’ve looked at for ages (thanks to recommendations from Jane Dunnewold, Sarah Ann, and Brenda) - it was cheap on Amazon, so I grabbed it:Notan: the Dark-Light Principle of Design. So I’m doodling ideas, already starting to design the applique for a Rhapsody style quilt - based on our cockatiels. (it makes sense in MY head, trust me!)

And there are so many other things I need/want to do:

• Finish typing the minutes from the Exhibition Committee meeting on the 5th (time flies!) [ETA: DONE, bloody DONE DONE DONE!!}
  
• Find a copyright free image of Toowoomba Violets as background for a flyer (might have to go find some to photograph!)
• Go to Officeworks to buy printer cartridges to print flyers
• Actually finish fitting at least one of the sewing projects in muslin so I can cut it out in the real fabric
• Finish the brown skirt (Just a couple of buttonholes, buttons, facings and hems to go)
• Find brown shoes to wear with new skirt!
• Return library books
• Finish Mum’s quilt for Mother’s Day (I hope!)
• Work on Dad’s quilt (for Christmas 2007 - oops!)
• start walking again for 5 minutes per day initially, building up to 40 minutes
• Clean the house before the dust buffaloes develop sentience and stage a coup
• think about the quilt I want to enter in the 2QAQ juried show
• Think about which quilts to enter in the Toowoomba Quilters show
• Think about quilt to enter into Queensland Quilters Show (uh - maybe not this year…)
• Read the latest Quilting Arts, Threads, etc
• Chase up where the Studios magazine has got to - I’m sure I pre-ordered it - hmmmm
• organise (slightly late!) birthday card for friend J (we’ve been friends 36 years!)
• yada yada yada a gazillion other things!

But right now I’m off to watch Time Team.

(Which reminds me of another thing that makes me laugh - pay tv. Who has TIME?! I barely get a chance to watch the free-to-air!)

I know, BORING, second verse, same as the first… but I REALLY get frustrated by people who criticise internet and tech stuff without even bothering to find out what they’re talking about.  *sigh*

Not a lot else happening here, I’m afraid.  Still haven’t watched the Kemshall’s new DVD; still haven’t finished the brown skirt.

I did, however, buy new slippers today - lashed out and bought the real Grosby ones and not the chain store’s cheap knockoff - so they should last all winter.  Yep, elegant whether at home or on the town, that’s your bloggist.  Didn’t you NEED to know that?  Uh huh.

Mr Beloved went on a hunt and destroy mission for the dust buffalo herd under the bed… only one more corner of the room to go, and I’ll tackle that one tomorrow, perhaps.

Move along, nothing to see here….

If you wanna see some REALLY stylish dresses?  GO here.  Swoooony blog from the Met Museum, all about frocks.

… the answer is MORE POWER!   heh heh heh…

Yep, I now have a new iron.  TWENTYFOURHUNDRED WATTS, baby!  *makes appropriate Tim the Toolman grunting noises*

Only problem is - without water in it, it’s wayyyyyy lighter than I’m used to. I will adapt.  Toowoomba water is so hard that irons just get scaled up and spit rusty spots (and I’ve tried to remember to use distilled water but - sheesh!  I’m just not that dedicated.)  Hopefully by keeping this one as a dry iron it will at least last its warranty period…

(For those wondering how you iron without water in the iron: spray bottle set to mist, and pressing cloths.  For my birthday I lashed out on a whole metre of silk organza - half of which will now be a pressing cloth.)

No one had an iron without steam holes.  NO ONE!! But at least I was able to buy one without the annoying auto shut off beep beep beep beep ARRRGHGHHH!

And - something I’ve been wanting for ages also: a hair iron! A wet-to-dry hair straightener - because sometimes I HATE my wavy hair.   Straight hair always looks glossier and more elegant.

And - I went to Gardams.  Hanging on the line right now I have some brown batiste (for lining a top) and some absolutely un-crushable brown jersey (for this dress.)  Oh, and a metre and a half of the brown wool stuff for the bias skirt - I didn’t buy enough, and today I got the very last of the bolt - phew!
I can’t find brown shoes anywhere, though - dammit!  Guess I’ll just have to wear black and try not to be self conscious about it.

AND I went to the physio - I’m doing really well with fixing the urinary incontinence thang.  You remember all those times your mother told you to “Stand up straight and hold your tummy in!” (well, mine did, anyway) - turns out she was so, so right.   You now have permission to poke me with a sharp stick if you see me slouching.  But my muscles are learning what they’re meant to do, so yay me!  I have new exercises to do to help strengthen my back muscles, which should also help with the hip/back pain.

Nearly time for Grand Designs: more later.

I’m 40 today.

Mum and Dad sent me a lovely home made card (with a cheque that is going straight to buying fabric at Gardams!) and my friend Di from quilting gave me some beautiful green and pink fabrics for the Tuesday monster quilt.

I am so grateful for my friends and family; for the help I’m getting to improve my health; for my little dog, cat, and birds, and most of all for Mr Beloved. (Whose birthday is tomorrow but shhh - he doesn’t do birthdays.)

Ok, well it might not be a “adventure” to you, but for me it’s a big deal: I’m going to this tomorrow with my friend Sue. And we’re allowing plenty of time so we can go here.

I got peopled-out while window shopping yesterday at Grump Central - got home and collapsed into bed a 4:30 in the afternoon! Slept right through (apart from a nearly 2 hour long phone call with Maria) , and then slept again all day today - I was exhausted.

In other news - apparently cloche hats are IN IN IN this season - HOORAY! They are my favourite ever style of hat (although I will have to work out what to do with all my hair - how do I make a neat low chignon??) . I’m a hat person, and am seriously considering making a cute little cloche to go with the brown outfits. (Or not so little - on fatchicks, it’s all about proportion, after all….)

And the January Burda World Of Fashion magazine had a double page spread on hats - you know, I really REALLY want to do a millinery course sometime. [click to see larger image - it's worth it.]

Speaking of fat chicks: I had my official medical for starting the weight loss thing. I had to sign forms saying my doctor had explained to me the risks of gall bladder, cardiac, and other problems that could be unmasked by weight loss; and that I understood that my hair might temporarily shed more, that I might be hungry (!) and that this is a drastic decision and I HAVE to consume the required amount of calories and especially water; also that if for any reason I need emergency surgery while I’m on the initial (up to 13 weeks) part of the plan then the doctors HAVE TO BE TOLD so the IV fluids compensate; and that my usual medications will have to be even more closely monitored. Eeeks!

So - regular blood and urine tests, weekly visits with the dietician, sessions with the psychologist - on top of my normal rounds with my GP, the pain management specialist, and the physiotherapist. Maybe the idea is to keep me too busy to think about food??!

But it’s this entire re-programming thing, or resorting to gastric surgery - and I don’t want that. So the doctor did all the necessary checks - blood pressure (both sitting and standing, because apparently this sort of weight loss can trigger orthostatic problems - ie, you fall down when you try to stand up); a measurement of electric impedance (tells you fat/water composition, apparently) etc.

She also warned me that any initial loss would be water weight, as my body tries to regain its equilibrium. (Why did the !@*&)#s at Weight Watchers NEVER say that - instead they made you feel like a failure when you couldn’t match that intial loss each week??)

It’s genuinely scary. This is not your regular faffing about diet, this is SERIOUS. I have to do this.

Are very difficult to photograph!

It looks quite greyed out here.

The close-up is better for the real colours:

I spent last night doing this:

So later tonight I might even *gasp* cut into the fabric! (but only if the tissue-fitting goes well… otherwise it’s back on the table for more alterations…)

So, I went to Gardam’s in between doctors appointments today. You know that skirt from the January Burda? I got the DREAMIEST already patch-worked linen on a cotton voile baking (so no lining needed, yay!) - it has wool inserts and various textures - I love it! I’ll show you a pic of the finished skirt as soon as, ok? (Unless you’d like to see the material uncut?)

It’s dry-clean only - I can’t even REMEMBER the last time I bought fabric that needed dry cleaning - come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time I took anything to a dry cleaners.

I can’t believe this though - it’s BROWN!

Do I own a single pair of brown shoes? Umm, nope! Well, I guess that’s what I save up for next. And I bough a beautifully subtle poly herringbone (that looks like fine wool, but at about a third of the cost) to make that Butterick vest pattern…. I figured if I was going to go with the brown skirt, there was no point in going halfway!

This is especially amusing to me after buying fabric to make Mum and brown bag, and now Maria’s chocolate/green/teal bag… brown is CATCHING!
And Mr Beloved was only saying this morning that “Those ratty old t-shirts have GOT TO GO, Caity, they are NOT flattering.” So yay for the sewing bug making a welcome re-appearance in my life, eh? It’s partly inspired by Sue, who is doing WONDERFUL things; partly by re-reading back issues of Threads, and also looking atErins’ A Dress A Day blog, and swooooning over her use of Liberty fabric - which I can now save up for and lay-by at Gardam’s - yay!!

I’ll be off to curse at the overlocker (serger) later tonight. I know I can get it sewing a nice three thread edge once I have it set up….

BUT - look what else Gardams just got in today! Sue and Di and Faye and Jan - and any other Toowoomba Quilters - you have GOT to get down there and grab some of this, it’s too too wonderful…. from the Loralie Designs “Sew Fancy” range:

[click on the thumbnails to see much bigger images]

Sewing Machines

Scissors

and Mannequins, Oh MY!

And what am I doing with this - Yep, you know it - another Miranda bag! (possibly the most useful bag pattern ever - and the easiest to make, because of the care Joan Hawley has taken with her instructions. I know I rant about it but truly - it’s that good!)

This time I’m going to make the longer handles and only use it to cart stuff back and forth to quilters. Makes sense to have a dedicated bag that I can just grab and go, I reckon.

Also, Toowoomba girls - call up Gardam’s and tell them you want to come to this:

I’ll be there, it should be a fun night!

[Mum, anything I should be looking out for, since now we're BOTH sewing in brown?!]

later edit: Mr Beloved commented:

It should be noted that Caity is not paid or otherwise induced to rave about Gardams.

It should also be noted that “Ewan Gardam” anagrams to “A mad, new rag”.

Pretty impressive shop, though.

…”forward projection”. I call it a bloody brilliant “sheepdog” bra: round ‘em up and get ‘em heading forwards!

Yep, after the AGONY (and sweat - ugh, is it just the physicality of trying to get bras done up, or is it the whole nerve-straining experience?) of trying on over a dozen bras…

SUCCESS!!

Three new bras - all the same style - two in “toffee” (a not totally disgusting beige, as pictured here) and one in a very pretty (but less practical) sky blue.