Blogger ???? Dashboard ?????

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Hi everyone. I have finally put some time into sewing my J. Stern jeans yesterday and will have pictures to post soon.

Is anyone else experiencing some funky stuff with their Blogger Dashboard???? Anyone know what is up?

I checked to see if there was some kind of maintenance going on but couldn't find anything? Hoping it won't last too long!

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DPC on Making Trousers - "Cutting out "tips

I wanted to point out David Page Coffin's latest post on "cutting out" tips. I love his replacement tops idea.

A great tutorial!

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How Much Fabric? Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

How Much Fabric? Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

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Jennifer Stern Jeans 0037 - Muslin

I quickly took these pictures of the jeans muslin on Monday and wasn't overly pleased with them. I figured I'd take more this week but I will have limited sewing time this week so decided I might as well just use these after all. (Muslins are so not pretty - but are so necessary)

The pattern instructions are very well written and I had no problems with them.

The pieces all went together perfectly.

The only alterations I had to make was to add 1/4" to the side seam - starting approx 1" down from the waist and 1/4" to the inseam. (I don't like my jeans overly tight- personal preference - not a pattern issue). I think if I was using a stretch denim they would be perfect with no alterations.

There is plenty of length.

I still want to tweak the fit just a little more, but overall I am thrilled how they turned out.

The fabric I used was a light weight suit fabric and I think it was too light, but I know these pants will be much better made up in a denim. I'm anxious to get them started.

Fall Colors.....

Early Morning Sky......

Pretty Trees......

and Bradley

chasing leaves.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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A Jennifer Stern Weekend!

Finally things are back to a fairly normal pace and I'm back in my sewing room.

I have these two patterns traced and will be starting a muslin for them both tomorrow.

First up are a pair of Jennifer Stern jeans.

Click to enlarge

and her shirt pattern. I'm making View B - with long sleeves.

Click to enlarge

Hope all are having a great week end.

Keeping in touch

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Serena and Duncan - ( new house) -July 2009

Every one has adjusted well to the move....so all is great!

We are still pretty busy setting up the house like we want. We are still very much in a just moved in mode - but little by little we are getting the job done!

I am making some progress with my sewing room. Instead of building a room we decided for now to use a room that is available in this house and work with what we have. There is definitely a time issue right now ,with working full time and just every day living that this works out much better. I still end up with a great room and lots of space. The previous owners used this room as their family room, so I now have a wood stove in my sewing room. I will be toasty warm this winter in my room :)

As far as "stuff"......... I cannot believe how much I have. I am grateful but I see I really need to slow down my "collection" as my husband calls it. I know I am not the only one with this issue - it is amazing how many boxes I ended up packing from my sewing room.....and I am still unpacking them and going through every- little-thing and deciding on what I'll keep and what I'll part with.

I'm actually having fun doing this sorting - once I am done I just really want to sew.

I have been trying to keep up with reading and commenting on blogs but I haven't had a great amount of time for this either. Once the house is set up I'm sure it will free up some time and all will get back to normal.

Till then........

Hope you all have time to sew!

Have a great week end!

To Facebook?...or to not Facebook?

for me at this time - it is * to not *

I signed up .......and then I de-activated my account.

I'm not quite ready for Facebook :)

Right now when I have any free time I just love reading my favorite blogs and checking up on what you are all doing.

That is what I enjoy so that is what I'll do. Facebook will be for later!

Have a great week end!

All moved in

Our move went well. It's just so nice to have that all behind us now.

We still have allot of boxes to unpack but that will all get done in time....not to mention that my sewing things are all in boxes and must stay in them untill my sewing room gets done....

I'm not liking that very much but I know it will be worth it.

I am behind in reading my blogs but since my computer has been up and running I have been browsing......everyone has been busy sewing and making wonderful garments.

I also joined Facebook. That is something I never thought I'd do.I just never thought I'd have time to keep up blogging and Facebook. . . ( Paco was the enabler :) To be honest it's all new to me and I'm not really sure how it all works, or if it is time consuming at all, so I'll see how that goes. It has been fun so far and there seems to be allot of of us over there :)

Hope everyone has a great week.

Moving Day......

.....................on Monday!

We have been so busy the last few months selling our house and buying another one - and now our moving day is finally almost here.

(When our children were younger we read them "every" Berenstain Bears books that were out there. One of them of course was the "Berenstain Bears' Moving Day". They had subjects on everything :) and they were wonderful stories that kids loved)

Even Bradley wants in on the fun.

....not sure where I found this dog running away picture....

All is packed and waiting for the truck. One of the biggest packing jobs I (we) had was "my" sewing room.

I knew I had allot of "stuff" but this move is truly confirming this fact. Our new house does not have a sewing room ""yet" but my husband will make one as soon as he can. He assures me it will not be long.

I definitely have not been sewing for the last couple of months (well one quick skirt) but I have been enjoying reading my favorite blogs, and then more.

So for a few more weeks there will be no sewing. I am so very anxious to get settled in so everything can get back to normal.

I received my Claire Shaeffer CD this week and I have not had time to even look at it, but when I do I'll report back :)

I hope you are all having a great summer.

Happy Birthday Canada! - Bonne fête Canada!

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Happy 142nd Canada! -

Bon 142e anniversaire Canada!

Behind The Seams: The Shaeffer Collection Volume One: CHANEL

Ready at Last!

I just ordered my copy from David Page Coffin's-

Schaeffer on Chanel site!

Pictures from Shaeffer on Chanel.

Lovely Blog Award

I want to say "Thank-You" to Barrientos for giving me the Lovely Blog Award.

I have been very slow in posting this but believe me I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness.

• 1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

• 2) Pass the award on to 5 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

• Pendle Stitches
• Quality Time
• Sonoemi
• Amanda's Adventures in Sewing
• AllisonC Sewing Gallery

Have a great weekend everyone!

Attitude of Gratitude Award

I wanted to check in and say "Thank you" to Cennetta for giving me this award. I truly appreciate it.

In short I have an Attitude of Gratitude because I am just so fortunate to have a wonderful family - excellent health - doing what I want to be doing, with the people I want to be with...... .............overall my life is simply "perfect"...and I am truly Grateful!

There are so many people out there who share so much of their sewing knowledge!

The following are some that I'd like to recognize:

• Paco
• Tany
• Mary Beth
• Stitches and Seams
• Paulette
• Diana
• Robin
• Pam
• MaryPat
• Claire

Attitude of Gratitude - The Rules of Accepting and Sharing this Award

1. 1. Put the logo on your blog or post
2. 2. Nominate a few blogger's that show an attitude of gratitude
3. 3. Link to your nominees within your post
4. 4. Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received this award
5. 5. Share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award.
6. 6. Tell us how you've come to have an attitude of gratitude

Edited to add: I'd like to Thank Marie-Noelle from La Machine a Courdre for the Premio Meme Award.

Things are Slowing down .......

Finally life is starting to slow down "somewhat" ..... and I am so planning (hoping) to get some sewing done this weekend.

I'm also behind in my blog reading but I am slowly getting to all my favorite blogs :)

Happy sewing to all!

Burda 7947 Skirt - Done

This was a very easy skirt to make and it went together perfectly. I didn't make any fit adjustments to this pattern.

Overall I am pleased.....I like the skirt style....it is very slimming.

I like the fabric.....but ....... unfortunately I'm just not sure yet how it will wear!

Skirt Front

My fabric is a light weight jean fabric with some stretch, and I'm thinking I should have made the skirt a touch smaller to accommodate for the stretch..... I have a feeling by the end of the day it may be somewhat loose. We'll just have to see!

Skirt Back

Inside Back Yoke - label & yoke seam detail

Invisible Zipper

Once I finish the Jalie top I will post a picture of the outfit.

Taking pictures to post on a blog sounds easy enough - doesn't it? Not so...not always....not for me!

I have to say I have allot of respect for people who take pictures of their garments and they look "so" professional. ....whether they are on their forms or they are wearing them.... trying to get everything right is just not as easy as it may appear.... again to me!

I must take 50 pictures to get one right. Now I'm curious, am I too fussy or do you all go through this to get your pictures up on your blog???

Have a great week!

Burda 7947 Skirt & Jalie 2910 Top

Just a quick note to check in. I hope everyone is having a great week so far.

I decided my next project would be a fairly easy and hopefully a quick one, so I picked this Burda skirt and a Jalie top.

I love the lines of this skirt.(View C). I'm making it in a very light weight jean fabric. The Jalie top will be the sleeveless one done up in a knit.

When sewing is done in short sessions, and the project is simple, it's actually exciting that you can see progress :) in one sitting. In one night I easily traced the pattern, cut out my fabric and sewn the skirt fronts. It's great :)

I met a young lady today, who just happens to make beautiful garments and I wanted to share her site with you. . . Erin drafts, designs and sews them up herself and sells these creative garments on Etsy. ... .She is very talented.... Enjoy!

Vogue 8259

I want to thank you all for the very nice comments on my jacket.

Faye I'm honestly not sure how long it actually took me to make this jacket. I know I really should keep track but I never think of it. If I were to roughly add up the time I'd say it would have taken me no more than a week. (We are selling our house and buying another house and unfortunately that has taken priority over my sewing time. I'm not too upset over all this though because it will all be worth it when we are settled again in our new location.)

I know when I read other people's blogs, I like to see them wearing their finished garment, so I wanted to post a picture today of me wearing my jacket.. I didn't have a photographer handy though and had to do this task myself! Not very professional ....and approx 100 pictures later....this is actually kind of funny......I think I need to get a tripod :)

Vogue 8259 - Completed

I'm thrilled to finally have this jacket done. I love it. It is so comfortable and I love the fit. The time I took to make the sway back alterations on the muslin paid off. I think this is the best fitting jacket I made so far.

Pattern Review- Jacket Vogue 8259:

Pattern Description:

MISSES’/MISSES’ PETITE JACKET:

Semi-fitted, partially interfaced, lined jacket, below waist has princess seams (no side seams), stand collar, patch pockets, long three-piece sleeves with buttoned vents and purchased trim. A: couture construction techniques, quilting details, contrast front and sleeve facings, collar lining.

Pattern Sizing:

SIZES

- 6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

The outside of the jacket did look like the model on the envelope. I made View B and made some changes from this view, but overall yes it looked like the pattern should.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

The instructions were very well written. There are "Claires Hints" all thru the pattern. I've done most of the couture techniques in this pattern however the sleeve method was new to me. I loved the construction of the sleeve/cuff. One construction step that was a little confusing was attaching the sleeve/lining to the jacket. I could not wrap my head around these instructions (step #41 & 42), so I just did it my way. (It just appeared that the steps were reversed. Even in reversing the steps it was awkward setting the sleeve lining in, but I did it.)

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I love the style. The fit is the best I've made so far. I love the sleeve/cuffs.

Cuff Inside view

Fabric Used:

Bouclé, and satin back crepe for the lining.

Bound Button hole

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made.

• 1- I made a sway back adjustment and I took in pretty much every seam. I could have made a size smaller.

• 2-I underlined every piece with fusible knit tricot interfacing and also added hair canvas to the front and did pad-stitching to the front pieces.

• 3- I made bound buttonholes. My fabric was a very loose bouclé and I had some trouble with the buttonholes. I made my test buttonholes and the fabric was fraying /tearing around the buttonhole stitches. (Making the bound buttonholes with organza and using a 1.5 stitch worked great)

• 4- I made a front facing

• 5- I added a chain to the hem.

Padstitching

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I definitely will sew it again. Next time making View A with the quilted lining. I definitely recommend this pattern.

Conclusion. This is a great Claire Schaeffer pattern.

Final inspection

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