Jewelery? Anyone?

Does anyone get really excited when they find sewing related jewelry?  I DO! ~grins~  I found these fantastic little button stud earrings the other day!

I couldn't pass them up, and now I find myself wearing them all the time!!  So glad that I splurged.

So what about you?  Do you have any sewing related jewelry?  How about just pure "hobby" related.  Maybe you're a swimmer... or writer... or an underwater basketweaver.  You know, whatever floats your boat! 

Do tell!!

Exercise

Hey Friends!

It has been a long, long time!  I'm so sorry :(  We were just starting to get to know each other, and there I go!  Escaping from blog land.

But enough of that.  Onwards!

I wanted to talk about something semi-sewing related.  Is that ok?

Several months ago a friend of mine said something that really made me start to think about some things, and in reference to my sewing, I have come to this conclusion.

It doesn't matter how well you choose your designs, fit the pattern, and sew the clothes.  If you don't take the time to care for your body, you won't feel good in them.

Beautiful, beautiful dress!

So, I have been exercising.  It is starting to get to the point that I get that "runner's high" after the torture of getting through the workouts, but the results are worth it.

Motivation!!  I want to look like this!
Source: Pintrest

What about you?  Do you have a good way to keep in shape?  What do you use for motivation?  I have dreams of my body being in really awesome shape, but I also have another motivator.  I really want to look great in the clothes I sew for myself!  I want to have a happy and healthy future.  I want to lessen my chance of diseases such as diabetes, breast cancer, colon cancer, and heart disease.

I know I don't physically look like much of a motivator for others right now, but maybe I can help encourage at least one of you to get out and do something!

Source: Pintrest

Sorry this wasn't terribly sewing related, but it has been a huge aspect of my sewing lately.

Happy sewing!  Happy moving!

P.S. How are your Christmas preparations coming?  Merry Christmas!

The Retro Sorbetto

Well, friends... better late than never, right?!

Several days ago I posted about the Sew Grateful Challenge.  I showed you a picture of what I was working on, and told you that I would show you the finished project soon.

*Confession*  I still haven't finished that project.  I started messing with the design, and I am perfectionist enough to want no top-stitching on the outside of this fabric, thus sewing all the seam bindings on the neck and arms down by hand.  Plus, the fabric is slippery and hard to work with... but enough whining and excuse-making.

So what is the silver lining you may ask?!  Well... I made a different shirt!  Following the same guidelines for the Sew Grateful Challenge; to use either fabric, or a pattern that had been gifted to me to make a garment.

Are you ready for the small details that make me giddy? (I'm sitting in my chair, giggling with mischievous anticipation)

The fabric was gifted to me by my grandmother.  I am not quite sure how old it is, but I really wouldn't bat an eyelash at guessing that it is older than I am.

I'm pretty sure it is some sort of cotton...

The thread I used was from my grandmother's stash that was given to me when she passed away.

The bias tape was gifted to me in my grandmother's stash as well... I have so many different colors of bias tape and rick-rack!  Again, all possibly older than I am.

The buttons!  Oh, the buttons...  They are just fantastic aren't they!  They were also gifted to me in my grandmother's rather sizable button collection that I really need to go through, organize, color code and find a way to store.

So, not only was absolutely everything I used gifted, but every thing I used was also retro... get it?!
Yeah, ok... I'm a dork sometimes.  But a charming one, I hope!

And now, for a few glances at the final project.  I hope you enjoy!  Thanks for stopping by.  And I would love comments of encouragement, or helpful fitting tips, or anything really.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

happy face :)

serious face.

Suprise!

 p.s.  I used Mena's pattern for adding sleeves to the Sorbetto.  She gave us the pattern with her 7 Days of Sorbetto Challenge that she featured on the Sew Weekly.  You can find that pattern here.

Slippery Solution!

Hello dear readers!

Several months ago I bought a seam allowance cutting guide that is pure genius.  It was invented by a fellow seamstress named Hollie (who I believe lives in Australia)!

She sent me an email this week with another genius idea.  So genius in fact that I e-mailed and begged her to please allow me to share the idea on my blog.  She generously said yes!  So without much further ado...  here is here idea.  And please, click here to visit her website and check out the seam allowance guide!







...