Yummy color - I just HAD to post it

After today's house cleaning, my old nail polish was barely hanging on. I decided to paint my nails while I looked through the new sewing machine manual. Now, as much as I love nail polish, I didn't really plan to start posting about it (I've been reading alot of polish blogs lately though!), but I stumbled on a color I just have to share. I decided to dig into my stash of nail polish because I'm trying to wear all my old polishes so I can decide which ones work for me and which I should give away.

Enter Revlon Street Wear. The color I picked is called "Drab", which I think is pretty descriptive. I've had this bottle for... hmmm... probably 8 or 9 years? Surprisingly enough, the back of the bottle says "Formaldehyde and Toluene free". I was surprised at this, because it seems some of the more popular (aka salon laquers) nail polishes only started leaving these ingredients out in the past couple of years. I guess Revlon was ahead of the game.
Anyway, I digress. As soon as I put the first coat on, I was wowed. It's a gorgeous color that immediately made me feel like putting on my hubby's old army jacket just so I could wear something to match my nails! Silly, I know, but the color is a rich creme that is just delicious to look at. Looks like I won't be giving this one away!

Score!

Today was "get some of that housework you've been slacking on done" day. Once I was finished with the cleaning I had planned for the day, I went to the Salvation Army store to drop off some books, shoes, and pants (the latter two brand new, so hopefully they'll make someone really happy!)
Well, you know how it is. You drop your donations behind the store and then, naturally, you go in to take a peek at what they've got for sale.
I've been needing a little lamp on a tall dresser I have, and here are two beauties I found!!

When I tried them in the store, I couldn't figure out where the knobs were, so I assumed there were none and the bulbs had gone out. In spite of that, I couldn't resist the price - $2.99 each - so I figured they'd just be pretty display items if they didn't work.

Well, I just tried them at home and realized they're the kind of lamps you tap to turn on - and they're three-way. I have a lamp like this already, but it's more modern. I was so excited about having these with the same feature, I called my hubby to show him (not a small feat, as he was watching a movie and very much into it). His response? "Oh, of course, my mother has a lamp like that, didn't you know?" Well duh, if I did I wouldn't have dragged you away from your movie, would I? Tee hee...

I'm actually thinking since I got a "pair" (they're similar enough to call them that) I think I'll use them in the guest room instead - and move the one lamp I have in there to the spot where I needed one on my dresser. Problem solved!

Okay, so of course I saved the best for last. What else did I stumble into? I was perusing the furniture and stumbled into a curious looking little desk. It looked so plain, I was intrigued. Well guess what it turned out to be?! A sewing machine!!! You should have seen me, I looked around to make sure no one else had seen it first. And it was donated just yesterday too! Now, I don't need another sewing machine. I already have two and one serger. But come on, could you have resisted? I couldn't. You know why? The price was right. How much was it, you ask?
$29

Okay. Breathe.... Look at her... she needs a dusting, but she works!

It's a Montgomery Ward - Model number URR 1839. I have no idea if it's any good, but the light came on and it ran when I pushed the knee pedal. It also came with a box of cams, the manual, two feet, six bobbins, and some screwdrivers. The strange thing is, when I was browsing the store prior to this discovery, I saw a box of cams in the "bric brac" area, and was a little sad, thinking someone had a machine somewhere that could use them, but they had been orphaned.
It turns out it was the same brand! I went back after finding the machine and grabbed that box in addition to the one included with the machine.
Well, off I go to clean up my thrift store finds (see what can happen when you go in to donate stuff you don't use?) It's amazing, because I'd been meaning to go drop off that stuff for months, and finally got a chance to drive over today... Yaaay!

Finally done... good grief...

I found that even though I have a lot of other projects in my mind, I just couldn't get to any of them until I finished the jacket I had been working on in March.

Yesterday I decided to just get it over with so as to clear my creative palette. (Of course, there's still my MIL's jacket that isn't finished). This project has just been around too long. I finished everything except the buttons, buttonholes, and whatever top stitching I decide to do.


Here are the pictures of the almost complete (In my mind, complete) jacket. I don't like how it looks on me - especially since I've gained weight since the last time showed it, so the dress form will model for me. The last pic just gives a glimpse of the lining.

I'll finish up what's left... sometime. No rush, since I won't be wearing it anytime soon.

Now I need to tidy up my sewing space and table before I can think of my next project (I've been wanting to make a dress - especially in my Nigerian fabric). I bought some muslin on Friday and hopefully can start on a test garment tonight - if I don't get lazy, that is.

I don't think I'm going to make it

The "1 pattern many looks" contest deadline that is. Reason? I think my sewing mojo decided to stay and enjoy New York City for a little longer. Every time I walk past the dress form with my incomplete jacket on it, I just don't feel anything. And to think I'm supposed to complete two jackets by the 31st. Sigh...
I had a great time in the city last week though!! It was so refreshing to be with my friends - we all went to the same school in Nigeria from elementary through high school, so we have quite a bit of history together. It was great being around people who share the same values, cultural upbringing, and past experiences. I miss them so!
Unlike me, my favorite bloggers are sewing, so I've got plenty of inspiration! Maybe my sewing mojo will take the red-eye back to California this weekend.

NYC

I didn't finish my jacket and can't work on it now because I'm on the other side of the country... Not going to be doing any fabric or notion-related shopping either because I'm here to hang out with my friends from grade through high school. Fun!

Jacket progress

Rounding third base... I still have to sew the lining sleeves onto the lining bodice, then attach the lining and facing to the jacket. I can do that in one night, right? Hopefully I'll have it complete tomorrrow night. Here is the jacket shell on me. This fabric shows me better where I need to work on fitting issues, but I'm so excited - I like it! I like the color against my skin, I really like the subtle yellow stripes in the fabric... now I can go to sleep smiling. Here are the quick pics I took. Not trying to look pretty - I've been up since 4am and it's 10:13pm now. Off to bed.

Answer to Aminat's question and new toy!

Before I proceed, I have to take a moment to thank all of you who read my blog and take a moment to comment. I love comments! I may not mention them directly, but please know that I read each one. Thank you especially for the fitting advice and suggestions given. I'm not ignoring any of it, especially on my BWOF jacket, but that project is on hold right now while I complete the two Simplicity 3628 jackets for the PR Contest.

Aminat asked what fabric I was using for my first contest submission jacket. It is fabric I got from Joann about a year ago that was labelled as "trigger poplin". When I google this fabric, it says it is a 65poly/35cotton blend. I'm not sure if what I have is a blend with 65% poly because it can handle the highest heat setting on my iron (linen). It does have some synthetic added - maybe lycra, because it has a little cross-grain stretch. Either way, it handles like a lightweight stretch denim. I found it on sale in three colors I liked and have shown them below. Hope this helps! Let me know if you would like me to send or post some more detailed pictures please.


And... I finally bought the netbook I have been yearning for. I got an Asus eee 1000HE netbook. I held out for this one because it has a 10 inch screen and a 95%size keyboard. It also supposedly can run on battery for 9.5 hours in power saving mode. I've been on it for at least six hours on battery between last night and this evening, and it says I have two hours left - so it's doing pretty well for the first charge. It actually is more of a navy blue in real life (the pictures online make it look like royal blue) and sets up really quickly. It also has a built-in camera which I may or may not use - wasn't a feature I was looking for. Okay, less talk, more show...
First next to our old laptop today which I no longer have the patience for:
And then the glamour shots from it's unveiling yesterday:

And that's it. No sewing tonight. I ran out of thread and had to go grab another spool (I got the last one!) from Joann. But then after dinner I got on the computer and well, you know how that goes. Now I need to go try and get the 5 1/2 hours of sleep before I have to wake up for work tomorrow.

Finally a citizen

Flag images from http://www.mapsofworld.com/flags


I neglected to mention this in earlier posts, but I finally took my citizenship oath at the end of last month! I legally changed my name - to my married name as well, so I've changed it at work and gone to the social security office, but nowhere else. Does anyone know of a painless way to get it changed with all the other entities - banks, credit cards, etc? It's such a chore to call each and every place... sigh... and I have to go to the DMV to get an updated drivers license too.

In other news, I'm working on my first installment for the "One pattern, many looks" contest over at Patternreview. I hoped to be done with the jacket over the weekend but wasn't able to work on it much on Saturday - then the time change resulted in us going to the later church service yesterday, so less time to sew. Anyway, here's what I have so far.Yup. It's still in pieces. I am yet to construct the front. I added the extra width in the back, and I'm hoping I didn't add too much. I have to wait till i join the back and front and try it on though, we'll see.
I also was thinking of making single welt pockets, but after trying to make a sample, I realized I'd need much more practice. I'm not ready to mess up my jacket, so I'll wait till I've had more practice with samples before I used it on an actual garment. Now let's see if I can make any more progress tonight.

How did this happen?

So I'm browsing some of the blogs I have as bookmarks and haven't set to "follow" yet, when I click on that of Melissa(susie-homemaker.blogspot.com).
I scroll down to see what she's been up to and got a SHOCK! She'd made the BWOF 02-2009 t-shirt (108?) in the EXACT SAME FABRIC I did - an aged Joann knit - and on the same weekend! How did that happen?! Of course, hers looks nicer than mine :)
Here's her post
And here is mine

BWOF muslin and PR contest

I had the hardest time getting all the pictures and text aligned in this post (and the preview is so not accurate!), so please bear with me if you have to SCROLL DOWN alot!

After making my first Burda World of Fashion garment (which I'm yet to review on patternreview - oops!), I decided I would move on try another from one of the magazines I got off ebay. I settled on this jacket from the 02-2008 issue - jacket 104 and made a muslin in size 46 with my only change being using inseam instead of patch pockets ...
You'll have to pardon the angle on these pictures. I had to use the tripod and didn't have many options for placement. I know I need to lengthen the jacket. However, I can't figure out if I need to make a sway back adjustment or add darts to the back. It looks pretty bad from the side and simply awful from the back.
Granted, my actual fabric will be thicker, so it won't look exactly the same, but still... I don't know exactly what the tightness/discomfort is that I feel when I raise my arms. I tried to show what I mean in my last two pictures. I see this a lot in women wearing jackets, but since I only became a jacket-wearer recently, I don't know if that's normal. Help? Are the lines that show up when my arms are on my hips indicate anything wrong? Is it possible that the jacket is too wide at the bust? How about the way the shoulder pops up? Any and all suggestions are welcome!
And as a segue into my other topic - here are some of the surprise lovelies sprouting up in our yard!
I joined my first patternreview contest - "One pattern, many looks". I'm planning to use Simplicity 3628 again for this. The one problem I still have with the pattern though is inadequate ease across my shoulder blades. You can see here how my lining is fraying at the seams because of this. Three of my sewing books said to add to that section by using an L-shaped wedge like the one to the right - which didn't seem quite right for a princess seam garment.
Fortunately, I was able to tape it back together after my mistake (hurrah for wax paper!) And after FINALLY finding a broad back alteration in my "Fit for Real People" book, realized that I can manipulate the fullness in the princess seam. I did so but didn't take another picture. Hopefully this works.

I'll post more hopefully tomorrow on my ideas and fabric for my next renditions of the Simplicity jacket.