Purchased Serger!

So... I did a lot of research. And settled on a serger that I wanted. It was the Brother 1034 D. Yes, at $232, it's not that expensive. However, I have to watch my budget, and have plans for the holidays that will require that I pinch pennies for a while. Yet I coveted that machine.
I got on ebay. Lost one auction for one. Comforted myself.
Looked again this past weekend - there was another! I bid on that. I also bid on a Singer, and another Brother (432d or something). Lost the 432d. That's okay. Searched some more. Found a 925D that looked okay. Note that at one point I was winning on three sergers. I was slightly panicked when there were 2 hours left on one, 4 hours on the next, and 2 days on the third - all with me leading. Outbid on the 1034. Sad, but okay. That was the priciest. Outbid on the Singer. Should I bid again? 1 hour left on the 925 and no one else had bid yet... Decided against it. If I didn't get the 925, I would save weekly to get the new 1034 - I wasn't in the mood to go through the hair-raising ebay dance again.
So... I GOT THE 925D! I was the only one who bid on it, and I got it for $99 + s+h. I'm so happy. For now at least. I hope it works as it says it does. I've been very lazy about finishing seam allowances in my last three projects - although I had no choice but to zigzag on the two skirts as they would have unravelled otherwise). I can't wait to get my serger! Not that it's keeping me from starting on my next project (a simple jacket with a mandarin-like collar and mid-armhole darts on the front), but it sure would make it sweeter!

Finally got done with the Simplicity 3789/3990 top. Here are pics. About to review on pattern review.

Bad girl

I have been a bad girl. I haven't posted in a while. I have an excuse though (tee, hee, as always!). I'm waiting for my Dritz My double deluxe to arrive. In my mind, that will signal the beginning of a new sewing era for me. I will finally be able to take pictures of my completed garments on a dress form. I'm also hoping to be able to apply some of the things I'm learning in my patternmaking class to the form so I can start to create custom clothing for myself. Still a distant dream, but I'll get there eventually.
Excited about the weekend. Going go Joann tonight to pick up a few simplicity patterns at $1.99 and then will hit up Walmart to see if they have any decent $1 and $2 fabric. Then, on Sunday, the 50% off red tag fabric sale starts at Joann. I kept kicking myself mentally for not taking advantage the last time they had that sale, so this time I'm budgeting for it. Every time I go, I peruse the red tag stuff - and often find some fabrics I like, but am not willing to pay $5/yd for (yes, I'm cheap, I know. Being taller and wider than average, I have to buy more fabric per garment than most ppl, so back off!) So. Things to look forward to this weekend!
I also FINALLY got a 36X48 cutting mat and rotary cutter. I got the Fiskars dual-sided mat. It smells!!! But it's living in the living room for now, so hopefully the smell will subside eventually.
I'd like to work on Simplicity 3789 this weekend. I don't usually do button-down shirts because of the whole "gaping" issue at the bustline, but after a positive review from someone on pr this week, I may try it. After all, with two new skirts, I'll need some new tops, no?
Okay. At work. Lunch time. Over. Gotta go.

Long Hiatus

Yes, I haven't posted anything recently. No, I haven't been out of town. Just busy with school starting (for me), and trying to squeeze time out for myself during work and school. The denim skirt I started is still waiting for me to shorten and re-hem (my least fave part, so imagine having to do it twice!). At work though, so can't post a large blurb. I really need to keep up with this blog - to keep myself sewing - if nothing else.

Midweek "blahs"

Okay, so I didn't get round to posting my pattern review yet. I will. Ur... um... tonight. It's 7:49am and I'm at work, but feel all beaten up already. Can I make it till 4pm?
Started a "patternmaking by draping" class last night. Was great to hear all the reasons people are taking the class as well as all the industries people are in or want to get into. There are stylists, costume designers, people doing it for fun, people who aren't sure what direction they want to go in yet, folks who want to do buying, some who want to do marketing, folks who want to do costumes for the movie industry, folks who want to be fashion editors... It's amazing. I just want to do this for little old me. Nothing complicated. Now, I don't have a dress form at home, but I'm hoping I can at least get an understanding of how and why patterns look the way they do, and learn how to judge where and how to alter my substantial (about 35) stash of patterns when the time comes.
Okay, I've got my little 8oz cup of coffee next to me, and it's reminding me that I need to start my work day. I'm still trying to shake off the annoying person in the parking lot who for some reason thought I should wait for her while she made a left into my (going straight) lane, and then had the audacity to honk at me. Honestly, the driving manual needs to be weekly mandatory reading for some people. Sigh... Anyway, to work...

The "Mondays"

I can't believe I have to be at work in less than 12 hours. Where did the weekend go? I thought doing pretty much nothing during the weekend was my best bet for getting the hours to go by sloooowly...

I had planned to sew SOMETHING. But nothing has emerged from my sewing machine, so I guess that didn't really "plan". I did manage to pre-wash some fabric...
Okay, I know I'm supposed to machine baste the crossgrain edges of the fabric before pre-washing (and I did), but this denim STILL managed to have a jolly old time unravelling in the wash. I wonder what really went on in that washer..?

Oh, and before I forget. I finally washed and ironed the skirt I made and wore last week. Here are a few (not so good) pics of it.

The fabric is an army-ish/pea green twill of some sort. I'm not sure exactly what it is as I got it for $1/yd at Walmart years ago. It's a thicker, denim-y weight. I paired it with a brown top and a3/4 sleeve multicolored jacket (also shown).
To get it to fit my "rounded rump", I added an inch to each back side seam and lowered the center back 3 inches, which I then (haphhazardly) "blended" back up to the side seams. Somehow that worked.

I didn't plan it - was just trying to use up stash fabric - but the skirt manages to already match a number of items in my wardrobe! Now if only I didn't have to work tomorrow... Oh, and I should probably post a review for this pattern on PR, shouldn't I? No time now. Will do on the morrow.

Aaaaargh!

Have you ever woken up from one of those naps where you immediately said to yourself "Aargh, I shouldn't have taken that nap"? Yah. I just woke up from one of those. It was a sugar-induced slumber - thanks to two 99c store ice cream "treats". And to top it off, I was jarred out of my sleep by someone's shrieking car alarm.
Not much done today. Said "Adios" to some clothing from my closet - as well as my knitting needles, crochet hook, and a ton of unused yarn. I have not completed a single knitting or crochet project since I got those. It was time to stop fooling myself. I thought of giving them to my MIL, who occasionally crochets scarves for people... and then realized that would just be putting off the inevitable. I needed that stuff out of the house right away. So my DH and I drove it over to the nearby Salvation Army thrift store. Now I can't wait to see what else I can give away!!
Taking off in a short while to see my darling niece. It is always amazing to me how much she has grown each week yet how little she still is. And, of course, I leave there thinking how nice it will be once DH and I start a family, yet immensely grateful that we have not done so yet. Where would I find the time to do "nothing" like I currently do??

Friday!!!

Argh! My upper back hurts from sitting all whacked up in front of a computer all day. You'd think I'd get up and take a walk now that I'm done with work, right? No. That would be too sensible.

Two new additions (the pic's out of focus , I know. I'm new to this, give me some time) to my library. I'd heard so much about this issue of Sew stylish from other bloggers that I figured I had to get it for myself. Of course, I just missed the 99c Simplicity pattern sale at Joanns (this is not to say I didn't get 99c patterns, just that I didn't get the one used in this issue - 3631), so I've got the mag, but not the required pattern. Not much of a loss, bc I can't see myself in most of those outfits, but the alteration info is priceless!

The book on skirts? Mostly for ideas. I already have a TNT pattern for an a-line skirt. Of course, I've only made one skirt with my altered version of the pattern, but it looks flattering -hence TNT in my opinion - in spite of its slightly too-large waist. I would post a pic of that, but it's been sitting in the pile I left it in since I wore it on Monday and quite unsightly with the acquired wrinkles. I did get quite a few compliments on it, though, so I know it either looks good, or was so hideous that folks just had to say SOMETHING. Now I just need to peruse the skirt book again and figure out how (or if) there is a good way to accommodate my pleasantly plump rear while retaining the original hem line in another skirt style.

The thing that concerns me (and I may have read stuff wrong the first time) is that they seem to have you take your waist and hip measurements and create a skirt front and back by adding ease and dividing by two. Is it just me or does that sound like a recipe for side seams framing my butt? I don't know. I'll have to look at those formulas again.

Okay. I'm hungry (no, not really, but need to convince myself to walk away from the computer). Will be back.

Ooooh!

Cidell gave me a shout out on her blog. I feel so special!! What am I still doing up? I have to work tomorrow. Had HAD to see if she'd posted anything new before I logged off though... She's my "blogdol" (think blog + idol). Cheesy, I know. Goodness. You'd think I was a kid with the dizzy way I'm acting. Lack. Of. Sleep. Yes, that's it.

There once was a shy girl...

My goal: To share tidbits of myself while remaining anonymous...
I have no clue how often I will post or if anyone will care.
Does it matter? Not really. I want to sew. And sometimes vent.
However, I am blocking.
This will be my self-prescribed therapy.
We'll see how well it works.