Organizing!

I remember reading somewhere that the truly disorganized just adore office supply stores, paper, notebooks, etc., so I had fun this week as I purchased 4"x6" cards and a cardfile for them. Yes, I am finally making a file of all my fabric. I was pretty sure that I had more fabric than I thought I really did, and it's actually a little scary just how much I do have. I'll see later if I'm brave enough to add up all the yardage and see what the awful truth is. It's going pretty well though, and it's nice to get things into sort of a good storage distribution too. Things had gotten a little jumbled, and hard to find.

In the cardfile I'm sorting by Knit or Woven, and then by color. I have fabric in very large drawers, and in some large, clear plastic tubs. They're semi-separated by color family and/or fiber. Not as well as they could be, and one big problem is where to put pretty good-sized remnants. I've about decided to devote one drawer to that. I'm sure this system will be evolving for some time, as I see how it works, and of course think of new and better ways to use it. I'm already thinking that it might be nice to separate the actual fabrics into seasonal choices. I do tend to have less spring/summer fabric, so maybe it won't be a problem. It's kind of fun to get to play with all my fabric though.

A Room With A View

I simply couldn't resist one more gorgeous wisteria photo. It's just never been this good before, and maybe it won't be again. Who knows? We are enjoying it.

The view out the bedroom window.

Marfy Jacket is Done!

Marfy 9419.

I finished my Marfy jacket Tuesday night, except for adding a couple pairs of hooks and eyes above the zipper, which I did this morning. It's fine without the hooks, with a blouse; but to wear it alone, it needs the hooks. I like this jacket very much, and plan to make it again in a thinner fabric, which is what is recommended, and make the skirt also. I originally bought this fabric planning to make a quick little jacket that I could wear casually, and I also thought it would be cute to wear to horse shows. It's not quite so casual as it could be, but I think it's fine for anything. You can see more photos of it, including the silk chiffon lining, and the jacket worn open by clicking here.

Spring Garden

These two photos will give you an idea of why I'm not getting quite as much sewing done lately as I did this winter. Really, with all the perennials I've put in over the years, it's very much a trouble free garden, at least as much as you can have, and still have flowers for 3 seasons. Please click on the photos to see them in a size which does them justice. The wisteria especially is the best it's ever been.

Looking toward the lower yard.

Hanging gardens

More Marfy

No actual sewing today, but I've been flying along with the Marfy jacket, and it is darling! The pattern is wonderful, so beautifully drafted, and with such subtle shaping. I did do the lapels in black, and the sleeve hem binding is going to be black too. One sleeve binding is done, and the other is about half-way there. I will do the lining next, but I haven't decided what to use for it. I'm thinking of a plain color lining, since there's a pattern in the wool, and I think a color would be nice, but nothing too outré. The way the collar lays is so perfect, and the darts within the lapel area give it such a wonderful shaping. Everything about this jacket has turned out exactly as shown in the drawing. In my experience, this is amazing. Apparently with Marfy patterns, it is the norm. I may have to change my allegiance, not that I really had any. I wonder how this jacket would change if made up in a thinner fabric, which is what is recommended. Guess I'll have to find out. Especially since I want to make the skirt too.

Marfy Beginnings

Yesterday I marked and cut out my first Marfy jacket pattern. It's the zip front one shown at the top of this post from February. I'm using a Pendleton wool which is reversible, black and taupe, with brand symbols.

I will use the taupe for the body and the black for the lapels. This is a little heavier than the recommended fabric, but I think it might work. It will be a good trial anyway. I'm just going down to start basting it together, and see where I'm at.

Pattern Play Class Tee Adaptation

These photos are of a jacket made from the Jalie Tee pattern using an adaptation of a Max Mara sweater provided in the Pattern Play class I'm taking as part of my prizes from the Build Your Own Collection contest I won last year on Sewzine. It's an interesting piece, but I'm not sure it's really "me." I used a mystery Slinky knit, which I like, but I'm not sure how much I'd actually wear this.


Pattern Play trial.

Side view

2005 SWAP - Stages I & II

This photo show the 16 pieces which comprise Stages I (shown alone below) and II (5 pieces to the left and below the original pieces. From the left, the new garments are:

Basketweave Cardigan (FSG 1960) Brown band matches Stage I brown doubleknit skirt
Olive Knit 3/4-sleeve Tee (Jalie 2005)
Brown Wool/Rayon Jacket (Self-Drafted Pattern)
Tan Wool Pants (Double Burda)
Taupe Dot Skirt (FFF) matches taupe dot tee from Stage I

I am enjoying these pieces a lot, and have fabric and plans to extend it, with a brown doubleknit cardigan, Clay Knit Tee and Cardigan, Tweed Jacket, etc. I'm sure many of these pieces will be in my wardrobe for years to come, as they're colors I love, and classic styles. This is a wonderful base to build from. It's much easier to extend it, as one can make things that only match some of the previous pieces, not all of them, and of course many of these pieces will go with things that weren't specifically thought of to match them.

2005 SWAP Stage I - 11 Pieces

2005 SWAP I
These are all 11 pieces of my 2005 SWAP, Stage I. From Left to Right, top to bottom, they are:

Brown Rayon/Wool Bias Top (Vogue 2683)
Clay Tee (Jalie 2005)
Plaid Shell (McCalls 2818) embellished with Ultrasuede strip and bow.
Olive Rayon Knit Tee (Jalie 2005)
Olive Rayon Knit Cardigan (FSG 1960)
Taupe Dotted Tee (Jalie 2005)
Cream Textured Tee (Jalie 2005)
Olive Rayon Skirt (FFF)
Brown Doubleknit Skirt (FFF)
Brown Linen/Polyester Pants (Double Burda)
Green Wool Pants (Double Burda)

Last SWAP I piece

This is the brown doubleknit skirt, the last piece in Stage I of my SWAP. I think it looks pretty cute with the plaid top, and it's very nice with the olive cardigan also, or the brown pants, etc. It really does coordinate with any of the pieces, just as it's supposed to.

SWAP is Done!!

I finished the last piece of my Official Stage One SWAP this morning. It's a brown doubleknit FFF skirt. I had to do several tiny alterations to my usual methods, so as usual, nothing is easy. It's the shorter length, which I like, although I decided it should be just a little shorter, so turned up the waistband again and stitched. This took away my usual flat rear alteration, so I had to redo that. No big deal, but not as smooth as I could have wished. This fabric was from Trim Fabric and when I got it I was a little disappointed with it, as I thought the color wasn't so great, but it's been growing on me, and I think the skirt turned out great. I have enough to do a cardigan with this, and it will be very versatile, and will certainly go with the SWAP. I will post a photo soon.