Some progress...

I washed and dried my flannel, and cut out all my underlining pieces, and then transferred all the marks in sharpie. I still need to pre-shrink the wool and cut them out and then baste them all together, but it's a bit of progress!

The dog was cold, so I put him in his jacket and wrapped him in blankets. He spent the whole evening like that!
It's reaching freezing at night, so I brought the lemon tree in.
It's dark every night when I get home, so I don't know when I'll ever take pictures of the Swirl dresses.

In French Club tomorrow the kids will be trying to make crepes. I made the batter tonight, but they will cook them and fill them. That should be fun!

Oh, and I feel like this is an uglier version of my cape from American Apparel, which also cost 155$. Mine was maybe 50, since I bought nice fabric...

This was cool! Sam liked my cape so much she went and bought the same pattern to make one of her own! I can't wait to see it!

That's enough for now!

My week in pictures

This is the pattern I am currently working on, with the 3/4 sleeves.

Bodice.The thread matches pretty well, I think the flash just made it look weird. The pattern does not call for interfacing for the front yoke, but I read a really helpful review on pattern review, and decided to interface it. It is super stiff, so I know it will hold even after the dress is washed several times.
It needs button closures for the bodice and hooks for the front flap. I am also going to try Tasia's advice and make a waist stay. Since I used cotton sateen, the skirt is incredibly heavy. Try to ignore the filthy living room in the background.
Then I murdered my first two lemon babies to make a pie. They are super juicy- two lemons gave me over 1/2 cup of juice!
Andrew was playing with fire making a sauce au poivre for the steaks.
Here is some hilarious student work. Sometime I just can't resist taking a picture. Here are some intriguing, anatomical-looking fireworks...
And, I can't even begin to imagine what an iron pillow is? (Plus, the question should say history, instead of religion)
Hope you liked the pictures! I get all of this week off for Thanksgiving, so I will be sewing and hopefully finishing both of the dresses for my November goals!

Procrastinating....

I am procrastinating doing work for school tomorrow... so here are the fruits of my labors:

Look at my lemons! I am glad re-potting it didn't make it angry. You can also see my car down below. Can you see the yellow spot where the paint fell off? That was my latest car surprise when I went through the car wash. lol. I love you, Oldsmobile!

My tiny dills are sprouting.

My asparagus shot up about 3 inches overnight. The lighting is bad, it IS green, I swear!

I finished my blue dress! It's the same pattern as the lemon dress, but tweaked a little to fit better. I shortened the skirt pieces because I had less fabric and because I ended up cutting off several inches last time. I also took about 1/2" on the fold from the front and back (bodice and skirt) to make up for the inches I had to take in on the other finished version.

Overall, I am satisfied!

New dress and lemon tree

So far I have made the bodice for the next dress:

It's the same pattern, but with a new fabric. Same cotton/poly blend and also a Jo-Ann "signature" fabric.

I also went and bought the dog a new collar, new squeaky tennis balls and pee pads. I have to work long days next week, so I am hoping this will give him an option other than holding it all day. Here he is giving me a "pretty shake":
I also bought five tomato plants at the grocery store and more pots at the dollar tree. My friend came over and helped me re-pot my lemon tree, so now it gets to enjoy the outdoors in its big blue pot. The pot is cool because it looks like ceramic, but is actually really lightweight (since I am weak)

Updates from all sides!

Look! My baby lemon tree has baby lemons! And yes, that is my pasty white hand!

I have cut out all the skirt pieces for the lemon dress last night, and I also graded a mountain of papers- all while watching law and order, of course.

Here's the view I am copying- and as soon as I am finished I am going to J Crew to buy a matching sweater. Yes, I am obsessed with 3/4 length sleeve cardigans. Love... (It's in a ziplock bag, that's why it says Johnson over her face)

Look! I just bought these online! Except mine will say "Fashioned by Molly M" namemaker.com 28 bucks for 40 labels. So cool!

Lisette had a good point- she said "duh, if it's a back button blouse, where is a picture of the blouse!?!?" Haha, no she was nice about it, but she has a point. I blame the self-timer and take no responsibility. I do love all my comments and followers! Everyone is always nice and constructive. Other than nonsense comments written in Chinese, everyone has always been wonderful. Sewing blogs are an oasis of sanity and niceness on the interwebs.

The beginnings of my Spring garden, and Sexy T-Rexy of course.

I ran out of pots and need more, but so far I planted strawberries, asparagus, basil, chives and dill. The balcony will be an herb garden and the raised beds in the backyard will have bigger viney veggies. I'm excited- please encourage me to remember to water them so they don't all immediately die!

I don't know what I'm doing today but who cares?- it's spring break!

p.s.- the teachers always giggle that the students can't wait for break, but they have no idea how much their teachers are looking forward to it! LOL!

New Projects for Spring Break!

I am pretty much done with the blue dress. It only needs the hidden straps to be sewn on in the front. Last weekend we watched The Hangover, which is hilarious, while I did all the hand sewing.

The belt is draped around the dummy's neck. As you can see, the hidden straps will hold it up on a hanger, if nothing else.

On to new projects:

I found a cute lightweight cotton print to try out the 40's blouse pattern.

Blouse pattern:

Here is a nice print for a dress. Summery, and I bought 2 1/2 yards.

I don't know about the pattern yet.

Here are the lemons and the pattern I decided to use. I think it will be super-cute!

Now for a laid-back break from school- and as a teacher for the first time! :)

Anyone else have some fun spring projects?

Lemons and Vanity Sizing

Random thoughts for the week:

1. I went to Joann to get covered buttons for my blue dress. I spent hours last night putting n the zipper. I just couldn't get it right! Operator error or the fact the fabric is kinda stretchy, it was seriously aggravating. It now looks ok, not even great. But I am done with it.

2. I had thought I would do my blouse pattern next, since I am obsessed with making buttonholes now. There was no fabric that I liked for it. No offense if you like loud, bright geometric prints, but ICK.

3. I saw this fabric and need to decide on a dress to make with it. How cute would that be? Then I'll go back and buy some.

4. Then I went to the mall. All I can wonder is does vanity sizing really make women feel better about themselves? Is anyone really that stupid?

All I can think of is when I was in middle school (maybe 97) I grew out of a 0 and became a 1/3. Now I can honestly say, at the age of 26, I am not thinner than when I was a flat-chested baby middle schooler. I am the same height and I weight maybe 5 lbs more.

So if my weight has remained consistent for the last decade, how is that I now cannot find clothes that fit? Or, they are absurd sizes, like the Express work pants I bought- a 00. Or a 0P (petite) at Banana Republic.

What happens 10 years from now when they have resized clothes again and none of them fit me? I can't sew all my clothes; it's a hobby, not a job. Should I have to dress in Junior's clothes for the rest of my life?

I'm not a martyr and I know other have fit issues.

Any thoughts on clothes that don't fit

or

new clothes for Spring?