Then I found myself

right in the neighborhood of G Street Fabrics! I took someone to look at an apartment in Rockville MD today .I wondered briefly about fabric opportunity; this is just outside of Washington DC and is much more urban than my slower lower Delaware world.  I shook it off because it was Sunday and  I was sandwiching this 5 hour round trip adventure between two night shifts. I did just have to ask the landlady if there were any near by fabric stores and she said "G Street".  I've been hearing about this store for years, and GPS had me 7 minutes away.

Because both time and money were not budgeted for fabric today, I was determined to get in and out and sin gently.  As you can see with that $16. total, I did just that!

I found lovely beefy ribbing that I needed for my sweatpants, yayyyyy!

that's a blurry dark pen for perspective.

I passed rows and rows of other lovelies without grabbing any because I had no specific project in mind that I needed anything for.  I could not resist grabbing SOMETHING from the $2.99 room, as it's nice to have stuff you don't mind wrecking in practice.  I found this Dia de Muertos spandex/poly blend, not to thin or too shiny, great for a thirteen year old girl to be inspired with.  Mmm, no, she said. So I'll use it for something, or not.

I grabbed elastic and a bra back on the way out, dying a little at not being able to spend time with all of the threads, buttons, and trims on the way out.

The store was smaller than I expected, smaller than Mood in NYC.  The selection was vast and included apparel fabrics for ever scenero, quilting, home dec and upholstery.  A separate little store sold Bernina sewing machines. The sales staff seemed knowledgeable (not much time for chat today, on my part) and very pleasant.

I would so love to visit this store again, with more target fabric in mind, more time and money allotted.  I don't think the apartment thing went through though, so it might be quite some time before I find myself in Rockville again.  All scheduled  Airport trips for my family will have to be done during normal business hours, as Rockville is fairly close to that airport.

busy

I took a week off from work.  I finally made it to the NYC garment district, all by myself!

I didn't want to go with anyone who wasn't as interested as I in fabric, so I took a bus from Bergenfeld, NJ where my son lives.  The terminal is right there, no need to try out the subway.  I had a list organized by street, but it didn't take me long to abandon it.  There were just so many stores there beckoning to be concerned with a list.  I did make it to Mood and saw the dog.  I overheard 3 times while I was there salespeople telling customers to "check our website for that", so that was a little disappointing.  I do shop online from them. I ended up getting a nice linen spandex blend.  I don't know that I knew there was such a blend!

I traveled up by myself from Delaware this time, usually I go with my daughter and she drives.  She likes to make it in 3 hours.  I took 5 1/2.  Part of the reason was this beauty that I found on Craigslist and made a detour for 2 hours from my house:

Singer 503, the rocketeer

I know, I know, it's a sickness.  She was CLEAN though, with all of her cams, attachments, even the manual.  In a well preserved plastic case.  The motor sings.  The stitches are fine.  I considered leaving it with my son, but I just couldn't do it.  Pretty, pretty.

So, I got home (I stopped in the middle of that trip for a visit and a nap, it took even longer!) with piles of fabric and a new machine.  I had to start the bodice sloper,  And I DID.  I've measured for the thing twice previously, but last time was a year ago so I did that again.  Wrote them all down compared to the pattern's measurements.  This is butterick's sloper pattern and came with alternative darts for c and d cups.  I pin basted the paper and tried it on and although I am a solid c the b cup seemed to work fine, in paper anyway.  I did have to add extra at the front shoulder line.  I was surprised there too.  I would have expected needing adjustments to the back but for paper purposes it was definitely the front that needed the adaptation.

I also had to lift the armhole some.  I've got the darts marked and will sew the thing together probably tomorrow.  It has sleeves to be dealt with well.  I'll be interested to see how it comes out.  I was surprised when I did the pants sloper with the adjustments.  The parts of my body I think are out of proportion were not the parts that needed the changes.  With pants it was crotch depth. and it seems I may need to make that adjustment to every bottom I sew for the lower half of my body.  Too bad I didn't do slopers back in 1980.  I might have been much better dressed for a few decades.

It's been hard sticking to this sloper thing.  I've got piles of great fabric.  Also Melissa over at blank slate patterns released a free t shirt pattern in all sizes that takes about 1/2 hour to sew.  I keep seeing all kinds of people posting their versions and I have some cute knits.....

Today I set up the total gym and got on it.  Would be very cool if I could keep getting on it.

creatively trickling

 but at least it's not damned up.  I have been a tad distracted, but most days get in 5 or 10 minutes on something or another.  Some days more.  I bought a darn digital pressure cooker last week and that took me on a detour for a few days.  It's got a bit of a learning curve.  I made lasagna soup in it last night, though that was not my intent.  Ate it anyway.  I have to learn about how much liquid and how much time.  I think I'll get it in time.

Meanwhile, I've been quilting away on the periwinkle and I have 1 and 1/4 border left, and then binding.  I'll take some pics when it is finished.

The guilt is starting to gnaw a little because I have a serger and a large pile of knits and new patterns and no new clothes yet.  I'm a little befuddled (or was) about whether to sew for spring or winter, but I procrastinated long enough for that to be settled.  I did kind of want to finish the quilt before dragging out all the stuff for a new project but I've gone ahead and dipped my toes in. Just the toes, like a toddler in the kiddie pool.

 I whine all the time about nightshift influencing how much natural daylight comes into my life.  Let me also let you know I'm severely nearsighted but do most of my cutting and ALL of my sewing with my glasses off, because I focus everything closer than a foot better with naked eyes.  As soon as I sit up straight, this is how my world looks or worse.  Out of focus with weak lighting. My world.

So, I finally decided on one pair of sweatpants for walks I hope to take with my daughter's dog. I measured my hip and thigh and compared to the pattern and laid my pants sloper that I made last year under to check for any glaring need for adjustments.  I added my crotch depth 1 1/4 back and front and gave 2" to the lower legs and then cut the fabric.  Of course there is stretch involved and it's not extremely fitted so I am hoping this is enough fussing.  These are the slightly more fitted type of sweats though, and of course there's always some way of messing a garment up, so we will see.  I am grateful I've still got all the doo dads from years of sewing- look at that beat up old curved ruler.

I bought another PILE of fabric from Fabric.com last night.  MUST SEW CLOTHES.  I have nowhere to store it unless I move it out of the bedroom.  That's a slippery slope as the house is pretty big.

New fabric stash

Assembling and cutting PDF files seems to be the perfect night shift activity.  If  I knew more sewists close by, I could hire my services out for this.

going on at my house since I bought the serger.  And, no, I haven't actually sewn anything with the blasted thing yet. To be fair, I have been washing said fabric and assembling purchased PDF patterns, no small feat.  I've also been quilting on the periwinkle, pretty much some daily. I'm grateful for every time I fought to reduce bulk on that sucker, because it is indeed a bulky sucker and a challenge for using a ruler with.  It should improve my technique significantly, even though it may not actually show on this quilt!



One bumpy seamed sucker.  I made many pains to reduce bulk, but there are so many seams coming together in relatively small spaces.

I caught a great sale at Style Arc and purchased 6 or 7 patterns from them, and then went over and got one more from Hot Patterns.  Most of them required knit fabric, of which I only had a few in the stash.  Of COURSE I had to get more.

This is where the picture of the overflowing pile of new fabrics should be. Having prewashed any with cotton content and then folding them all neatly in an ugly cardboard box, I forgot.  So instead here's a shot of yet another delivery truck in my yard, braving the sideways rain that knocked panels off my neighbor's fence again. 60 degrees the day after surprise accumulation of 2" of snow.  I haven't got tired of winter this year, it keeps spinning off in different directions.

Fabric Mart was my first internet stop.  I've never bought from them before but have read their name on some great sewing blogs.  I purchased 4 lengths with specific projects in mind, then threw in a mystery "grab bag" of 6 yards of their choice.  I wasn't blown away with the package on arrival.  None of the 4 specifics were exactly what I had in mind. The best of the four was this mind-blowingly HUGE floral stretch twill.

I bought this on purpose!

I thought it was smaller (because who would use that huge of a print for what?) and when I hold it up and imagine it as tight capris I just have to laugh.  I've pondered making a jumper or jacket with it, but it still remains very very huge and quite colorful.  I may just have the chutzpah to carry it off though.  Drapery style from the 80's  squeezing up on my 5'11" 270 lb 50 something year old frame, going to walmart and then the slots.  I'd just have to remember to grin or scowl, and keep the lipstick fresh.

The knits I picked for the active/leisure wear seem somehow wrong weight/stretch, though they might work.  A ponte I picked for dress slacks has a ribbed appearance selvedge to selvedge that may look odd with the legs cut lengthwise grain.  The surprise bag had some pleasantly nice pieces, probably nothing that I would have personally picked but I think I'll use it all.  Quality of the whole lot appears to be quite good, and prices were excellent.  I'll just have to get better at internet buying fabric, a tricky business for an old sewer like me.  I use to spend hours in fabric stores, feeling, scrunching and stretching.

I then went to Mood online and purchased a lovely, appropriately grandma and (bland, safe, oh, what's that word for socially normal?) khaki stretch twill. It did take 10 days to get here, a little long in my opinion since I can actually DRIVE to the NYC metro bus station in 4 to 6 hours, depending on driver and conditions.  Shipping is cheaper, but one day I'm going to have to go in person. 

The lovely Fabricmart person who packed this stuff gave thought several times about color coordinating me. The indigo sheer in the back will have to work into some details with the knit print on the bottom.  There's enough for a scarf that could go with the tourist print.

Subtle shimmer, sweet lightweight knit. The classic tourist petting it.

The tiny mirrors throw off  multi color lights.

ANYWAY, I gave FabricMart another try.  This time they had the grab bags at buy one get one free.  12 yards for 10 bucks.  I know, if it sounds too good, etc etc.  But I didn't get any obvious garbage in the first bag, and there's always wearable muslins to be done.  It was only 10 darn dollars. Well.  I was thrilled!  There was some pretty good stuff in there!!!  Maybe I would never pick out that lacy tiny mirror embossed fluid knit stuff, but you know, it's really cool.  It will make an awesome dress, or part of one because 3 yards would be a smallish dress on my afore-described frame. Or a fabulous top, just not to wear with the billboard capri pants.  There was some very lovely slightly gold shimmery t-shirt knit, some bodacious bold cotton sateen print, a great sheer nylon net in a nice modern print that exactly complements the swimsuit fabric I purchased separately from the grab bags. Finally, a classy but kind of modern cotton plaid that is perfect for a summer shirt.  All  in very  useable lengths, thank you very much!

mustard colored lycra on bottom, chiffon-like sheer print happy on top

My fabric storage is filled, there is no room to store any of this. I need new clothes.  I guess I better start sewing!

What I did on summer vacation

I know, I know, it's kinda sad.  Not only did I "stay-cation" during one of the coldest and most wet early Junes that I can remember, but I also spent at least 50 percent of it washing, ironing, and folding fabric.  My eldest daughter coincidentally took her vacation at the same time, so while she went to an island beach I took care of her 11 year old and did my laundry at her house.  Had to bring my own ironing board and iron.  It worked out well because I haven't really got into corners and decluttered my room in at least 4 years.  I was able to tear it all apart and not have to live in it while I took my time putting it back together.

Afore mentioned daughter would have had heart failure at the river of musty fabrics that I had going on at her house.  It was ok since she didn't have to SEE it.  I also put food in her fridge and cooked it too.  Something she insists she does but I don't think so.

Some of these fabrics came from a yard sale. I thought that several yardages I found with the center chunk gone were those, and wondered why????????? Eventually I came to a piece I knew I had purchased at a store and was faced with the reality.....a crafty grandchild has been into them while I was comatose after night shift.  I have a promise that no more fabric butchering will be done.  Luckily, none of the best fabrics were harmed, most of them were cheaper and older cottons of the walmart variety.  Only a little pain.  There were all destined for being cut up for a quilt, or some dolly dresses or craft someday anyway.  Not a $20/yd fabric for trousers or a coat.

I got it back home and on the shelves.  I've managed to get under and behind and on top of everything and eliminated bags and boxes of stuff.  I really want to keep my sewing room in my bedroom but it was getting to be too much.  I like to wake up bleary eyed after 4 hours of interupted sleep and then think about what I could do before turning over and trying a little longer for a little more sleep!

I had to hide the fat quarter pieces in a rolly-bin under the bed, but I can see them all when I pull them out.

It's been done for a week, and the tidal wash of debris that I used to try and fight daily hasn't reappeared!  I love opening that door and seeing floor and even patches of baseboards.  I even found another window I had totally blocked off (not that I really wanted it with my daylight-shirking self)!

All in all, not a bad way to spend vacation.  I still snuck in a couple restaurants and swimming pools.