a little inspiration

Is there anybody out there?  I wanted to share this puppy with you. Meet Honey Bear: We have had her about a month and half.  I asked for her for my birthday.  She is a doll.  And getting bigger by the moment.  I realized I've been under feeding her two days ago and I would swear she put on a few pounds since I upped the food.

I'm having a bit of creative dissonance right now.  I love to make things, but I have enough.  I love to make clothes, but I am not that great at it, nor do I have the time to get my skills caught up to my ideas. I've played with a minimalist wardrobe and I've always envied monks and nuns of all religions in the perfection if their uniform.  Lots of articles have been floating around recently about creating a uniform for yourself.  I'm so attracted to this idea.  And yet... I don't want to get rid of the things I have right now that I like but wouldn't fit into the uniform idea, both rtw items and handmade.  And I don't have the budget to go out and just get a new set up (even if my idea of a new set up is 5 t shirts and a couple button ups.)  Because I've always tried the uniform kind of thing with the items I already own I just go back to the confusion of most of the items I have. I have simplified my closet and removed the things that don't...

I made this with scraps left over from other projects.  I knew if I just went ahead and started a Winter hat, Spring would show up. I love the shadows created by cables and it blows my mind that it is so simple to make them.  Warm, squishy and mysterious. The second picture shows the truer colors.

I had no idea I was choosing a fabric that so perfectly matches my hair.  I am fairly certain that isn't what most fashion editors would suggest.   However, it is very pretty and very, very soft and cozy.  This is the Cinema Dress by Liesl and Co .  I am pretty sure I bought the pattern the day it came out.  I had just finished the girl's version for Anjali.  I've yet to get a good picture of her in it as she is always so busy. The fitting on the bodice of this dress is perfect me.  The side view is a little wider than I would go for off the rack but I think the front and back views make up for it.  The only thing I changed was sizing down two whole sizes.  I don't need 4 inches of ease in the bust for a dress with princess seams.  Oh, and I omitted the notch at the neckline in this version.  Just because Anjali is very grabby and I don't want to make it any easier for her to get her hand in my shirt.... :) I als...

Lately I've been thinking a lot about not sewing. Not sewing anymore clothes for myself anyway.  I struggle between wanting to have everything handmade and the reality that it takes a lot of time and money and skill that I just don't currently have.  I have a lot of things that I finish but aren't really how I'd have liked them.  The fit is often off.  And you really can't tell until you are done.  Muslins help, but it goes back to to time again. I've been knitting like crazy and really enjoy that process now.  I wonder if I just need to take a break from sewing until the kids are older and I can take a garment making class.  My ideas are outstripping my ability. I do have the cinema dress pattern and fabric for it which I'd like to try since Anjali's came out so well.  I haven't given up totally yet...

I have to figure out a better way to take pictures of completed garments.  It is tough to find a place where the light is good and the background is uncluttered enough.  All out walls have pictures hanging. This is the tunic length of the raglan sleeved shirt from Simple Modern Sewing.  I've used this book a lot over the years.  I took an inch out of the front but otherwise it is pretty much as written. I have another one cut but just realized I cut one sleeve backwards.  I'm not sure there is a good remedy for it as I am out of fabric. I finished this on the 2nd.  First item of the year.

I'm still here.  I've been busy. And sick. And parenting. And overwhelmed.  I am trying to figure out how to use this space with the time I have.  I'm trying to figure out how to live more graciously.  I'm trying to find solutions for solution-less problems.  How could it be that there are so many of those? I'm hoping to use this to catalogue completed projects this year. Less words, more images.  I've been using instagram a lot.  But this would be neater, easier to look back and possibly (?) have details I'd like to remember.