Finished Objects Friday

Okay, so it's Saturday. Too bad. Here is the one thing I accomplished this week:

I got the wild idea about 4:30p on Wednesday that I'd get this done in time to wear to the NQA show on Thursday. (I had all of the fabric cut out but still had to cut the interfacing.) About 6:30, when I was delaying making dinner because I struggling to attach the collar, I came to my senses and stuffed the thing back in the box. On Friday morning, it took me close to two hours to get the collar attached and topstitched. I also hemmed the shirt during that time. This morning I made the buttonholes and the buttons.

Even though it was my vacation, I ran into town for a meeting at work. A couple of VIPs were giving a presentation about some big changes that are coming; even though the presentation was being videotaped, I thought it was important politically for me to show up. My boss's boss, who is three weeks younger than me, sat down next to me and threw his arm around my shoulders. "It's been so quiet around here this week!" Don't take it wrong: my work group has been together for well over a decade, and we've had regular get-togethers with spouses and kids included. We've attended funerals and weddings in one another's families. I truly love these people, and I feel loved by them. We are all supporting each other during the transitional time that is suddenly affecting our work environment.

Speaking of love: On Monday, I announced a giveaway that I would make to anyone commenting on that post and said that I would make a random number draw, blah, blah, blah. Well, the random number generator burped and came up with the following three numbers: 1, 2, and 3. I'll be in touch with those folks through private e-mail. Thank you for playing along.

Summer Sewing Plans

On Sunday afternoon, faced with three quilts that are due by mid-to-late-July, I decided to figure out some summer sewing for me. I respect the ready-to-wear industry, but I long ago stopped relying on it for anything other than underwear. Here's why: I am a middle-aged, overweight woman who works as an administrative assistant in a mid-level job where I'm surrounded by graduate students and professors who work in labs and dress in jeans. Have you looked at the clothing options out there for people "like me"? Did I mention I'm also cheap frugal? I refuse to dress in unflattering polyester-type pantsuits that make me look fat and sloppy?

You see, this is what I think I look like:

Does someone who looks like that dress in ugly clothes? I think not. So, I dress in pretty colors with flaring skirts and dresses that have defined waists that show off what figure I have without screaming at the world FAT!!! (For the record, my blood pressure readings have been consistently at or below 115/70 for the last 25 years, and my cholesterol reading is in the 180s.) I think I dress like a competent adult who has her own style. By making my own clothes, I can accommodate my body, pick flattering colors, and make sure there are pockets in the dresses and skirts. So there!

So, on Sunday afternoon, I pulled out a blouse pattern (that needs to be "upsized") and some pretty fabrics. After I cut out the blue fabric, I had the rogue thought that it looked like those "robes" they give you in the doctor's office. Every time I look at the fabric, I have that thought all over again. I have found another blue fabric that I will probably use instead.

I also pulled a skirt pattern from many years ago. I didn't look at the pattern very closely, but I'm not afraid to widen patterns and otherwise modify them. There is a fly front on this skirt that I will probably eliminate in favor of a back zipper.

Finally, I LOVE this fabric and will probably turn it into a vest. Isn't that a fun fabric? I also have a couple of other garment projects lurking in the closet.

For the next month or so, however, I will be be deep in quilt production mode; but at least I have some plans to indulge my wardrobe building.