Vintage Sloper 1303

I have begun working on this dress pattern.


Nothing to show you though. I've pulled 4 different fabrics from stash (yes my fabric stash nearly as large as my yarn stash) and have washed and ironed them, I just haven't decided which one yet. I've also already made the dress in some random broadcloth to make sure of fit. I LOVE vintage patterns they fit me sooooo well. No matter what size I get in new patterns I always have tons of adjustments to make, but not so with patterns from the 40's and 50's. I guess all woman back then were freakishly short waisted with tiny rib cages, it's nice to know I was "normal" once. :o)

The sloper was not made without troubles sorry to say. I was pushing it. I really wasn't fit to be up and around but couldn't look at the ceiling in my bedroom any longer. I also figured what the hell, it's only a sloper who cares if the seams are slightly wonky cuz I can't see straight and the zipper catches a bit. Besides, I had just gotten an invitation to a Garden Party for my Aunt's 90th B-day. Could there have been a greater incentive?!? I think not.

The first of trials and tribulations began with me not able to read my own tape measure, what I was thoroughly convinced was 4 yds of a random "throw-a-way broadcloth" was only slightly more than 3 yards. I realized this after I had already cut out 6 of the eight gores. Oops, had to find more fabric in same weight...I kinda sorta did. I won't go into details regarding how many times I burned myself with the iron and not just fingertips, and forearm mind you but my tummy as well...don't ask. And I'll skip the part where my foot was filleted by falling scissors and how I snipped 3 inches of length off my own hair or how I sliced and diced my ironing board cover. I also refuse to mention how many times I misplaced and then sewed the gores, all 8 of them, incorrectly. A seam ripper is truly a magnificent tool. Despite all these tribulations in a just a few hours I had one vintage sloper Simplicity pattern number 1303, including the bias trim around the neckline, and armholes (I going to make this sleeveless) nearly complete. I sat there admiring my handiwork, licking my wounds, and contemplating whether I should solider on and put in the zipper or save that for the morning. It didn't take me long to figure out what to do, especially after I notice 2 gores still sitting on the ironing board and NOT sewn into the skirt......sigh

The next morning I did rip and resew and put in the zipper without much trouble. It fits perfectly. YIPPEE! I plan on redrafting the bodice a tiny bit to shape the armholes to make it a proper sleeveless bodice and to lower the neckline a bit, but I'm not going any where near my sewing room until I've got my head on straight. Can you blame me? :o)

Other future plans:
Aside from redrafting the bodice for a lower neck and making it sleeveless there are few other things I have yet to consider. I haven't decided if I will incorporate piping in the skirt seams as the pattern calls for in view 2, (those aren't just seam lines, those black lines are a contrasting piping) Whether I do the piping or not will depend on what fabric I choose. I haven't decided on what length I'll make it either. Depends obviously on the fabric and the "look" I want, and perhaps whether or not I'll actually wear a petticoat or not. I also have to put pockets in the side seams. Last night I gathered fabric and notions for the first copy of this dress with it's new modifications. It won't be the dress but it will be an everyday dress in this style, just one more step to tweak anything that might need tweaking before I make the real thing.

Another week has flown

This week has been hit and miss as far as getting things done.

I did get two more squares for the patio rug made, one yesterday the second finished this morning. None last week, and I obviously missed my Weaving Wednesday thing but....oh well. I'm really going to have to step it up though. I've only got 15 squares done, I'm shooting for 35. YIKES! Right now I have enough for a rug approximately 5 x 8 depending how I choose to put them together. I'm waffling on that...go figure. I'm going to make a concerted effort to have the loom always warped, doing a row or two during stolen moments I think will help.


As for the vow regarding completion of UFO's before I can begin sewing.......I haven't broken it yet, but I think I prob'ly will.....sigh. Last week I did get the grey sloper sweater and the Zetor done. Here's Zetor unblocked.

No pic of the sweater cuz I haven't quiet decided if I'm going to put clasps on it or a zipper, but hey the knitting is done so that's close enough vow-wise considering it is winter wooly type sweater and Spring is finally here. I'll decide what closure I want when I want to wear it so into the box for next winter it will go. Maybe a shot of Vivian wearing it as is when I go upstairs, but if I go up stairs I'm sooooo close to my sewing machine.....sigh.

The Scribble Lace cardigan hit a snag. I thought I was done. I put it on and I didn't like the way the solid plain knitting at the body/sleeve transition on this raglan cardi behaved. I slashed and ripped and now have to graft the sleeves back on. I'm not looking forward to that. Ugh. That's the kind of thing that just might dump it into the frog pond.

I haven't touched the spiral bag. The Taos bi-directional has only seaming to go. I'm really doubtful about the fit, but we'll see.

The search for the perfect sun hat has ceased, at least for little while. I found this at the Mouse on Wednesday.
Liz Claibourne, has an elastic band inside the crown so I fits me perfectly, stays on in a breeze, looks like it was never worn and it was 50 cents. Um yeah, I could go for that. I generally find the thought of buying a hat a thrift store repugnant but I'm ok with this one.

Bart's b-day was Sunday and he brought a present for me. Have I told you lately how wonderful my son is???? Yup, he brought me 6 pairs of pants repair/patch! LOL I had planned on going into town on Wednesday so I went through the pile on Tuesday and stacked them in order of fewest repairs/patches needed. I wanted to get as many done before Wednesday as I could so I could give them back. It sounded like a good plan, too bad it didn't work out that way. I patched the first pair that I had deemed the quickest fix. Ooops, as I folded them up I notice a spot at the pocket that could use some reinforcement. I fixed it. Looked for more thin spots and ended up fixing 8 different ouchies (thin spots, rips, and holes) on that one pair of pants!!! I'm kind of afraid to look too closely at the other pairs in the stack!
And can I tell you how much this little bit of hand sewing has done to my screaming desire to make a few dresses!!!!! It almost hurts I want to start them so much.

I'm also pinning to begin the new sewing project born of my lunch date with my Aunt on Wednesday. I've had my eye on a couple thing recently. The 8x8 blog March projects (make sure you look at both Blair's and Daria's squares two different methods) just blew me away, plus another strip pieced quilt I saw on Whipup eons ago (freeformish strip piecing with texture). I want to give these techniques a go, and I intend on using the neck ties my Aunt gave me to do it. Well over a year ago she gave 100 or so ties that had been my Uncles (he passed a few years back) she wanted some sort of keepsake made out of them. I worked on it off and on for months planning more traditional type things but I wasn't ever pleased with it. Another stumbling block was the condition of some of the ties, thus available material. When I put the thought of these techniques at 8x8 and Whipup, together with the ties, plus the fact that my Aunt has some extremely modern artwork in her new home it just all came together. She's excited and so am I. I'm not sure what the end product will be, a pillow, wall hanging, whatever, but I know these are examples of how I want to do it (sort of) and I can't wait to get started!

Incentive

I'd say the imminent arrival of these would be enough incentive.



Oh my! (pitter patter pitter patter) Just look at the detail and tailoring of those midriffs!! Check out the neckline of that floral pink!!! O.M.G.

With these and a couple other summer worthy patterns I picked up over the winter, and some vintage fabrics from the Mouse I've been hording, not to mention the sprouting of the pussy willow, buds on the lilac and 3 grilled dinners this pass week, I hear the sewing machine beckoning.

Yes, these will certainly lure me to the machine, but the underlying, and perhaps more noteworthy cause/effect of the aforementioned acquisitions is that I have made a vow. I have vowed to complete these before I can even chose fabrics.*

Yikes!

The first 5 works in process I could put my hands on. Shameful? I guess, but merely a drop in the bucket of what there is around here as far of UFO's are concerned, so, eh, I'm use to it and feeling rather smug and without shame cuz it's a very doable task. They are all sitting here close at hand because they are nearly completed already.

A quick rundown on just what these UFO's are cuz I've only mentioned 2 out of the 5 before.

First up is the yarn barf, aka knitted lace, aka Zetor. Silly to take another pic of it cuz yarn barf looks like yarn barf until it is blocked and you won't be able to discern the addition of the last 3 rows in a new pic from the pic I posted the other day. Suffice to say, last pic of the lace had 6 rows of the edge chart left. Today I have 3 rows of that chart to go. Doable!

Second on the agenda, the other UFO I've mentioned before, the Taos Bi-Directional.



Front done, back 85% done. Doable. Although I haven't figured how, or if, I can add to sleeves to this, and I'm a bit concerned with the depth of the armholes at this point, but I can get the thing done per pattern without added mods, no problem.

The third UFO I haven't mentioned before. It's a no brainer chunky cardi from a vintage VK. (50's) I really started this one by accident. Thumbing through the magazine this sweater caught my eye as a nice "sloper" pattern for chunky wt. A good pattern to file away for further modifications and play. Another had caught my eye as well cuz it was a top down raglan but had short row shaping along the back of the neck (ala EZ) and a couple other interesting tailoring details. That is the one I wanted to make but I got the patterns mixed up and started the sloper one instead. Ooops.


I've got the yoke, and one sleeve done, the second sleeve is about a fourth done. Definitely a candidate for completion. It's chunky and plain ol' stockinette for cryin' out loud!

The fourth UFO is a wanna be swirl bag (ala Debbie New).
I intend to felt it when I'm done. I'm making it in three pieces, mirror image pieces for the front and back and a gusset. I have about 8 short rows of this first piece to complete. I'm kind of fudging on this one. I'm counting just getting this first side done as being "completed". I've got cut myself some slack, those patterns are going to be here any day! Plus I have to scrounge around and find some more wool in those colors or at least another color scheme that will play nice. And of course, there's always the possibility that my calculations were incorrect so when all the stitches that are crammed so tightly on the needle are released it may or may not be shaped as I intended. :o)

And finally the fifth UFO. Um yeah, I started it yesterday. Here is the swatch I made yesterday taped to my patio door.



The Unexpected Knitting group on Ravelry is having a monthly KAL. This month is scribble lace. I'm lots farther along than this. In fact I'm nearly done, scribbling goes sooooo fast, but I didn't bother with a pic...you know....that yarn barf thing again. :o)

I suspect tomorrow there will be a post with details of this project. I'm nearly to the point that I want to take it off the needles and see how it all shakes out, but I want to finish the hank I'm using first so those pic will have to wait until at least late this afternoon.

Of course, by no means, does all this constitute the abandonment Weaving Wednesdays, they will of course continue, I want a rug for the patio and summer is coming! And I promise, promise, promise that I will post the pattern for Boogin' with Beelzebub very soon. The occasional sock and whatnot will still be on the needles, and my continuing search for a summer hat will not be abandoned. I think I have figured out a pattern for that, but I haven't cast on yet. Hmmm I could really use a hat to wear while I sit outside and finish all these UFO's. See? What can I say? It's never ending!!! :o)

I love my life.

*thinking about fabric but not actually rifling through the stash is allowed.

Here We Go Again!

Yep, another leather coat has succumbed to my evil ways. Not to be confused with the Leather Coat Project of days pass. Nope this is a brand new just begun today project with a different coat.

Technically, I didn't start out today thinking I was going to be working on another leather coat. The day had begun with me working on this wool coat....



I think I mentioned this coat before....a 1990's Perry Ellis Meg-Ryan-Sleepless-in-Seattle coat. (I might be off on my dates, but when ever I see this coat that's what I think of. Oh yeah, and how incredibly uncomfortable it was to sit on that damn belt slung across the butt.) Anyway, the reason for this coat project is cuz when Jilly went back to school last week she took her J Crew Pea Coat with her. Damn. I'm gonna have to beat that child. But then again, this is nice coat too, if it's tweaked. I began tweaking this afternoon. It's done except for the hem which will be a breeze and a change of shoulder pads. Arrgh! No shoulder pads in my stash.....oh wait, yes there is, in the long brown leather coat awaiting an appointment with Mr Seam Ripper. Thus, Project Leather Coat II began.

Here are few pix of the original coat......like really, like totally 80's, oh my gawd!



Nothing wonderful about this coat other than it's leather. It has ginormous shoulder pads and a really boxy silhouette. There isn't any spiffy stitching details, it's just a sad, sad, design. But it does have a pretty fabulous lining!!!


Sorry about the icky color, but the grey dismal days of January are upon us. The shot above is no flash (obviously) the shot below is with a flash. Take your pick, dark and murky or washed out and shiny.


The true color is a beautiful bronze ground with black design. I haven't decided if I'll keep this lining in the coat-soon-to-be-jacket or if I'll cut another lining and use this fab fabric for something else.

The plan for this coat is to separate the seam that runs along the top of those huge gapping pockets which will make it a short jacket length. I may have to add a small band around the bottom if it turns out to be a weird length.

The first thing I tackled were those linebacker shoulders. I removed the shoulder pads....just as I suspected, each pad was actually two pads sewn together. YEA! Shoulder pads for the Meg-Ryan-soon-to-be-Lucy-Ricardo-Coat!!! (btw, I'll have finished pix tomorrow of that coat. I ran out of what little light I had)

Now to deal with a shoulder seam that measured nearly 9 inches from collar to sleeve cap. I wasn't confident in my ability to remove the sleeve and adjust the armhole so I made some pleats in the shoulders.



I was thrilled with the fit of the shoulders and stitched it up!

On the first pleat I used a lot binder clips, then I got bold and use fewer clips on the subsequent pleats.



I fiddled around with the collar for...oh.....about 2 hours, and decided I'd leave it a shawl collar for now. Tomorrow I may change my mind. I originally was thinking about putting a zipper up the front, but now I'm not so sure. The lining is only for prettiness, there's no r-factor to it, so chances are I won't be wearing this when it's too cold therefore no reason to zip it up.

I still have some top stitching and some stay stitching to do but this is what it looks like so far.



Be honest, what do you think?
I'm a little frightened.
Tell me this didn't pop into your mind when you saw the jacket.



~sigh~

Deep Breath

I have to go lie down.

4 Days til Oktoberfest

It wouldn't be much of an Oktoberfest countdown unless I posted some progress photos now would it.

First up Joe's hiking socks.


I am soooooo cheating on these. I'm using two strands of WoolEase with #8 needles.

I used the Riverbed Architecture from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways. book for the foot and a very simple 4 stitch mock cable that runs along the outside of the leg. The rest of the leg is k2p2 ribbing. I am kinda liking the way the calf increases are looking. Totally cheated on the increases too, nothing fancy there, just worked the new stitch into one strand instead of both of them. I'm thinking these will be done tonight if there's a good movie on tv.

I guess I should have put something in the pic to indicate the size of these things but you can imagine, 12 inch foot, 22 inches from ankle to knee, and I'll prob'ly add 4 inches of ribbing on top of that. Egads!

The Alpine jacket is turning out quiet nicely, IMHO.

It began as this:




And now looks like this:



I still have the trim to sew on, and the closures. Loving the trim. Got it at JoAnn Fabric for $1.07 a yard.....score! The original garment was a of course a Thrift Store find from eons ago. It's an extremely heavy boiled wool with get this...a flannel lining!! WTF No wonder it was thrifted, it was nearly impossible to get on or off with all that fabric friction going on, so I threw in a normal lining.

And now the lederhosen...............

They too began their life as a Thrift Store find. It's not everyday that one finds a pair of Michael Jordan black leather pants for $5.00. :-) Joe and I picked these up a couple years ago. Oh the possibilities a pair of black leather pants possess as far as costumes go, so into the costume closet they went.....doesn't everyone have a costume closet??? Apparently not. Talking to my Bro the other night telling him about this Oktoberfest project he asked his wife if they had a costume closet? Trunk? Box? Nope. Well, we've got a whole closet, and a box or two.....guess my Bro and I don't travel in the same crowd. :-) One of these days I'll dig up photos from past costume parties, they are sooooo funny. Anywho, whatever possible costume these might have morphed into, a pair of lederhosen was never on my radar. lol

So here's a crummy pic of what the they looked before reconstruction, all full length and shiny black leather.




Now they look like this. Short, turned suede side out, zipper removed and waist band reattached.



Next step in the process is to make the front flap thing. I have to cut along the line that are indicated in the photo below by the pieces of yarn, and add some more leather to make the flap wider. You can see what I mean in the second pic, it is one I snagged from a website that sells the real thing.







Things are moving along swimmingly. Although I have to confess, that the real reason I'm blogging and not working on these things is pure unadulterated fear. The same mind numbing, paralyzing terror you feel when your ready to cut your first steek.

I'll get over it. Prob'ly by the time any of you read this it will have been done, just talking about it makes it better. Plus the fact that I've already scoped out the stash and know that I have enough brown suede to make a whole other pair from scratch if need be. :-)

As for my costume......I've been working on that too. Not a lot to show you though. I've made 2 prototypes of my vest and have tweaked the pattern enough to like the fit, and I've made my blouse. But I'll address my costume in another post.......Maybe later today, if I'm still avoiding the lederhosen. :-P

Oktoberfest Countdown

Just a real quick post to let you guys know what the current projects are. Wonder if I'll ever be able to write that sentence in the singular form?

Anyway, after the disaster that was the Drops 97-9. I've begun Drops 79-8. I wanted/needed something on my needles that was big and chunky. My wanton desire for something quick and mindless won out and I picked up plain old Lion Brand Homespun and started. Wow it does, or rather, did move fast. I got the back and one front completed in one day!! That was Sunday. I haven't touched it since.....sigh. BTW, no problems, everything is/was moving right a long. I did NOT stop working on this cuz I'm not very fond of the the yarn (never have been) It's not quiet "yuck" cuz I can't get beyond the fab colorway, and how soft it feels to the touch, but I really don't like this yarn. It gets too fuzzy in that "worn-out" kind of fuzzy instead of that nice "relaxed-fuzzy" that only something NOT acrylic can do, and that soft feel it has screams plastic to me, if that makes any sense. But it was at hand, worked to gauge beautifully, and I didn't have think about if I had enough. (got in a grab bag from an estate sale)

No, the reason I put this aside (which is ultimately going be a sweater for Annie, daughter #1, she'll like) is because Joe asked if maybe I could do a little sewing this week. Um, yeah, a "little" sewing. He wants to go to the Oktoberfest in costume. So since Monday I've been working on a pair of lederhosen, a boiled wool Alpine jacket in case it's cold, and a pair of knee length hiking socks, for him. He actually thinks I'm going to be able to make a hat too! LOLOLOLOLOLOL

As for my costume, it just so happened that we were eating dinner at the Kaiserhoff (the MOST excellent German restaurant) and I asked Gary (the proprietor) if he might have an extra dirndl hanging around. He did in fact and I brought an entire outfit home with me. It fits me OK. I'd certainly be making adjustments if it was mine and not just a loner. It's a lovely, very nice, proper Frau outfit. Joe I'm sure, no, I know, has something a little more Frauline barmaid thing in mind for me. Can you say cleavage? :-) To help satisfy Joe's desire for a little bit more, I greed to make one of those low slung vests that allow for boobage. Cuz of that, it means I need a different blouse. The one with the borrowed outfit isn't quiet right, and besides, it's soooo nice I was a bit fearful of spilling something on it and staining it. I'll be much more comfortable in my own blouse, while we're manning the kegs. (as workers folks, I don't really like beer!)

So now I have nine days to make:

• One pair of Lederhosen (as authentic as I can get....in leather)
• One Alpine jacket
  
• One pair of men's size 12 hiking socks (Oy)
• One blouse
• One vest
• One apron
• One hat
  
• And all the embroidery

I'll go into details of each pieces with other posts, I've already taken too much time writing this post. Anyway, suffice to say, of course my sewing machine died Monday night. I did a stupid thing and now I can't get the shuttle and race to align properly, thus...no sewing machine......HUGE SIGH I spent 3 hours on Monday night, and another 2 hours on Tuesday morning. I can't get the damn thing to work. So yesterday was pretty much a bust. I did get the lining for Joe's jacket cut, and I got one prototype of my vest cut out and another couple waiting in the wings. I'm hobbling bits and pieces of various sewing patterns to make my vest. I'm making prototypes cuz with a bod like mine NOTHING fits right out of the pattern and this vest is such a fitted affair. I've also done some hand sewing on the lederhosen. I didn't get the socks started until late last night, cuz believe it or not, with the sheer tonnage of fiber I have in this house, it could not yield enough natural or grey wool for a pair of socks!!!!

Last night Joe and I drove into town, for the purpose of buying material for my blouse, trim for his jacket, material for my vest, and a pair of hiking socks. I figured trying to make the socks was just plain silly, and since we were going into town we might as well buy a pair. Didn't work out that way. I got the blouse fabric, notions, and trims, and found the most perfect material for the vest, when Joe saw it he decided that I just HAD to get enough of it to make myself an entire outfit. So I guess you can add dirndl to the aforementioned bulleted list!!!!!

I took an obligatory stroll through the yarn section and ended up with an armful of WoolEase for Joe's socks. So much for saving time by buying the socks. Included on the list of notions I had to get, was a set of shoulder pads for Joe's jacket. While I was at the cutting table, I sent Joe over to the wall of notion to get the shoulder pads. Picture if you will, the floor plan of a typical JoAnn Fabrics. Notions on the far wall, cutting table running the center of the cavernous building. Standing at the wall of notions, Joe hollers. "Hey Babe, they have those boob enhancers too." Walking toward me, cupping, lifting and pushing together, imaginary breasts, he continues, "You know, the things that push them up and out, should I get a pair of those too?" Um, yeah, that's my guy! :-)

Joe went and got his mother's old sewing machine for me this morning. I'm not stressed yet. While the list sounds daunting, it's really not that bad. Some of the garments are reconstructions from existing items, I have some "special" tricks up my sleeve I'll explain later, and I'm working these socks double stranded on #8's. I'm to the heel on both already. Now upstairs with fingers crossed that this sewing machine that hasn't been used in 5-10+? years will sing for me.

Dressing a pot

Yesterday was moving day. I have approximately 4 moving days a year. No, I don't change my address, but I do change my residence. I move furniture from room to room, upstairs, downstairs, re-hang pictures and swap out tables and lamps. I change things around to such an extent that a room may end up having a totally new purpose. Living room might become the dinning room, dinning room might become a family room. Consequently, I'm usually inspired to make something new. The something new usually entails sewing and generally I paint something too. Tomorrow will be new curtains for the sitting room and a new slip cover for a chair, but today I finally took care of an ugly plastic pot that's been bugging me since I got the plant.

Here is the before shot. Yeah I know, I have to water that poor tree, but it gets so dang heavy when it's been watered and I knew a moving day was looming, I could feel it.



And now it looks like this:




It was a quickie refashion of the this blouse.



I picked up this '80's blouse at the GW eons ago. The colors in the this photo are almost right, but they are deeper and richer. I tried to get the details of its construction but as you can see they don't show too well. The major points of interest are the hidden button closure up the front, it is collarless, and has an elastic waistband. Perfect, the elastic band snugs nicely around the bottom of the pot, I buttoned it up the back, pulled the sleeves inside, stuffed it with plastic bags and made some gigantic running stitches around the top to cinch it in. Stuffing it took the most time. LOL So aside from the huge running stitches, I didn't do anything else to this blouse so I will in the future still be able use it as a lining for a bag which is why I bought it in the first place. Ooops, yes I did, I removed the ginormous shoulder pads. :-)

Leather Coat Project Top and Bag part 7

Finally got this top done after it hung on Vivian for days and days. Remember my fear of the eyelets? I just couldn't bring myself to do them. Even contemplated taking the top to a shoe repair guy and have him do the eyelets. In the end I opted not to do that and made the loops that are now on the back.

I like the top...not a fav top, and well, it just isn't me (at least not "appropriately" me..it's so hard when you feel 28 and in reality are dang near 48!) so Silly if you're reading and like this top, give me a call it's yours! (Silly is my baby that is soon to be 20...egads)

After the book, wallet, top, and some pieces set aside for another top in progress this is what I have left to work with.

So I made this bag.

I'm really pleased with this bag. I lined it with some fabric I got at the Mouse for 25 cents (that's 2 yards for 25 cents! Love the Mouse) There is an interior pocket and I like the versatility of the strap. The strap btw is rattail, a few row of crochet (slip stitch) then roll back on to itself. I personally hate drawstring bags generally, but I modified this. You can sort of see in the first pic how the back side along the opening is straight and not gathered. I put a piece of wood dowel in there. Now I can easily get into the bag for a quick grab and don't have to hassle with the whole drawstring thing. When and if I do need to open the bag wide like in the 2nd pic, then that dowel in there is a nice place to hold on to when manipulating the drawstring. (no digging you fingers into the tiny hole) :-) I also think it gives the bag a bit more shape than just a drawstring bag.

I've got another bag done too but the batteries on my camera died before I could get a picture.....sigh

Score at the Mouse

Joe and I went thriftin' the other day. Dang if I didn't score BIG time! It's not surprising though, I've got the BEST Thrift Store ever. It's named, The Church Mouse, just the "Mouse" to us. I can only count on one hand the number of times I've gone in there and not found something that I needed/wanted/desired but I've always had a great time!

The Mouse is a cute little shop, or at least it tries to be. It's ran by a local church and staffed by volunteers. Not all, but most of them are well beyond 65, and they work real hard at organizing their wares in boutique fashion. Some of the more spry of ladies put in whole 6 hour shifts, others, well, 2 hours is about all they can manage. They are such a friendly bunch and of course you just HAVE to chat a bit. Consequently a trip to the Mouse is an event, because it takes much longer to shop there. Generally speaking I'm a "power thrifter". I know the terrain of the various stores and head directly to the sections of the things I'm interested in. A quick walk through, glancing here and there and I'm outta there, 6 minutes, tops. I don't shop in those places I "thrift", at the Mouse I shop.

The Mouse has a completely different environment. You walk in, you greet a few of the ladies, you look through a section, you greet a few more ladies, if you picked something up, you might have a chat about it, you move on to another section, you greet someone else, you chat about what's in your hand again, and it goes on and on, section, by section, item by item. At the check out a gaggle of women assembles and they ooh and ahh over your purchases. "What are you going to do with this yarn...I use to knit/crochet before my hands got so bad" "Oh that fabric is lovely, what's it going to be...I use to sew before my eyes got so bad" "Oh honey that sweater will never fit you". I love my Ladies.

After all has been discussed and stories of what's was made in the past have been shared, then it's time add up the sale. Some days it goes smoothly and others well, we have fun. Some of the items in the shop are priced individually, some are just listed on a price sheet (books, magazines, purses and such). It can be difficult to read for some of the ladies. Sometimes the little ladies behind the checkout area will have to trot out to the other side of the counter to get far enough away so they can read it. (Just to be clear, the aforementioned price sheet is a poster board hanging on the wall with 3 inch lettering.) The lucky ones just stand there bobbing their heads valiantly trying to locate the appropriate level of their multi-focal eyeglasses. The usual procedure for check out is to have the bagger call out the prices (from the price sheet on the wall), to the lady who is manning the cash register, who confirms the price (from the price sheet on the wall.) Um, yeah, see where I'm going here? Remember what I just said regarding the readability of this price sheet? Multiple the appropriate reaction to said price sheet by two. On any given day, depending who is punching the register and who is bagging other types of mayhem can occur. More times than not a "discussion" regarding the size of the magazine will develop, the difference, price-wise, being a nickle. (how dreadful it would be if the customer got overcharged an entire nickel!!!) Often times the two will get mixed up and have to begin the tally again. (with all that head bobbing and climbing over each other who could blame them?) And on occasion, to be sure, an accusation of mumbling will be issued and be countered with a remark about someones lack of hearing and a lively "discussion" will ensue. You know the kind of "discussion" I'm talking about. The same kind you had as a kid with your sister or your best friend....my Dad called it squabbling.......Joe calls it knicker knacking. I love my Ladies!

So now you know why I said going to the Mouse was an event. I love the Mouse and the Ladies who work there. I plan my Mouse trips.....gotta give them at least an hour. :-)

Last week shopping at the Mouse scored this:






I can't read German, but I thought the picture looked interesting. Inside was this:








It's a pattern drafting program!!! Over 280 patterns! From the simple straight forward classics to...um....."specialty clothing" (?) Yeah, I don't think I'll be making a riding outfit anytime soon, but that just kinda sums up the scope of patterns in this kit/program/book.








There are woman's clothes, obviously, and children's, teen's, men and boys, swimwear and lingerie, to bridal fashions, and winter coats. I'm soooo pleased with this. Oh and btw, it is in English. The translation is a bit shaky regarding grammar, but then why the hell would that bother me right? :-) Every now and then there are words that aren't translated, mostly the names of the patterns (I think). The directions are just fine. If I run into trouble I'll be asking Monika. I'll drop her a line and say, 'Hey Monika, what's a "snitt"?'



As a matter of fact no time like the present....Hey Monika, what's a snitt?

Project Leather Coat Still Draping part 6

Yep, I'm still draping and still changing my mind. At least that's what I've been doing most of today. I think at last count I was 1, 726 times I've changed my mine....add another 1200.....sigh.


Here's a small taste of what I was thinking today.









BUT.......





This is what I have decided on.





There's no going back. No more changing my mind, this baby is nearly done!!! All that's left is to set the straps and pound the eyelets for the lacing in the back. And those two things are the reason it's not done now.....sigh.

I want to set the straps on me, not on Vivian. She's been a awfully good sport, and not bitching at all when I would drape a piece around her for the bazillionth time. But as close as she is to my size she's just a wee bit big through the rib cage. I need another pair of hands so I guess I have to wait until Joe gets home in the morning.

Pounding the eyelets is a whole other story. I have to get up enough nerve to do that. For what ever reason eyelets and I just don't get along. Sometimes I can pound them all day and not have a lick of trouble, other days, well I'd rather run my tongue through the sewing machine. I even considered putting a zipper in the back! That's how much I'm dreading these eyelets. But eyelets it is and eyelets it will have to be, this leather is just too fluid and stretchy for anything as permanent as a zipper. Although, I could always put the zipper in now and when the day comes the top is just too stretched out then I can do the eyelets!! Oy! Everything is done including the top stitching and I'm still thinking of ways to change it!!! Shoot me now.