So I mentioned yesterday that there was some sewing I wanted to show you. Well here it is. Simplicity 3750 in muslin. When I make clothes for Isabelle I use fabric I like. I don’t really bother using muslin. If it’s not perfect that’s ok because she’s not wearing it forever, she’s growing. And plus only I see if there are little imperfections. No one else would notice them.

But when I make myself something I really appreciate how important it is to work in muslin. Making clothes for myself takes so much more fabric and I will not outgrow it (hopefully…need to stay away from the sweets). I have curves that Isabelle doesn’t so it needs to fit properly. So if I don’t used muslin I might end up with something disappointing and wasted fabric and it’s just so much better to work out the kinks beforehand.

And this top needs some work. I don’t know if you can tell from the next picture but see where the yoke connects to the upper front (the strap to the fabric over my chest)? The right yoke is coming away. I screwed up. I do not know what happened. The directions for the bias tape around there was confusing. I didn’t quite know what to do. I winged it. So of course it came out weird.

How come I don’t read Japanese and I am able to figure out their directions. I read English perfectly well but can’t figure out what in the world they want me to do. And I know I’m not the only one. Maybe that means pattern makers need to have better directions. Or better pictures or something! Sheesh!

So what else? The armholes are so big and floppy looking. Maybe it has to do with the bias tape directions. I don’t know. Just so bummed when something doesn’t come out as expected.

And on a completely different subject. How do people take self portraits? I just hurriedly prop the camera somewhere and take pictures. I wish I could use our tripod. But Isabelle loves playing with the tripod. So if it’s just me and no Alan to distract her I don’t dare take it out. Guess that’s how I end up with pictures like this.

And this.

Posted in: Finished Project, Sewing
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Alan’s been pampering me. He’s been taking care of Isabelle, cleaning, doing laundry, and I didn’t cook all weekend! On Sunday I slept in. He made me breakfast. He cleaned the kitchen, and the living room!! I am loved.

So what have I been doing with my time? Obsessing. Well I have some sewing to show you but not right now. I am distracted. So distracted that even the Harry Potter reading has almost come to a standstill!

All weekend I’ve been obsessing over learning php. I am almost decided to move over to wordpress. Last week I had cobbled together a theme to work on wordpress. And I must say that I’m proud that it almost looks like my current blog. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was how to show my old headers. The closest I got was doing single pages or the whole archive. And that isn’t what I want. So on the weekend I gave in and instead of cobbling a theme together and having no clue as to what I was doing I decided to try to learn some php.

So that’s what I’m working on right now. Learning some php. Every spare moment I get I’ve been doing that. I find that I do that quite frequently. I obsess over doing something and it takes over everything for a few days. I hope I figure it out soon. I have a lot of blog reading to catch up on. And probably some email too…

Posted in: Illustrations
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Think she was trying to hide?

And on a completely different subject, I finished Order of the Phoenix. I’m glad I reread it. I definitely didn’t remember some stuff. So on to the Half Blood Prince. Except it wasn’t with the rest of my Harry Potter books. So there was this frantic search of the house. I called Alan hoping he had seen it. He hadn’t. So I sat there contemplating starting Deathly Hallows without reading book six. But I wanted everything fresh in mind so another frantic search of the house ensued and another call to Alan. But still no book. Then I thought about going to the library to borrow it or buying a new copy right that moment since the library was closed. Yes that’s how desperate I was to read it. I did one more search and found it in Isabelle’s room! I read the first page and haven’t opened it since the whole night. I’m a goober.

Posted in: Family
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It’s been a weekend filled with Harry Potter. There’s been reading of Harry Potter. I’m still working at rereading the fifth book. And then there was the watching of Harry Potter. Earlier Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was on tv. And I realized I’ve never really watched it. How is that possible?! So I’ve put all the Harry Potter movies on my queue. And there’s been sewing Harry Potter. What you say. How does one sew Harry Potter?

Well by sewing a skirt inspired by the Harry Potter movies of course. I must have found this tutorial back when I made Isabelle’s pleated dress. I was probably searching for pleating tutorials. I don’t have any strong desires to wear a Hogwart’s uniform but I liked how the skirt looked so I bookmarked it. And so when the urge to sew hit combined with all the Harry Potter reading going on around here of course the first thing that came to mind was to sew a Harry Potter skirt.

I made it in muslin just to see how it all came together. And I love it! I love the shape of it, the color, and how simple it was to make. Well the pleat part threw me for a bit of a loop but once I remembered Isabelle’s dress it was easy. Now I will need to make it using real fabric. I would love to wear the muslin one out but it’s so thin you can see my panties from behind. And that’s something I don’t love, showing my panties off. And plus when I practice sew I use a long stitch so it’s easy to rip out. So a proper skirt must be made.

Hmm…now to decide what kind of fabric. Solid or patterned? Alan said you can barely see the pleat on Isabelle’s dress because of the pattern. He didn’t even notice it until I pointed it out. What do you think, solid or patterned?

Ok it’s late and I want to read some more Harry Potter so off I go. What am I talking about? It’s crazy late. I should go to bed. More sewing and Harry Potter tomorrow.

Posted in: Finished Project, Sewing
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Look what was awaiting me me I woke up this morning!! I was so surprised. I’ve never pre-ordered a Harry Potter book so I wasn’t expecting it for another week. But look here it is! Bwaa haa haa!! Now just to finish rereading the rest of them. I’m only half way through the 5th book. And I was planning to sew today but Harry is calling…

Posted in: Oops Didn't I Choose?
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So last night I was sitting there like this. Confused. Trying to figure out Wordpress. Still. Well sitting here like this except my eyes weren’t crossed. I do think they were a little glazed over reading about loops and conditional tags and oops my eyes just crossed. ;-D

So I took a break and started to draw. Drawing me confused. It’s a funny little picture, my arms are weird and look too long, and it’s just a little off but I liked it so am sharing it.

Well at least I figured out how to shrink the comment field so it wasn’t so damn big. And now if I can figure out my date based headers I’d be happy as a clam.

Just had to draw that too.

Posted in: Bloggy Stuff, Illustrations
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Usually when I feed the dogs Isabelle rushes over and tries to put her hands in the dog food. So I block her. With my butt. Ok that sounds so weird and my drawing isn’t really accurate. I’m holding the food scoop so see there is a reason I’m using my butt and not my hands. Ok back to what I was saying. So this used to work. The butt block would keep her away. But last night that didn’t work. She crawled between my legs. I looked down and there she was sitting in front of the dog food bins with the biggest smile on her face. She had outsmarted mama!

Go read cute baby #13, boom boom.

Posted in: Family, Illustrations, Illustrations - "Cute Baby" Series
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