Birthday dress thoughts

I would like to start the ritual of making an annual birthday dress for myself.  By this time next year I should be down with school so I'll have plenty of time to sew. Here is what I have in mind for right now until it changes...
M6553.  Initially when I saw this pattern I thought it was a bit blah!  I saw another blogger make it and the pattern now has new life with me. 
We'll see!

Busy and Happy!

The busy part:
I was out of school June 25 - June 29.  It was a great time for me because I took time off from work to make it really feel like a restful and relaxing time.  The upcoming term that started on July 2nd, I was taking an on campus class and an online class.  Class is on Wednesday nights but since last Wednesday was a holiday that meant no on campus school! Woo hoo!  So I decided to take Monday and Tuesday as well including the holiday.  One whole week off! Woo hoo again!

During this time I was able to get some sewing (wish you could have seen me dancing).  I decided that since it had been a LONG while since anything had been done I would start off with some very easy projects that would allow me to get my feet wet.

The first pattern that I made was a top from the site Leko.  I've used this site in the past.  They have come a very long way from what they used to be.  This site allows you take your own measurements, send them in, and they send you the pattern back.  They have pattern packages to purchase that allows you to buy 2, 5, 10, 30, 50, and etc.  It takes no more than 10 minutes to receive your pattern back via email.

Here is the pattern that made, a very cute cowl neck top with a band at the bottom.  I really liked this top and that it was very quick and easy to make, there were only three pieces to put together.  It was so easy that I made four!  I made the first in a pink and white circle patterned knit (hubby calls it my Target shirt), pale lime green knit, purple, and canary yellow.  I'm in love with them all that I want to make more but am wondering if I'm over doing it, lol.

The next top was from a Vogue pattern that I a few winters ago but made the long sleeve version and never posted about it (bad blogger).  The pattern is V8634.  This was another quick and easy pattern to make, this pattern only had five pieces to put together.  I made the short sleeved version.  I also shorten the top about four inches or three inches with a one inch hem because it was very long on me. I should have done the same with the first top but it actually looks cute around the waist as if the sides are gathered.  I made five of these tops (I know, it was so easy).  I used a t-shirt knit for all of them and also decided that prints and stripes would not be cute in this top.  I made white, black, pale green, blue, and grey.

The next item that I made was a four-gored skirt.  I've used many different instructions over the years and have decided that this site has really great instructions and details in case you may want to make your own skirt.  This site is no longer being operated but the site is still available for viewing. Not sure they are answering any questions if you have any.  I made one of these skirts drafting it with Pattern Master software.  I made this skirt in denim.

I also made another skirt using the same instructions but made a two-gore skirt in a stretch woven khaki fabric.

Believe it or not I was done sewing before it was time to go back to work!

I hope to have pictures that I can show you my accomplishments and I also hope to be able to sew more in the very near future.

The happy part:
I stared Nutrisystem on April 12th.  I did the program for three months and am very to say that so far I've lost 25 pounds as of this morning. I am no longer doing Nutrisystem and that's because I've learned about eating the proper serving sizes.  They also prepare you for stepping out on your own as well as eating out.  I learned a lot and I'm very happy!  I still have more weight to lose but I'm not giving up!

Smooches,

Christy

Had a great vacation!

DH and I took a well deserved Alaskan cruise.  The cruise left from Vancouver, BC, Canada sailed to Ketchikan, AK and then docked in Seattle, WA.
It was 4 days longs and felt longer.  I have to return to AK again soon.  So much beautiful sites still left to see.

On another note.  I daydream all day about sewing. I have one week off of school at the end of this month and plan on taking off more days of work so that I can focus on sewing something.  Finger, Eyes, and Toes crossed!

A Plan to do Better!

Some of you may know that school has really consumed all the time that I've ever had to sew.  Since that's the case it can't stop me from dreaming about things that I would so love to make.  So my plan is fill this blog with all of the time that I have to dream and even daydream, and whatever else crosses my mind.

Nothing excites me more than European sewing patterns.  I am a HUGE fan of Burdastyle (formerly known as Burda World of Fashion) as well as Knipmode.  Burda prints in English and Knipmode prints in Dutch.  Not at all that hard to read and if don't understand anything I can translate it online or with my app.  Any hoot, a lot of my ramblings will be about these pattern magazines.  

My birthday is in more than three months and it would be nice to sew a birthday dress.  We'll see how that goes.  I also have time at the end of June where there is no school for one week so I plan to include NO work along with it so that i may try to sew something.  I’m not going to get my hopes up but hey a girl can only dream.  

As I start this new blog one week after the 4^th anniversary of blogging.  Hopefully I can fill in some of the gaps that I had the past 2 and a ½ years.

Can you believe it? I actually have progress!