Summer cleaning is the same as Spring cleaning, isn't it?

Hello lovely people.

It's finally summer...yay!

Time for BBQs, beach ball and booze. Well, not like you *need* a sessional change to enjoy those things, especially if you live in California. Okay, I won't rub it in.

But for a lot of people all over the world the weather is nice and bright and new. What do you do on those first few days, why mop the floor, what else!?

Oh wait, that's what I do.

I'm choosing a different blouse pattern.

Happy Friday one and all!

Gee, where to begin! It's been a crazy week. Just got word at work that my department is getting more people. Like 6 or seven! So I have to look through tons of portfolios and choose the right people for the jobs. Plus set up a new department and get all the needed stuff ready. Whew! Its exciting.

On top of that, I've been dancing my 'arce off, but last night, because I stayed late at work, I decided not to go dancing and that was a good decision. I got home about 6:30 last night and decided to take a 'quick nap'. Turns out waking up at 12:30AM means you've had you night's sleep! So here I am!

The Plain Pattern Project recap

Happy New Year everyone!

With the benchmark of a new year I feel a bit ashamed at asking, what happened!?

The Plain Pattern Project kind of teetered off the far end for mostly everyone. I get it, we all get busy, but I tried my darndest to keep it going and finished my three dresses. Did anyone finish?

Perhaps I was not the best hostess for the project. I did try to encourage as much as I could. Even hosted two giveaways? Is there anything else I could have done, or was I just a victim to the tide of people with busy lives? I think the ladder.

Well, it's water under there bridge.
With the positive view of the philosophy of the PPP, I think it can be an ongoing sewing tenant. Take a look at those plain patterns every once and a while. Appreciate them and study the craftsmanship of them. I can't tell you how much I learned from this exercise.

Some Halloween photos...and the winner is...

Still recovering from Halloween weekend.

Good morning, everyone. I'm writing this before I get to work just to let you all know I had a blast over the weekend.

Saturday I caught up on some sleep and decided to finally put together my last PPP dress. I was going to wear it for Halloween where we were having a bake sale for my Dance Team for the Dance-A-Thon later this month (still plenty of time to donate)!!

Sunday I went to see the Tim Burton exhibition at LACMA. It was cool and very crowded. Kinda discouraging, but I saw the sections I wanted to see.

Now onto finishing some stuff.

The Plain Pattern Project Giveaway!!

Happy Monday one and all. I hope you all are recovering from The Walking Dead premiere (I'm a dork, I know!). Guess what, I have a giveaway for you!!

The Giveaway pot luck post!

Hi everyone. Again, thanks for all the words and emails on my personal posts this past week. I'm glad you all are there to help a gal out from time to time :)

I want to say thanks by offering up a giveaway!

I'm going to offer up this button front pattern again. It was unclaimed a few months ago, and I think it's perfect for the PPP if you haven't picked a pattern yet.

This princess seamed patten is unprinted and in its factory folds. It's a 40 bust and from the early 1940s.

PPP #2: Vintage flower seersucker

I really like how this one turned out. 

The good hair day might also attribute to my happiness.

The only changes I made were taking in the shoulder points about an inch, bringing in the neckline, and shortening the bodice about 1/2". I wish I had this bodice fit on the first one, but the first one is still pretty swell. I'm wearing this to a swing dance next weekend. Light, cool and breezy. The dress is practically weightless.

More pictures on NVL.

September is gonna be different!

Happy new month everyone!

Last month was probably my worst in a long time. I'm glad it's over.

I've got a slew of things already happening. My new scanner should be here TODAY, and I'm super excited! Two weeks with no scanner has been crap. I never knew how much I used it and how vital it was to a lot of my work. Some things just ground to a halt. I have a doctor's appointment next week. I still have my throat congestion, so I'm glad to get it looked at.

I also have about three leads on some freelance, long term freelance. I don't know how it will all play out, but I'm going to stay positive about it.

Through all the stress of last month, I did manage to get started on my #2 of the PPP. I'm using some vintage flower seersucker that I bought from Playclothes. I had to do a lot of piecing, including a panel of the skirt.

The Plan Pattern Dress is complete

Goooood Monday everyone!

My hair was very strange these past few days. I don't know if you all can tell, but it's pretty straight, which I find odd. I have no idea what I did to it, but it stayed like this for days! Okay...

Sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiips! and Laundry...

I've got bra burn out. It just hit me. I'm sure you understand. The last one I worked on just needs buttons, and I'm sure a brake from it will make me all the wiser when I get to cranking them out a bit later.

What did I do while LA was finally into its 90˚ weather?

I hand washed my laundry. 

I have the worst luck ever.

Hi everyone. I know I haven't posted much this week. I've been off my game something fierce. I'm not really sure why. I feel pretty good. I had cocktails with friends earlier in the week then went out dancing, which I had so much fun. I just can't seem to get on an even keel.

Perhaps it stress. I'm bugged out on a lot of things. But the plus is I do have a freelance gig lined up. Wish me luck everyone, mama need the cash.

Maybe I'm off because I'm trying to regulate by body clock. I've been trying to go to sleep by taking a mild sleep aid which helped the two days I took it. Then I switched to beer, and well, that didn't help. So I guess I have to get back on the sleep aid. It worked great. I didn't feel groggy or sluggish when I work up, but not too rested either. And I've heard mountains from friends about 'how much sleep' you need. Sheesh, everyone is an expert.

Mainly I think I'm bummed because I don't have the funds from my corset making supplies anymore. My scanner broke, again, and I need it for listing patterns on etsy, which is a good chunk of my income now, so that takes priority. 

Crap. 

Plain Pattern Project: The Mock Up

My hair the other day, well, half way my hair the other day.

So I started on the dress. I didn't really mean to, but after I did the pattern adjustments, a little voice said, "It won't take too long to cut out your muslin. Go for it." The voice was right. Gotta love those simple patterns.

Let's talk about the sew-along.

This week I continued on with my get crap done initiative. 

I have this wax plant clipping that I got about 10 years ago when I was still in college. This one is about 5 years old. It's safe to call it a plant now, I think :) It's starting to flower again, and there is nothing more wondrous than smelling these sweet flowers on the air as you sleep. It's heavenly.

Progress, progress, progress.

Hey everyone! I've had my hands in quite a few things these past few days so sorry for the MIA-ness.

One good thing is I started on some of my underthings. Well, I cut out some of them anyway. I got this white poplin a while ago I was going to use for mockups but in taking stock of my underthings situation, I decided to use it to make some breeches. I like to wear breeches when I wear dresses with my garter belt and stockings. They are cool and comfy and keep my thighs from touching. Perfect. 

NVL's new sew along: The Plain Pattern Project

Ah, girlie colors again. I have missed thee.

First off, I would like to thank everyone who participated in my Make and Mend sew along. It was the largest group I've ever had for a sew along, so thank you all immensely. I still have a couple of projects to finish up (the burlap bag included) so stay turned for those. 

Now that we have mended some stuff, perhaps we are all in the mood to make some new stuff!?