The House Out Back

Sewcation!

2011-08-31T20:23:00.000-05:00

One more day at work and then I have 10 days off! Yes...10!! It was a case of "use them or lose them" and I didn't want to lose them. It's still so miserably hot here that I am not planning to go anywhere except the house out back. Hope to make some progress on some fall wardrobe pieces.

It isn't even summer yet!

2011-06-18T19:24:00.000-05:00

It's after 7 PM and I just checked the local temperature and it's 102 degrees! Officially, the first day of summer is not until next week! Yikes,,,it's going to be a long, hot, and dry summer. While parts of the country are experiencing too much rain and flooding, here in NW Louisiana we are having a drought. There is a state-wide burn ban in effect.

So, what does this have to do with sewing? Well, the house out back has a window air conditioner and it's spinning the electric meter today and it's still too warm to be comfortable sewing out there. I did manage to finish a skirt before I decided today wasn't going to be a productive sewing day.

I'm praying for rain!!!

It's Back!

2011-04-02T23:01:00.002-05:00

I think my sewing mojo is back! It's been gone a long, long time! I actually made a black knit skirt and a matching 3/4 sleeve top last Sunday. Granted, these are very simple but it's a start! I even wore them to work this week. Today, I made a tank top out of some fun fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics. I also made a black knit tank top from the fabric left over from the black skirt and top fabric. And, I even cut out a dress. Hope to get it made tomorrow. Hope to post pictures soon.

Cancer Update

2011-01-23T11:27:00.001-06:00

My cancer surgery went well. The pathology reports show that the margins and lymphnodes are clear...no CANCER! I am beginning to feel better. Plan to return to work on Feb 16th. During my time off I will have my mammogram and bone density tests. I am truly blessed to have caught the cancer so early.

January is Cervical Cancer Awarness Month. Ladies, please go for your routine pap test. It could save your life.

The big "C"

2010-12-10T09:31:00.001-06:00

It’s just a word but it causes such fear when you hear it. The doctor calls and says “you have CANCER.” It’s the news that none of us ever wants to hear. My journey with the “C” word has begun and I will battle it with all the strength I have. What I know at this point is that I have Stage 1 cervical cancer so a radical hysterectomy is the next step. I am grateful that I didn’t ignore the voice in my head that made me go for a routine pap.

I am on my way to the hospital for blood work today. A CT scan is scheduled on Monday and on Thursday I see the oncologist.

It’s Christmas and I am having a hard time getting with the holiday spirit but I know that God will see me through this journey.

I know this is supposed to be a sewing blog but for now sewing is taking a backseat in my life.

More to come…

What I did this weekend

2010-10-10T21:57:00.006-05:00

I didn't do any sewing this weekend. But I did go to the movie. As you might guess from the picture above, I went to see Secretariat. I loved it! It it a movie that the whole family can go to without hesitation. I loved that it opened and ended with a Biblical passage from the Book of Job. Now, I have to admit...I am a tad biased about this movie. My neice's husband, Otto, plays the part of the jockey Ron Turcott in the movie. Otto is a jockey in real life and he did a great job in the movie. If you have the opportunity to see Secretariat, you won't be disappointed. It is a "feel good" movie, for sure.

I did start (several times!) a new knitting project that is a real stretch for my novice knitting ability. When I get further along, I will try to post a picture. It is an adorable shawl collared cowl.

Have a great week!

No Sewing!

2010-09-26T14:35:00.000-05:00

My sewing mojo is missing. Has anyone seen it?

It's True! 60 is the new 40!

2010-09-01T12:04:00.005-05:00

Who says you have to get old? This 60 something is not giving in to the date on her birth certificate. Take a look at what I wore to work today..."stolen" from my younger sister's closet when I visited her last weekend. I think I said..."I'll break them in for you"...maybe!

They are solid black. They don 't have any yellow streaks like it looks like in the picture. I couldn't get a good picture of them on my feet with my cell phone camera that showed the bottom and the heel. But I am wearing them! Aren't they cute! Maybe she will forget I have them!

Oh, and one of the guys at work noticed them and took a picture to email to his wife. He said that she is going to want a pair!

My Sewing Room

2010-08-31T07:00:00.010-05:00

I've been trying to make my sewing studio in the house out back a place that is more inviting in hopes of spending more time there. Like...doing some sewing, maybe! After all, Christmas is only 4 months away! Yikes!

I have stored most of my fabric stash in clear, plastic bins in the "avalanche" room. More about that in a later post. There is still some clutter to organize but it looks so much better. I have made covers for all my sewing machines to protect them from dust and light. I made matching valances, a chair pad and a matching ironging board cover. I am pleased with the look. The fabric is home dec fabric I got earlier this year when Fabric.com had a big $1.95 per yard sale. I really like it. It coordinates with the table skirts.

Inside the 1950s era sewing cabinet is the Pfaff 130 I learned to sew on. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a motor anymore. It was my mom's machine and years ago the motor died. Maybe someday I will be able to find someone to install a new one and rewire it. It holds a special place in my heart.

I am taking a couple of PTO days this week along with the 3 day holiday weekend. That's a 5 day sewcation. Can't wait...

What's in the mailbox?

2010-08-30T19:08:00.003-05:00

Today was my lucky day! This is what was in my mailbox when I got home from work!

Three sewing magazines in one day!

Too Hot to Sew!

2010-08-15T19:55:00.002-05:00

Here in NW Louisiana it's been so hot for the past month that it's just too hot to sew. It's almost 8 PM and the temperature is still 102.2 degrees. That means the heat index is between 105 and 110.

I have a new camera!

2010-02-21T14:39:00.004-06:00

I had given up on taking picture of the things I have sewn because the point and shoot camera I had took such awful pictures.

A couple of weeks ago we had a special event at work and I used my camera to take pictures. They were such poor quality that I was embarassed to use them. So...I decided it was time to take the plunge and buy a "real" camera. This is what I bought.

It's a navy Pentax Kx and I love it. The picture quality is great. I really need to learn to use some of the features it has.

Now that I have a good camera I hope to be a better blogger and show some of the things I have made.

Laissez les bon temps rouler

2010-02-07T20:46:00.002-06:00

There is joy in the Big Easy and all of the Bayou State tonight! The Saints win the Super Bowl and it's Mardi Gras! Let the party begin!

The Quote of the Day

2009-10-20T14:57:00.002-05:00

This was too good not to pass along.

"If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes."

From The Houghton Line, November 1965

Vintage Patterns

2009-07-23T21:01:00.013-05:00

One of the men I work with goes to a lot of auctions with his wife. They sell a lot of things on Ebay.

Today he came back from a trip to St Louis and brought me a big box of patterns from the 70s and 80s that his wife had gotten for me at an auction.

There are 27 Stretch and Sew patterns, some of them unopened. Others are Woman's World patterns. I was not familiar with that brand. They are very 80s with the awful linebacker shoulders. I can't believe that I actually wore those back in the day but I did.

What do you think of this pattern? Sorry the picture is blurry. I just hope those shoulders never come back in fashion.

Some of the Stretch and Sew patterns can definitely still be sewn today. They are really
classics and with minor tweaking will be very 2009.

I also like this Women's World dress. I think it would be a great work dress in a bold print worn with a cute jacket and fun fashion jewelry.

I will post more of the patterns soon.

I found a great magazine!

2009-07-15T18:26:00.008-05:00

Wow! It's been a long time since I posted. I think I've been spending too much time reading sewing blogs and not enough time sewing or posting on my blog. I am going to try and do better!

I have been sewing since I was 8 years old and, believe me, that is a long time! My sister has always been the cook in the family and I was the sewist. She has recently found the joy of sewing. Most of the things she has made so far are for her grandchildren and I have to say, she is doing a great job. She has made some adorable baby and toddler items.

She got a serger last week and we got together and played with it. My goal was to show her that threading can seem complicated but it's not impossible. She bought a Brother 1034D and for the $200 she paid for it, it is a great little machine. If I needed a new serger, I would definitely buy one.

I am on my third serger in 25 years. My first one, that I bought in the mid 80s, was a basic 3 thread White that after about 5 years I killed when I hit some pins and not only ruined the knife but bent the loopers. It would have cost more to fix than I had paid for it. So then I bought a Pfaff that used awful industrial needles and you could spend hours trying to get it threaded. You almost needed to stand on your head to thread the loopers. It made a beautiful stitch if you were patient enough to thread it. I used it alot but a couple of years ago I just couldn't get the tension right. I still have it in a box in my sewing room but it is SICK (probably more like DEAD) and the local Pfaff dealer won't even look at it. He just wants to sell me a $2000 Baby Lock. Oh, no! About 18 months ago I bought a Janome 644D when they were discontinuing that model. I really like it. It's a good basic 3, 4 thread machine. I also have a Janome Coverpro 900CP that I just don't use as much as I thought I would. (I'm thinking I would if I did more sewing knits.)

Back to the title subject. On a recent trip to the local Joanns, I bought the Spring 2009 issue of Sew Stylish. It is a magazine aimed at 20 somethings from the publishers of Threads magazine. It has some really good, simple tutorials. It has articles on inserting zippers, how to read a pattern, how to sew in a sleeve, how to put in a hem by hand, how to fit a sundress top and more. It has so many good instructions that I have ordered 2 more copies of this issue...one for my sister and one for her daughter who got her first sewing machine for her birthday in May and is excited about learning how to sew. If you happen to see this magazine I would highly recommend getting it.

Not Much Sewing Going On

2009-05-11T12:44:00.007-05:00

There hasn't been much sewing going on in the house out back lately. Spring is my least favorite season because here in Louisiana it brings out the worst in my allergies.

After my rant about the April Burda I wasn't sure about renewing my subscription but I liked a number of things in the May issue so I will be renewing for another year.

I am currently going to Weight Watchers with my sister. She and I have the exact same amount of weight to lose...that would be about 35 pounds. So I can't get too excited about sewing for my current figure in hopes of some significant changes in the upcoming months. We are both off to good starts.

Last night I did cut out a couple of summer gowns for my friend Sandy who lives about a hundred miles from me. She is having back surgery in June and I will be taking some vacation time to be with her when she first comes home from the hospital. I thought that Simplicity 9505 (view E) would be something she could wear after the surgery because it would be easy to get in and out of. I will post pictures when I get them done. Here is the picture of the pattern. View E is the gown with the drawstring at the shoulders in the upper right corner of the picture.

Hopefully, I can get the two that I have cut out finished this week.

April Burda World of Fashion

2009-03-23T21:33:00.011-05:00

The April issue was in my mailbox today when I got home from work. I was delighted to get it so early. I don't usually look at the previews on line so I tore off the plastic and opened it with great expectation. BIG let down!

What is going on with BWOF? The cover doesn't say World of Fashion anymore. And, this issue...OMG...it's a crafts magazine. Maybe they dropped World of Fashion because it's becoming something other than fashion. And there is not one cute new fashion design in this issue. Excuse me...what's with the jumpsuits? Ugly!!!

Sorry, but I do not plan to sew a reindeer or elephant or bottle holder!

And if I want to make a quilt I will buy a quilt magazine.

Oh, and on the page with the measurements, they have changed the drawings to the ones they use in the European versions. They are different.

There are 3 issues left on my subscription and if this keeps up I will not be renewing it!

End of rant!

I Have a New Toy!

2009-02-14T22:14:00.010-06:00

My primary sewing machine is a Pfaff 1471 that I bought in May 1985. Yeph, it is about to turn 24 years old. When I had it in for service in September, the technician said it is in good condition and unless the circuit board goes out should give me much more sewing enjoyment. Here is a picture of my favorite sewing machine!

I know the two shades of brown aren't exactly today's style. But she was gorgeous in her younger days! And she sews anything!

I have been looking for a vintage mechanical machine to compliment the Pfaff and I found it on Ebay. I got a 3/4 size Kenmore 1040 that was in great condition. What a cutie it is! It came earlier this week but I was in corporate training all week so didn't get to check it out and clean and oil it until today. It was surprisingly clean for a machine made in the early 1970s so now I feel comfortable sewing with it. The inside is in great shape and looks like it has a relatively new belt. It has all the feet...everything that came with it originally except that the instruction book is a photocopy. There is some yellowing on the plastic on the front but that is to be expected on a machine that is over 35 years old. Here is a picture.

Once again, we have a two tone color scheme but this time it is 2 shades of green! It weighs about 15 pounds so it will be great to take with me when I want to sew away from home.

I am very happy with this addition to me sewing room and plan to put her to work tomorrow! I do like my new toy.

No Photos

2009-01-25T08:06:00.003-06:00

Well, as you can see, I haven't posted any pictures. I got no pictures on the school program and my camera died just before Christmas so I didn't get any pictures of the gifts I made. I now have a new inexpensive camera so I hope to post some pictures soon. I haven't been doing any sewing lately so I have nothing to take pictures of at this point. I hope to change that.

Holiday Sewing

2008-12-19T20:22:00.005-06:00

I've been doing a lot of sewing the last couple of weeks. First, my brother's 9 year old daughter needed a rag doll costume for her school Christmas program which was today. I asked them to take pictures. So, I hope I will have one to post.

I have also made personalized pillowcase for most of my great nieces and nephews for Christmas. Then I went to Walmart and bought some inexpensive pillows to put in them. They turned out really cute. I usually buy educational toys that they open, throw on the floor and go on to open the next gift. They all do sleep-overs to grandma's house or church (for the older ones) so I thought, down the road, they would enjoy them. I made nap mats for two of the younger ones. Also, did a couple of nightshirts for adults. Will post pictures this weekend (I hope).

I work for a hotel and tomorrow is the family Christmas party for the hourly employees and their families. The managers are required to work the event. Santa will be there and we are taking the kids pictures with Santa. Then they can decorate a frame for their picture. My job is to put the year on the frame with a glitter pen. Not really the way I wanted to spend my Saturday but it's that giving back thing!

Today, eight of us girls at work had a spa afternoon paid for by the hotel. What fun! We had lunch at the spa and then we got our choice of 2 treatments. I got a manicure and pedicure. After our treatments, we all met back in the Relaxation Library and just chilled and visited for an hour. Great bonding experience. Maybe we should have gone to the spa AFTER the employee party!!!

About me

2008-12-02T21:04:00.005-06:00

Because I have enjoyed blogs by others interested in sewing, I thought I would start one of my own.

Here is some info on me. In 2007 I moved back to where I grew up after spending over 30 years in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Have to admit that I miss the craziness of the big city. The pace of life here is so laid back in comparison. I think that part of what makes for a happy life is being content where you are. So, although I miss my friends, job and church in big "D", I am happy. Moving was the right thing to do at this point in my life.

I am divorced with no children so being close to family has become important to me. To support my fabric and sewing machine addiction I work as a Guest Relations Manager in the hospitality industry.

So far, this doesn't have anything to do with sewing, does it?

Well here goes...I made my first garment at age 8. It was a simple gathered skirt. I had bugged my mom until she let me use her machine, a Pfaff 130 that I still have. She just sat back and watched, giving advise only when solicited. When it was finished, it didn't look too bad on the outside but on the inside...oy! I remember I wore it with pride!

My skills did improve and I made most of my clothes when I was in high school and college.

Fast forward...sewed off and on my entire adult life. Less so after my divorce when I had a job that required traveling a great deal of the time. I did a little quilting back in those days. But now I am back to garment sewing and having fun with it. However, fitting is a much bigger challenge than it used to be!

I love to take a flat, formless piece of fabric and see it evolve into a three dimensional garment.

I have several nieces who want to learn to sew. So, lessons have begun. I am so glad. At one point it looked like sewing might become a lost art in a few generations. I credit shows like Project Runway with generating a renewed interest in garment sewing.

More later...

The name of the blog!

2008-12-02T20:14:00.003-06:00

Why the name? Well, that's where I sew.

I live in a house built in 1953. At some point in it's history, the detached garage was turned into a little guest house. It has a small bathroom and that's where my washer and dryer are. It's a great place for a sewing studio. You can close and lock the door and leave the mess behind. No need to put the sewing machine away.

That's also where the ironing board and the Rowenta steam generator are. But I also keep an iron and ironing board in the main house so that I don't have to trek out back in the morning to iron something to wear to work. Once I get it a little better organized I will post pictures. Unfortunately, part of the space currently serves as storage for items that need to be purged. But that part is hidden behind curtains.

In my last house, my sewing machine was set up in a closet...not great for fostering creativity after a long day at work.

The house out back is...it's the perfect place. I love it!