Don't Faint and Did You Watch Peggy Last Night?

Try not to faint when I say this.  Are you ready???

I am TIRED of sewing!

THERE, I said it!

Shocking, huh?

I doubt this foreign feeling will last long, but for the rest of this afternoon, I am going to do my next favorite thing.

Again, don't faint!

I am going to vacuum and dust.

I know.  I am a very strange breed.  I am surprised Phyllis even acknowledges she knows me.  I consider cleaning a form of aerobic exercise.  If you hold your tummy in and you stand up straight, I think it may cause some weight loss and muscle tone.  It sure couldn't hurt

Just in case you happened to accidentally miss Peggy last night, you really need to watch the replay.  She has made some VERY GOOD changes to the broadcast. 

1st:  NO MORE COMMERCIALS!!! 

2nd:  The lighting and transmission was much better, and there seemed to be a bit more room.

3rd:  She made a speech about chat stopping at 8 and only questions being posted.  It made it much easier for her to FIND the questions and answer them.

4th:  She actually did a very good job of teaching for a change.  I think the lack of PITA commercials helped a lot with that.  It is a very good pant-fitting and pant-understanding webcast.  I think everyone could learn from it.

I sent Peggy an email this morning telling her how much I appreciated the new broadcast, and I told her how much her teaching has improved and compared it to previous webcasts.  Her response was:  "Thanks for watching".  She is probably too busy selling stuff to care what I think about her webcasts.

Before I got tired of it, I was making Vogue V8714 today.  I am in the "make it fit, or else" stage, and that part is so tedious. 

I always think these things are going to be too small, and they are always too big. 

This pattern has a hump in the back that would fit the Hunchback of Notre Dame. 

It gives A, B, C and D bust choices, and I had to use the "D".  I guess Vogue has determined that if you have D humps in the front, you must have a D hump in the back too.

 

I am making the sleeveless version, and it will be a solid red stretch cotton sateen.  Lets hope it turns out as nice as this one:

Gotta get.

I have found the vacuum does not run by itself!  At least, mine doesn't. 

Hugs, Joy

Triumph of the Cross

Hello on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.

Church at jhm.org was about the cross this morning.  Seems like he just had a sermon on the cross recently, but you can never hear that one too much.  According to John Hagee, if you had a thousand tongues and a thousand years, you could not adequately explain what happened at the cross. 

The verse was Galations 6:14 -- Paul talking:
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

So what is the big deal about the cross anyway?

The big deal about the cross is that without it -- exactly how and where and when -- we could not have eternal life and we could never be forgiven for our sin -- so we could never be in rightstanding with God.

People who think the cross was meaningless and Jesus was just a nice guy are sadly mistaken!  It is all Adam's fault really.  He walked and talked in a garden with God.  How could he screw that up so badly because of a woman?  And David?  And Solomon?  Women sure did cause a lot of trouble in those days -- or maybe I should say that men lusting after them caused a lot of trouble in those days. 

This is it in a nutshell: 

We were separated from God by sin.  Jesus made peace between God and man and restored what was lost in the Garden of Eden -- communication with God. 

Wow!  Amazing!  What an awesome God we serve!

You can hear the sermon at www.jhm.org if you are interested in more than my Sunday notes.

Gotta run.  Yard work is calling.  Have an awesome day, my friends. 

Hugs, Joy

Three New Blouses and Turquoise Shift Answers

Nothing special going on here with these three blouses, but I made them, so you get to see them.

Remember the cap sleeve dilemma?  I finally came up with a pattern I made myself, but I don't know if I will make it again.  It is a bit snug after taking the wings in underneath my arms. 

The hardest part of this blouse was the buttons.  I only had 4 dark blue buttons that matched this blouse.  ONE button has to go at the fullest part of the bust.  ONE has to go at the top.  The other two have to be equally spaced from those first two.  For this blouse, that just wasn't enough buttons.  I needed four.  I had already sewed and cut the buttonholes though. 

What to do?

What to do?

I started pulling out drawers all over the sewing room, and look what I found.

VINTAGE buttons to cover. 

I swear -- I used to wear my hair EXACTLY like that.  I have a picture of it somewhere here in the house, but I'm not in the mood to find it at the moment.

It wasn't opened yet when I found it, but I didn't take a pic until after I had opened it.  I hope it wasn't worth $500! 

The cap sleeve blouse now has SEVEN covered 7/8" buttons on it. 

They match so good, you can hardly see them!  I think they look nice. 

Fortunately, I don't go around with my arm up like this a lot because the sleeves feel a bit snug when I do this.  They do look a whole lot nicer under my arm than the first try, however.

This is SFD with a 41" bust.

After I made this, I drew a new SFD pattern for a 40" bust since mine can't seem to decide WHAT it measures from one minute to the next.

THEN I made this red blouse. 

WHAT is with all the leaves???  I haven't a clue.  I must have been in a "leaf stage" when I bought these fabrics.  I really like both of them though.

Again, SFD, sleeveless with a v-neck and regular bust dart.

I love this red one.  I will be making more of these!  The v-neck is finished with a facing.  You have to cut DEEP into the V in both the facing and the top.

REINFORCE with very small stitches BEFORE you cut.  Ask me how I know???

 

And another one.  This is the Louise Cutting "Anything But Ordinary" that I changed as follows: 

I made the front a V-neck.  I moved the tab and the button to the FRONT of the blouse so you don't have to contort your body to fasten the button. 

It STILL pulls up in the front.  I think I'm going to sew fishing weights on the front of my Louise Cutting blouses, and maybe THEN they will stay down in the front!

I LOVE this fabric.  Wish I had some more of it.

The plan is to wear this blouse with my Louise Cutting red pants.  Remember them?

And finally is the turquoise shift.

This is for a reader who asked me what I did to the SFD pattern to make this shift.

Actually, I didn't do much at all to it.  I'm so glad I pulled this out of my closet to photograph it because it was hanging in the closet with all the orange washable marker marks all over it. 

I had never washed it after sewing it! 

You can tell how much I have been wearing it.

 

In the back,

I put a long zipper

and the waist darts. 

I lowered the neckline.

On the side, I put a french dart.

Therefore, there is no bust dart

and no waist dart in the front. 

The french dart

replaces those.

On the front, I drew a boatneck curve at the neckline with my SFD Designing Stylus, because that is my favorite neckline if I can figure out how to keep my bra straps covered.

You can see it is also the "hip curve".

I imagine my pictures are going to fly like popcorn all over this page.  That happens with Blogger.  Hope you can figure it all out.  Time to clean up my messy sewing room and start supper.

It looks like a giant shedding thread monster wandered all around in here and while he was at it, he threw tracing paper and commercial paterns all over the floor!  That was probably his pet snake I threw out last week.

Hugs, Joy

Exploding Boobs, Pattern-Making and Knit Videos

Well, THAT sure is maddening!

I just typed 3 very long paragraphs, and they flew off into space.  I don't want to tell you that all over again either, so I won't.

I'll just say all is well at work, and I even had time to sew today.  I left work at 3 PM and came home to make my zillionth SFD muslin.  I now have one in about 6 different sizes.  My bust measures 40 one day -- 41 the next -- and 42 the next -- and then back to 40.  It was even 39 once.  WHAT is with that???

Not only that, my shoulders suddenly measure 16" across the back, and they have always been 15" before.  Does some secret body-changing hormone creep into your bloodstream when you are nearly 63 years old?

Today, my bust measures 42" and it feels like it could explode any minute.  Hold on, please, while I disconnect the harness...................Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, yesssssssssssss.  That feels a whole lot better.

And NO, I have not gained weight.  I am still 148 instead of 158.  Doesn't make sense.  I am still on my DESM diet which I suppose I should just call my "Forever" diet now.

I wanted to watch Peggy Sagers show everyone how to fit pants last night, but they have not gotten the computer/video problems encountered from last week fixed yet.  I sure hope they get that all fixed.  I'm spoiled with all the free videos.  I watch some of them over and over.

I watched one while I was making my new SFD blueprint this afternoon.  It was the one where she says pattern makers who put darts coming from the armhole don't have a clue what they are doing.  That could be a tiny hint as to why Louise Cutting doesn't care for her!


For you beginner sewers -- pardon me, I guess the term is "sewists" these days so the name doesn't sound the same as something requiring a plumber -- that have recently subscribed to my You Tube videos, you may want to check out www.silhouettepatterns.com.  LOTS of free videos you can watch.

In MY opinion, Peggy is NOT a good teacher, although she THINKS she is.  She is all over the place and is never well-prepared.  You have to have a good imagination.  STILL, you can learn a lot by watching her videos, and they are my favorite price:  FREE!  Her intent is to help us understand pattern making so we won't be so terrified to change our patterns so they will fit.  A WONDERFUL goal.


Also, if you go to www.nancyzieman.com you can find a link to all of her PBS programs.  There are two VERY GOOD videos on how to sew with knits.  She is the nicest person.  I watched her 30-year anniversary videos, and I "met" her husband and her children.  Such a nice family.

I'm headin' to my bedroom to climb into my jammies.  Then it is upstairs to ride the Ellyptical for a few minutes.  If I do it more than a few minutes, I will collapse!  I was at the other house for 8 weeks, and my legs haven't caught back up with what I used to do here yet.

Until soon, enjoy Spring and keep in touch!

Hugs, Joy

Sunday and Job Security

I had to quit blogging for a bit because I had to SUDDENLY return to work.

My store manager here in Kingston had some serious family issues come up, and she quit without notice after being gone four days prior.  When that happens -- and one is the owner of the company -- that one must rush back to work without passing GO and without collecting $200!!!

So I have been here at work -- and am here now on this pretty Sunday afternoon at 2:22 pm.  The manager of our other store has driven 150 miles to work here today, and the employee who is moving up to the position is here working today.

I am SO VERY THANKFUL for these two people right now! 

And due to an unfortunate twist of fate, Phylly is right in the middle of this transition.  Phylly is the one who received files from the lady who left in order to do the billing for them.  Hence, I keep calling and having nervous breakdowns over Phylly's phone, and poor Phylly is about to run off too! 

It's a very good thing that Phylly is my complete opposite, and she has the patience of Job.

Love you Phylly!  Please hang in there.

You can probably imagine that I am the letter-writer, note-taker type of personality.  You would laugh if you could see all the letters and notes I have taped or paperweighted to employees' desks around here today.  I can "see" their eyes rolling and "hear" the comments even though I won't be here when they are read. 

I wish I could get my employees to take notes and keep good records.  There must be 50 files or more on top of the desk of the lady who left, and not a single note on top of any of them.  I just have to study each one and guess its status.

I can't stay long.  I need to get some work done.

Just wanted to drop by and say, "HI!".  No Sunday sermon today.  I'll have to watch it later this week.  I sure missed it this morning though.

Hugs, Joy

How To Capture A Snake

I almost had to send out notices for my funeral today. 

I had just taken this picture out my sewing room window, and I was enjoying my afternoon so much.

All the brand new leaves have suddenly unfurled all at once, and everything is so pretty outside.  You can see the turquoise pond beyond the trees.  I just love Spring when the trees are all so perfect.

But then the unthinkable happened!

Yep.  Believe it or not, I almost stepped on ANOTHER snake.  Remember awhile back when there was one in my living room at my other house?  Well today I was up here in my sewing room watching old Nancy Notion's programs, finishing a blouse and planning the next one.  Whenever I finish a blouse, I take the leftover fabric and put it in a big rubbermaid container in my attic.  I often walk out there in my bare feet as it has a wood floor, and I vacuum it and keep it clean.  Thank goodness, I had crocs on my feet today!

I had already been to the "box" -- put the fabric inside -- and when I turned around I saw this snake out in the open space right in front of me!

You probably heard me shriek from where you are.  I thought I was having a heart attack.  I wasn't really afraid of the snake as it is only about 8 inches long, but I was just so SHOCKED!  I really hadn't planned on meeting up with a snake in my enclosed attic space.  PLUS, my attic is on the second floor of this house.

Do snakes FLY these days????

Not only was I shocked, I immediately started looking around for the snake's parents!  Then I thought I better do SOMETHING, so I called Jerry who is 150 miles away.  That is the exact same thing I did the last time, and it did the exact same amount of good!  He suggested I call the neighbor or the exterminator.  I decided I better make sure the thing didn't crawl off somewhere, so this is what I did.

I decided the snake could just stay there until he suffocated or until someone related to Indiana Jones or Crocodile Dundee happened by.  Then I called the exterminator as Jerry suggested.  I got the nephew of the exterminator, but he said he would come out TODAY.  I was so happy, because I was about to throw some pins and fabric in my car and head to my other house.

Justin showed up at 5 PM.  He was very nice and very dirty as expected.  He was very sweet and removed his boots.  I LOVE when they do that.  I didn't even ask him to. 

He came upstairs and surveyed the situation.  He asked if I had a big piece of cardboard.  The best I could come up with was the lid from a Christmas box.  I gave that to him.  THEN, he did the simplest thing, and I don't know WHY I didn't think of it.  I will next time.

Notice the snake's tail sticking out.  Yuk!

He slid the box lid under the wastebasket, and then he turned it right side up.  The snake was then in the bottom of the trash can, and he stayed there.  That is when I took the picture at the top of this page.

We went downstairs and out to the back yard.  He was going to smash the snake's head with the hammer, but I actually felt sorry for the poor thing.  I figured if he had a heart, he really did have a heart attack after his day in my attic!  I asked Dustin to take him way out back and throw him over the cliff.  I didn't want my killer cat, Barney, to find him.  He thinks God put little snakes here for him to "play with".  I find them dead and bloody in my garage.  Jerry throws them out in the grass, and Barney drags them back in.  GROSS!

Dustin told me that some lady around here whose son is a snake expert told him that this kind of snake is a "legless lizard".  He said, "Looks like a snake to me."  Yeah, me too!  I googled "legless lizard", and it they actually do exist.  It said their tails come off.  This one's tail did not come off, and it didn't even look loose!

That's it for today.  I have a new blouse to show you, but I don't want to put it in the same space as a snake!  Maybe tomorrow.

Hugs, Joy



Phylly's Latest Creation by Marcy Tilton

Just dropping in to say a quick HI to all my sewing buds and my non-sewing buds.  Hope all is well with all of you.  I haven't sewn a stitch for two whole days!  Shocking, isn't it?  I will make up for that tomorrow though. 

Right now, I am all snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug as I wait for thunderstorms tonight.

This is Oklahoma, and we get some pretty severe storms.  I'm believing God will protect all of us here because I have already put in a special request.

AND all the leaves have uncurled just today, and the leaves are so green and pretty and fluffy.  I want them to stay that way, so lots of rain will be good -- but no strong winds.

I hope Phylly does not mind, but since she hasn't gotten around to getting her own blog, I am going to share pictures with you of her latest creation.  I don't think she ever reads mine anymore.  Maybe she won't catch me.

Warning, this is a wild style. 

For some reason, I never can remember the lady's name -- oh, I just did -- it is Marcy Tilton.  I think she makes patterns for Vogue.

Phylly said this one looked like a puzzle, so she wanted to try it because she loves puzzles. 

I love puzzles too, but I don't know if I would wear this one.  She used some fabric for her muslin that I gave her from my stash the last time we had a play day.

I LOVE the fabric, of course, since I bought it.  I thought the colors weren't bright enough for me to wear.  I believe I bought this during my quilting life.  I think they look wonderful on Phylly.

VERY unusual style.  Phylly says it is a vest.  Looks like a blouse to me.  I hope I can try it on next time I get up to OK City to see her.

I really like the part around her neck.  Not sure about the bottom though.  She says she is still working on it.

And I better go check out the weather reports on the television, and find something to entertain myself.  Jerry is still in Edmond waiting for the sprinkler company to come out and fix the leak in our back yard.  Sure hope it doesn't turn out to be a fiasco like the windows!!!

Hugs, Joy

Girl Talk and Old Movies

I went to the store today, and I really enjoyed being there.  So nice to have WOMEN to talk to that actually like to talk back after they HEAR what you said. 

Why are men such poor listeners?  I guess it has to do with that whole Mars/Venus theory. 

While I was out to lunch, I even had a conversation with Kirk.  Remember him?  He is the contractor that worked on Jerry's Mom's house last Summer.  He and his "wife" -- who he isn't really married to but they have wedding rings and had a reception -- moved down here shortly after that job was finished.  What are the chances of that happening? 

Now, Kirk actually IS a good listener, and I really like him.  He is also an alcoholic, so maybe that makes him a good listener.  I was at the entrance of Subway when I honked at him as he was getting in his truck at the building next door.  He came over to my car to talk, but someone else wanted to get into the Sonic driveway, so I had to leave.  

Nothing too exciting other than that.  No sewing today and no pattern-drafting.  OH!  I did receive some fabric from Peggy Sagers.  I had returned some "yellow" knit to her that was actually gold, and she replaced it -- at my request -- with dark brown knit.  The dark brown knit has a repeating flaw in it, but she sent an extra yard to me.  That was nice of her -- I guess.  I haven't really looked at the flaw yet.  She just put a note in the envelope with it.  

Tried to watch Peggy's webcast last night, but it got messed up really bad.  No picture, or no sound, or neither picture or sound.  I felt sorry for her.  She is going to do it again next Monday.  It is all about pants, so log on if you get a chance.  It is Monday night -- 8:00 -- www.silhouettepatterns.com -- and look for the video link or webcast or whatever she calls it.  There are lots of them from the past year or two, and you can watch any of them whenever.  VERY nice of her, I think.

I have not made any pant patterns from Peggy EXCEPT the yoga pants.  I believe Phylly made them too.  They turned out pretty good the first time, so you might want to give them a try.  Yoga pants are SO COMFORTABLE!

That's all for today.  Time to watch a Craftsy class or look for an old movie to watch.  Just talked to Hollie, and she was asking me about old movies I like.

I can tell you what Hollie and I will be doing when she comes home in May!  Hollie loves the clothes.  I love the decency and un-silicone-enhanced women's bodies.

I like Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn.  I also like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers -- or any other pretty lady he dances with.  There is one movie he is in that I could watch over and over.  It has Debbie Reynolds in it as his daughter.  He comes home for her wedding, and he is divorced from her mother, but they are, obviously, still in love.  I can't remember the name of it though.  Very funny.  Another movie I have seen a dozen times that was a total flop at the movies is Overboard with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.  It isn't really an "old" movie, but it is a really cute one once you get past Goldie's bikini-clad rear end in your face at the beginning. 

Hugs, Joy

Monday Phone Message, SFD Sunflower Blouse and SFD Jean Pockets

Helloooooooooooooooo  friends!  How are all of you this MARVELOUS Monday? 

My Monday morning started out really crazy.  My husband walked upstairs to hand me my cell phone which evidently, rang while it was down and I was up.

When I hear a phone ring, I LEAP up from my chair and I DASH LIKE MAD to get the phone before the caller gives up.

Jerry isn't like that.  His "leap" button has been malfunctioning for years.  Actually, I'm not sure he ever had one installed at all.

He hands me the phone without speaking.  I say, "Did it ring?"  He says, "Yes", and he leaves.

I check the phone and find that there is a message from a number I do not recognize.  I decide to listen to the message.  That is when this morning went crazy, and I went into PANIC mode.

This was the message -- condensed -- and remember, we have two homes, 150 miles apart:

"This is John, your neighbor, and I am calling to tell you about a LITTLE something that may or may not be going on at your house and about some issues that were conveyed to me by a neighbor who may or may not be that upset, but I thought -- that just maybe -- you might want to know ...."

WHAT IS WITH MEN!!!!  Why can't they just SAY whatever it is!!!

And John went on:

"but I don't want to cause any alarm or anything, but there seems to be a leak in your back yard and the green belt and the lawn of the neighbor behind your house are very soggy and muddy, and he may or may not be concerned and upset that there probably is -- but may not be -- a leak in your yard that is coming over into his yard -- and I thought you might want to know -- but I don't want to upset you....but I noticed when I walk my dog that the green belt behind your house is very soggy..."

And by this time, I am getting more and more upset, and wishing the message would end BEFORE I am a hundred, and I can get on with solving the problem, but the message continued:

"and there is one other thing that may be minor -- or major -- but I'm not sure -- but I thought I should tell you, and that is about a tree -- or maybe two trees -- but I think just one -- in your back yard that got frozen in the ice storm last week, and a branch -- or maybe two -- I'm not sure -- got broken off -- and then there MAY be another branch that broke off and fell over the fence.  My yard had a lot of damaged trees, and we lost one entirely, and I had the man you recommended to us last year -- somebody Buck -- come and cut our tree down, and he went into your yard, and he cut one branch off -- or maybe it was two -- or maybe not -- and I'm not sure he will charge you -- but I thought he should go over there -- but maybe you should call him -- and then you may want to have him come back to your house because he said that tree was in really bad shape and needs to come out ..."

I ALMOST hung the phone up and screamed at this point, but I let the message continue:

"and, btw, I am not at home -- I am somewhere else (No Kidding!) -- and you probably shouldn't even call me back, unless, of course, you feel like you need to call me back, but I've really told you all I know, and I think you should call someone else about that leak and the tree..."

And THAT was all I could take.

As far as I know, the message goes on for an hour.  What happened next, is really crazy, and it is the very kind of thing that always gets my mouth and me into trouble. 

I went half-way down the stairs, and I was leaning over the staircase railing yelling into Jerry's office about the message, and I was saying, "John, the neighbor called, and he, OBVIOUSLY, does NOT want to be bothered anymore by this...", and all of a sudden, I hear John's voice saying, "Hello, Hello, Helloooooooo" over my cell phone!

SOMEHOW, my hip had hit the "call back" button, and John -- who didn't want to be bothered -- was now on the phone.  I HOPE he didn't hear what I was screaming at Jerry.  (Screaming because of the distance -- not because I was mad -- except about the neverending message.)

I had Jerry call the sprinkler repairman while I called the Water Department.  Then I called Phylly at work, and I asked her to please go to my house and unplug the water sprinkler system, which she did.  I was packing and getting ready to dash up there to our other house, when all of a sudden, it dawned on me that I didn't want to go.  I went in to talk to Jerry, and I told him that now that the water was OFF, and the neighbors would probably not drown, he could go after work today.  He agreed, and said he thought he should go to start with. 

So I am here alone.  Phylly is back at the office.  Jerry is either on his way or not on his way, and I don't want to know. 

I DID make a video for you this morning though.  Well, actually it is for the lady that asked about pockets, but you can watch it if you want to.  It is also for me to see my latest muslin in a LONGER length with buttons that look like they belong on a child's playsuit so I can decide if I need to rip them off or leave them on.

I am wearing my SFD jeans pattern pants.  I made them over a year ago, so they are quite baggy in places.  They match my sunflowers perfectly though, so I am wearing them.

And here is a still picture I took this morning.  My blouse behaved pretty well for it.  I've decided to keep the buttons.  Can you see my button boo-boo???  One should be at apex level, but I wanted five buttons, so I couldn't arrange it that way.  Somewhere -- sometime -- in my life, someone told me you are supposed to have an uneven number of stuff.  AND, the two top buttons would have been awfully far apart.

And for those of you who may not know, you can learn all you want to know about Sure-fit Designs™ (SFD) at www.surefitdesigns.com.  The owner is Glenda Sparling, and she is the nicest, most helpful person you will ever do business with. 

Now, I have to get busy doing something.  Haven't decided what yet, but I will think of something.

Have a great day!

Hugs, Joy

Sunday Notes and Sunflower Blouse

Today is Sunday, so we went to internet church this morning as we always do.  I LOVE that we can do that! 

Hagee's message today was "The Cross".  The scripture reference was Galatians 6:14 where Paul said, "But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...". 

Hagee talked about so many churches having their traditions and their statues and their vain repetitions, BUT there is no way that one can be saved but through the cross.  Not the cross plus praying to a preist -- not the cross plus praying to a statue -- not the cross plus repeating sentences over and over -- not the cross plus circumcision -- not the cross plus good deeds.

Those are Hagee's words -- not mine. 

These are mine:  Paul had the most amazing transformation, don't you think?  Riding along the road on his way to torment or kill christians, and is knocked off his donkey.  Then Jesus, Himself, SPEAKS to Paul.  Wow!  I wish it could happen like that to some members of my family and some I know that say, "There is NO God!"  Paul's life after that was so completely, totally, 100% reversed from what it had been, that I don't know how people can't believe.  What else could change an evil man into a Godly man so thoroughly?  And the same with the disciples.  If they didn't believe what they said they did -- about the death and resurrection of Christ -- they sure did endure a lot of suffering and horrendous deaths for nothing.

So, yes, I agree.  The cross was ENOUGH.  That is why God sent Jesus, and it is why Jesus agreed to come.  Because it was enough, and it was the only way for sinful man to ever approach a Holy God directly.

After church, I sewed up a NEW SFD blueprint.  I decided after TWO failures of the embroidered sleeveless blouse, that I needed to start over.  The pattern I was using was made when I was 10 pounds heavier, and the bust dart in it was gigantic.  Part of the dart was from when I narrowed the neck opening and moved it into the dart.  Bad idea!    When I made up the new pattern yesterday, the new dart was 1/2 the size of the previous one.

THEN I decided to make a cap sleeve since Peggy Sagers just takes scissors and cuts across the sleeve, and she says it is super simple and any moron can do it. 

So I tried it using the stylus and being VERY careful.  Here is how I drew it on the top of Glenda's dress kit woven sleeve.  It looked okay to me other than one side seam being a bit longer.  I later corrected that.

I used my new cap sleeve pattern and cut two out.

I decided to just make a narrow 3/8" hem until I figured out if it was going to work or not.

It still looked okay to me at this stage, and after all, it was a lot more scientific than just taking a pair of scissors and slashing a short sleeve length like PS does in her video.

BUT,

THEN,

I gathered the top of the cap sleeves and sewed the side seams and hemmed them. 

I NOW noticed this strange shape at the side seam under the arm.  It was a point.  I decided it would probably go away once put into the blouse, so I continued.

I did go ahead and sew this into the blouse, but it looked really bazaar.

You could see the seam inside, and that point part just flopped around.  I was too mad and too sad to even take a pic at that point. 

I ripped the cap sleeve off the blouse, and I cut out two short sleeves.

Hopefully, I will learn how to do the cap style correctly, and I can try again.  I did look in all of my Glenda publications, and I did not find it.

This blouse is Muslin #1 of the NEW blueprint from the SFD Dress Kit, which, of course, is always a blouse for me.  The fabric is older than my granddaughter who is 16, and the buttons may be older than that.  The thread was on one of those ancient spools that you used to pay a quarter for, so it was probably as old as my daughter.  It will be a wonder if this blouse doesn't fall apart in the washing machine!

I tried it on, but wasn't in the mood to model.  I was still mad about the sleeve flop.  WHY is styling so hard for me???

It looked fine on Lucy, so I took a couple quick shots on her.

I haven't decided if the sunflower buttons look HORRIBLE or DARLING.  At first, I thought they looked ridiculous, but then I thought to myself, "If they don't look good on this blouse, what blouse will they EVER look good on????"  So I made giant buttonholes, and applied the buttons. 

 

And here is the back.  The fit is PERFECT!  Not so much fullness in the front around the bust.  No embroidery since this is a print, but maybe the next one.

Someone asked me about pockets -- the kind you put in jeans.  I found the directions for the "inset pocket" on Pages 22 and 23 of the Pants Kit Book.  Hope that helps.

I'm heading down to find something to put on the grill for supper. 

Happy sewing, gardening, cooking or whatever you like to do. 

Spring has SPRUNG!

Hugs, Joy