Doll Clothes and Dinner!

So, I'm a bit late getting this post out this week.  I mean, it's already Saturday evening.  The truth is, the college semester started two weeks ago and despite not being a serious student, I'm taking a full load of classes.  In addition, I'm trying to have some sort of social life.  This semester, I'm taking mostly boring classes- Microeconomics, Bookkeeping, a business class, and a sewing class.  The sewing class is really more of a lab, giving me access to some gorgeous Bernina sewing machines and four hours every Monday to devote to sewing.  Yay!

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the projects I'm working on, but the circle skirt may get some attention this weekend.  I've been quibbling over how to do the zipper and if I wanted to add pockets because I was afraid it was a bit too plain.  I love the fabric though, so I didn't want to muck with the print too much.  Last night it hit me- you'll just have to wait to see it!

Last weekend however I whipped up a little something to make sure my machine and serger were still in good working order and to remind myself how rusty my skills are.  Thus, a doll shirt.  To say I collect Asian Ball-Jointed dolls might be stretching it.  I only have one, my handsome Sabik by the Korean company Soom.  His name is Carousel.  

Well, this makes it obvious I've been out of the sewing loop for a while.  For a three hour project from pattern drafting to finishing I'm pretty happy with it.  He provides some special fitting issues in that a) he isn't squshy and b) he has extremely wide shoulders but a pretty trim waist.  I wanted something I could pull over his head, but didn't have any stretch fabric so there was some compromise between fit and ease of dressing with this.  And for an added bonus, some pattern matching fail.  I only have two or three yards of this gorgeous navy and brown japanese cotton.  I didn't want to use too much of it because I have other plans for it.  So I only made a minimal effort at matching patterns.  My thread and notions stash is also woefully understocked and I just used whatever thread was in the machine.  In this case, an ivory/natural color that I think work fine.  All in all, I'm happier with this shirt than the last few I sewed for him over a year and a half ago.  I also made his pants oh... two years ago but have since lost the pattern I drafted for them.  A shame too, because they fit really well.

Bonus: 

Doesn't that look delicious?  I'll give you a hint- it was.  Bell peppers, sugar snap peas, onions, garlic, and (frozen) gnocchi all sauteed up with whatever seasonings I had on hand.  I love gnocchi done this way.  Brittani gave me some dirty looks for using frozen gnocchi after our fun gnocchi making weekends in Spain but really it isn't any fun to do it alone. 

Pattern Drafting

How quickly our plans can change.  The dress I was going to make I've decided to do as separates instead.  One of the reasons being- I started drafting the blouse pattern today.  As a self-taught seamstress, this isn't exactly easy for me and I'm struggling a lot with it.  On the other hand, I know how to handle the skirt.  So, next week I'm going to try and whip out the skirt and when Brittani comes over for our Craft Day, she's going to help me work on the blouse pattern a bit.  To say it's being unruly is an understatement.

Still, I promised progress today and progress was made!

Thrilling, isn't it?  That's the front and back blouse pieces, with the french dart pinned in on the front.  I was originally going to gather the back fullness in to the waistband, but since it's now going to be separates I'm going to eliminate the back zipper and probably dart the back.

Before this week, I didn't have a sewing area set up, but my super sweet partner and roommate let me take over a corner of the living room.  So here it is, super classy.  The serger was my first major sewing machine purchase- the sewing machine was my mother's.  I'm not even sure how old it is, but I love it.  My (currently quite small) fabric collection is in that bottom drawer, with the exception of the current project which is all draped over a hanger in the closet.

Alright, that's it for this week!  Next week it's Brittani's turn to take over.

-Kellie

Fresh Starts, New Projects

It's a bit strange, coming back to the United States after living and teaching in Spain for a year.  For both of us it's a whole new chapter in our lives.  In fact, this is the first time in three years that we aren't living together.  We've been through a lot together, half our lives.

My name's Kellie, and I have never been able to take the easy road.  I've been a student on and off again ever since leaving high school, but getting a degree just never seemed that important.  After spending a lot of time at dead-end jobs in call centers and financial aid offices, I decided I'd had enough.  It was right about then that Brittani was finishing her bachelor's degree and we both needed a change.  My parents had attended a TEFL course in Spain and after much deliberation we decided to follow in their footsteps.  Not only did we go for the course but we committed to staying and teaching for a year.

In the beginning it was pretty rough.  Being thrown out of our comfort zones allowed us to jump into other pursuits that had always been put off in favor of 'real' work or school.  Namely, writing.  Fast-forward to now.  We've been back in the States for a month.  Writing is going well but I'm itching to do something else.  One of the things I found I missed most while I was away was my sewing machine.  Writing is a wonderful creative outlet and allows me to make a living doing something I love but it doesn't have quite the same reward as creating something tangible.  I've revitalized my Etsy shop and gone fabric shopping.  Freelance writing may pay the bills, but there's no reason my other hobbies can't help!

Forgive the abysmal artwork.

My first project is a full skirted, boat neck dress.  The top will be this gorgeous ivory linen/cotton blend, with the grey floral as the skirt and an underskirt/lining of ivory crepon sheer.  Once the pattern is done and I've made the sample, I'll offer it made-to-measure in my shop.  I'm so excited to get started!

-Kellie