A New Beginning

It may be a bit late to say this, but I'm very happy to see 2013 go. It was a year where the negatives outnumbered the positives, and I'm looking forward to a new beginning this year. I don't plan to do a project roundup, I just want to keep moving forward and start creating new things again.

There have been a number of changes here at Chez Makizy, the biggest being that we have inherited a house. I've also become the owner of a "few" more cats. I'm sure they'll be making appearances on the blog from time to time.

This is Teddy, also know as Bear and yes, he is judging you.

I'm also ready to sew again. I have a house to decorate and organize and clothes to make. To help me on my merry sewing journey, my wonderful husband purchased cutting mat and rotary cutter for me for Christmas. How did I ever live without one of these?  LOVE IT!!!!

I'm also joining the Stash Diet party!

 

Seriously, what a great idea!  If you're not familiar with this, head on over to Today's Agenda for details.  I've decided not to be hard on myself and set a fixed goal.  Come on, a girl needs some retail therapy every now and then.  Instead I will be realistic and will pledge to do my absolute best to only sew from my stash. I will try to only purchase fabric if necessary to complete an existing project, or if it's needed for a gift.  Let's see how long it lasts!

Finally, I wouldn't really call this a New Year's resolution, but I'm going to try to not let photos hold me back from blogging. I love blogs with great photography, and do my best to try to do the same on mine. The problem is that I currently don't have ideal conditions to photograph projects and I've let that hold me back from posting. Well, this blog is supposed to be fun and my creative outlet, so there will be a lot more cell phone photos this year :-)

All About the Journey

As a wise man once wrote, "The point of the journey, is not to arrive".¹ Well, I keep trying to remember that because it feels like I've been on a number of sewing-related journeys lately but still haven't arrived at my destination. I have three projects going at once now, which is something I've been trying not to do. But, I'm just trying to enjoy the sewing process and stop focusing too much on the completed garment.

Since I don't have much in the way of finished projects to show, I thought I'd post a few teasers of the current WIPs.

¹ If you guessed this was a lyric from the song "Prime Mover" by Rush, you win a prize! Actually, if you guess Rush for any song lyric I quote, you'd stand a 50-50 chance of being right :)

Random Ramblings

I finally have a finished Lonsdale to show, but no camera! I'm waiting to see what arrives at the apartment first - my husband with the good camera he took on an out of town project, or a new charger for my not so good camera. The race is on. My poor Lonsdale deserves a much better fate than being subjected to camera phone pics.

In the meantime, I'm curious to know if anyone has used Spoonflower ? I've just designed and ordered my first print, and am currently working on a second. Has anyone ever ordered from them or had their own designs printed? How was the experience? Were you happy with the fabric?

I'm actually fascinated by the entire design process. It's been a balancing act between trying to come up with a print that I like but also a print that I would wear and could see being made into a finished garment.

I think I missed the mark a bit with my first attempt, a bird and flower motif. I'll post a picture of it when it arrives. I very happy with the design, but see it as more of a quilt/home decor/lining fabric, if that makes sense. I'm still pretty proud of myself, more so for "breaking the seal" so to speak, and actually placing the order. I had been holding off for so long. And, I suppose that not all fabric has to be "garment appropriate", but that's really what I'm most interested in right now.

Which brings me to my second design. I'm currently working on a border print, inspired by 1800's hand painted pearlware. (It's not as random a topic as it sounds, but I'll save the origin story for another day.) This one I can definitely see as a dress - a Hazel actually.

Good news for me is that my Hazel pattern just arrived in the mail today. By the time I've made a muslin, and probably made my previously proposed white eyelet version, I should have my newly designed border print ready!

Buried Treasure

I found the most amazing craft book in my collection the other day called The Complete Book of Handicrafts. I remember purchasing at my mom's church rummage sale a number of years ago, probably for a dollar, and subsequently shoving it on a shelf.

There it sat until the other day when I was cleaning out said shelf. I wasn't sure whether or not to keep it because I've never really read or used it. I decided it at least deserved a look over before condemning it to be sold to the half-price book store.

And ... WOW..

Check out that groovy 70's font they're using for the headings.

There are some pretty decent sewing how-tos in this book. I haven't had time to read in yet, but they appear to be more overviews than real in-depth analysis.  But, that's okay since they are trying to cram so many craft projects in one book. There sections that look interesting are the above making your own pattern section, sizing information, how to make button holes and seam finishes to name a few.

But the real winner is this guy:

How on earth could I ever get rid of a book that contains this much AWESOMENESS!  I think I had a similar shirt I bought at the thrift store and wore back in high school. (I was going through a 70s retro dressing phase.)

How about you? Have you ever come across buried treasure that you didn't even know you had?