Display For Jazz Festival

Below is the write up I did as part of my display for the Art Cards I will be selling at our upcoming Jazz Festival. I wanted to keep it short and sweet. My sister says I did just that and gives it a "10". I don't know about that but I thank her for her kind words.

The scan is probably too small to read, so if you're interested in having a closer look, just click on the image to enlarge it.

There certainly is a lot of work involved in getting ready. I have to assemble all the cards by hand which is time consuming. And I still want to come up with at least three more designs. I have never sold any of my work before. It will be interesting so see what the response will be.

Friends, relatives, beware! If I don't sell any cards, you guys will be getting these things for birthdays, thank-yous, etc. for the next five years. Or I'll have to get hubby (the natural born professional salesman) to start peddling them for me.

Another Greeting Card

The trouble with making compositions out of fabric scraps is that you have to spread everything out all over the place and work in a real mess. I keep losing bits and pieces and spend half my time looking for them. But there's a real satisfaction when you find the right colour combinations and it all comes together.

So far, I've got 26 images to print out to see which ones will work on greeting cards and which won't.

Yesterday I wasted time preparing (painting) some muslin so I could draw some new faces, but I used a coarse canvas-like fabric that didn't like my Sharpies and pencil crayons. Today I have to do it all over again with the finer, smoother fabric that I've used in the past. I should have just used the tried and true to begin with.

I am happy with my latest image and hope it will be among the ones that make the final cut for my card sale.

New Greeting Card

This is the image for my latest greeting card. I have to get a photo printed to know for sure, but I think it's going to look great with some new cardstock I bought in lots and lots of neat colours. I'm going to be selling my cards at a local jazz festival in a couple of weeks. I want to come up with a few new designs and as usual, have left it kind of late. Oh well, I do work better under a little pressure.

Second New Look 6352

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This is my second New Look 6352, completed this morning. The fabric is 100% cotton with a looser weave, giving it a linen feel.

New Project

I've done a lot of simple sewing recently. Pullover stuff requiring no zippers, no buttons and minimal darts. I'm ready to move on to more fitted (shapely) garments. Today I traced out and made some changes to the following pattern, McCalls 4346. I am making View C, the sleeveless version. I prefer no sleeves when it's hot and humid. I did an FBA (full bust adjustment) via the pivot and slide method and I shortened the back waist length for petite sizing even though I am not petite. I am short waisted and I think (I hope) this alteration will do the trick. Also, the finished length is too long - it would end up at my ankles. I shortened the dress about halfway between View A and Views B and C.

So far, I've cut out the dress front and back. I haven't cut out the facings yet because I suspect I may have to add darts at the back of the neck. If that's the case, then I will have to redraft the facings. It's all trial and error now and I am hopeful that I can make a wearable muslin.

I've chosen a fun cotton blend print for my muslin which cost me just under $12. Not a huge amount of money to lose if I mess up, but 12 bucks is 12 bucks. I think I've got to start scouring thrift shops for $2 sheets for trial garments.

Second and Final Simplicity 7181

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This is my second and final Simplicity 7181. Time to retire this pattern. I love the cotton print which I found in my stash. I probably bought the fabric in the last two or three years, and most certainly for next to nothing on sale. The cotton is tightly woven and light and has a silky feel to it. And if you look closely at the fabric swatch, you'll see tiny birds. This dress swooshes when I move.

My second New Look 6352 is about halfway finished. Then I've got to work on some cards that I will be selling at a local jazz festival next month. Lots to keep me busy.

Oodles of Jewelry

This weekend I spent my time at the 14th annual Highlands of Durham Games in Uxbridge Ontario, just a short drive from where I live. Hubby has been involved with the organization of this event ever since its inception so you can imagine he was quite busy. I, on the other, hand more free time on my hands and was fortunate enough to check out all the activites such as the Scottish breed dog show, the Highland Dancing competitions and the heavies competitions to name a few.

I also got to check out the vendors' stalls and found a marvellous couple who sell the kind of jewelry that I love. I'm not a fancy person so shiny, glittery stones set in gold are not my thing. I prefer semi-precious polished stones set in sterling silver and boy did she have a large selection with very (I repeat, very) good prices. I say that for the benefit of hubby in case he should read this.

I'm not even sure what I bought except I can tell you the blue ring and blue pendant are lapis lazuli and the coral coloured pendant set in the swirly silver is coral. I could have bought a coral ring as well but unforunately it was too big. The vendor and I are keeping in touch by Email and she will let me know when her new shipment of coral arrives.

I think these earthy colours are so versatile and can be worn with many things in my wardrobe. Just wanted to share with you.

I also finished my second Simplicity 7181 dress which I will post as soon as hubby can photograph me wearing it. I cut out another New Look 6352 and will be working on that this evening. I love wearing dresses and have plans to make a bunch more.

New Look 6352

This pattern has been in the New Look catalogue since 2002. It’s a simple design which must be quite popular or else it wouldn’t still be available.

I made up View C a few years ago in a pale mauve polyester silk to wear to a wedding and I quite liked it. Unfortunately, I never wore it after the wedding and it ended up as a charity shop donation. Back then, I didn’t know as much about fitting as I do now. I had cut it out in a size that ended up too big around the shoulders, but I didn’t realize it at the time. I am much fussier about fit these days.

This style is loose to begin with. It’s a pullover with no zippers or buttons and it’s designed for woven fabrics which have no stretch. So you need a fair amount of ease just to get it on.

This time, I again made View C, the long, sleeveless version. I like this dress for a few reasons. One, it’s simple and quick to sew up – no need to refer to the instructions. Two, it’s open around the neck – very breezy for these hot, summer days. Three, it hides figure flaws if you have them (and I have them. Too many fat filled restaurant meals while I was on my trip has obscured my waist line).

I sewed this dress in a poly/cotton “seersucker” blend. It’s lightweight and cheerful and makes me feel the same. The necklace I am wearing was a present from my very thoughtful hubby.

Unless it turns out to be a real wadder, I tend to sew a pattern more than once. I think I’ll have another go at this one too before I put it away.