Day 13: The Seamstress is In!

This afternoon I finally got my sewing station in my room all set up, on my very own sewing table! My room looks so complete with it there. I feel ready to sew all kinds of things! After getting the sewing machine set up I finally finished the shirt Becki and I were working on. (I plan on posting pictures of it tomorrow.) It definitely took longer than I had originally thought it would (the pattern did say "easy") but it turned out really cute, and my Mom said it looks professionally sewn. It feels good to hear that. I guess that's my reward for patience, and working with a difficult albeit lovely fabric. I must say though, I'm glad the shirt is finished and now I can move on to something new.

Next project: a dress! 

Day 10: No Pictures Today

And, unfortunately, probably not many words either. I've had a long, busy day, productive but busy. I went over to Becki, my sewing teacher's house this morning to finish up that shirt I was working on. It turned out to be much more complicated than I had anticipated, but I've learned a lot. Now it's just about finished. There's only one more step to complete which will go quickly.

The other good news is I now have a sewing table all to myself so I can set the sewing machine up in my room permanently. No more borrowing the game table, hauling it up to my room, and setting everything up each time I want to sew.

But no more sewing for today. I am ready for the weekend.  

Day 2: My To-do List for Today

I find it easier to have a good day if I make my list of requirements small and manageable. I give myself just a few things to do each day and then I can check them all off with minimal stress and still have time for things I may rather do, like reading.

Today's list consisted of three things I must accomplish: 1. Blog. Obviously that has been taken care of. 2. Play my harp. I have yet to do that one, but even playing just one or two songs will count, and I enjoy it so much (when I find the time) that it will not be at all taxing. And 3. Spend some time sewing.

 
Recently I've begun taking sewing lessons from a friend, Becki, who is proving to be an excellent  teacher for me. Sewing is a skill I've long wanted to gain, but I unfortunately have a serious lack of confidence and a fear of failure. I don't want to take the time to learn to sew. I just want to instantly be an expert. But that is not how it is done. I must learn one step at a time. But when I gain all the skills I need I'll be able to fashion all my own skirts, dresses, shirts, maybe I'll even tackle pants someday. I've already made one skirt (the one I wore yesterday to book club,) I'm currently working on a shirt, and when it's finished Becki and I are going to start on a dress!

The Color Red

How can one write a novel about the hottest August week on California records, when all you can think about is Christmas?

As Elizabeth so well put it, we have the Christmas bug. I can't wait for Thanksgiving, I think it is my favorite holiday of all, but then I think of Christmas and how special and wonderful it is. At our house the two holidays have been sort of mixed together into one thankful holiday season! The pilgrims are coming out to join the fall decorations, as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and, my personal favorite, Steve Tyrell croon Christmas carols in the background.

One of the things I love about my home is that when I look at this basket of clementines, and say, "I just want to stick cloves in these oranges," my Mom hands me the jar of cloves and says, "Go to town!"

Red is not really my color, never has been. I am a blue, purple, and pink kind of girl with the occasional green of a certain shade, but I don't wear much red. Last time we were at the craft store, shopping for costume ingredients, my eye was caught by a festive and beautiful ball of red holiday yarn. I decided to knit myself a red Christmas scarf with it.

Ever since I've been thinking about the color red: red scarves, red sweaters, red Christmas decorations, and as it is fall I see red leaves on trees every day. I think I shall have to incorporate more red into my lifestyle.

Isn't Life Ironic?

 Last night, after months of painstaking work with the most difficult yarn I've ever handled, I finally finished this blue shawl.

After three days of chilled rainy weather (yesterday it positively poured) I finished this warm garment just in time for the return of typical summer heat. Oh well. I love summer, and though it will be a while before I'll get to use my new shawl, I'll be content in my Hawaiian dresses until the fall.

As my next knitting project, I think I shall knit a Sontag, a soft, pink one for my Mom, which she's been requesting ever since we saw Little Dorrit. 

But first...

...I think I need to tidy and organize my work basket. But not today.

Today I have a full day. First I have a meeting with the Harold B. Pricklepants Society to discuss our current read, The Dean's Watch by Elizabeth Goudge. (Just the title is compelling, with its multiple meanings.) Then later in the afternoon, if all goes as planned, I will be going to the movies with my sisters to see a truly masterful cinematic work that we have been looking forward to.

Monster's University!!!

Dickensian Fashion

These past few evenings my family and I have been partaking together in the Andrew Davies adaptation of Charles Dickens Little Dorrit. We all equally adore a good British drama (though my fourteen-year-old sister is reluctant to admit so,) and as Mom, Elizabeth, and I watch Dickens' tapestry of a tale play out, we adore and envy the fashions of that bygone era. I long for a knitted shawl and a long flowing cape. And so I've decided to make those craved garments.

I learned to knit from a dear friend a few years ago, and though I shall have to wait until a later date for my cape (as a knitted cape is not quite what I have in mind) I can still knit plenty of shawls, glovelets, and hooded capelets for my pleasure.

An abundance of patterns. 

My quickly growing collection of knitting needles.

Yarn and other necessary supplies.

A head scarf in process for my Mom.

  I don't consider myself a crafty person, I usually much prefer picking up a book or journal to that sort of creativity. But I do love to knit, and I plan to spend many hours in the near future producing some Dickensian accessories.

Everything I need to make a knitted capelet.