What a day!

So, I DID get some sewing done today! It took a while to get me started... but I got there eventually!

Started with cleaning out the sewing room. Things were not in places that made sense, and I couldn't see any of my fabric, as it was all hidden away in boxes. Stole a shelf from the bathroom to put the fabric on, and it looks a little something like this now:

This side is now all fiber-goodness, with fabric and crochet thread on top, various staples and patterns on the next shelf, more sewing goodies and all my yarn on the next down, and then just random stuff at the bottom (broken bits of pottery and baskets, actually.)

I rearranged all the stuff that's left so the other side looks like this:

Art supplies on top, stationery and office supplies next, some more paint, my grandpa's camera, giftwrap, and strange bags on the next, and then scrap fabric and all of my duffel bags, backpacks, etc. Turns out I actually have TWO bins of scrap fabric, and a bag that's the "rag bag" which are pieces that are really too small to use, but might find a use (and if nothing else, would make nice stuffing.

I cleared all the crap off my workspace and now it is lovely:

I used to play dress-up in that shawl. *sigh*


The costume table got cleared off, and has my grandmother's (or great-grandmother's, I forget which) embroidered peacock table runner. That might be where it all began...

Even the ironing board is now clear, except for the requisite ironing supplies and basket of current projects!

Whew! After all that cleaning, I actually couldn't think of anything that I wanted to work on, so I did what any girl in my predicament would have done; I worked on my brother's Jedi robes. You heard me. Jedi robes. Yes, our family just got even nerdier. You didn't think it was possible, did you? They were really pissing me off though, as the angles on the sleeves just weren't right and didn't want to cooperate. So I amused myself by sewing while wearing the GINORMOUS hood that will eventually be put on.

I look like a penitent nun.

After wanting to scream and putting the Jedi robes away, I remembered that I had spent hours on the Alabama Chanin website, drooling at all of their pretties and ruing the day that I didn't major in something that pays extremely well. Or at all.

Inspired, I found a lone sage green jersey pillowcase (that I think actually goes to a twin set of sheets. Funny, because I don't actually own a twin bed...) and some salmon jersey that I had intended to make into harem pants back in the day, and got down to business. Doodling flowery things is nothing new to me, so no need to copy any of their designs. I just freehanded a bit with a water-soluble marker down the edge:

You can see the color of what will become the reverse-applique. I had pinned it on, then realized how thick all those layers were, so I had a brilliant moment and decided to put the salmon in between the two layers of the end (you know, the part that is open.) I figured I could just make a little flap in the back, tuck the salmon inside, stitch, and then once everything was done, I could enclose the lining (and all my knots and messy ends!) inside the ends, and then just whip it closed. Viola! No getting your fingers stuck in stitching while you sleep, and fewer layers (once I opened it up, I realized it wasn't just two layers making the ends, it was three. Well that explains it!)

So I cut it open and pinned the salmon piece (I basted too, but no picture.)
I then set about stitching in the style from A/C, which is just simple running stitches, with two strands of embroidery floss, in a nice creamy color.

I intended to sew the whole thing, then do all the cut-work in one go, BUT I COULDN'T WAIT! It was worse than Christmas, I swear! So I took a little peek.

Oooo OOO! NICE! So I kept on working.


On this one, I washed off the marker too, to see how it looks without all that blue everywhere! I can't wait to finish it! Which I think I might do tonight...