sewing for adventuring

The adventuring this last long weekend was fun but I came back not feeling well.  Well, it could be the screen door I walked into and the bone bruise that is coming up.  You know that excuse you hear, "I walked into the door."  Somehow in my grace, in a campground in Indiana, I caught a screen door with my toe and walked straight into the screen door on it shortest side.  With my face.  More specifically, my cheek bone and eye socket.  They hurt.  And I think I have a cold on top of it.

Weeks before, I took my Beloved to the fabric store with me.  He helped me pick out the three fabrics in the picture above.  I admit that I could wear black every day but he does like me in colors.  These do not stress me out.  And if my black pinnie is clean.  Life is grand!  I still have black on!  You call me silly, it is oky.

I made these dresses and wore them around the Indianapolis Speedway as I chased after the Small Mister.  Most of the time he was a motorbike.  We were at the MotoGP motorcycle races so it makes sense.  We had fun and it was good adventuring. 

We stopped and saw family on the way home.  I just to heal now from being a klutz!  My head hurts so bad.

this poor dress

I made this dress to replace the one that did not fit right.  And, honestly, stressed me out because it was too bright.  I realized when I wore the old dress I would start to feel anxious after about three hours.  I love this black plaid.  Very simple.  I feel very elegant.  I just need a black linen apron over it all the time.

I needed an apron with this dress so badly yesterday.  This dress got peed on.  It got apple juice spilled on it.  It helped a not so small boy learn how to climb a tree.  It got rocks thrown at it.  Sticks and acorns too.  All the while, I was outside in it in 100 degree heat.  Yes, it was dry heat but it was still hot. 

We were taking our nephew back home to his Mommy.  This includes about a three hour drive.  We dropped off knives for a new upscale kitchen supply store opening in Austin, TX, Metier Cook's Supply.  Thirteen knives dropped off with two small boys in a store that is still in unpacking stages.  They open Sunday but there were not even close yesterday.

On the way to our Nephew's Mommy's, our truck started having mechanical problems.  Hence, the above actions taken to the dress.  It is hard to feel elegant when you are being pelted with "tiny rocks" or going over the mechanics of climbing a tree.  It was a long evening.  Or maybe the better way to say it, is that it was an early morning.

The dress held up very well.  I just need to remember to carry a pinafore with me at all times.  I need to take one to work with me but I think I really need to pick up some more black linen for that.  I will stash it in my bicycle bag or in the drawer of my filing cabinet that is full of woolens.  I almost have a different wardrobe in my filing cabinet.  It is as if a thousand miles or more north.  It was an alpaca type of day in the office today.

Tomorrow.  Tomorrow should be better.  Maybe Mr. John Hill will come by and figure out the wiring to the lights in the living space.  They stopped working but the boyos did seem to enjoy the troubleshooting.  No lights does mean early to bed.  How lovely!

almost there

I have been playing with slip patterns.  I have tried boughten patterns and I am ended making my own.  This is almost there.  There is still some tweaking that needs to go on but it is wearable. 

My problem with purchased slips is that they are no longer functional articles of clothing!  Most are made to be garments that are not worn for any length of time or garments that are to change your shape.  I just want something so my stockings do not cling so to my dress and no one can see my underwear. 

Almost there.  Just a few more tweaks to go and I think I will have it!

before I left

We are back.  We had a good time but did not get as much done as we would have liked.  One of the many snag piles is 2/3 done.  A bit of weed wacking was done so we can walk to the shed.  Our one clearing had grass and flowers that were four feet high.  I got a bit of sleep but the rest really came from a relief from the heat and being outside all day.  I kept thinking that I just pull weeds wherever I go.

It is very hard to be back.  My brain is creatively working at the level of a drop spindle.  I can spin for hours but not much else is going on.  But then the boyos really only slept today.  Small Mister is currently jumping off the walls because he has slept on and off all day.  I think I am going to have a difficult time sleeping tonight.

I made this hemp linen dress the week before I left.  It is another dress I modeled off others I have seen oniline.  French instead of Japanese this time.  The fabric is actually leftover from a skirt I made a couple years ago.  The skirt was just too stiff.  The sleeves on this dress are the skirt.  I had actually had planned to make two skirts so the rest of the dress comes from the rest of the fabric.  I like it.  It shines.

I am thinking I may order some softer linen so I can make this dress again but softer.  This one feels a bit dressy.

I am trying back into the swing of things.  I will see how it goes.

linen dress

I was reading a blog called Remodilsta and they did a piece on house dresses.  Dresses to wear at home instead of living in pajamas or nightgowns.  Dresses that you could wear out on an errand.  I remembered that I had looked at some similar on a Japanese clothes site. 

This is very similar to one of the Japanese dresses I had looked at in the past.  I did not put the pockets in it that the pictures show that the dress I could have bought had.  I also did not make a undershift or a petticoat.  I am not sure which it was.  I still might.  The buttons down the back means I would not be able to wear it at all currently.  My shoulders still do not stretch that much with out a great amount of pain.  I could have gathered it less by cutting a smaller skirt but I did not.

The thing I like about this dress is how soft the linen is.  Since I am not feeling well, having something soft to wear that still looks fairly nice.  A dress that is comfortable when you are still at work but wish to be home in bed.  I might have to buy more of this linen.  I am finding my favorite dresses are linen and wool.  Who would have thought?