Done!

Finally I get to write that title! *LOL*  I just cut the last strand on the white tank top...I'm free! lalalalalalalala!  I'm free and I'm done!

I think I'm gonna sit and read a book tomorrow or maybe watch a movie...my sewing machine and I have spent serious quality time together this last month so it needs a rest and so do I!

Here's a group shot of everything:

That's 5 dresses, 4 tops, 1 pair of pants and a jacket = 11 pieces and 5 of those pieces were sewn this month!

Okay it's been a long week and I didn't get much sleep last night so I'm off to bed soon!  A couple of things first...thank you to everyone who left such nice comments about the beaded dress.  I really appreciate it!  As I promised, I will let you know when the voting starts on Stitchers Guild and finally after the photo galleries are revealed, I will post outtakes of me and my garments from the photo shoot.

Tonight on the way home, I thought ohmy!  I can finally just sew up some dresses without a whole bunch of requirements...so look for spring dresses soon...even a couple from my vintage pattern collection...and I will share what I got from Fabric Mart too!

...as always, more later!  But most especially thanks for stopping by!

SWAP Dress Number 5 is complete!

ETA: Pic of me wearing the dress ~ see below!

I really wanted the title of the post to say "DONE!" but I still have 1.5 hours of sewing left on the SW Mission Tank which is cut out in an ivory silk crepe.  I can finish that up tonight when I get home...and finally my SWAP will be done.

But this last dress is F-I-N-I-S-H-E-D.  It almost made me cry uncle several times because there is 8 hours of beading in this dress.  I lost the lace for the lining of the dress and spent a precious hour looking for it only to find it on the cutting table.

please forgive the rug but it's standing in the hallway

waiting for me to empty my bedroom and lay it down!

The sleeves were made on Sunday evening but Monday I discovered that I cut them too long...so tonight they were recut, the lace reapplied and then once I started beading the first sleeve, I realized I didn't have enough beads.  So it had to all be unbeaded and rebeaded using the beads in a wiser fashion.

To say I'm tired is an understatement...I've worked on this dress for 10 hours today!  But it fits and looks lovely on...sorry but I only have close-ups and a hanger shot for you.  Do you want to see it?  Well here goes:

The dress in the pattern does not have a lining...but since I made mine from a linen/silk blend there was no way that it wouldn't be lined...and I added my signature lace to the hemline of the dress because it deserved no less:

3 yards of black lace @ $3.98 per yard  from M&J Trimmings

It took three days to get all of the beading done.  I also added a touch of piping at the front neckline to "finish" it off.

Beads and beading supplies (thread & needles)

from New York Beads Inc - $28.85

The navy linen/silk blend was from Fabric Mart at $9.99 per yard - I used 2.5 yards for this dress.  And the blue rayon bemberg lining was purchased from fabric.com at $6.99 per yard.

Even if I don't win the SWAP contest ~ this dress is priceless because of all the techniques I used on a simple McCalls dress that turned it into a knockout....wait until you see it on...

I'll probably post one more group shot of all the pieces prior to the photo shoot but right now I'm off to bed...I'm one tired cookie and I have to work tomorrow!!!

Fabric Mart is evil

...evil I tell you!  They know that I'm not purchasing fabric...so what do they do?  They bring out some of their best pieces evah.  Have you been to their site recently?  Have you seen the beauties?  Seriously...how is a true fabricaholic (Wanted to write fabric ho but am I really?  Would I sell my children for a piece?  No...*sigh*...not yet! *LOL*) suppose to resist this temptation?  So I caved yeap...I bought some...15 yards worth of some...so please forgive me because the only excuse I have to offer is that Fabric Mart is E-V-I-L!!!!

p.s.  I knew I wouldn't make it...I knew I couldn't last a month without having serious withdrawal issues...*sigh*  Guess I gotta find that 12 step group...

SWAP Dress Number 5

Okay could someone please explain to me why...seriously why...I pick the hardest thing to do at the very last minute!  SERIOUSLY...I have decided to hand bead a yoke to this dress:

...five days before the contest ends!  Now this wouldn't be so mind-bendingly stupid if I didn't have a full-time job and a three hour commute every day...but both of these things are constants in my world...so what the f*ckery have I done!

*sigh*  So here I sit hand-beading while watching Dancing with the Stars...yes, I have lost my mind!

...more later...from the mental ward!

And the winner is...

Thanks everyone for participating in the drawing.  The posts you picked were pretty kewl and I couldn't choose one on my own...so I went with the random number generator to help me out.

drumroll please....and the winner is:

Stephanie of neurosesgalore.com!

Stephanie, please send me your email address and I will get the prizes out to you this week!

I have no sewing to show you...well I do but I'm in the midst of a time crunch right now.  It looks like I'm going to make the SWAP deadline ~ don't know how I pulled that one out!  *LOL*  The Vogue dress 7542 is done, the cardigan is done, the SW Mission tank top is cut out and will be sewn during the week because its the easiest thing to finish up. 

And I totally went for it and cut out another dress...yes, I did!  I know I'm mad but the fill-in dress was just that a fill-in that wouldn't play as well with the other pieces.  So a new dress it is!  The fabric and pattern are laying on the cutting table as we speak, I'm just taking a quick breather before I go back in!  I figure I have another four hours tonight and then I will probably leave work early one day this week to finish it up.  But I think I'm actually going to finish my last stitch by April 30th!

We have until May 8th to submit our photographs....I'm aiming for May 7th because a friend has offered to take the 12 pictures I need to submit for the SWAP.  No impatient child saying hurry up for these photos...no way, no sir! *LOL*  I will work on my SWAP paragraph during the week and captions for the photos...and I will put up the outtakes on the blog for all to see!

Okay, I have a fresh glass of Mountain Dew...and I'm heading back in!  Wish me luck!

...as always, more later!

Linked Within

This is just a short note...I finally added "Link Within" to my blog posts about a month ago.  I have to tell you that I love how it rotates and hooks up to some of my older posts.  I've been blogging for four years and I rarely go back and look at the older posts and comments, but lately some interesting ones have been popping up because of link within.  So if you are a new reader and haven't read some of my older posts, start with this one, "And Oprah said"...it made me giggle!

And just for fun, leave a comment telling me about one of your favorite posts from my blog and why?  I will enter them in a drawing and the winner will get a copy of the May 2010 issue of Burda Magazine as well as the book, "Carry Me 20 Boutique Bags to Sew" 

You have until midnight EST Saturday, April 24th to leave a comment and international readers are welcome to participate.  Please leave your email address too so I will know how to reach the winner.  Said winner will be picked on Sunday, April 25th and I'll mail out the goodies next week.  So get to reading, leave me a comment, make me laugh and you too can be a winner!

I can't wait to read about your favorites!

Vogue 7542 - Part One

I am writing this post in two parts because there is just so much work that I've done on this dress ~ which is not finished, btw ~ that for clarity of thought I have to write about it in two sections.  But first a warning, DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT go looking for this pattern or pull it from your pattern collection/stash to sew.  This pattern has a copyright date of 2002, and it must have been at the height of Vogue's vague pattern instruction days because the instructions on this pattern suck.  Seriously, they suck!  I'm not sure that if I had attempted to make this dress back when I first bought the pattern, if I would have had a successful outcome.

So onwards...the fabric I used was a ltwt tropical wool in a navy blue with an orange pinstripe.  So I knew it would have to be lined.  That was the first of many challenges because the pattern does not suggest a lining for the dress.  The second challenge is that nowhere and I mean nowhere does the pattern instructions tell you how to deal with the pleat after you make it.  Here's a pic of the inside of the dress with the finished pleat:

Nowhere in the pattern instructions does it tell you to remove the basting in the pleat, how to handle keeping the pleat flat on the outside of the dress or how to stabilize the pleat overlap inside the dress.  And then since the dress is unlined, won't the pleat innards wear poorly without something to protect them?

My solution was to add a row of topstitching down the center front piece on both sides of the pleats.  Then I edge stitched the pleats to define them, finally pressing the heck out of them and using my clapper.  Lastly to stabilize the pleat overlap in the back of the dress, I used some stitch witchery.  It was the only invisible treatment that I could think of especially since any hand stitches would show on the front of the dress.

That was my pattern challenge.  My most pressing fit challenge was that this is a SEMI-FITTED dress even though it it does go up to a size 24...which was my starting point.  And to add space to this dress, I couldn't just cut and spread the center front piece because it would throw off the pleats but I had to add more space because the finished lower edge width was 57" and I like more like 62" to 65". 

The good thing about this pattern is that it is a princess seam pattern so there are plenty of opportunities to fix the fit in the back, the side seams and the front before you get to the pleated section.  I also needed to adjust my sleeve biceps because like everything else on this pattern they were too small.

So here are my pattern alterations:

• The center front piece which is placed on the fold was pivoted and slid 1/2" at the waistline down to 1" at the hipline.
• Both the front side and the back side pieces had 1/2" added at the waistline increasing to 1" at the hipline and 2" at the hemline.
• I added one inch to the center back piece from neck to hemline.
• The sleeve pattern was sliced in half and 5/8" seam allowances were added at the sleeve cap and the sleeve hem.  A bump for the bicep was added about 1 1/2" on both sides of the sleeve seam.

I basted the thing together and put it on, then closed my eyes, took a deep breathe and looked at myself in the mirror and IT FIT!  I unbasted it and cut the lining pieces from the front and back pieces.  Now this is the "don't do as I do part, just do as I say!"  *LOL* 

The proper way would have been to cut lining pieces from all of the altered pattern pieces and stitch it together figuring out a way to omit the pleat in the front.  Instead I laid the already adjusted, unbasted front and back pieces from the fashion fabric onto the rayon lining and cut them out that way.  I had no intentions of trying to "line" the pleat or of making seams in the lining. 

I did get the sleeves into the garment but the shoulders are too wide and the sleeves hang funnily.  They also need to be shortened but by this time I was "tired" of this dress.  So this is how it's hanging now...waiting for me.

I will finish the dress.  I do like the pleats in the front.  But as with all very conservative dresses made from boring pinstripe fabric...it is bland.  This dress will need serious jewelry, shoes, hair and make-up to get it work ready...however, once those things are added it will be appropriate for the days that I need to look banking bland...ooops that's banking trustworthy during those long and tedious meetings...oops again, that's those informative and revenue generating meetings.

Once I've solved the shoulder/sleeve thing...added some jewelry bling and visited hair and make-up, I will share pictures. 

This is SWAP dress #4 which is taking a whole lot longer to finish than I anticipated.  I may have to punt and use one of the dresses I've already made this year (when I should have been sewing SWAP!) for the collection. If I do that, I would have 5...count them 5 dresses and I would only need to make two tops.  Since I'm going TNT with those, I'm almost positive (don't want to offend the fabric gods with too much confidence here) that I will be done this weekend.  That would mean that I would only need to take pictures the weekend of April 30th.  Or I could get a burst of energy and come up with one more dress...seriously, OMG seriously (she says hysterically)...or maybe not!  *LOL*

...anyway, as always more later!

Two Wonderful Women

Two wonderful women have passed on this week.  Both have touched me with their graciousness.  As we all know Shannon left us earlier this week and many of us in the sewing community have been touched in some way by the knowledge she so willingly and graciously shared.  She was active on Stitchers Guild, as well as, teaching lessons on Pattern Review and she gave such excellent fabric advice on Emmaonesock.  She will be missed.

The second amazing woman who passed on this week was Dorothy Height.  I did not know her personally but her struggle for civil rights and the equality for black people in America was part of my childhood and she was a childhood idol.  I remember reading about her in my early teens prompted by a favorite aunt who felt I should learn as much as possible about "The Heros" of the Civil Rights Movement.

Both women contributed mightly to my life and they shall be missed!

Butterick 5261 in pictures

The pattern envelope says this about Butterick 5261:
An easy to wear raglan classic is perfect for any occasion.  Try this feminine shirt jacket over a sharp blouse for the office or wear it with your favorite jeans for the weekend.  This design can be made out of mediumweight to lightweight blouse fabric.  This has a convertible collar and features a center back pleat, sleeves that gather into a slim cuff and a shirttail or straight hem.
*When did Butterick get so verbose!  *LOL*

Since I don't feel like visiting hair and make-up today, Lulu will be modeling the shirt jacket.  Here it is with a RTW tank top:

Back pleat with bartack to emphasize the pleat:

Close-up of the sleeve:

With the sash (not sure I'm going to use it now!):

...and finally here is a pic of my SWAP so far (excuse the wrinkled nude dress, please!):

I presently have a SW Mission Top in a silk crepe laying on the table to be cut out as well as Vogue 7542.  I still don't know if I'm going to finish the SWAP in time but I'm working on it.

...more later!

Time ~ I need more!

I'm in a time crunch right now, because I'm still going back and forth over whether or not I will be able to finish my SWAP.  Due to this unsettled state, I have contemplated purchasing fabric.   I know, I know...but fabric is my comfort zone.  Some people eat...other people sleep, work out or watch TV...I buy fabric.

Anyway, as a diversionary tactic, I decided to count the number of weekends between the first weekend in May and Labor Day weekend, which is when I typically stop sewing spring/summer gear and start sewing early fall garments.  There are 17 weekends ~ which means the possibility of 17 more garments being constructed prior to that date.  I am using a formula of one garment per week and this assessment made me pause.

See, I have enough fabric from the great fabric switchover bin to make at least 3x that amount of garments.  And if I don't purchase another yard (highly unlikely I know!) I'm only going to use a third of that fabric this summer.  That thought made me pause...hell it made me stop in my tracks because I just don't have enough time to sew all the things I want.

Now the challenge becomes do I sew garments I like and want or do I just sew things to use up some of the fabric so that I can replace it with more or at the very least sew down the pile some?  How do I fit more sewing time in so that I can just make garments I love but still manage to use more fabric?  And finally where do I put all of these finished garments?  I am seriously running out of closet space...*sigh* 

The storage thing can be worked out, I know, but the time thing?  Now that goes to the heart of my issue...not that I don't want to sew or have the ability to make the garments I desire...it's time.  How do I find more in my schedule to spend more time doing the thing I love?  And isn't that a question we all ask ourselves, how to find more time?

This is an ad free blog!

If you are a regular reader, please excuse this little bit of housekeeping but I feel that I need to get it done.

Let me state unequivocably, "This is an AD FREE Blog!" 

I will not endorse shoes, clothing, software products or books by authors that I don't believe can actually sew...they just make money off crafters who think it's a good thing!

I purposely don't run ads down the side of my blog to attract possible extra money for myself because I have a day job that fuels my passion and I don't want to shill for you!  Yes, in the past I have blogged about a specific offer from a sewing resource BUT it is a resource that I have had a positive interaction with and believe in their product...and most importantly, I received no compensation for the post!

Any book, movie, internet fabric source, internet pattern source, notion or distributor of said notions has made an appearance here because they have produced a product that I have bought, used or found some pleasure in.  AGAIN let me state that they have paid me no compensation and I seek none because I want my reviews to be unbiased and heartfelt.

I blog not for social status in the sewing world...or to have a "name" in the sewing world but because I like to sew.  I have no influence to offer you and even though it appears that quite a few sewists visit my blog, please note that there are other bloggers with bigger audiences that you should approach.  I would appreciate it if you would not email me or leave links to sites in my comments.

Okay now that I have that off my chest...back to the regularly scheduled programming...

A Neutral is a good base!

This dress was made to be a base for cardigans and jackets especially my SWAP toppers.  It's not suppose to have any "WOW" factor on it's own...it's suppose to support and enhance whatever I desire to put on top of it!

The dress with the Vogue 8623 jacket

Beige print with beige neutral -

The dress with a RTW cardigan

The dress with a bright purple RTW cardigan

A softer side of neutral -

dress with RTW pink cardigan

...and of course the floral orange print topper and the green RTW cardigan will work with the dress too.  Also in the photos is one of the two pairs of nude colored shoes that I recently purchased, so they are out there ladies...I know I took alot of time to find them! *smile*

Finally Kristy asked this question:

"Does the lace around the bottom of the lining catch on your pantyhose/stockings?"

No I've never had that problem but then again all of the lace is washed and dried before it's applied to the fabric so maybe that helps. 

....more later!

A Little Bit of Nude ~ SWAP Dress No. 3

Swap Dress #3 is all about my new obsession with the color nude.   So tonight I came home and finished hemming it during "Dancing with the Stars!" so that it would be wearable before the weather warms up any more.

Some stats:

Fabric:
2 yards of beige wool crepe
2 yards of beige bemberg lining

Notions:
22" invisible zipper
3 yards 1/2" polyester lace
3 yards striped bias binding

Pattern:
TNT Dress Pattern ~ princess seam version

This nude sleeveless version was based upon the original navy blue dress.  I loved how the original one wore...close fitting without being too tight.  The fabric had a little stretch in it so it was perfect for work and the fabric kept its shape during a long day of work...no sagging...no bagging.  

Since I used the wool crepe for this version, I cut it a little bigger thinking that I needed to make an allowance for the stretch in the navy fabric.  Wrong!  I ended up removing almost all of the extra that I added.  Somewhere in my mind, I forgot that wool crepe grows when you add body warmth to it and that the dress didn't need any extra...duh!

Otherwise this is the same construction except this version is sleeveless and lined.  I used some more of the striped bias binding that I made last fall to finish off the armholes.

I also added lace to the hem of the lining.  I just like this look and part of the reason the dress hung so long waiting to be hemmed was because I didn't have any lace on hand.  A trip to Pacific Trimmings last week after work solved that problem.  Then an evening in a tea bath gave me the hue I wanted for the lace.

Now I'm sure you are wondering why I would use the same pattern again...well it works! And it is a good dress to wear under the jackets/tops that are a part of my SWAP plan.  I used a fashion color on a traditional piece to make it trendy yet classic at the same time, thereby insuring that this dress will work in my wardrobe for years to come.

One final pic of me wearing the dress with the sweater that I purchased to add another color to the SWAP plan.

Hopefully I will get an opportunity to work on finishing up the shirt jacket before the weekend because I really want to get started on my next dress which will be made from a tropical wool blue & beige pinstripe fabric!

...as always, more later!

Weekend Update

I had a good sewing weekend even though I STILL don't have any finished pieces!  *LOL*  But I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and these two garments will be finished soon.  First here is a hanging shot of the front of the shirt jacket (Butterick 5261) and another version of my TNT dress:

The dress was basically completed last weekend.  However, it still needs the hems finished.  I will get to that...well I guess so if I want to wear the outfit out of the house! 

Today, I worked on Butterick 5261 - the Connie Crawford Shirt Jacket.  And I have to tell you that I've forgotten how wonderful it is to work with a woman's size pattern...no pattern alterations...just choose your size, cut and sew.  Even the sleeve bicep measurements were perfectly fine.  I love that!

For this shirt jacket I used a very loud printed silk twill fabric from Fabric Mart. 

I've had this in my possession for months waiting for it to become Simplicity 2566 but when I pulled it out of the envelope, I JUST noticed that it's a pullover top and not a button front blouse. Seriously...I couldn't believe it.  So since I had this look in my head, I went with the Butterick version.

The first challenge was cutting the fabric out to maximize the print.  I had 4 yards of the fabric and I took my time to figure out where I wanted those large flowers to end up.  Since the back had a pleat detail, I thought one of them would look good there.  I also cut a piece of the collar using the center of the flower to go with the big flower on the back.

Then both sleeves (since they are raglan and pretty flowy) were also cut with the major portion of the sleeve showcasing a flower.  The fronts were cut with more of the beige area showing...I didn't want any bullseyes in the bosom area...and the bands were also cut out with a lot of the beige background showing.  I think I was successful in getting the placement of the fabric the way that I wanted it.

Otherwise the pattern goes together easily.  I did choose a size larger than I normally would because this blouse will have a matching sash that I will use as a tie belt.  I want to be able to blouson the blouse and have a full look to it so I sized up.  If I make this again, I will definitely make it a size or even 2 sizes smaller depending on the look I'm trying to achieve. 

There are still buttonholes to be made, and the shirt needs a hem & buttons need to be sewn on before its done.  I still have about 2 or 3 hours worth of work to have both pieces wearable but it was a good sewing weekend...at least I know that I will end up with some new garments in the closet this month and not have a repeat of last month!

...as always more later!

I can sew from this!

There have been no posts because I haven't been sewing...not to finish the beige wool crepe dress, nothing.  I haven't purchased any new patterns or fabric...and I haven't had anything to say!  Amazing right?!  However, that doesn't mean that I haven't been thinking about sewing...because I have...ALOT!

I've got quite a few ideas for dresses I want to make this spring and summer.  I'm keeping a list, adding in notes and trying to work out some design details.  Now all of this started because of one of the requirements for the SWAP:

1 will feature embroidery, beads or sashiko

I've been thinking on this and thinking on this...trying to come up with a piece that will work with my lifestyle as well as with the garments I've already created and I've got nuthin.  However, I do have a list of new techniques I want to incorporate into my spring/summer sewing but nuthin that will work in the SWAP.  And I'm feeling pressured...big time!  I don't create or sew well under pressure...so I've decided to make the last 3 tops and the final dress that I've planned and to let this go.  I'm pretty sad about it because I've never not completed a SWAP but it just feels like I'm blocked and can't move forward until I let this go...*sigh*  So you will see the final projects this month and then I'm moving on.  There is just so much that I want to sew! 

Anyway on Tuesday, March 23rd I blogged that I wouldn't purchase any more fabric until I went to PR weekend in Philly in May...and I haven't...so don't wait for any admissions! *LOL*  C'mon people it's only been two weeks!  I have a little more willpower than that! *LOL*  A little!!!! 

So this morning, I got up bright and early and pulled every piece of fabric out of that towering pile that I changed over last weekend.  Boy, did I discover some treasures.  There are lots of coordinates in that pile...pieces I put together last year to sew and never got a chance to get to...beautiful prints and florals in cottons, silks and linens...lovely suiting fabrics...and of course, a rainbow of color in linen...and I thought I can sew from this!

Quite a few of the ideas in my project journal can be made from the fabric from that pile...okay who am I lying too...ALL of the ideas in my project journal can be sewn from that pile! *smile*  Several of the projects I listed in my post, "A Few Things I Want For Spring" can be sewn from this pile, too.  So I've been dancing around the pile all morning with this big cheesy grin because once I've got these last few SWAP garments sewn...I will be able to create some amazing new garments from the fabric on-hand.

Yeah...I can sew from this!

The Great Fabric Changeover

I have this tree right outside my kitchen window that I can tell the seasons by...spring and it blooms beautiful white flowers before the leaves form...summer and its full of beautiful green leaves...fall and the leaves change to awesome shades of red, orange and yellow...and winter it's bare until snow falls and its branches glisten with the white stuff.

Spring has truly arrived because the tree has those amazing white flowers on it...and that means the changing of the fabric. 

Now my original plan for the weekend was to sew for Friday and Saturday, clean Saturday evening and cook Sunday afternoon for Easter Dinner.  That was my original plan!

What actually happened was...the warm weather coupled with the bright sunshine and then the cleaning bug hit and I spent a good part of the weekend doing spring cleaning.  Since I had accumulated several boxes and an enormous tub of fabric in the living room, I decided it was time to wrestle with the fabric closet and change from fall/winter to spring/summer fabric.

After reducing the piles in the living room and finding spots for them in the fabric closet, then moving an oversized bin of fabric from my bedroom into the fabric closet and moving another oversized bin of fabric into my bedroom, I had completed the great fabric changeover.  I'm glad that I only have to do this once a year...I'm glad that I only have to face the amount of fabric that I've jammed into my fabric closet a few times a year!  *LOL*

I did manage to find a little time to work on SWAP dress #3 and after my family leaves tonight, I will hem the lining and outer shell of the dress and it will be complete.  Again, I'm questioning if I will make the deadline...but we shall see!  Pictures of the finished dress will come later this week. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday (if you celebrate) filled with love, joy family and friends.

...more later!

The calm before the creative storm

It's late Thursday evening and I'm home until Monday...well I don't have to work until Monday that is!  And my heart is beating faster...I'm taking deep breathes and a calm has descended over me...because I know when I wake up tomorrow morning that I can sew.  That I can spend some time working on my new dress...

And I realize that my mojo is back...I'm creating garments in my mind in my downtime again.  I've come up with a great idea to dye a piece of cotton pique that I can't wait to try...and there are a few other ideas perculating.  That creative piece of me was missing during the month of March.  No matter how I tried to encourage myself to dream up new garments...it just wasn't happening.

I realized that today.  I also realized that I can't wait to sew!  So this is the calm before the creative storm...I can see it on the horizon...moving slowly...getting ready to overtake me and bring forth???  And I can't wait!

...more later!

Not One Piece!

Today is April 1st...and I can honestly say that I sewed nuthin, nada, zippo or as the title of the post says, not one piece during the month of March!  Now how did that happen?!  It's been over a year since I went an entire month without sewing and I couldn't tell you how it happened this time AT ALL.

However, I have some good news...as I said in the previous post my mojo showed up at 5pm on Sunday evening...in just enough time for me to cut out and start work on SWAP dress number 3.  And I have to tell you, I'm mighty worried about whether or not I'm going to be able to finish this SWAP!  I'm going to have to put the social life on hold to spend every weekend this month working it out! 

I still have 3 dresses and 3 tops to make.  I broke down and added a purchased sweater to the collection, for two reasons:  1.  I don't know if I can make 7 pieces this month...maybe if I had a week off but no such luck!  2.  It adds such a pop of color and helps transition the first pieces from winter to spring that it has to stay in the collection!  The rules say that I can buy a piece so I did.

The patterns and fabrics have been chosen for the dresses and tops...I'm a little leary of sharing them here because I don't want to jinx getting them finished.  Let's just say that if I work this out...you are going to be reading alot about SWAP this month!  *LOL*

I have Good Friday off so I will have 2 days to sew this weekend.  I'm hosting Easter Dinner again this year, so I'm not counting Sunday.  Hopefully, hopefully I can make this work!

Thanks to everyone who read the last post and shared a story...it is appreciated!  And as always...more later!