Summer Sewing

One of my goals for this summer is to sew as much as possible. And since I am a terrible procrastinator, this hasn’t happened very much. I did, however, get a pair of shorts sewn.

First showing project in a long time. I feel so 50’s when I wear these!

Well, shorts are practical for about 3 months in Wisconsin.
I was out shopping with my mom and grandma when I had a whim to go to the fabric store. Lucky me found out that there was a sale on Simplicity Patterns. $1 each! So, knowing that a vintage reproduction pattern that I have been coveting is a Simplicity pattern, I snapped it up. Along with two other vintage reproduction patterns.

The three patterns that I picked up. The top two are 1940’s style, the bottom is 1960’s.

I’ve been working on the top pattern’s shirt for the past couple weeks. I’m not very good at sitting down and doing it all in one or two days. I figured this is OK, because it’s a 3/4 length sleeve that I won’t be wearing until this fall.

A better photo of the pattern I’m currently making. The fabric that I picked out is an embroidered batik, and it makes me feel like a fortune teller.

I’m actually really excited to learn how to do a lot more sewing techniques. So far with this blouse I have hand-stitched the neckline. I used to be horrible at hand stitching, so I avoided it as much as I could. I realize I do need to know how to hand stitch, and the only way I’m going to become better at it is by practicing.

I’m also becoming a fan of darts. I worked with them in the shorts I made last month, and now I’ve put in eight darts (all in the sleeves) for the blouse.

I think my next project will be a skirt. The other 1940’s pattern has a skirt that has a darling waistband that is scalloped. Hopefully by the time I finish the skirt, I’ll be ready to make some Katherine Hepburn-style trousers.

Summer Days

Now that summer may actually be in full swing for most people, I’d like to talk a little about my goals for this summer. I’m excited for this summer. Once I’m done with the mass media ethics class I’m taking I’m hoping on volunteering more at the local museum, where I mostly volunteer as a soda jerk. It’s lots of fun, but on slow days I have to make sure that I bring something to read or write.

Besides my class and my volunteer job, I have a lot planned that I want to do this summer. Should we start with my reading goals?

Here’s four books off of my reading list. I’ve managed to make it through two other books. Lots to go!

My big reading list book is Ulysses. I’ve read a lot of James Joyce’s short stories, but only read the first two pages of Ulysses before this. I think I may have grown into this book now, as opposed to when I was 17. Have any of you read Ulysses? What did you think?

I have a lot of mysteries on my reading list this summer. It’s one of my favorite genre of books. Elizabeth Peters and her Amelia Peabody series are great.

And then I have my sewing projects. I’m currently working on a pair of short. The pattern is from the 1970s, but I think they have a 1950s style to them.

The shorts pattern cover and fabric. I think this print is just great. Who else has shorts like that?

I’m currently just basting together the patterned fabric and the lining, but I’m hoping that this weekend I’ll be able to work some more on them.

My other sewing projects include a lovely 1952 blouse that I got at our gigantic antique store in Eau Claire. It looks simple enough to make, so I might be doing that once I get my shorts finished. I also have a 1912 themed party that I’ll be attending in late July, and even though I have a 1912 dinner dress that my mom made me a long time ago, I want sew up something for that party.

A mood board of what I’m thinking of sewing for a 1912 themed murder mystery party. 1 and 2 from OMG That Dress, 3 from Mothic Flights and Flutterings

I’m partial to the Irene Castle dress. It may be the fact that it looks so much more cooler and comfortable than the other two. I’m not sure if my friend has air conditioning at his house, so it might be in my best interest to go with something with not sleeves to stay cool. My guess is deciding on a costume will be a lot easier once I get my character.

I’m working as much as possible on my writing this summer.

And finally, there’s writing. I’m currently working on what is supposed to be my historical mystery novel. It’s chugging along better than I had planned, which makes me happy. Other than this, I do want to do some family research and interview my grandpa and grandma. I think a written family history would be great, especially with the stories that my grandparents tell. I also have a couple ideas for scripts floating around, so I might have to do some outlining of those this summer.

I’m excited for the rest of this summer, and even though I’d love to be back at UW-Eau Claire, I don’t want July and August to  go by too fast.

Keeping Creative

My mom once told me that she likes to do something creative once a day. I’ve been trying to follow that advice.

Some days it’s easier than others. I’m sort of glad that I have a major (well, mix of majors) that allow me to think creatively. I suppose you think that journalism doesn’t sound like a very creative thing to go into, but it is. I’m also involved in classes and clubs at school that help me stay creative.

But right now I feel like I’m not keeping that creative vibe. I have a studio photography assignment, and I have ideas, but I just can execute them. Or I don’t know if I can. And I haven’t been writing lately. That makes me sad.

This is my little jar for misc. sewing supplies. The little dress on the hanger is a key chain Anne made for me.

Writing is one thing that I really care about being creative about. It’s what I want to do with my life, and when I go for more than a few days without writing anything creative I go a little crazy. At least I have somethings that help me to stay sane on the creative side. I talked before about how I like to do fashion drawings. And obviously photography. I like to be creative with sewing.

I don’t sew very much (I blame the time I don’t ever seem to have), but when I do I like thinking up what colors to use for fabric, and then what trim to use. It’s fun.

Water color painting.

Finally, although I’m not very good at it, I really like water color painting. I mostly paint flowers (because they are easy).

Source: beingbrazen.com via saltykisses

I first found this 33 ways to stay creative last summer, and recently re-found. How do you keep creative?