I finished another quilt block for DD's quilt. I've got 2 more to do. They are both ready to be satin stitched, but I'm going to do some clothing sewing first.

Finally, the stash is logged. The inventory isn't complete because I want to set up a spreadsheet of the stash. I have a good sense of what's in the stash, like I have way too many batik shirtings and only a few linen pieces. However, when I last ordered linen, I ordered 2 different navys (one is pintucked linen and one is linen rayon), 2 different pinks (one is linen cotton, and one is linen rayon), and 2 different naturals (one is stretch linen and one is linen gauze). But I'm concerned that I'll buy more navy linen which I don't need to store until these are used.

We're having a garage sale next month, so I put 3 cuts of fabric in the pile to sell, along with old jeans and old sheet sets that I'm sure I had some ideas for when I stored them. All of my fabric is put away. I made swatch cards for everything. I have a couple of pieces still coming, but I'm pretty much out of fabric storage space. I promised myself and my husband that I wouldn't buy anymore fabric until I had room to store it.

Burda Plus Winter 2003 retro skirt

My zippers came in, and they seem to be of good quality. I didn't find any kinks in them. I moved the zipper to centerback from a side application. I'm using Sandra Betzina's invisible zipper method from Power Sewing

I had to go to the "Tri-Valley Mother of Twins Club" Spring Sale this morning. We buy most of the kids clothes here. It's all used clothing. I used to be able to find a lot of stuff for $1 an item, but prices seem to have gone up in the last 4 years. I still find some stuff, but $2 and $3 per item is more common.

Because of the sale, I had to miss the morning session with Sandra Betzina at the San Jose's ASG meeting. I was able to attend the afternoon session. After getting lossed in Sunnyvale, I made my way to the Los Altos site. Los Altos is pretty upscale; reminds me of my girlhood days in Piedmont. The meeting was held in the community center. I was about 2 minutes late, but they had left a seat for me up front. I love sitting in front. I'm myopic, so proximity is helpful if I'm going to get a clear picture even with my glasses. And it's easier to ask questions if you are in front.

The session was on pants. Sandra spent about an hour talking about pants contruction. Then came the fun part. She brought pants for 2 patterns: a trouser, Vogue 7027, and jeans, Vogue 7608. It was really cool to try on the pants and have Sandra tell you exactly what to alter to get them to fit right. Some alterations are easy to identify, like my front crotch length is very, very short, but some aren't. Fitting the inner thigh has always been difficult for me. And it was great to try on the pants. I'm between an F and G, and being an optimist, I would buy the DEF size pattern, but I couldn't get the Fs zipped, not even started. So while the Gs are too big, it's a better starting place.

I highly recommend attending a class with Sandra Betzina. She's a dynamic speaker, no droning, and she passes around samples for you to closely examine. She brings her clothes, so you can see different options for the patterns. And she's a fun person.

I finished logging the rayons. I was surprised to find that I really don't have that many rayon wovens (unlike the cotton wovens). I have several large cuts, so it was much quicker to catalog them. I was able to start on the silks. Imagine my chagrin when I found a woven cotton in with the silks. I haven't actually decided this, but I'm thinking that something has to go to make room for this cotton. We're having a garage sale in a few weeks. I haven't decided if I want to sell an ugly quilting cotton that I must have bought to make a quilt backing, a red cotton chamois, or both.

So far, I have logged polyester wovens, cotton wovens, knits, swimsuit fabrics, and bottomweight fabrics. Still to do are my silk fabrics, fleeces, felted fabrics, sweater knits, SWAP fabrics, and misc fabrics. Not included in the inventory are quilting cottons in cuts less than 1 yard and crazy quilt fabrics. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about them. It would make life easier to have swatch cards for this, too, but there are many, many small cuts of fabric. I ran out of index cards after doing 4 rayons, so the inventory is on hold until I get to the store.

I actually tossed out a 5 yard cut of fabric. It was a sheer rayon, stiff and scratchy, that had been printed to make scarves. It had a white line between each "scarf". I was going run a seam where the line was and use the yardage to make Simplicity 7227 view C (image to the right). However, either it or something else ran while I was washing it, and the fabric is stained with black marks all over it. Between the black marks and the extra sewing to get rid of the white line, I decided the fabric wasn't worth keeping or worth anything to anyone else.

I swam today, 700 meters.

Swam today: 700 m in 20 minutes. It's going to be a long road getting back into shape.

I decided to to take a fabric inventory. So far, I have logged over 200 yards of fabric. I think I'm about 1/3 of the way through my stash.

Another applique finished. I still have 3 more to do.

Yay! My serger is back home.

I worked on DD's quilt. I started this quilt in the summer of 2002. I've only got 3 more animal blocks to do. Then comes some piecing and the quilting and binding. A bed quilt is a big commitment.

WAH! The foot lift on my serger broke. WAH! It won't be ready until the 22nd. Almost 2 weeks!

Burda 8841 OOP?	I put the snaps in the shoulders. I don't think I like them for the dolls clothes. They seem very heavy. I decided to hem the 2 tshirts and shorts before serging the side seams. It's possible to coverstitch the hems after doing the side seams, but the opening is so small that it becomes difficult.
Burda Plus Spring 2003 430B - Straight Skirt	Traced and added 1 inch seam allowance. I plan on making it out of a stretch denim. Well, shoot, I don't have enough fabric.
McCall's 3085 OOP	Palazzo Pants out of grey silk
Kwik Sew 2743 OOP	Very easy, straight, pull on skirt out of grey silk. See my review.
New Look 6106, View B	I really like this top. See my review . I'll be making it out of silk knit, this time.

Burda Plus Spring 2004 pegged straight skirt for knit fabrics		I decided to make the skirt much larger than the pattern. I was afraid of it hugging my lumps and bumps. Next time, I will make it a bit smaller. See my review at http://www.patternreview.com.
Burda Plus Spring 2003 pants in stretch fabric		I like them! See my review at Pattern Review
KS 2565		I lowered the dart. It seems to fit perfectly.
Burda Plus Winter 2003 retro skirt		I ordered some invisible zippers from Sew True. The skirt is fully assembled, except for the waistband. I'm waiting on the zipper for the final fit.
Kwik Sew 3055		Finished. It's the same material as the pegged skirt and KS t-shirt. I shortened the arms a tad. See my review at pattern review
New Look 6959 OOP		Finished. It's too short for DD.
Burda 8841 OOP?		I forgot about these. I should finish them for the Stash Contest at Pattern Review.

Burda Plus Spring 2004 pegged straight skirt for knit fabrics	Burda Plus Spring 2003 pants in stretch fabric	KS 2565	Burda Plus Winter 2003 retro skirt
I serged the back seam. I have a 1 inch seam allowance, but I used 1/4 inch. I can always serge or sew it smaller. I don't want to baste because the pins left holes.	I finished fitting the pants pattern pieces and cut the pants.	I serged the second shoulder and readied the neckband for insertion.	Instead of working on the t-shirts, I started cutting this skirt.

After "talking" it over with Sherril, I have decided that the cotton/lycra knit is not suitable for the pants. I think I will make them out of a stretch gabardine that I have in the stash.

Burda Plus Spring 2004 pegged straight skirt for knit fabrics	Burda Plus Spring 2003 pants in stretch fabric	KS 2565	Kwik Sew 3055
I found the instructions in the Burda Plus magazine to be very confusing. I had to get out another skirt pattern with a back vent for the instructions. I was thinking the problem is that the pattern calls for a lining, and I'm not using one. However, I couldn't figure out to sew the back vent, and the lining doesn't come down that far.	I put away my knit and got out the stretch cotton gabardine. I pin fit the pattern. It's a good thing that I traced the 50 instead of the 48 because I had to let out the side seams 1 inch. The front crotch length is good for me, but I need to add to the back crotch length.	I serged a shoulder. I like to use clear elastic to stablize the shoulders.	Long sleeved t-shirt: I serged a shoulder. I like to use clear elastic to stablize the shoulders.
New Look 6959 OOP	Burda 8841 OOP?
The skirt is finished except for the hem. I waiting to thread the serger for coverstitch until I have a big pile that needs it.	2 t-shirts and 1 pair of shorts: I interfaced the shoulders. This pattern calls for snaps in the shoulders, and the knit needs something more substantial to support the snaps.