Musings

I have been missing in action for a couple of weeks. My sewing is going so slowly that there is nothing much to report. And added to that I have accelerated my search for a new machine.  Additionally, if I have no photos it seems less motivating for readers. 

JEANS:  Not thrilled with the progress, but have the front and back sewn (Actaully, I need to check if they are sewn or merely basted?!) The back of thighs is looking a bit baggier than the wearable muslin 😞. And then today I sewed up the belt loop piece: serged one side, trimmed it,
folded it in three, but for whatever misguided reason, did not match the serged end quite to the other edge (maybe I did not want it to peak out?). Then I topstitched it. The top looks great. Finally.

The underside - well not so great. Some of the stitches are loose, and I missed the serged edge in spots. So will probably just do a regular blue thread stitch down the centre to hold it in place; I don't suppose it will be visible, and the way things are looking, am not sure it will matter! (I showed the jeans in progress to Montreal daughter who was here for a quick visit, and upon seeing the back pockets she snickered upon noticing the uneven stitching of my logo...

PJ BOTTOMS: After having offered the remaining length of Jewel coloured linen gauze to live-at-home daughter for several differnt possible outfits and been refused, I have decided to make PJ bottoms with them to replace some much loved, but disintegrating PJ bottoms. I am using the Carolyn pattern from Closet Core (borrowed from a friend). Do I feel guilty when borrowing a pattern, especially from a small company? Yes, I do. I have not done this very often, and plan to buy other patterns from CC to make up for it. (Their new lingerie patterns look pretty). However, these pattern instructions are a MESS! For starters: View A and B are mislabled. So, for example, it says 'cut here for view A' when in fact it should be vice versa... imagine the problems that will create.

In any case, I traced and cut out the pattern yesterday. I am using the PJ bottoms that I am replacing to do the front pockets, and the bias piping (flat piping). This way it might coordinate with the PJ top which is still in good shape, because they are not an obvious match colour-wise! I see that the photo makes the linen look just like the denim; future photos when complete will show off the colour better. (I will include the Kalle top in the same fabric for comparison.) 

SEWING MACHINE SEARCH : Well, I am not delighted with my 'new' vintage White. It is not doing what I really want it to do. It could be user error, but I have finally been convinced just to get a computerized machine. I test-tried one at the Quilt show a couple of weeks ago, did some reading on PR (Pattern Review), and some kind member pointed out a local kijiji ad for an individual re-selling their machine that is not usually sold locally. Will go and check it out, and hopefully will like it, and that it will suit me!

The most discouraging part of this is that I figure I bought the White with Covid brain (Full disclosure: I did not interact directly with the seller in person), and that I think I paid more than I would if I were not feeling so desparate about my jeans and topstitching. So now I am kind of stuck with it.

LAST WORDS FOR TODAY: I am really hoping to finish the PJ bottoms this weekend, so may get a post published again this week... Stay tuned.