Sewing errands, PJ set 3

 Well I had my sewing errand afternoon. What fun. (No actual sewing, yet, though!).

But first, I was just about to get out of the car at one stop, and there was a podcast on the radio about motivation. Something an expert said, which I think is how I get to my sewing machine!

Procrastination is not solved by 'motivation'. Basically the 6-year old you just takes over and says 'I don't feel like getting started'. So the solution is to list the tiniest of tasks, and the resulting activity is motivating to get you to the next step and builds momentum. In his example it was 'Fire up the laptop, and create a word document' (they were talking about writing an essay.) And I have noticed that if I articulate at the next small sewing task, then I amlikely to do it. I can decide after that if I want to do another task, or if I am done!

But back to my errands:

I went to pick up my two patterns at the print shop (Jalie t-shirt and Brownie tunic-dress-jumper); surprisingly bon marché (it is a pleasant surprise each time I go to this printer!) I then drove my Juki to the repair guy. He basically said 'adjust the pressure on your foot' ( 😏), and he does not think adjustable pressure is a useful feature! I was about to take it home, and he asked how the trimmer was working (fixing a jam was what led to my problems), and I remembered - oh yeah, that problem. So I left it for a tune-up.

Then I stopped at the upscale fabric shop nearby. I was looking for plaid wool suiting for my Brownie dress, and I knew they carry some. WOW. The first one I decided I wanted was a wool/cashmere blend, from Italy.  $159 a metre . I took a pass, but boy was it soft, and gorgeous. All the suitings were pricey, so I decided to think about options. I did buy some bamboo jersey, small scattered red polka dots on black, for a t-shirt. But this was not cheap, either.

I stopped at the nearby big box fabric shop, which was having big sales (I know that Black Friday sales are natural to the American friends, but it still boggles my mind for here in  Canada). I found a nice feeling brushed cotton plaid onsale for $10 metre, which I decided would do for this tunic, for now. If I LOVE it I can go upscale later (I actually have some wool bookmarked at on online store for a somewhat reasonable price). And I got bargain basement cotton jersey to make one of the t-shirts as well. 

Almost got into fisty-cuffs with a male sewist over the plaid. I had lain (?) (laid?)  ... placed the bolt on the counter, and he tried reaching for it, asking if I intended to buy that. Yes indeed... he was disappointed because he had looked at it and decided to think about it, and left it on the shelf! I suggested I might buy the whole bolt and sell it back to him at a profit in the parking lot! 😂

  In any case there was just enough for both of us. 

I don't generally buy fabric on spec, so my stash is very limited. However, my stash does grow because I plan projects and buy fabric for that, way before I have time to work on it!

I am not sure when I will get to these projects... hopefully soon!

(I wrote the above Friday afternoon, but decided to postpone posting until I finished PJ short set #3 - Just more of the same, really!)

Next plan is to cut out set number four, this week-end. Crimson.

Clearly there is too much colour saturation when the floor gets included. 

See below for a truer colour, as well as some inside details (bias bound hem, and Hong Kong bound centre back seam!

It is funny how long this took to make, all told. I worked an hour and a half last night on some 'final touches.' Making sure the cuffs were secured (hand basting) so that when I topstitched, or stitched in the ditch it caught the entire cuff properly.

Anyway, I must remember the value of handbasting for future reference!