Jane is in the house! Well, sorta....

If you're wondering who Jane is, see previous post.
Well, I finished her.  No, I don't seem very excited, because I'm not.  I sewed for about 6 hours today. I tried her on and she's adorable, but it's just too much fabric on my body.  Here's the convo I had with hubby:

ME: (Modeling Jane) So what do you think?
HIM: (Looks at me more than a little weirdly) I dunno, what do you think?  (Which is code for "How stupid do you think I am")
M: I think it's way too much fabric, and makes me look like a barn
H: Yes, I agree. It makes you look pregnant.  It looks weird the way it comes off your boobs too.
M: Well, it's supposed to look that way, it's a babydoll waist (which may or may not be a real thing, but it's what popped in my head, and it's not like he knows the difference anyway)  Maybe I'll cut some of the sides off, so there isn't so much fabric.
H: Yea
M: Or maybe I'll just leave it as-is, and it will be a Sunday Artsy Dress. (He knows I sometimes like to dress weirdly when I'm in a creative mood.  Yes, more weirdly than I dress on any given day)
H: Hmmmm

So, I think I'll put a basting stitch where I think the new seam should be, and see how I like it before I cut anything off.  Perhaps I can alter it to where I look less like a barn in it, and more like...I dunno...a storage shed?
But there are some things about it I'm really pleased with! Like the way I was able to line up all the seams perfectly!  No, that doesn't happen for me all the time.  No, it doesn't bother me when it doesn't happen, but when it does, fuck yeah!!

Since there's a ton of fabric in her, there was a ton of gathers.  They aren't perfect, but I'm pretty pleased with the way they turned out:

And isn't that fabric too cute?!?  Ok, I'm outta here, I have seams and decisions to make.  

Lately I've been in a sewing frenzy, and part of the reason for that is, I've discovered Tina Givens.  I know, I'm late to the party.  Actually, I've known about her clothing for a while, but I didn't know she offered patterns of her clothing until recently, and I found that she offers a few free patterns for download on her website, www.sewtinagivens.com (I downloaded the free Bloom dress pattern, more on that one later).  I'd seen her Jane dress on Pinterest, and fell in love, but couldn't find it on her site.  Then I read that she retires patterns after they've been out for a while, so I assume Jane was retired.  But I wasn't ready to give up....so I hopped onto Ebay, entered it into search, and there was Jane!! The seller offered free shipping with a $50 order, so I asked my hubby if he would get some patterns for me for my upcoming birthday, so I got 3: Jane, Zelda, and Leola.

They're different from any other patterns I've ever used.  When I downloaded the free pattern, it printed out on 20 pages, and I had to assemble it like a puzzle and tape it together.  I wasn't expecting to have to do that with the patterns I ordered, so I was surprised when I had to cut out the various pieces and tape the pattern together.

Another difference is the way the fabric is folded before the pattern pieces are lain out on it.  The instructions were to fold it lengthwise first, then fold the width too.  This gives you 4 layers of fabric to cut at once, and once the bodice is cut, it's all one piece.  This is the instructions for Jane, and I can't speak for how the other two patterns are because I haven't cut either of them yet. Thank goodness a girlfriend was here with me when I was cutting, or I don't think I'd ever figured out how to cut the necklines!  We both were puzzled at the beginning, because in all our years of sewing we had never seen a pattern cut this way, but after it was cut, we both agreed it was ingenious; less cutting and less sewing!   So Jane is all cut out, and I'm going to spend the day tomorrow - Labor Day - sewing her together.  Here's a shot of my sewing room:

It's messy, but I love it! Hope you have a great Labor Day!

Nashville

This May I traveled to Nashville, TN, and today I'm sharing pics taken from my visit to Antique Archaeology.

Around the garden

oh, Mary

The Journey
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.


Mary Oliver

my my my

I know I've got to be in the top 5 of all time worst bloggers.  I see there's still some readers popping in from time to time - thank you!  So much happens every week that I would like to share and I have so many ideas for posts but alas, they never seem to make it here.  Here is just a quick rundown of what's happened thus far in 2011, and the very end of 2010.  I love being able to look back at old posts and be reminded of things...I guess that's the main reason I keep doing this, that and the fact that I love the idea of connecting with others out in cyberspace.

*went to New Orleans over Christmas and visitied a couple of cool cemeteries.  Pics can be viewed on my facebook art page: http://www.facebook.com/theartofchandraT . And I would love it if you would **like** me!
*my sister stayed with me over new year's and we had a party.  Hung out with precious friends, sang Taylor Swift songs and loved every minute of it.
*on New Year's Day me and my best friend were reunited via phone, and picked right back up where we had left off over 2 years ago.  LOVE YOU GIRL!!!

*I'm spending lots of time with friends, so much so that my art making has suffered.  I'm just going with the flow though....no shows planned at all right now, think I'll just shoot for a couple in the fall maybe.  More focused on sewing than anything else, and having fun with that.  Been so inspired by this awesome woman .
*got a new serger, a new espresso maker, a new car
*went to TN in February to visit family and friends, some that go back from high school, which was OMG 26 years ago!  Too awesome for words. 
*Attended a chocolate festival while there with both my biological sister and soul sister.  Priceless! 
*Went to Vegas March 1st.  Took a Sally Jean class and learned how to make this:

*visited Red Rock Canyon.  pics will soon be posted on my FB page, and some are dressing up this post. 
*met a new friend who lives in Vegas and rocks! hi Tiffany!!!  speaking of new friends, I have met some awesome humans in the last few months.  LOVE that! 
*Scored some seriously cool skull bling at a shop at the Vegas airport.  Finding freaky shit excites me!

I gotta get off here and go get my sew on.
Peace and love ya'll!!

just for me

I came upon this Mary Oliver poem online and it soothed my soul.  I wanted to keep it someplace where I could find it easily, quickly.  And if it soothes someone else's soul, all the better.

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.