SEWING, BOOKS AND PUPPY---WHAT A TRIO!

That's how I've spent my time since the last post...

This vest is Sandra Betzina's new pattern, Vogue 1510 and the fabric, which is a wool mix with shiny dots woven in it, is one from several seasons back via Marcy Tilton.

I love this fabric...but it didn't behave very well, so I learned a new-to-me technique from a tutorial written by Bunny at La Sewista, flatlining with seam finish.

It involves sewing a layer of fabric, in this case silk organza, to each pattern piece before any sewing takes place. The resulting double fabric is treated as one piece, so the unsightly parts of the interior are masked, and the hems are
encased in Hong Kong seams. It took a lot of time, but the results were worth it!

I made another iteration of the PaperCut Rise and Fall Turtleneck, using a lightweight Ponte knit, also from Marcy Tilton. Unlike my previous attempts,
the collar on this was "upright and uptight", so I removed it and recut it.

I really like this fabric, which Marcy called "Black Marble".

And here I am with Teddy, who is growing up fast! He had his final puppy shot this week, so he is safe to go "out in the world", he got microchipped, AND
he and I are signed up for 6 weeks of puppy school. We both need it!

 Here he is in the kitchen last night, trying very hard to trip Dave and me up!

And the books...The Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead...I had a little trouble getting into this, but I persevered and am glad I did. Quite an insight into slavery and the attempts to end it, and very well written.

A Man Called Ove, by Fredrick Backman. Enjoyable and quite a good character study of a difficult man.

And I just started listening to Louise Penny's new book A Great Reckoning, another chapter in the life of Three Pines and Armand Gamache. I haven't tired of this series yet.

These 3 books were on Audible, which I listen to in my studio. As far as my Kindle books go, I have discovered a new mystery series by Inger Ash Wolfe which features a 63-year-old female D.I. in Port Dundas, in a Canadian county. I'm on #2 and enjoying it.

There are 7 ½ weeks till the Tilton Paris Trip. I THINK my travel wardrobe is in
good shape, except for a pair of pants I will sew in a couple of weeks. We shall see!

Other than enjoying the amazing fruits and vegetables available right now, I haven't spent much time in the kitchen. Except for this...

I adore fresh figs, and the season is so short...these are Roasted Mission Figs with Blue Cheese and Honey. AH...so delicious!

My 5-year blogging anniversary is coming up next week...first post! And, as long as I'm looking at stats (which I don't do very often), I hit over-a-million page views a little while ago!

I'm headed over to the party at Patti's Visible Monday...come join us!

TTYL

ADDITIONS TO MY FALL WARDROBE...

Despite being temporarily slowed down by a traveling cold, I've been productive in the studio and online, adding to my fall wardrobe.

In an interesting and mostly successful trifecta, I combined V8929, V1034 (OOP) and my custom pant pattern by Lynda Maynard, and made a pair of jeans in a beautiful red/black denim from Silhouette Patterns.

I need to change the waistband to a contoured one and take a few tucks in the back leg, but I'm pretty pleased with them. I am pairing then here with a TNT
B5954, a tunic in a pretty paisley in red, gray and black from Fabric.com.

I made the same tunic (can you tell I like it?) in a cozy sweater knit with polkadots from Marcy Tilton, this time without the cowl collar and with a contrasting neck binding.

Paddywack approves...AND matches!

I couldn't resist a long sweater jacket from Orvis in a black and gray houndstooth...

And, a fun, funky short pullover taffeta vest with a wire collar from Sun Kim,
a division of Comfy.

So, that's what I've been up to! I'm off to Artistry in Fashion next weekend, to

see old friends and meet up with new ones, and, just maybe, do a little shopping...

TTYL

GRAY PANTS

I managed to plug up one hole in my wardrobe...I needed a pair of gray pants and couldn't find the right shade in RTW...so I dived into my stash and came up with the PERFECT fabric (that's what stashes are for, aren't they?). It's a wonderful cotton/poly fabric that I got from Marcy Tilton um....FOUR years ago...a perfect age for a fabric!

The black stripe made it exactly what was needed. I used my TNT Lynda Maynard pattern and whipped these babies up in two hours.

So I'm finished with sewing for the trip (famous last words) and now I will concentrate on the wardrobe plan...it's almost done, and I'll probably post it

later today...

Till then...

STRIPES, DOTS AND FLORALS!

Yes, I said FLORALS... I decided to join the trend of floral pants before it
passed me by. I couldn't find any apparel fabrics I liked, so I jumped over to home dec sites and found what I wanted at Online Fabric Store. 

I used my trusty Lynda Maynard pattern, making them ankle length.

I was afraid they might be a little too splashy, but I think I like them and they

feel very summery.

The stripes are in a pair of pants designed by Marcy Tilton, V8929, and the fabric is also from her.

 The fabric is a real workhorse, a black/gray/silver stretch cotton and the seaming on the pattern is very interesting.

The dots are left over from my V1385 jacket; I was intrigued with Shams' 
Print Block Tee on Communing with Fabric, so I rummaged in my scrap pile
and made this (V9004)

This fabric is a jacquard, so both sides are usable. I didn't have enough for the sleeves and back, so I used a black crepe and lengthened the sleeves.

Excuse the headless shots...

In other news, I celebrated a birthday with 3 very dear, very long-time friends

and had visits from a daughter, teen-aged granddaughter and her friend. Also a niece stopped by on her way to pick up her son after his first year at UCSB...(University of California at Santa Barbara). Our guest house has seen a lot of traffic lately!

At some point, we were visited by the resident skunk family, who stopped by for

a bite to eat...we DO live in the country, and they ARE black and white...

I hope your summer is proceeding with joy...

Catch me on Visible Monday, where Patti makes sure we have a place to be visible!

TTYL

PEEPS!

A little beyond the cute, fuzzy baby chicks  which they were 2 weeks ago; but I love the teenage phase they are going through right now..."surfer dudes", we call them...this one enjoyed his first time outside in the sunshine today!

DD and DSIL are up for the holiday weekend...I thought Maggie might step in to take photos (she is a fabulous photographer, among her many talents) but she had a run-in with a mandoline this afternoon, and she lost...:(

Here we are during the photoshoot

I am showing my most recent sewing project, a pair of my Lynda Maynard pants 
in a wonderful cotton/linen blend from my new source, Smuggler's Daughter;
it's off-white with a fabulous "ink spatter" pattern from Milly.

We are feasting on grilled, butterflied leg of lamb (scallops for pescaterian DD),
roasted red potatoes, asparagus, and wine (and CHAMPAGNE!)

An endless sink full of dishes to be done...

I'm checking in over at Not Dead Yet Style where Patti is once again hosting

Visible Monday...

I hope your holiday or Sunday has been wonderful!

TTYL...

OH, DEERE! ™

OUR biggest news in the last few weeks, is that we replaced THIS

with THIS:

Our old Honda ATC, seen in this post, was more than 30 years old, and dangerous to drive. Our cute little John Deere Gator CX will be much safer, not to mention HOW CUTE IT IS!!!!

Here I am in my latest pair of Lynda Maynard pants, in that lovely windowpane check fabric...(which I am aware you can't SEE)...

Also wearing my new United Nude black and white sandals...

 The shoes are darling, but what I REALLY like is the writing on the box:

In my fashion wanderings on the web, I found this picture a few weeks ago:

and thought it was pretty, albeit a little bland (for me, that is). I ordered the lace top from Nordstrom and made pants and a tank top to go with it. The first

tank I made was from the same fabric as the pants (high-tech matte hybrid in

cream) from Emma One Sock, but it needed a little zing, so I made a 

Kwik Sew 3462 in black Parisian Microfiber Knit from Marcy Tilton and liked it

a lot better.

My many wisteria vines are in full, fragrant bloom, and the roses are beginning to pop...

 it's time to welcome spring, although we never really had a winter.

You'll find me (and my Gator) over at Patti's Visible Mondays a little later

today...

TTYL....