I'm broken, but I'll have a nice wardrobe!

One of the few things I can usually do when I am barely functional is sew. I can do it for a few hours a day and at least it stops my mind from spiraling out of control for a few hours.

This dress I finished before the downward spiral hit. The print of the fabric is nothing special and most don't care for it. However it is the softest nicest rayon knit I have ever owned. This was a designer fabric at Club Tissu I bought for myself as a birthday present. Originally $30 something per meter, got it 40% off. Still an expensive dress. But I LOVE how it feels.

These photos were taken by my friend Nina. Note, the lighting wasn't good and I didn't let her edit them. I don't care, I just want to showcase the sewing.

Simplicity 1804 with soft rayon knit

The others have been made since I have been hiding at home. The blue number is awesome. I have the same print on both a knit and a woven denim style fabric. I've used this print already on a number of items, but this dress just rocks. I suspect it will be a favourite camping.

This dress was started last summer. I finished it in hopes it would help bring spring. HA

McCalls M6074 with a summery rayon knit

This next one is a soft rayon woven, I've been heavily into knits but this fabric with it's purple and pinks, reminiscent of my garage....

NewLook 6121

This one I started months ago, reminds me of many of the dresses I had in the 60's.The front bodice and sleeves are made of a stretch sateen and the skirt and back are made from a cotton print.

Simplicity 3833

Then there's the faux snakeskin dress. Don't care much for the fabric or the print, but wanted to try out a pattern. I finished this one today and wore it to therapist appointment.

McCalls M6958

This nightshirt was made from a Butterick pattern I had back in the late 80's early 90's.

Flannel nightshirt .

And then it was 2

By Monday 3pm, I was alone with an old friend visiting from Ottawa, who stayed till Tuesday. We got to hang out. and talk and not do much of anything.

We had the mussel leftovers, it was just enough for a meal for two and as it turned out he hadn't sampled the mussels on Sunday.  I wanted to make French fries to accompany the mussels but it didn't happen.  There was enough mussels.

Still want to make fries with my brand new vegetable cutter, that cuts vegetables and small potatoes, and it julienne. I love juliennes.  I wonder if this would cut sweet potatoes, probably not. Maybe that's what I'm going to have for dinner tonight. French fries, cut with my brand new fry cutter.

Monday morning though I was up early and at Club Tissu in Laval so my eldest daughter could choose a sewing machine for herself. Went spent an hour or so there, she got lesson on the machine she liked and bought and that extended my membership by 3 months.  So she goes back to Halifax with a sewing machine. She may not yet get into making her own clothes, but she can use it for her crafts.

I baptized the new deep fryer

I tried my new deep fryer tonight, and while it works the same as my old one,  I manage to splash oil on my finger and now I have a nice blister.  So the deep fryer baptized me.

I also finished another dress on Sunday. I bought this fabric because I loved the print. Between the black and white and the spirals, and its handkerchief look, I love it. But however it was viscose. I generally don't like viscose and while some idiot in a fabric store argued that rayon and viscose was the same, I strongly disagree. I love wearing rayon but I didn't like how this fabric felt. I'm warm and sweaty and at the same time I am cold.  So this is the last viscose I buy.

Simplicity 1804 with a black viscose knit

Butterick 1804

The sewing bug bit me.

Butterick B5662

Now that I have a functional machine again, the sewing bug has hit me. I picked up today, along with sewing machine oil, some patterns. Today I only picked up historical patterns for costumes, but this is something I really enjoy.  I'm collecting costume patterns, especially of certain era's.

I picked up 2 Butterick historical patterns for corsets.  I've never made a corset but it might be fun trying.  There's so much work involved it sounds like a fun project, or maybe a project that never gets fully finished. But if I master this I know plenty of people who will want me to make them a corset.

Pyjama pants

Pattern I used.

For the first time in years I sewed for myself. I bought the pattern before my surgery over 10 years ago to make myself pants to wear around the house after surgery.  I bought the end of a roll of fabric on Thursday and it was 2 pieces, one of  80cm and the other of 30 cm. She sold it to me as 1m, and total with taxes it came to $6.

Meow pants

I knew it would make for short pants, but the pattern I picked up had pants with cuffs, and the pair I made goes to my ankles with the cuffs, which is fine for camping. You don't want long pants when the ground is dirty or wet :)

Good things come to those who wait

Patience they say is a virtue.  On August 10, 2012, I put an ad on Kijiji to look for a Pfaff Calanda 3000 sewing machine. To replace mine that my daughter's  dad gave me back in 1985, and which got broken back in 2006 or 2007.

Earlier this week I got a message on Kijiji from someone in Ste Anne de Bellevue, who has the machine. After 2 days where we did not connect finally tonight I was able to go to Ste Anne, and pick up the machine which works like a charm. 

I'm so thrilled. I can finally sew again... Yes!!!

Now time to take down my ad from Kijiji.

Minolta lenses for my Sony Alpha

Today I picked up 2 new lenses to use with my dSLR's. the first is a Minolta AF DT Zoom 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 and the second is a Minolta AF 50mm F 1.4.  He warned me not to be too disappointed with the 50mm @ 1.4, that there's not much depth of field at 1.4. So far I like it. It's a good portrait lens for low lighting. The other one is a practical lens for drive by shootings :)  That's when someone else drives and I just take photos.

I spent all of January on Kijji drooling over those lenses. I figured by the time I had the spare cash the lenses would no longer be available but this time it worked out. 

It sucks that my sewing machine was for sale on some website and I missed it. I hope someone finds my ad and I get a new old machine.  If you live in the Montreal area and have a Pfaff Calanda 3000 sewing machine leave me a message.