This morning I woke up with a song in my head. The last time that happened was back when I lived in my studio apartment in Davis. Maybe the day after my qualifying exams? It is somewhere in the archives. I tried to find it, but to no avail.

Last night I thought I was going to have a hard time falling asleep. Mostly because when my head hits the pillow I begin thinking. Mostly about clothing patterns and measurements. Sometimes about savings and financial goals. And last night wasn’t looking any different.

I started thinking about the top I had made and how the neck was absolutely TOO big and what I could have done differently to make it fit better. (Look, I know that more terrible things keep other people up at night. And trust me, when I thought I was going to lose my paycheck – I worried about all kinds of scary things. I am glad for what keeps me awake these nights.) But then, for the first time in a very very long time, I meditated.

Was it Eat Pray Love that is bringing me to this? Probably. Does it embarrass me that it has taken a book to get me back into the spirit? Maybe it should, but it doesn’t.

Do I wish I could do it more often? ABSOLUTELY. And I plan on it.

I would like to make the following:

A hexagon quilt. Perhaps queen-sized, though I have never made a hex quilt before and think that a queen-sized one is a little ambitious. But with a tutorial on how to machine stitch, maybe it won’t be so bad? Eh? (current status: some fabric has been purchased. Batting purchased. Hexagon templates made.)

Repurpose the bunting from the wedding and try to sell it on Etsy. This should be an easy project. I just have to find some sort of binding to sew along the top of the flags. (status: triangles made. Now to find binding. Sew together. Post.)

Jewelry Organizer for my bathroom. Something like this, involving embroidery hoops… but with corkboard fitted in the smaller hoop so that I can stick my pins up, use straight pins to hang my necklaces and rings, and some ribbons to put up my earrings. (status: all supplies are purchased. Just assembly needed.)

My mom just sent me an article about how different people like to organize. For a long time I thought I was disorganized because I like to see my stuff and consequently, my house always looks cluttered. Turns out that if I can make my things look nice while they are sitting out, and I can find everything, technically I am organized.

Now I just need to hang up our sunglass containers by our front door and we will be ready to rock.

Oh… and here are the clothing projects… probably the most ambitious of the bunch and I will not get them all done this summer, but the tank top is the first on the list. The first four are Citronille patterns (SWOON!) and the last two are Amy Butler (double SWOON). I have actually made the Lotus AB pattern, but have lost the dress in my last move… so sad. I know.

I just had the overwhelming urge to go home and make this purse. Although this is going to need more pockets. And quite possibly a longer strap because I am an “across the body” purse wearer.

I bought some lovely fabric while in Guerneville a few months ago. Its original destiny was a skirt, but I think it has found a new fate.

On a side note: Blogging from work sucks. Because if I had been home right now, I would have been able to take a picture of said fabric and then promptly started on the project.

It is that time of year again. Time for all things oveny warm and delicious.

I think this week’s project is going to be “Pie in a Jar”

Maybe there will be some fruity fillings… but I am hankerin’ for some chicken pot pie and I can’t think of a more convenient way to make it than in a glass jar so I can just pack it up and bring it to work.

So as I mentioned a while back, I am working my way up to resizing a pattern in a foreign language. My steps to achieve this goal are:

1. Resize a pattern written in English. Which I have done. The pattern I picked for this process was ideal. It was a total fluke that I picked out such an appropriate pattern. But you know what, this explanation needs a post of its own with graphics. So let’s just say that my first goal is under my belt.

2. Understand fitting techniques. Because this first pattern was mostly easy to resize, I wanted to do a little more research on fitting. Not just because I am going to try and make a garment several sizes bigger than the original pattern, but most of the garments in both of the Japanese pattern books are not fitted. They are very loosey goosey. Which looks great on small, thin women but not on me.

3. Make sure I have enough research under my belt. This was a lot of internet searching, whereby I found a few blogs that I now frequent. By far, the best information I have found on sewing Japanese patterns was at Label-free.

I also checked out a couple of books from the library:

Let me tell you something about this these books. I like them both. However, the author of the first book “Sewing for Plus Sizes” left strange, accosting comments to anyone who gave her book less than a three star review on Amazon. And that is just inappropriate and unprofessional behavior. People are entitled to having their opinion. Which makes me lean towards buying the other book for a reference.

So I have completed two out of three tasks. I might have even traced out a dress pattern from one of the Japanese pattern books, but you don’t know.

So… here it is… It isn’t perfect. I think the next time I would cut the back pieces so that there was an angle to make up for the dart I ended putting in by the neckline.

But I am glad that I tried it. I don’t know if I will ever wear it.

I made some modifications to the pattern besides the size. First, I did not make a liner. I just didn’t have the fabric handy to do it. Also, I didn’t put in a zipper because I can pull it on and off over my head, so why go through all of the trouble?

**Update: I fixed the back of the garment by placing two darts at the neckline. I am thinking about opening the armcyces just a small amount for a little more comfort, but all and all, I love this little tunic and have been wearing it about once a week.