Monday "Nag-O-Rama" and GOALS!

Happy Monday and Post-Mother's-Day Recovery Week everybody!


First the good news:  Cathy and rival Svetlana have ironed out their differences and are planning a week's vacation together in Cancun!

Now the bad news: Cathy's purple dress did not win the Pattern Review vintage pattern challenge (I know, right?).   In fact, she came in fourth, or as I prefer to think of it, third among the losers.  So in a way she really did get the bronze...or maybe the brass.

Please visit the Pattern Review Contest Gallery and leave nice comments for all the winners and don't cry for me, Argentina.  It was an honor just to be nominated!

But enough graciousness.  Let's get to our Monday morning ritual, shall we?  First, though, I must share some flea market finds with you. 

Look at this lovely lobby card I picked up for just $1!  It's from "Lady in the Dark," one of my favorite glamour-centric -- albeit tedious -- old movies (click to supersize).

Here's another, "City Without Men" (can you imagine?) starring lovely Linda Darnell.  Don't you want that suit?

 And then there's these:

Every girl should have a pair of opera-length gloves in lilac (and if you can find some matching beads, even better) and now Cathy actually does! 

What does this have to do with sewing, you ask?  Well, if you've ever visited my Picasa New Fabric folder -- and I imagine you whiling away many an hour perusing my pics -- you may remember this:



Now, picture that fabric sewn up as this little circa 1953 dress-and-matching-jacket pictured on the right?  (Yes, I bought another pattern.)

Couldn't you just DIE?  But enough!

Here is my brief week in review:

1) I finished the 1948 rose dress and Cathy braved last week's heat and humidity (today it's 43 degrees!) to model it for me.  There was a bit of conflict over choice of belts, but you guys helped me through it.  Thanks again.

2)  I stitched up a little tank top for myself with some striped knit I'd purchased earlier in the week.  I think I've decided once and for all: knits are boring.

3) I found a Singer 66 in the trash and have decided to re-purpose it into a lovely pendant.  Note to self: don't wear while swimming.

And now...the week to come:

1) I need to clean up my sewing table area(s), something I haven't done in months.  Ever since I got my 15-91, I've been sewing with it on a small table in the living room where there's more light and where I always set up the ironing table and do my cutting.   You may have noticed from the gloves photo we have a new (to us) rug, so I really want to re-think where I sew and what works best for both me and everybody else who lives here.

Sadly I don't have a designated sewing room like reader Lynne, whose fabulous sewing space was actually featured in Studios Magazine and that's no joke.  Let's all be happy for Lynne, shall we?  (Try a little harder, kids, I'm not feeling the love.)   Congratulations, Lynne....I mean, er,  "Congratulations, Lynne!"

2) I have to choose my next project.  I have about five yards of cadet blue cotton twill I thought about making into a suit for myself, but every day it's either much too warm to wear a cotton twill suit or too cold.  Rest assured, I'll let you know as soon as I decide.  And hadn't I said something about shorts....?

3) I'm still working through my remnants stash -- not as quickly or as well as Lynne would, of course, but then again, I'm not featured in Studios Magazine, am I? 

I think that's it for now, peeps, since drinking more coffee doesn't really count as a goal -- yet.

And now on to you:

First, congratulations to Stacy, who successfully completed her red linen-blend skirt.  Why she's hugging that wine bottle so close is anybody's guess.  Looks delicious! 

Now how about all the rest of you Type A's?

Sophie Miriam: Tell us about the prom dress -- and the prom!  Daiyami: Did you make your half-circle skirt?  Kerry: Did you find the vintage machine of your dreams?  Jane W.: Did you photograph your Barcelona skirt?  What IS a Barcelona skirt, btw?  Lorenakitty: What are you making with your black and silver linen?  Jenny: Did you make your brown knit top?  Livebird: Vogue 8184 -- update us please.

I'd hassle you more but I'm tired after Mother's Day Sunday so consider yourself fortunate.  We had delicious lamb chops, in case you're wondering, and asparagus.

So let's get right to it.  Polish up your presser feet and start treadling!

Have a great day, everybody!