I Left My Heart at Jonathan Embroidery + Mood Outfit Reject Pics

I was all set to use this pic in yesterday's Mood post until I noticed the placement of my left hand -- and it's a good thing I did.  Men!

Here are a few more pics from yesterday's shoot.  We take literally hundreds over approximately 20 minutes, hoping to get a good dozen or so.  The camera's set to multiple pic mode so it just shoots and shoots and shoots.

This was a pretty shot but not particularly flattering as I look like a cardboard cutout.



This one revealed not enough outfit and too much of my mood toward my photographer.



We shot these before 8 am.  As you can see below, my eyelids don't really wake up before 11.



Too caffeinated...



Too twisty.



I had a lot of good back shots but I went with others.



This shot was simply too narrow and couldn't be widened without cutting off feet or head but I do look super-tall, am I right?



For those of you losing sleep over my arguably too-short pants length, these were just tacked up for the photo shoot; I won't finish the job till I wash and dry the pants at least once more.  But really, when you're my height (5'7"), it's better to err on the side of slightly too short.  And sometimes the difference is that I just hoisted my pants up while tucking in my shirt and 30 seconds later they'll hang lower.

Now for a confession about my buttonholes: I had them done at Jonathan Embroidery.  Once you've experienced the Jonathan Embroidery lifestyle, friends, it's hard to go back.  I'm fine with using my various Singer buttonhole attachments for cotton shirts; they do a fabulous job. But for thick or stiffly interfaced fabrics (like the button placket on my jacket), I really didn't want to take any chances.  So for $1 per hole, I had "Jonathan's Angels" do it.  It was worth it not to have to deal with the stress.

Not that going to Jonathan's is entirely stress-free.  These ladies are cutting holes in your priceless handiwork; it's like watching someone operate on your child.  I had to force myself to walk away, all the while telling myself they know what they're doing.  Every time I've gone there, the person who helped me has been extremely patient and, if she had any questions or concerns, asked me.  Like I'd decided at the last minute that I wanted the waistband buttonhole to be horizontal to give the area (and my stomach) a bit more room to expand.  So we discussed where the hole would have to go so that the button would end up at the correct distance from the one above.  They do this all day so they really are experts.  I've never done more than mark with chalk (faded by the time I get there) or a pin and it has always been enough for them.  I do come knowing exactly how the buttons need to be spaced and, of course, bring a sample button.

Without my even requesting it, the woman who helped me knew that the buttonholes should be reinforced with something akin to buttonhole twist.  If you look at the thread, you can see that there are two different kinds being used, one thinner and one thicker.





What's interesting is that the underside of the buttonhole (see below) looks like the ones I make at home: zigzagged.



The outer side looks raised, I guess to resemble a hand-sewn buttonhole. 



I picked grayish buttons to match the topstitching thread.  Somebody had suggested pewter buttons but I couldn't find anything in metal I liked.  These fit the bill and are sort of pewter-colored; I'm not one to agonize over my button choices, I just go with my gut and get out of there.



And that's it!

Here are Freddy and Willy having a stare-down contest.  Willy lies in the crate Freddy usually chooses and then Freddy just stands outside and stares at him to get him to move.  Willy pretends he doesn't notice and looks off into the distance until Freddy gives up.  This can go one for a very long time.



Freddy also has a thing about bedding down in my fabric stash.



Dogs is weird!

Have a great day, everybody!