Ever Stop To Think?

That's a joke on a t-shirt--"Ever stop to think and find you can't get started again?" That's where I'm at this week. We were so busy last month, but after arriving back home I have been at loose ends and trying to tie things back together isn't working too well. I get up, have breakfast, do the shower, get dressed, and what? Maybe too many options-- I'm having trouble deciding what to do each day. Before, there were deadlines--all those wedding favors and welcome bags had to be put together, and the dresses had to be sewed. Now it is all a little vague, and I find myself diddling the day away. It seems too early to start on the Christmas list, although with the sultry days we have been having, going to the AC'd mall would not be a bad idea. I do need another dress for the wedding that we are attending in October (this is the year of weddings!). There are still dolls unfinished in their respective boxes waiting for heads and clothes, but none of that is calling to me. Maybe I just have to sit still and listen for that "still small voice", and just enjoy the drift for a bit. How many people have that luxury? Before I know it, it will be crazy again, and I won't have appreciated this quiet time. So--maybe a dvd and a few rows on the knitting....

Rochester Reunion

I confess I never think of our family as large, but now that they are all coming with spouses, and children, and significant others, it adds up to quite a few folk when we are all in one place, which I may add, doesn't happen more than a couple of times a year. The occasion was a happy one--a wedding. The bride and groom are true optimists, and had planned the whole thing for outside. The weather cleared up not too long before the festivities began, and we all enjoyed ourselves outdoors--rehearsal dinner right on the Erie Canal, complete with canal boats riding by, and dinner al fresco on the patio.

The main even was held in a beautiful garden, and the reception was also on a patio. The weather was just right--not too hot, not too cold, and was made extra special by all the out of town guests who were present. There were baskets of rose petals for the bride to tread on that did double duty as entertainment for the children after the ceremony. The dancing went on into the night, and when MyTreasure and myself finally decided to call it quits, it went on without us. Some of my "children" are pretty good dancers--something that we don't see at a family dinner. Maybe we should start adding that as an after dinner activity. On Sunday we were pretty tired, but still had two more parties ahead of us. By Monday, everyone had taken off, and I was happy to get into my car and not have to talk to anybody. Conversation can be tiring! Indeed, there was much catching up to do with cousins that we see infrequently, and it was wonderful to see them all well and happy. Thank heavens they are all willing to travel, because they make family gatherings extra special.

Congratulations, Rickybobbie! May your marriage be as wonderful as your wedding, and we wish you both the best in your new life together.

The Other Half Of My Week

Since I promised the bride a picture of my dress when it was finished, I thought I would just go ahead and put it here for the world to see. I confess, I like it fine, especially on the size 10 dress form. Unfortunately, I take up a bit more of the fabric, so that the skirt doesn't pleat as nicely as it does in the picture. But then again, that dummy is at least 8" shorter than me, so I suppose I am entitled to the extra girth. Also, the glitter doesn't come out in the picture--it sparkles very nicely, without being "in your face--look at all those sequins!"

The jewelry became an issue when I put on my lovely white gold and diamond pendant, and it hung down inside the neck of the dress. What's a gal to do? I located a long, long strand of pearls, and it wraps around my neck 6 times, so staying above the cowl front. Yes, yes, if you blow up the picture and count, it goes around DD's (dress dummy's) neck seven times. She's not a REAL person with a stickie-outie belly, and a generous derriere. She also has no bust. HA! Well, see you all at the wedding--I'll be the one dressed like DD.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation--Cont'd

I've been in the sewing room for the past few days, catching up with what needs to be finished for the big wedding, coming up next weekend. All the mulling I did over cutting out my dress paid off, since it fit very nicely, and went together without all the do-overs that often plague any seamstress. The fabric is covered with glitter, and I did not think it would benefit from the extra handling that mistakes entail, and there is still enough attached so that I will be sparkly enough.

Next came the "blue fairy dress". It looks large to me, but should fit perfectly, since it was the same pattern that I used a couple of weeks ago for the flowered dress (OMG--Something Went Right For A Change!). This didn't go together as smoothly as the flowered dress, though. I had to recut the front bodice, and the skirt front, since my iron melted parts of the chiffon, and had to go buy more chiffon, since I had forgotten to add the extra inches for the deep hem. I can go buy a new iron, but to get the brain to work isn't as easy. At least they still had a piece of the fabric. How do you like it, Gracious? Is it twirly enough for the dance floor?

So, now all that is left to do is make 85 little wrapped boxes of chocolates, and 20 welcome bags for the out of town guests. And get myself to Rochester

Necessity's Ungapatchka

A while back I was intrigued by a listing on our library schedule that simply read "Dollinks". I asked the lady behind the desk what that meant, and she told me that it was a doll club that met once a month in the meeting room, and that they always seemed to be having way too much fun. Wow--I make dolls! I like fun! Sounds like I should check it out. Well, I did, and they took me in, and now I too am having way too much fun! I confess, it is a treat to be among a group of fabriholics--to be able to speak of buttons, and trims, and different brands of stuffing to someone whose eyes brighten up, rather than glaze over. The club's official name is "Long Island Cloth Dollinks". Our creations are made by hand, and from cloth. The long and short of it is that we all have way more of these ribbons and fabrics than we should, so the group started the "Ungapatchka Table" each month. (Ungapatchka is a Yiddish word that means way too much, or over the top fussy.) It is an opportunity to bring in whatever you feel you should no longer own, and let the other members have at it. I do try to be on the contributing end of this arrangement, rather than the acquiring end, but everybody knows how it goes with "holics"...

Yesterday was the August meeting, and I spied a bag of yarn coming out of the tote bag. I made my way around the table, and snagged it for myself. Or rather, for my daughter Necessity. Imagine my amazement when I read the tags, and realized it is Japanese Noro, in large enough quantities that could make something nice. The Dollink who brought it in said that somebody had given it to her--it was a too large, unfinished sweater, plus some leftovers, and that the she was never going to do anything with it. Well, Yay! Somebody's Ungapatchka is somebody else's treasure find! Here is the picture Necessity--come and get it and enjoy! And thank you Barbara N!

Where Am I--What Day Is it? Or "What I Did On My Summer Vacation"

I must confess, we squeezed every drop out of the last two plus weeks. So much so that I am a little dazed now that most of the major commitments are out of the way. We drove up to New Hampshire to visit for a couple of days, then swung on down to Cape Cod for a few more days in the sun and sand. Came home, did the laundry, repacked the trusty wheeled clothing conveyor, and set off for the airport, so that we could get to a wedding in Iowa. We stayed a few extra days, since Iowa is not a regular stop on places we frequent, and unless we have a very good reason for returning, we may never pass that way again. Shall I hum along on that one?

We got home two nights ago, and after a final check of the accommodations, made ready for the 12 ladies coming for a two day doll workshop with Barbara Willis, who was in from California to teach classes to other dollmakers from Manhattan, and Long Island. It was warm in the dining room (it's August, for heaven's sake), and they all brought their sewing machines and tote bags full of stuff to stitch. They went their way around dinner time today, and all that remains is a doll club meeting tomorrow, and playing church on Sunday morning. I guess that leaves Sunday afternoon free. Anybody want to join in this craziness?

OMG--Something Went Right For A Change!

There is a sewing book called "10-15-20 Minutes to Sew" by Nancy Ziemann. She gives you lists of things you can accomplish in these shorts amounts of time, so that you can fit sewing into your busy schedule. Every time I have a few minutes and think I'll just zip up a seam or two, things just go to the devil--the machine knots up, I sew the wrong side to the right side and have to pick out the stitches, or the thread breaks on the serger (15 minutes just to rethread right there!). Why, seems just last week I had to remake the whole top of the dress I was trying to get into my suitcase--see "Shopping in My Attic". I offered to sew a dress for my granddaughter to wear for the doctor's wedding. Fancy dresses for little girls are so much fun--who can resist? But, time is getting short, and will this baby fit? At 9 am this morning, I decided to put together a trial dress, and headed to the attic to find a piece of fabric that I know she had seen, and had liked. Of course, it wasn't up there, it was down on the bed (mound) in the sewing room. I redrew the pattern and started cutting. Nothing went wrong! Everything went together perfectly, and at 1:15--VOILA! A Dress! I hope you like it Gracious.