Week 17: Setting the Stage for Catch-Up

I’m going to call it this week and say that nothing actually got done although there is still time today. If I get anything done I’ll count it toward next week.

BUT - progress has been made, the stage is set for catch-up and I have something to be happy about.

Progress

One: Revised Isaac’s one tunic so it has gores to fit better over a cloth diaper and finally hemmed it since that would have been a waste of time if I decided it needed gores.

Two: Sewed up a hole a “cut and sewn knitted sock.” That needed to be done.

Three: Figured out where the buttons need to go on one of my underdresses to make it nursing friendly and decided I could use 2 of the baronial buttons instead of making them. Still need to sew the buttons, reinforcement and button holes, but it’s progress.

Four: Sewed one button and one loop on my plaid linen dress, so at least I can wear it without it being open from the neck to the navel. I still need a few more buttons on it to not be obscene but progress is getting made.

That dress is bit screwy because I originally sewed one gore in backwards and twisted - nice huh? Well, I was pregnant. Then, by the time I got the wherewithal to redo the gore, I set the two front gores in a tiny bit lopsided. I went from the bottom up instead of the navel down and they didn’t meet exactly in the middle. That left one side of the neck about a quarter of an inch higher than the other. At the time I thought I would close it with a broach or something and I was discouraged so I just let it go. Then once I was nursing I realized it needed to be open a lot more in front, and a single broach just wasn’t going to work. Anyway I’m trying to see if I can fudge the front gores a little better so it’s not so off. I think it will work, it just needs to be hand sewn.

So, technically, nothing is done - but some maintenance is happening.

Setting the stage:

I dug out a number of UFOs, some of which are quick hits. On a number of tunics with set-in sleeves, I had trouble getting the sleeves right and I ended up just re-cutting the sleeves. I always figured I could use the original sleeves for some kind of fake pin-on sleeves. They just needed finish work. And so they went into the UFO pile.

I’ve decided that my bright blue sleeves are just too tight but they’ll be good for a child. I think they can go to the Winter Court children’s A&S competition or something. I’m on deck to finish them this week.

Also found some linen sleeves that will work for me. Again, maybe I can get the finish work done and have 2 pair of sleeves done next week.

I measured Lyriel for drawers that were already cut and out and partially sewn up. They will work, but I may take out the seam and move it just an inch so they’ll be absolutely perfect. Then they’ll need hand finish work and that takes awhile. Probably won’t get done for next week.

Good news to be happy about:

Anton’s 2 pair of drawers left my house -another thing gone. See picture above. I told him I didn’t want to know if they didn’t fit and he should give them to someone they do fit. They’ll probably be just fine as they aren’t that fitted. Belle was so gracious when I told her the whole story of why I still had drawers from when she and Anton were Prince and Princess. I neglected to get her current measurements, but I should just email her and see if she’s changed much.

A question: I seem to keep finding UFOs that weren’t part of my original list of 60, then 66. Do I just keep adding them to the list? It’s so discouraging. This week I found 2 pair of drawers cut out to fit Lyriel and another set of sleeves that didn’t work.

So, for week 17 that still only makes 14 projects complete but it brings the total to 68! I may just drop the total for now and go on a week/project count. It’s so discouraging if you look at it that way.

Week 16 - New inspiration

With renewed enthusiasm this week is going really well!

I finally finished the hood that I thought was done awhile ago, but I discovered about 2 inches of unfinished seam. THEN I hate to wait until I was “sewing with white thread,” because that’s how my brain works.

After the Glass and Metal Symposium, I discovered that I really don’t have enough nursing-friendly garb but a number of things just need small modifications. I need to put already-made buttons on the plaid dress and do loops. But the whole front will need reinforcement. The wrap dress that I wore for my vigil never got proper fasteners and they’ll help make it nursing friendly. I think I’ve got one button made and I need to do another. The dress will need 4 reinforcements, 2 buttons and 2 holes. At this point 2 reinforcements are sewn on and the other 2 are already made. This all needs to be put on before next weekend. But the point of all this is that I was “sewing with white” so I finished up Stephen’s hood. One thing completely done and marked off Teh List.

Then, yesterday my neighbor confirmed that she had the spider halloween costume that I made for Dorissa. It had a bib and a little shirt that never got finished. I couldn’t decide between pumpkin buttons or plain black buttons for the shirt. I thought the pumpkin buttons might be “too much,” to which David laughed, because wasn’t that the whole point of the shirt? Too much? Well it looks just fine with black buttons - see above and will be darling with the polar fleece overalls, which I recall are HUGE for a baby Isaac’s age, but they’ll be cute. AND it’s not even October.

So, for week 16 that marks 14/66 projects complete. I’m definitely catching-up. I’m not counting the modifications to the plaid dress or the wrap dress (or Isaac’s one tunic, which needs gores, but did get a fastener while at Metal and Glass,) since technically they are done and wearable.

A new Start to the UFO Challenge

 

Well, the first 10 weeks of the UFO challenge actually went pretty well, but then I got sick and then I got side-tracked. Let me try and do a recap of what got done when and then I’ll take it from here:

About my UFO challenge - this week I finished a dress for Dorissa (cut out since last summer), pants for David, and a tunic for Isaac. So that puts me at 3 for week 1. However, I also started a nursing shirt for me and I found a matching purse to Dorissa's dress also cut-out, so that brings the total up to 62. But I'm still ahead. I finished 3 things and "only" added 2.

Week 2: The bad news - I started another project (possibly 2) and I found 2 more UFOs. So that brings the total to 66.
The good news: I did finish the nursing shirt and the object that I started. I decided Isaac needed linen blanket for the heat because swaddling helps, but it's really hot. Not much to cut a square and hem it but I'm counting it. So I'm now 5/66.

Week 3 Update (June 19): The good news: I didn't start any new projects and I didn't find any more UFOS. The bad news - I only finished one thing - Italian Ren Dress for Dorissa - needed the arm holes cut larger. 6/66. See picture.

Week 4: (June 26) Nothing

Week 5 (July 3): Finished the purse that was cut-out for Dorissa's halter dress. Good thing, too, since I cut the dress out last year and it would be a shame if she never got to wear them together. 7/66

Week 6 report (July 10). Zip, nada, zilch. Someone give me a swift kick in the pants.

7/66.

Week 7 (July 17): One pair of pants repaired and returned to Gold Key. That's like a bonus because they've left my house! 8/66

Week 8: (July 24) Nothing complete. But here's my problem. This week, I sewed "Things that were green." First I put together some pants for David that had been cut out. But I like to hand sew the finishes so I put those aside. Then since green was already in the machine, I finished cutting out a dress for me - which I need 'cause I need some nursing garb. But I got to the gores and couldn't decide what to do. Then I had leftover fabric and I can cut a neck for a tunic for Isaac, but he won't fit into it for another year. So in the end, I have nothing. The pants for Dave are too short, but he says it won't matter because they'll be in boots. They just need the cuffs hand sewn, but I should use some hem binding to keep as much of the length as possible.

Week 9: (Aug 1) Pants for David and "almost" finished gift hood. Went to give it and it wasn't done after all. Losing motivation rapidly! 9/66

Week 10 (Aug 8): Nothing

Week 11 (Aug 15): Dorissa’s blue dress. New hem. 10/66

Week 12 (Aug 22): Nothing

Week 13 (Aug 29):  Nothing

Week 14: (Sept 5) Finished the first set of drawers for Anton at the Glass and Metal-Workers symposium.

Week 15: (Sept 12) Finished the second set of drawers for Anton during the week. (12/66), so I’m “only” 3 weeks/projects behind. Let’s see if I can somehow catch-up.