Dress premiere

To Athens Family Restaurant!

Knitting really satisfies

What's that? Knitting?

The first knitting on my needles in a couple of weeks: July dishcloth KAL.

I hate hemming

I hate hemming but, by God, I finished my dress today! It's not perfect (especally the hemming) but it's probably my most successful garment sewing to date, and I'm happy. This time I chose an appropriate fabric, remembered to finish the seams, reasonably followed the directions, and most important, finished the project! Hallelujah!

Fin

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows this morning before work. Excellent!

Caught

Dodger laying on my old Mexican dresses from high school. Remember these, Laurie?

I tack rick rack

My mom suggested putting an embellishment over the keyhole seam in the front of my dress to hide the not-so-straight seams. I chose this cool, big, light teal rick rack at the best store for ribbons, Textile Fabrics.

I'm hand tacking the rick rack at its inside curves and at its points. Handily, the rick rack bends around the keyhole seams.



I started reading Harry Potter 7; let us not speak of it until we've finished reading. ;)

Before and After

I'm actually making some progress on my dress! I sometimes feel I'm the slowest sew-er, and I despaired of ever finishing this project. I'm not finished yet, but I think it will happen!

What I have left: neck binding/tie closure, hem, finishing seams.

Below are some pictures of before I put in the sleeves and after. Step-by-step pics of sewing the sleeves are here.

Look, Ma. I'm sewing.

Honest.



And sewing the knitting.

Go East, young woman

In August I'm moving to a new-to-me neighborhood in Nashville, East Nashville (very specifically, the Lockeland Springs neighborhood in East Nashville). For non-Nashvillians, East Nashville is on the other side of the Cumberland River from downtown. It's older, and "in transition" as the saying goes.

The Nashville Scene has an interesting article this week about East Nashville titled "East Side Story: Westies, get ready to rumble—East Nashville has arrived." East Nashville has a lot of character, and all the good and bad that applies. I'm really looking forward to moving there though, because I'll be near work, near a dog park, Dodger will have a fenced-in backyard of his own, and I won't be going totally broke. I'll have two roommates, which will be a transition for me, but I think ultimately a good one. And I have friends who already live in East Nashville!

East Nashville reminds me a lot of the area I grew up in, in Memphis, Midtown. It's the older, urban, artsy side of Memphis, sort of far away from big retailers. I know East Nashvillians think their neighborhood is completely singular, but I just don't know. Sounds like Midtown!

Why? Because I said so

What: tiger-striped boots
Where: Goodwill in Columbia, Tennessee
When: June 30, 2007

What: my new favorite sewing pattern that I must buy someday

What: thank-you postcard from the Mother Bear Project, because after several months, I finally mailed them the bear I knit.

What: the sock monkey I mailed to my friend Megan in Memphis

What: Hawaiian marshmallow girl

What: Clear phone circa 1991. Remember how cool this once was??

Where: Goodwill in Columbia

Don't stop ripstop

Candyce--you'll be happy to know I've picked up the Ripstop Dress again. I did the tedious hand sewing tonight--I hope that's done with!

The gathered parts weren't working in my sewing machine--the fabric is lightweight and the feed dog smooshed the gathers and didn't look so hot. But now I have sewn them by hand; problem solved. I don't think the front gathers look fantastic, but I'm going to work with what I have. I hope the rest of the dress is as easy as I think it will be . . .

Happy Fourth!

As of this morning, I raised $455 for Happy Tales Humane! It was so much fun, and I'm pretty sure Dodger will be in the 2008 calendar. I'm pleased to know so many generous people!

Donate, please! Last day is July 4

I Need Your Help in Raising Money for the Animals of Happy Tales Humane...

I've decided to make a difference by entering Dodger in this year's 2nd Annual Pet Photo contest. The more money we raise, the more likely Dodger will be selected to appear in the 2008 Happy Tales Humane Calendar!!! Can Dodger and I count on your support with our fundraising efforts? Please visit our Fundraising Page by using the link below and then vote for Dodger to help us reach our goal by making a secure online donation today... https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/StartUp.aspx?SID=1530679

You will automatically receive an e-tax receipt from Happy Tales Humane. Together we are truly making a difference in improving the quality of life of homeless pets in Middle Tennessee. Thank you very much for your consideration in helping us reach our fundraising goal in this very worthwhile endeavor!

Sarah H.

P.S. For additional information about Happy Tales Humane, Wednesday Night Wags presented by PEDIGREE® Adoption Drive or this year's 2nd Annual Pet Photo contest for the 2008 Happy Tales Humane Calendar, please visit http://www.wednesdaynightwags.com/ or http://www.happytaleshumane.com/

Pattern book

My mom gave me an old book she found of soft toy patterns, since she knows I have an interest in sewing and knitting toys, as well as pattern making. I put some pictures of The Big Book of Soft Toys on flickr. The patterns are a weird mix of good, interesting toys and some pretty basic, simplistic, and dare I say bad patterns. It was published in 1972, so there's some cheesy-craft thrills to be had!

Shoes

I bought these cute, red leather heels at the Goodwill in Columbia, Tennessee. They reminded me too much of cool, retro, anthropologie shoes to not buy them.



My sister Anna gave me these cute slipper shoes from Payless and some earrings. I taught her how to use iTunes and her iPod. Good shoe weekend!