Thursday, May 21, 2009

Rain Rain Go AWAY!

Where is this place called The Sunshine State? It's been raining here for almost a week. And by rain, I mean ALL DAY POURING CATS AND DOGS. It *never* rains here more than a few hours at a time. Even during a Hurricane. The forecast for the next 5 days? Rain. And more rain. Seriously, I haven't seen this much rain day after day, night after night, in the 20 years we've lived here. It's making me crabby and sleepy. I haven't seen sunshine in days.

The dogs are going stir crazy because we've only made mad dashes outside to "take care of business" but they have no interest in staying outside anyway. They think they do when we head to the door but then they step one foot out and run for cover. I feel the same way. And I have a football game to go to tomorrow night. Ugh. At least I bought a new huge umbrella the other week because it was in school colors and I know where it is. (Dripping wet in my garage.)

OK, I feel (a little) better now. We really do need the rain because we've been in a record drought for years, but the upside of a drought is the great weather every day. I'm missing that.

So, needless to say I haven't made one iota of progress in the sewing room. All I want to do is take naps. If only I could. But I did sew the waistband onto the J Stern Women's Jeans pattern after dinner tonight and that helps the muslin a little. I still will have to add to the crotch length and remove leg length, but I'm optimistic that I'll work out these and my usual fit issues and end up with some nice jeans. It's going to be slow going though so don't expect instant gratification. ;-)

Here's a quick but terrible pic, with one knee forward. You can see my actual knee level marked by the red line and the pattern knee level in black on the muslin. You can see that I'm standing on at least 4 inches of extra length. And you can also see the tummy bulging over the wide elastic holding up the muslin. Feel free to ignore that.



Here's the only other movement in the sewing room this week - my fabrics from Fabricmart arrived yesterday. Left to right: poly/Lycra matte jersey, rayon/Lycra jersey, stretch poplin, ITY jersey, stretch cotton. It's nearly summer so my heart is leaning toward aquas and greens as it seems to do around this time each year.



A number of people commented asking for more information on "wearable" poly knits. I wish I had the answer, but it's a crap shoot for me. And it really depends on your own tolerances too. Many people can't wear poly knits ever. I can usually tell what will work for me by the feel but since I can't feel the fabric when buying online, I do end up with some winter-only fabrics. The print on the left above is one for winter. It just feels warm and heavy when I pick it up. The print second from the right feels lighter and drapier, like it will work for summer. The ITY knits seem to be mostly the "good" polys. I've had the most luck with them.

Truthfully, though, *anything* is torture to wear here in West Central Florida in August when the humidity is a steady 150% and you start dripping the moment you set one toe outside. Cottons do breathe better but they stay wet and icky. The good polys wick the moisture away from the skin and the evaporation process is actually slightly cooling, as if anything is cool here in August. ;-) My favorite summer knit fabric is a high quality rayon/Lycra knit. They feel cool to the touch, breathe, and wear like iron through multiple washings. I tend to buy some of all that I find in the colors/prints I like.

13 comments:

  1. I'll happily take half that rain off your hands, although I do know what you mean about beautiful weather. I'm sitting here in a short sleeve tee, which I don't ever recall doing in May, ever!

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  2. We have rain predicted each day for the next five as well. I think the ground levels all over the south need it but gray weather really does a number on my mood. Dh will stay inside/underfoot/want to eat and me to cook which makes it hard for me to focus on a project.
    The knits are great- I guess when I get a couple of knit tnt muslins worked out I need to order some knits-my stash does not include any good knits. About the jeans - looks as if you are well on the way. I need to rework a summer capri pattern - I used to remove length below the knee only as I would shorten rtw and think I need to take some length out above as well when I work on getting my summer elastic waist capri pattern fitted. Your muslin really shows how important it is to get that knee area where it belongs something I have not really thought about that much. mssewcrazy

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  3. And they say London's rainy! My gosh, we never get rain anywhere even approaching that!

    But after having lived through Pennsylvania's hot and humid summers and freezing cold, snowy winters, I'll take the temperate climate any day. Even if it does mean I'm sewing up a wool coat for Spring/Summer, hahah

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  4. Thank you for the insight regarding knit fabric content. I will be looking for some rayon/lycra knit rtw to try out that combo before I commit. As I am definitely in the never ever wear poly group. My body chemistry and poly do not do well together!!!
    Thanks!
    Mary in IN

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  5. Your fabric choices are always so colorful, fun and cheery! Makes me wish I lived in Florida. I so understand about the rain...we had that 2 weeks ago here and by the end of it I was losing my mind especially when you have to get up in it and go stand at the bus stop to go to work.

    I can tell you that it will pass and you will have your wonderful sunshiny weather again...cause that's what's by me now!

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  6. We also had 2 weeks of rain which just ended this Monday, so I'm not jealous of your weather at all. I also will not be jealous of you in August. But if you'll share those knits, you can come visit me in August, when our highs tend to be under 85!

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  7. Love the colors of your fabrics.
    Our summer has finally arrived but I imagine will not be anywhere as hot as yours...humidity drives
    me crazy :{

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  8. Nice fabrics. Make some beautiful things! As for the Sterns jeans, wow--the fit model has some very long legs!

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  9. I'm across Florida in Deltona on the Eastern side. I couldn't wear anything in Florida that has any poly in it during the summer months. I have found that linen will keep me cooler, but it wrinkles like the dickens. (I hear that's chic! LOL!)

    We had a bit of sunshine today, and now it's overcast again. It's going to be this way all week again.

    We have a similar body shape (only I'm bigger/taller than you are) and I've always been interested in how you do your fitting. I'm curious about the new jeans you are doing. Looking forward to the updates.

    Just became another Florida job loss statistic, too. I've been working from home (software support) for the past 3 1/2 years, too, due to a back disability. If your job is looking for home workers, let me know!

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  10. I live in Byron Bay, Australia, which is a similar climate to your area. We are supposed to be in the dry season. We've had rain like you wouldn't believe! I was flooded in Wednesday through Friday, got out for a while on Friday and then got flooded in again for the weekend (the joy of living in a rural environment). I managed to get a lot of sewing done, so it wasn't so bad in the end.

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  11. We just got home from a week in Miami where it rained every day. :( All the hotel staff told us how much they needed the rain and I'm glad the area has finally gotten some, but why the week we were there?

    I've only ordered one ITY fabric and I was disappointed in the feel of it. Do you find differences in the quality of the fabric? and if so, how do you know what you are ordering?

    Lois K

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  12. Too much rain? Well welcome to my world, only half the time it's colder than heck when it does. And I did visit Florida ONE time in August and I don't intend to do it again, you do have my sympathy there.

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  13. I just started sewing knit garments, and I am having problems with my needle skipping stitches on the ity jersey i'm sewing now. It's very lightweight and kind of "slinky" feeling. I've tried using an 11 and 14 ballpoint needle, both brand new. Any suggestions? TIA for any help!

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Thank you for each and every comment. I appreciate them all, but I have to be honest and let you know that I'm usually bad about answering questions. I hope you understand that there just isn't enough time in the day to do everything I want to do.

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