This and That and a Giveaway

This post is going to be an unconnected stream of consciousness, just some things on my mind and on my sewing table. If you make it through to the end, congratulations! You'll be "rewarded" with a chance to win today's giveaway. What? I didn't mention that I'll be doing a giveaway every day for a week? Oops. But just so you know, it's not going to be all new books. I'll probably throw in a pattern or two and maybe an oddball thing. You'll just have to keep checking each day to find out. ;-)

What I wore yesterday, for grocery shopping. Was I overdressed for Walmart? Hah. I think it's the long, dangly earrings that make me feel fancier because it's really just a simple knit dress. I wish I hadn't cut off my feet cuz my green flip-flops looked killer with this. Another side benefit of losing weight? Shoes that used to be too tight now fit again. Yay! The dress is RTW, size 14. Yeah, I know knits stretch, but still, a 14! Wooo! Who said size doesn't matter? ;-) I do need to sew the crossover shut. My Hollywood Tape quick fix wasn't quite cutting it. I also need to buy some new bras or take in the bands of my current ones in the interim. The girls are not getting the same support they did when my bra bands were tighter.

New denim capris from Walmart, 4 sizes smaller than the black ones underneath I wore all last summer. Time for another Woo! I think the black ones will become another skirt.The new capris are a tiny bit snug but they are stretch denim so they'll be perfect in a couple of hours. I don't think I'll be making any pants again until I'm closer to my goal size, which I haven't yet decided on — I'll see how this process goes. I'm tempted to buy these in the next size or two down, since they fit so well and are cheap (in all sense of the word).

My pile on the sewing room table. The dress from above, to sew the crossover closed. Below that, capris from a few years ago that fit now. I'm either going to make them shorter, make them a skirt, or just take off the hardware and then toss them. Under the capris is my red/white/blue denim dress (if you remember, it's the one with the big red buttons down the front, if you don't it's here). I've worn it once and washed it about 10 times. The denim never softened up enough and it hung like a circus tent on me. I'm going to take off the buttons and toss it.

Below the denim dress is my embroidered linen Hot Patterns Princess Blouse. When I made it, it was a perfect, close fit and I wore it regularly. Now it just hangs on me and looks silly. I'll be taking the buttons off this one and then tossing it too. Below the HP blouse, the dress I wore to Alex's high school graduation — the one I originally bought my cool orange sandals for. I'm going to cut this off to a top. I'll get more wear from it that way since as a dress it's too baggy now and makes me look pregnant. Below that, the Butterick Connie Crawford blouse (the one with separate cup pieces). Too big, so I'll be removing buttons and tossing that one too. I've decided I'm not going to keep most of my "fat clothes." They take up space and will be too easy to slip back into instead of reducing what I eat if I gain a few pounds down the road. I will keep some just for kicks and comparison, like I've kept my "skinny jeans" all these years.

Next, SDBev asked to see more detail on this top, the RTW cowl with the black panel.

Here's what the inside front looks like. It's just another front layer sewn (serged) into the raglan seams.

And from the side:

And, finally, the Giveaway. You made it! ;-)

Sixth & Spring Books sent Custom Couture as an unexpected bonus with the Fabric Guide I reviewed yesterday. Custom Couture is not really aimed at me, since I abhor hand-sewing and I don't really embellish any RTW. But this look and these types of projects are definitely popular with the younger set (Gawd, I sound like a teetering old grannie when I say that!) and I see many similar looks on lots of sewing and refashioning blogs. But just because this isn't what I do shouldn't detract from the book. It's pretty, well-photographed, has lots of eye candy and inspiration, and good instructions to recreate each look. It just deserves a better home than I would give it. I do appreciate Sixth & Spring sending it to me though, and I am happy to share.

Here are few random photos of some of the projects. There are others just as nice or even better but I just flipped pages and clicked on whatever I opened to since I couldn't decide.

To enter the Giveaway, leave a comment below telling me why you'd like this book. This will NOT be a random drawing; I'll pick the answer I like best. Fine print: For all the Giveaways this week, each entrant can only win once and in the case of duplicates, I'll contact you for your choice and then draw again randomly on what's left. Clear? And if you do enter, please check back next week to see who won because if I don't hear from you within a few days after announcing winners, I'll draw/decide again. I will close comments on this Giveaway on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 and announce the winner on Wednesday, July 20, 2011. Again, anyone anywhere can enter this or any Giveawy this week.

Parting Shot: Who doesn't like a good nap?