Not Much

Just a few pics of what I've worn the last couple of days. This was Tuesday's outfit. It's my Vogue 1250 dress with the Vogue cardi I just made and am too lazy to look back a few days to get the pattern number. The belt is getting big now, so it likes to slide off-center. I'll need to find a replacement because I like having a wide brown belt.

Here's a sideways shot (and my head looks weirdly small). The tum still has some disappearing to do but it's definitely going in the right direction. Chili was a love pig during this shoot and had to be in every pic. He's so cute he can (and does) get away with anything.

Today's outfit is all RTW. The dress you've seen before, from Walmart. One of my best buys ever. I love this thing and it was less than $20. The cardi is from Burlington on my shopping trip before Thanksgiving. Today was the first day I wore it. It has covered shank buttons up the front and on the sleeves. Nice touch. Also under $20.

It's cold here tonight so I'm snuggling up by the Fire ;-) and reading under the covers.

I just finished this one:




… which was pretty good, very John Grisham-like, and only 99¢ on Amazon. But now I'm reading the real thing, The King of Torts. I usually keep up with all of his books, but I've missed a few and didn't have to wait long to borrow them from the library. If you're interested, I'll be posting what I'm currently reading in the upper-left corner of the blog. The new Lucky magazine was also delivered to my Fire sometime in the last 24 hours. I'm still undecided about whether I like reading magazines on the Fire, since I have to do my fair share of zooming in or give in to the cheaters. But you can't beat the convenience factor.

Work went very well today. I can't really elaborate, but I made a few good impressions and actually had people "clamoring" (my boss' term!) for me to design a couple of projects. It's nice to be needed and wanted. It does the soul good. :-) Our pot-luck party yesterday was fun. I ended up with a good gift and mine was well-received too. I'll try to remember to take a pic for the next posting.

Back to the covers and more snuggling with the Fire and Dani.

Redoing the Raglan (and Giveaway)

I had the best intentions of sewing and blogging yesterday, but you know what they say about roads to hot places and intentions. ;-) Instead, I wandered in and out of my sewing room doing a bit here and there, but my real attention was on reading. A few weeks ago, I checked out Scott Turow's Innocent, which was his follow-up to Presumed Innocent, a bestseller from the 1980s. I started it Saturday night and as I became more engrossed with the story, it was harder and harder to put down and the trips to the sewing room became fewer and fewer.

Funny related story - when I checked out the book, I noticed that it was pretty hefty page count-wise, but I didn't think much of it. It sat on my kitchen counter for a few days and Alex pointed out (in that lovely sarcastic way of teenagers) that this was a Large Print book. In other words, for "old" people. Hah! I never noticed. But words are words so it wasn't going to turn me off to reading the book. And (you know this is coming, right?), now that I'm actually reading the book in bed with a not-so-bright bedside lamp, I find I'm actually THRILLED that it's Large Print. I don't need glasses. I don't need to stretch my arms out. Mark me down as officially old. ;-)

During my trips through the sewing room, I was working on unstitching this shirt I bought last week so I could (a) trace a pattern from it and (b) change the black underlayer to my preference of white.

Here's where it stands at the moment. The tracing is done and I'm putting the pieces back together. I still have the sideseams and a shorter hem and then I'll be done. I already have another one cut out. I'm hoping to get both done today, if I can stay away from my book until tonight.

But I do want to finish the book tonight because the library called and another book I've reserved is waiting for me, plus I have one more book that I have to have back by tomorrow or I'll start getting fined. I've intentionally kept it out late because when I went to renew it last week, someone else had a hold on it and the system wouldn't let me renew it. I understand holds and I'm not trying to be greedy, but I think I should get at least one renew, don't you? ;-) However, the librarian told me that I could keep it out as overdue until Tuesday without incurring fines so that's what I did. My apologies to whoever is waiting but, well, I got it first. Neener neener! ;-)

And now for the Giveaway  …

Today it's vintage Stretch & Sew patterns. All three are intact and uncut. I got these years ago as part of a bigger lot of patterns on Ebay and I've never used them. It's time to pass them along to someone who will use them (you will, won't you??).

S&S 200 (Bust sizes 28-42), a knit raglan top and cardigan. You can use this pattern to make your own double-layer cowl as above (I'll show you how with the pattern pieces of my RTW tracings tomorrow).

S&S 1310 (Bust sizes 30-40), a halter top swimsuit.

S&S 1313 (Bust sizes 30-42), a gathered swimsuit with optional bra cups.

If you'd like to be entered into this drawing, tell me the best book you've read lately. I'll pick the winner from the comments (in other words, this one is not a random drawing).

Fine print: For all the Giveaways last week and 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 over the next two weeks 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 Sunday, July 24 2011 and announce the winner on Monday, July 25, 2011. Again, anyone anywhere can enter this or any Giveaway this week.

Parting Shot:

This is the other bag book I bought with the Amy Butler book that is/was last Friday's Giveaway (still open!), and is the one I'm keeping. Although it also includes patterns, it's more of a general reference for making all sorts of bags with different closures, straps, interiors, etc. I highly recommend it.

If you click the link below, you'll be taken to Amazon where you can purchase it (and I will earn a minuscule amount on the sale).

The Bag Making Bible: The Complete Guide to Sewing and Customizing Your Own Unique Bags

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Remember to tune in the rest of the week as tomorrow will be the last day of Giveaways and the first day I'll be announcing winners.

Review: Simplicity Fabric Guide (and Giveaway)

Sixth & Spring Books recently sent me Simplicity Fabric Guide: The Ultimate Fiber Resource for review.*

Per Amazon.com:

"From SIMPLICITY, one of the most famous names in sewing, comes a comprehensive guide to all things fabric and fiber related. Lavishly illustrated throughout with color and archival photographs of fabrics and fabric-related items, this is the essential tome for textile fans everywhere. It covers fabric basics, natural and man-made fibers, fabric types, specialty finishes, trademark fabrics, more!"

And I definitely agreement with that description. This spiral-bound hardcover reference guide is beautifully laid out and photographed and contains lots of fabric and sewing information, which makes it a pleasure to look at as well as interesting to read.

It starts off with A Brief History of Simplicity and moves into a Brief History of Fabric and then  onto Fabric Basics, such as how fabric is woven and/or loomed and the various types of weaves and knits.

Next, Fibers are covered, both natural and manufactured, and includes a burn chart so you can put your new knowledge to test on those mystery fabrics in your stash.

From there, you'll move into the Fabrics section with over 100 large, clear photos of various fabrics coupled with text descriptions, uses and sewing tips.

Next up is a section on Linings, Interfacings & Stabilizers which provides an overview of the different types and reference charts of what to use when.

The Working With Fabric chapter describes the characteristics of various fabrics versus the style garment to be made, plus grain, yardarge, pattern layout, preshrinking, nap & more. Sewing tools and notions are thoroughly covered, including a needle chart and a detailed description of more pins thank I think I knew existed.

Color Choices is a primer in color theory and Fabric Care covers cleaning, pressing and pressing tools, fabric storage, and stain removal.

Thread is up next with a brief overview of thread construction and detailed descriptions of thread types. Matching thread to fabric and matching thread to needle is covered in both descriptive and chart form.

At the end of the book there is a small glossary, measurement charts and/or instructions for quilts and bed coverings, window treatments, and tablecloths. There's a section on taking body measurements for garment sewing along with a Simplicity pattern size chart.

Finally, there is a section for adding your own fabric swatches and notes, and tear-out guides for fabric width conversion, estimating yardage, and a quick button size guide.

As I read through this book, I liked how the information was presented both in long form for leisurely reading and in condensed chart form for when you're about to start a project and are hot on the trail for the Just the Facts, Ma'am. In other words, it's very thoughtfully laid out and reader-friendly. Even the smaller print in some areas is easy for this 40+something to read without her reading glasses.

I give this book high marks and recommend it to any beginner-to-intermediate stitcher wanting a good, solid fabric reference. I know the more advanced stitchers will already have one (or ten) books on fabrics and this guide is not really aimed at you, but it's still a nice read and I thoroughly enjoyed the "extra" information in the beginning and ending chapters. I think you will too, and it would make a great gift for a new stitcher you might like to encourage.

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Now for the Giveaway — Please leave a comment on this post if you would like to be entered into the drawing for a copy of this book. Following me won't increase your odds of winning, but I do like to see that number go up. I'm just sayin'. ;-)

The Giveaway will be open for one week. I will close comments on Monday, July 18, 2011 and the winner will be decided by the Random Number Generator thingie and posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2011. This Giveway is open to anyone, anywhere as long as you leave a comment below during the next week.

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*Note that while I was not paid for this review in any way by Sixth & Spring books, if you click the link above to Amazon, I am an Amazon affiliate and will receive a small (minuscule!) percentage of each sale generated by the click-through.

Review: Pleating for Mercy

I was contacted by author Melissa Bourbon Ramirez in March when she asked if I would like to receive an advance copy of her latest book, Pleating for Mercy. She provided a link to her website, where I saw the cover illustration and read the book's intro:

All the Cassidy women possess special gifts. Harlow Jane Cassidy’s is creating beautiful dresses. But she’s about to discover secrets in her own family, and another gift—one that can reach beyond the grave…

When her great-grandmother passes away, Harlow Jane Cassidy leaves her job as a Manhattan fashion designer and moves back to Bliss, Texas. But soon after she opens Buttons & Bows, a custom dressmaking boutique in the turn-of-the-century farmhouse she inherited, Harlow begins to feel an inexplicable presence…

One of her first clients is her old friend Josie, who needs a gown for her upcoming wedding. But when Josie’s boss turns up dead, it starts to look as if the bride-to-be may be wearing handcuffs instead of a veil. Suddenly Josie needs a lot more from Harlow than hemming a dress. Can Harlow find the real killer—with a little help from beyond?

Dressforms, rolls of fabric, and a sewing machine on the cover? The main character a dressmaker involved in a mystery? How could I say no? Of course I wanted to read this!

The book arrived in early May but I had to put it on hold for a little while due to my then-upcoming trip to North Carolina and Virginia, and job-search activities. I finally was able to start reading it a couple of weeks ago, and then right as I was getting near the end, I left it at my dentist's office and there it sat for a week. Arghh. I picked it up yesterday and finished it last night.

So, how was the book? It was captivating and a very enjoyable read. Ms. Ramirez does an excellent job of weaving together a murder-mystery with our favorite hobby/obsession — sewing! There are varied characters you'll get to know through the author's wonderfully detailed descriptions and you'll still be trying to guess "whodunit" by the last few pages when the mystery is finally solved. As the story unfolds, there's a little love interest for Harlow, some spiritual magic, lots of sewing, and even a number of cultural references only real stitchers will get.

This is a fun read, perfect for vacation or, if you're like me, holed up on your bed turning the pages at 2 AM to find out what happens. I'm looking forward to the next installment in this new series.

Pleating for Mercy will be released on August 2, 2011 and is available for pre-order from Amazon, paperback and Kindle, by clicking here. (I have received no compensation beyond the advance copy.)

Patience Never Was One of My Virtues

While unemployed, job-hunting, and changing my overall lifestyle, I've been trying to make it a point to go *somewhere* every day. Even if it's just a very small errand. Yes, this burns a little extra gas but it forces me to get dressed for going out instead of giving in to the temptation to stay in my PJs until dinnertime, which in turn makes me feel better about stuff in general. (Of course, with all the new clothes I'm making and the old ones I'm fitting into, my laundry has doubled but that's another story!).

Monday's outing was Joann's. You're thinking, uh-oh, right? Well, you wouldn't be wrong. It was a good day for the sewing room, since my Fabric.com UPS delivery was waiting for me upon my return.

Here's everything all together:

The coveted McCall's pattern, for which I was too impatient to wait for a sale. But sometimes you just have to feed the soul and not quibble over a few bucks. This dress has the weirdest front pattern piece I've ever seen. I'll show it to you as soon as I start working on it, which will be in the next day or so.

Next, thread — which  was my "excuse" for going to J's in the first place since I was out of some of my basic colors. I pile up the empties and take them with me to replace, which is why you see empty spools in this pic. (Yes, I should just make a list, but this works for me so it's what I do.) I also bought buttons. More on that project in a second but I noticed today that Joann's button walls seem to have improved. There are a lot more choices and prettier buttons than there used to be. It's about time.

This is what the buttons are for. Ignore the plaid; it's for "winter" so will be stashed for a while but it caught my eye so I had to get it, and I don't usually wear plaid so I have no idea what's up with that. Underneath the plaid is a dark taupe poly suiting, which was 50% off today and so I got it for less than $4/yd. I'm going to make a suit and here's my reasoning — as soon as I start on this very interview-appropriate suit, I will find a job. You know, Murphy's Law and all. (Hey, it happened last time I made an office wardrobe!) Plus, I need a more complicated (slow!) project or my closet is going to explode from my recent output. The Simplicity pattern is for the jacket. I already had it from the last trip to Joann's during the $1 Simplicity sale. I'll decide on a skirt pattern after the jacket is done. I may even use this Simplicity for that too since I think my TNT is going to be too big. 

Jane, I blame you for this book. ;-) Seeing it on your blog over the weekend planted the seed and then your comment about the convenience of all of the flowers in one place did me in. With a 50% off coupon, it was $7 of eye candy I couldn't pass up.

The Fabric.com haul. The prints are headed for the washer. The solids will be stacked in the closet for a minute. This white solid replaces the one I just returned as the first one was much too gray of a white for me; I wanted bright white. Thankfully, this one is so it will become a simple shell very soon.

Finally, the orange ITY knit against the orange in the latest dress fabric. Perfect match. So that's what I'm off to work on now since I'm really writing this Monday evening even though you're reading it Tuesday. I told you, patience is not something I'm known for. ;-)

McCall's 5981 Progress Report

(The print is MUCH more subdued than it looks here and the colors are a bit off. It's always a crap shoot as to what the digicam will do to a fabric.)

Ah, the joys of pattern alterations. I was spoiled sewing all those already-altered TNTs recently. Yesterday was spent finishing up the B/W top from last weekend and then cutting out the jacket pattern and doing an FBA. I did not make a muslin. It's fleece. It's stretchy. And if it somehow fits horribly, I'm indifferent enough that I'll probably just toss it. The fleece has been in the stash for years and years and it's good to finally use it up.

So far, it's coming along OK, but I'm not quite thrilled. The neckline is too low, as you can see with the B/W top I left on Zillie underneath. I don't think I'll have time to go to a Plan B, so I'll just have to suck it up and hope that it's not cold enough to need to zip it up. (No wonder the pattern envelope shows a turtleneck worn underneath.) I also feel kind of linebacker-ish with all that gathered collar. It's a lot of collar. But I'll keep plugging ahead because I have been known to change my mind. ;-) And at this point, all that's left are the sleeves and hems and then I can make a final judgment.

My pattern matching across the front is so-so. The exposed zipper chops it up and I didn't allow for that. If there was no zipper, the motifs would abut and match great. Oh well.

The pattern itself goes together well and everything seems to match up fine. But the instructions have got to be the WORST I have ever seen for a fleece jacket, or knits in general. Things such as fusing interfacing to the facings (you can't press polarfleece on high heat), easing and setting in sleeves in the round, and setting in the zipper in a way I can't even begin to explain except to say that you are somehow supposed to leave the front facing unsewn between the top/collar edge and the hem allowance and then kind of stick the zipper in and fold/press the fabric and facing around it. WTF! Crack smoking writers for sure on this one. If I remember, I'll share the instructions in a later post so you all can have a good laugh too.

I omitted the patch pockets because I didn't want a big wad of fleece hem allowances at my hips. Instead, I added single-layer pocket bags behind the fronts and made sideseam openings. Just like the green Vogue cardigan I recently made. So much like it, in fact, that i just stole those pattern pieces and used them. ;-)

Living in Florida, I don't sew a lot of polarfleece — although I should, judging by the abundant stock at the local Joann's. ;-) It really is such an enjoyable fabric to sew with though, so maybe I should do more fleece gifts. Fleece projects always seem to go fast and minor mistakes are easily hidden in the pile. Not that I've made any.

On another subject, my son is down to his last 30 days of boot camp and I can hardly wait to see him! He's doing very well, his spirits remain high, and we continue to receive lots of letters from him. Those letters are the highlight of my day when they come and stalking the mailman has become the daily routine. I am so glad he's turned out to be a good letter-writer (my son, not the mailman!).

Have a good week!

Grumpy Monday

Yeah, I'm grumpy. I didn't do any sewing this weekend, even though I intended to. It's not like I didn't RUSH to buy patterns. It's not like I don't have a graduation to attend in less than two weeks.

So, what's the problem? Hormones. And a book. The hormones will work themselves out in a day or two. As to the book — DS brought home My Sister's Keeper on Friday, a book he read for school and about which we'd had a few conversations during his read. The book had to be back today as the school is gearing down the year and collecting its property. No book, no graduation. And 450+ pages in less than 24 hours = no sewing, hence the grumpy.

Interesting book. Strange, and I think disappointing, ending. I've got the movie now queued up for the DVR to record mid-week. We'll probably watch it together and compare with the book. I'm prepared to be disappointed since I always am with books to movies.

The other thing I'm grumpy about is that the fabric I thought I was using for the dress? Well, I don't have enough. So I've got to find something else.

I will work on it during the week, at least to get a muslin together. I might aim for a "wearable" muslin as a nightgown if I can decide on a fabric for that. Otherwise, just an icky knit to quickly check the fit.

Anticipating a Good Day

I haven't sewn in DAYS and I'm dying here. But my other work is done for a while and I intend to hide out up in the sewing room most of the day. I *will* have my sister's scrubs finished before I go to bed or … or … well … I won't. LOL! But I'm going to give it my best shot. I must get those done ASAP so I can move on to more fun things — sewing for ME! :grin:

I should be getting a good haul in the mail/UPS today. I'm expecting some books, some fabric, and some doggie flea stuff, since the one down side to the dog park is picking up everyone else's fleas which necessitate flea baths for every park visit. (And it's so much cheaper to buy flea preventatives on the internet that I couldn't possibly justify running up to the vet's office instead, esp. when I've dropped over $600 there in the last 60 days. Claire, I feel your pain.) Plus my March Burda WOF and Ottobre Woman are still MIA. Hopefully they'll show up today too or very soon thereafter.

I already had a nice goodie delivery day yesterday so today will be gravy. Yesterday brought fabric (of course) which you've already seen. It's the print from my self-drafted crossover twist. I love the fabric so much I got more to hopefully turn into a summer dress (more on that later).

But the neatest thing was an Adele Margolis tailoring book, inscribed by the author herself in 1966! It's not addressed to me, naturally, but it was still a cool surprise to find.


I've slowly been making my way through all the used sewing books I've been acquiring lately. Some are good, some are meh. When I finish up here, I'm going to write up one review for PR. Others will follow over the next couple of weeks.

Oh, the dress I mentioned above. I realized the other day that I'm going to need a dress for my older son's high school graduation in May and also something for Mother's Day which comes before the graduation. I'm planning to do the 2 birds/1 stone thing and I've got my antenna up for a suitable style/pattern. Nothing has jumped out at me yet, but I've barely begun thinking on it. I'm sure there's something waiting in my pattern/magazine stash.

Jacket Muslin and Odds & Ends

Jacket Muslin

Well, here it is. I think Zillie's bra needs a bit more stuffing because this fits my bust better than hers and hers used to match mine better. Must've gotten squished during previous fitting sessions (hers, not mine!).

Good things:

1. It mostly fits and I think I like the style lines on my body. The jury is still out, though, until the fit is improved. I think I may need to lengthen the peplum just a bit since I like where it's hitting now and there's no hem sewn.

2. It goes around me and the center fronts meet.

3. The real sewing will be mostly easy (see note below on new instructions).

Bad things:

1. I did something seriously wacko with the sleeve and will investigate that within the hour. The sleeve on its own fit with me sliding it up my arm. The sleeve after being sewn in feels (and fits) like it's sewn in backwards (which could very well be!) and I notice the seams didn't land per the line drawing of the back. Definitely operator error on this one.

2. The lower section of the sleeve is also weird. It's flared, and the photo and line drawing are not. Possibly I sewed it upside down. Another thing to check, which I'll do by comparing those teeny-tiny little numbers on the pattern pieces (and which I probably should've done before sewing). This whole sleeve business is made harder with WOF's scant instructions and severe lack of illustration. I pulled out some better instructions last night and will go over those this morning. Another thing I should've done first.

3. There's still a little too much length between shoulder and waist, I think, but I can't tell for sure until the sleeve is out or corrected.

4. Upper pocket flaps. Not sure this is a good look on me. I'll decide after the fit is finessed.

5. Shoulders are too wide, but I was expecting this since I didn't narrow them yet.

Good thing this is only a muslin.

Odds & Ends

1. Lorna asked for the links for my book splurge: I bought from Abebooks.com, and Amazon.com, after using Google to search on a few authors/titles to get started. Abebooks is a middleman for other sellers, like Amazon's used booksellers, and had the most titles/best prices. I left plenty for you.

2. New cutting mat: I don't know the brand, it's not marked. I don't think it is Dritz because that would be printed on it somewhere, don't you think?

I do like the way it feels when I'm cutting but I still prefer the softness of self-healing mats. I'll see how it goes as I get used to this new one. I can see that this mat will get roughed up as it's used (the con of non-self-healing), but with a 40% off coupon and my extra 10% off ASG discount, I won't have a problem spending the $30-or-so to replace it yearly, if necessary. The size and color push it ahead of the self-heal mats so far, although my end-all, be-all would be a HUGE white, self-healing mat. For those of you who have a mat like this, do you use something to smooth out the cuts every now and then?

It's still not completely flat. Too bad they have to be shipped/stored rolled up tight in boxes. So I sprayed the table with temporary adhesive spray and stuck the mat down. Where there's a will, there's a way. ;-) Now that my mat covers the full table surface and is white like the tabletop, I don't think I'll need to take it off anytime soon. If I do, and the stickiness is a problem, I'll just wipe it off with rubbing alcohol, which is another sewing room "notion" BTW. I use it all the time to take Sharpie marks off my fingers and table.

In case you're wondering, I prefer the white color underneath when tracing anything, or taping computer patterns together. I always took my other mats off the table when doing those things.

3. Replacing the zipper in DS's pants ... yeah, I know I could've taken it to the cleaners and had them do it for a reasonable price. But, I wanted to see if I could and DS makes me feel happy with his response when I mend something of his. So, totally selfish project even if at first glance it didn't seem so. ;-)

4. Pincushions ... it's been fun seeing all of yours after my Old/New post. Keep the pics coming!

5. No shopping this morning. ;-)

A little overboard (oh, do you THINK?)

So I was browsing some bookseller sites this morning (uh oh) and I found all sorts of used and OOP sewing, fitting and patternmaking books that have been on my mental wishlist for a while, whether I knew it or not. Resistance was futile, apparently, because I bought them all. Yikes!

1. Fitting Commercial Patterns: The Minott Method (Jan Minott)

2. Coordinated Pattern Fit (Jan Minott)

3. Pants and Skirts Fit for Your Shape (Jan Minott)

I couldn't decide which one would be the best from the very brief (non-existent?) contents descriptions. I know I want at least one of these. If the others are too duplicative, I'll resell them on PR.

4. Fantastic Fit For Everybody: How to Alter Patterns to Flatter Your Figure (Gale G. Hazen)

I think I had this at one time, but I can't find it. Maybe I didn't like it and resold it? It was pretty cheap today so what the heck. I can always resell it again if I really don't like it.

5. Pants Fit for Your Figure: Point-By-Point Pattern Adjustment (Louise Bame)

I've never heard of this one, but it was cheap.

6. SEWING CASUAL CLOTHES Sportswear, How to Make and Fit Slacks, Smart Separates and Beach Wear, Leather Fashions, Sport Clothes for Men (Better Homes & Gardens)

Leather fashions for men? Hmmmm!!!! No, that's not what made me buy it! It also was very cheap and I have almost no sewing books for men so I figured why not. And it will be hilarious to see the 1970s styles, which, of course, my sons will probably think are very cool! ;-)

7. Sewing Pants for Women: A Guide to Perfect Fit (Else Tyroler)

Another one unfamiliar to me but too cheap to not buy. (There I go, "saving money" again!)

8. How to Make Pants and Jeans That Really Fit (Barbara Corrigan)

I ask you, how could I not buy a book on fitting jeans??

9. How To Make Clothes That Fit And Flatter (Adele Margolis)

10. Make Your Own Dress Patterns (Adele Margolis)

I've wanted Margolis' patternmaking book for a while. This one is the recent Dover reprint so it was very reasonably priced. The other is to complete the "set" ... I already have her Dressmaking book.

11. Easy Guide to Sewing Tops and T-shirts (Marcy Tilton)

This book has great reviews but is usually hard to find at a reasonable price. But I did today, so I scooped it up too.

12. Mustang/Cougar 1965-73 (Chilton's Repair & Tune-Up Guides)

Yeah, OK, not a sewing book. But my son needs this for his '65 Stanger and it was less than $5.00.

Total: About $175, including shipping. There were plenty not on my current list (until today) that I left for another day. I'll let you know when they start arriving and I'll definitely write up reviews on PR since there aren't any for most of these.

Now back up to the sewing room to finish the pattern alterations for my jacket before I have to leave on some errands.

Oh, and in case you missed it on PR, the new Burda Plus magazine is up ... I can't wait to get this one! I love everything!