Don't Miss Me Too Much!

I'm heading out today for Austin, so nothing very interesting has been going on in the sewing room.

Although, along with cleaning up the basement, we have also been cleaning and rearranging in other areas of the house. One of the places that is being worked on is the sewing room. A difficulty with the sewing room is that it is also one of the two guest rooms in the house, and because of that we had a queen sized bed in it. The room is only 11x14, though, so with the big bed, a rolling garment rack, the containers of fabric, three sewing machine cabinets, and a cutting table it was getting pretty tight in there.

The first step in cleaning up the sewing room was to trade my brother the queen size bed for a twin bed. Next, we will buy a daybed with a trundle, so we will still be able to house just as many people when the room is used for guests. Finally, I want to install a long countertop along one wall and inset all the machines into it and put the cabinets (don't tell my husband this plan, he'll have a stroke) in the basement. I would need workstations for the 401, the 503, the 603, and the serger. Those are the main machines I use. The 66 treadle will stay where it is, and the 99 and 301 will stay in their travel cases (as will the featherweight...once acquired!).

After the beds were changed, I decided to go through my fabrics and see if there was anything that wanted to be sewn up. I took some time to lay out my next projects.

First, I want to make another version of the Hot Patterns Sunshine top:


I will make it in grey knit that was left over from the cardi-wrap I made last winter. It is very lightweight, so I think I will make the belted tunic version.

Second, I have a black and white knit print that I want to make a cowl neck top with:


I have so many patterns that I am loathe to purchase any more, but I think it would also be a great fabric for McCalls 6069:


Or, pehaps I just think that because the one in the illustration is black and white. I have also considered morphing the skirt from the Hot Patterns Uptown Downtown Dress:


Onto the top for the Sunshine top:


Next, I have a length of really soft pink knit that I would like to make a simple pullover dress with:


It will definitely need to be belted, but there is a pattern for a wrap around obi belt in an old Burda that I plan on making using black denim. I am considering making it reversible, and doing one side with zebra print and one side with the black denim....we'll see.

One of my final projects for summer is this purple and green plaid:


I would like to make the shirt with the cuffed half sleeves. And because even though it is poly, I can never pass that shelf by in the fabric store:



I figured after that, I really should start thinking about projects for fall. I have love this dress from the January Burda ever since it came out:


But, I have finally come to accept that gathered or pleated skirts are NOT my friend. But, I still wanted a dress with that menswear styling. So....


Here is a better image of the pattern:


Finally, I have a couple of jackets planned. First, I have a red embroidered stretch twill that was going to be a dress, but I didn't have enough fabric. Therefore, it will become a jacket instead:


And finally, I have a grey twill and a great charmeuse animal print for lining to make a trench coat for fall:


And for today's "Interesting Basement Find," apparently at one time I was teaching myself to tat. When I was little, my grandfather tried to teach me, but I could never handle the shuttle properly. Apparently I had better luck needle tatting:


Seriously, I only VAGUELY remember even doing this. I REALLY need to just pick a craft and stick with it!

Anyway, have a fantastic weekend everyone! Be safe, stay cool, and I'll catch up with everyone's blogs when I get back!