Cheerfully Observing Thread

Did you know that Veterans Day was originally known as “Armistice Day?” The First World War ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, and was a big cause for celebration after more than four years of fighting. Now it is known as Veterans Day to honor everyone who has served our country over the decades.  This blouse pattern came from Folkwear Patterns #210, “Armistice Blouse,” and I made it out of a polyester/rayon blend, which isn’t very historically accurate, but it drapes beautifully and I wanted it to be warm enough to wear in the cooler fall weather. I added French Cuffs to it, and although they turned out longer than I expected, I decided to just leave them (I like how puffy they make the sleeves).  My grandpa served on the European front during the Second World War, and although he has been gone for almost a decade now, he helped foster my love of history by sharing with me his memories during his time of service and suggesting books to read on the to

Now that it’s November, if you plan on making any gifts for the holidays, it’s probably time to get started, if you haven’t already! I try really hard not to save all my gift making and purchasing for the weeks before Christmas - it gets stressful and expensive. I picked up the habit from a friend and an aunt to buy things for people when you see something they’ll love, even if it’s months before a holiday (I keep a list on my phone of what I have gotten so I can keep track). And that goes doubly if I get an inspiration of what to make them! Here are a few ideas to make as gifts, or to give a sewer in your life.  To make:  1. Headbands - the one I am wearing above is quite simple to make.  All you need is a piece of knit fabric that is about 7"x 20", and then sew it into a tube the long way, and then fold it at the raw ends and sew down to make the connection cute. And there are tons of other versions on YouTube!  2. Potholders/Hot pads.  Who doesn’t need cute Christmas potho

  My absolute favorite television series is Remington Steele, so this year I decided to dress as Laura Holt for Halloween. This is an outfit she wears in the episode “Now You Steele It, Now You Don’t” in season three. I made the blazer from an out of print retro pattern (Simplicity 3688), which I really like because it is princess seamed, but over the shoulder, not under. I have quite narrow shoulders, and this style makes adjusting the fit quite easy for me. I have hung onto this pattern over the years for precisely this reason - I've never found another done that way. You can see from the pictures that it is wider through the shoulder and quite fitted below that, but that is how hers fits in the episode, so I think I succeeded.   The blouse from Simplicity 1538. I didn't have jewelry exactly like hers (or a pair of nude sling backs), but I got pretty close.  The hardest part was getting my bangs back for the bun!  I made the purse out of leftover fabric from the blazer, as I

To change things up a bit, I thought I’d share a few new favorite things I’ve come across recently, from both sewing and life in general.  First, my new sewing basket. I’ll admit, a sewing basket is not an essential part of my hobby, but it is handy to have one around sometimes, and my old one was getting pretty faded. So, when I saw this one, I decided to make a change, and here we are!  Second, this maple sugar candy. I am not a huge candy person, but I love to get some maple sugar candy in the fall, so I was excited to find this cute set (and it’s even organic! Not that that makes it “healthy,” but at least it’s free from pesticides).    Next, I really enjoyed reading this book. Every year, I try to read at least one book on leadership. I have found it really helps me keep a good attitude about work, along with learning about myself and how to interact with those around me. How to Lead when You’re Not in Charge had so many good points, thoughtful insights, and new ideas to ponder.

I'll admit - I saw a skirt like this pictured on Pinterest and copied it.  I absolutely ADORE lace, and what could be prettier than a lace covered skirt? Especially one that doesn’t look too fancy, so it doesn't have to be saved for special occasions only. I had saved the picture some time back, but I actually never thought I'd find lace like this to make it with, but a long story about how over dinner with a friend we discovered that my workplace's new supply of lace came from her workplace… and now I have a new lace skirt! I used Burda pattern #6147 and simply measured the lace to go evenly on top of it, so it came together very easily.   (Also, if you look me up on Pinterest or Instagram, you can see other ways I’ve styled it!)

I made these wide legged pants to be a part of my fall wardrobe, and I really liked how they turned out.  They are the same ones I used for this blog post (always love to reuse a pattern!), only out of a much lighter weight fabric, and not lined.  If you look closely at the last picture, you can see that the fabric (a Robert Kaufman Essex Linen/Cotton blend) is actually a tiny black and white window pane check, but it comes off grey.   Any one else starting to put together their fall plans yet?  It's finally cool enough around here for me to be in the mood to work on my fall projects.  Here are some things I'm hoping to accomplish:  Knit new dishcloths  - my mom told me she is in need of new ones, and now that it's fall, it seems like the time for a new knitting project.  Find a Vegetable Soup Recipe - I've been trying a new creamy vegetable soup recipe every week in search of the perfect one. If I can’t find one, I guess I might have to draft my own!  Walk outside whe