Ready to get back into sewing soon

I defend my dissertation on November 20, 2009! So glad I will have some time to sew again. One of the first patterns I intend to make is a new Butterick Pattern. I plan to make the dress in Christmas Red to wear as a tunic over black pants.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the women who inspire us in our hobbies! My mother was a primary reason I learned to sew and she supported me throughout the learning process! Thank you Mom.

I have noticed several other blog posts about the new Star Trek movie. My boys took me to see it last night. I love the way the new actors resemble the original characters in the original series. The subtleties of the humor and the historical references to earlier content was exciting. How fun!

Personal Update

I have been eager to get back to blogging and contribute to the sewing community with Nylorac Creations. Here is a glimpse of what I have been up to the past few months. I took the directorship of a nonprofit organization, Quality Life Associates this past summer. Here is a photo from my recent activities. What I love about this position is the variety and rich opportunities to serve people and make friends. If you would like to look at it in more depth see website and blog: http://www.qualitylifeassociates.com/

Office Decoration Sewing

After taking a long break from blogging--I am back! I will be posting photos of items I created to enhance the decor of my new office! Check back in a couple of days.

Shaped Jacket Success with Butterick 5053

Double tucks do the trick for providing the needing jacket shaping in the front for B5053 with vertical darts providing some definition in the back. Now I have shaping in both the front and the back of this jacket pattern. I used another pattern I had with double CF tucks to complete this look (Simplicity 3688, the Retro Blouse Pattern).

Actually I really like the overall effect of this pattern. It makes a great casual summer-weight jacket to wear with a fitted tee if you use light-weight but sturdy fabric (in this case quilting fabric). I like the shaping on the sides and the hem of this pattern. This one is great with jeans!

Adding Dart Shaping to Butterick 5053 Jacket

I overlaid the Camp Shirt Pattern B5047 with the Jacket pattern B5053 to experiment with CF and CB darts to add some shape to this open style jacket with scarf collar (see my earlier post for original shaping of jacket). My initial impression is that the back darts are a definite plus for this jacket. What do you think?

However, the front darts I tried here definitely need more work. The darts create an unattactive "poofy" effect at the lower edge below the dart. Since I don't want to remove the hem to take the dart all the way to the hemline I am going to reshape the dart, narrowing the dart significantly at the lower end. I do like the shaping it provides at the top of the dart. So, by tomorrow afternoon hopefully I will have a photo showing a smoother CF with an improved CF dart here.

This is one reason why we have seam rippers right?

8 Items for Tag

Duke and Dutchess

Nanflan/SewWest invited fellow bloggers to volunteer to participate in the 8 item tag.

So, here is what I have to contribute.

8 bits of facts to share about me:


1. If you are a member of this sewing community it wouldn't come as any surprise to you that I have a large stash of patterns and fabric. I love the thrill of the hunt and the capture of exciting fabric yardage and just the right pattern. But in my case I have decided that my stash is a completed collection for the time being. I plan to work mostly from what I have collected for the next few years, and just buy coordinating fabrics if needed to match what I already have. I think I could probably create just about any style from the patterns I already have. Sure, I will buy a few, but mostly work with what I already have. I have taken the challenge!


2. In addition to sewing, another hobby I have is music. I have happily collected all the major members of the flute family (with the exception of the base flute). I have the following flutes: piccolo, 3 C flutes, E flat, and alto. I currently don't have a group to play with but plan to look for another group in the next year or so. I have a part-time paid position playing piano every Sunday for one church service. It has really been fun to do and something I have wanted to try for years. The job kind of “fell in my lap.” I had filled in there as a musician at this church a number of times since moving here three years ago. One of the regular musicians they had on staff failed to show up one Sunday and didn't call in. Needless to say, he was fired. They called me and offered me the position. Of course I said, YES!


3. I am a dog lover and always have been. We have two dachshunds, a black-colored miniature long-haired female named Dutchess (8 years) and a short-haired silver dapple male named Duke (9 months)--both dogs are still vying for the alpha role; lots of power plays to see who is the boss.


4. Although I didn't plan to do it earlier in my life, I am currently finishing up a doctorate in Rehabilitation Education, hoping to graduate this coming December if I can just finish the dissertation?! Three years ago our family moved 3 hours away from home (Little Rock, AR at the time) to allow me the opportunity to do this program. Wow! The time has flown by and many days I can't believe I have actually almost finished it. My family has been wonderfully supportive of this endeavor. I couldn't have done it without them. We hope to move to the Pacific NW (Seattle area) this coming January (assuming I can find a job there). My husband and I both grew up there.


5. Since we have two boys, we are all into Boy Scouting. Yes, I have a uniform too. I have filled lots of roles over the years. My older son is an Eagle scout and our 14 year old son is coming up the ranks. We really like scouting since it provides so many great learning opportunities in life skills for guys!


6. I would love to take a couple of trips to Europe sometime in the next decade—something I have never done.


7. My parents are having their 50th wedding anniversary celebration this August and we are going to Seattle for the event. I fashioned a customized banner that will be suspended from the doorway to the event that is quilted, appliqued, and has beading on it. Some of the techniques I learned from reading some of the sewer blogs in this community. Thank you for your input!


8. My older son (19) just bought his first car, and he and my husband are off on a road trip to go pick up the car (a red 1988 cadillac with the square body shape) in Nashville, TN for the next couple of days.