Before it Starts...thoughts on Refashion Runway

Oh. My. Goodness.

 

For those of you who haven't heard yet,

I learned last week that I was chosen to be one of 8 contestants

to take part in the second season of Refashion Runway,

hosted by Beth, The Renegade Seamstress.

 

It was pretty exciting stuff.

And tomorrow is the big reveal for the first challenge!

 

Yes, yes, I'm a little nervous.

But in all honesty, I love my completed project,

so no matter what happens, I feel very good about what I did!

 

As this first week has played out, I have gone through a range of emotions,

and have arrived at the following conclusion...

 

 I am going to be me...and make what I would wear!

 

 

 

 

This is a competition, so naturally you want to put your best foot forward.

But I have decided that it is definitely going to be my foot, and not some fake,

give-the-people-what-they-want kind of foot. 

I have a unique style and taste, which may not gel with everyone.

But I will feel best about my projects if I love them,

and I'll love them best if they are a true representation of myself.

 

 

I knew when I started this competition, that the sewing would be the easiest part.

Challenging, oh yes, but I feel comfortable with a sewing machine.

You know what does scare me?

 

Presentation!

I am not in love with my hair, and haven't been for quite a while.

Now I have to do something with it before the rest of the world sees me!

Scary stuff.

 

Oh yeah, and while we are on that subject,

I feel the same way about makeup.

I like the stuff, but I barely wear it.

I like going au naturel most of the time, and even when I do use makeup,

it is pretty minimal, simply because I feel best

without worrying if my face plaster is coming off!

 

But that's not all.

 You want to know the aspect that really scares me?

 

It's not necessarily whether or not people will like what I make,

or whether I can keep up the creative flow of juices for the duration of the contest,

although those are certainly viable points.

 

No.

 

What really makes me nervous is...

Judging my fellow competitors.

 

Half of each project's scores comes from our fellow seamstresses.

 

And I think...

How do you put a number on someone else's efforts?

How do you grade another person's creative work?

Can you really distill all of their investments into a series of scores?

In my opinion, no.

You can't.

 

Speaking for myself,

just getting to this point is a great accomplishment,

and I'll be thrilled to death no matter how far I get!

I'll still stalk my computer each week to see what everyone has made

and be just as excited about the outcome as I was last season.

 

But everyone wants to make it all the way.

 

I think I can safely say the grading process will probably

take the most prayer and relative time out of everything.

 

 

And another thing....

(that is if you are still reading)

 

Please don't vote for me just because you know me!

 

I want honest results, and I don't like prejudiced votes.

My brothers' have competed in filming contests where the results

were determined by popular vote...and the winner was most often the one with

the most friends, not the best video.

It was pretty obvious to everyone, and it always stunk.

 

So if you read my blog, if you know me,

please, go and vote for your favorite project, whether it is mine or not.

 

I think prejudice and favoritism has cheated many a talented person

out of their just reward.

 

My soap box is creaking,

I think I had better get down now.

 

 

So yeah...

I think that sums it all up!

I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks,

and I hope you are too!

My Night at a Museum

Guess what I got to do this past Saturday?!

A couple of friends, one of my brothers and myself

had the fun opportunity of being volunteer 'living history' characters

recreating the idea of museum figures coming to life from the "Night at the Museum" movies!

The event was called "Night at PPHM"

hosted at the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

 

 

Visit their website here.

 

 From 8-11:30,

 the museum turned off their lights and visitors came through

with flash lights and 'caught' the museum night life (the dressed up volunteers)

going about their business...doing what they would have done in their respective era of history.

 

L-R: Friend Beth, myself, brother Anthony, friend Cari.

 

Us gals played the part of prairie ladies in the museum's amazing western town!

We had a 'sewing bee' in the parlor of our prairie house...only none of us were sewing...

Each of us exhibited a different form of handiwork...

knitting, embroidery, and crochet.

We found it pretty tricky in the dark...but in between being flashed by one of the

995 attendants, we were able to at least make it look like we were doing something!

There were lots of inquisitive children as well as parents who took advantage

of the teachable moment...for example

"This is what they did for fun back then....

...this was before X-box...and TV."

"See, they had to make all of their own clothes...there were no Wal-Marts."

 

Probably one of the funnest aspects was that we were able to have real

conversations that actually fit into the lives of our characters!

We talked about our gardens...ducks and hens hatching out...

whirl winds, droughts, dust storms...

and various friends who are getting married and having babies.

 

Our favorite and most well suited topic was the Civil War Wedding 

of our mutual friend...it fit perfectly!

 

Conversation flowed naturally and unforced...there were even some people

who hung around our parlor just to listen for a bit. 

 

 



Just a sittin'

My little brother was dressed up as a on gas station attendant

and as his nightly occupation, 'washed' and waxed a 1927 Model T Ford Car.

Our great grandpa really did own and run a gas station, and his daughter,

our Nana, worked there.

He felt pretty proud that he was, in a sense, carrying on the tradition.

 

In short, we all had a blast!

This is definitely something we would love to do again...

 I would love to 'history hop' and try a different time period...like the 40's!

 

Picture by Ralph Duke

 

This was our group picture!

Visit the PPHM Facebook page for a whole album of great shots!

 

 

You can also visit this site for some awesome shots like the one below.

 

Photo By: Spotted®  Sean Steffen AGN Media

Taylor Norman talks with visitors about his work while portraying a blacksmith Saturday, June 8, 2013 during a night event at the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum in which visitors used flashlights to view the exhibits in the dark.

 

 

Our little group so thouroughly enjoyed the experience

that there was much talk about expanding our little band and making it

a regular to do where ever we could find a place to volunteer!

 

We'll see what the future holds... 

 

Blue Floral Summer Dress

 Hey y'all!

So, I have lots of projects planned, but I am still trying to play catch up and post

some of the projects from the last couple of months.

That being said, here is the next installment!

This was a lovely summer dress I made back in April.

It was only my second from scratch sewing project and my first one using a pattern.

My dear friend Atlanta had just gotten married,

and this project was just the thing to get me out a funk after her beautiful wedding

and the resulting 7 state-hop road trip with my brothers. 

  I used this pattern (thanks Atlanta!), New Look 6557, option E (bottom left).

 

I'll admit, having never sewn from a pattern before, this dress was a challenge!

Linings, turning things inside out and this way and that, zippers etc....

there were times I just had to let it sit for a day or two,

but in the end I was very, very proud of myself for finishing it!

It isn't perfect, but what ever is?

Being one of my firsts, I'm not going to be too hard on myself.

I love this delicate blue floral pattern.

During the creation of this dress, we were having *crazy, crazy* weather here in Texas.

When I started, the weather was lovely and warm...perfect for a new summer dress.

But by the time I had finished, I was sewing in a sweater and socks.

Things are finally warm enough now that I can wear this lovely out!

Now I just need someplace to go....



A Wedding Gift Afghan...My Week of Frantic Crochet and Jane Eyre

Recently one of my dear friends, Atlanta, was married to the man of her dreams

at a fairy tale like Civil War Wedding.

 

 

Now, I had known for months that the wedding was approaching,

but did I plan ahead like any normal person and get a wedding gift far in advance?

 

No.

 

 

No, I didn't.

 

 

Instead I became panic stricken late one evening as I realized I had a week and one day

left until I needed to have gift in hand.

 

Oh, and did I mention I was kind of broke?

 

 

Yes.

 

Panic.

 

 

In the time that has since passed, I'm not sure of the thought processes that flitted through my frantic mind, but they probably went something like this...

 

Me: "What am I going to do?!"

 

 

Me:" I don't know, but you had better think of something!"

 

 

Me: "This can't just be 'something', this has to be a special something, this is Atlanta we're talking about!"

 

 

Me: " I know, I know..."

 

 

Me:" Aha! I could make something! A handmade gift is always special, right?!"

 

 

Me: "So...what?...You are going to make her a pair of potholders and a bookmark?"

 

 

Me: "No, no, no! It has to be something really good, nice and quality, this is a wedding gift!"

 

 

Me: "You have a week!!"

 

 

Me: "I could make an afghan!"

 

 

Me: "You have a week!

 

Me: "Hmmm...I don't have enough yarn for that...wait, yes I do! I have tons of yarn, I can make a granny square afghan! Perfect!"

 

 

Me: "You have ONE WEEK!!"

 

Me: "Will you *stop* saying that?! Do you remember the time I virtually crocheted a scarf in one night? It was Christmas Eve, and it was mom's present? Remember that?"

 

 

Me: " Yeah, bu.."

 

 

Me: "This can be done.

It is basically a bunch of squares joined together, that shouldn't take long, right?"

 

 

That last statement...true or false?

 

Both.

 

My family barely saw hide nor tail of me the week that followed,

I worked at a frantic pace and didn't do anything else that wasn't vitally necessary.

 

But I got it done!

(Disclaimer: This is not a recommended time frame- please, do not try this at home.)

 

 

My Grandma H. makes tons of beautiful quilts using
this triangle design- one of hers acted as my inspiration.

 

I laid the squares on top of a twin sized bed sheet, this
acted as guide for my size. When I needed to put it up,
I simply rolled up the sheet with all the squares on it,
saved so much time!


  

I connected all of the squares with a cream white yarn.


 

Looking back, that week is a blur of colored blocks and Jane Eyre.

 

You see, the night before I decided to

I had spent the evening with Atlanta, who had introduced me to the story of Jane Eyre for the very first time.

We watched a BBC mini series version (my favorite so far!) and I was hooked!

 

So, when I finally presented the gift to Atlanta, I told her it was the Jane Eyre afghan because I listened to the entire audio book, watched an old movie version, and RE-watched the mini series during the construction of that blanket!

 

 

 

 

My brother snuck into my lair and snapped this picture
as proof I was still alive...notice the headphones.

In the end, my hard work and earnest efforts turned out beautifully...I was pleased!

 

 

 

It makes me smile thinking that at this moment my afghan rests in the home of my sweet friend, ready to warm her and her new husband on a chilly night.

 

In closing, I don't think this post would be complete without a quote from one of my

new favorite love stories....Jane Eyre...dedicated to the marriage of Atlanta and her 'Mr. Rochester'.

 

“I ask you to pass through life at my side—

to be my second self, and best earthly companion.” 

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte