Amazing!

In case you were wondering what that picture of a big pile of zippers is, it's most of my zipper stash.

While it's not the largest you have ever seen, it's certainly not the tiniest either. So, you know what amazes me? It amazes me that I NEVER have an appropriate zipper for my project. NEVER. So, ok, maybe twice i've had the right zipper, but usually i'm stuck running to the store OR (my favorite option) just using an invisable zip and hope that no one notices. I complain about this so much, that even my husband knows that I never have the right zipper.

Does this happen to anyone else? It can't just be me.

FNSI the *ahem* results...

Sometimes I amaze even myself with how little I can do before I just say forget it and move on. Last nigth I decided that I would work on a top pattern from the Ottobre woman 2 2010 issue. It's a very easy top. One that should have took me all of 30 minutes. So, do you think i'm supprised that it's not done? Don't be, because i'm not.

So, here's what happened. I think. I cut my pattern and fabric, sewed the side and shoulder seams, THEN I went against my better judgement and decided to finsh the top per the Ottobre directions. WHich is to baste clear eleastic to the armholes, then turn once and stitch with a double needle.

I don't understand this technique. It makes everything look so handmade. Now, don't get me wrong, sometimes the handmade look is ok, but this isn't one of those times. I tried to sew on the elastic, and all it did was bunch up my seam. So, I had to unpick it all, and that's where my sewjo went away. I'm going to try to get back to it tonight. And this time I won't waste my time on a technique I know I can't make work. Personally, I like facings or bands that are serged on.

I did get a bunch of tracing done yesterday afternoon, so the who day wasn't lost.

Friday Night Sew In is tonight

Don't forget, tonight is the FNSI!

If you haven't already signed up, what are you waiting for?

I'm going to be working from the 2/2010 issue of Ottobre Woman magazine. This is my first Ottobre woman magazine, and I just love this issue. I just got this issue 2 or 3 days ago, and I already have 3 things traced. There are a few otehr things I like as well. If I make 4 things from this issue, that will be a record for me. I don't think I have ever made 4 things from a Burda magazine.

Also, here is the new 2/2011 issue. Looks very promising. I decided to get a year sub to Ottobre woman when I bought the 2/2010 issue. I doubt i'll be disappointed.

Lena Modetrend Magazine

A few weeks ago, I was searching around eBay and came across Lena Modetrend for plus sizes.

I don't know much about this magazine, and there really isn't much info out there either. What I do know is that it's published by a German publisher, and that there is no regular publish date for this magazine. Apparently it's published 'whenever'. There is a good range of sizes in the magazine, so sizes all the way up to size 52. The magazine is in German only, and I can't find any helpful sites out there who have already translated the instructions. So, you'll probably have to already have a clue before you tackle anything in this magazine. Oh, and the pattern sheets? IMHO, just as bad, if not worse than BurdaStyle. There are only two colors on the sheets, black and red, and the patterns are bunched up good and tight on the sheets. Oh, and there isn't one page with all the line drawings on it. The line drawings are next to the instructions for that design.

I do have one pattern traced, but not sewn yet. I'll post when I get it done, but I have a few other things going on at the moment.

SewingPatterns.com

I don't usually complain much about places I shop. Of course, I don't get totally crappy service all that often either, so maybe that's why I don't complain much.

Well, not today! Today i'm going to complain about SewingPatterns.com. Last month, against my better judgement, I bought a few patterns from this site. They shipped one, and the other is on backorder. I have emailed this company 4 times, and all I got was one reply saying they would check into it. A simple "Hey, we will get that in stock about Feb. 15th" would have made me happy.

Needless to say, I opened a dispute with PayPal in an attempt to get my money back. I would ask them directly, but it's already clear that they don't reply to emails.

Reading over reviews and past threads about this company on PatternReview, this isn't a new thing for this company. They just don't give a shit, as far as I can tell. I have read from a few people that seem to think it's prefectly acceptable to wait 4 to 6 weeks for patterns. I don't think it is. Especially if the company is in the US and shipping to the US.

Their attitude seems to be "Yeah, we'll ship your patterns when we're good and damn ready. If you don't like it, though, becuase we're not going to answer any of your emails." They should put that in their FAQs or on their "About Us" page. Since that's the truth.

Long, whiney story short, i'll never order from them again.

The February Five

Just putting this out there...

I plan on losing 5 pounds in February. That may not seem like a lot to some of you, but I think it's an attainable goal.

I think that my be the problem for a lot of us, we set our goals to high, and then when we don't reach them fast enough we start to fail. For example, when someone proclaims "I want to lose 40 pounds!' Is that really attainable? After a few months, sure, but it's not going to happen overnight. And I think that leaves a whole lot of room for discouragement. So, my goal for the whole month of February is going to be 5 pounds. I think that's an attainable goal, don't you?