Scenic Route

At last!  Here's Burda Coat 08/2013 #103 that I started on in the fall--much too late to wear in Mongolia, but I've gotten to wear it lots back here in Colorado.  It has been very warm and snuggy even in the low 20's F. I just noticed that the hem is not even in this picture.  It's perfect on me, though.  Whew!   The fabric--spied by my husband (!) in my favorite jam & cram fabric store in UB-- is just perfect--body enough for shape yet is soft and has some drape.    Note:  he was with me.  He doesn't normally just hang out in fabric stores. Wrong Side:  soft & smooth Right side:  textured & woolly The fact that Black & Blue is On Trend is a total accident.  I've always liked the color and I bought the fabric before the trend arrived.  Usually trends go on without me because I'm such a slow sewer! Here's a close-up of the clasp thingies I found in UB.  Perfect match! ...

I wear a lot of black.  I mean A Lot.  It started with all the travel 10 years ago.   Then, about 2 years ago I decided to let my hair grow natural; i.e.,   gray .  I made that decision right after I renewed my passport that's good for 10 years.  Hmm.   But I've never looked back and no regrets.   A wonderful result of this decision is that I now have a much narrower color palette!  This really simplifies life.   Apparently B&W is now On Trend.  I think this is a first for me.  Usually,  I embrace a trend that appeals to me and by the time I get the pattern, fabric, and fitting issues ironed out, that trend has whizzed right by.   Using black as a base, I now only buy & sew hot pink, true purple, red and royal blue.  And!  I mix them!  Yes, red and purple really do blend.  I've really liked doing the black/royal blue thing that's been en vogue --this was so easy for me as I already...

Well, Happy New Year! Randy & I shared a cozy New Years Eve just the way we like it:  with each other.  Which involves dodging some invites and looking like fuddie duds, but oh well.  At midnight Ulaanbaatar explodes in fireworks and our apartment affords a panoramic view of all--including the ones in our front and back yard.  Literally.  This is, you know, the land of no liability.  It's all quite breathtaking.  Again, literally.   While we enjoy our Snugglers and Champagne, we love waking up to the new year without a hangover or serious sleep deprivation. So...today we walked the frozen Tuul River.  We were SO blessed with amazingly clear air and barely above 0 temps.   Randy on the river--yep, all that white is frozen river! Look at all those layers of ice! See the ice under the snow? And then!  We happened on a Shagai game!!  This is a game played on the ice--since Chinggis Kahn's time...

Christmas in Asia is a little bit different--in good ways and bad.  Asians tend to use all the Christmas trappings to celebrate the new year.  In very over-the-top ways.  On the other hand, it is left to the Christians to celebrate; in intentional ways.  That, I think, is good. Here's some pics of our 9th Christmas in the East! Hotel Lobby in Macau.  Rather tasteful.  Despite Randy wanting to sneak chocolate covered almonds behind the reindeer.  ...wherever you go, there you are... Kowloon in front of the historic Peninsula Hotel.  Rather tame in daylight.  Stay tuned. Kowloon in front of Peninsula by night.  Dazzling (blinding).  Yes, that IS a giant cupid hovering over the photo op! See that cupid now?  Yes? The beautiful, crazy-old tree above the lighted one pales in comparison. Christmas lights on Hong Kong shore seen from the ferry from Kowloon.   Back to some reality in U...

Well, The Coat is still in progress.  I got a bit stalled as I needed shoulder pads and one doesn't just swing by the sewing store here, so had to wait until of last week.  Then, I was down with some flu bug this weekend and that slowed things down more.  Whole new meaning to slow sewing. So, I want to blog about a jacket that I made this past summer that I am so  pleased with! Here's my Butterick 5616!  Even though I knew in the spring I wanted a white denim jacket for summer, I didn't get it done until almost the end of summer--mainly because I kept searching for just the right denim.  A denim with just the right feel and weight--and that was actually white, not off white or cream.  I made my usual 10 through the neck and shoulders and a 12 on the sides.  I actually added a bit to the side seams that I really didn't need in the end as it's a bit boxy, but I'm OK with that. I ended up using Hong Kong finishes and binding many of the...

Well, I've made progress on The Coat.  S l o w l y.  The first day of sewing was delightful--fabric wonderful to work with--then basted up the side seams…it was too big.  This  being my first try with a Burda Style pattern, I wasn't sure whether to go with the upper bust or full bust measurement.  Should have been the upper.  So…back to the L.A. freeway map  original pattern to grade the pattern pieces down a size.  Makes my head hurt.  Lots of un-sewing. A good week later and it's coming together!  Today I hope to get the sleeves in and then on to hems and fasteners.  One time suck has been the Hong Kong seams--that wonderful satin bias tape turned out to be a bit wonkey, going from wide to narrow and back again.  I think it was the end of a roll because I went back on Saturday to get more (15 meters and counting!!! --some due to all the un-sewing) and it was off a new roll and much better to work with. The sticky dot...

I've been tempted to leave off blogging--but I SO enjoy the online sewing blogging community!  ...and, frankly, I enjoy blogging--the whole creative and sharing process.   After reading about the whole online quandry of much younger bloggers on  Sew Well , I feel so validated and inspired to get back to my blog.  Just for the joy of it. My daughter Nikki, at Fancy That , always says "just pick up where you're at."  So, I'm going to take her advice and do just that.   I've been back in UB for--wowzers!  About a month!  I was thinking a few weeks.  That explains a lot. Anyway.  The fabric shopping here has become even more incredible.  I have to shop by feel for the most part, but man, the selection here is crazy.  I even stumble on a small shop selling amazing Italian ponte knits for about $7-$8 a meter.   What's on the sewing table today:  A coat from this crazy wool/ fleece piece that actually caught my ...