Seat of my skirt sewing

Last night I decided that I wanted to sew.  I had already cut this skirt out a few weeks ago so I figured I would just sit down and sew. It took me just under 2 hours because I ran into a few problems --- like ---

• Finding out that I had chopped  the zipper I had planned to use up for a previous project. 
• Finding a new zipper to use. 
• Finding out that my zipper foot had gone missing, searched the sewing room mess, was almost about to use a normal foot (OMG!) when I saw a glint of metal shining from under my sewing machine. 
• Danced a dance of joy that I had found my zipper foot. 
• Had to search for some bias binding, ransacked for fabric cupboard only to remember that I had put them in the second draw,,, right beside where I sew so that I could find them easily...
• Almost finished... run out of bobbin thread.

Not too bad.

This pattern is Vogue 8603. I traced the pattern ages ago and made two skirts from it, but a few weeks ago I re-traced it and combined the panel pattern pieces to make the seams into darts instead. Does that even make sense?

Anyway - wore it today and realized that I have to really take it in because I've lost a weight since I last made this pattern.

Also wanted to share how I 'baste' in my zippers. I use applique pins!!!

Note the fabric,,,  made me a floral pencil skirt. ASOS - $59.95. Me - maybe $15. Not including the time taken to make it because it was fun. Much like shopping is fun and you never include the amount per hour to the price of clothing that it took to find it, try it on and buy it...

Top - Avella from Big W

Skirt - Me

Necklace - leaves - Diva? It's from a long time ago

Sandals - Ko Fashion

Look - another cat bomb!

Proof!

Photographic proof I did exercise! My black cat hangs around while I workout and during stretching joins me - demanding attention of course.

Another week down the drain

I can't believe it - it's like the universe is against me at the moment.  This week I've had some serious sore knee issues.  For a few days I had to ice me knee.  So, starting to walk again today.

Inspiration

Bit of Pinterest browsing today between tracing off patterns and marking assignments.

  Nasty Girl - Jeweled Crop Knit for $48

 I love this - maybe because I just want to buy lots of plastic jewels!

She Inside - Blue Apricot Striped Long Sleeve Lapel Blouse for $32.80

The cute little collar with a matching sleeve cuff. 

Aussie Curves - Pastel

So I joined Aussie Curves this week and this week's theme is Pastel. I've got to tell you - I got rid of most of the pastel in my wardrobe a while ago. I'm such a naturally messy person, teamed with my job (kids, paint, food, glue) and that the water out here can sometimes stain, my lighter clothes ended up with spots all over them. I don't even think I own a white shirt anymore and isn't that a staple?

Anywhoooo, I went through my wardrobe on a hunt for pastel, and my options were pretty limited or work inappropriate.


Presenting my 'pastel' outfit,,,

Dress - Capture (Ezibuy)

Belt - City Chic

Necklace - Dream Diva I think

Sandals - Ruby Shoes

I didn't really want to use this photo because you can see our shoe tubs and my a shelf of random stuff and the fact that I'm a bit blurry - I'm not even looking at the camera. But then again, look at my cat Squish! How could I not? Cat photobombing.


I got heaps of complements for this outfit - this dress usually does, but my husband hates it - it reminds him of 'old women'. My mum actually gave it to me. But the next day I went back to colour with green 3/4 jegging and a bright printed top, and a coworker stopped me with a wave of her arms asking 'You went back to colour?'



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How to make dressing professionally,,, fun?

Bad habits

Does anyone else stay up until midnight looking at out of print patterns on Ebay?

Did I mention that yesterday I got a kind of promotion that will take place next year?

Does that mean I have to start jazzing up my wardrobe? A little less casual?

I bought some bubble necklaces off ebay to celebrate. I think every fashion blogger that I read has got at least one.

Talk of t-shirts

So the other day I ordered the pink t-shirt fabric that I mentioned back in the leopard top post.  I so love that top still! But!!! I forgot to order the leopard print :( doh! I'll have to check out her shop this weekend.

But anyway - I have more than enough of the pink for a second top, I also got a black and white stripe too.  I'm always wary of horizontal stripes - seriously with as large a frontage as I have I really do have to be carefull. So I went and looked for stripey tops that aren't all stripes...

Sonia by Sonia Rykiel t shirt (see more stripe t shirts)
Verdict: This is a little too cute:
Price: $107.28 $53.64 (50% off)

Marc by Marc Jacobs t shirt (see more stripe tees)

Verdict: The stripes, the gathering - 'HEELLLLLOOO ladies!' Cries my boobs to everyone that cares to look in my direction.

Price: $110.26 I think

Tokyo Fashion t shirt (see more striped t shirts)

Verdict:  This is more like it - included the right colours, but far too much ease for me

Price: $28US

Maymaylu Dreams t shirt (see more long sleeve tops)

Verdict: Even better - still a little loose but I like it

Price: $19.80

T shirt (see more stripe tees)
Verdict: I really do like this - but could it work without the print?
Price: $29

Oh my!

Still feeling sick - have an awful cough and still feeling it in the bones and muscles. 

But enough was enough - today after crawling back into bed for a bit of extra sleep in (today is a holiday in our town) I decided I really had to do something. 

I weighed myself recently and I had gained back 2kg already.  Plus clothes that I was considering giving away now fit better because I have put the fat back on.

So I started from the beginning again and did a Walk Away the Pounds 1 mile walk. Yes it was easy - I couldn't use the dumbbells though. So I'll need to keep on at it.

Did I mention that my birthday was yesterday?

Essential Ts

Getting in a little sewing this weekend.


Remembering that I needed more casual clothes that could work both as PJs and exercise stuff, I dug out my TNT pattern from Ottobre Issue 2/06, Obviously it's been worked over - a full bust adjustment, removing excess from my shoulder back, adding length.

I made up two t-shirts using a dark grey marle and a steel blue. Both are cotton lyrca/spandex mixes and were lovey to sew. The marle was from an ebay seller I can't find anymore so I'm glad I got metres of it. The seller made a mistake, an instead of sending me both a skin colour lot and a grey colour lot she send me 6m of grey - but it's lovely and soft. The steel blue is slightly thicker and I got it from Joelle.

I'm trying to move my neutral colour from black to grey. It's actually hard to find a lot of grey clothing but grey fabric pops up on ebay fairly often.

This time around I added 3 cm to the short sleeve and attached a band so I wouldn't have to do a proper hem. I sew this on the Renfrew top. Works so well.

I also added an extra 2cm to the hem so that I could fold the hem up 4cm and do a extra wide hem. This makes sewing easier and added a bit of weight.

Instead of making a dart, I instead eased in the extra fabric to make a little bit of gathering - this is easy, comfortable and makes room for my boobs. I got this tip from Eugenia's Fabulous World of Fashion. Admittedly it looks a little funny, but once it's on my husband says it looks great. For the steel blue top I took a little off the side of the dart area because I felt there was too much.

I also used my pinking shears almost everywhere - normally I would have just left it straight but I thought why not?

 

Whenever I sew t-shirts my husband is so amazed that they look like shop bought ones but fit so much better. 

Next up? I really want to make my yellow skirt or finish up my magenta maxi skirt.

Confession

My week of no excuses turned into a week of having a cold. Everyone at work is sick too. Luckily tomorrow is the last day of the week - yay for weekends, and then Monday is my birthday and Tuesday is a town holiday :)

So all over this!

So I've just had a play around with creating my own Tabata style video :)

Hopefully this upload will work but this makes it pretty easy for me to workout.

Week 30

What's Motivating Me This Week?
My manly muscles - if only I could rid of the flappy arms

What's Bugging Me This Week?
The flappy arms

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Why can't I stick to the routine? I make excuses for myself in the morning like,,, 'I've had a bad night's sleep' or 'I just did Zumba last night so I don't really need to workout this morning.' So I've planned two rest days after Zumba nights and not giving myself excuses otherwise. Last week I only ended up doing the Zumba classes - grrr.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

Tabata? I tried 'The world's fastest workout video' although I didn't do the first exercise properly - I did my it without the push up and the jump. The problem is that you can't really tell when to stop and start with this video if your concentrating on the exercise.

What's the Plan?

Random stuff

Have you seen this?



And just for a laugh!

Leopard Patchwork High-low Sleeveless Pink Blouse

Yesterday I spent sewing and adjusting a pattern so that it fits me perfectly - I think I'm done. But after that my husband and I made a duct tape dressmakers dummy of my body. Bler! It took just under and hour of being wrapped up tightly in plastic - I was so hot and sweaty by the end but the dress form after I was cut out is pretty amazing. I have almost finished stuffing it and boy it is scary.

Anyhoo  check this out...

Leopard Patchwork High-low Sleeveless Pink Blouse. 

This is like a heap of current fads all meshed in together to make one item of clothing. I love it.

We have

• animal print
• salmon pink
• high-low hem
• useless pocket
• colour blocking
• shoulder pads

Did I miss anything?

Oh yeah - it only came in one size apparently - miniscule - way to go there!  I am so making my own.

Although I already own some leopard print chiffon I would want to make the back out of something opaque - Joelle has some fun looking nylon lycra and the pink fabric too.

Week 29

This seems to be becoming the excuse post! Two weeks ago I went on a conference and ended up getting sick while I was away and then last week while I was still getting over my cold I was entertaining an in-law that came to stay. So I was really looking forward to this week - a week of holidays and a week of no excuses exercise!

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Feeling like I kick arse!

What's Bugging Me This Week?
I look totally fat in my photos

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Should I keep sharing my photos? It kind of puts me out there.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

My husband telling me that I have more muscle than him.

What's the Plan?
Trying a variety of 10 minute workouts.

Week 28

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Complements from people, trying on a pair of shorts I bought last year and laughing because they are so huge.


What's Bugging Me This Week?

I pulled a muscle in my right arm about 3 weeks ago when I had all that muscle soreness. It still is sore when I move my arm in certain directions. My knee has also been a little tricky - at Zumba two weeks ago we did a new set that involved a lot of twisting and lunges so I did hurt myself a little.

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Why can't I do a lunge successfully?



What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

I tried on a pair of size 14 jeans last week. They were a little tight (and they were plus size 14) but still I'm excited.

What's the Plan?
Last week wasn't so bad - I went to Zumba and I did workout some during the week but I didn't feel I was doing enough. I'm doing some strength this week and leaving the cardio for Zumba.

Week 26 - Yes I'm back!

What's Motivating Me This Week?
 I took some more time off overcoming some crazy flu like thing that wiped me out. Plus I somehow pulled a muscle in my right arm - in my sleep! So anyhow I'm keen to do some exercise this week.


What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Should I try these tops at Virtu?


What's Bugging Me This Week?

Those stupid pins on pinterest that make you think - oh a new fitness blog I could follow, only it turns out its a link to the man trying to sell you his weight loss stuff with a monotone voice.

Also not working out for the last 2 weeks or so means I've put on weight. Oh well.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

I have a step coming to me, as well as my next lot of dumbbells, and a foam roller! No more sore calves and shin splints for me.

What's the Plan?
 New step means I want to start doing some step videos - obviously. This 'Fit of Duty - Basic Step Workout' is pretty easy - so I'm pumping it up with weights. The step won't be getting here quickly mind you - but I'm keen anyway.

Hey folks,,, folk,,, anyone?

I've been taking a break from blogging my health stuff. Partly because I've been way too busy and also because I was getting to caught up with hating myself if I did miss a workout or if I didn't do as well as I should have. So I cut it back to just Zumba lessons if I could make it.  

This weekend was my chance to get back on the wagon so to say, but I ended up not feeling well on Saturday. I spent most of the day napping on the couch or sleeping in bed.  Today, I woke up feeling sore all over still, but I still needed to spend most of my morning in front of the computer doing school work and most of the afternoon on the floor marking school work.

So this week I will do Zumba again and probably not much else until the weekend.

In the mean time, did I tell you fitted into a pair of size 16 jeans?

Funny!

It was a funny week this week. I was meant to do the previous week's plan again.

I ended up getting all sorts of sickness,,, I won't gross you out. At the moment my voice is threatening to die on me.

So although my weekend was great exercise wise, I missed a Zumba class and did only 2 other workout with weights. Shocking.

But I had a funny moment today. In art class we started on our paper mache masks. I had opened up a new 5 litre bottle of glue to use and was pouring the glue into their bowls.  During the lesson some groups ran out of glue so I told them to help themselves to it.  Not one of them could lift up the bottle to pour it properly. I had one boy ask me how I could be so strong.  They are so sweet!

I'm not looking forward to photo time this weekend.

Off to a start

I've started sewing my magenta maxi skirt today.

I saw a similar skirt as the ASOS aztec one I posted earlier - but it was is the girl section. I could have bought 2 of them and made my own bigger version but oh well. I couldn't fiind any fabric that would match the neon pastel colours.

So I bought the ASOS skirt instead - it was on sale too.

I think I have found the fabric for the ASOS dress and the body

I also saw some similar print on ebay but there wasn't much of it - barley enough for a tube skirt...

Nope - no bike

Hopped on the bike hoping for a little cycle action - got 2 minutes in and decided it wasn't worth the pain. Looks like I wasted $15 on a bike seat then - hopefully the husband will use it still.

So instead I'm using "Low Impact Cardio Workout for Beginners - Beginner Cardio  Toning Workout Routine" but after all the fluffing around I did before hand I don't have enough time to do it all - I'm taking a quick breather while I my peas and carrots are cooking in the microwave.

Week 25

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Great music - I spend a bit of time today finding new music to workout to. 

 

I also found this YouTube channel, FitnessBlender.com. The low impact cardio looks good so I'll try that next week - or this depending on how I find the bicycle with the new cover - all I know is that I tried to ride again and my v-giny hurt!

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
How could my waist have gotten smaller but my hips bigger? Just of shits and giggle I looked up my waist-to-hip ratio - it's 0.83 - so close!

What's Bugging Me This Week?
I was on the phone with an in-law this week and was asked how my diet was going.  Why do people think that you are on a diet when you are getting fit?  I know she meant fad diet, or even simply watching what I eat but it frustrates me how little people actually know about health. I've been day dreaming about studying again - maybe picking up the health side of my degree... but I don't know.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

Getting back on track and feeling please with how strong I still feel after a holiday.

What's the Plan?
 I really want to increase my cardio, but also enjoy strength stuff - I used my new 1.5kg dumbbells today and thought to myself, 'actually should have bought the 2kgs'.

Radio Silence

Sorry - let me catch you up.

I've traveled up and down the state during my holiday. The first hotel I stayed in barely had room to swing a cat so no exercise. Then I was at my parents so I got in a workout a day. Then I stayed in a unit so I did a few more workouts. I finally ended up in a tent and didn't get any conscious exercise done. I did walk buttloads during the holidays, I also ate everything!!!

So in all I put on a few kg - but I had a great time.

Back at work now, thrown back into it, I did manage to go to 1 Zumba class and do 1 Tiffany Roth workout.

However the other things I achieved when I was away:

• new yoga pants (x4) I looked everywhere and only found them in Big W.  I was seriously pissed off that exercise stores don't cater for larger sizes. Do they not think that if they did, and pluz sized girls bought their workout gear, who then worked out and lost wieght and thus need more, but smaller, workout gear that they wouldn't get repeat business??? Fuck it - Big W I love you.
• new dumbbells (x2)
• new exercise bras (x4) at 15% off
• seat cover for the bike (x1)
• I looked for a foam roller - hell they were expensive so I didn't get one (x0).  I'm going to look online.

So my plan today is to set up my exercise bike and go for a ride and think about what the plan is going to be for the rest of the week.

Also, while everyone else is doing it on pinterest I may as well give it a go too - the Weight Loss Simulator

This is me (sort of) at the moment - and this is me (sort of) at 80kg.

Online-stopwatch.com has an interval timer you can download. I downloaded it but haven't tried it yet. The online one works well.

My sister-in-law emailed me this link, The Highly Sensitive Person.  This is so me and I probably need to get that book.

Fat Girl Running is a new to me BLOG - I hate running so I don't understand why someone would actually volunteer to do it, but she is so funny and so motivated. Love reading it.

Week 23

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Last Thursday at Zumba the person behind me came up to me after the workout and told me that I looked good, the instructor also said that I have great legs.

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
I got my Swiss ball blown up this week and have been using it as my office chair.  I don't think it is hard enough though. How full should it be?

What's Bugging Me This Week?
Nothing much - I ate my dagwood dog, had an ice-cream cone and bought lots of fairy floss yesterday, but I'm okay with that! I also did well in the photography sections - husband came runner up for the whole show.  So I'm pretty chuffed with myself.  I do have heaps of marking and report cards to write still... but nothing about my health is bugging me.
 
What's Encouraging Me This Week? 
That I didn't find level 1 of 'Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred' too hard.  I had to stop more than a few times to pull my pants up, I did modify some of the exercises and I did my push ups against a bench. I'll keep doing that a few more weeks, I think, until it really is easy.

What's the Plan?
Workouts in pajamas to encourage me to get out of bed when it's cold.
Wednesday is now my rest day - between two Zumba nights.
Week now starts on the Saturday.

Gimme Gimme Lucy

 Hands up if you can make this dress yourself?

Oooh, That's me. I know this one! Pick me!

(you'll just have to imagine me enthusiastically waving my hand around to catch the teacher's attention.)

I have a pattern I have patterns that look just like this.

No I just need the fabric... cotton silk... Radiance Silk by Robert Kaufman fabrics...

Original price $168 ( I can't believe I just typed that).

My price $80 at the most expensive price I can find including misc.

Show Time!

Well the show is in town this weekend which means show rides, dagwood dogs and fairy floss.  I'm totally going to blob out!!! I also have report cards to write -_-

So this week I did the same-ish thing as last week. Two nights of zumba, I did the Sparkpeople kickboxing video.  I skipped Wednesday's workout because I'm thinking of changing Wednesday to my rest day, and I also didn't workout Friday because I had a athletics carnival ALL day to attend.

But anyhoo,,, this morning I decided I really need to find something that I can do in my pajamas...


I found this easy video on YouTube and 'thought that's a goer!' It's a nice warm up and I did it my PJs this morning - I then did my weight ball exercises and push ups. I'm only just getting through the 10 reps I have set myself for each exercise but I'm getting better.



I also saw this, just had to watch. Despicable Me is one of my favourite movies. I had an 'I Love Evil' cup that I bought for my own Xmas present; I took it to school and used twice before someone stole it. Rat bastards.

ASOS dreams

While I don't frequent Anthropology, I do like Asos. The prints are usually so fun. I could so make this dress easily with some black and white print.

This skirt is just a tube with elastic!!! I love the fabric. 

 Would this skirt give me enough reason to buy this fabric from Tessuti?

After buying a body myself and noting how easy the pattern was - I really want to make my own - I want boy legged ones though.

I have almost the perfect fabric for this.

PINK!

So my fabric arrived a week or so ago - you know the black/white print, the bright magenta and the citron. So I have been touching them and holding them against me every now and then.  The first two simply cannot be made into pant - but I'm thinking maxi skirt.

That's where this random page I came across today just happens to fit in. Loreena Bucks has made a pattern to knock on this Lengthening Rays Skirt from Anthropology. I'm not a anthropology shopper nor do I really look at their website. I hear it is expensive but beautiful - so maybe I should check it out more often for ideas.

 

+

=

Very pretty maxi skirts in the near future

Photos of interest

I thought that this would be a simple post - just sharing my reward system etc. But the photos ended up being sideways - so I had to Google a fix - turns out I need to use Picasa - so I did that.  Anywhooo,,, photos!

This is my weighing station - just outside of the bathroom sits my scales, my shoes and my shoe calendar.  I'm going to write up my weekly weight on Mondays when I remember.  I'm also using stickers on the days I workout. Please ignore the case of beer there - they are probably out of date but here people use a barter system for favours - my husband must have done something great to earn a whole carton of beer!

This is my cat Squish.  He's the baby and has abandonment issues, so has to know what you are doing at all times. I'm taking a photo of you, der...look how worried he is...

Cute jar that at one time had awful toffees that were thrown out.  It sits in my office on top of my stationary draws. The white box with the grey pattern contains the glass pebbles. The storage containers behind them are just plain old boxes that I trimmed up and wrapped in some fun jelly bean wrapping paper.  I do that a lot.

Cutest top ever! While I was sick I decided to cheer myself up by buying some clothing that was cute and that before I had lost weight wouldn't have fitted into!  It's a size 18 but it comes from a 'normal sized' clothing company, not a 'plus sized' one. I also need to take it in at the sides.  Oh, you can just see our other cat, Chihiro sitting beside the top - that white fluffy thing.

Week 21

Ignore the fact that the picture says week 20.

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Stickers and glass pebbles - photos to come.

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Still stuck on the fringe - I even dreamt about it last night - but in my dream my hair was too thin for bangs but I tried cutting them anyway and it was a disaster.

What's Bugging Me This Week?

Remember a while ago I bought a pair of jazz pants? I put them into the cupboard and didn't wear them because they were a little tight and I thought I would spare the world that look. I wore them today for my workout,,, and now they are too big. I kept having to pull them up. I do like the look of them so I might have to look into a pattern to make my own, in the meantime I'll take these one in a bit because they were pretty expensive only to have worn once.

 
What's Encouraging Me This Week? 
All these new to me fitness videos on YouTube.

What's the Plan?
GET ACTIVE!

Perfect Strangers prediction

According to the ultimate prediction game - 'Perfect Strangers: Nothing's Going to Stop Me Now', I have a 82% chance of getting fit!!!

Although note in the 'The Dream Board' someone else has a 100% change of getting fat!

And then I received my highly suitable ranking - Rank: #4 - Pumping Iron Jennifer...

Oh yes,,, this blog is the best ever!

Links and motivation

Great YouTube channels include:
Popsugartvfit - 10 minute workouts
Redrita12 - longer vids some taken from Exercise TV. Lots of these look hard - I like the look of the Dorm Room Workout.
FigureRobics - Not necessarily a single channel but an example of where you can get it from. Cute Japanese doing workouts.
Sparkpeople - the first youtube fitness vids I found
Blackcutegirl's - Lesmills Bodyjam videos

I'm really trying to motivate myself into exercising. I really have taken a step backwards and feeling demotivated, mainly because when I do exercise I am disappointed that I'm not a fit as I think I should be. I know that in other people that would be a great motivator - like competing against yourself to get fit again.  I'm just not competitive. So for now I'm looking for extrinsic rewards.

I used to use stickers as a reward - but I no longer print my exercise sheets out - I should but I don't. Maybe I will buy some new stickers and start that again.

I kind of like this idea - sorry I don't know where it really came from other than pinterest.  But my money is my money and I can spend my money when I like within reason... plus I never have any change to put into a jar.

This one I've seen around heaps. Would work well, but I'm metric and kilos are larger than pounds so it would feel like I'm not getting anywhere.

Maybe I could combine those two together - every time I exercise I put a glass pebble into a glass container? That way I can see my progress.

I did this workout this morning: I didn't find it hard, I was just really clumsy. This is going to my video for the week.

Going to go and find a pretty jar or something...