Burda Tee: I am wearing the new tee today even though it would look much better with my gray pants. Unfortunately both pairs of gray pants were at the cleaners and I did not think it appropriate to run there first and dress behind the press. Also, I had to be out at 7:00 and my dry cleaner was not open at that hour. So I wore black. You don’t get to see much of the tee:
When I attempted to take photos without the cardigan I ended up with a terrible chipmunk face so those photos have already been moved to the trash bin. I don’t know if I was shivering because I don’t normally have that much of an overbite (it is cold and gray today) or it was just bad photographic karma.
Anyway, you saw the detail photo yesterday.
I was dreaming about pattern alterations and this top last night and I came up with all kinds of simple and complicated schemes. But when I woke up and looked at the top on me I realized that I messed up the top of the front sleeve piece, the one that forms the side piece along the shoulders. I changed the angle of the sleeve cap where it meets the body of the shirt, I needed to change that to match the changes in the front pattern piece. But I left the top of the sleeve the same so that the angle of the neckline relative to the sleeve was inadvertently changed. When I changed the angle of one seam, I should have changed the other one so that the relationship between the two seams was properly maintained. Hopefully this is an easy fix.
I will be making more of this shirt, as I do like it, especially in its original shape, and it suits me right now to continue obsessing about a single pattern. I am not usually this focused, once a pattern has been made once, I want to move on, but right now I like the familiarity of this pattern and the idea of new tees.
Embroidered Tweed: I decided that I am going to make the simple V-neck dress with the embroidery on the bottom. I called Kashi today and he is sending some more fabric so that I will be certain to have enough, and more than likely, too much. But I have ideas about what to do with any excess as well. You will have to wait until fall to find out what they may be.
Retirement: Part of the reason that I am so content making one tee pattern over and over right now, and the reason that I find only a few minutes each day to sew, is that life has gone a little haywire on me of late. Last Thursday G announced to the office that he was going to retire, effective the end of this week so I have lots and lots of work to do. Although we stop doing our normal business this week, the office will be open for some time as I collect payments and close out the accounts receivable and so forth and so on. I am already drowning in paper. The staff will be working until mid April but that still leaves lots of work for me before and after they leave. Of course, eventually the books and the corporation will be closed and I will be unemployed retired as well.
Piles: In anticipation of this retirement G has been cleaning out his office and has brought about 20 years worth of various financial and other records home for me to sort through as well as various other items he has saved up in the office over the years and we have piles of stuff everywhere. Of course I have piles too. I have the piles that constitute our income taxes which I am very late in doing this year (but which I must finish before the accountant comes on Thursday to discuss both our personal taxes and various corporate issues). I also have the piles of shelving materials that arrived for me to set up my sewing room closet, and the pile which consists of paint which must be put on the wall before I build the shelving unit. And there is all the piles of fabric that will occupy the sewing room closet when I am done. They are currently in the guest room. I expect guests on Monday.
The Unexpected: This has all hit me at once because the unexpected occurred. My darling G had his annual physical 2 weeks ago and learned he had a tumor in his lung. The next week was filled with fear, trepidation, doctors visits, and eventually some relief, when we learned that the invader had not metastasized and there is hope for a surgical solution. Now we are running around dealing with many tests and procedures in preparation (we hope) for surgery, for which no date has been settled. What is settled is that something will happen, G will retire, and he can no longer keep it a secret from his family.
I may be in and out of this blog, depending on my sewing, my general state of mind, and the time available.
Comments
30 responses to “Bits, Pieces, and Unexpected Changes”
Wishing for the best for you and your DH. Both of you are in my prayers. When my DH was ill, my mantra was “and this too shall pass”. It helped get me thru many anxious moments. I repeated it so much that my friends got sick of me saying it. But it did help.
Wishing for the best for you and your DH. Both of you are in my prayers. When my DH was ill, my mantra was “and this too shall pass”. It helped get me thru many anxious moments. I repeated it so much that my friends got sick of me saying it. But it did help.
Mardel, I will be thinking of you and your husband. I do hope things will turn out favorably.
Mardel, I will be thinking of you and your husband. I do hope things will turn out favorably.
Mardel – I don’t know what to say except that I hope G is okay. g
Mardel – I don’t know what to say except that I hope G is okay. g
Oh my gosh! When it rains, it pours! I’ll be sending good thoughts your way, Mardel. Hoping the best of outcomes for G and for you.
Oh my gosh! When it rains, it pours! I’ll be sending good thoughts your way, Mardel. Hoping the best of outcomes for G and for you.
Not much I can say except that I shall be thinking of you both and hoping for the very best outcome.
Not much I can say except that I shall be thinking of you both and hoping for the very best outcome.
I’ll be thinking of you and hoping for a successful surgery and recovery!
Best of luck getting through your piles. If you are sucessful in that you can teach me how to deal with mine, or better yet come and help 😉 I have at least that much if not more in my own home…
I’ll be thinking of you and hoping for a successful surgery and recovery!
Best of luck getting through your piles. If you are sucessful in that you can teach me how to deal with mine, or better yet come and help 😉 I have at least that much if not more in my own home…
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your dh. Wishing you both strength and patience as you move forward through surgery and treatment. Good luck too, sounds like you get saddled with the bulk of the work for the business closing.
Don’t you just love it when sewing solutions present themselves while you’re sleeping? I too liked the lines of the first top (the white one) better, and thought about suggesting just another bra, but that really isn’t a solution is it?
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your dh. Wishing you both strength and patience as you move forward through surgery and treatment. Good luck too, sounds like you get saddled with the bulk of the work for the business closing.
Don’t you just love it when sewing solutions present themselves while you’re sleeping? I too liked the lines of the first top (the white one) better, and thought about suggesting just another bra, but that really isn’t a solution is it?
God Bless both of you, Mardel. I’ll be praying for you both.
God Bless both of you, Mardel. I’ll be praying for you both.
God Bless both of you, Mardel. I’ll be praying for you both.
God Bless both of you, Mardel. I’ll be praying for you both.
So sorry to hear of G’s illness. Best of luck with the treatments and recovery.
So sorry to hear of G’s illness. Best of luck with the treatments and recovery.
Great good vibes and best wishes to you and G. I know everything will go great.
Susan White
Great good vibes and best wishes to you and G. I know everything will go great.
Susan White
Wishing you and yours all the very best.
Wishing you and yours all the very best.
I am so sorry to hear G’s news. I hope the surgery goes well.
Be sure to carve out some time for yourself, even if it is just time to stare out the window and do nothing.
I am so sorry to hear G’s news. I hope the surgery goes well.
Be sure to carve out some time for yourself, even if it is just time to stare out the window and do nothing.
Mardel, so sorry to hear of your trouble. My husband also recently found a tumour in his lung but unfortunately it has spread into his spine and is inoperable. We will have to share our success stories in the future!
Mardel, so sorry to hear of your trouble. My husband also recently found a tumour in his lung but unfortunately it has spread into his spine and is inoperable. We will have to share our success stories in the future!
I am so sorry to hear about G’s condition but if operable that seems to be a something for the plus side of life. My DH has had spots showing up on his lungs for years, they have stayed the same size with no growth. One can pretty much only take life one day at a time. My thoughts are with you.
I am so sorry to hear about G’s condition but if operable that seems to be a something for the plus side of life. My DH has had spots showing up on his lungs for years, they have stayed the same size with no growth. One can pretty much only take life one day at a time. My thoughts are with you.