Choosing thread color and amazing freecycle luck...

Choosing thread color and hardware for a project can sometimes take me over an hour.  Especially if it's a project I'm really trying to take my time on.  As is the case with my wool felt cargo pants.  I spent the better part of Friday modifying my pattern tissue and sewing up muslins.  After the third muslin I've decided that it's going to be good enough.  This attitude reminds me that someday, eventually, I'd love to get some formal training in pattern manipulation.  I totally understand how to make things match up when reorganizing a pattern, but curves tend to boggle me at times.  This by the way is one reason I was never great at cutting hair.  Imagining the design, in this case fabric, all expanded and in three dimensions just makes my brain stall out.  I accept this which is why I make up so many muslins and have lots of projects that I never wear because I don't like the fit.  


back to thread....


These pants will be a charcoal gray with black top stitching and a splash of orange thrown in here and there.  I took some photos of the thread color choosing process which turned into a strange little series.  I'm also planning on using Kathleen Fasanella's welt pocket toutorial over at one of my all time favorite blogs fashion-incubator.com.  Something I really like about that blog is it's professionalism and how it attracts professionals in the garment industry.


This strange little slide show just sorta happened...



If I haven't convinced you yet that freecycle is awesome....

I've started to see freecycle.org as a thrift shop of sorts where I get notification of new items as they arrive.  If i'm fast enough they're mine, if I have stuff I no longer need it's picked up right at my door step.  How convenient is that anyway?


Since I moved to Boston with NO furniture besides my ironing table and some office chairs I knew some comfort purchases would be necessary.  I set a budget and said whatever was left after furniture I could spend on a TV to use as a computer monitor.  Well you see what the generosity of the community has provided.  The newest addition to my living room set is this clean looking Pottery Barn glass coffee table that I'm using for my TV stand.  It's in almost perfect condition and provides a nice solid surface, oh and it was free.  Frankly I feel a little shy about the size of the television.  I knew I wanted it to be big enough to use as a computer from the sofa and the price/inch ratio on this model was excellent.  Since I pretty much had my entire budget left over thanks to free stuff I thought, why not?  Unfortunately the box for the thing is huge and must be saved for future transportation.  First TV I've ever owned...   and really it's just a big computer monitor.  


Setting up a big LCD television to be a computer monitor is a little weird.  Colors, contrast, brightness, etc..  are all different.  If i'm watching something on hulu I want the picture to be bright and vibrant, if I'm typing up an email that same type of vibrancy gives me a headache.  Also this is set up as a multiple monitor system so I have a computer screen in the "office" as well.  This means one computer but two keyboards.  It's taking some getting used to but the new wireless keyboard is pretty awesome.  It's small and designed to be used almost like a game controller with buttons and a track ball right where your fingers fall.  I'm feeling rather high tech all of a sudden.


Today's projects include sewing more on the wool pants, so far I've done the darts...   and I have a request to do a video showing my rivet attaching technique.  I need to pick up a hammer for that one so a trip to HomeDepot is in order.  Wouldn't you know it, there's a Joann's close by AND they just sent me a 50% off coupon.  I think...  it might be time for some new rotary blades!!


I'll post that rivet video as soon as it's done.