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Monday, October 7, 2013

Keepin' It Simple

Since the

is now the ONE Handmade School Year (need a new graphic I think), I have definitely had to think about what patterns to sew up being that it takes me now about twice as long to sew as it did before the accident.

If you haven't been here in a while, or you are stopping in for the first time, let me give you the rundown of what happened. On Sun Sept 29, I was running the North Face Endurance Trail Run with a friend and a tripped on a rock on a downhill. After I landed, I realized I couldn't move my left arm. I went back to the medical tent and was transported to a local hospital via ambulance where I found out I had fractured my shoulder blade along the outside edge of it. I am in physical therapy now and have to wear a sling. Honestly, the pain has been pretty awful. I have had good days and bad days with it. The good thing is so far it looks like I will get through this with a natural recovery and no surgery. The bad news is it takes 4-6 weeks to heal. I can't drive, I can't bathe myself, I have to sleep reclined and so I have had to take it slow and steady with sewing. I actually considered stopping the Handmade School Year challenge. I was sitting on the couch with my daughter last Thursday and I told her I might not be able to make all of her clothes like I wanted to. She gave me a look like I had devastated her and that's when I realized that this challenge has been as important to her as it was to me. So, I decided she will have her handmade school year.

So, back to sewing I go. Now, I am trying to keep the patterns on the less complicated side. I get tired very easily and I may have a little tendency to overuse my left arm a little bit and end up with headaches that stop me in my tracks. That being said, we have our Monday outfit ready to go (and Tuesday and Wednesday are done too! Only one more for the week!)

Today's pattern is from Juvie Moon. You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JuvieMoonDesigns and they have a website here http://www.juviemoon.com/. The pattern I used only has 3 different pieces - 1 cut for the main body, 2 cuts for the cap sleeves and 1 cut for the contrast band. It uses shirring, but don't be afraid to try it if you haven't before. The pattern is the Kiera (picture from their website)

You can find the pattern here http://www.juviemoon.com/kiera.htm. This one goes up to a size 12. I actually have several of their patterns and I think you will be seeing some other patterns from Juvie Moon as I loved how mine turned out. I didn't make the sash, but still loved how it turned out. I used some of the gorgeous fabrics I bought from Lindsay at The Cottage Mama when she had her destash sale. (It was like Christmas day when that box  those boxes came.)

Here is my Kiera shot inside because we had Tropical (I think by then) Depression Karen come through yesterday and it was rainy.





And because I know some of you are afraid of shirring, I am going to post some links to shirring tutorials I really like (AND include the info for if you shirr on a Babylock. A bonus tip - if you shirr on a babylock often, invest in a separate bobbin case and go ahead and tighten the tension screw and leave it there so you can just slip it in when you need to shirr).

Here is a great basic shirring tutorial from Make it - Love it

And here is the Babylock specific one. I thought I was going to lose my mind and never shirr until I found this one:
(It says shirring with Brother, but Brother and Babylock have the same drop in bobbin system. AND do consider investing in a separate bobbin case. That way you won't get your screw loose Ha Ha!)

So, there we have it. Kept it simple, its still Handmade, and still beautiful! Thank you all who have sent such sweet support notes and who have wished me well. Its going to be a process but I will use my left arm again and I will run again. Love you guys! See you tomorrow!

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