The Return of the Plan... and the Blogger

MakeNine2019 plans, part one. This is my year; I can feel it.

Well, well, well, look who's blogging again. I started putting my 2019 #makenine plans on Instagram, but I realized it was rapidly turning into a essay worthy of an actual blogpost. So here you have it: my first post in over a year.^* Let us glory in its length.

This is part one of my Make Nine, actually -- the Make Nine quickly morphed into a Make Twenty-Seven -- but I'm only allowing myself to get to part two once I've finished at least 2/3 of part one. As always, these are more project/fabric/yarn-based than pattern-based, although I usually have patterns in mind when I buy fabric and yarn. The goal is to seriously sew down the stash, because somehow during the move 5 bins turned into 15 and I've been steadily adding to it since; I'm getting antsy and the DC is climbing the walls because the piles are getting bigger, not smaller. And I am seriously on a fabric ban until next August (unless I need some underlining -- see #5 below).

This is a very small portion of what I need to sew/crochet up.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.

Moving right along...

This is currently my life...

When Spiderman packs your bike. #broughtthewrongbungeecords #butImadeitwork #diagonalsforthewin #bikeTO #movingallthebooks #obeyNewtons1stlawandputthecordsfromfronttoback

A post shared by Andrea M (@aem2_) on Jul 2, 2017 at 8:03am PDT

Pledgin' & plannin': Me-Made May '17

I, aem2 of PhysicsGirl on the Loose and @aem2_ on IG, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '17. I endeavour to wear 2 me-made/refashioned items each day for the duration of May 2017, repeating an item no more than once per week and without planning. I also pledge to sew at least one new item and finish one of my UFOs.

This is nearly the same pledge as last year, except that I am finally admitting my limitations and know that if I couldn't finish my sewing plans and UFOs last year when I had nothing but free time, there's no way I will finish all my UFOs and planned things to sew when I've barely had time to breathe this year. So, I'm only planning to sew one new thing and finish one UFO. I will also be taking pictures around the city using Fat Mum Slim's Photo-a-day prompts. There's no Flickr group this year, so I'll be doing my usually weekly round up here and possibly daily on IG.

I haven't sewn anything since last July, so this will be a bit of a challenge. I have many planned things to sew, too. Some of them are even cut out. Sadly, many of them are the same as last year's plans, which pretty much proves my point. I'm presenting them from most-likely to be finished to least-likely. I'm limiting my plans to things where I already have the fabric ready to go and where I can wear it in the next few months (so all that grey wool flannel will have to wait).

I cut out two Swoon cardigans last December: one in teal merino and another eked out of a grey sweater knit acquired from Andie. I'm actually hoping to sew both of these this month, but I'm leaving my options open. I don't know why I didn't include these in my #2017MakeNine -- had I managed to sew them in the first few days of January, I would have at least been able to check something off.

Moot point, anyway.

White Mathilde blouse. I cut this out a few weeks ago and I could easily sew this in increments, so this might be The One.

A McCall's 8789 sheath in tan check that I cut out 3 years ago.

I have one pair of viable jeans, my yet-to-blogged-but-when-I-do-it-will-be-back-dated Jalie pair. I need more pairs desperately and have the denim ready to go. The pattern needs to be modified at the waist. I'd love to be able to at least have these cut out before the end of the month.

Tiramisu in blue/green abstract knit that I bought in Montreal two summers ago. Realistically, this is probably a June project.

I have a pair of RTW black capris in swishy but sweaty polyester that I've been wanting to copy in a breathable linen. I bought the linen at Mood last June, so now all I have to do is make a pattern from the original. No biggie, right?

As for UFOs, they are legion, but I'd like to at least finish my glen laid Thurlow trousers. The waistband needs to be partially unpicked and the darts deepened.

I am also going to attempt one back-dated post per week; the jeans might finally get their day in the limelight.

Fingers crossed.

Making nine... plus a little bit more

Happy perihelion, everyone! To celebrate, I'm jumping on board the #2017makenine bandwagon, because I like planning. Whether I will have time to finish them is another question.

Oh yeah, I'm on Instagram as @aem2_. Yes, I finally joined the 21st century.

A post shared by Andrea M (@aem2_) on Jan 1, 2017 at 3:10pm PST

These are all things I've been planning for a while, and I even have fabric for most of them. Tops: Sewaholic Renfrew in black merino, Tilly and the Buttons Mathilde in white, Muse Jenna in chocolate brown merino. Bottoms: Jalie jeans; Simplicity trumpet skirt in grey flannel wool; Sewaholic Thurlows in likewise. Outers: Sewaholic Cyprus cape and Robson trench, and ClosetCase Files Clare coat.

If I get nothing else made this year, I really, really need a new pair of jeans. I have to take in the waist and let out the butt on the pattern, which is why I've been putting it off.

Naturally, my plans extend beyond these nine. Especially since I've got two Swoon cardigans cut and ready to be sewn, although I'm hoping to sew those before I go back to work on Monday, which is sort of why I'm not counting them in my nine. I have so many plans, but other than the outerwear and white t-shirts, I'm trying to limit myself to the ones where I have the fabric/yarn already, since I'm running out of fabric storage space.

Swoon cardigans in teal merino and grey sweater knit

Cake Tiramisu in blue/green abstract knit

even more jeans... I've got enough denim for four pairs

socks: I need to make the second of Aged P's Sidney's sideways socks plus a pair for me, Magic Bean Stalk-ings

Asymmetric cardigan in white acrylic from Aged P

UFOs to finish:

Sewaholic Thurlow in tan glen plaid

My granddad pants need to have the zipper replaced

McCall's 8789 sheath in tan check

NL6000 sassy librarian dress in navy suiting & white linen

Sewaholic Alma

Plus many things where I need to resew a seam and add buttons. Ugh.

I'm not going to plan these out, even though that's usually how I guarantee that they will get done, because I don't want to either rush the make or feel guilty if I don't get it done in time. The only thing I really need to finish is Aged P's second sock in time for her birthday.

Here's hoping.

Frozen

It's been a wee bit nippy here. Starting with the ice storm shortly before Christmas and continuing on practically non-stop since then it's been... more like the winters I was used to than the ones we've been having lately.

Plus? It makes me think of penguins and periwinkle

I am a bit of an impulsive creature. No sooner had I decided that maybe I should lose the Tank at the end of the summer than I started looking at new bikes and fell for the Opus bikes. I thought I could wait it out, but as each day passed, I grew more dissatisfied with the Tank, what with the wonky brakes, the arbitrarily shifting gears, the warped crankset and basket, the rattling rack, and oh have I mentioned that it weighs about a million kilograms? The mere idea of buying a new bike swiftly became an actual plan, and I decided to buy sooner rather than later.

What sealed the deal was that, one day on my way home from the grocery store, I passed my local bike shop, Hoopdriver Bicycles. There, in the window, was the Ivanna. It's a very pretty bike. I may have licked the window.

Oh bother...

Right after I had said I would wait until after this summer to get a new bike, I foolishly started looking at bike shop websites (you know, just to see what's out there) and promptly fell in lust with the Opus Ivanna and Nuovella bikes. At this point, the relationship is based pretty much on looks alone -- although the internal hub would be sweet because they're supposed to be very low maintenance, as long as it doesn't make changing the inevitable flat tire too much of a pain, and let's face it, just about anything would be better than the Tank, so who cares what kind of ride it is?

So now I'm fantasizing about pretty bikes. But I don't need a new bike right this minute. And those bikes cost a bit more than I really want to spend. And I have no secure place to store it -- could it stay out all winter?

But maybe I'll just pop by the shops to take a quick look. And a test ride. You know, get it out of my system.

And then I'll buy this helmet to go with it.

Sigh.

...Win Some

As I was unpacking and sorting out my European loot, including the gifts for my family, I was struck by how little there seemed to be. Honestly, I thought I bought more stuff than that! And my suitcase kept gaining weight! Who knew how heavy nothing could be?

Anyway, I believe I have mentioned my slight addiction to earrings, and how I was going to feed it during my travels. Well, I didn't limit myself only to earrings, I have to admit. But earrings I got.

Before I get to the jewellery haul, I'd like to comment on how the jewellery roll worked out. It was great, although the mesh strips were still too long, or at least the fabric supporting them was not stiff enough because they drooped and the earrings kept getting tangled up. Also, the stuff sticking out the sides wasn't actually a problem. Yay, me!

Lose Some...

Casualties of travel:

1. The big red friggin' heavy suitcase: Used to have one of those clips at the top that would let you attach another bag. That seemed to have not made the flight over to Amsterdam. My admittedly old plastic Canada luggage tag didn't survive the flight from Athens to London. Flying is not good for things sticking to your luggage!

2. The collapsible red bag: Got a small tear in the front pocket on the flight from Athens to London -- nothing serious; I think it can be patched. Got a much larger tear in the side mesh pocket that can't be repaired. And now, when I tried to collapse it, I couldn't get the zipper to catch.  Oops.

This is how I roll...

I have a problem.  It's not a full-blown addiction, yet, but I know it's only a matter of time.  My name is PhysicsGirl, and I like pretty, shiny things.

Earrings, mostly.  Some women have a shoe thing; I have an earring thing.  Ever since I finally talked Aged P into letting me get my ears pierced at age thirteen, I've been collecting dangly ear baubles.  I have decided that my major souvenirs from this trip will be earrings.  Which means I have another problem.

Better finished than perfect

Back at the dawn of the history of my 4 over 5 (so, um, five years ago), I thought "wouldn't it be neat if I, having spent some time in Paris and other parts of Europe, didn't have to fly home with all my carefully considered purchases but could sail home across the Atlantic, as they did in the olden days?"  It turns out you can, on the Queen Mary 2. 


Part of the fun of the voyage on a transatlantic liner is that you get to dress up for the occasion.  There are

7 Days Was All She Wrote...

About this time next week, I'll be stepping off a plane to the cheerful sounds of someone saying "Goedenmorgen" and "Let op de afstap!" (or whatever the Dutch is for "Watch your step!") I'd like to say I'm practically ready to go, but the truth is there is still rather a lot that needs to be done.

Many things have been taken care of: Aged P and I had a successful Skype trial. I have almost everything I need for the trip, including tickets. I have been practising tying scarfs à la française. I've fixed the major issues with The Dress... but...

Two weeks to go...

I've put travel stops on my cable/internet and newspaper.  I decided to save money and not put my mail on hold, since the housemates can put it in a basket for me.  I've arranged for top-up medical insurance and some more fun things to do.  I have been spending some serious quality time with guidebooks and downloading all sorts of free walking guides.



I have acquired a global sim card, a quad-band cell phone (that works only occasionally -- obviously I need to exchange it), some euros, pounds, and US dollars.  I exchanged my old Visa card for a chip-and-pin.  I have started acquiring mailing addresses for postcards.  I'm tweaking the Dress as we speak; it should be completely finished by tonight.  Finally!

All I have to now is mend a bunch of clothing and plan out what I'm taking with me, as well as make an organizer for my earrings.

I'm starting to freak out.  I'm sure there is something major I have forgotten.

They know me so well...

My favourite piece of advice from the Girls' Guide to Paris: pack a collapsible suitcase.  Done!