ACK, I just wanna feel better

This cold/flu bug has been a doozy.  I just want to feel better.  Can I get some sunshine please.  I'm running outta tissues and don't have the gumption to get out and get more.  Wha, Wha, Wha.  Well, thank heavens for ginger, lemons and honey.  Did you know you can multi-task and give yourself a facial steam and hydrate your sinus's all while sitting over a large hot cup o tea.  It's divine I tell you.  My skin looks great and my hairs looking fabulous (all full and tosselled) from all the tossing and turning I've been doing while hybernating under the covers. I tell everyone that my pillow does my hair now, LOL.  Just wish I felt better.  Any who, in the meantime I've managed to work on some stuff.

   I've been working on the pattern drafting of this stand collar for the purple top.  I used 4 methods for drafting the patterns and decided on two methods from Adele Margolis's book, Make Your Own Patterns.  She gives two methods one for where you draft the collar with a seperate facing and the other is a one piece collar with the upper and under collar all in one.  I like the collar that has the upper and under collar all in one the best.  Above you will see a pic of the books I used as reference and then the two paper patterns created using the methods described in Margolis's book.  Note to self, make sure you take measurements for the collar from the sewing line and not the cut edge of the pattern before drafting the collar.  I had to redraft the collars since this was the mistake I made.  I made a mock up of the collar that is too small to just see how it worked up and here it is.

This is the one piece upper and under collar all in one pattern and I really like it.  I've just got to remake it out of the new proper sized pattern.  Then there was the matter of interfacing this thing or not.  After much reading I decided on a sew in woven interfacing.  I'll have to admit that I am a bit of a slacker when it comes to ironing and I probably should iron a lot more than I do when making a project.  Something about ironing glue into the collar doesn't appeal to me.  Next will be the opening for the shirt.  Some sort of placket.  Still not sure how I'll tackle that but stay tuned :  ) to see what happens with that.

Here is one of my favorite crafty tools that is so handy when working with patterns.  At least when it comes to collars and smaller pattern pieces.  It's an improvised light box.  A window works well too on a sunny day if you tape your pattern to the window you can see the pattern lines thru the paper and trace it off that way as well.  This is one of those scrapbooking paper keepers from the craft store. If you get one make sure it has a smooth flat surface.   It's approximately 14" by 14".  Holiday lights bought on sale put inside provide the artificial sunshine for helping you to see the pattern lines thru the paper.  This is what I used for the final collars when tracing them off from the drafts. I keep a roll of washi tape in the box so its there when I need to secure the paper to the surface before tracing.

  If that's not enough to keep one busy while stuck in the cabin.  Here's more  :  ).  Above is a sketching class I took by Lisa Congdon over on creativebug .  I love this class!  Above you see where she suggests using scraps of paper to encourage you to create your sketches from.  The paper pieces (recycled envelopes from the holidays) are cut and glued in various places and used as part of the design.  This class has really helped me to push past being intimidated by the blank page and Lisa Congdon gives several ideas for helping to get your sketch on.  I'll post more about the sketching class later.
Also, I've been channeling these ladies from my sewing machine, LOL.  I'd sit down to just doodle on the sewing machine and for some reason I get these ladies.  It's fun to find different ways to doodle.  Do you doodle?