totchipanda

Been a heckin busy morning! Coworker is at training today so I'm covering for her, but we're also doling out new access cards and some people need photos but I can't do the photos much bc I'm by myself and (scream)

Saturday I kinda lumped around the house a bit and then said to myself "I said I would go out, so I'm gonna go out!" and got dressed and went out! I went to the fabric store, a local independent chain, which I haven't been to since pre-COVID, I'm pretty sure, and definitely not since they took over another bay in their building. It was nice! They have a huge selection of apparel fabrics, specialty stuff, linens and linen blends (limited colours, and about $30/m for pure linen, but not a terrible option all things considered) an entire room just for quilting cottons, another entire room for specialty home decor fabrics like tablecloth and vinyl. More notions than you can shake a stick at, tons of ribbons and other trims (include pre-made printed cotton bias tape by the metre), on and on and on! They had a small selection of Big 4 patterns, not on great sales but at least some amount so I picked up a Gertie Simplicity shirt pattern. I really just needed a zipper, so I got that (I should have gotten a longer one but i was being cheap) and also 1.3m of lawn in a GORGEOUS turquoise. I'm not counting it towards my whole30 lol.

Then since I was sort of in the area, I went to a larger grocery store than I normally hit up, which was nice just to have a larger selection of items. There were sales galore. Then I went to the drive in just a block away for a milkshake and took myself home, where I had a nap.

In the evening, while it was still light out, I inserted my zipper at last! Stitched in the sleeve and pressed up the hem and then tried it on. I don't *love* it. I think it's fitting as intended with the recommended amounts of ease, but it seems fussy to me. I didn't want to stitch the hem until I have the darts sorted out, and I think I do want to move and deepen them a bit yet. I think I still need to take maybe 1/2" out of the chest and maybe a bit more from the shoulder, it feels a bit long and wide there still. This is why I started with the rayon, I have like 10m and this one top only used 1.4m. Next one will be even better bc it IS really cute.

Sunday, I cleaned off my kitchen table from the fabric piles that were sort of "left over" from the stash cataloguing. I'm not done yet, maybe halfway (one more small bin, then a few boxes) but I'd like to sew something to get pumped for more fabric-related joy so this felt necessary. Yessssss nice CLEAN and EMPTY table. I wiped it down and then used a bit of a furniture polish in one small area to see what it was like, as it occurred to me that this table has been in my orbit for close to 20 years and I would put money on it not having been treated like the heirloom piece it is. And then I responded to a Facebook Marketplace ad about a printer, and arranged to meet the guy around noon, which would give me enough time to get across the city and then hit the highway to my friend's house, plus be late enough that it was likely she'd be awake.

She was awake but I didn't stay long. She sent me home with a bucket of pockets to sew up and we discussed some other items. She thinks I should go on stress leave and we can make up the shortfall between leave pay and my regular pay with the sewing stuff. IDK about that yet.

Printer, of course, so I can print off patterns as and when I want to at home instead of waiting to get to work. It's an old model not supported anymore, but eh. It was $35 and had toner left, so not exactly a huge expense.

Laid out my fabric to cut a skirt, but Calcifer decided it needed to be held down and first sat on it, and then took a bath, so I did not do it. Probably just as well, I can't decide what I want! Do I want a regular sort of skirt (like one I already have) or one with more exposed pockets but a button-front (sort of like the scout dress)?! If it matters, it's a brown, dark brown and grey houndstooth wool. I kinda like the "suit" angle of the second option. It also has a bodice option for a jumperskirt sort of look. Did I want to add that in too? Argh why am I like this lol.

Tonight's plan will be laundry and we'll leave it at that. Anything else is a bonus.