Sewing for Pay is Happening

Besides changing retail jobs, I've started training for my new sewing job. People don't really understand when I say my new sewing job is making character hoodies. Check out the website, that's all I can say. With this job I'm officially a contractor, which sounds neat. When I hear "contractor" I always think of those hired guns who go to dangerous places. But no, I'm a sewing contractor: Dangerous with a needle, ferocious with the fleece.

Sewing a hoodie is happening TODAY.

I'm also sewing some new colonial clothing. This May my family is planning to visit Williamsburg, VA. Since we are going to the American Colonial mecca, the 18th-Century heaven-on-earth, I feel my early American wardrobe needs freshening. I'm still using my grey linen gown, which is one of my earlier pieces and not made entirely correctly. It's worth keeping through; I've stuck by my goal to have no more than two middle-class outfits for any era. I've got a new petticoat and matching trim in the works, in a pale icy blue cotton/linen that just speaks Scotland to me.

 New Blue Petticoat.

And that's what's happening!

Yes, I'm Amish and I Work at the Mall

So I've been working at O2FS for more than four months now. I stand out like a moose in a china shop, in a very non-destructive way, and it makes me laugh just to see people's reactions to my working there. It usually prompts two reactions when I tell my acquaintances I work at O2FS:

One: "Oh. I've never heard of that store. I only shop Goodwill sales."

Two: "What?? You work THERE? I just can't see you... working THERE."

Even the customers notice how different I am. I've been called Amish once while at work, and another time a customer asked if I was Mennonite. It is a very different atmosphere than what you would expect to see me in. There's loud music and bright lights; there can be a lot of profanity among employees; and there I am, a skirt wearing introvert. But then, I don't fit in anywhere!

Is this what people think when they see me working at the mall?
 Do I look like this? I sure hope not. (My personal opinion: I think Amish romances are hilariously stupid)

However, change is in the wind(and it has been really windy lately). Back in November I applied at several different places, and O2FS was the first place to take me. Literally, I walked in, filled out the application and tax form, and was told to come back in a few days for training. But, as I think I've mentioned, I also applied at the Clothing Shed. Then in February I got a call back to come in for an interview. I did; then we went to TX and etc, and it wasn't until last week that I got a call back for a second interview. Long story short, Dad's fervent prayers were answered and for the third time this year, I'll be getting a new job. and I confess that I won't miss being Amish at all.

I'm not Irish and I don't look good in Orange

When Grandma first moved in and we were still working out the kinks she would say "I can't help my temper, I'm Irish!"

Not technically true.

So far as I can tell, all of the ancestors in our direct line have been in America(and thus, have been Americans) for more than two hundred years; and, except for a few random Europeans, almost all of them came from Scotland, and were Presbyterians to boot. I am thankful for the man Patrick, who was such a strong testimony for Christ in Ireland that we remember him centuries later. And I do appreciate the sales on cabbage.

I actually have been working on a green sewing project, a wool tailcoat, but I got distracted by this:

 I stole this Eater egg print from Grandma K when we cleaned out her craft room, and couldn't think of any other use for it than a little dress.

I can see why people get addicted to making only frilly little dresses. They're just so cute.

Texas Road Trip

This past week I've been in Texas. I believe this was our fourth trip to Texas in four years.We visited two churches(this was a working trip for Dad) and also stopped at the MFamily-in-laws.

 In Texas with the Miss A's.

It was cold and snowing in Nebraska and Kansas when we left, but by the time we got down there it really wasn't much warmer in Texas than back home. We spent time with the P's in Kansas, then the M's in Texas, and finally the A's further south. The A's are a lot of fun and we always enjoy visiting them!

High Tea

 I finished my maroon skirt and a new vest for a high tea this afternoon. Events are such good deadlines.

I think the vest could fit better at the back waistline. I added tails to the vest in back, and I'm still not sure if the tails flatter my good part or make worse my worst part. I used some of the remaining maroon linen as lining, and brown tropical wool suiting as the outer layer, with mother-of-pearl buttons. I also practiced my welt pockets and added one to the vest.

I got to wear my Gibson shoes...

And check out my cool party favor- embroidered silk ribbon flower hanky.

Downton Abbey in Maroon linen

It snowed pretty wildly this morning. We've gotten more snow in February than we did in December and January put together. We all stayed home except for Caleb, who doesn't mind driving in snow.

Today I made a linen skirt. I've said it before and I'll say it again, linen is just the best. I order often from fabrics-store.com, so I get the email deals and such. This month they had a deep maroon medium-weight linen go half-off for a day, and so I bought three yards with my saved store points. You don't often get linen for $4.50 a yard!

Lady Mary of Downton Abbey, Season two-ish, in a nice maroon skirt.

I used this basic Simplicity pattern and it turned out fine; I also added welt pockets and lining(pictures may eventually follow). I prefer fitted-waist flared-skirt patterns- Very Downton Abbey and much more flattering than gathered waists. I love the every-day dress in Downton Abbey. I've never been a fancy dress sort of person; I much prefer plain and simple.

Mary in another maroon skirt. I traveled by train a fair amount in Scotland and a bit in Russia, and can I say it's not so romantic as this picture makes you believe. The train stations in Scotland did seem to be painted either green or purple, though, like in this picture.

Mary in another really nice looking skirt. Though if we were all tall and skinny like this we'd look good whatever we wore.

February Happenings

Green Stars Wholecloth

  The Pistachio Quilt has begun. I've safety-pinned more than half and started the central star medallion, and it's all very exciting. It's a North Star pattern, with eight spikes.

This month I bought a couch(Craigslist win) and made cheese. Loving the couch, worried about the cheese. It just doesn't smell too good. In fact, it smells really bad, but I can't bring myself to throw it out.

Jobs: This week I had an interview with Princess Hoodie(code name) and another tomorrow with the Clothing Shed(also code). Princess Hoodie is seasonal sewing from home, as many hours as I'm willing to take. The Clothing Shed is the job I mentioned back in December before I was hired at O2FS. It's a location closer to home and has a Christian manager. They weren't hiring back then, and I was surprised to get a call from them this week asking for an interview. We'll see what comes of that.

Today I took a picnic lunch to the Fort. It turns out that yes, the chimney does have a flue; and not knowing which way was open or closed, I had to find out through trial and error. My first trial was error. I lit a fire and the room filled with smoke; I had to throw snow on it to put it out so I could reach in to pull the flue open. Even after that it was incredibly smoky, and by the end of lunch I was thoroughly smoked.

But it was still really cool to see the Fort again.