Button Down Flannel

I finished this button down flannel just in time for one of our (hopefully) last cold days. I'm insanely proud of this thing. Plaid matching is hard! Mine isn't perfect but its pretty good for a first try. This top is cozy and warm and was perfect for our outing to the Amon Carter on Sunday.

The wind was crazy and we were laughing because it was so cold. I told Frank he has to suffer for my craft too. Look at my bangs, they are airborne!



The flannel is from Joann, I snapped it up right away when I saw it. I think oranges, and especially red-orange and coral, are becoming some of my favorite colors to wear. The pattern is McCalls 6649, which I would never have picked from the photo, but I liked the design when I looked at the line drawings. The fit isn't perfect but it is close. I cut a size 12 and only took it in slightly under the arm holes. The darts in the front and back give it a little shape. I made view C without all the hideous patchwork stuff going on. The sleeves are a tad long but not terribly annoying.

This is one of those tedious projects that I got tired of really fast. I'm so glad I persevered. I think I completed 3 knit projects in the process of this top. It definitely fits into my wardrobe well. I have been wearing button downs more lately and always have a shortage of long sleeve tops. I don't know if I would do this to myself again though. I'm liking quicker projects more and more. I guess it is good to switch back and forth between something more challenging and something quick and satisfying. I really am on a roll this year with completed garments that I actually wear. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.
 
By the way, the Amon Carter was the perfect place to be on a cold day.  We went for the Art and Appetite exhibit but saw so much more.  There were exhibits of lithographs by June Wayne, relief prints by Posada and my favorite was striking photos from Subways by Kathy Sherman.  The Amon Carter is always free to the public and is much larger than I remembered.  I'm embarrassed to say that we hadn't been in years. We really have been missing out on wonderful things at our museums and have set about to remedy that this year. 

Self Drafted Knit Dress

I was off work on Sunday and spent the day with my honey. It was snowy and cold but we bundled up and ventured to the Modern Art Museum to see the David Bates exhibit. I really enjoyed it. Bates is a Texas artist and his work is heavily influenced by the Gulf Coast. I found the show to be very approachable and the work is beautiful and intriguing. We have been trying to take better advantage of these wonderful museums just two miles from our home. There is a Samurai Armor exhibit that we hope to see soon at the Kimbell art museum.

I finally got pictures of my new favorite self-drafted knit dress.  I had seen the Lady Skater dresses, which I think are flattering on every body type. Using the Sew-U home stretch book I altered the bodice to fit my needs and drafted a half circle skirt. I squeezed this out of 1 1/2 yards of knit from Joann. I'm wearing it here with leggings because it was like twenty degrees and snowing here, even though it had been in the eighties the day before!
 

I'm so in love with this fabric. The color palette makes me very happy and it is so me. I think it will work year round too.
 

I'm totally in love with sewing knits. I've been working on a plaid flannel button down and hope to wear it before the cold is gone completely. It has been so tedious though and knit projects are the opposite, almost instant gratification. Plus knits are so easy to wear. You will be seeing more handmade knit garments from me.

In other news, I ran the Cowtown 10K again this year.  I ran with my co-worker Gail, which was fun.  It was easier this year but my time was slower, so I should have been running faster.  I really do love running and can't wait for another warm up and about four months of prime Texas weather before the heat of Summer forces me back indoors.  I may brave the forty degree weather today, I haven't decided yet.  I have also been doing workouts from Bender Fitness.  She is great!  Hundreds of free workout videos, mostly with no equipment required.   She is motivational and the workouts are challenging but doable.  I find my muscles sore in places that I've never noticed before.  We have gym memberships but I find it so hard to make myself go.  I would much rather run outside and then do a quick workout here.

Frank and I did the Whole 30 challenge in February.  It was a challenge for sure!  We both lost some weight and I mostly kicked my sugar habit.  I loved that it focused our choices, made us cook a lot, and had us eating tons of veggies.  I definitely recommend it for a kick start to a healthier diet! I found some great recipes on Pinterest for the challenge.