124. Facing Facts

First fact: I have wonderful friends in Blogland. Thank you for your words of support and encouragement with the micro-line with the 302Designs shirts. Doesn't 302 make beautiful stuff? They and their shirts are a pleasure to work with and I will keep you posted as things move along.

Second fact: It's 10:18p on March 31 and my pants are not done. I don't have an update or photos to share since the last post with the ill-fitting Betsy Ross pants. I just need to face the fact that March ran me over like a steamroller. I underestimated March. But I'm still moving forward! My next post, or at least the one after that, will be pants-related and I will cross this finish line with the sew-along, even if I am the last one!

Mary Nanna has completed the most breathtaking Burda pants. I have not felt a strong pull to BWOF till I saw her finished pants, which are a brilliant and compelling sales pitch for a subscription if I've ever seen one! Her photos/ scans of the pattern modifications she made are also helpful, even for those of us who are not sewing Burda pants.

Cindy had pretty great results with her muslin, so I'm curious to hear what additional changes she wanted to make after finishing and wearing the pants. Diana completed a stunning knit top from Misses Stylebook (is that all spelled, marked, and annotated correctly?) and is working up her mojo for her Go pants. Johanna Lu had probably the most complex pants in this sew-along, with her 26 buttonholes, and has made considerable progress. DD and Berry, we miss your posts and hope all is well! :)

Third fact: Springtime in Austin is lovely, bright green all around, and is my most favoritest, bestest season of all except for the many, many allergens that come with it. I have spent two days in the last week with my nose running 24/7, and that's after the Claritin D. Plus itchy eyes and itchy nose and general inability to sit or stand and be productive. I think fall is the new spring for me.

Fourth fact: When did some of the popular Japanese pattern books get translated to and published in English? Like this one:

image from Amazon.com

And I don't think I recognize this cover as a Japanese title but it looks like it could be:

image from Amazon.com

Nearly 2 years ago I bought about $200 worth of Japanese sewing, patternmaking, and general zakka books direct from Amazon.jp. Why spend so much? That's the dollar amount that justifies the crazy shipping -- at the time they only shipped with expedited shipping. Good thing is I was able to buy pretty much every title I wanted, and a few outside my normal sewing zone (i.e. craft). If some of the more popular titles end up in English I may never need to pay those astronomical shipping fees again... (Tomoko Nakamichi's Pattern Magic Vol. 2, anyone?)

image from Amazon.jp