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Good afternoon!…I hope everybody is feeling cool….the sewing bug was biting last night but I didn’t feel like getting any patterns out…I have a window A/C unit in my sewing room (thanks to my huny smh) and its quite annoying when trying to sew something serious (blows everything like totally away)…but I had it on because for some reason the upstairs was extra stuffy yesterday evening…its always a little warmer than the rest of the house but yesterday it was too much…and when the iron is on, it makes it even hotter….still determined to sew, I started thumbing through my sewing mags and whadaya know?…I found thee perfect project AND it totally matched my latest obsession….
Now what is latest obsession you ask?…well, its the cardigan!….not just any old plain cardigan; but the little cute ones that can be paired with pencil skirts and everything else as a cute addition to the outfit…I found the sweater refashion in one of my Sew It All magazines….Yep, Sew It All to the rescue again and right on time….Pinterest also strikes again with all their pretty outfits that seem to be topped off my really cool jackets and sweaters….the cardigan being one of ’em….
I already have a new obsession; which will probably be one of my next projects…I’ll give you a clue what it is….I’ll be Super MsKRS when I wear it! (wink-wink)…..
The refashion was so easy, it only required a sweater and a fat quarter!…I didn’t want buttons down the entire front so I only added 4…..I will be on the lookout for more sweaters next time I go thrifting…I definitely need more of these babies!…the sweater I used for my project had been in my closet for a while; I bought it from Old Navy a few years back….and I was NOT going to wear it this year but with its makeover, its right on back in the game!…Another cool perk of sewing; instead of throwing your “old” clothes out you can refashion them into something cute!…
Ahhhhhh  I LOVE SEWING…..Pictures now yall, I’m already thinking of something else to talk about! Talk to you good people soon!
~~MsKRS~~

Good evening yall!…Just got through whipping up some more cool stuff…I’m watching Judge Judy as usual; did yall know she comes on for TWO hours now instead of just one?…Yeah baby! (in my Austin Powers voice)….I really wish I could meet that little lady….she is truly one of my faves….
Now I may or may not get a new gig; depending on which way the universe turns so I started thinking “career separates”….and Pinterest has a pretty big influence on my sewing lately too….those outfits send me to the pattern drawers all the time to recreate the cool looks with my sewing machine; NOT a trip to the mall (Thank God because I cant stand the damn mall)….
My latest creations are a super cool corduroy pencil skirt and a top that is revisited…I say revisited because I have made this top a couple times before….The top is from Simplicity’s Sew Simple line; pattern # E1972….there is only one view for this top and it only has 3 pattern pieces….My pencil skirt  was a new pattern; it is Butterick pattern #B5466 View E…I can really see my sewing skills have amazingly evolved (and still going strong) because Imma tell yall this skirt is the business….it fits like a glove too because I got my OG fitting on with my super cool design ruler…I feel so “designer-y” when I use that thing…..I’m learning so much about how to really make thee perfect garment….this skirt is only the beginning….I put a zipper in the back and a hook and eye; very well I might add….My Vogue Sewing book has everything, I mean everything…the zipper is a cool color; light blue and the fabric is to die for….but I’ll show that zipper off when I wear it..it was a vintage zipper I copped from one of my thrift store trips…I promise you that makes my garments that much cooler; when I use vintage stuff to create them…..my skirt; its made of a medium/heavy weight corduroy that is perfect for the season change creeping up on us…(although it was 95 degrees today)….I even made my own belt with a buckle this time instead of my usual sash…the belt just makes the outfit even cuter!..
I used a slinky fabric  for the top (I’m not sure what is actually is) which I usually shy away from because they are kinda hard to work with…this is why I went with a top pattern I’d made before so I could have a little know-how before I started to make it…now that I know so much about needle size and how to work with slinky fabrics it was really quite easy whip up….Both fabrics came from my favorite fabric shop, HANCOCK’S FABRICS…..I had the slinky fabric since the beginning of this summer but I never felt like using it until now…the skirt fabric I just got recently; it was going to be another blazer jacket but ended up being a snazzy skirt….I was going to use a seersucker fabric at first but it wasn’t enough yardage; I was also going to make a different top pattern too but decided to go with this one….My indecisiveness makes my sewing pretty cool, like all the time…
I had been telling my huny to take me thrifting for some belts but I guess I don’t need to thrift for belts unless I spot a really nice one on one of my trips….
I didn’t want to get to rambling but I do have to mention that the HAPPY BLACK GIRL venture is going well; check it out when you have time….Well pictures now yall!
~~MsKRS~~

Good afternoon my good people!…I know, I know I said I was going to try and post something sewing or sewing related every day on my blog but life happens and so does the weekend…Forgive me? ;)…I know you do and thank you!
Well I finally finished my blazer jacket and shorts ensemble I had been stalking on Pinterest…I don’t care for the “fashion” folks wear nowadays…and the majority of it I didn’t like when it was introduced to me the first time…like leg warmers and tights…Ummmmm NO, just NO….but that blazer and jacket thing is just too cute…I didn’t care for the “panty shorts” the blazer is usually paired with; at least that’s what I call ’em because they are waaaaayyyy to short to be considered anything else…but I did like the matching blazer and short outfits I saw so I took to my stash….Now I had some fabric I was going to use for a regular blazer jacket but of course my life is NEVER regular sooooo…there is always a twist and my sewing is no exception….I read the back of the blazer jacket pattern I’d just copped and it called for knit!…had the stretch gauge and everything!…I didn’t think about making a blazer out of knit fabric but I learned a while ago that if the pattern says use knit, you had better use knit!…
I chose a  floral brown and green knit fabric that worked like a charm for both pieces….I made Butterick #B5926 View A for my jacket and Simplicity #1617 for my shorts….I just so happened to have bought both of them right before my obsession for the ensemble started…
This set is two firsts for me; I had never made a jacket or shorts/pants….They came together pretty easily…I got to practice my button and buttonholes again, I had to attach two….I liked making this jacket and I know I’ll make several more just because they fit so well…Sometimes I measure and sometimes I don’t…the patterns usually fit without fitting issues; if they are too big I take them in and if they are too small I give the garment I make to my babygirl….WIN, WIN…..I did super dee duper (in my Barney voice; my nephew used to love Barney when he was a little tike) while other folks seem to have problems with them….All I can say is pin, pin, pin…..it may look a little compulsive but the sleeve will stay where you put it really nicely….
I went all designer on the shorts too and put some ruffles on the back…I just wanted an excuse to try ruffles and it worked perfectly too…I had to add some MsKRS kinda designer effect…I also had to take my shorts out a bit in the booty area….I couldn’t be walking around all day with a “Murphy” feeling uncomfortable! hahahahaha!….after I did that they fit like a glove….I also added a couple inches to the shorts; they were a little too short for me originally…I eliminated all that topstitching on my jacket and shorts too because it just seemed like the fabric was busy enough….
Ask me about my bag, tank top, and necklace if you’re interested because I’m rambling again…LOL…talk to you good folks soon….Have you been stalking a look lately?…What about the new Fall/Winter sewing stuff?…Whadaya think; share with me!…Pictures now….
~~MsKRS~~

Good evening yall!…I’ve been sewing all day, literally all day…typical, super cool day for me because I LOVE SEWING….My huny is why this post is so impromptu and in the middle of one of my sewing sessions….He’s gone working now but he has been calling home all day asking if his packages came yet…(He is a Amazon “Optimus” Prime LOL)…Earlier the mailman rang the doorbell and delivered one package and when I checked the porch a little while ago there were two more packages out there….I grabbed ’em up and went to call him and let him know his packages were here….I noticed that one of them had my name on it…I started thinking, now what the hell have I ordered now because it didn’t look like my normal fabric packaging…I ripped it open and its a shiny, new sewing book from my huny….Now you may think “Who gives a damn?  Its just a sewing book”…but its much more than that….much, much, more…It shows that he thinks about me…it shows he understands what I would love to receive….it just speaks volumes to ME; loud and clear…I mean how many times have you received a gift and was like WTF? he/she doesn’t know me at all!…I don’t do the lovey-dovey stuff I just wanted to let the world know that I LOVE MY MAN…..I called him back after I opened it and told him just that….
Check out my new book folks!….Does anyone have this book already?…Whadaya think about it?…
I also wanted to mention that I have been connecting with a lot of my family members that I didn’t grow up with…its been thee best experience because every time I talk to them its a shake of the family tree with super cool information being shaken free…Now I already knew my beloved Bigmama was a very talented seamstress; I’m sitting here blogging while sitting on one of her quilts she made from some scraps….And most recently I learned that I actually come from a long line of seamstresses and tailors, along with other mega talented artsy folks…I am very excited to learn that my sewing is not only fun but its actually what I was meant to do; MY ways of LIFE….My family rocks super cool socks man!…Does my heart proud….I’ll always sew; I was supposed to anyway…
~~MsKRS~~

Good afternoon good people!….I hope all is well with you all…..I’ve made my first shirt!… I wont call it a top because it has buttons and a collar!…For the 4th day into National Sewing Month I whipped up retro Butterick pattern #3768, View C….the pattern was introduced in 1986; which coincidentally the same year that then president Ronald Reagan declared that September was thee month for us sewing folks….I didn’t plan that; life it just awesome like that sometimes….
Anyway, I bought a yard of this fabric from (my favorite place) Hancock’s online…Now when I saw the fabric I thought was totally different….when it came I said to myself, “well, first time for everything, I have bought my first piece of ugly fabric!”…..in the fabric’s defense, I was looking at it on the wrong side and I didn’t at all notice that it had lotus flowers all over it!…I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, lotus flowers and would have never said my new fabric was “ugly” if I had noticed…the colors were a little darker than I anticipated but its right on time for the season change…(there’s life being awesome again)….
I must get my rave on once again about my modest little machine…it is really, really cool…I knew my machine was cool but it just keeps doing more and more awesome stuff!!!!!…A while ago I discovered it could do serger stitches…then I learned how to do a rolled hem…then today it just effortlessly installs 6 buttons and buttonholes on my new shirt!!!!!….I finally got to dig into all those vintage buttons I own….My machine has a buncha “happy feet” and they work wonders…Man oh man I love this little machine…if anything ever happens to it I will definitely get it fixed up before I decided to buy another one….I love it so….
My skills are so improving; its trippy…Sewing is so dimensional and I love it more and more everyday…even my jacked up projects lol…I can now do a whole lot of stuff with no instruction such as collars and interfacing…things are no longer holding me up from finishing my project or confusing me to no end….My sewing know-how saves my arse all the time too…I had a sewing emergency while making this shirt….I was busy pressing the seams on my new floral shirt when my new iron feels the need to burn a hole in it…(I still love my iron too though)…oh hell no!…so my fussy cutting and applique know-how saved my shirt and added a super cool design element even my huny even noticed and said was “TIGHT“!….I just said with probably too much pride “Your girlfriend is a designer“….(smile)…I shortened the pattern a couple inches but next time I make this shirt I wont do that….after I finished it I kinda wanted it a little longer…but I still love it, a lot….I need to go shopping for gold accent jewelry to really make it pop….Well let me show you my new shiggity-shirt….its really cool…well it is in my opinion….
~~MsKRS~~

Good afternoon my good people!…As I said, I’m really going to try and whip up something cool everyday this month…if not, I am going to post about something sewing related…I just loves and loves sewing (smile)….This time around it was the top I was meaning to make right before I whipped up my last dress…It is McCall’s pattern #M6562 View D…..I really liked the pattern when I saw it because it has five views…but I probably will never make view B and C just because I don’t care for them….Views A, D, and E will get a lot of use though I’m sure….
I modified this pattern quite a bit…I omitted the lining because frankly its just too warm around these parts for anything “lined”…its still in the high 90’s and it always has potential to reach the 100 degree mark….I also omitted the zipper because I didn’t have one in a color to match and I didn’t feel like shortening a longer zipper I could have used for something else…so I just left it out….I used some fabrics I had in my stash….I initially wanted the sleeve to be Black lace but I didn’t have enough lace…damn…I needed like two more inches of lace and it would have been perfect…oh well, there’s always next time….This was also a bias cut pattern (my first one) so the shirt is stretchy, which is always good! (laugh, go on, you know you want to)….
I am also officially a part of the Happy Black Girl team; being introduced just today as the new weekly DIY go-to person for the site!…Can we say COOL?….WE CAN…….
Well let me share the flicks of my new top and a link to my introduction into the HBG get down….
~~MsKRS~~

Click the link below to see my introduction as the newest contributor to the Happy Black Girl team!…DIY = MsKRS = HBG…Check out the site, “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, just be down with the cause….
http://thehappyblackgirl.com/2013/09/02/meet-pink-stitches/

Good evening everybody!…I learned last year that September is National Sewing Month but I didn’t feel the need to “participate” in the festivities my fellow seamstresses and tailors sometime do…But this year I actually waited for this month and wanted to sew up stuff and blog about it…Now I don’t want to be overwhelming with my blog posts but I am going to try and sew through this month with something I whipped up or information I researched about sewing every day…I guess I will get around to making the things I always say I’ll make but never do….
I’m already behind a day though, I didn’t get to make anything today!…I actually just got home an hour ago…..I was at the stores getting the usual house stuff; toothpaste, washing soap, etc….Annnnddd I picked up a new iron…its just a modest, frugal Black and Decker iron that I know I’ll have until it goes out like the other one (I may have helped it on its way by knocking it off the table so many times)….I like the color too, its lime green and white!…my huny picked it out; and I know I’ve mentioned before that he likes to take over my activities at times….I also grabbed a new glue gun just because it had pretty flowers on it!….there is nothing wrong with my glue gun I have now; but I still had to have that one…there is a difference between the two I noticed…my old one is a “high-temp” and my new one is a “low-temp”…I guess I needed it lol!….Grabbed a couple of spools of threads also; Black and White…it seems like I always need those….and they were a $1.00…..I didn’t want any fabric though, and THAT’S a first!!!!!…I just didn’t see any that I grabbed me…..I wasn’t at my usual store either so that may have been why I just didn’t see anything I really liked or wanted….
I may still get in my sewing room this evening; I’m looking at the time right now and its not too late to make a little something…I already have a top cut out…..
Well I just wanted to make sure I posted a little something on the first day of National Sewing Month….September just got a little sweeter; it was already sweet because my babygirl’s birthday is in this month too!…She wants a peplum shirt; she’ll probably get it for her birthday…I can blog that day about her and her new shirt!….Awwww sweet sewing September…..(hearts and smiles)
~~MsKRS~~

Howdy good folks, good evening to you all!…..Ive been through a bit much in the week or so and it has left me feeling a little “off”….First “off”, me and my huny were on our way to the outlets in Gilroy and then on to San Francisco to his Mom’s place….While we are on our way a drunk driver slams in the back of our car really, really, hard…His ignorant arse even tried to take off after he did it….Needless to say we chased him down and MADE him pull over…Get this though, an off-duty police officer saw the entire thing and pulled over with us when we made the drunk guy pull over…Other officers got there and arrested the guy and that was it…I didn’t even want to look at our car but when I did I was surprised that it wasn’t bashed in…there was actually very minimal damage to our car although it felt like we were hit pretty good…Our insurance is going to take care of the damage and all is well…except I have felt shaken up ever since (it was three days ago)…..I’m just glad that’s over…*shaking my head is disbelief and irritation*
A few other little things have been going too like my iron going out in the middle of making a dress but lucky for my dress is knit so it was fine…I’ll be iron shopping tomorrow… But these issues aren’t life-threatening like a drunk driver so I wont talk about ’em too much…Just know that I’m feeling drained…But not drained enough that I don’t want to sew…Although I had hardly any energy I “managed” to get to Hancock’s the other day while their patterns were on sale (smile)…I got 6 new ones and I believe I may even have found my “go-to” shirt pattern….
Out of that pile I decided on Butterick pattern # B5815 View C to start out with…I had a whole other top pattern I had been working on before I got the new patterns but I put it up for later and whipped up one of my new ones…This is my kind pattern too…it only had 4 pattern pieces!!!!!….It came together fast too….I know I will be making this dress again…even during the cooler months….
I whipped it up out of some fabric I bought from JoAnn’s….Now I don’t care for JoAnn’s; like at all…its just not personable enough for me but I got an email from them that had a 50% off coupon that I could have used for one cut of fabric…Notice the words “could have”…The fabric was supposedly already on sale so that made my coupon unusable for that sale…THAT is just one more reason why I don’t like going to JoAnn’s….If I was at Hancock’s I could use any discount they have except for the one reserved for the more mature ladies…but anyway, my dress came out just lovely and I’m grateful for that…I really do like the fabric too…
Well I’ll share the photos now…
~~MsKRS~~

Good evening good people!….I, of course have been sewing and along with a little craftiness…The other day I was thinking about how much I love the off-the-shoulder tops so I decided to look them up online to get some ideas on how to whip one up…when I typed in “off-the-shoulder top” the world “dolman” came up…now any and every time I see and/or hear something that I’ve never heard before I must educate myself on what that something is…so I set out to find out what a dolman shirt was….Come to find out it was just a fancy name for an “off-the-shoulder” top or kimono sleeve type top…Another useless fact?  Maybe, but at least I know what that word is now…further research on the name itself may or may not manifest later…lol!…
So anyway, I went into my sewing room and got to work…I had tie-dye on the brain too so I decided to combine my want for a new top with my need to dye something…I tie-dyed one of the endless t-shirts my huny so generously donates to me after only a couple wears and measured it up…I used my fashion design ruler again; I swear every time I use it I feel like I really know what I’m doing…hell, maybe I do because it came out super cute…I got compliments on it the entire day I wore it….I love your top!, That’s a cool shirt!, Did you make it or buy it?, were some of the comments I received while proudly styling my newly refashioned tee….
I also took a recent trip to the thrift store and of course scored some super cool sewing stuff…I got 4 patterns for only a dollar!!!!!…and with me being on a “top” marathon lately I decided to make a top that pair with a maxi skirt I whipped up a few weeks ago…I went to my trusty stash and grabbed a bright and beautiful Cobalt blue pique fabric I just bought recently from Hancock’s….I made view C but I modified it quite a bit….I didn’t AT ALL want the loop embellishment that the pattern called for so I made mine with a center seam down the middle of the front…the back has a cool pleat that is just so darling IMO…I also used Red thread for contrast…I know I will be making this top again, its just one of those tops that will look cute with so many fabrics and prints…..andddddddddd my snazzy new shirt cost me less than $3 dollars to make!…Another thrift store score!!!!!…Well I will show the photos now….brace yourselves; they are cayute!…(wink-wink)
~~MsKRS~~

 Super cool neckline and contrast thread huh?….;)

 Tried to show the back pleat a little…its nicer than this picture…maybe it’ll come out better when I wear it…

Hey everybody!…I’m over here checking out the Fantastic Four movie right now for the first time and I must say I didn’t know it was this cool!!…I may have to add it to my collection and watch it on my own because I caught it already on and that’s a no-no….From the movie information (I have Comcast) some kinda cosmic reaction caused them to change….very cool…;)
Now to get around to yet another reason why I keep my sewing to myself….I have been sewing for a short time…Literally only since October 2011; well besides my sewing class I took in high school as an elective….So when I got into sewing I found of couple of favorites who are already BIG WIGS so I didn’t expect that much interaction from them because they are into so many things; they are really BUSY…..and when I read their blogs and other posts a lot of their happenings aren’t even sewing related; people often forget that folks do have families and a NORMAL life….and then the other ladies that I like to read about are either more my senior or just generally different…(I read about quilters (and I don’t even quilt), bag ladies, candle makers, soapers, and some mo’)….but every single time I try and reach out to those that are similar its the same as its always been; not so good….I don’t understand the itchiness between people and why they feel the need to form some kind of invisible, uninvited competition between each other; but I cant and wont ignore that I feel it, see it, and know its going on…and it hurts my feelings….People always act as if they would like to see someone else doing something good but I have to admit that not everybody is true when they say that; it just generally sounds “good”….and that fact is most annoying to me; that they think no one can see what they are doing…..its like don’t even try to play with my intelligence…don’t even try it……okay rant over….
Now remember when I posted about my patternless halter top and maxi skirt?…I just used my measurements and sewed em up…well I participated in a focus group the other day and I decided to wear my outfit….this is the second time I wore this ensemble but I believe my camera was on the fritz and I didn’t get photos….although I did get a little girl’s attention and she said “I like your outfit”…now you know I had to hold her attention for a minute and inform her that she could have some cool outfits too if she sews…..She told me she didn’t know if she could sew with a intrigued, pretty smile (to me that meant she never tried but she could if she did) and of course I told her she should give it a go…we parted ways and I hope she picks up sewing one of these days or at least keeps it on her mind….Gosh I love sewing and any opportunity to talk about it (smile)….I felt kinda weird in the focus group because of the dreaded double sided window where they can see us but we cant see them…that was the first focus group I had ever participated in…..I actually didn’t know it was that kind of meeting but no matter…the lady that hosted the group even recorded the meeting….spun me out I tell you what…but in the end we were rewarded with a super cool tie-dye kit in Tropical colors and a gift card for Target; and anybody that is close to me knows I LOVE TARGET….Okay well let me share my photos because I can always ramble on and on! LOL!…I’ll talk to you good people in a short while!
~~MsKRS~~