I've finished the chemise now, too, and I've got to say, being short has its advantages(rarely, but sometimes ). I'd gotten enough fabric to do the closed sleeve (5 yards) version of the pattern, but upon getting it, looking at it, etc... I decided I liked the open sleeve version better, but that supposedly required 5.5  .... Of course, after cropping the pattern to fit my tiny-arse(well, big arse, little height, to be fair) self, I ended up with more than a yard extra, and made the bigger pattern. Of course, I'm really going to have to learn that when McCalls pattern company says large, they mean "can fit paul, me, and a small moose in". Either they REALLY oversize things, or I've got some sort of body dismorphic disorder, and a defective tape measure. :-\  me: large should fit! I'm perfectly within the size range... so why on earth do I look like a six year old playing in mommy's closet?  Seriously, I should take pics. Except they'd be silly looking.

The good news is, it looks okay with the overdress, and overall I'm pleased with how it came out. It is certainly roomy and comfortable, at least.

Also, my hair has been trying to eat my chemise. I've been trying it on as I fit each piece, and EVERY SINGLE TIME it got caught on my hair. Bunned, braided, bloody well down it got caught.

Really, though, I'm in a good mood today. I swear! LOL

Well, I've been laid up in bed for a few days with a migraine, today was the first day I could get up and about, really. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this, but my cat has a very high pitched, kitteny-squeaky voice. It never really matured past 4 months. Anyway, she's been in heat for several days. Several days of high pitched squeaky screechings, often from underneath the bed, and several days of me attempting to catch and lock up the cat blindfolded. when I get headaches like this, any sort of light makes it hurt worse. any sort of noise hurts worse. having to deal with light while chasing down screechy cat? PAIN.  She better be glad I love her... *mutters something that could have been "animal shelter" or "stewpot"... it's hard to tell*
I did manage to get those photos I've been promising.  Hair: braided, as usual. Nothing really new to report there, honestly. I shredded several fingernails on some thread earlier, so I had to clip them all back almost to the quick to keep them from splitting farther. Any of you other sewing/string/thread/yarn using ladies find that happening to you, or am I just that bad with nails?

Anyway, I got my secret santa assignment today(I'm sure we all did) but it's funny, I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to come up with something, but I got the name, and immediately realized I'm going to have to pare down the list of things to keep under budget. This "buying stuff for other people"  stuff isn't going to be as hard as I thought! I'm just going to have to double my budget and buy/make one of each for myself too, LOL.

Anyway. My brother narrowly missed being shipped to Iraq (so far  ) so that's a good thing. I think. He did volunteer, so maybe not good to him... good to the rest of the family, though. I'll put up the pics in a minute... got to get off the computer for a sec.

Nice pics!  I love that Irish dress! Nice colour combo ( I want one!)

Hee   Thank you ladies! (Lisabelle, I could make you a set but I'd have to charge you (although it wouldn't be that much, really) )  As for the color combo, my mom and I sat and went through several online fabric sites until we found the one with the best selection, and then dug and dug until we found that combo. I think we were on the phone with each other for four or five hours that day? I think it was worth it. It's actually a dark navy blue, not black as it appears. For some reason, the ribbon photographed lighter than it is, and the cloth darker, even though they actually are a pretty good match.
The sleeves are longer than they should be(which is funny, considering I took about 7" off the pattern before I cut the cloth) but otherwise, I'm happy. I could fix it, but frankly, I don't feel like it (too lazy, honestly). It's actuallly the body that I find too large... I think I could fit myself, Paul, and a small moose in it. I guess that makes it more comfortable for sleeping in, as well as daywear though.

Anyway, I'm almost done with a skirt made out of the same navy flannel (I figure I've got several extra yards, I might as well use them), all I have to do is hem it. I've also got a half done bodice that's awaiting some sort of boning material. I've got an idea for that that is fairly inexpensive and can be bought locally, but I have to be able to go to Lowes or Home Depot to get it. *rolls eyes* with the truck the way it is, that's not going to happen just yet.

Anyway, though. um... I think that's about it for today. I washed the hair, and I'm out of conditioner so I've got to get to the store soon. Woo-hoo, I get to leave the house!! LOL. Some days, with the boys always going off on job sites and no room in the truck for me, it feels like I'm a hermit. Honestly, I think I only talk to three-four people on a daily basis (in real life, I mean. here I've got all of you guys/gals/sentient beings of indeterminate gender)