YEAH! A Pro-Life, REAL Woman --- who wears a SKIRT!

Happy tears - as a woman, as a strong Christian whose pro-life stance guides all my life and political decisions, as a Mom, as one with a deep concern and love for the disabled, I am thrilled beyond measure with McCain's decision to select Sarah Palen as his VP running mate. Wow! This woman has guts - and she is a down-to-earth woman that I do surely identify with. Plus all that - she has the good sense to honor her female gender by wearing a suit with a SKIRT! I hope she keeps it up during the tough days ahead. I've been praying daily for this election, and today I surely see God's hand!

Fine Pant Finishing Details

These are my favorite Chico's pants. I bought 3 pair last December on sale - for about $15! Anyway - LOVE these fine details - and you can do it too. Note in first picture the ribbon around the bottom of the invisible side zipper. Also - that it is stitched to the seam allowance at the bottom.

Invisible zips can really scratch your body - especially at the top edge. Do an inside tab like you see here. This is all on the INSIDE of the pnt. Covers the zip coil and tab at the top and hold it altogether on the body nicely.
Note where my left forefinger is pointing...this is stitching THROUGH the end of the elastic that has been stretched a bit to INTERFACE the facing. The elastic extends to about the same distance from the side around the back of my body.
Here, I'm showing how the 1 1/2" elastic has been butted right up to the top edge of the facing seam on the INSIDE of the facing - and stretched a bit. It is serged along with the facing edge to finish, and topstitched to the facing only along the top edge. It appears to be stretched just a tad all along - just a gently tug, firm pressure as you apply it. See next picture...taken from inside the pant - showing the slight 'gather' on the facing.

This teatment makes for a wonderful firm, flat, comfy waistband - no matter WHERE on your body you place it! Mine hits just a smidge below the belly button. Young ones want it lower - us old gals KNOW where our real waist is, eh?

Democratic Convention fashions

Admission: I am not a Hillary fan - but I DO have at least some fashion sense, and I just want to go on record as saying that all along this crazy political year, I have found Hilary's fashions to be BORING! That orange she wore the other night - ALL orange - shell, jacket, pant - was such a yucky color on her - and SO boring! Couldn't she at least have found some jewelry??? I kept waiting for her to admit being a real woman and to wear a skirt or dress..... at least Chelsea (wow, she has turned into a lovely young woman!) had the good fashion sense to wear a skirt that night!

Michelle Obama - OK - the aqua dress she wore when she spoke was fine - (though still too tight over that behind for my good taste) but then can't she find a new designer or go to another rack for the dress she wore Wed night? How many attached flowers at the neckline can I take? Well - the one from last night with TWO flowers - or it appeared - was POOR design from all I've learned. AND, I'll also go on record as saying the 10 year old's spaghetti strap dress worn the night she spoke was WAY too grown-up and sexy for a 10 year old in my humble opinion!

Nany Pelosi - well she has looked great imho. Not that I like her politics, but at least she had great hair, makeup AND stylish clothing from what I saw.

As if all this made 2 hoots of difference......... sheesh, I just keep praying for our country, and that God keep his hand on this election!

Olympic Gymnastic Fashions

What fun to see what can be done on a leotard! IMHO though - I wouldn't want to try to do all that swinging and hopping and twisting and flipping with a high jewel neckline as on the leotards of the Chinese team....

USA Pride Jacket

To show my national pride (and prayers) I just finished this red-blue-white (well, silver) jacket. It pretty much follows the Yellow Jacket in my Transformed pattern. The prints on the shoulder (which extends to a similar shape on the tucked and shaped back) and the pocket are pieced from men's old ties. One tie was cut into 3/8" bias strips for the 'connecting piece, topped with red furry yarn couched down. The flattering princess lines are just that combo of tie bias and yarn. A strip of Snap Tape (limited quantities available at http://www.londas-sewing.com/) surrounds the base of the neck and the sleeves. Jumbo Snaps (1.5 sets) create the base of the focal point. The face-framing collar is created by utilizing the lower band of the sweatshirt, interfaced, and lined inside with another striped tie. I seamed it on the center back inside so that the stripes nicely chevron.

P.S. I refrained from adding an elephant somewhere - but that is my personal sentiment - based entirely on the sanctity of life issue.