Joann Sew & Save Sale - Time to Stock Up

Joann's is having a sale on sewing notions - a great time to stock up!  The sale will last all week (July 24-30).  A few highlights of the sale are:

-50% Off Notions wall - needles, snaps, etc.  The stuff that gets used all the time, but not as much fun to buy as fabric.

-40% Off Gutterman thread - I have really started liking Gutterman over Coats & Clark (well, my sewing machine seems to prefer it anyway), so 40% off sales are good news to me!

-$15.99 Olfa Rotary cutters - this applies only to 45mm Quick-Change cutter or 5-pk 45mm replacement blades.  Usually around $35, so this is a great price!

As much fun as I have been having buying up fabric all summer, with fall approaching and the summer skating season coming to a close, I should be having more time for sewing and finishing projects, instead of just dreaming them up.

Dance Skating - The Flirtation Waltz

We have arrived at the final World Class dance for this season - the Flirtation Waltz!  Like most of the other dances I have covered, there are several version of this dance, but this dance is only skated in roller, not on ice.  This dance is skated both team and solo, with the ladies steps being used for solo in all variations.

As far as I am aware, there are three version - American, American Junior Team, and International.  Although a majority of the dance steps are the same, the steps on the last corner are different in each version.  In the International version, three running steps, a mohawk turn front to back, then back to front are the only steps before the first large center lobe.  In the American version, the mohawk turns occur first, and then a chasse step is used to push into the center lobe.  In American Junior team, three running steps replace the chasse step.

Further variations occur in the team positions.  In International and American Junior, partners skate side by side, but in American, the partners skate Tandem position, with the man directly behing the woman.

In American and American Junior Team, the tempo is 108 bpm Waltz.  In international, 120 bpm is used.

I cannot resist....

I cannot resist a pattern sale.  It is true.  Last week I got some of the new Simplicity patterns:

Ok, I got the Middleton engagement dress pattern.

Costumes...

More costumes...

And this week I fell into the $0.99 Butterick trap:

Shirts

More shirts...

And yet another costume.  But the skirt is so pretty!

I think I am quite happy with my Butterick and Simplicity stashes at the moment.  I am still waiting to get my hands on the fall McCall's and the new Vogue patterns though.  So I will be watching the sales flyers for those in the coming weeks...

Dance Skating - The Rocker Foxtrot

The next dance I will be covering is the Rocker Foxtrot.  Trivia: this dance was first performed in 1934.  This is one of my favorite dances to watch, when well skated.  It can look so smooth and elegant.  This year it is being skated in the Junior World Class Solo event.  It was skated last year in the Junior World Class team event.  Like many of the other dances I have covered, there exist and American and an International version, and the International version is also skated on ice.

This dance gets its name from the one foot rocker turn that the lady does near the beginning of the dance.  It is a major judging point that she is on an outer edge before and after the turn.  Other than that step, the American and International versions look very different, although the influence from the original International style is apparent in the American steps.  The American version is skated at a 92 bpm foxtrot tempo, while the International version is skated at 104 bpm.  In addition, the American style is a border dance, and thus the steps change location on the floor, whereas the International style is a set pattern and thus the same step repeats at the same location on the floor.

Newslfash - Live Nationals Video Feed!

For those of you who are interested in watching the 2011 Roller Skating National Championships live video feed from Fort Wayne, Indiana, you can see it here:

National Championships Live Video Feed - The Skater's Place

This week (July 17 - July 23) is the national indoor speed championships, and you can get the schedule here.  The Elite sprints are first, followed by the longer races.  Then two and four person relays in the following days (these can be very exciting to watch!).  The Novice (newer skaters) and quad speed are the last few days.

The following two weeks will be the artistic events, which include dance skating, figure skating, and freestyle skating (jumps and spins).  The schedule can be found here.  The most exciting events will be taking place between Saturday July 30 and Tuesday August 2.  Anything denoted with a World Class (WC) or Junior World Class (JWC), or a Junior or Senior level event has quite excellent skaters, and should be very fun to watch.

Also, just a reminder, the schedules are given in Eastern time, the time zone for Indiana.

I will post the link in my sidebar, so it is easily accessible even as I produce more posts in the coming weeks.

Pattern Sales: Butterick

As a heads-up, Joann will be having a $0.99 Butterick pattern sale all week, July 17-23!  The usual sales price for Butterick is $1.99, so this is a great time to stock up or get patterns that you are on the fence about.  Sadly, I don't have any Buttericks in my wish list at the moment, but I might look about the website, just to make sure I haven't missed anything...

Newsflash - August Burda Style Preview Posted

I know that the first preview was posted on on the German website about a day ago, but I prefer to reserve judgement until I can actually see the model pictures and get a full perspective from the garment pictures, the model pictures, and the line drawings.  Luckily, Burda Fashion Italia, as well as the Russian Burda website have the August previews up today!

All in all, I would say this looks to be a pretty good issue.  Burda is continuing their designer series with this dress:

Pretty drapiness!

Here is the line drawing.

Despite the emphasis at the hips, I think this dress is infinitely more wearable than the style they had in the July issue.  Actually, I even sort of like this one, and would possibly consider making it.

In addition, Burda seems to have made an issue with neither a shirt dress nor a sack dress!  Imagine that. The closest they get is this tank shirt:

Slightly sack looking tank

However, Burda makes this up in a nice silky material, and the length is used so that it can be tucked into pants, which actually looks pretty decent in the model pictures.  And since it is only one sack looking garment (not an entire issue filled with sack dresses), they get a pass.

What is in with Burda right now is the draped cardigan style jacket:

Cozy looking

They loved it so much they even made a slight variation for the plus sizes:

Slight variation to the sleeves

Usually, I find that Burda's regular and plus size offerings are very different in each issue, which does make for a better overall magazine, however, often times I find myself coveting the plus sized garments when I am most decidedly too small for that sizing.  I can only imagine that the plus sized ladies must also feel the same about clothes that are in the smaller sizes.  I think it is great that Burda is offering something of a similar style option in all size ranges in this issue.  I hope that they will do this more often in the future, although I recognize the drafting for a large size range of a draped cardigan top is much simpler than say a fitted dress.  Also, as a somewhat parenthetical note, if when I get this issue I probably won't need to also get the new McCall's cardigan pattern I was debating, as the style is very similar, but I usually have a better time fitting with Burda.  Thanks Burda, you just saved me $1.99!

Now, on to the rest of the magazine styles.  I would say that a vast majority of what is in this issue is actually quite wearable.  Mostly it is somewhat loose fitting blouses, some pants, some skirts, some shorts, a few nice dresses, and wonderful wonderful jackets.  Despite a lack of jackets in my actual wardrobe, I have a huge weak spot for them as far as my pattern stash is concerned.  As soon as I saw the jackets I knew this issue had to be mine.  I love them.  So, let's get on with it.

Firstly, I will show my non-jacket picks from this issue.

Simple dress, but I love the neckine

Another simple dress, but I think it looks pretty classy, makes me think Jackie O.

Here is the line drawing - the tie on the back is cute!

I also really like this dress as well.

Here is the line drawing - a bit easier to see.

 I realize the last dress is very similar to the first dress (as in, the same but with a different style at the neck), but I don't care I like them both.

 Now, onto the lovely wonderful jackets.

Sigh.  I love this.  I really really want to make this one.

The line drawing.

This one is very eye catching made up with the red piping and gold buttons.

The line drawing - don't know how I feel about breast pockets.

Ok, made up this is sort of dowdy looking.  I blame the color.

Because from the line drawing, I actually prefer this style to the previous one.

Burda also included a short trench jacket.

Not exactly sure about the ruffles of the sleeves here.

There is also a classic long trench.

Again, not positive about the sleeves.

So, yeah.  Jackets.  Yum.  There are at least 2 I definitely want to make and I am considering the others.  Couple that with the dresses and for me this issue has already been pushed over to the gotta get it category.

Now for the fun stuff!  Time for BWTF.

Except, well, there really isn't too much to make fun of in this issue.  Like I said, I think most of the styles are actually pretty wearable.  Not super exciting, but possible wardrobe staples.  I did, however, find these gems:

Cape with giant pockets!

As has already been noted on the Chanel No. 6 blog, this cape is a great idea for traveling in Europe, the land of only one carry-on.  However, as I know someone who will soon be traveling in Europe, I have already had a request for this cape!  So, well, I can't make too much fun, but I can at least show you the model picture, which does sort of illustrate the point:

Guide book, camera, cell phone, wallet, and still a entire pocket empty!

I suppose thinking of it as a purse/blanket combo it actually does serve some sort of useful purpose, and it would distribute the weight of its contents more evenly than a purse would.  From a functionality stand point, it actually could make sense.  From a fashion standpoint... erm... not so much.

And, also, I want to point out these pants:

What?

Well, maybe point at more than point out.  Point at, and laugh.  The skinny legs and wide ruffle make me think of a duck with webbed feet, and my sister said they would be great for a horse costume.  So, erm, yeah.  I don't think I will be tracing these out any time soon.

Now, finally time for Best and Worst picks for the month of August.

For me, looking through the offerings, the Best of BS for August seems rather apparent:

The jacket on the left - breast pockets and all!

Despite my apprehensions about the line drawing, the black jacket with gold buttons is just too fabulous. I can't deny it as the winner.  Sigh.  I may have compromised my principles, as this is the first time I have chosen based on the constructed garment rather than the line drawing, but I don't care.  I love it.  Stunning.

And now, the moment we have all been waiting for - BWTF for August goes to:

Those pants.

Notice how the girl on the left looks totally ridiculous.  And the stylish sensible girl on the right looks like she is smiling and complimenting the outfit while thinking how stupid it looks.  Yeah.  Not that these pants had much competition in this issue, but still.  Very much a miss for me.

So yay, another Burda down!  Overall impression of this issue - not too exciting, but nothing horrendous either.  Most of the clothes have wardrobe potential, with a few gems in the dresses and jackets.  A definite yes for my growing Burda collection.