Vote for Minal & Jocelyn !!!!!

Hello A-Team:

Coming up is our last week before Winter Break. There is so much to do. So much to learn !!!!! HO! HO! HO! And before you know it, the Fall semester will be over !!!! See the right hand column of the blog for the NEW Spring 2015 flyers !!!! www.sewalongwithjoanie.wordpress.com. (I just don’t know who reads the blog from Facebook and who actually goes to the blog.)

Minal and Jocelyn need our help !!!!! In order for them to win the U design Triveni Design Contest, http://www.triveniethnics.com/udesign-contest-poll , you need to cast your ballot for whose designs you like the best. Take a look !!! The company had 16 designers from around the globe participate in the contest. I wish Minal and Jocelyn the BEST of LUCK !!!!!!

Sewing Fundamentals: We are still working on our final pant and shirt projects. I see real progress. I see everyone reading their pattern guides. Just realize you have a portfolio of ideas that may be different from what the pattern guide tells you to do. Feel free to do which ever technique feels more comfortable to you !!!! The pattern guide is just not a God !!!!

Sew Like a Pro: We continue to learn to be fussy about cutting plaids. I hear grumblings about how “you will never ever fussy cut anything.” I know, plaids are tough. BUT…..If you can do it with a plaid, you can do it with a giant print. Trust me, you WILL use these techniques. This coming Wednesday, we have the computer room 203 to make our croqui. This will help you with your future design projects. If I have NOT taken your croqui picture yet, bring a dark tight fitting t-shirt and dark tights. I can take your picture during class on Monday night. Wednesday, will be too late.

Links and Things to Think About:

Matching stripes: http://www.englishcut.com/2014/07/18/the-matching-myth-3/?utm_source=The+Cutting+Class+Newsletter&utm_campaign=0db247820a-The_Cutting_Class_Weekly_Digest_12_12_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_aa08214f6d-0db247820a-339029201

Holiday NO WEIGHT GAIN Ideas from Hungry Girl – My FAVORITE place to learn how to eat thin !!!!!

Hi Hungry Girl,I always gain weight during the winter holiday season. Do you have any foolproof tips to keep me from packing on the pounds this time around?Yo-Yo No More
Dear Yo-Yo,First of all, congrats on getting to your goal weight! I love hearing Hungry Girl Diet success stories. Second of all, you’re definitely not alone when it comes to holiday weight gain — it’s super common. But it’s completely possible to make it into 2015 without gaining a pound. Here are my top tips for every seasonal scenario…

Cocktail Parties
* Eat before you go! Some people skip dinner to make room for all those hors d’oeuvres, but you’re much better off having a sensible meal first — otherwise, you’ll probably completely overdo it. Then snack on cut veggies with salsa, shrimp cocktail, and other light bites.

* If you’re drinking alcohol, stick with wine, light beer, or mixed drinks made with a single shot of clear liquor and a calorie-free mixer. Having multiple cocktails? Alternate with glasses of water. And don’t go overboard… Not only do the calories in alcohol add up, but decadent party snacks can be harder to resist when you’re tipsy.

* Tempted by mini desserts making the rounds? Grab a candy cane instead. It’s low in calories, and the minty aftertaste will make you less likely to cave in to a fudgy brownie.

Holiday Meals
* Just like you don’t want to skip dinner before cocktail parties, you shouldn’t skip breakfast or lunch on the day of a holiday dinner. Eat a protein-packed breakfast and a light lunch.

* Prioritize exercise the day of a feast, so that you’ll burn off extra calories before the main event. It doesn’t need to be a full-on sweat session: You could just bundle up, and go for a walk! Or do my favorite activity all day: Housewalk!

* Contribute a lightened-up classic to the holiday spread. Then you can indulge without a lick of guilt. Click for tons of recipes!

* Load up three quarters of your plate with lean options: salad, white-meat chicken or turkey, veggies, etc. Then take small portions of those decadent treats you’ve been craving all year.

* Stick to one plate — you’re less likely to overdo it when you can see exactly how much food you’re taking in. Then politely decline taking home heavy leftovers. (If you’re hosting, give away as much as you can!)

Other Seasonal Advice
* Stay active all season long! Sure, it’s cold outside, but make use of that gym membership, power walk the mall before you get to shopping, and break out the exercise DVDs in your living room. Just keep moving…

* Ignorance is not bliss — be honest with yourself. Write down everything you eat to keep track of those extra bites. And schedule a weekly weigh-in, to make sure you’re staying on the weight-maintenance track.

* Bring smart emergency snacks with you everywhere — especially on long afternoons of holiday shopping. They’ll keep you from reaching for fatty convenience foods.
* Don’t let a bad meal become a bad day, week, or month. This is one of the biggest mistakes people make during the holidays. They overindulge early in the season, and then they throw in the towel until after New Year’s. Bad idea. The trick is to get right back on track with the very next meal or snack.

There you have it! I know you can do it… Have a happy holiday season!

See you all in class !!!!!!  Remember to vote for Minal and Jocelyn !!!!!

Make Money with your Skills ! ©

Be Safe,

Joan McKenna

Associate Professor