To Busy Sewing For Any Blogging

I'm so close to being done with all three of the boys' quilts! All 60 squares are finished and now being sewn together. Now for pretty hand quilting. Not sure how long this is going to take me, but I'm assuming I'll have time for that and about 10 more presents to start and finish in the next 2 1/2 weeks :o) I'm feeling like I'm cutting it a bit closer than I'd like, but I always seem to work it out when there's a deadline. 

I will have a TON of pictures to post after Christmas! (Sorry Aunt Sheryl, I know you're waiting :o) )

OOOPS, never got that posted. I did say I was too busy sewing, didn't I? Well, now only a few more days to go and I'm really cutting it close!!! We'll have to wait and see what happens... :o)

A Comfy Time Of The Month

I made these a few weekends ago for my sister in law who just had surgery and needed something a bit more comfortable than the normal (or not so normal) papery/plasticy pads. I was happy to do what I could to make her feel a little better! I have thought about making some for myself in the past, but seeing as how I haven't had a regular period in 5 1/2 years (I've been pregnant or nursing and then pregnant with no period in between :o)), I haven't really seen the point. The reasons for choosing cloth pads over disposable pads are the same reasons for choosing cloth diapers. You can see my post on that HERE. After making these and feeling how soft they are makes me think that maybe I should have some of my own, even if I don't need them very much, so when I do it will be a much nicer time of the month :o).

The pattern I used as a guide was in this very fun book that I always drool over at the library.  I should have known if anyone would have had it it would be my sister in law, and she did :o). I should have asked a long time ago!!!

So the finished product is 10 inches long and 6 inches wide from wing to wing.

I used old t-shirts and made 3 different thicknesses (obviously for light, regular and heavy days). The light had the 2 outside layers with wings and 4 layers inside without wings to cut down on the bulkiness, for a total of 6 layers. That sounds like more than it really is since I used very thin shirts. If you were using a flannel like I do with my diapers I would cut back on the layers by a few on each. The regular were a total of 8 layers and the heavy were a total of 12. Even the 12 layers didn't feel that bulky. 

The book had great directions on washing.  It's really no big deal if you use cloth diapers already. You just put them in your diaper pail.

For the pattern I just measured 6 x 10 on a piece of paper and tried to get the shape close to what it looked like in the book instead of scanning it and having to enlarge it by whatever percent. That would take way too much time for me!! :o)

So this is what I came up with.

And this is what I finished with!

I was out of snaps, so I used velcro. I was told that when moving a lot it can scratch a bit, but then I remembered that they did say if using velcro to round the corners and maybe that would fix the problem. Or a button and button hole would work if you don't have a snap press.

I found that it worked much better sewing through the thick layers of knit fabric to set the pressure on the presser foot to the lowest and the stitch length to a 4.0 for most of it. And of course I used my ball point needle.

I think after I finish ALL my Christmas sewing I'll have to make some for myself.

Branching Out With Knits

I haven't worked much with knits until the last month or so (mostly because I had heard it was hard), but after seeing so much of what other people are doing lately, like at MADE and No Big Dill (two of my favorite blogs!) and many others, I got myself a ball point needle and just started. It really isn't hard at all, and knowing how to adjust your machine a little (like change the pressure on your presser foot) makes a big difference with really stretchy knits!

I LOVE the big butt baby pants that RAE makes so I thought I would try to make a version of my own.

That went so well I tried a shirt.

Got the general size from a shirt that fit well and made up the rest :o)

And another :o)

The car one came straight out of a cold dryer so it was a bit wrinkled for the picture.

Previously known as a friend's tank top and short-sleeve shirt. I love getting bags of goodies from other people!

After the shirts, I realized Caleb didn't have any jeans. So a quick dig through my old jeans stash and about 20 minutes later we have a whole new outfit. I've noticed the boys have a lot of separates and few complete outfits, so I need to start making things to bring together what they have - not just add to the volume of their drawers. 

I tried forever to get a cute picture of Caleb, but decided he was way to fast for me!

See :o)

And off he goes.

I made this shirt for my nephew's 6th Birthday. 

Obviously it was a pirate party they were having :o)

I wanted to do something pirate without being covered in skulls and crossbones. It's sometimes hard to find nicer-looking pirate stuff!

I used an old shirt of Samuel's as a pattern, and the back half of a black XL t-shirt and a few other scraps I had saved for the applique. 

I looked online for ideas, but ended up just making up my own thing.

I was able to use the band from the old collar as the new collar. I just folded it under like bias tape so it is about half as big as it was but that's perfect going on a smaller shirt. I think it looks pretty good!! Like my 3sillymonkees tag??? I do!!! I'm trying to perfect it before I do a post on it, so maybe soon :o)

 It's been good for me to just jump into this knit thing and see that it's really not too scary! I feel way more confident and am ready to try all sorts of things with knits now!

The Unexpected Remodel

Check out the fun at my parents' house!!!

The remodel was planned, it was the timing that was a bit unexpected.

I'm sure it will only take 2 weeks :o)

(anyone other than my family watch the money pit on a regular basis?)

This is pretty much how our house looked all the time growing up. It explains why when I smell paint or sawdust my first thought is home :o) 

There were always lots of friends and family helping (usually in the wee hours). Everyone worked, no matter how old (or should I say young). There was always something that you could do even if you could only carry 3 shingles up the ladder at a time :o) That was me when I was 9 years old. We thought it was fun most of the time!

I love all those familiar sights and sounds!

I should have pictures of  the finished product to share very soon. Have fun Mom and Dad!!!

More For Me

I know I should be working on the boys' quilts, but I guess I get distracted easily :o) !!!!

I had a fun week sewing for only me, but then I felt kinda bad and am trying to make up for it by doing extra squares this week :o) That evens out right?

 I got this pattern from a friend's Grandma a long time ago (maybe 5 years or so) and always liked it but never really thought seriously about making it until last week.  I saw this fabric for $1.50 a yard, and for some reason immediately thought of this pattern. I figured I could make it work with 2 yards, and if it didn't turn out that great it was only $3 down the drain. So at my first available nap time I started cutting out the pieces. I thought I would just get that part out of the way that day and sew the next, but it went so fast that by the time everyone was up 2 hours later I was almost done! The next day all I had left to do was the tie, hem and the sort-of sleeve.

 I Love it!!! And really love it for $3! And I'll take many more like that :o) And, thanks so much to my friend Sarah, I have these pretty pictures to share.

 I love that the dress can be more dressed up or dressed down with different shoes, and it can fit you through many shapes and sizes, because it's made to just pull over your head, and you use the tie to make it as tight or loose in the right place for you as you want to. And that's great for me because I'm always changing between just pregnant or just had a baby, and sometimes I'm even at my normal size :o).  I was going to make the neckline a bit higher, but then that problem with most dresses (no nursing) is there again, so I thought I'd just leave it low enough to be accessible and wear a tank or something under it.  But then I saw somewhere how to make a little crocheted chain with your thread (using a regular needle, not a crochet hook) to make a button loop. It was so easy and delicate and I think just adds a little something extra.

I plan on making some variations of this into tunic-type shirts for this fall/winter, and maybe one (or two) more  next spring :o).  Things to look forward to...  So this is done and I still have 2 other pieces of fabric burning a hole in something (my sewing machine I guess) :o).  A green dress is coming next...

Making Progress

3 more down.

:o)

51 to go :o(

New Fun

6 1/2  yards for $11.

I'm ready for some fun!!!

I have sooo many ideas!!! Now just to find the time :o)