Sewing for me

Todd's cousin is getting married in August. And while it is an outdoor wedding at the farm, I'm pretty sure that is one event that my jean capris and a cardi or tshirt will not cut it. I've been looking (both in stores and online) for a dress that I could wear to both the wedding and to work for a large conference that we have the end of July. Everything that I am finding is either too short, too fitted or too low cut. And on this almost 40 year old body, none of those are a good thing. I did find one dress online, but the $180 price tag is a little out of our league.





Then I found this book online - Chic and Simple Sewing. I ordered it off of Amazon and had it in a couple of days. And I fell in love with some of the items in it.





For Good Friday, the office was closed. So I hit JoAnn Fabrics for some fabric to make a few of the items in the book out of. Specifically the baby doll top, the circle skirt and the shift dress. Loose, feminine but not bulky. And no zippers or buttons. Of course, I brought home some extra fabrics....

My only complaint about the book is that it only has 3 sizes in it - small, medium and large. And if I were to go by measurements, I would need an Xlarge (to get the size 38 that I am). But I dove in on Saturday night about 10 p.m., enlarged the pattern pieces slightly and made the baby doll top:

I'm still working on it (needs a little bit of improving and a hem yet)....which is why you are not seeing the whole thing. Flowy is good....looking a little like a tent is not:)


But I did cut out and finish the circle skirt in about 45 min. on Monday. As soon as I find a white tshirt to go with it, you'll see this one on this body as well...

And Jessie liked the patterns enough that I have to make her graduation dress out of this book. Which meant another trip to JoAnn Fabrics to find a pretty blue and lime green batik fabric. She picked out the summer sundress pattern - I'm going to widen the straps just a bit so it's not quite so skimpy (she is 11 after all and does have a dress code to follow at school about how wide the shoulder straps need to be) but since every blessed dress we have looked at she has not liked, hopefully this will fit the bill!

Summer

It's been hot, muggy, humid and rainy here the last two weeks. I'm so ready for some hot DRY days it's not funny. We haven't cut a blade of hay it's been so wet - and we are fast running out of hay for Jessie's steer. Fortunately he doesn't eat much.....Hopefully this weekend we can get the hay made.

But Friday I found this on clearance at our local home improvement store. And Todd was nice enough to put it together Saturday afternoon for me in the 90 degree weather. That felt like 105.

Just in time to use it for seating at an impromptu get together with friends on Saturday night. I do love summer.

Yesterday found Jessie and I working on her 4-H sewing project. All that is left to do is the sleeves and the hem. Which would have been done if she had been able to stay focused, but it's summer and that word is apparently not in her vocabulary right now.

But she did the majority of the work on it so far - and is saying that she will wear it - so that is a plus in my book:) She wants to find brown leggings and brown flats to wear with it. And the sash around her ribcage will have a button in the back rather than the bow that the pattern calls for.

Of course, when I sent her outside to play, I figured her brand spanking new sewing machine was already set up, so I might as well get busy working on her show shirts for the State Fair and County Fair. Seeing as how I am so not into paying $30 a shirt when she really needs 4 of them for the county fair. Since there is no time to do laundry that week.

I'm pretty happy with the way it came out so far. The collar seems a little stiff, but it fits her really well. I still need to do the sleeves, the buttons/button holes and the hem. Hopefully tonight I can finish this one up, and start on the lime green one next. Or the bright orange. Or maybe the hot pink.

She definitely wants to be noticed this year:)

And our last cow to calve finally had her calf last Thursday - a black and white bull calf.

Todd was really hoping for a heifer, but I was hoping for a bull calf to make a steer project for Jessie next year. I should have bet him on whether it would have been a boy or a girl.

So this year we were tied - 3 for 3. Now we just have to get everyone re-bred for next year's calves.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
Kris

A quick cardi

Yes, crappy photos, but I couldn't wait to show you!

I had seen this on Philigry's blog, and actually brought one similar to it at Eddie Bauer on Friday when I was shopping for the kids (um hmmm) clothes for them to wear to the calling hours/funeral of Todd's grandmother.

Today, I went to JoAnn Fabrics and found some great jersey knit, and the pattern (McCall's) which was on sale for 1.99. Not being sure if I should do the Medium or the Large, I brought both sizes of pattern.

It was super simple to make and modify so it would fit me perfectly.

I ended up using the Medium for the rectangle, and the Large for the sleeves. I am not a fan of very fitted sleeves, and just cut them out about an inch bigger than the Medium sized sleeves.

I still have to hem the sleeves, but I'm going to leave them unhemmed for now and see just how long I want them. I think this will be great with jeans or dress pants for work.

I still have a navy blue jersey knit to make one for my Mom, and I'm thinking I need another one in red!

Have a great day!

Kris

something crafty

Suede leather coat purchased on ebay - $7.25 + shipping - sorry no picture, I was in too much of a hurry to cut it up to stop, find the camera and take a picture:)






Lining fabric - stash (actually, a woven handtowel I purchased years ago to decorate and never did) - $0





A new purse/bag - PRICELESS!






Go here for the tutorial!


I still need to put the gromets in and finish sewing the handle together - so I'm off to JoAnn's this afternoon for the gromets and a leather sewing needle. And more needles for my newly fixed sewing machine seeing as how I BROKE 4 needles yesterday afternoon trying to sew this......

Hopefully tonight I'll have pictures of the finished bag......

Simple Weekends...

I had a fantastic weekend.

The baby quilt for our friends on the fire department - is on the frame ready to be quilted:

I worked on spring table runners for my Mom and I, but am going to put these on hold until I buy a yard of fabric from this fabric line for the center stripe (which is discontinued so I have to wait for an auction to end on Ebay). For this pattern, I'm thinking the cherries are too busy......

I cooked a terrific dinner for Saturday night - ham loaf (brought ready to bake from our butcher), green beans frozen from last year's garden, homemade egg noodles, and artisian bread in 5 min. a day.

Fortunately for me, everyone loved the egg noodles. I had my doubts they would turn out, but they did. I cannot wait to eat the few that are left for lunch.

Today I baked a yellow cake to frost with the leftover blueberry frosting from the Angel Food Cake. And we had beef stroganoff w/ homemade egg noodles (again) for dinner.

And I finished pillows for Jessie's bed. Last night we ran to Lowe's to get the pieces to attach the headboard and footboard to her bed. I'm pleased with how it came out:

Now I'm off to watch the rest of the race - have a great Sunday evening!

Kris

Where did the week go????

Seems like I turn around, and it's Friday. It didn't help that I had Monday off, Jessie had an orthodontist appt. on Tuesday (which she doesn't need braces yet), then there was girl scouts and tutoring Tuesday night, Jessie had a doctor's appt on Thursday, tutoring Thursday night, we had calling hours to go to Thursday night for a good friend's Grandma who passed away, and then last night I had to go get the stuff for Todd to make steer feed. UGH.

I did find buttons for Jessie's flower power pillow:

This afternoon I have to get some sewing done. One of the guys on the fire department had a baby Thursday morning (well, his wife did - you know what I mean:)) and Todd asked me last night if I had a baby quilt made that we could give them as a present. So I have to get one done in time for Todd to take it to fire practice Tuesday night. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to tell me, right??

But first, I need to do some cleaning, some laundry and some blog reading. I am soooooo far behind on everything!

Have a great Saturday!
Kris

Is it too late?

To make a Valentine's Day table runner????

I brought this pattern a while ago, and my favorite quilt shop in Ashland had these pink/red/cream fat halves - so I thought I'd do a runner for my Mom and I today. I guess if I can get 2 of them done right away, there is still time to get it to her.

The kids are off school, I'm off work, our court hearing was canceled due to weather so life is good. I did try to run down to work this morning at 7:30 a.m. to grab some stuff so I could work from home, but when it took me 20 min. to drive the mile and a half to the end of our road, the kids and I turned around and came home.

Last night Todd was at fire practice, so I worked on this applique:

I decided I had better pin everything in place before sewing it all down to make sure it would fit. So far so good - just a few more flowers to cut out.

I shoveled the deck this morning, and it already has 2-3" of snow on it again. I think that will be an all day affair (shoveling the deck and steps off!) Stay warm everyone!

Kris

Weekend Sewing

I've been furiously quilting a quilt that is my Mom's Christmas present. I'm just about done with the quilting - so by tonight I should have the binding on and be ready to hand stitch it down. I think I have 3 or 4 more 10" squares to quilt. I went to JoAnn's yesterday and picked out a bunch of fat quarters for the binding:



And while we were in JoAnn's, Jessie picked out a striped fabric (for $1.50 a yard - they only had 3 yards so we got all 3) and a bunch of fat quarters - she thinks she needs a new quilt already for on her bed. I'm thinking since I only paid $35 for this and 6 yards of a white on white floral print, I'll think about a new quilt for her bed sometime next winter. We'll see.




My parents came down today when they were getting wood (right up the road from our house). And as usual, we (Mom and I) can think up millions of projects. Like the birds, we are making hearts out of felt:



I have an idea for the hearts - I just need to go get some muslin. Maybe this week. I need to sew them together here shortly, and then have Jessie stuff them (she has way littler fingers than I do!!).


And she had these to do. She had brought the kits about 15 years ago at a quilt shop, but we never got around to doing them:


So of course, once she left I had to quit quilting and start in on these. They are so cute and sooooo easy. The red heart I am having trouble getting it to stand up on it's own (I think the bottom is too long for the candlestick). But maybe if I chop it off and glue gun it in it will stay? Or maybe a different candlestick......

yes, there are pins in the sides of these where I need to sew them shut. I was in too much of a hurry to take the pictures to sew them up yet!!

We hit 26 degrees this morning - it felt like a heat wave out there! But the sun is out and things are running a little smoother (water and chore wise) with the warmer temps. Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday!

Kris

-11 Farenheit

That's how cold it was when I got up this morning. And our electric had been off at some time during the night - it was down to about 60 in our house. So we got a rip roaring fire going in the woodburner and warmed the house back up. But it was hard to walk out the door to go to work. This is the second day the kids haven't had school this week. Which I'm glad really - Jessie doesn't have to stand out long to wait for a bus, but I would feel bad for all those kids who stand out there for 10 or 15 minutes.

Chores were horrible last night. Everything is frozen, everyone needed water, so we spent quite a while unthawing hydrants and water buckets to get everything filled. And of course, they will probably be froze again this afternoon when I get home:(

This is a table runner I've been working on in my spare time. I can honestly say I don't know why I've been working on it - other than I've had it for years and have been in the mood to sit and watch TV in the evenings (especially 24), but if I'm not doing something, I'll fall asleep.

And this is a quilt top I've been working on pin basting. I found it in an antique store last spring for $2.00. It's pieced by hand and I'm planning on machine quilting it and keeping it in the Durango year round for use whenever we need:

Stay warm everyone! This weekend our temps are supposed to get up into the mid 20's - it will feel like a heatwave out there!!!

Kris

A Homemade Christmas

Here is the post of Christmas Gifts that were made:

A lumberjack tote for my Dad:



A bag for my Grandmother:


Coasters and mugs for the teachers:


PJ pants for the kids:




Sheet quilts for the kids:




Messenger Bags for both kids:


A jacket and beret for my niece:


Pillows from my Grandfather's bed quilt from when he was a boy (Sara, I do have your's!!):


An apron and potholder for my brother's girlfriend:


And I think that is the majority of the gifts. The pillows were the easiest - they measure 18" square. And I made 10 of them total. I don't have pictures of the sheet quilt I made for my Mom (still in progress) and the fleece vest I made for my niece, Avery.

And I am starting in January for the 2009 Christmas gifts!

Kris

0 degrees

It is freaking freezing here. When we got up this morning, 0 degrees. We had to jump start Todd's truck. We've know the battery was getting weaker but.....you tend to put things off that aren't an absolute necessity - especially in the winter and at Christmas time. Today he will go buy a new battery.

Yesterday was extremely cold. Come to think of it, Saturday was cold here too.

Saturday was spent at play practice - and cleaning and doing a little sewing. I'm making headway on the gifts. Todd also went hunting and shot an 11 point buck - at 8:30 a.m. Which was perfect - then he didn't have to sit outside all day!

Our church's Christmas Play was yesterday - here is a video of 1/2 of 1 of the songs they sang. I would have so loved to video the entire thing - but I left the video camera sitting at home on the kitchen table (when I put it down to go get the camera - rather than put it in my pocket!?!)

Afterwards I tried to get a nice picture of Jessie and Tyler in front of the tree they decorated during the play - and this is what I got:

Afterwards, my parents came over because we had seen these birdies. Mom cut them out, and I sewed them. Then Jessie wanted one - so I did the bright pink one for her. They are now sitting in our Christmas tree on the branches - but I forgot to get a better picture. Hopefully my Mom took better pictures (of both the Christmas play and the birdies!)

I would show the gifts I have finished so far, but someone showed Jessie how to get onto my blog, and she was reading back posts and I don't want to show what I have finished that is hers or Tylers. So on the 26th I will do a show and tell of every single present I've made.

And next year.....I'm so starting this in January. or February.

Kris