Category Archives: sewing

The last minute

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Remember when you would wait until the last minute to do your science project?  Book report?  Plan your Halloween costume?  Tell your parents that you were going somewhere?  Or needed a ride?  Had to take a snack to school?  Buy a gift?  Or card?

We all did that as kids.  And some of us still do it.

Everything takes more time than we think it does.

At the beginning of the school year my daughter said she wanted me to make box bags for the twins Pre-K teachers.  As a Christmas gift?  No.  As an end-of-the-school-year gift?  No.

Well, when?

I was at my daughter’s house last week helping her build something.  I’ll post pictures once it’s finished.  Anyway, while she was cutting the plywood, I asked her again about the box bags and when the end of school was and what colors/fabric did she want me to make box bags.

I didn’t know if these were to be for personal use and filled with personal goodies or for school use filled with school related goodies.  It makes a difference when choosing the fabric.

Box-bag-TA-003

The bags were for school related goodies and she wanted them for Teacher Appreciation Day.  Which was yesterday.

The fabric was purchased Friday and washed that evening.  I was too tired to think about cutting and sewing.  Saturday was spent cleaning out the garage but I managed to get all the pieces of fabric and fusible fleece cut.  I dug out the directions on Sunday and made one bag.  Monday evening I had a hair appointment which involved color so I didn’t have time to finish the second bag until last evening.

The teacher’s names were machine embroidered on the strap.

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And my daughter’s tag was sewn in the seam.

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I like them.  I just hate waiting until the last minute to make something as there is always a glitch.  Like sewing the strap in upside down and having to redo it.

But they are finished and on the way to my daughter to fill with goodies.  I hope the teachers like them and use them.

Box-bag-TA-002

Do you still wait until the last minute to do something?  Do your kids?

Needle and thread

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What’s one thing worse than hemming a pair of pants?

nnedle and thread 1

Hemming the same pair a second time.

I bought a couple of pairs of pants a month or two ago and hemmed them.  The first pair was the perfect length when I was finished.  The second pair?  Not so much.

By an inch.

An inch too long meant that I stepped on the back hem.  Every.  Single.  Step.  Every. Single.  Time.

I’ve known about this for at least a month but I HAD to do something about it last night.  Procrastination is my middle name.  I’m headed to my aunt’s house after work today for a luncheon she, my sister, and I are going to tomorrow.

Plan A Outfit was a dress.  I love wearing dresses.  I dislike wearing pantyhose and with coolish weather and my brilliant-white legs, pantyhose is a necessity.

Plan B Outfit involved the above mentioned pants.

So out came the scissors, ironing board, needle and thread.  A two-and-a-half inch hem was a bit too much for a pair of pants.  But a three-and-a-half inch hem was more than I could deal with so I cut off an inch.  You know, in case I grew and needed to let the hem down.

Or made them too short.

 

Crunch time

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Edit: I had this ready to post on the 19th but forgot to click the “publish” button.  My apologies.

I did not fall off the face of the Earth.  I’m still here.

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I’ve been decorating, cleaning, decluttering, partying, praying, gift-wrapping, knitting and sewing along with the usual working, eating, and sleeping stuff that happens whether I want it to or not.

My brother-in-law is coming to our house today Thursday the 19th so that’s the cleaning, decluttering, and decorating part.  He’s doing the narration for Mr. Aitch’s Cantata on Sunday evening.

Three and two-thirds slippers have been knitted.

Birthday gifts have been wrapped and hand delivered for the twin’s birthday party last Sunday.

Pillow cases, quilt backs, and a drawstring bag have been sewn.   The drawstring bag was a last-minute gift idea, and I mean last-minute gift for their birthday.  I filled it with four squeeze bottles, a package of neon food coloring and instructions for making “snow paint”:  Fill bottle half way with water and add 4-6 drops of coloring to paint the snow.

I made pillow cases that match the quilts…that aren’t finished.

Crunch time list in no particular order:

  1. Finish the quilts.  They are not even sandwiched together yet let alone ready to be quilted.   Do you think I’d still have a job if I took my sewing machine to work on Monday?
  2. Sew pencil/marker cases for four grandchildren.
  3. Make snowman kits (carrot nose, eyes, buttons, felt hat).  And make another drawstring bag for the kits.
  4. Sew a “taggie” ball for my newest grandbaby.
  5. Knit the last third of the second pair of slippers.
  6. Make a cheesecake for Saturday.   Done
  7. Make cheesy potatoes for the party after the Cantata on Sunday.  In the oven now.
  8. Make another cheesecake for Christmas Day.
  9. Wrap all the gifts that are en route.
  10. Wrap all the gifts that will (soon) be completed.

At least my Christmas cards are ready to be mailed.  Mailed Thursday afternoon.

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Felt ornaments

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I made some felt ornaments a few weeks ago and never posted much (if anything) about them.  They are a bit puffy with some fiberfill but not too much, just enough to give them some dimension.

First up is the tree:

Trees

They look a bit blue but are really two shades of green, some coordinating floss and a few buttons.

Second, holly leaves and berries:

Holly

Same two colors of green, coordinating floss and some red pom poms.  I decided to machine stitch the lighter green instead of stem stitch as my stem stitch isn’t very good.  The pom poms were glued on.  You can see the glue but it did dry clear.  I’m thinking I should have secured them with a few stitches.  Time will tell if I need to do that.

Last are my favorite little birds:

birds

I used to paint wooden ones and sell them though they had a bit more detail.  If I still have some left, I can show you my inspiration for the felt version.

The tree is the largest at about 4-5 inches tall.  The best thing is that they are unbreakable.  Perfect for curious little hands.

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