Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts

Saturday, July 3, 2010

my new toy

Okay, so it isn't really new ...
 (actually, it is 20~something years old)
but it is new to me.


It may have been just a little dusty when I got it ...

but it was free (!) ...

and quite easy to clean.




I just picked it up this morning and already ...

I finally finished this!
Of course, all I had to do was sew the hem and fix the shoulder ties, but still . . .
I am proud of getting it done and I even added decorative buttons to cover up
the not so pretty stitches attaching the ties to the dress.


I don't know what my next project will be ...
LB has big plans for learning to sew herself and also
for me making doll clothes for her American Girl doll, so we shall see.

Whatever project I (or we) decide to tackle ...
none of it would be possible if my sister-in-law
hadn't been willing to donate to my cause!

Thank you, Teresa!
I hope you enjoy your weekend visiting your
baby girl while I sew for mine!

Friday, January 15, 2010

bits and pieces

Have you ever had one of those weeks? 

I'm not saying that this has been a bad week ... just a hard to define one.  I don't have anything really specific to write about, but I really wanted to post today, so I'll just be sharing some random happenings from the week.

Monday afternoon I went to Mama's to work on the jumper I am making for LB.  I didn't have everything I needed, but I did manage to get the pattern out and ironed and the material cut out.  Unfortunately, that is as far as I got.  I am planning to work on it today, while the kids finish up the week's school work at Mama's.  This may or may not be a good thing since my parents are out of town and I'll be own my own.  Mama did tell me to call her if I have any questions, but I am not sure that a phone conversation will be the best help.  We'll see how it goes.

I have learned to really dislike Tuesdays.  JW goes to speech in the morning and LB has dance in the afternoon.  It seems as if we can't get anything done, school wise, on those days.  We did manage to get math lessons finished a few minutes before Ronnie got home from work.  I absolutely hate doing school that late in the day.  On the upside, taking a suggestion from my friend Marie's blog, I had LB do her first daybook.  I used some of the same prompts that I use for my blog and wrote them in a notebook for her to answer.  She loved the concept, and finished it quickly ... which is amazing since she generally hates writing.  The only problem was that she doesn't want me to read it!  I plan to have her do this a couple of times a week at first and am hoping that she will want to do it more often on her own.  I may even work on a shortened version for JW to do.

And, speaking of Marie, I would like to suggest that you visit her blog and read her post entitled  Jesus wept for Haiti.  I think you will be blessed ... I was.

The biggest story of our week is the stray dog that wandered into our yard on Wednesday afternoon.  Much to my surprise, I allowed the kids to play with the little guy and even gave him a little food.  I am not usually moved by strays, but he looked so hungry and seemed so sweet.  He had obviously been around children before since he wasn't bothered by D's wild antics.  He hung around in the yard until the kids came inside and then he ran off.  They were disappointed that he didn't stay.  He did come back yesterday.  The kids think that we need to try and catch him and keep him.  I am not sure that is such a good idea.  I'm not sure what you have to do to make it safe to keep a stray dog, but I figure it would involve a pretty healthy sum of money.

I haven't really wanted dogs in the past, mainly because I don't want to deal with the messes that they make.  BUT, after seeing JW's face and how quickly he attached himself to this dog, I am thinking that maybe it is true that every boy needs a dog.  I don't know how we'll do it, but I have a feeling that pet ownership is definitely coming in the near future.

So, how about you guys.  How has your week been?

Thursday, January 7, 2010

my new hobby

I have always wanted to learn to sew.  In the past I have managed to make a few pillows, a skirt for a Sacagawea costume and a shirt for a Meriweather Lewis costume (or was it Clark?  I can't really remember).  In other words, I could sew a seam, but not really follow a pattern.

When we pulled the Christmas stuff out this year I remembered how worn out the kids' old stockings were and I really wanted to make them new ones instead of buying them.  So, I did.  I didn't use a pattern, exactly.  I just traced an old stocking on a piece of construction paper and then transfered that to the fabric.  I am pretty happy with how they turned out, though I wish I had bought the fabric earlier when I could have found a bigger selection of Christmas fabrics.

LB's

JW's

D's


As proud as I am of the kids' stockings, I am much prouder of what I made for LB this week.  I actually followed a pattern for this one.  And, I think it turned out great ... even if I do say so myself!  I have cut out one for myself, but haven't had time to sew it yet.  For those of you who really know how to sew, please don't be too critical of my first attempt!  Next, I am going to try to make LB a dress, but she wants me to sew for her new American Girl doll.  And, JW is begging me to make something for him.  I am really getting excited about the prospects.