Christmas is over.

Man, that's the part I don't like. It's all over in minutes. All of that hard work, and boom it's done. sigh.....
I did get the 3 sets of pjs' done for work. I did get my gd dress finished for Christmas eve. I did get the blanket embroidered for dsil. I didn't get my sons' pjs and robe even started, but the fabric is washed. I just kinda pooped out. Didn
t get much of anything done the rest of the weekend. Got the blahs I guess.

DS went to a birthday party tonight. My hubby and i are just going to veg and do a couple of loads of laundry to get ready for work tomorrow.

New Year's eve, I will have my two grandchildren over for the night. I'm excited. I don't get them very often, because I work, so I love having them for that night. They are so much fun. It's my highlight for the year end.

The goals this year will be to get this house cleaned up and organized. I"m so tired of being in a mess....I know that's why I don't get much done.

My husband has agreed to help, so we will do it together.

We had more than a foot of snow on Christmas eve and day. Still trying to dig everything out. Got the truck left to dig out...... I hate snow, but we really need the moisture so I won't complain.

Tomorrow night I will start on Jeff's jamies. and hopefully get them done this week.

Love my machine

Did I tell you how much I love my BL Elissimo? Well, I do. It sews so nicely. Very User friendly, love the auto threading.....
Last night I made a white elephant gift for work, it was a blue fleece blanket and I put BYU Vs. Arizona 2008 Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl and everyone wanted it. It was fun and easy to create. I made a 7 inch in the hoop stocking last week. It was so cute.

I'm still sewing on those pjs. Almost got my gd dress finished...just a zipper and finish the hem.
I need to make my son pjs and a robe for Christmas, but if I dont' get it all done, I am off Friday, so I can finish it then.

We are so far behind, still haven't gotten the tree up. But will for sure tomorrow.

We are in the midst of a winter storm, again this week. It's supposed to be pretty bad by the time we go home, so I hope it doesn't take hours to get home like it has in past years.

I'll be off work in a few hours (yes I'm taking a break to blog)and then I can get back to my machine.

Have a great weekend.

M4865 Mc Calls

Here are pictures of the dress I made last week.

LIfe

Do you ever feel like somedays life is just almost more than you can deal with? That's how I feel today.......really down.
I can't get motivated....fighting with my son.....but I have a cold and I"m sure that's a big part of it. One of the reasons I want a blog on sewing is to share my love of sewing with others. I"m not the greatest seamstress in the world, nor am I the worst, but I'd like to be able to inspire others about my passion of sewing....I just can't seem to make the time I need to sew......and that really depresses me.

Finally ,at last, something sewn!

Last week I finished a blessing gown for a fellow co workers' baby girl. I made it out of eyelet...very simple with McCalls M4865. I had to alter the sleeves to make them narrower and no band, but it was fast and easy. I fully lined it with a bemberg lining. I'll post pictures..they're supposed to take some for me...I forgot my camera duh!

I'm also working on a Christmas dress for dgd. It is black with red flowers on it. The oriental look....love that fabric and since she is part Vietnamese it will look darling on her.

Thursday we went to pick up my Elegante which was being serviced...oh how hard it was to have to take it in, but I had jammed it somehow mending a pair of overalls for a friend's son. They had it for over 3 weeks and it just about killed me to use my other machine.....which also stopped working on Thursday as I was trying to finish up the dress. I was going to have to drag another machine out to finish when the shop called and said it was ready...yipee.....what a relief....so my hubby and I went to pick it up and while I was gathering a few supplies I needed, he was talking to the owner about purchasing the Ellissimo......and we did. We got a great deal and I love the machine......because my debit card would only allow a certain amount of money to transfer in a day, we couldn't take it home that night, but they let me take the Ellegante home to finish the dress. Saturday we went and picked up the new machine, and my husband purchased the Babylock serger with the wave...can't think of the name at the moment.....I have the 8 thread Evolve but want to use it as a cover lock machine and have the other serger to use for regular sewing.....it was a great sale as well. So I am set in machines for sure.....What a sweetheart he is.

It is so good to get back to sewing.....I really get cranky when I'm not sewing anything.......but now it's time to get things cleaned up and set up for Christmas....and still get all of the sewing projects finished before the 25th....ha

I am making pajamas for a friend at work. He has 4 children and they are my sub for santa project this year. I found some darling snuggle flannels for 1/2 price at Joann's and have the fabric washed and dried and ready to cut out.......Monday I will cut them out, Tuesday I will start to sew....and finsh the Christmas dress first....then start on the jammies.

My father used to do sub for santas for people all the time when I was young. He was a sneaky guy and taught us the ring and run principle....it's better when no one knows it was you....it's so much fun to watch the look of confusion then surprise when they see what was left.....I just love it. However, this family (the parents) know I am doing it, because I had to get sizes....I'll post picks when I get them finished.....

I need to make some pj bottoms for ds. That's the only thing he'll let me sew for him.....silly boy.

So much to do,so little time, but good to be back at the machine again and blogging again as well. NOt that anyone is reading this, but that's ok too.

I haven't sewn since August and it is killing me! I have sew much to do and no time to do it in. The problem: we have a family living with us and between cooking, cleaning, laundry and working full time, I"m too tired. My friend helps too, but it is almost more than I can do. I have a wedding to go to in November the first weekend and I have to get a skirt done for my sister. I have a Christmas dress to make for my granddaughter that I bought to make for last year and didn't get it done.

Can you tell I am a procrastinator? Or that I don't use my time wisely? Maybe I sitt on my fanny and watch way too much television and I really don't like to watch television, except this year I've gotten hooked on Dancing with the Stars, Boston Legal and a medical show on Thursdays. OH and Ugly Betty. That is more tv than I have ever watched in my adult life time. I've always kept busy sewing and doing things, but not now.......

So here is my plan:
Every night for 20 minutes I will do something sewing affilitated. Cut out something, pin something together, clean up the sewing area, wash fabric , prepare the pattern, etc.

WEEKEND....THANK GOODNESS

Hopefully, I will get to do some sewing this weekend. I always have great plans, but then they bomb because either somethingelse more important comes up or I'm just too pooped to pop.

No sewing ?

I finished another blessing outfit and took it to the baby's home on Saturday. He had the colic and so I showed the mom a little trick I had learned with my son at that stage. I shouldn't have done it. I threw my back out (which isn't hard to do) so my sciatic nerve is raw again. I've done nothing since. :(

I did go see Mama Mia with my friend. What an awesome movie, but then I love Abba. It was a great toe tappin movie.

DRESSES FINISHED!

This is the front and back of the flower girls' dress. She looked pretty sweet in it, according to her cousin.



This is the Bridesmaid dress. I made 3 of them. The most difficult was the one I had to add 11 inches through the bustline and 9 through the hips. But the dress fit beautifully on all 3.

I'm so glad they are finished. This was a difficult job. I had wanted to get them completed before I left in July for vacation, but I was having trouble getting them over for fittings. OH well, at least they are done!

I have just the lining for the bodice on the last dress, attach a bow to the flower girls dress and stitch down the lining in the wedding dress,and move hook and eyes on the neck of it. I will be done tonight....yipee.
My fabrice for my stuff will be here on Saturday, so I can start my sewing. I'm hoping to do the 3-4-4 sew along for PR. We'll see.

I'll take pics tonight and post them tomorrow.

ALMOST THERE.....

I finished up another dress last night, and almost have the 3rd one done. I'll finish it tonight before I go to bed. Next up is replacing the zipper and letting out the side seams on the brides' gown. It was too tight when she bought it and she tried it on the other day and as her fiance zipped it up, it broke. I guess it's a good thing she didn't wait until the day of her wedding to put it on.

The zipper is ripped out now...I have to go buy another one to finish.


Pics coming tomorrow I hope.

I have the flower girls dress finished and one of the bridesmaids dress finish. Tonight I will try and finsh the other two. What a journey this has been.

EXCITED!!!!

I broke down and bought myself a new digital camera. It's the kodak easy share (pink to discourage DS from using it I hope lol). Now I can take pics of my work and really make this a good website people will want to visit.

I sewed last night til 1 am. Man I was tired this morning.

The bridesmaids came to try on their dresses. The one I had to add the 11 inches to the bust? It fit perfectly. The girls were right where the princess darts belonged...thank goodness. :) But one of the girls who had lost 3 inches in her bust and hips must have gained it back, because it didn't fit..:( I'll have to eat that one......I increased the pattern based on her loss, remeasured her of course...but it wouldn't go over her hips....man was I frustrated.......lesson learned.....always make a muslin when making alterations. They were minor alterations, but ...oh well...good thing the satin isn't super expensive. I only need two yards of it thank goodness.

I worked on finishing up the little blessing outfits and will finish them tonight and deliver them tomorrow. Getting there for sure!

HOME AT LAST

We pulled in about 8pm last night. I was asleep by 10. It's good to be back, but I truly enjoyed my visit home. I don't get there enough..



Back to sewing:
I must have messed up the timing on my machine, so it is going into the shop tomorrow. I"ll have to use my back up. Lots to do.

Saturday evening, veggin out at the Comfort inn

We stopped in Sydney Ne. I'm tire. We drove 550 miles today. Another 9 hours to go, I think.

Itll be good to get home. I'm anxious to get back to my husband and to my sewing. I don't think I've gone a week without sewing anything since the end of January after I finished up one wedding. I didn't sew for about a month, then I started sewing for my nieces' wedding......then blessing outfits and now another wedding.... got to get busy and get it done so I can start on my plans...but I mentioned that already today...sorry to repeat myself :(

There is a tornado watch here. I haven't been in a tornado watch in years. Thankfully. I am more afraid of earthquakes than tornados since I grew up in and around them, but not earthquakes....so why am I living on a fault? Excitement i guess? crazy me.

Well, I"m off to bed...got to get up early and head out. Goodnight.

HOMEWARD TREK

Alas, vacation time is over.....dang. We had such a great time with my sister. We had dinner with our niece on Thursday evening, then dinner with our oldest brother on Friday. We stopped to say good bye to our other brother and his family. Then we came back to the house and loaded the van.....boy....I didnt think everything would fit, but my sis is good....she squeezed it all in. Now it is time to get the child up and get out of here......I'll miss everyone. I don't get back here nearly enough :(. Next year we are trying for two weeks together so she won't have to work. I love my family and wished i lived closer, but I don't want to move away from my daughter and her family either.....choices.....oh well, with the economy the way it is, atleast I have a fabulous job that I like. I don't think I could find another one like it so we're staying in Salt Lake.

I didn't get to eat lunch with OP gal. I was sick and I didn't want to expose her.

Well, I'll be back when I hit SLC.

storyboard layout take 2

The last one is the jacket and skirt that I am making out of a navy linen/blend....I know it probably is summer material, but It is sort of my wearable muslin, and I think it will be ok for the fall....if not, I"ll save it for the spring and use something else for the jacket and skirt after I get the fit down.

storyboard layout fall clothes

While I"ve been sitting here sick.....relaxing, I've been working on my storyboard for my fall wardrobe. I may be too ambitious...but on paper it looks really good!

The dress will be in black slinky and the jacket in the forest slinky.
The jacket and skirt will be a navy blue linen/blend and the tshirt the antique rose rayon knit.

I'm looking forward to trying to get it to fit my body type....grandgrandegrande, so it will be an interesting challenge.
When I get home Sunday, I have to finish 3 blessing outfits, all started, just waiting to verify size, then finish the bridesmaids dresses for the wedding on the 8th of August, then finally....I promised my sister and my husband I would start sewing for myself. I'm tired of sewing for others right now....except for my girlfriend who I love to sew for and my sister, I'm making a skirt for her birthday, but aside from that, I need to squeeze in time for myself..... I love to create and it is time to get busy."

VACATION TIME YIPEE

I'm taking a break from basically everything. I left town and my son and I have come to Olathe Ks....outside of KC. I get to meet OPGal for lunch on Friday. It will be fun to meet someone I see commenting regulary on PR. I spend way too much time on it, but I love it.

My sister is sewing some and she had a pattern of a skirt she wants to make.
So we went and got fabric for it Monday. I'm going to fit the pattern to her and make it for her birthday in August. (before I leave town). She has a new Singer and I love new machines...so this will be fun. She says I should be making something for myself...but really.....tents just aren't fun to make...lol

We've really enjoyed being here. I met with most of my sibs Sunday evening at a birthday party they were celebrating for our niece. Everyone except my older brother. I'm meeting him for breakfast on Friday morning.

Sara, Melinda, Jeff and i went to Dave and Busters over in KC. The food was delicious and there were plenty arcade games to spend our money on. We had fun.

Today, is another lazy day. It is very hot and humid here.
We're used to the heat, but not the humidity. It really sucks the energy right out. If Jeff ever gets out of bed, we are going shopping for some school clothes and tennis shoes. (and maybe a new iron at JOann's or fabric at Kaplans) or not.

Tonight I think we are going to a movie, MamaMia I hope. Jeff is going to Worlds of Fun tomorrow with his cousin Sarah and I am sewing. Heaven awaits!

I'll try to post pictures if I can figure out how to do it with my cell phone.......

It's been a very relaxing week so far. Poor JIm is home with the animals and trying to clean out all of the junk we've accumulated since we married 4 years ago. I'll admit it is mostly my junk, but some of it is his too....lol

I miss him, and I miss my kids, but I don't miss work. I love my job...been there 20 years as of last Friday, but I really needed the break.

My dream was to retire last week and sew for a living, but with the economy the way it is,....well, you understand why that probably isn't going to happen.


Enough for now.

If you've dropped by , I hope i didn't bore you to death....so thanks for stopping. Come again.

I finished the flower girls' dress. It is view C. It is done in the Brown Windsor Satin, with pink ribbon on the straps and flowers at the base of the straps, then her mom asked me to add a large pink bow to the back. Ok, I'm not quite finished, I have to go find fabric that will match the pink on the front......then make it, then I'll be done.
It fits her perfectly and she looks so cute. I really didn't think I would like the brown, but it turned out nicely and looks good with the pink. Someday if I get my camera fixed, I'll take a picture and review it on Patternreview.com.

Tonight I will start the bridesmaids dresses. They came and I fitted the patterns to them last night. I have a nasty cold, and really don't feel like sewing, however, if I want to get it all done before I leave on vacation, I just have to keep plugging along.. Wish me good luck ...lol

Ok here is the pattern I am doing for the bridesmaids dresses. The lower right hand corner. They are in Brown Satin (Windsor Crepe back) with a pink ribbon trim. They originally wanted the crepe back but I convinced them the satin side was much prettier. The crepe side was so dark. She didn't like it after seeing it. They were also going to put a bright, hot pink band around the bust line, but the bridesmaids are so busty, that we decided it would be too much. When they left, they were happy with the plan. My plan is to get one of the bridesmaids' dress and the flower girls' dress cut out. I will post the flower girl tomorrow, as I can't remember the pattern number.....geez....I'm getting old for sure....lol

Ok, I was totally wrong, it is Simplicity 9940 and I believe it is OOP. I have made alot of these (more than 20) in the XS size, but this one was a S. The XS goes together easily, however, on the S, the sleeves are not correct and I just about lost my religion over it. I made them fit, but before I do another one, I'll have to redraft the sleeve. Actually, I think they have the size mislabeled. I'll have to measure them all first. I love this pattern. It is very easy to put together, all except the bow tie....it is so tiny, that I have trouble putting it together, but I keep at it until it is done. Looking at it, I took the picture before I fixed the hem in the right leg. It is puckered there, as I pulled the thread to tight, however, I did fix it before I gave it to the parents, I just forgot to take another picture....oops.

Ok, here is the blessing outfit I finally finished last week. Of course, I am at work, so I can't tell you what pattern, other than it is a McCalls OOP, I believe.

I'm getting ready to start those bridesmaids dresses tonight....finally.

Ok, I got one of the outfits finished.....I"ll try to post a pic soon. But I ran out of buttons for the 2nd one....that and the hem and the neck binding and it will be done.
The motor came for the a/c and it is nice to be cool again. I sewed until 2 am. Needless to say, I was pretty grumpy when the alarm went off at 6:30. Sigh.......

Tonight I will stop and pick up buttons on the way home, fix dinner, then finish up 2 more blessing outfits. Tomorrow, I plan on starting the bridesmaids dresses. I hope to knock out at least 2 of the 4 this weekend.......we'll see.

We don't have plans for the 4th. We aren't a very celebrating family. Pretty quiet and keep to ourselves. DS, who is 13 will go visit a friend and they'll go shopping (mall lurking actually). DH will sleep and watch Mash, unless I can motivate him to do something else. We'll see.

We leave for vacation two weeks from tomorrow...yipee.....I'm going back home for the first time since my mother died a year ago last Jan. I am very fortunate to inherit her cherry china cabinet. I'm so excited. Not that we have room in our house, but I'll make room. It will be nice to be able to take my china out of the boxes. I think we are taking our 4 yr old gd with us. She is undecided.

I'm looking forward to 3 days of sewing.......one of these days, I"m going to make something for myself.....you'll see ....(I hope).

Well, I got very little sewing in. The house was 92 yesterday afternoon when I got home from work. Everytime you moved, you perspired...yuck.
I did get up this morning and sewed for a little bit before I left for work. I work late tonight.

Other than that, absolutely nothing is happening.

July 1st
I am plugging along with the blessing outfits. Better hurry, have to have 2 done by Thursday, but I"ll make it.
My central air (only 1 year old) went out yesterday. Of course, almost 100 outside, 92 inside...whew it was hot......so I didn't get alot done. A neighbor is going to hook up our old swamp cooler to the outside water so we'll not die from heat exhaustion tonight...thank goodness.

I'm starting on the bridesmaids dresses on Friday. The only problem is getting them there for a fitting. They seem to think they can be measured and voila......that's all they have to do. One hasn't even shown up yet to be measured.......oh my...I wish I could pull a dress out of a hat and call it done somedays.

My greatest wish for today is to be able to make something for myself. I am in desperate need of clothes, as I have to wear dresses to work. Hate the panty hose, but that's the policy so I do it.

Another hour and I can go home...yipee...not that I don't love my job, I do. Better get back to work, break is over.

I didn't get a lick of sewing done last night when I got home. But, I did get the new DVD and book , Pattern Fitting with Confidence, from Nancy Zieman. It had been on back order forever. It talks about the pivot method, which I think I like.

I'm hoping tonight to get some sewing done, after I fix dinner, clean the kitchen, take the child to Walmart for his snack attack and sit down to pay the bills.....then I might get to the sewing machines.

One of these days, I'm going to get pictures and put them on this site. I'd like to get this so people would be interested in reading it. But I have alot to learn....lol

I really admire Debbie Cook. She has a great website that I read daily. She has helped me (unknowningly) with alot of issues in sewing. Great girl.

June 25

Well, the wedding is over, after taking the dress in 4 times, it finally fit. She kept losing inches in her bust. Man what a mess. But she looked really good and so did her daughters.

I'm making little blessing outfits for 4 baby boys this week, then starting on another wedding for 4 bridesmaids dresses this weekend. Busy Busy Busy.

I"m so excited. I tried the muslin on my niece, and it fits perfectly. Now I just have to get the fabric and make it. Whew...what a relief.

I'm currently sewing for my niece for her wedding. It has been alot of fun. I"m making two dresses for the girls bridesmaids dresses, then a simple empire, a-line dress for the bride.

One of these days, truly, I am going to start sewing for myself.

Two weeks ago, I spent some time in Las Vegas with two of my sister-in-laws. We had so much fun. We shopped, ate, and played. It was a much needed break from the usual ho humdrum kind of day.

Today, we finished up a class on sewing a bag. I had two students and they did a terrific job. The bags were so cute. I wanted to go home and make one for me.

I love to teach sewing and if there is a possibility that I can get someone interested in sewing, I"ll do anything to help them along.

It's been a busy day, and I didn't get any sewing done...dang it. maybe tomorrow.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I was born and raised in KC MO, basically. I'm older than dirt and my passion in life (aside from my family) is sewing.

I've been sewing since I was 7. My mom taught me. It was a miracle I ever completed anything. The one thing I became proficient at is ripping............

My favorite things to make are christening *blessing dresses. Both for boys and girls.....the boys are little outfits, the girls are dresses.
I would eventually like to start my own business.

I work full time at a job I love, but I would love to retire and make clothes for others.