Yes....I'm saying it again...I'm still here!!

Haven't been doing much in the blogging world...but I have been sewing a bit. I made 2 pair of the shorts and I've cut fabric for 2 more. I will post pictures later of both pair that I made.

I've actually been praticing making welt pockets for the back of the shorts. I used Shannon Giffords method that she had in one of her online classes that I took from PR, and boy do I need more practice. I googled and found another way to make them, so that is up next...we will see how well that method goes. I really want to add them to my shorts so they will look more RTW.

I cut a stretch denim for one pair and a dark green twill for the other pair. Both fabrics were purchased on my last visit (end of April) to Winter Springs, FL to visit my daughter and her family. My grandson is a great fabric shopper! He helped pick out the thread and zippers for both pair! I think his young eyes helped pick the right colors for the thread.

Two gifts complete

I finished the matching lounge pants for my SIL and Grandson. Finished, well mostly. I still have to purchase and put in the elastic for Grandson's pants. I did a flatfelled seam on the larger pants because for some reason whenever I make pants, the crotch seam always seems to come unsewed. I will serge it and go back and seam it with the sewing machine, but they always seem to come unsewed. Hopefully this type of finish will keep SIL from "splitting" his pants!

It's funny, while working on these LSU Tiger pants, the football team was losing to Arkansas!

PJ's for IV and other projects

Here are the PJ's I finished for IV. This was so easy. It is pattern 2826 and I made the size 3 for the top and the size 2 for the bottom. If this fits him, I'll make another pair out of this fabric.

I have enough fabric of each of these to make him a short sleeve pair and short pants as well as another pair next winter! I didn't realize I was buying so much fabric. This fabric came from Joanne's in Orlando that I bought when I was there last time. I'm also working on this Jalie pattern

Out of this knit fabric

that I bought a long time ago from I don't remember. This is my muslin. I'm planning on using my coverpro machine to do the hems, etc. The serger will be used to finish the seams.I'm also working on this pattern for my SIL - Larry for part of his Christmas Present.

I'm making him a pair out of this LSU Tiger cotton fabric as well as a pair for IV, so they will have a matching pair - corny I know, but cute.

That is all I'm working on right now and it is enough to keep me busy for awhile. These LSU Tiger pants come first because I need to get them finished before the 12th of December, that is when I'm heading down to Orlando again and it will be my Christmas visit.

My foot isn't well yet, but it is not too bad. I threw out (donated) all my old shoes and am replacing them with Clarks only. I now have only 7 pairs of shoes and 1 pair of running shoes in my closet. I had over 30 pairs of shoes before I purged them.

I also had a very successful garage sale a few weeks ago. Made over $300. I still have quite a bit that will be taken to Goodwill or the Salvation Army as donations.

Finally made it ....

Well I finally made it to visit my 2 year old Grandson this past weekend, a little late for his birthday party, but I made it there all the same (Gustav can't stop me forever).

He is so much fun!!!! Here he is in his birthday party outfit (that he didn't get to wear!). I was very hard to get him to stay still long enough to get a picture that wasn't blurry or of just the back of his head....he never stops!!!

For his birthday I bought him his "big boy bed". It is a cute cherry finish toddler bed. The crib mattress fits in there and he just looks so cute in there. He is doing great sleeping in there, no problems keeping him in it. Good thing I made it there to get his bed because when we were loading it into the truck to throw in the trash, all the spindles fell out. It was 30 years old and kept in the hot attic for 25 years, so I guess it served its purpose. His mother used it as well as his Uncle Bubba and now it has been put into the trash!

While I was visiting my DD and I visited several fabric stores and I purchased quite a few pieces and notions. I added a few more paisley fabricsto the stash for the quilt (that will end up costing me $1000 bucks before I finish). I also found this unique black silk fabric with fussy dragonflies that I will make a couple of pillows with. I have no idea who will get them, but I couldn't resist the fabric. I'll post pics soon.

Hopefully, I will get some sewing done this weekend. My feet are on the mend so I hope to rest some this weekend.

Ike is gone....things back to normal???

Ike finally made it's way to Texas, but not without giving us a little grief. The winds were horrible and of course the yard is flooded again and the power went out again but only for a short time.
Friday night we found a snake in the hall heading to my bedroom!! We have also found 4 skinks in the house, which Hunter loves to catch and play with until there are dead carcasses left and removed tails! He gets a treat for each one he kills! How are these little creatures finding their way into my house???
Saturday after doing a little cleaning (checking for any additional critters) I had to get out of the house! I finally got to a quilt shop that I had been wanting to visit and headed over to Hancock's with the Bernina store inside. There was a coupon sale for $10 off any $50 purchase, which I took advantage of and purchased a new foot (#57) and 3 boxes of Bernina needles.
I was going to start working on my Cotton Theory quilt using my paisley fabric, I am short 6 more fabrics!!! So, I started my wall hanging, I'll post the final project when I finish.
I booked my airfare to see my DD and her family, again! The other trip for GS's 2nd birthday was cancelled due to Gustav, so I'll try it again next weekend. I'm heading to Dallas Wednesday for a bank seminar for work and this weekend I have a cooking class to attend. I need these things to take my mind off the hurricane havoc!

A Sewing Sunday

I finally finished my grandson's 2nd birthday outfit.

I also quilted for the first time using my BSR!! It is the pocket for a quillow for my mother's birthday present next month. Here is the picture of that. After reading the post on pattern review about someones experience using the BSR for the first time...I thought it was about time I gave it a try. The results (IMHO) are very good. This was my first try at using free motion quiting at all.

If you don't know what a Quillow is, it is a lap sized quilt that can be folded into itself to form a pillow. I posted pictures from a Fons and Porter magazine from Jan/Feb 2007 that had the instructions. I wasn't able to get far on the project because I didn't have the right sized batting. So I'm off to Hobby Lobby today at lunch to purchase the correct size batting.

No result!

Well....after one whole week of doing the healthy eating program and walking on that treadmill, nothing, nada, zilch! Not one ounce lost. I remember when I could lose 7 pounds in a week by just watching what I ate. I guess those days are gone since I hit the big 50! I'm not giving up! My new receipe book by Ellie Kreiger came in today, so I'll be able to find new healthy receipes to try.

On to more happy things! I finally stitched out the embroidery basket with daisies to go on my mothers quillow pocket. I also, cut out my precious grandson's red gingham JonJon that I am making him for his 2nd birthday party. I will stitch out the "practice" balloons and #2 tonight to make sure it stitches ok before putting it on the suit. Hopefully picture will be added tomorrow.

I purchased a new foot for my machine today. It is #18 the button sew on foot. It is a new version to the old #18. This one is rubber coated so that the button will not move when you are trying to sew it on to the item. Very nice, plus I received 20% off because of a store sale!

Made it through 2 days.....

I made it through 2 days!!! Not so bad to eat healthy and walk on that dreaded treadmill. It actually went really fast last night. I was walking and watching Closer, so it went real fast. Last night I fixed the grilled chicken that had been marinated in fresh lemon juice. When you take a bite of that, it is just so wonderful! Tonight it is Grilled Salmon and asparagas with a brown rice pilaf.

Received several e-mails from online fabric stores that had great sales, but no paisley that I am looking for, so I'll have to keep looking. My next item to start and finish is my mother's birthday quillow! I'll start that this week.

I need to fix those 5 little pillowcase dresses for my friends' granddaughter. She's a little smaller than I thought she was. No problem though, I'll just have to unsew the ends where the elastic is and pull about an inch off of the front and back and restitch. She is just so cute. Yesterday she came walking out of the garage all excited. She just learned to walk. It is so fun to see little ones learn new things!

My grandson is having problems with some of his family members names! I don't blame the poor baby. He has a Granny (ME!) a Grammy (Father's Step Mother) and a Grampy (Fathers' Father). Oh well, he will figure it out.