Check!! Another off the list.....

Finished the purple knit dress/jacket today.  It took me way longer than it should have to sew and finish this pattern.  I decided to pull out the Coverpro to do the neckline/sleeve/hems.  Of course since it had been almost a year since I used it, I had to relearn how to use the machine.  I had a few problems getting the stitches to form correctly, but it will do.  Not perfect but acceptable.   
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I'm planning on wearing this tomorrow, so I'll post pictures.

Next is on to McCall's 6194
- pajamas for my grandson.  I have fabric leftover from his last pair that I'm going to make and another knit that I was going to make for him when I made the last pair.  He has grown so much, that those are way too short for him.

That's all for now...happy sewing!

Finished with Thanksgiving Weekend PJ Sew Along

I didn't get to spend all day in the sewing room today, only a few hours.  I did finish the PJ's ---and they are VERY bright!!

I totally forgot to mention that I made a tote bag from this pattern last weekend.

Here is the finished bag --- shhhh....it is a Birthday present for my sister!!!

Tomorrow is Christmas decorating day so I won't get to sew much, if at all.  Maybe I will get to cut out my deep purple knit dress and jacket during the week and sew a bit next weekend.  Until the next time.....

After Turkey Day Sewing

I got to spend the ENTIRE day in the sewing room!!!  That hasn't happened in a very, very long time.

First I finished the pajama pants

for the PJ Sew along with Ann from Gorgeous Fabrics.  (Thank you Ann for starting this sew along...I needed the push to get these PJ's made since I had originally cut them out in September of last year!!)  And then I started on the top, but stopped for a bit to let the collar cool on the tailors ham before I attached it to the neckline of the PJ top.

So I made this - a thread catcher with a pin cushion attached.  A practical bit of sewing.  Then I got back to my PJ's and this is where I left off for the night. 

Tomorrow after I go to Weight Watchers, nail appointment and then to buy groceries for the week...I will attach the cuffs on the sleeves, the pocket, the hem and then the buttons and buttonholes.  I should finish by Sunday.

Wednesday night I re cut the PJ's from the Large that I had original cut back in September 2009 to a Medium, but after trying them on...I think I could have cut the Small.  Oh well, they will be extra roomy and comfortable for sleeping and lounging around in.

For the next project after the PJ's are finished I have a deep purple stable knit that I will make another dress and jacket with.  I made this same pattern here.  I LOVED this dress and jacket and wore it many times but when I was putting all my summer clothes away last weekend and pulling the fall clothes out, it was too big and I wasn't going to be able to alter it to fit..at least the dress.  I probably could wear the jacket but the dress armholes were too big along with the rest of the dress.  So I decided I would just make a new dress and went to Hancock's the other day.  It is actually the same knit I used on the grey dress except it is purple.  I know how well this knit washes and dries, so there will be no surprises.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

I'm back in the sewing room!!!

The quilt class was fantastic!  I now feel much more confident that I can machine quilt!  I know I will need to practice, but I really think this is something I can do.

My new serger arrived on Friday, so I got to sew with it Sunday and I've been using it a bit each night.

Here is my Tissue Tote that I made from the free pattern I received at The Teacher's Pet booth in Houston.



And then I made.....12 more!  Gifts!  Free!  Made with fabric scraps in the stash!

I also made a cute little pin cushion.  And I have 5 more of those to make.....because they are cute!  I'll post pictures of all of them later.  Tomorrow night is the quilt guild meeting, so no sewing then.   Friday night I plan to start on the PJ's out of the same fabric as the gift tissue totes.  They have been cut out since last September and now I have to adjust the pattern size used because they will be too large now.  Hopefully it won't be too much of a pain to fix that.  Until then..... Happy Sewing.

Cutting Day

Today I've been cutting...and cutting...and cutting!

I have 3 projects cut and ready to go. I rented Margaret Islander's Industrial Tips video tape and one of the tips was to take a day and just cut out projects. Gather all items together (threads, buttons, seam binding,etc.) and tie with a scrap of the fabric.


The project to the left top is my next pair of pajamas. All my PJ's are too large now so it is time to make a new pair. I bought this fabric at Nancy's Notions online quite awhile ago. It is quilting cotton from one of Michael Miller's collections. I'll be making a short sleeve tunic style top and capri length bottoms. This will be #3 to sew in the cue.

The project on the right top is my Talbot's knockoff top. I mentioned this one earlier in one of the posts. This is #2 in the cue.


The fabric is a knit that was purchased in New Orleans at Promenade Fabrics.

And the front project is my jacket that I am going to enter in the PR Lined Jacket Contest. This the same pattern that I made for the Stitch and Flip Jacket class that I took from PR in July.

The fabric is a Home Dec that I bought in Mandeville a few weeks ago. The fabric is a blend of Linen/Rayon...we think! It steams/irons very nicely, but I will dry clean. The fabric is very similar to the fabric in a jacket that I had years ago. I'm using Ambiance lining fabric that I ordered online. I'll have to get to work on it tomorrow because the deadline is Oct 1 and I'll be leaving for Mexico on Sept 22 and not return until Oct 1...so I have to have it finished and photographed and my review written by the 22nd!

Now onto a finished project. I took another class Building a Better Blouse from PR in August and I put the finishing touches on it Saturday. This is a pattern that I blended from PMB and a Kwik Sew pattern for the sleeves. I am pleased with the way it fits. Not sure about the fabric though...maybe a little too "old lady" looking. However, I do LOVE me some paisley!


Oh, and I'm down another 1.2# for a total of 44.8....yes, .2 from an even 45#. Urgh! And it has been 35 completed weeks!

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.

Eyeing Gustav

I see that Gustav has just been upgraded to a cat 3 storm. I've gathered all supplies and if I have to I'll be ready to move out. Of course my 440 is going with me!



Hanna has started to move west now and looks to be getting stronger too. I also see that there is another TS brewing off the coast of Africa.


My house has this stinky smell going on that I can not figure out. I noticed it last night when I took Hunter out for his last potty break. I have sprayed Frebreeze and have lit candles. We changed the air filter (because it seems to smell worse when the A/C is running) and I've steam mopped the floors plus vacuumed and cleaned the toilets. I still smell it. We pulled the refrigerator out from the wall, nothing! It is a mystery.


I'm working on my PJ's and I have run into a problem. I didn't have enough fabric to make the facing out of the fabric that I wanted to use plus I didn't have enough fabric to make the bottoms out of the same fabric as the top. So I had to make the top out of the floral and the pants out of the pink and white dot fabric. I wanted to make the facing of the top out of the pink and white dot as well, but had to use plain white and I have cut a small piece of the pink and white to sew together so that it will show by the collar. Hopefully it will work out ok, afterall it is just pajamas.


Here is the fabric I'm using for the top.

Here is the fabric I'm using for the pants and trim.

This is what I have to do to make the facing show the way I wanted it to.

I should have them finished this evening. I have the shorts finished.


UPDATE!
Gustave is now a Cat 4 hurricane and we found the source of the stinky smell!!! DH was cleaning out the frezzers in the garage on Wednesday morning preping for Gustav and left a package of turkey necks out (thinking he would put them back in just in case we decided to go crabbing again) and forgot to put them back into the freezer, so they have been sitting out since Wednesday morning...yep, that is a horrible smell!!! So now the garage door is open as well as the utility room door and hopfully it will air out and go away!

Preparing for storms

Last night we gathered all the battery type of lighting to see exactly what we have and if we needed any batteries. We have so many lights and extra batteries we will be very lit up! Hubby made sure the generator still runs and the portable AC, then filled up 4 gas cans and will get butane for the grill today as well as some canned goods, etc. We have plenty of water on hand from the scare of a storm last year. All in all we are as prepared as we can be. Now it looks like Gustav has moved to the west southwest, so who knows! There is another storm, Hannah out there on the eastern side of the Virgin Islands and the projected course takes it to the east of Florida by Monday or Tuesday. I'm leaving Thursday morning for Orlando.......uh supposed to.

I traced the pattern for the latest PJ project for me last night while I was watching Project Runway so I will try to get it started on Friday night, tonight we have a wake to go to for a friend's Father that passed on Tuesday.

FINISHED project !! Nightshirt

Here is the nightshirt for my sister. She bought the fabric in San Diego at the quilting store.
Here is a closeup of the hem facing. I had never tried this before, a new technique for me.
The back of the nightshirt.
Here is a closeup of the back emelishment.

I think it came out very nice. I hope she likes it. I think it looks like one of those "dusters" that the stay at home mom's used to wear in the 60's!! Or it could be a cover up or robe?



Here is the pattern that I used from Cindy Taylor Oates called Pajama Party and I have made 3 pair of pajamas already, but this was the first nightshirt. I have another pair of PJ's for me in the next project that I will start this week. I'm going to make short pants and just use one print for both and add a smaller print for the trim. Pics to follow.

Quilt shop in San Diego

I've just returned from my 4 days in San Diego with my Sister. We had a wonderful time doing all the usual tourist things. We both decided that we WILL lose some weight before next trip. Our feet and legs were killing us from all the walking we did.

I did get to visit a quilt shop called Rosies Calico Cupboard....and I have to say, I've never seem so many bolts of quilting fabric in one spot in my life!!!! It was referred to me by someone in my Bernina group online site.

I only purchased 1 piece - a creamy gold paisley to go with my other paisley collection for my quilt as you go quilt. Almost there! I know, all that fabric and you only bought 1 piece! I was having stomach issues that afternoon and just couldn't get into looking through it all. My Sister did buy 2 pieces so that I could make her a nightshirt. Another project to add to my list!