So Quick Like Pulling off a Bandage

Keeping myself busy never seems to be a problem. Last week I spent a day with my friend Karma. We each worked on our own project and just visited and gabbed. It was great! I've been working on string quilt blocks and she was working on some English Paper Piecing blocks... her blocks are sooo cute.... and small. Like 3 x 3 inch blocks. I think the entire wall hanging will be like 12 x 12 inches
when finished. Hearts and sun bonnet sues if I remember correctly. I will have to take a picture and post it when she is done.
My SIL's birthday was the 1st of the month. I asked what he wanted and he told our daughter to ask if I would do some mending for him. Buttons replaced, holes mended etc. Oh, and he had a bike jersey that needed mending also. Too funny, really. On Sunday I gave him an empty basket to put his mending in (he didn't think it would be big enough!). Monday I got started right away on the mending of most everything but his bike jersey. After a while I got to working on the jersey, found something to make a patch out of that had the same type of stretch the jersey did. I'm mending away, thinking that I was doing an o.k. job, when I decided to stop and make us dinner. After dinner I spread out the jersey to trim threads and see what else needed to be done. The stitching for the label was actually woven right into the jersey.... ahem, but it was weird. Yes, the label was unreadable. I turned the jersey over and found that I had stitched the patch on the outside because SIL had folded it up insideout! Soooo after dinner I took out all of the stitching/mending I had done on it and waited until the next day to start all over! It did look good when it was done... but it took a lot longer then it should have.  I got everything all done and returned it all to our SIL, and then he said.... I forgot to add something to the pile! He has a favorite tie that apparently the grands were playing tug a way with (that couldn't be my grandkids!!!!! Anyway I told him that now that I had mended everything this would be on the clock! Double time and a half! Just kidding. But, it's not high on the priority list so he will get it when he gets it!
Next up, I cut out all of the pieces for the school dance dress I'm making.... a bit of slice and dice! More later.... Have a Great St. Patrick's Day on Monday!

Finally Some Accomplishments or Finishes

One of my nieces was due to have a baby girl the end of February and since I was sick when the baby shower happened I didn't want to go and spread my germies to everyone. So, I stayed home. She delivered her daughter Hadlee (after a very tough 27 hours of labor.... and then had to go c-section! Ouch!). So, this is what I made her... it's taken from this Leisure Arts booklet #3351
 
The one for the little girls is pictured in the in-set. I changed things a tad bit; as per usual... mostly I just changed up the colors of the embroidery because the fleece was much lighter and then I did not blanket stitch around all the edges. To me it was a bit toooo, much! Here is a picture of it.

And here is the outfit I bought (that I could have; should

have made, but at the time I thought I was in a hurry and didn't 

know I wouldn't make it to the shower)... my thoughts on that....

Plan Ahead!!! 

Don't you just love those cute little shoes!!! 

Alright, and one more accomplishment or Finish. Well, let's 

say near Finish.... I still need to put a hem in this dress... then

it's on it's way to Oregon! Yeahhhhh. I hope my little grand

likes her gramma made dress! So I showed in my last 

post, the pattern I used for this dress. I added a bit of a Peter Pan 

collar, and some patch pockets. The pockets because this grand loves

pockets. What girl doesn't? The collar because it needed a bit more

bright!  

Oh, one more thing I used gross grain ribbon for the ties because #1, I wanted 

less bulk for the ties and I used gross grain because they will hold a tie better

than a satin ribbon. If you use satin, you just about may as well tie that bow

in a knot! Cause it's going to come undone! 

I have one more Finish... but I haven't gotten a picture of it yet. I finished my

niece's (another one) quilt. I added a border and put a back onto it and did some

machine quilting for her. I delivered it last night and forgot to take pictures of it

before I put it in to her mom's hands. We had a girl's night out last night at my SIL's 

new home with my daughters, a bunch of the girl cousins several aunts and a few

other female family members. It was fun, got home and too bed around 1:a.m. but 

we talked our heads off.... and munched and vegged out royal. So, I may have

to put off posting a picture of the quilt until I receive one from the recipient. 

So, I feel good that I have accomplished so much in the last couple of months. Oh,

and also did a bit of a re-do for a friend/neighbor/church member. I think I mentioned 

that I was to re-do the elastic in the sleeves in her daughters blessing dress. I got that

done also and returned it. Now; onto the school dance dress! Should prove interesting,

she wants it more modest then the pattern picture shows... I will be taking the skirt;

from Simplicity 3878 http://www.sewingpatterns.com/sub_item.php?item_num=3878SIM

part of the bodice from view D of that same pattern (she likes the waistband part), but she

likes the height of the bodice of Simplicity 1910   http://www.sewingpatterns.com/sub_item.php?item_num=1910SIM but not the corset look in the back... (plus she wants it higher in back) so I'm 

using an old Simplicity pattern 8888   http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bridal-Gown-Simplicity-Pattern-8888-Size-10-12-14-/251419064243?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a89be77b3

for the back (check out view D). Oh, and one more thing, we are putting a tad bit of a little

sleeve on it. Not much just a little rushing type thing. Did you get all that? LoL...

Should be fun. 

 I will keep you posted! 

Make sure you keep your machine oiled! 

Oops.... and did I tell you, I'm also teaching a gal from Church to sew! She is almost done with

it. Just needs to do the hem. I should be able

to stay outta trouble for a little bit don't you think?