A-l-l  A-b-o-a-r-d....................................................!

In August this little guy down below.... (ahem, the one on the left!) turned 4! And for birthdays, we have

decided that the grands don't really "need" another toy. So, we are taking them on dates! This little guy loves trains, although from looking at his concerned face you wouldn't really know it! We  DH/Dgrandpa and I went to this train park on a families private property where they have 4 trains. The other 3 are much smaller, where each person sits one behind another and hangs onto the sides of the train... we figured little guy would really love it.  He took one look at the smaller trains and pointed at it and said, "I don't think I want to go on one of those!"  There was no way we were going to get him onto the small train. So, we took him to see the larger train...(see above) and showed him how big it was and that we could sit inside (and that we would be with him) and he relaxed a little bit! 

After a few minutes, he relaxed and let go of the death grip he had on my arm. He was pointing out all sorts of things. Your supposed to keep hands/arms/feet inside the cars at all times (hmmm, sounds like a Disney ride doesn't it?) and next thing we know he is just about hanging outside the train! LoL... he had a great time.

We bought him a wooden train whistle that you really have to work hard to actually make much noise out of... (thinking we were safe w/DD #1, so he wouldn't drive her nuts with noise) to be given to him later.... didn't want him to drive us nuts in the Jeep! LoL... we weren't born yesterday you know! On the way to lunch after the train ride, he started making train horn sounds on his own.... (he didn't even know we had bought the whistle) and so DH and I looked at each other and then opened the whistle and handed it to DGS... it was cute. We ate lunch, with him bee-bopping to the music (right in sync to the music) put a french fry into his mouth and started using that for a whistle.... ( we didn't let him take said whistle into the eatery...).  At home while we were taking the booster seat out of the Jeep he ran into the house and almost hyperventilated telling the family how much fun he had! Cute cause we weren't all that sure he enjoyed it that much. He wasn't doing a lot of talking and all.  We had a great time. Next one will be in a few weeks.... DGS's birthday is coming soon... First DS's birthday and then FIL's 89th birthday and then DGS's #7 birthday. Hard to keep up! Another passenger took this of us all together... guess we should have squatted down...

Now, onto sewing...

Trying to Keep Up With Karma, Not Really

Funny how time just gets away from me sometimes. Here it is another Season of the
year already. Wasn't it just Summer?
Karma's daughter found something on Pinterest that was cool... but it did take a lot of
work to do.  I don't have any pictures of it... (note to self... take pictures of Karma's
files) yet! But I will! O.K. so let me explain; Karma is a quilter/seamstress emphasis
on the quilting! So of course that means she has a huge stash of fabric! It got to the
point that if she couldn't find what she needed (and this happened all the time) she
would go buy more! Makes sense right? Not really, because later she would find
out she already had some... and well this is a bit wasteful in a couple of ways, time
and money. So organization was what she wanted, but how was another matter.
Center stage Pinterest! Her daughter found a picture of this filing system (using
actual hanging files to support the fabric! What they did was this; take 1 hanging
file folder open out the folder so it's laying on the table flat... now cut it in half
at the fold. Easy enough! Next take your fabric piece and fold it so that it hangs
nicely over the top part of the file folder so that you can still hang it in the file
cabinet. You want to make sure that you fold it so that the fabric isn't hanging
past the folder or it will be harder to keep it neat and tidy. We did a lot of
pinning of extra pieces (as a quilter you get lots of smaller pieces that you don't
want to waste, so we pinned them onto the larger piece of fabric or hung them
separately over the same folder). And because Karma has lots of smaller pieces
i.e. fat quarters etc... we also hung similar colors on the same folder. Overlapping
them so each piece could be seen. I must say, her files are very colorful! It took
us around 3-4 weeks at 5-6 hour a day (mind you it wasn't every day of the week
and only several days in each week) to get all of her fabric done! Wheeeee,
we did get it all done though. It was funny, just when we thought it was all
done, and nice and tidy in her sewing room.... I turned and said what's in this
smaller closet... you should have seen her face; fabric she says to me! We got to
the point where we would laugh cause everywhere we looked (while we were
working on this system) there was fabric.... (thus the need for "a" system).
We found an old filing cabinet at the local D.I. (Deseret Industries) for all of
$15 that had 5 huge drawers. We not only filled them all up, but she bought
a bunch of plastic hanging file boxes to store in the now somewhat empty
closet. We took the sliding doors off of the closet in her sewing room and
placed them outside in the shed. Then because she has soo many nice deep
shelves, we used the new boxes to start sorting the fabrics into color groups.
Plus, she had a lot of fabric that for all practical purposes... was too much
yardage for this system. So that we stacked in flat-folds into some of the old
milk crates and bins that she had been using before. Although, instead of
placing them so they were just stacked one on top of each other so she can't
see what is where, we turned the crates/bins on their side facing out and the
fabric was layered so you can see the edge of each piece. Karma also does
lots of scrap booking so the under side of her cutting table was sorted out
so that now it holds nothing but scrap booking stuff. And yes, we of course
found  "more fabric"! LoL..... it got to be a bit of a joke cause it was every-
where! Stuffed in plastic bags... of all sorts/sizes... anyone need any bags ?
We also ended up with all sorts of containers... cloth type storage bins,
plastic bins (the non-hanging file sort with lids) all shapes and sizes. Karma
is a lot like me in that manner... I love containers... all sizes, shapes, materials.
So, we got her entire sewing room re-organized and now we just need to
get together to do some major sewing! Also, now that we've done her's,
mine is looking a bit outta sorts.... hmmmm, I wonder.....

Last month my DD Cindy and my friends daughter Jill and I went to a library
book sale. That's where the local library sells off old or duplicate or donated
books to raise money for newer books or items they need. It says having to
raise taxes for that sort of thing. And while there, I found a few books
(meaning of course there were tons... but I figured I will just borrow books
from my DD instead of buying more and then having to find places to
put them) I wanted; mostly I bought cook books; which I love. And then
while waiting for the girls to get thru the huge line (I'm talking I could have
read all the books I bought and maybe then they would be done) I found a
great 3 drawer solid wood lateral file cabinet for $30. Now looking at this
picture below; add another drawer taller to it and make it wider! I couldn't
find a picture of it... and I'm too lazy to go get my camera... hmmm well,
maybe later. Anyway it's 43 inches tall x 21 1/2 inches deep x 371/4 inches
wide. So really it's huge and heavy!!! My DH as he had to ask a neighbor
to help carry the unit down stairs to my sewing room (mind you that is with-
out drawers; cause it was wayyyy to heavy for me to help with) said, this
thing is solid wood... I'll bet it cost over $500 to buy new! Yep, and his
wifey got it for $30! And it's in great shape. I did have to wipe it down a bit
and vacuum out the spider webs and the spidey egg sac's.... aurgh. But now I
have the perfect spot to file all of my sewing patterns! Yes, I have a lot! It
practically filled the  entire thing! Although, there was room for all my lining
fabric's too.

  
So that means that of course I had to re-arrange once again! Plus, since I got a
new computer earlier in the Summer... I have a hard time using DH lap top. The
keyboard is way to narrow for me... hmmm, or my fingers are way to big? You
choose.... choose wisely! LoL.... It's a wireless so now I can use the keyboard
at sewing machine desk or anywhere else. Plus we got a wireless printer, that
we both can use wirelessly... go figure!
Still need to build myself or have DH build some shelves into the closet for
my fabric... as long as it took to sort out Karma's fabric... I'm thinking that it's
not what I want to do to organize mine! Life is too short! I would rather be
sewing!
I have all of my half square triangles all sewn/cut/pressed/tails trimmed for
the quilt for our bed. Just need to take the time to lay them out. Probably will
take them outside and lay them onto the grass to see what I can come up with.
Maybe pictures will help with the lay out too!
Also, I have cut out 12 sets of flannel pieces for receiving blankets. We have
so far had 11 babies born into our ward at Church this year! Have to get on
that project! They will be all grown up b/4 I'm done at this rate! LoL....

If your working on a project.... keep up the good work.
Remember, serving others is a blessing in it's self!

Sometimes Pattern Companies Just Goof

Sometimes when I go visit other people's blogs and comment, I think about something that might be of help to others in a post. I was visiting this post http://www.stitchesandseams.blogspot.com/2012/07/mccalls-6397-nearly-done-sneak-peak.html
and thought of a similar thing that happened to me.
Years ago, my DD #3 was in the process of getting ready for Girl's Camp (it's a camp for Young Women of our Church). They want the girls to be modest in their clothing so in stead of wearing a regular swimsuit, she decided that she was going to make some short pants out of swimsuit material... killing two birds with one stone so to speak.... (no, I don't encourage killing birds... just so you know!). But, as happens sometimes, time just got away from her and she didn't get them made b/4 she left. As she would be at camp all week and I was to go up there for some reason that I clearly don't recall now, I told her that I would sew the shorts for her. Famous last words..... o.k. so I have mentioned that I have sewn wedding dresses for lots of people, done lots of alterations etc... with out  as much headache as these shorts were to make!  They were a Simplicity pattern and honestly.... the name of the company does nothing for that pattern! They were the farthest thing from simple (as far as how the instructions were written) that I've ever seen in my life! Honestly, I was so thankful that my DD had not tried to make them... I'm afraid that she would have decided then and there that sewing was something she would never want to do again!  After getting totally frustrated with the instructions, the company and finally myself, I stopped and decided that I needed to step back and do it my own way. Once I did that it made sense to me and I was able to finish up the shorts. They ended up being cute once all the headache was over and done with. But, all I could think of was if someone who had never sewn b/4 got a hold of this pattern... that would be it for their sewing enjoyment. There was certainly nothing to enjoy about it and mind you the only enjoyable thing about that pattern was when I folded it up and put it into the garbage! Not to let something like this keep me down, I did what I typically would do. I complained, first to DH and then because he just looked at me like.... o.k. what would you like me to do about this, I emailed the Simplicity Company. I explained the in's and outs of all I went thru trying to figure it all out to no avail and finally just did my own thing. Believe me, when I was done, I felt much better! Nothing like a good rant (albeit the non-nasty sort) to blow off a little steam. I did explain that I knew that the person on the other end of the email I was sending had most probably nothing at all to do with how the instructions were not that instructing at all and I didn't hold them personally accountable for it... I just wanted them to know that it was frustrating to me and I'm sure to anyone else were they to pick up this same pattern. Believe it or not.... my email did not go right into the  "delete bin"..... (how do I know you ask?) because I got a reply!
The sweet person on the other end of the email address responded to me within a day or so. To which I was really surprised!
Basically, she told me how sorry the company was that I had had such a problem with one of their patterns. She went on to tell me that although they couldn't reimburse me for my fabric (which I neither asked for or wanted because I did make the shorts finally work) they wanted to make sure that I would return to be a customer again.... she asked for my snail mail addie and with that sent me a coupon for a free pattern. And on top of that she asked if I would be so kind as to maybe send any thoughts I had on how the company could improve the pattern. And that any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! To be honest.... I told her the best thing they could do for that pattern was to toss the instructions and start again! I can just see her laughing about that one!
The important thing that I wanted to pass on to any one who has a problem with pattern company instructions is... make sure read them thru 2-3-4 times.... and then if they still don't make sense to you...you can do another thing that I've done and that is to call someone else like say someone at the local fabric store. Ask them if they have  a minute or two to listen to the instructions and read them to them.... (it does help if they can pull a copy of the pattern... if it's a current one that's fine, of course, if it's not you need to either take it in so they can re-read it themselves or read it over the phone to them).  I found that if the person brought the pattern into the shop (when I was working) I could check it out and help them walk thru it.
Just know, that if in doubt check it out!!!! Don't forget to let the pattern companies know if there is a problem. Hey, they want you to buy their products, we keep them in business! If not for us... there go their jobs! So... proofread your patterns b/4 hand.... there is nothing like being up at 1 o'clock in the a.m. trying to figure out what in the world this pattern is saying and then.... you can't call anyone to ask questions. Well, I suppose you could call your mom or other bestest sewing friend, but I doubt if that person would truly appreciate it that much! Hang in there. Oh, and remember,  we sew so that we can do what we want, the way we want.... there are no sewing police out there  coming to knock on your door if you don't make something exactly like the pattern cover! If you make a mistake and it's something you can live with.... go with it! Sewing should be enjoyable! Granted, if someone is looking over your shoulder while your sewing, I get where that isn't all that enjoyable... but you probably wouldn't be doing it if you didn't like to sew. 
One more silly thing; while working at the fabric shop and dealing with customers that were having problems with pattern instructions.... I can't tell you how many times we wondered out loud, if the person who wrote the instructions actually ever sewed? Yep, sometimes.... I think not! Think about that the next time you look at a pattern and then say.......  they want me to do what? Believe me, it makes you feel a bit better!  

Hope your week is wonderful! Don't forget to contact the pattern company if you have a real problem with something they have done! Oh, and don't tell them I've sent you! LoL.....

I Squeezed A Delayed Post In

If you check out my posts for April; you will see there is only one! And that just got squeezed in because apparently it has been sitting in my draft section since it was written! Pretty sad when I get distracted and forget to actually publish the post that I took time to write.  I knew that I had done more than what I had written about. Now I feel vindicated about all the work I've been doing in the sewing room. Oh, and lately I've been doing lots of mending too. Gotta make room for the projects that are calling my name! O.K. WOULD YOU BELIEVE I NEED TO CORRECT THIS ALREADY! APPARENTLY I POSTED THIS POST AND THEN PULLED IT TO EDIT AND THAT'S WHEN I NEVER RE-POSTED IT. MISTAKES... HOW MANY MORE WILL THERE BE? STAY TUNED! LOL....
It's Summer here in the U.S. and time to quilt, sew, pull fabric from the stash and dream of what the next project will bring! Remind me some time and I will tell you a silly story about tying a quilt on a Summer's Evening and how my youngest DD and I were so tired and laughing ourselves sick from flicking Daddy Long Legs off the Quilt! Too Funny....
Time to get other things done.... as my Hubby would say.... We're burning daylight!!! Things to do, veggies to water!

What To Do When A Fabric Store Does You Wrong!

I know, I know.... it's been a while... I do have lots of excuses... but then again... this is my blog and I guess I get to it when I get to it!  LoL

I was reading a new to me blog the other day and the writer mentioned that she had bought a cute cut of material that was a knit. This piece was cut really badly so much so that she couldn't get the short sleeves out of it to make the  shirt she had planned on making! She ended up making a sleeveless top which is fine.... she make "lemonade"! Good for her!  But, there are a few things that we can do to prevent this from happening. I have worked for one of the big chain fabric stores and believe me when I say..... They Want Your Business! So let's see what we can do!

#1 When you are buying fabric in store; (no matter what kind) watch how they cut the fabric! If you are a quilter some stores will tear the cottons for you to guarantee that your cut will be straight! Although, it may also tend to make the grain pull. So either way you need to decide how you would like it done. Some stores won't do this at all. But, if you are buying a quilt backing that is one of the 72" or larger size....(especially a cotton)  ask them to tear it for sure... otherwise ask them (b/4 they cut) if they will take it back if you find when you get home that it is not even! This way you have what you want, not some material that they are just trying to get rid of! And believe me when I tell you that I worked with some people that didn't care how they cut fabric and we got back stuff that just could not be used for the purpose they bought it due to this lack of care! As long as a piece of fabric had not been washed or cut different from what the receipt said... we could take the fabric back. It was never we cut it, you bought it.... tough luck! That just isn't good business. Or at least that is what the company I worked for thought. I'm not sure if they still feel this way.

#2  If the fabric you are buying is a stretch/knit/lycra etc.... ask the cutter to show you how it lines up.... if they aren't willing to show you, that is a problem..... bring it to the attention of the manager! You are the one that has to take it home to use it and if it's lined up wrong..... it's a waist of your money and time if you can't even it up enough to be able to get your pieces out. Pattern companies usually account for extra material so there should be more than enough if your following the patterns guidelines....

#3 The fabric company's want your business.... and believe me when I say that if they are reputable, they will make things right!  They know that if they don't..... they will loose you as a customer and possibly any body else you decide to tell about the problem you had. So... this being said, talk to the manager or supervisor if you have a problem with how a fabric you bought was cut. Remember though... if your loosing your temper that isn't going to win a whole lot of points... as they say "You get more flies with honey than vinegar".  Most companies will try hard to fix the problem. If for some reason (only known to the company/store) they decide that they can't take it back.... (say maybe you already pre-washed it). Ask them what they can do for you? Maybe there was a flaw that wasn't seen ahead of time and now there won't be enough fabric to make what you had planned. Ask if they can give you additional yardage? Or some other discount. It doesn't hurt to ask.  Many a time if I as a supervisor or as a sales associate couldn't do anything for the customer,  they would ask to speak to the manager/or assistant. You would be surprised how quickly money back was handed over!  Like I said, the companies (especially the big ones) want your business! Complaints = bad business!!

#4 Try to be flexible!  For example; when one of my daughters was planning her wedding, she wanted us to decorate the reception area with white twinkle lights and also white toole. And I'm telling you... we needed lots of toole! 250 yards of it! I went to one of the local chains to make the purchase (they were having a sale.... 59 cents per yard! Yeah!!!). I asked if they had that amount in the store? The answer was no! Could they get it from some of their other stores in State? Yes! O.K. here is the being flexible part! First I asked if they could do this for me? She said they could. Then I requested that there not be any piece less than 5 yards long (I didn't want to be trying to decorate with all of their old odd pieces.... 1 yard or less long.... we were going to be draping these like a canopy and 1 yard pieces just would not cut it!!! Pun intended! LOL).  She said that they could do that. One more thing I asked was if there would be any extra charge for this? She said no!
I had to wait a week or two to get it all in one store, but it was well worth the wait! I paid up front for 1/2 of it, that way I got the sale price.  Then I paid the rest when I picked it all up.

#5 If all else fails, and your just not happy with whatever you have purchased; hopefully it's a one time thing. Companies do make mistakes, fabric gets printed wrong, people make mistakes too... just ask me... I make them all the time!  I try not to write off a store just because I'm not happy with something an employee did. Sure it's different when it happens again and again. I guess what I'm trying to say is if all else fails and you don't like the store, products or employee's. Find another store! Or if there isn't another one in your area.... as much as I'm one who loves to touch fabric b/4 I buy. Shop on Line. From what I have seen from reading other people's blogs there are wonderful fabric stores on-line. Life is too short to be un-happy shopping!

Now go.... shop.... sew! Have a great day!

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due!

Nothing like being called on the carpet when you have made a mistake! I'm here on the very edge of it right now making up for what I did not do! For anyone that may have read my March 22nd post... I need to give credit. It seems that having posted a cute story on Pheromones; the actual writer found that she had not been given credit.... So, without further ado I do that here; oh, and also with the story... we don't need anyone else making the same mistake as I have done!
Kathy from  http://barkingdogsquilting.blogspot.com/2012/06/fabric-pheromones-is-at-it-again
apparently wrote it quite a while back. Go check out her blog... from what I read when I checked it all out, it's cute!

Summertime, Summertime, Summ, Summ, Summertime

Hmmm, there is a song in that title I think!

Here it is June.... awwww Summer you have decided to come and well you have. At the moment it's all of 94 degree's outside. Wait, this is June, not August! Somewhere along the line the
weather man made a bigggg mistake! Summer is supposed to come on gradually,
with mild sunshine and heat... making one appreciate all the waiting we did for it to
get here! Not pour on the heat and make us want to stay inside hiding from the never-ending
sunshine...  Just goes to show it's certain that I'm not in charge!
We just finished up an engagement tending the grands and so I feel somewhat carefree!
LoL... we had some fun, they were good helpers and for the most part they got along pretty well.
What can we expect 3 kids 6 1/2 and under. They did great! And of course, we have
a few new catch phrases to play with too;  our granddaughter (almost 5) will sit for a while
and her foot will fall asleep; she tells me Gramma; my foot is sparkly. Cute! And at
one point I had just the oldest and he told me one day that he would like to be a
hippopotamus cause then he could craw out his bedroom window and go play. I informed
him that if he was indeed a hippo he might not be able to fit out the window... let alone in
his bedroom! He then informed me that he would be a skinnier hippo!  What a hoot!
We then in turn talked about what types of noises hippo's make and whether or not they
would scare lions. He said that the only lions they would be able to scare would be the girl lions!
What can I say; he has a sister and she does tend to scare easy... so I suppose he figures
all girls are easy prey! Next Fall, she is signed up for soccer, that will be fun to watch, have you
ever seen the little 4-5 year olds play.... it's pretty funny. Someone kicks the ball, then it hits
someone else.... that person falls down.... sometimes they start to cry (not really all that funny) and then after coach picks up the first kid (or encourages them to get up...) they start again. Run, run, run, fall down.... run,run, run, fall down! Lots of panting and sitting on the grass deciding whether to get up or not... run, run, run, kick, connect.... kick, fall down! Any way... you know what I will be doing next fall on Saturdays... And being as the oldest and the middle will both be playing... we will have our entertainment all planned out! LoL. :)

I haven't been doing a lot of sewing, mostly mending and ironing and trying to organize still
cut out more blocks... (one of these days I will have to stop long enough to get some of them
put together!) I have done some re-vamping or re-styling of some clothes. Oh, and I also
have been busy switching out some of our computer stuff. I got a new hp computer...
(nice!!!! ) can't believe how much faster this one moves... I just need to put some of the ole
stuff onto this one so I can add my pictures etc... And then I will need to learn how to
use some of the various things on this one. Always something to learn!
Well, I just thought it would be a good idea if I actually posted something b/4 the month got
away from me. More when I can.
Enjoy.... oh, and the end of the needle with the hole in it.... yep... it was meant to be there!