Knits, Stitch and Stash 8-26-18

Knits--UGH

Actually it wasn't as bad as I thought. Wrangling the fabric is the pits. I made my daughter a pair of leggings. They fit her until she bent over and the stitches ripped. Ugh. Also since I drafted the pattern myself, there was a waist issue. She kept turning them around looking for the back. I had hacked off what I thought was a mistake in my draft....LOL! Live and learn. Looks like its time to vacuum again.

I have done a lot of sewing this week. I went to the Wednesday sew group and stayed for 6 hours. Started a charity quilt. I made a cutting error and tried to work around it. Nope! Got friendly with Mr. Jack.


Finished another pair of PJ shorts for my grandson. These are made of the remaining fabric from the last ones but I added side seam pockets and he asked for the patch pockets to be more toward the front then the sides. I think this pattern is his favorite. His mother was yelling at him not to wear the 2 pairs back to back as everyone will think he doesn't change his clothes. LOL! Typical teen answer...So?

Anyway this the only picture I have of him ALMOST smiling....he has the pants on backwards. LOL! I told him if he didn't send me a picture wearing them, I wouldn't make anymore. Grandma for the win!

I also fixed a t-shirt for my daughter. She has lost 65 lbs and everything is big on her. So I took it in.....a tiny bit to much. She was not amused. She is still losing weight so in a few more lost pounds it won't fit like a bologna skin! Hey I am trying to recycle, aren't I?

Stash Report   8/19- 8/25 Week 34 2018

Fabric used this week: 2 yard   

Fabric used to Date:     40 yards

Fabric Added this week: 0 yards       

Fabric Added Year to Date: 74 yards 

Net used for 2018: 40 yards      Net in the red - 34 yards
      GOAL for Year - 60 yards     

15 Minute Challenge:  

8/19- 8/25          7 of 7 days

2018 Total          163 of 237 days

Percentage of days sewn 69%  

Link to Stash Report August 25, 2018

Link to Stitching report August 25, 2018

Garment sewing + Stitch & Stash Report 8/19/18

I was thinking about why I wasn't getting more done. Then I realized that I had promised some shorts, some alterations, and a double knit dress. This was bogging me down. Which should I sew? Quilt blocks or garments. Well, I had put this off for months. I owe a diaper bag and that baby is due in 4 weeks. That's about as long as it takes me to make one. Much of that time is spent thinking what the next step is since I don't always use a pattern.

So today will be cleaning up day in the sewing room. I have 2 pairs of PJ shorts to finish. I already gave my grandson 2 pairs yesterday.

The charity sewing group I belong to sent me home with several yards of fabric that were donated. A lot of it looks to be from the 90's. Going to serge the edges and then wash it. Thinking I will cut it all up into Bricks and Strips. If it's already cut it can be my leaders and enders.

Stash Report   8/12- 8/18 Week 33 2018

Fabric used this week: 4 yard   

Fabric used to Date:     38 yards

Fabric Added this week: 0 yards         

Fabric Added Year to Date: 74 yards 

Net used for 2018: 38 yards      Net in the red -  36 yards
      GOAL for Year - 60 yards    (Not doing good on this)

15 Minute Challenge:  

8/12- 8/18          7 of 7 days

2018 Total          156 of 230 days

Percentage of days sewn 68% (BOO) I was on vacation for a month. No sewing ;>(

Link to Stash Report August 19, 2018

Link to Stitching report August 19, 2018

Detoured to garments for a while

Two weeks ago I decided to teach my 5 year old granddaughter to make a simple skirt. She did very well. I have the Janome 6600 with the on/off button which made it easy for her to control the sewing. She is a Fashionista! LOL. I told her to strike a pose. LOL

She loves to play dress up, accessorize and look cute. I have not made children's clothing for years!  While in Seattle I found a few pretty things at Value Village. One was a lovely Flower girls dress. She loved it but it was to tight on the cap sleeves and barely fit around the middle. I took the cap sleeves off and use them to widen the sides. What a pain. As with many fancy clothes there were 3 layers to unpick, alter, and resew. It took forever! I forgot to take a picture before I took it apart, but this is the result.

Monday was the first day of school. I made her a circle skirt on Sunday. I waited until after school Monday to give it to her. She had already picked out her outfit and accessories so I didn't want to get her mixed up! She loved it. She sent me a video of her twirling in it.

The other garment I fixed was an odd one. I am not sure if its a nightgown or a strapless dress. It has a very long tail in the back. Mommy wanted me to add straps as my granddaughter is not always aware when it slips down a bit. LOL!

If you have not notice, she LOVES pink. Secondary colors are white and yellow. I asked her about purple. Nope! I said its grandmas favorite color. Nope! She knows what she likes. If there is pink in with the purple then it is acceptable! Too funny.

I have two more dresses to upcycle. They are 3 sizes to small but fancy lace fabric. When she got them they were to her ankles and 3 sizes to big. She is growing fast. She is a very happy girl. Always singing, dancing and making up songs.

I gave her a notepad to draw some clothing designs on. I explained that is how people who design clothing work out ideas.  She made this self portrait dressed in her favorite color. Her first design!

Her mom says there are 6 more just like it on her notepad. I better get a bigger notebook!

Happy sewing

Aileen in FL

Bagged it and Stash Report August 12 2018

The week before leaving for Seattle I worked on a messenger/walker bag for my daughter. It took me forever because I was designing as I went along. I started with owl fabrics and a piece of blue fabric. My daughter had so many requirements but I manage to get them all into this bag.

She wanted a bag that could hang on her walker and be a messenger bag when need be. Had to have a flap that could be secured so no one could stick their hand inside zipper area. The main zipper had to open up big. Needed to have inside side pockets for her water bottles, and places for med papers, pen, tablet, headphones, power brick, mini speaker, some meds, and misc girl stuff. An outside zipper for her phone....

These pictures are on my walker. Hers is a smaller walker.

The flap has a angled zipper (she wanted this angle as decorative element) for her phone. I put a small piece of fabric that says love is love as the lining, which I signed. I used those plastic clips that are on school bags to secure the flap and also tiny ones to strap the bag to the walker for easy removal of bag. When the flap is up there is another usable pocket. The main zipper is the kind that opens in both directions.

On the outside back of the bag is a zipper in black so it is unnoticeable. She didn't see it at all. LOL. On the outside sides there are pockets for drinks and misc stuff. The rings are for the crossbody strap to turn it into a messenger bag. 

On the inside of the bag are side pockets for her water bottle and crossbody strap. A blue zipper with a deep pocket. In front of this area I added a shorter row of pockets for small items. The opposite side has deep pocket that is pleated on the bottom to give more room for her tablet and some papers.

 

I was still working on this the night before my flight. I like the way it came out and will be making one for myself. She filled it up after hugging it for a long while.  It has to weigh over 10 lbs now! I think she like it a lot!

Now I have to make one for my walker!

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Stash Report   8/05- 8/11 Week 32 2018

Fabric used this week: 2 yard   

Fabric used to Date:     34 yards

Fabric Added this week: 0 yards  

Fabric Added Year to Date: 74 yards

Net used for 2018: 29 yards      Net in the red -   40 yards
      GOAL for Year - 60 yards    (Not doing good on this)

15 Minute Challenge:  

8/05- 8/10       4 of 7 days

2018 Total          149 of 223 days

Percentage of days sewn 67% (BOO) I was on vacation for a month. No sewing ;>(

Link to Stash Report August 12, 2018

Link to Stitching report August 12, 2018

Good to be home

Hi Everyone. It has been four weeks since I have posted anything. I went on vacation to visit my daughter in Seattle Washington. We had a marvelous time. Went up to Mt Rainier and got a good up close look at this beautiful mountain. My husband was in such awe at the beauty of nature in this area of the world, that he could not stop smiling. He did go fishing at Washington Lake a few times. He enjoyed the fishing but the breathtaking view of the mountains and forest was all he talked about. We also went to the Grove of the Patriarchs. Very ancient large trees. I could not make it down the trail with my walker but DH brought back some beautiful pictures.

I got home and came down with a virus that I have been fighting for 6 days. Not fun, fever, migraines and upset intestines. Needless to say I have done Zero in my sewing room.

Today I decided that just cleaning up my space may make me feel better, and get me back sewing. Christmas is not that far away and my goal is to make everyone handmade gifts. I have SABLE, do you??? Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy. Even so I purchased flannel fabric while in Seattle. How can you beat 99 cents and 69 cents a yard. So I bought 10 yards. 5 yards for backing and 5 yards for pajama shorts. I also got 4 yards of Tardis/Van Gosh fabric. My daughter wants a quilt from this fabric but I thought I would get enough for a backing for a lap quilt she also wants and kill two birds with one stone.

This past week I decided to teach my 5 year old granddaughter to make a simple skirt. She did very well. I have the Janome 6600 with the on/off button which made it easy for her to control the sewing. 
She is a Fashionista! LOL. I told her to strike a pose. LOL

Stash Report   6/07- 8/04 Week 26 thru Week 31- 2018

Fabric used this week: 5 yard   

Fabric used to Date:     32 yards

Fabric Added this week: 10 yards  (Sale 99 cents and 69 cents a yard for flannel!)

Fabric Added Year to Date: 74 yards

Net used for 2018: 27 yards      Net in the red -   42 yards
      GOAL for Year - 60 yards    (Not doing good on this)

15 Minute Challenge:  

7/29- 8/04         3 of 7 days

2018 Total          145 of 216 days

Percentage of days sewn 49% (BOO)

Link to Stash Report August 4, 2018

Link to Stitching report August 4, 2018