Monday, August 31, 2009

New Toys

Somewhere along the line I got the idea I needed one of those fancy vintage automatic buttonholers for my Singer Touchtronic 2001. I was lucky enough to find the correct one for my machine on ebay for a reasonable amount. So I bought it. Then someone was raving about how great a ruffler is (I do have a new Goddaughter who needs pretty ruffly things) so I referred to my manual and found a ruffler on ebay for a decent price...I think I'm going to buy it! I feel like an addict lately and I have been mainlining fabric, patterns and notions like no tomorrow! Guess there are worse vices to have! I think I need an intervention!!!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

I'm Cozy

In my new cozy! No pictures yet...I literally finished hemming it, threw it on and headed to work! I'll try to snap photos tomorrow and do a full review. I just have to say this is one comfortable garment! For my first one I used a fleecy knit that I knew was a little thicker than the DKNY version and I would not be able to easily do all the styling options, but that was okay. I wanted one with a little bit of weight and warmth to either wear the front down or wrap up around my shoulders to ward off the chill of early morning and late night. It turned out exactly as I planned! I definitely will be making some more of these. Sewing time took a little over an hour if you don't count all the interuptions. I had a little accident in the studio. I was serging along with the pedal to the metal and my curved embroidery scissors vibrated off the table....points down...onto my bare toe!!! I said some things I can't repeat in this blog and went down to show my Hunny. He laughed! I laughed when the cat scratched him. We're kind of sick that way! Anyway...LOVE the cozy...run out and get Simplicity 2603 and make yourself one. You'll be glad you did!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Sewing Progress Straight Ahead

Even thought there has been a lack of reviews coming out of my studio, I have been sewing. Last night was a duty night for my hero, so I spent the evening working on my white pique jacket and watching the rerun of this week's Project Runway. Does anyone else think Mitchell needs to go? I'm so tired of his whining and excuses about why his designs miss the mark, and it's only been two challenges. Come on Dude, step it up! I loved Shirin's maternity dress and coat Check out that waist treatment...simply gorgeous! The with pique jacket is almost done. I have the outer shell together with the collar basted and the sleeves ready to insert. Valentine is wearing it so it can develop a nice roll in the collar while I finish sewing the rest of the lining. I need to search the button can for some nice buttons (all my colored buttons are separated in little bins...all the whites are in a coffee can!) This project should be finished in a day or two depending on how much sewing time I can squeeze in. I have some quick knit tops cut out and a charmeuse top that should be a breeze to whip up...the most time consuming chore will be changing the serger thread. With Fall quickly approaching, the cooler weather has begun here in the Pacific Northwest (that could change though...we can get some beautiful weather in September) and my thoughts have turned to cozys after watching the DKNY cozy video. I have the Simplicity version (I have the BS one too, but it has not gotten rave reviews)and I am itching to get started on that! I have several options and I may even try a knit print that I have yards and yards of. It depends on how much I have left over after I cut out my Maggie London dress that jumped in my head when I saw the piece. It was a designer cut from Trendy Fabrics I just checked and I only have 4.5 yards, so it probably will make just the dress and a top, but that's okay...don't cry for me...I have lots of fabric to choose from!!! Now if I just had time!!!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Dogs on Thursday or "How I got my Name"

Gaylen did a post on her dogs and the origins of their names, so I decided that I would be a copycat and do the same.
Bazooka Joe was so named because my son in law thought that was an absolutely fabulous name and threatened my daughter with that as the chosen name for my first born grandson. Ummmm...no...so we named the dog that first to make it unappealing. Jo can be a little yappy at times, thus further annoying Bryce. Bazooka Joe goes by Jo-Jo, Knothead, Fluffernut, Little Man,JuJu Bean, as well as Joe Fabulous. Kodi was my daughter's dog, but as often happens when children grow up and move away, he remained with us. Kodi's full name is Kodiak, as in Kodiak bear because he looked just like a bear cub when we brought him home. Sara and I had gone to the shelter to look for a dog and made it all the way through without making a decision. We were moving into a new house I was buying and were not in a hurry to get a dog. As we were leaving the shelter a truck pulled up with a load of puppies in the back. A little girl handed this adorable ball of black fur to my daughter and said "Will you please take him home...he's my favorite?" What would you do? Kodi turned 10 this summer and he is still our favorite. He grew up to look like a bear...in fact that's what Hayden calls him..."Bear...Bear". He is big and looks fierce, but truly he is a big teddy bear. The UPS and PUD folk all know him and if you leave your car door open long enough, he'll climb in your car. He acts totally different if I am home alone...he's enough to scare off any would be attacker, but he probably would lick them to death! He goes by Kodi, KodiBear, Knothead (sensing a theme here?), Monkey, Big Boy. Whatever name they go by, they are all known as "Love"

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Thrift Store Bounty

You all know I love a bargain, right??? Well a certain thrift store I frequent gives patterns away for free. Yep...FREE!!! I only take what I think I will use or what I absolutely adore (translation...Vintage) Here is the bounty I brought home yesterday:In this lot there were several vintage patterns. Some of them are maternity smocks...no announcement here...no pressure Sara...I just loved the detailing and who knows? Smock tops may come in again...it happened in the 70's. I also was thrilled to find some fitting and alteration booklets too. Check out the date they were copyrighted...1959, the year I was born! The information is still as good as the current books we pour over! I always buy something because I feel so grateful for the pattern gifts, so I bought some sewing and crochet books (for 25 cents a piece) and a Clint Eastwood movie to add to my video collection (another quarter) Today is a work day, so I have limited time in the studio before I have to go. I have a batch of bread started and a little bit of work left to prepare for the grandkitties arrival tomorrow. This is the real thing for them. We had been doing brief visits at Grammy's house when Sara went out of town, but they are coming to stay for awhile now til Lola flies to England. It has been decided that the Chief will stay with us. She really digs the active lifestyle in our household and it is good for the old man Fig, although I think he has a major crush on Lola. He has been laying in their room staring under the bed hoping she will magically appear. I think he was really turned on by her moxy when she ran out and boxed his ears! He loved that in Baby, and she's a Maine Coon too...one of his kind. It is becoming real for me that my Baby is moving far away...the movers come pack their things on Friday. We had a wonderful day with family on Sunday and will be spending more time together as their departure draws near. Uncle Eric called last night to say Hi and wants to get together for dinner with the kids before they leave...No Chart House this time though...LOL!!! Well, the bread needs punched down and I should get busy with the tasks I need to complete before work...later Kittens!!!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Saturday Night's Alright for Sewing...

Get a little action in...Okay, Elton John really didn't write that...I took liberties with his lyrics, but I kind of like it! I worked a little bit on my white pique jacket (better hurry if I'm going to wear it before Labor day!) and a lotta bit on baby gifts for my sister in law who we are going to see tomorrow. I embroidered some onesies and added little skirts to them. I used some designs from Urban Threads...I love their designs. Now for some Saturday Night Live, Shaved ice and a cuddle with the evil Pom!!!

Twilight Tracking

I introduced my daughter to the world of "Twilight". Usually she is the one dragging me into something new and trendy, but while she was busy doing grad school, marriage, running marathons, you know, the usual big girl stuff...I was indulging in a fantasy world of vampires and forbidden love. Once I was bitten I felt compelled to share, so I "made" her watch the Twilight movie with me and then bought her the first book. That's all it took...a little nudge. We really enjoyed picking out the local places used in the movie and so we felt it our fan duty to go have breakfast at the Carver Cafe. The waitress sported a cute T-shirt that said "I had a BITE at the Carver Cafe". They don't have Chief Swan's favorite Blackberry Cobbler on the menu...maybe come fall when the blackberries are rampant here??? We had a wonderful breakfast. The service was slow...I think there were only the waitress and cook working, but it was your typical diner and the coffee flowed, so it was all good. Here is my closeup:

Good times!!!

(pictures shamelessly robbed from Sara's facebook album)

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Killing time...

I just painted the living room floor so I am somewhat limited in where I can go as it totally blocks the stairs upstairs...no sewing studio til this project is completed. Luckily this floor sealant is quick drying so we will be able to go to bed tonight! I did finish part of my giveaway last night and am getting closer to mailing out!!! I want to make one of these for me now!!! Tonight is the premiere of the new season of Project Runway! I am so excited that 1. I get to watch it this year since it moved to LifeTime (we didn't get Bravo) and 2. It's on my night off. I would totally irritated if it played on a night I worked...we don't have Tivo or a DVR...guess it would have drove me to get with the times. Well, guess I should go check the floor and do something constructive.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Join Me...

Josh at Trendy Fabrics is having an amazing sale...I bought...hurry over before all the good stuff is gone!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Peaches


Thank you little peach tree for your yummy goodness! This is the first year our peach tree produced fruit, and boy did it do it in a big way! It is a semi dwarf tree and the variety escapes me at the moment, but if I were to name the variety, I would name it "the Best Peach Ever"! We had already ate about a dozen of them, but decided we'd best get them off the tree as they were starting to fall. I did see one on the ground that had been nibbled upon...I left that for the chippies or squirrels...whatever critter had been enjoying it! I ate one as I danced around the peach tree...nothing finer!!! I am sitting here waiting for the doctors office to call me back (don't you hate that???) I'd much rather be down in the garden crooning to the ipod! Maybe I will take the phone down there with me. I sometimes forget it is portable!!!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Sewing Ahead...

I haven't had a lot of time to work on personal sewing, but I did knock out a job yesterday, which included locating the fabric, running to town to buy the fabric and whipping it out before work! YEAH!!! I rock!!! We are working on home improvement projects, so that has been taking up my free time and the garden...yikes!!! It's a jungle out there!!! The peach tree is about ready to harvest..."Goin' to the country...gonna eat a lotta peaches" Sorry, I just had a Presidents of the United States moment. Sewing...um yeah...Wednesday Tom is on duty and it is supposed to be HOT!!! I think a hole up in the air conditioned studio with old movies and lots of projects is just what the doctor ordered!!!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Sewing Success!

Well, more like embroidery success...I really spent more time working with the embroidery machine. I hate to be an awful tease and not post pictures, but these items are surprises for a couple of my readers, and I don't want to spoil it. But trust me...they turned out good!!! I did do all my chores prior to retreating to my sewing studio. Cleaned out the garage, took out the recycling, cashed in the motherload of pop cans and took some usable items to the thrift store. It was chilly today so I made meatloaf for dinner and baked a couple loaves of bread. Sara went home this morning...I think she is tired of hanging with the old folks, but really she is getting the apartment ready for Bryce who is coming home on Monday!!! He graduated his training school today (Yay Bryce!!!) and I know the next few weeks will fly by. Then the kids will be jumping across the pond and their adventure will begin. Wow, I feel old!!!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

What's Goin' On...

What a busy time August has been. I have been so busy trying to catch up after vacation there has not been much sewing going on. I did get to sew a few snaps on for a student...whoopee!!! Sara and I tried to get sewing this afternoon, but we got Twilight distracted. We went to the Carver Cafe for breakfast this morning and then had to watch the movie. Again. I did make some jewelry this afternoon, which is progress. The garden needed some attention so I spent some time out there this evening. I have been considering some changes and thinking about that is taking alot of energy too...think I'll go watch cartoons with Sara!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Back to Reality...

Back from vacation and back to work. Much to share, but no time to share it now. I'll leave you with some more Tim deliciousness, courtesy of my friend Julee.




Parting shot...

Monday, August 3, 2009

A Taste of Tim and Montgomery Gentry

Home for a minute and gone again soon. Here is a little taste of the Oregon Jamboree 2009...full report next week!


Project Dress a Girl

For the past couple of years, I have made dresses for Project Dress a Girl Around the World, in part thanks to the campaign launched by Mari...