Just a little progress...

I have another outfit for Angielee knocked out. I sewed the shirred dress over the weekend. It wasn't terribly difficult, but it is something. The hardest part was turning the straps!

I still have not started the quilt. I had them sorted by how big I wanted the squares and Angielee came along and totally mixed up my piles. I hope that I have enough interfacing. I am thinking that one side will have 12" x 12" squares and the other side may be 18" x 18". I still have to figure out what the sashing and outer borders will be. Lisa wants to have a really puffy quilt so I will have to make sure to get the batting while it is on sale at JoAnn. I plan on starting tonight since the Flyers are in the playoffs, I have some time to get started.

I pulled out my project from my sewing class and tried it on Rylie and it does not fit too well. I think I may have to seriously retape myself and then make the arms detachable. It is hard to put things over the shoulders. I can't slip things on from the bottom because of how the stand is.

I got another person out to give us an estimate on windows. The last guy gave us a $6500 estimate. I was a bit shocked and Wayne thinks it is outrageous. He is seriously considering doing it himself. Saving $3500 on labor sounds pretty good to us. I was a bit surprised at the labor considering how simple windows are to install based on the literature that I have seen. Also, my friend who is a builder says that it is really easy.

No Progress...

I was planning on getting the T-shirt quilt started this week. However, when I returned from my trip, I was exhausted. I ended up going to bed early for the rest of the week. Also, work has been busy so I was catching up on that stuff.

Tonight, Wayne has poker night so the girls and I will be home. I am planning on getting something started tonight. I am as well-rested as I will ever be so here's hoping I get something done.

Wayne is going to change my tires over to summer ones and do an oil change. We will drop him off with the car and the girls and I will check out the Kohl's sale. We most likely won't make it for the early bird stuff, but we are just looking for sneakers and a spring jacket.

I had someone come out to the house yesterday to give us an estimate on new windows. We were wavering between replacement and new construction since we are planning on residing the house. However, based on my discussion with the guy, we may be going with new construction. I did not realize that all they will do is take the sashes out of the frames and put the new window unit in the cavity that remains. So any air infiltration that we have currently due to the window frames no longer being square won't be fixed. That is not an option since I know we have a lot of problems with the frames now. I am just hoping that it won't be overly expensive... We may end up having to do that ourselves as well. We are going to do the siding as it is. We figured that based on the two estimates that we got, it would be cheaper for Wayne to take 1 week off wihtout pay and do the work himself. We would end up saving a lot on labor. My friend, who is a builder, thinks we could save up to $3500 on labor. Not bad. He also told us that windows were very easy as well so that could also be something that we could do if the labor is astronomical. The only good point to the professionals doing it, is that if the windows fail, we call them and they take care of it and any other damage that occurs.

Onto more positive news, I have been trying to lose weight since I weaned Arianna. I am down 12 lbs. I was hoping to be down 20 lbs by May 1st, but I had trouble with milk production when I started dieting that I had to shelve it. Anyway, I think 15 lbs. would be reasonable by May 1st. Here's hoping that I can keep it up. I need to add exercise to the mix, but if I can sleep an extra 15-20 mins, I usually take that route. I am hoping to do more walking at lunch with my co-workers. I am not sure when I will fit in the strngth training part though...

Another one down...

So here is the Cinderella dress up outfit that I have been working on. I probably could have made the top another inch or two longer, but it works for now.

I am hoping to start the quilt this week. I have a business trip today, but will return tomorrow night. I am thinking that I may not have the energy to cut 20+ shirts, but I will try. I have to get that quilt and Uncle Sonny's memory quilt done before May 30th. I work much better with a deadline so I am sure I will get it done.

I have been looking at Rylie and I think I may need to remake her. The measurements are way off. I can't believe that 5 lbs. would make such a difference in all the measurements. When I measured last night, she was 3-4 inches bigger than I am at all points! I was thinking of just making slits and taking her in here and there, but Wayne says that she looks so much different that it may be worth retaping.

Angielee was sick over the weekend and had to stay home for the 24-hr fever free period. We went to the doc and she does not have strep. At least the quick test says so. I will find out the real test results tomorrow. We went to JoAnn's for the Daffodil Dash and I picked up a tailor's ham and a bunch of the Tutti Fruitti fabric for $1.99/yd. Angielee picked 2 more sundress patterns for 99 cents each, 5 yards of burgundy fleece for the blanket Wayne has been asking for and 5 yards of muslin for various purposes such as making muslins for myself. I am hoping to make a blouse for Arianna's party on May 31st.

I have also looked that the links from StacySews and there are a couple of things I would LOVE to make for the girls or my friends' kids. We'll see how much time I have...

Finally done!!!

I finished the Ariel costume on Saturday night. I had to pin it and hem it by hand. I was going to do a narrow hem, but figured that it is big on her now so I can let the hem down as she grows into it. The bodice is a bit big, but I couldn't think what to do before we went to the party. She told me that her chest was hanging out, but with 15 mins left before we had to leave, there wasn't much that I could do.

Unfortunately, there are 2 tears in the skirt. One from her stepping on it while it was pinned and the other from her tripping in the parking lot on the way to the rest room. She enjoyed the party and stayed in her gown until dinner time. I will have to serge the edges of the costume before I attempt to get the chocolate out of it.

I had a great time making it. At least I know that I can finish a project if I put my mind to it. Now I have to catch up on my tv shows and then get started on more sewing. I am definitely motivated to do more stuff.

Wayne and I worked on the basement some more on Saturday night. I had to move Rylie from the pot rack in the kitchen to the basement. Thankfully, we didn't get rid of the floor lamp from his grandmother. It makes the perfect stand. I want to make more adjustments to Rylie and the dress stand. With a little more tweaking, it will be my exact height. Wayne says that the back waist is not deep enough and the line under the bust is not right. I'll have to see what we can do. I got my stash put together and can't believe how much fabric I have collected. Also, I managed to organize my WIPs. I still have more work to do to get the rest of the space organized. I can't believe how much stuff I amassed in the short time I have been sewing.

I had to make the nap mat cover for Angielee. She seems happy with it which makes it worth doing for her. I was hoping to get her Dora blanket edged, but I just didn't have time last night. But now I just have to get going on the Cinderella skirt. It is almost done!

I picked up a bunch of interfacing so I can really get started on Lisa's quilt. I am just a little sad that I may end up wasting a lot of interfacing since I can't piece them together on the blocks. I am thinking of using the t-shirt scraps as some sashing to get all the blocks the same size. I was hoping to figure out what to use for sashing and the borders so that I can take advantage of the cotton sale at JoAnn's over the weekend. Then again, the Daffodil dash is this weekend so maybe I can snag something then.

So much to do...

This post was not posted on Friday as I meant it to be...


I did not make any progress on the Ariel costume last night. The girls and I went to JoAnn's and WalMart to get some fabric for Angielee's new rest mat at school. She initially picked a purple princess flannel and I convinced her that I could make her pajama pants out of that. She settled on a white princess fabric that was cotton. I also picked up gripper fabric so that I can make slippers for Arianna. There are so many projects that I want to work on and not enough time...

I am going back to JoAnn's before I pick up the girls so that I can get some interfacing for the t-shirt quilt (It's 2 for 1), some patterns (McCall's are $1.50), and whatever else I can find that is on sale (notions are 50% off).

I also decided that I need to make a box to hold my meager pattern stash. The best thing that I have come up with is to use a wipes box from Costco. It looks like it will hold a bunch of patterns. Not sure hpow many since I don't have that much. Now I regret getting rid of so many of these boxes. I will have to make sure to save them from now on.

What was I thinking...

I have a new project that I am working on now. Angielee has requested an Ariel costume for the Princess luncheon that we are attending on Sunday. We went to JoAnn's on Friday night to look at some fabric for the bag I want to make and she saw a cute yellow print that she wanted to make a dress out of. We went to the pattern books and saw that patterns were 99 cents. Of course I told her to pick out anything else she wanted. She picked a halter dress with a matching bag and the Ariel costume. She almost wanted the actual mermaid one, but settled for the ballgown looking one. I picked up a pattern to make sewing room accessories and some Insulbright. I looked at a couple of spring looking fabrics from home dec and settled on a floral and stripe. Didn't know how much of each so I had them held. Went back on Sat. and bought the two fabrics plus a coordinating plaid, peltex, and fusible fleece. I went back today to get the fabric that I need for the costume. I was hoping to be able to take my time and get the stuff as it went on sale, but no such luck...

Yesterday, my SiL and I went to a workshop on making duct tape dress forms. We had a really good time and now we have motivation to keep up our weightloss efforts. I definitely need to get the abs back in shape. Hopefully she will have to retape me in July. We suggested that the guys get taped so they know what they look like as well; they didn't think it was such a hot idea. Angielee was pretty excited about them. She may want one. We'll see if she can stand still long enough to get taped...

Angielee has also asked me if she can use my old sewing machine. I told her that when she got big enough, I would get her a machine appropriate for her age and once she was really ready, then she could start using my Singer. Hopefully, she stays interested.

I worked a little this weekend so I haven't been able to make any progress in organizing my sewing corner. I a, not sure how I am managing to still work, but I am. I need to finish the Cinderella skirt and all I have to do is sew 2 seams, some elastic, and hem the thing. I thought I would get it done last night, but I traced the Arial pattern since I may have to make another one someday in another size. It won't be long before I completely go through my tracing paper. I think I may have found a decent substitute: Wilton aisle runners. If you can get over the floral pattern that is stamped on it, it feels similar to Swedish tracing paper and it seems tear proof. It is 36 in wide and 100 ft. long and costs $30. The tracing paper is about $1/yd.

Trying to catch up...

It's been 11 days since I started the blog and I have not kept up with it as much as I wanted to. Work, life, and exhaustion has gotten in the way. I have not spent as much time sewing as I would have liked either. I spent most of my free time watching the back of my eyelids.

However, I managed to squeeze in some more work on Angielee's Cinderella outfit. It's a good thing too since there is a Princess Party in Burlington on April 6. I will have to make sure not to let her wear it until then. Of course while I am working on things, there always seems to be a need to mend something. While I was trying to finish the skirt, Angielee's sleeping bag for school need fixing. I managed to restore the quilting on it, but it doesn't look all that great. I still need a lot more practice with the walking foot!

In the meantime, I have been going crazy fabric and pattern shopping. In anticipation of the DTD class this Sunday, I have been trying to decide what my first project will be for myself. I am not sure if it will be a top or skirt. I wanted to make a whole outfit for Arianna's birthday party which will be on May 31st, but I am not sure that I will have that much time. Work is really getting busy and I have had to put time in at night. Anyway, one of the tops that I want to make is a knit so I bought some cheap knit fabric at WalMart to try it out before I make the real deal. It is the only place open after I drop the kids off in the morning. I also bought a bunch of fabric to make bibs. I tried the Chickpea bib, but since I made it with Therm-O-Web vinyl, it ends up being more of a "duck bill" than a bib. I will try a couple of other patterns before I make more for my friends kids. On one of my AM WalMart runs, I got a pattern for a dress for Angielee. She is so into dresses that it is ridiculous. I also picked up a sheer polyester for $2 a yard along with a smocked fabric to make Angielee a dress for $2.67!

I also need to finish organizing my sewing space. Unfortunately I do not have a whole room devoted to sewing, but I'll take what I can get since we live in such a small house. I am using the corner of the basement which used to house the computer. That has been moved and now I am using the computer table as a cutting/tracing area. However, all my fabric, books, tools and such have been piling up so I have had to pull out the banquet table for cutting and the like. I have been asking DH to help me organize and put up a peg board and other things, but there are so many other projects that he needs to do around here that ther just hasn't been enough time. One of these days I'l get it done.I also have to organize the rest of the basement which has become a disaster. We have been trying to get organized and that has left different parts of the basement in shambles! It has been so difficult to get remotivated, but it'll happen soon.