Just Sew It

I recently picked this tip up from a sampler machine quilting class.

If you live in a very dry climate, it is very wise to store your thread in plastic containers. The dry air deteriorates cotton thread. Thread racks are not advisable storage for Albertans.

I did not know that.

I love Weddings. My favorite thing about weddings is it gives us the opportunity to see family that we have not seen in a while. We can’t visit everyone in the family through out the year and a wedding is a wonderful time to do this. We just found out that my dh’s cousin has become engaged and will be married summer 2007. Yeah! this means I will be sewing a dress!

This weekend my dd’s father is getting married. My dh and I were not invited. But despite the lack of invitation we still bought the happy couple a gift. My dh actually suggested it. He said it was the right thing to do. I quietly agreed. I’ll take the high road and put my quams aside. I love to shop for wedding gifts but do you know how difficult it is to shop for a wedding gift for someone you despise? He feels the same way about me but he IS my dd’s father and I must respect my dd’s feelings. So, I bought them a nice set of bathroom towels. I’m a towel freak and one can never have enough towels. Especially nice ones. Oprah said the first thing she bought herself when she started making a lot of money was towels. Nice fluffy towels. I’m with her.

Now, let’s talk about sewing. I want to finish my jean jacket this weekend (cross my fingers). I picked up more stretch velour/velveteen for my dd. She loved her jazz pants so much that I’ll be making more for school. She is soooo ultra picky on how comfortable her pants are. I give up on buying jeans.

There is a lot of politics on my favorite sewing site Patternreview.com lately. I stay out of it. Don’t like politics. It just takes all the fun out of everything. I love to sew and that is the only reason I go there.

My dd began dancing classes; ballet and jazz and she needed some black jazz pants for jazz. Well, the dance shoppes were charging around $45.00 for a pair her size. Ummmm… I don’t think so. So off to Marshalls to pick up a Kwik Sew pattern for her pants. Pattern 2679 also included a pattern for a ballet skirt and leotard. I think I may entertain the idea of quickly sewing her a skirt for ballet too.

My dancer is posing in her new jazz pants:

The fabric is a nice stretch velveteen with tiny sparkles. Photos never do black pants justice. You cannot see the shape but they hug her hips very nicely and flare out slightly.

Super easy to sew up. There is no side seam on the outside. One pattern and it took me an hour total to sew up.

Still working on the jean jacket. I’d like to get more done this evening. Hopefully. I want to get started on dd’s nightgown. I want to be free and clear of any other projects before the last week of September. I’m looking forward to my quilting class.

It’s getting cold and I still have not sewed my buttonholes on my dd’s fleece jacket. Get going woman!!

Project Runway is now being shown on Lifenetwork now. We always get this show later than the States. Grrrr… So far they have shown episode #2. I really think a contestant is booted off because of their personality and what they are doing for the show. I don’t think their design has anything to do with it. The producers do not want an interesting character to be booted. I do feel they allow the judges to choose the winner fair and square but the real drama is who gets booted. In episode #2, I felt Angela should have been booted. Malan should have stayed. But Angela has pissed some of the other contestants off so they must continue the drama!

Tonight. Yoga and some sewing… hopefully.

What ever happened to Sunday? The day of rest? When I was a kid Sunday was quiet and relaxing. We slept in. My dad made breakfast. We were lazy. We visited family. Today, that seems to be gone with society. My home backs onto a main road and it always amazes me how busy it is so early on a Sunday morning. Are they working? Nothing opens until noon (most things don’t anyways). Why do we have to buy a car on Sunday? I, myself, refuse to work on a Sunday or a Saturday for that matter. I really don’t think that stores should be open on a Sunday. Restaurants yes, convenience stores yes, drug stores, yes. But do we have to go shopping for clothes? My question is, what are people doing at 8 a.m. in the morning? I like to hang out at home with my family. Sew a little, maybe clean a little, get ready for the week, visit with family or friends.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of September 11th. What a horrible day. There are some people that believe that the WTC buildings were deliberately blown up. I thought this was ridculous but I found out today that building #7 went down too. Why????? It was not hit by an airplane??? Is Bush and his supporters behind this???? Bush. Because of Bush thousand of Canadians and Americans are dying. Why on earth is Bush to dead set on this war?? What is in it for him?? Listen to me, I’m not into politics at all but when people are dying for such a senseless reason it bothers me.

Anyways, I worked on my jacket for two hours today. I have hit a snag. The waistband is supposed to extend 1.5 cm (5/8″) and it doesn’t. I will have to cut a new one. I don’t think I have any denim left so I will have to make one out the green corduroy. That’s okay though. The cuffs will be in the green corduroy also.

I did manage to serge my dd’s jazz pants. Easy as pie. They have a good fit to them too. I have to sew in the elastic and hem. Wella!

Look at my little Batman. He wore his costume for two days straight. Too funny!

I attended a mini-quilting class called “evening special” through a local dealer. I plan on making my parents a quilt for Xmas and thought that this little class could help. When I showed up to the class everyone was around 50 and up. I think most were around 65. I’m 39 and I felt very young. I questioned myself as to why I came. Maybe I’m too young to be doing this? Is this a Grandma thing? I don’t think so. Most girls my age scrapbook. It is rare to find someone my age around my neck of the woods that actually likes to sew. But besides the age issue, I did learn a few things. Did you know that you can have your quilt appraised as art? A good idea especially if you lose your quilt to theft, fire or flood. If not appraised, your quilt will be counted as just bedding which is really worth nothing. Hmmm… I would have never thought of that.

Today, was my dd’s first day of ballet at a new school. I refused to register her again at her old school simply because they are very arrogant and really do not care about their clients. This new school has already impressed me. I watched my dd for just 5 minutes and I could tell that she was being taught much more than her old school. I was a dancer myself growing up so I know what to look for. I have heard nothing but good things about this school so I’m happy.

While I was waiting I thumbed through an “Instyle” magazine and found this top:

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I have a pattern for a dress that is very similiar in style. All I would have to do is to trace the top part of the dress. Very pretty and $299.00 for a little top? I think I could make that for under $20 depending on the fabric I find for this top.

As for my jean jacket, I did get a couple hours to tackle it. I finished the collar, topstitched the front facings, sewed the upper and under sleeve together and attached the sleeves to the jacket. Now, the waistband, cuffs and buttonholes are next.

I was a little intimidated by this jacket but really, it is not hard at all. Kwik Sew’s instruction are impecable. I do not think I have ever had a wadder with a Kwik Sew pattern. I did have topstitching problems but that was due to threading issues on my part. I have been lazy with the picture taking. I’ll post some soon.

Tomorrow, I have to also tackle my dd’s jazz pants. Another Kwik Sew pattern that is super easy.

I’d like to get my jacket done tomorrow so I can move on to my dd’s nightgown. I want to get these projects complete as my quilting class and speed tailoring class will begin on the last week of September. Not enough hours in the day.