Where does the time go?

I apologizes for my lack of posting.  Life has gotten in the way!  I have done minimum sewing projects lately.  I made Girl M a top last week.  Deer in the woods print top with fluorescent orange bodice.  She wore it to a party over Labor Day weekend with a brown skirt.  She was looking ready to hunt!

Boy T.  has started corrections academy.  He has made squad leader and something else but when he gets home at 11pm I've been asleep for two hours and I can't quite remember what he tells me.  He looks so handsome in his uniform.

Boy T in corrections uniform.

Dear hubby Corrections 1990!

 

While on vacation our new puppy broke his leg.  He weighed only 17 oz when we got him and he was a whole 2lbs 1 oz when we went to the Animal Hospital in St. Augustine.  He's better now and has since had his cast removed. 

 

Bojangles with his broken leg

Cast #3, broke leg

Bojangles and Boy F. resting.  No Cast!

 

Now that the kids are back in school I am going to get going on my sewing again.  I am planning on starting a quilt for Girl M for Christmas.  I bought 12 pug picture squares for the base and I think I will just use strips to frame the fabric squares. 

 

Until next time.....

Bonnie

 

I did IT!

I remembered how to log back into my blog!  So happy! I only have a little post. 

Girl M. & I cut out the fabric for her New Look 6751 dress last night.  The fabric is so cute for a 10 year old.  When you work, sewing seems to go slowly in the evenings since I only have about an hour to work on items.  By the time I re-read the directions and get set up it's time to quit.

I'm off tomorrow until Tuesday so hopefully I will get it finished and another project started!

Until next time.....

Bonnie

Technology!

Sorry it has been a while since my last post.  I had trouble with my login.  Since google did something with their gmail/dishmail/google mail I could not log into my blog.  I hope I can remember how to login again tomorrow. 

I have been sewing Girl M. some school clothes.  I've made her 4 pairs of shorts and I am starting on a dress.  The shorts are her favorite pattern as usual.  Butterick 5022. She asked for an animal print pair and they turned out really cute.

 I am working on New Look 6751 for a dress.  I have a hot pink and brown mod retro style fabric for this.  I'm trying to decide if I want a brown yoke or to make it in the same fabric with some piping added. 

Decisions, decisions!

I am thinking of making her some tops too.  She hasn't said ok yet so I better wait.  I have to catch her in the right mood.

I did make Girl M & I matching pajama gowns out of a vintage sheet.  I love sheets.  They make the softest pajamas.  They are cool and light and breathable. 

Things have been somewhat crazy around our house.  Two weeks ago our A/C broke.  Now we live in central Florida.  It gets HOT here and we have absolutely no breeze!  So for 4 days we lived like neanderthals and toughed it out! (We slept in our RV at night thought!)  I have never been so happy to see the A/C repair man in my life.  We had to end up getting a whole new unit.  Our old unit was only 17 years old!

Girl M. is getting a new puppy this weekend.  A black male pug.  She's thinking of naming it Leo.  He's a tiny little fella.  She sure loves her animals.  I feel sorry for who she marries because they will have to learn to like dog kisses and share a bed with a heard of pets!

Boy T. is counting down the days until his Corrections Academy starts.  He's been working out harder at the gym now.  He's looking so handsome! (I'll try to get a picture of him tonight!)

Boy F. is right at home this summer, sleeping late and staying up late.  He's the worst night owl I have ever seen.  I will have to get him back on schedule a few weeks before school starts or it will be murder!

Dear hubby and I just had our 20th Anniversary!  Nothing too exciting, we went out for dinner and thought about a movie but it was a work night and I hadn't seen the kids all day!  We came home after dinner and watched TV with them!  I must say though that my dear hubby did buy me a 4 ton A/C unit so it's not romantic but I REALLY do love it!

I will try to get more pictures posted soon.

Until next time.....


Bonnie

Pillowcase Dresses

I am honored!

I have been asked & paid to make 10 pillowcase dresses for "Little dress for Africa" cause from an Etsy customer!  I am truly honored that someone has asked for my help! 

Girl M. thought that the cause was great and asked if she could help!



Girl M. hard at work on a pillowcase dress.

 On another note my oldest son, Boy T. turned 19 over the weekend.  Where has the time gone?  I just brought him home from the hospital last week....

He's a wonderful young man.  He is starting corrections academy in August in which he as saved and paid for by himself.  He works a full time job at the local nursing home and has the sweetest girlfriend.

We are so proud of him!



Happy Birthday Boy T.!

Until next time....


Bonnie

Camping Weekend

This past weekend we went camping at Silver Lake, it's only a 17 minute drive through the woods from our house. I wonder why we never camped there before?  We had a great time with family/friends and hope to go back and camp there again.

Our dog Lulu camping...

Boy T. brought his girlfriend K. by for dinner after he got off work.  I do enjoy their company.  She's a sweet girl (I think I'll keep her).  I'm sure there is about to be a fight between Girl M & Boy F.  Someone is falling off....

 Silver Lake as the sun is going down.  Looks like fall but it's true Florida evening!

Not too much going on the sewing front, I was asked to do a hem job for a young girl going off to camp.  Maybe that's the break I need? 

Until next time....

Bonnie

Pickling Weekend

This weekend we have made over 45 jars of pickles.  We've made dills, relish, bread & butters, watermelon rind, and half-sour pickles.

Half-sour pickles are a fermented pickle that takes about a week to make.  They are my favorite type of pickles.  They are easy to make.  I re-use 2 gallon pickle jars.  I pack in as many young pickling cucumbers as I can fit into it.  I add 1-2 crumbled bay leaves, 3 cloves of garlic, 3 whole peppercorns, 1 tbsp dried dill, 1/2 tbsp dill seed, 3 tbsp course salt and boiling water to fill.

Cover with a cloth and store in a dark place for a week.  Everyday skim off the foam on top.  Today was day number 3 and I noticed that the jar was boiling.  The fermentation process is at work. These pickles take no vinegar, no sugar and no packaged pickling spices.  All natural!

Day one- half sour pickles

Day three half sour pickles

I always called these pickles Jewish pickles.  I craved them with Boy F when I was pregnant.  I can't wait to taste them.  Only 4 more days to go!

Pickling Weekend

I have done some sewing this weekend too. I take some pictures and get to that later. 

Until next time.....

Bonnie

McCall's 9676

Girl M. saw this pattern and wants me to make her View B in the Navy Blue Swiss Dot fabric.  This McCall's 9676 is from about 1969.  I bought it this weekend at a thrift shop. 

McCall's 9676

Muslin pattern pieces

I thought I would make a muslin out of the top part to see if it would be ok on Girl M.  I cut out the four pieces and once started to read the directions I was totally lost!  I can't figure out how to put these four pieces together.  I feel like the directions are in another language.  I'm not sure how I feel about this pattern.  I put it down last night and thought I would try again this evening with a fresh start.  Maybe I was just tired?

On another note, Girl M. made Safety Patrol at her school for next year.  She was so excited to get her belt yesterday.  So today I had to take her picture.



Girl M. safety patrol

Only 1-1/2 days of school left!  I can't wait!  It will be nice to be off on Mondays & Fridays with the kids and not have to drive them to school!  Now I don't have any reason to leave the house for 4 days straight!  I'm such a hermit!

Until next time....

Bonnie

Weekend Sewing

This weekend I made Girl M. another Simplicity 2986 top.  She saw a red and white polka dot top at the store last week and I knew that it would be my NEXT project.

She was suprised when she saw it.  I did piping on the yoke front and back.  This was my first time using piping and it was so-o-o-o-o easy!  I found her skirt/shorts at the thrift shop on Friday for $3.99.  What a bargin.

Simplicity 2986

I think Girl M. will get alot of use out of both the top and the skirt. 

I did finish the Butterick 5195 for me.  It turned out great and I have alot of capris and tanks to mix and match with it.  I think I will get alot of use out of it this summer.

Front View

Side View

Back View

I went to lay out the pattern pieces for Simplicity 7896 on the navy blue swiss dot fabric and realized there was not enough.  So now I have to find another pattern for that fabric.  I have narrowed it down to....

Butterick 5722? View A

Butterick 5709? View A or C

I only have 2 yards of the navy fabric.  If you have any suggestions please feel free to let me know.

Until next time....

Bonnie

Where do you sew?

I know most people don't have a designated sewing area.  I have sewn on the floor, on the dining room table even on our porch.  I finally decided to carve out a little sewing area in our dining room/entry.  Our oldest is 19 and I can probably almost count the days until I have an extra bedroom.  It will be a sad day but it would be nice to not have to clean up every night before bed.

Sewing Area

This space might be a total of 5'x3'.  I try to make the most of the small area.  I am thinking of getting IKEA shelves to replace the cabinet.  I feel there is alot of wasted space.

Guess what's in here.....

Patterns, patterns and more patterns.  Shhhhhh don't tell the hubby!

This is my cutting side.  I have my computer on Pandora Radio and the drawers are full of things too.  The dining room table in on the left.  I moved alot of the cutting stuff over here since it seems like I was carrying it from one side of the room to the other.  See my brown paper roll I use for patterns.

This is kind of the scary side.  These are all the things I have on Etsy and on Ebay.  Clothing, patterns & pillowcase dresses.  The cabinet on the right is our craft cabinet.  We have papers & pencils & markers & bills & computer stuff & Christmas cards &...... the printer is on top of this cabinet. 

I am thinking of the Ikea shelves on this side too.

What would I do with all this space?  I love the ones we put in Girl M's room.  I know I can fill it all up too!

None of this included the fabric.  That is another post since it's in our bedroom and growing by the minute.

Don't forget to look at items I have for sale at etsy!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Bigwheel179?ref=ss_profile

Happy sewing until next time.....


Bonnie

Sewing

I had just enough leftover sheet fabric from my Simplicity 7896 blouse to make Girl M. a top too.  She just loves it when we match.... No, really, she doesn't mind as long as we don't wear them on the same day, Like TODAY! 

It only took me about 2 hours to complete her top.  I did have to increase the size for her.  I added 3/4" to the side seams but left the yoke shoulders the same.  I guess you could say I did a bust adjustment for a 10yr old.  This pattern is so easy so I just retraced it onto brown paper for future use.

Simplicity 2986

Completed Simplicity 2986

 Not good lighting in the dining room at 9pm.  The sheet fabric has a light pale pink background with red, dark pink and brown flowers with a white flower shadow.

Girl M. wearing Simplicity 2986

 That is not her usual look on her face, she burned her finger while straightening her hair this morning so this is the only look she would give me. I think she's telling me to hurry up!

As much as I hate to have my picture taken I did ask Girl M. to take a picture of the Simplicity 7896 blouse on me.  The top is very comfortable and I have to admit I was worried about the button up front.  I am busty and I hate in when buttons gap.  This top is doing great so far.  No gaping, the armholes don't show any bra and the length covers most of what I like to hide.

Simplicity 7896

Simplicity 7896

I tied the top into a knot instead of a bow.   I think I need to get a pair of brown capris to go with it.  I tried wearing a set of pink pearls with it but it was just a little too much this morning. 

Tonight I am going to work on a favorite pattern. Butterick 5195.  I really think that this top will go with alot of items I have. 

I am thinking of View C again.  I have made 4 of these in the past year.  They seam to be so versitile and go with about anything.  I prefer to wear tanks under most of my clothing and this let me do that.

The fabric I chose is:

It would look good with about any color tank under.  But I was thinking of using Red bias trim and Red ties.  So with a red tank it would really stand out.  This is the same fabric as my living room drapes.  I guess I really like it.

I have been selling patterns, pillowcase dresses and some of Girl M.'s clothing on e-bay and Etsy to save up money to buy the Sure-Fit Designs.  I am about 1/3 of the way there!

I will have some pictures of my sewing area on my next post.

Until next time....

Bonnie

Polish Chicks

Remember when my husband brought home the Polish chicks.  I should clarify that to be Polish chicken babies.  Yesterday we let them into the big pen with the rest of the chicks, hens, etc.  They sure have grown in the past month.

Tired chicks

Only a face a mother could love

They made themselves right at home in the big pen.  They were even brave enough to hop out and scratch around in the leaves.  They are going to be a hoot when they get bigger.

On the sewing front, dear hubby is going back to night shift so I will have more time to sew.  I am almost giddy with excitement! 

Until next time....


Bonnie

No Fighting!

Boy F. & Girl M. spent the whole weekend listening to records.  The discussed the good and the bad with each album, they each had a pile of records they wanted to listen too, back and forth they would change the record and either laugh or sing along to the song. 

Boy F. loves some Grand Funk-An American Band & Funk No. 49.

Girl M. prefers Beethoven, Haydn and early Jazz (that's my girl!)

They really crack me up when they hear a new song and just stare in awe at the record player, like it will explain it to them.  They like to turn it up loud and talk over the music???? Kids....!

Until next time....

Bonnie