Little Finishes For Friday

I was busy this week.  Seems that I spent a lot of time ripping stuff out on the Orion's Star.  Finally figure out what I had done wrong. I really shouldn't work on something like that when I am having a migraine.   It is on its way again and there are no pictures of the glaring mistakes.  So, only you and I know!  I have 9 blocks completely done and the all of the centers for the other sixteen are finally correct.

I posted last Saturday about making pillow case dresses.  I made a couple more this week.

The trim on the bottom is white cotton lace that I threaded some 1/8" ribbon I won in a giveaway at Craft Nurse Quilts. It is a piece of teal and a piece of purple.  I then had to tack that ribbon in place every 6" to keep it from sliding.  Sometimes my lack of forethought is astounding.

One of the others I had made was too small.  So, back to the scrap heap.

That little button says, "Cute as a Button" and she surely is.  I can't wait to see her in it.  I used the hot dog pillowcase technique to add the bottom accent.  If you google it you can find several references if you have never seen it.  I have done it for years and just didn't know what it was called.

Okay....what else did I finish.  Hmmm....on Sunday I did a bag for Meghan's Birthday.  It turned out cute and I hope you check it out.  I also finished my BOM blocks that evening.

 I love this block.  Those larger blocks are actually red.  It is such  a cute block but I am sick to death of the yellow in this quilt.  At our meeting on Monday she tried to get us to sign up for next year's Civil War BOM and I said no.  Then I went back yesterday and signed up (after she offered to change one of the fabrics for me)!

I also went to the fair and looked around.  Next year I am entering some things in the fair.

Today the UPS man came.  He brought me this.

I know.  She looks a lot like Ida.  She is the same model but she really needs a face lift.  So.... We are going to paint her RED!  She will look so smoking hot!  I can't wait.  I hope she is done for the next time I go to retreat.  I may actually do some work on decorating my sewing room if I have her around to look at.  I am going to name her Barb after my Aunt Barb.

Aunt Barb was a lot of fun and wilder than a March hare.  She got married at 15 at the business end of a shotgun.  Rumor has it that gun was pointed at her!  She pierced her own ears in the bathroom one evening and when she asked if they were even her husband passed out.  Aunt Barb had three sons, too and her favorite color was red.  She would approve I am sure.

I am going to link up was Sarah over at Confessions of  Fabric Addict.  She is having a great giveaway.  Whoop, Whoop!!!  Be sure to hop on over and enter.  Say something nice on some of the blogs.  We all love comments! Also linking up with Richard and Tanya.

Keep Stitchin'!

Mary

Simmering Saturday - Lots of Pots!

I thought about this post all day.  I was just too busy to make it!  Today I canned two loads of green beans.   That was kind of iffy for a while.  I had a stove in my basement for canning.  My husband took it to the shop last month to use as a powder coat oven.  This morning he brought home a used one. I had to help move it in but I now have a stove in the basement, again.

Nothing special but it does the job.

While doing that I also did the laundry, including the bedding and hung it out to dry.  Since my quilting machine is in the basement I also quilted a quilt for my aunt.  She told me to use it to try new things.  So, I did.  Some turned out okay and others not so okay.  Nothing spectacular.  Still trying to develop those skills.

I made homemade pizza for supper.  I was and still am in a bit of snit.  I am not talking and that worries the men in my life.  That's because they are smart.  Sometimes they are smart asses.  Today might have been one of those days.  We will see what tomorrow brings.

After working all day I decided I was going to sew whether or no.  I am in such a mood that I knew piecing wasn't going to cut it.  I needed to SEW!  So, I made my nieces pillow case dresses.

The larger one may be a little long but that will be fine.  I used some decorative stitches on some bias tape I had and added rickrack.  Both of those packages were labeled as fifteen cents.  I can't imagine how old they were but they are still good.

I used fun ribbon I had to hand from another project and added a button to the front of each.  I bought those buttons off the clearance rack for fifty cents a package.  So, each button cost more - a quarter - than the rickrack!  

All the fabric is scraps from other projects, too. 

These are actually for my grand nieces.  I am making one for my niece and stopped this post so I could take pictures of the lace I am working on but forgot!  Guess that means I should stop.

So, what is simmering in your world?  You?  Sewing?  Quilting?  Cooking? Canning?

Keep stirrin' and stitchin'!

Mary

BOM Monday Madness, aka: Aprons!

Hello, all.  I had a busy week that left me MIA.  Doubling back onto days at work just left me exhausted.  I have been sewing all weekend, though.  As a matter of fact, I was scheduled to work today and took a personal day to finish the sewing I did not get done.  I might have gotten done if I didn't spend so much time RIPPING....grrr!

I am working on graduation gifts.  This quilt is made of blocks from a block exchange I did.  I really liked how it turned out.

 Apparently, too much.  See how the swirly has been sewn over 4 or 5 times?  I kept getting "stuck" and couldn't get out the correct direction.  I think I did this three times.

 If that wasn't bad enough, I have wrinkles.  I thought I was past doing that.   At this point it is a design element.  I suspect that it was because of how it was loaded on the frame.  It didn't come off square and that is all I am saying about that.

 The girl that is getting it will love it whether or no.  I just wish it were perfect for her.  Nothing to be done at this point.  I am dragging it with me to find binding for it tonight.  On to the next project.

For my quilt group this month we had to do our BOM stuff which I posted about here at the end.  We also have "projects" every month.  This month's were aprons.

The one on the far right I posted about last month.

This one is from an Eleanor Burns book called Egg Money Quilts, I think.  I lined mine because I knew I would wear it and I like mine lined.  I do have to modify it.  The pattern was designed for a woman with a less generous bosom, as Tante Ida would have said.  I need more room! So, I will have to lengthen the strap around my neck.  As usual, I made the ties longer. I want them tied in the front where I can stick a dishtowel or whatever in there.

This one I designed myself.  It is a clothespin apron.  I grew up without running water.  When I was a teenager and doing all the laundry for 6 to 12 people on a wringer washer and hanging it out to dry, I wore an old hooded sweat shirt and kept the clothes pins in the pocket. (Aggie Sloan would DIE if she saw THAT run on sentence!)  It worked so well.  I wanted mine to be prettier. I got a "build a clothesline" embroidery package from Embroidery Library.  I have plans to make my sister one and will change how I embroider so as to get more on my line.

I wanted my husband or sons to be able to use my clothes pin bag and I wanted a way to store it.  So, I put a sleeve behind the waste band and bought a pack of these suit hangers at the local Hell-mart.  

Slides on and off of the hanger quite easily and is just the right length for this short bodied woman.  Tails are long on this one, too.  Same reasoning AND if other members of my family want to use it, it will fit.  When I make my sister's I am going to make a tutorial.

My final thing for my BOM is a block we all were to make so that we can sign it and a quilt will be made.

So, I am taking everything in this post and everything in the post I linked earlier to my meeting tonight.  I feel like I am moving in!

It was a fairly good day.  I have a chicken alfredo lasagna ready for the oven and bread rising.  My guys will be happy.  Dishwasher is running and I am going to jump in the shower.

I am linking up to Sew Many Ways' Sew Darn Crafty Party.

I hope to post more this week including my recipe for Chicken Alfredo Lasagna.  It isn't for the faint of heart.  Very rich.

Keep stitchin'!

Mary

Finish up Friday, April 27, An Apron

Once again, I have a little finish.  I have had a very busy week at work.  My shortest day was 12 hours.  Today I was off and wanted to sew but those dust bunnies HAD to be tamed.  They had formed a union and were demanding benefits!

I went over to my MIL's three different times.  I weeded one of her flower beds and patiently waded through all the others looking for stuff she knew was there.  She is doing pretty well with her at home dialysis but not where she wants to be.  As much as I wanted to sew I just couldn't tell her I didn't have time today.  So......

This is it.

I made an apron this morning before I started cleaning.

Here is a less artsy, clearer picture of it.

I was trying to make it look better since it is such a paltry finish.  It is a free Darlene Zimmerman pattern provided by my BOM group.  We are all supposed to make aprons this month.  I modified this one.  It called for 5 panels and I did 7.  I did a rolled hem all the way around each panel because I don't like raw edges.  I added to the length of the ties because I like to tie aprons in the front.  I also made the waist band wider and added innerfacing to stiffen it.

I have plans for three others that won't upload right now for some reason.  So I guess I will end today's post with a list of where I am linking up.  Be sure to check out some of the other posts.

Crazy Mom Quilts
Amy Lou Who Sews
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Find a Friend Friday

Old Lady Pants

No pictures at all on this post.  Mostly a whine.

My gyno's office called on Friday.  There was a "significant change" on my MRI.  The radiologist recommended a PET scan.  They were faxing everything to my onco and if I didn't hear anything I should call on Monday.

I did.  Oncologist agrees.   PET/CT scan scheduled for my first day of vacation on Friday.  I had one last year for an unidentified mass on my colon.  Pretty sure that was just what was just what is supposed to be in your colon. I was sure of that before the scan last year.  Not feeling so sure this year.

Anyway....what does this have to do with "old lady pants"?  When you have a scan at the Simon Cancer Center they don't give you gown or scrubs.  They tell you to wear something without zippers.  Umm....I don't own anything other than my pjs without zippers!  I am 46 years old.  I am not firm enough to be running around with everything just a jiggling.

I don't know why I didn't think of it over the weekend but Monday after working 12 hours, I decided to make myself some pants to wear.  I don't remember why but I had 3 yards of navy corduroy.  It wasn't ideal but it would do.  I looked through my patterns.  I needed something fast.   I am working 12 hrs a day Monday -Thursday and I have to leave by 9:00 a.m on Friday to make my appointment.

I finally settled on a pattern for pjs.  I did alter it to make them more tailored.  I also added pockets.  I used a fun blue print for the pockets.  I still have the hem them but I finished them otherwise Tuesday morning.  I put them on and they aren't too bad.  I can go in public in them.

I can't eat before this scan. I plan on eating afterwards. I also plan on some shopping. I wanted to look somewhat decent.  So, I will wear my old lady pants.  If you see me, please don't laugh too hard!

The good news is now I will have something to wear if this comes up again.  Somehow I don't think I am done.  I had hoped to drop back to every other year by now and instead I am having some scan or exam every three months.

Thank God for insurance!

Tonight I hope to finish my pants and work on my Christmas tree skirt.  I did host a block swap party at my house last weekend.  It was fun.  I can post pictures of some of the blocks.  Not all.  Who knew a simple rail fence was so difficult to execute.

What have you sewn this week?

Keep stitchin'!