More Sewing...

Pants for Charlotte

Pants for Charlotte and have enough fleece to make a 2nd pair for Makenna

Pants for Makenna with enough to make a second pari

16x16 Throw Pillows

Spiderman Pillowcase for Cameron

Tissue Packet Holders made with scraps from fabirc I have for zippered throw pillows I will be making..

I have enough fabric and supplies to make 4 more pair of pants, 2 skirts, 4 pillows and another set of cloth napkins I will be working on this week.  Sam will be making another dress for Charlotte and then a summer dress for me. 

Sam made this dress this weekend for our neice Kylie

Sewing 101

The weekend before last I took the plunge and purchased a Singer sewing machine since I've been having the urge to learn for the last few months.  Before then I have never sewed a day in my life beyond the occasional hand stitching.

The first night I practiced sewing lines and lines of stitching on remnants of fabric that I purchased. Once I felt comfortable enough I moved onto simple throw pillows. My first 3 looked alright except the hand stitching was awful.  I later learned I wasn't even doing it right! Go figure.  My next 4 turned out pretty darn good. 

Next up, I moved to a Learn to Sew pattern put out by Simplicity for pillowcases. First 2 were good, couple minor mistakes (need to take pictures).  So, yesterday, and the day before I made two more while taking pictures this time.

Pillowcase #3

 Pillowcase #4

This weekend we decided to get a tad crazy! Now, Sam has taken a sewing class, sewn with his mom, and worked for a sewing company long before met (which I didn't know about) so we decided to jump into a dress pattern for Charlotte, since we figured he could do it.  Now, I do love it when a man doesn't limit himself to the traditional gender specific hobbies, and while my hubby is a damn good computer programmer he can also sew too (and cook)!  He did most of the work on this dress... I did a one or two very basic things like stitch the front panel to the back. 

It ended up being a good practice run and turned out pretty good  We have enough (different) fabrics for him to do another dress like this, a toddler dress in another pattern, and really nice long sun dress for me. 

I ended up finding some gorgeous upholstery fabric this weekend at Hobby Lobby marked down to $4/a yard (down from $21/a yard).  So I bought the last 3 yards that they had, and i have 7 -18 inch pillows cut out to be stitched and stuffed today. I am very excited about those. Also as I write this I have a load of fabric going in my washer for a bunch of cloth napkins and a basic pair of pajama bottoms that I am going to attempt (another Learn to Sew pattern).  This weekend I am going to pick up some more fabric for more pants and possibly some for skirts too!

Not sewing but I FINALLY finished a crochet afghan I kept stopping and starting!

My Heart is Broken...

Woke up yesterday and went about as usual with my morning routine. Mid-morning came and I realized one of my six cats (my babies) never came to the door to be let in, so I went out and called him. No sign of him.  Over the next few hours I went out several times to call him, and as the time went on the more afraid I got of him being gone.

Sam came home for lunch I asked if he had seen Smokey, and of course he hadn't since the night before. We went and had lunch as usual. As we came home, and approached the corner of were our house is Sam goes "Oh no" and I look out the window.  My poor baby Smokey was laying on the sidewalk, next to the fence, on the front side of our house. I would have never seen him from the front door, or where Sam parks during lunch.  Sam parked, I flew out of the car, and to him, but it was too late... he was already dead.  I suspect he was hit by a car, but I am not sure because he look fine.. like he was sleeping.

I lovingly wrapped his body up, and while Sam was back at work, I drove to the local vet and paid to have his body cremated.

I have cried so much in the last 24 hours that my eyes hurt, and feel raw. My heart is broken and I keep telling myself that it is my fault I should have made him come in before bed, looked for him sooner, just something so I could have saved him.  He was one of my two favorites of the clan, and I miss him so much. I will miss his head butts, his drool, his rolling over to have his belly rubbed... and most of all I will miss his love and affection.

RIP Smokey (May 28, 2012- January 8, 2013)



Afterthought: I know that cats are better off indoors, and believe me I tried from the time I brought him and his brother home from my parent's house in July until after the fair in October.  They wanted to be outdoors, and they would tear up the blinds and I couldn't have it.  They never spent more then a few hours out at a time, but now I wish I would have done more to keep them inside exclusively........