Easy Stitch M4639

After we had finished our pillows and caps I asked Lynne if we could make something that we could use and we voted on a jacket. This McCall's pattern is the one we agreed on. Again we would be working with fleece and I loved that. It was time for Fun once again and picking out the fabric is the highlight of the project to me. Do you all Love having a good excuse to go stroke all the beautiful fabrics??? I rubbed and loved until I finally decided on a pale green with little embroidered bears on it. I took it home and washed it and ran it through the dryer. I followed this policy for the last 3 years and then last year when I did that on a piece of fleece - it came out looking like it was ruined??? Made you think someone had held a match to it and it had melted and ran in small areas. So, then I read you do not Have to Prewash fleece - I would love to hear from you guys - if you have any experience in this ??????

But , my first green piece came out beautiful - nice and soft and enticing. Then came the part I did not enjoy at all - laying that pattern out and picking the pieces that went with the view I had chosen , which was C - with a hood. As we laid out the views I felt that same vague feeling overwhelming me. I wondered if it was because I was scared , but that did not make sense. Everything seemed to swirl around my head, but Lynne laid it all out and showed me how to pick out the pieces. After that initial freeze - the rest of the project was fun - especially with Lynne leading the way. She is so knowledgeable and so kind and made the project have the same feeling of being a little girl and playing with your best friend. What better way could there be to spend an evening????????? We finished the project and I wore it all that winter , so very proud of my accomplishment and then I started the dream that I wanted to work towards the goal of wearing only the clothing that I had made for myself. I learned a funny lesson along the way - when I was searching for clothing in the stores - IF - I found something that I liked the style - it was ALWAYS a color I did not like . I had thought IF I could sew my own clothes I would have an easier time finding the colors I wanted- but I was wrong again. Just because I was into creating my own - did not guarantee I would find the perfect colors I wanted. (Live and Learn Again)

I was still wearing my jacket into the early Spring and had met Lynne one day at class and found myself STUCK in my jacket ! The zipper had jammed and Lynne had to get me out of it. I ended up buying a new zipper , but just did not find the time to put the new zipper in that Spring. Then last Christmas when I wanted to wear my jacket and realized it needed the zipper put in - I DISCOVERED I had used the Zipper in a camouflage jacket I had made my husband for Christmas! SO, I am still needing a zipper. LOL

I did discover that I had a problem making the pockets line up right? It seems that on each project I attempt I usually end up with some little Quirk that gives me a fit. DO you guys have that problem too - even if not working on clothing - ON YOUR QUILTS - is there certain things that always seem to haunt you??????????????

I ended up making my oldest son a fleece jacket for his Christmas present and it was out of even heavier fleece and Lynne was surprised that my little Brother machine did just fine sewing that heavy fabric. Cory was driving a tractor trailer that winter and I thought it would be nice to keep him warm , but not so bulky to carry around in a tractor trailer. Then I made my youngest son a camouflage jacket also. I was continually fighting with those pockets though. ~smile~