Why can I not remember to write things down??

One thing I am amazed at is how much time it takes to finish a project. I am learning this because of the blog and keeping notes , I now see that it is not the SEWING that makes the project. It takes research and dreaming and getting supplies  and getting time !

For instance , this morning I knew who I wanted to make a project for . I also knew which design I wanted to work with  - one little problem was that I did not know exactly where that design was located. Before I had a computer I used to laugh at #1 daughter-in-law because she was always losing things on her computer and I used to wonder how she could lose them in that talking box! But , now I KNOW!

So, I started Looking - now where was that pesky little design. Another good thing I learned is that while you are on the trail of a specific design you may get lucky and find some other designs that you will be needing. I no longer think that I will remember where they are - so today I was dragging them and putting them on my desktop for soon to be use.

Just when I was about to give up - I FOUND IT! Yea! Only thing was now - as I studied my notes from Christmas I realized that I had not written  which size I had used for each person. Another case of "O, I will remember that??????????????  NOT!

Back and fourth I go , trying so hard to remember - but I could not! Then I get a brainstorm - watch out I can be dangerous! I decided to start with daughter - in- law #1 which will take a size large tee shirt  . I will make it and study to see what size it really is. If I think it fits #1 - then it is too large for #2 and I will know to cut a smaller one . Hummm? Am I making any sense?  Sense or not - that is my plan.

It just so happened that I had washed another piece of my Fabric. com material. This was the one piece of jersey fabric I could find in the sale - most of it was the double rib knit and it is a heavier fabric. This one will be lightweight and comfortable. This one will be for her birthday in the summer, I know , I know - the way I move , Summer is Just around the corner.

We had beautiful weather here today - up to 70 degrees and Spring coming Saturday. I wonder if we have another big snow in our future - just before Summer rolls in????

Fabric.com thrillergy continues! :)

Have you noticed the many ways that we become inspired? Sometimes we just "birth" one idea - all of our very own and it becomes a part of us. Sometimes we see something in the store that turns our light on - sometimes we see the work of others and become inspired  in a totally different direction or sometimes it is while we are thinking of who we would like the project for - and it just visualizes . Also I have noticed when I am "ON the Prowl" -searching for a design for a person - that I kinda stumble over some thing from that hunt that would be more suitable for a totally different person and I am learning that when that happens to make a note of it -or I will forget all about it and still be at square one when I get around to doing something for them. Then I remember that lost "possibility" and want to "thrash myself" for not taking the time to write it down.Or sometimes it is just discovering a piece of fabric that really rocks your world. And some times I feel like what they call "Writers Block" or I guess we would call it "Sewers Block" - !!! YEA - I know that it what it is! And I HATE to land in that spot. There is something about the ability to create something and that feeling is a type of energy that creates life. We all think we are but one person - yet when I visit the forums or the fabric stores  or have to stand in line at the fabric store and you share a conversation with another  and you see all these ideas come to fruition. We become as a Sewing Force and she share a common bond of love .



So , yes - I would like to thank each of you for all that you do to make our world a more beautiful place - because what you create comes from your heart.

I guess I had better get back to the Fabric. com thrillergy. Right now my monster box  of  knit fabric that I was my first online purchase of fabric. I had always thought I would not purchase that way - you know, because we cannot run our fingers all over it  and have it speak to us. But, this was definitely a Wonderful purchase and I am just thrilled to have it entice me . My youngest son has a red beard (much to his annoyance. Since I am a red head or a red head headed silver . When he was born he had the most beautiful red hair and the moment he popped out my first words were - "CAN IT BE"???? But then as he growed - so did the brown and the only way I can prove he has the red genes is that beard. LOL . So one of these pieces of fabric is a color orange , just in honor of him  and that is the one I have been working on today.

I had already prewashed  and dryed it, but as I laid it out it was giving me a fit - like a kid!

I would not give in to its problems so I ironed it first and then laid my pattern on it. Now it is behaving itself.

It always amazes me how you end up with a little pile of pieces and these will turn into something else. I believe that is what I call the Magic. :)

This turns out to be my finished project. I did get tired and wanted to quit, but I kept on plugging along.

And this is the design I picked because this will be a Birthday shirt .

My one blooper is here on the neckband! Something black my iron spit out! !!!!!
Happy Dreams to one and all.

Not a mechanic!

I have started on a new project for my brother-in-law and  this is my sewing sanctuary. Got the computer that I work with the designs on and my beloved Brother embroidery machine.  Got the cutting finished and got it "hooped" and the design picked out. He is a Desert Storm veteran and I am always so honored when he wears something I make him. He always acts like he appreciates it and that always resonates with my heart. I was so scared when he had to go. His wife and I kept the letters flying until he came home in one piece. :)

I had started on this project and the VERY FIRST stitch - the machine locked up. GRR! I sure do know how to get things started with a bang! So, I pulled out the screwdriver and took the little panel out - only to discover that my bobbin had exploded and thread was everywhere?????  I was so glad to have my assistants to help me clear my head.

I decided to put everything back together and rewind a new bobbin and try again? Now , this time it takes off running and it puts stitches on the top , but the bobbin thread is not catching it???? Dad gum it! Why couldn't I have been born a mechanic??????????????

I did actually wait overnight because you know how it is when a project gets stressful! I had to chill out and I was hoping the machine would do the same thing. So, here I was all chilled and ready to go. LOL But???? I was lucky that I took my own advise this time because when I started to test it AGAIN , I pulled off the original project and put in a scrape piece of fabric. Turned it own and yep - it was still making loose , floppy
stitches and was a big mess. First I tried rethreading the top thread? Nope that did not fix it???? Next , I pulled out the manual - and read and read and read??? lol  In my mind I thought I had done all of that -so I decided to take the manual's advice and recheck the bobbin???? It looked right - but ?? So , I pulled the bobbin out and studied in that little hole and did not see anything wrong, so I re-read the information and the only thing that I had not done was to put my finger down ON the bobbin as I inserted it and hold it tight as I ran the bobbin thread in the case. HUMMM? Everything still looked the same to me - so I closed it up and put the test piece back in. Fired her up - AND- hey, it works perfectly!!!!!!!!!!!!   

I was determined not to make the same mistake last time -of forgetting to put the neckband on ! So, I hop right on it 

The process is going great and I leave the room to put some rice on to cook and when I return , it is half finished but it is starting to pucker the fabric in the middle of the design!  Well, shoot - I don't know what is causing it ?? I have stabilizer under it and I also put adhesive to hold it?? LOL - Humm? Maybe it will not make such a difference because they are feathers and feathers can look bumpy????? I will just sweet talk her and hope for the best????????

O Yea, my "Sewing Angle must be looking out for me today because the color used there is silver and since the shirt is gray - it looks great!

 

 I even got smart and fixed a bo-bo! When I took it off the the hoop there was a little hole that the embroidery machine had punched right in the front ! On the sewing machine is a little stitch that makes me think of a star so I kept a piece of stabilizer under the hole and used the star to darn the hole. Then to make it complete I added extra stars on top of the yellow stars and I am happy with it.

Hello Sewing Room

What kind of trouble can we get into this afternoon???? Well, first I would like to fuss: I hate Daylight Savings Time!!!! YUCK, YUCK, Yuck!!!!!!!!Why in the world do humans mess with something that works???? Seems like you give a human being an inch and they will take a mile!

That is as bad as in our local town we have a lovely river -not big , but just right. And all of my life the community has fished in it - providing food for fish eaters table. I  loved our river (even though I cannot swim) and would never throw trash of any kind in it.But now there are signs posted that you can fish, but do not eat more than one catfish a month because the toxins in the water that have polluted our fish . Who gives big business the privilege of ruining our beautiful water ways????

Well, now that I have had my little "temper tantrum" it is time to ,"Let The Sewing Begin".
I just have to share with you what I think is a funny lesson! I share my sewing room with the Queen of the room - Rosie the sewing cat. So, when ever I come in I always have to wipe down the cutting table for my daily gift of kitty fur!

One day I did not feel up to just walking to the bathroom to get a damp cloth. I looked around and had a nice cloth laying close by and a little bottle of "Air freshener". So, I decided to give a little squirt-it has a nice light fragrance and as I wiped I could not believe the dirt it was picking up. Then , my daughter-in-law had given me a desk to sit my sewing machine on. It had been in a man's garage and had grease all over it. SO , I gave it a light spray and the grease wipped off like magic! And, this is just one of the little cheap air fresheners from our local Dollar store??? I do believe this little product has missed its calling!!!!!!! Take a "gander" at how much crud it captures??? I was really amazed!

 So, I think I am ready to tackle a project for my sister-in-law for Christmas.

Well, at least I managed to get the design to co-operate with me. Now I will trim the stabilizer from the back. I am always a little leary when it comes to do this - such a seemingly simple task, but I have seen those of us who get carried away and cut into the main fabric - sure don't want that luck to befall me?????

I just cannot believe myself!  I got so carried away with keeping my stitches straight that I had almost forgotten to add the neckband?????????

Well, there might have been a few battles , but I won the war , this time??As I stand and look - it never ceases to amaze me that you take a flat piece of fabric and turn it into a personality. I always believe it is a magical experience.

                                                             HoHo HO!

Dark and Gloomy Outside - creativity inside

Got the house chores almost caught up and then hit the sewing room . I am so excited to be working on another shirt for myself! This one is intended to have long sleeves. Since DH installed the outdoor wood stove and ran ducts throughout the house - it stays much warmer in the Winter and all the rooms have heat- not like when we had a car radiator sitting in the living room blowing heat. The living room would be hot , but the other rooms would be cool.

I got that design on and now I need to trim away the stabilizer.

So that is why I am working on me a long sleeve tee shirt instead of the sweatshirts I had made. Plus, I must be related to my oldest son because I like the color gray also.I put a little stabilizer in each of the shoulders and then headed onto putting the neckband on

. It was looking good  as I finished the neckband and decided to run that row of topstitching around the band to make it lay down flat. I was half way around the neckband when I came to a dead stop and started laughing. When Lynne and I were sewing together I had told her that I liked a zigzag stitch - it must have come back to haunt me because instead of a nice straight stitch around the neck - I had forgot to change my stitch back and I now had a nice zigzag around the neck! So , instead in pulling it out I just decided to go with it. It turned out right nice. Now I know how new inventions are invented- somebody stumbled into a mistake and discovered that they could work with it and make it their own. ~smile~

I am attempting to put the neckband on - Lynne really helped me with my glitch that I had when it came to attaching a neckband . She told me to zigzag around the neckband first to keep it together like it should be instead of another case of my "drunk sewing" which wandered all over the place and I always had a little pinch when I was almost finished. It did not matter if I held my breath or concentrated till the cows come home - I always muffed what I was working on. But, this little tip has saved my sanity! Thank you Lynne!

 

Plus, now that I have some scraps I am going through them and starting on a new batch for DH for this next Winter.

 Now I have sewn my shirt together it is time to iron it to set those stitches and make them behave themselves!

It is nice to have a project completed and it REALLY feels strange to complete something for me.

Yea! Now Mocha can travel with me anywhere I go and yet she can stay home in the bed so I know she is safe!

Roller - coaster of life

Some days it seems that the harder you try -the more complications there are to jump in your path. All I wanted to do was sew - and I found myself taking all kinds of little side roads  - you know , like laundry and dishes and cleaning up the floor and running the vacuum and feeding DH. Time was already tick-tocking  away from me and I cannot help but notice how it flies away  - never to  return. I was so thankful when Cory called his dad for  help putting down concrete for a new building  they are putting up.

This quiet time was exactly what I needed , but the harder I tried to make progress - I just kept getting side -tracked with another job?? Finally I headed to the sewing room ! Yea! Like a kid at Christmas - only to realize that I did not have an embroidery design for this project?? I remembered that I had one that I had used a couple of years back of a little chihuahua - but I turned the room upside down and still have not found it! Isn't that the way it always is???

O, then I remembered that I had thought I was so smart and I had downloaded all of my designs onto my first flashdrive. I was so proud of myself  when all of a sudden I remembered disconnecting the flash-drive from the computer and it fell into little pieces in my hand.  Aaaaahh - memories So, that distraction led me on a search for something????This took me about 2 hours! I must be the slowest person on the face of the earth???????? I get all frustrated and then I do not ENJOY the process - I just jump on the bandwagon of :HURRY: HURRY : HURRY!

And then when I get in that mode - something else always happens . I had my shirt cut out , I had my design and I started on the project. Things were going good and I turned my head and the whole project jumped out of the hoop! GRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!! Well - Peanut-Butter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, I manage to put it all back together and start once again  when I hear a Hello - and know that DH is home.  I am trying to listen to him tell about putting the cement down in the rain and tying to keep my eye on the design , when it catches my head turned and breaks the thread - a few times.

I just have to regroup ! I need to think positive and then Things will co-operate ! Testing , Testing, Testing! The good news is that I am almost finished - O NO! The thread breaks and is a big mess ! I hope to extract it and discover that it is wrapped around a small spring deep inside the machine ! GRRRRR! I really do believe that those springs are a problem spot with these machines because this is going on the fourth time we have had to take the machine apart to get down to the problem spot and it looks so flimsy and that is why maybe it just reaches out and grabbed the embroider thread????  I am too scared to repeat my performance of last year where the machine doctor kept it all that time!

Moving right along -almost there and my bobbin runs out. So , while I have it down I load two bobbins and the first one makes a funny noise -but I am not smart enough to check it out. I take off again and the bobbin white thread is all showing on the top! GGG! I am glad it is not somebody else's project - it is mine -thank goodness. The white is looking pretty good on my pup , but then then the thread starts to look fuzzy - so I give up and tear it all apart again.

This time I can see that the bobbin is exploding - well , it is ???? You know -when the thread piles on until it is ready to pop the top off of it. So, I switch over to a new bobbin and things are looking good , once again. Moving right along - and - yep - thread breaks once again - this must be normal - you know - like a period at the end of a sentence??????? :)

OK, I am heading down the "home-stretch" and down to my last color -this should be quick. Yea! Right - this must be one of the top 3 dumbest designs I have ever used. It has started making dots ALL over the design. So, I stop it and chase down all of the jump stitches before the project gets buried in them. I clean them off and it puts them back -until I give up- clean up the jump stitches and yank it off before it can be ruined any more. I am just so grateful that  this is a shirt for me! I definitely know NOT to use it on a project for any body else. That is a shame because my daughter - in- law has two little chihuahuas and I had planned to do a shirt for her - but it will not be this design. Guess I will have to hop back up in the" Saddle of Tracking Designs"and keep trying. But at least it does not have a hole in it and I will not mind to wear it and get it dirty like I hate to get some of my other ones  dirty. LOL  Maybe that was the lesson I was suppose to learn????????? :)

 Hoping to make more progress tomorrow! Happy Trails to ALL!!!!!!!!!!!

Me a shirt to test the fabric

Some days it just does not seem like there is enough of you to go around and when that happens it seems like one day runs into the next day and you have trouble keeping up.

That is the way I have felt the last couple of days. It really amazes me how fast we all age and do not realize it-until you have a birthday to mark it for you!

I did all the usual things that everybody has to tackle each day - food , laundry , floors and all of my critter chores. Then we had to go to town and I was so grateful to just make it home. We ate and I collapsed in a chair- but I could tell that I needed to sew . It was calling to me  and that other little voice was telling me that it was too late and I would just be wasting my time! I let this brain game go on for a while - until I decided to stand up for what I thought was right and headed to the sewing room.

I have been wanting a shirt for me because it is my goal that in the future my entire wardrobe will be created for Linda - by Linda!(Unless someone else wants to contribute! :)
I had a different piece of gray knit to use and I wanted to see how it behaves??? I was at temping to sew the sleeves on and I knew I was already challenged because after dark I have trouble deciding which is the right side?????

A little trick I have been using is when I am working on a project for myself  that I  attempt to practice out a technique that I am weak in or have yet to learn On this one I used a blind hem stitch to stitch up the hem at the bottom and around the sleeves.

Also I found this fabric to be a lot stretchier than I had imagined. I will have to tuck that up under my cap! LOL

I had fallen in love with this design when I used it for a friends birthday present . One thing I did learn from last year when I sewed a shirt for myself - I had always put animals on my shirts and I decided to try something different with a really pretty green knit that I was really drawn to . I was so excited that I could hardly wait to complete it. I hung it up to critique it -it was flowers and they were really pretty -but for some reason - I just lost interest in it. That was when I learned that I had to use animals to make me happy. That shirt was an extra large and it is still hanging up to this day??? We human beings are such  complex creatures.

Our weather here today was beautiful -it was 60 degrees and still you can feel all this warmth and look around and see the snow on all the hills. It must be staying around for a reason???? :)