It followed me home and I’m keeping it.

Went to Grandparents house this weekend. We were talking through a project that Glitter Glue Princess wants to do with Grandma when she visits next month, and she pulls this little gem out of the closet.

I open it up and know EXACTLY what it is -this thing will sew through anything! I ask her if she has the cams (the funnest part – just call me a sucker for an old sewing machine). Better yet, she has ALL the guides to go with it too.

Then, the best part of all, she says I can take it if I want (!!), since it came with the house when they bought it and she doesn’t have a clue how to use it.

It promptly got packed in the trunk and came home with me. Glitter Glue Princess wants to try out all the cams and make her quilt squares for sewing with Grandma. We’re going to have a fine time with this little beauty. The other four machines will just have to move over for a few days while we play…

Bwahahaha – she who dies with the most sewing machines wins, right?  Or…. Is it fabric?

Two years in the making.

This little number really has been a two year project.  I put the bag down and simply didn’t pick it up again for two years.  It was one of those things I took on flights when I worked for the baby food empire.  It was busy work – it kept me from thinking about how rattly the plane was, and kept my hands busy enough that I didn’t feel like taking my impatience out on someone and getting arrested.  When I worked for the evil donut empire my evil boss didn’t let me travel.  Sooo, the bag sat unused.  I was inspired to pick it up when hubby took me to a Christine Lavin concert, and she offered free knitting circle to anyone who brought theirs.  We got there too late, and I forgot my free pass, but it was enough to get me off my hiney and pick it up again.  It also inspired the Glitter Glue Princess to take it up.

Without further adeiu, here is the knitting work that took so long and led to all the inspiration…

What – doesn’t anyone else get inspired by washcloths?  🙂

This is a result of my reading mason dixon knitting.  At least it is practical.  That, and it is made of cotton – my allergy to wool prevents me from making all the really cool things I want to make

Happy Solstice….

Moon, that is….

“What I’ve Learned Over My Summer Vacation”

No words necessary, I believe…..  Just look at that face…  She picked this up in about 5 days.

Surf’s Up!

Sewing is my therapy – when I’m stressed it is cheaper than a therapist, and someone gets something nice to boot… I hadn’t done nearly enough sewing of late, and this was long overdue.

This week it is a swim wardrobe for the Glitter Glue Princess. I used two patterns for this from Kwiksew – #’s 2889, the ever present scuba top, and the new 3605. This is the most mature swimsuit I’ve ever made for her, and at least she let me make it – she is at an age where my sewing isn’t nearly as cool as it used to be.  But, if she selects the pattern and the fabric it is alright, right?

I used size 10 for all pieces but the tankini top – it is a size 8, but lengthened to a 12. If making this pattern be warned of the sizing and gathering on the chest. Going down 1 size did help, else it would have been a gaping mess.

Another tip – use the triple zigzag on your regular sewing machine to do the edge on the triangles – there is just too much stretch and too much bulk at the top where the strap is for it to come out cleanly using a cover stitch, and I had to remake these as I got a hole in the fabric when pulling out the stitching.

She was mildly offput by me wanting to put this on the blog, so I left off her head per her request (as IF it will really make a difference 🙂 ).

When they say the skirt is short, they meant it! I added an edge with trim to make it longer, but seriously, it could use a wee bit more on the pattern. Just extend the curve of the hem down a few inches as needed, but keep the curve of the hem in the same shape.

I fully lined the front of the scuba shirt – can you think of a sentence that has light blue and see through in it?  🙂   The other two pieces are lined in all the right places as well.

And of course, the requisite hula pose if forced to model swimwear in public:

After this, I’ve got to make Mr. S another Gandalf Murphy shirt for Blissfest next month.

Yay!

I’m finally getting the hang of this etsy thing, and have listed a few bags and a shirt.  I’ll be photographing my fabrics again and putting them up this evening or tomorrow.  Little did I know when I started editing photos, only to find that they had to be square – soooo, it is off to the garage door again to take the photos…

http://dyeabolical.etsy.com

What happens when….?

two girls get loose with my camera?

Well, see for yourself….