Brrmidji Designs

teddy bear quilt

2011-09-29T15:20:00.000-05:00

I got asked to fix a teddy bear quilt for my nephew. The top wasn't actually quilted to the back. But my other step-sister who was preggo asked if I could also make one like it for her baby.

Today I started the draft of the new quilt. I laid it out on the kitchen table and measured and noted colors and sizes of blocks. Then I placed my pin board with a piece of swedish tracing paper under the center bears and began to pin.

Then I lifted the quilt off my board and marked the holes with dots. the I draw the lines between the dots and waalaa. I have a pattern. tonight watching Greys Anatomy and Private Practice, I'll pin the teddy bear quilt. I'm going to DVR Project Runway and watch it in the morning. The Hubby left this morning for a conference about 2 hours away. Tomorrow, I and a friend are going to fargo for a genealogy conference on Saturday. I made my shoppng list for the new quilt. I need four colors of fake fur and lots of flannel.

Pantry clean up

2011-09-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

As I was putting away groceries, I got frustrated with my pantry. Don't get me wrong I love the silly thing. But stuff was falling off the shelves and I couldn't always tell if I have pickles or mayo. I grabbed the garbage can and went to town. I threw away stuff that hasn'e been used in 12 years, from when we moved to Minnesota. How do I know? It had packing tape on the lid from the movers. I cleaned up leaking bottles of honey and something someone gave me. I have a hard time throwing things like weird hot mustard from a gift basket. I won't use it. I had planned on donating most of the stuff, but The expiration dates nixed that idea.

When we first moved in the space along the stairs to the basment, was 8 inches deep and probably ten feet tall. Yes there are places on the pantry that I need one of those grabbers, to reach. The Hubby and I put up adjustable shelves. Over the years the pantry just became a whereever it could fit space. Now it is clean and organized. I now know that I have lots of peanut butter, which is good because number 2 son is coming home on leave.

I'm working on cleaning out and donating lots of our clutter. next up is the bathroom. I have a drawer full of stuff that is preventing the drawer from working properly.

Renaissance fair ready

2011-09-24T12:01:00.000-05:00

Earlier I showed you the vest I modified, but here are pictures of the kid all dressed and ready for the fair.

We quickly decided she needed a money pouch for her phone and stuff.

Happy kid, she even took it to work that night.

Just a simple small messenger bag, with a very long strap so she could wear it cross body.

I closes the flap with a snap set. The color went really well with the vest and skirt.

Embroidery

2011-09-22T16:26:00.000-05:00

Today the Big Embroidery machine hummed away as it stitched a pile of shirts for a local business. I finished faster than I thought so I folded up the shirts and delivered them. I got paid right away, so I can add that check to the bank in the morning, while I run a few quick errands, dry cleaners, bank, etc.

Then embroidered a name on a pocket of one of the totes and the scripture case for my granddaughter.

Loving the Disney'ish font for my granddaughter.

While the embroidery machine stitched it's heart out, I also cut the strips for the zipper gusset. I then sewed two strips to the zipper, and then the bottom of the gusset to the zipper panel. I started to pin and found than I need to let the side seams out a touch. Last time I need to take in a lot.

Tonight while I watch Project runway I'll unpin and unpick the two side seams and figure out how much I need to adjust the gusset.

My new desktop came today. I need to use Windows Transfer to copy and move my files, then disconnect the old computer and put the new one in place. I'll do this while the rolls are rising.

I had a really good day. I was organized and had everything laid out, ready to get to work

Sewing Totes

2011-09-21T17:24:00.000-05:00

I love to sew simple quick totes, that I personalize. I am in the midst of making three totes and a scripture bag. I have everything cut out, ready for the embroidery.

I finished one tote with a ton of pockets.

I combined the pick a pocket bag with the quick tote and made it very wide. The tote has six pockets, three on each side.

Tomorrow is all about t-shirts and work shirts for a local business. Hopefully while the t-shirts are stitching on the big machine, me and the serger are zipping along in the construction of the totes and scripture bag. Friday is baking day. The Hubby's work is having a going away dinner on Saturday for one of the co-workers and I always get asked to bring the potato rolls. They melt in your mouth.

Genealogy Sunday afternoon

2011-09-11T16:07:00.000-05:00

Most Sunday afternoons, I spent in the Family History Center, helping people with their genealogy or working on my own. I ordered in some films from Salt Lake and they arrived this week.
So I quickly took snap shots of the different sections that are on each film reel.

This means that this is the Cathloic Church in Gaz, Croatia. Church Books, Rodenih is birth records from 1878 - 1894. I also scanned the first pages of each section so I can translate each column. I made a list for each reel. This will make my searching through the film faster. This way when I want to find a birth from December 1880, I know what film reel to pull and which section to start in. The ledgers are in chronological order.

I am so glad I found a great online serbian-croat translator. But sometimes the translator goes huh????? In different time the accents are placed differently. I always start with an idea, like birth, death and marriage. That way if I type in umrlica and it comes back with no results, then I cross reference death - umrlih.

I am making a cheat list as I go along. I need to translate months of the year and make a list.

best book ever

2011-09-09T17:44:00.001-05:00

This is the best book ever, by Judith Turner. The book can be found here. I ordered it, because Judith is in Austria, I turned around and ordered the e-book version. I read it in five hours. I have been a sloppy alterer. I just normally pinch in the sides and sew up, straight through the waist band and the hem, which leaves a bump.

I did this faux suede skirt two weeks ago. see my messy job. But this is for me, so. Now I can go back and clean up my mess and make it look like it is supposed to, like it wasn't even altered.

The daughter is going to the Renaissance Fair south of Minneapolis with some friends so they are going to dress up. She had borrowed a wenches dress, but it was a cheap costume for Halloween and the more I touched it the more I hated it. I was just going to replace the ribbon lacing with a real leather shoestring, but I popped three rivets out. yes I can replace them. The sleeves were mesh but had been slit and the mesh was pulling away from the shoulders. The daughter and I decided that she would borrow a shirt from me, a crinkle cotton that skims her body, then her own long blue skirt, I took in (she has lost 50 lbs) and I modified a vest from the thrift store.

I didn't take any before pictures, so I staged one. Before:

After, I used Judith's techniques of pinning and sketching the look. Then I took my vest/bodice and drafted the right curve to the new neckline. Then I chalked the nest neckline and then cut it 5/8 inches in. I serged the new neckline, then flipped it under and top stitched it down.

The new vest is really nice. We debated over cutting off the button placket and putting in grommets, but the daughter decided that leaving the button is better, because then she can wear this vest with a nice top and skirt or pants.

I'll post about the skirt later, because I need to start dinner.

Shirts and Hats

2011-08-16T16:53:00.000-05:00

I figured out why my tensions were so off on my Pro machine. I adjusted and stitched, adjusted and stitched, etc until I grabbed the book again. I decided maybe my bobbin case needed to be adjusted. I have two, I actually just switched them and the tension is good. I test stitched out my design again to be sure. Then I finished two shirts.

Started the hats. The hats are in two steps. First is the side above the left ear. This gets hooped with my smallest hoop using the hoop master's glove or baby onesie attachment.

Then once I finished all baker's dozen of these. The Bear 2011 stitched out fast, I unhooped and clipped a loose thread, hooped the next hat, and the one on the machine was done. All finished in about 1 hour. I'm glad I bought two of every hoop for my machine.

I set up the hat frame for part two. I got one front logo stitched and will finish the others tomorrow morning. I'd like to deliver them after lunch.

Better day

2011-08-12T17:09:00.002-05:00

Today was a much better day. I revisited the patches. Turns out only one of the patches, of course the one I had tried to rinse out the stabilizer from was on the wrong stabilizer.

I'm kinda messy. I have great organizational plans, but then I figure out better plans, etc.
I have a habit of just shoving my tube of stabilizer in my cubby system, to sort later. Which is why I ended up with the wrong stabilizer. I had sewn two of the patches and tossed the tube of Wet N Gone back in the rack and then when I decided on making a third, I grabbed the wrong tube.

So first thing I did this morning was to straighten out my cubbies of stabilizer. Now I actually can find what I need and know what I need to buy.

All the open rolls now have slap bracelets around them with the name of what it is marked on the bracelet with a sharpie. But I also tucked the label of the roll inside the tube, in case the bracelet gets separated from the roll. Like kinds of stabilizer are in the same cubby or next to each other. While I was straighten out my mess, I stitched out another black and white patch.

Then this afternoon was all about errands. I ran to the Dry Cleaner, dropped off the patches, they are a hit. The niece was deciding which patch on which shirt when I left. I told them to call me if they need more patches. The black and pink patch looked great against her pink shirt. I also told her I had pink fabric and could do black lettering or white. I did remember to bring home my dry cleaning.

Quick drive through the bank for cash for the weekend, then a sandwich. I took the car to the dealer for a recall checkup. The inspection was good, only took 10 minutes, no needed work. Then home, picked up the daughter. She's been wanting to practice in the stick shift car. We only have one and she doesn't want to practice with Dad. Around and around the local school parking lot, stop, first gear, start, second gear turn, stop, etc. She did pretty good so we went down a few back roads, to have her shift into 3rd and 4th and back down. the around the parking lot some more. Then I had her drive me down a busy road into town to where she works. There is a stop with a small rise and a red light. She even did really well around a truck hauling a boat whose lights were not working. She likes to jiggle the gear shift back and forth in neutral between shifting. I told her to stop that because she's gonna end up in the wrong gear, straight from first to second then straight from 3rd to 4th. Two minutes later she jiggled and ended up in third not fifth. She stopped jiggling. I can see that's gonna be a hard habit to break. Got home at 4 pm.

A friend of the Hubby's called and talked to him for 30 minutes. I set up for tomorrow. Yes it's supposed to be personal sewing, but I missed a few days being under the weather earlier in the week.

One of those days

2011-08-11T17:05:00.000-05:00

Today was one of Those Days. Where very little went right. Even the things that seemed to go great went bad fast.

Yesterday, I began to work on a shirt and hat order. The simple sew the logo and names on two t-shirt should have been done in an hour. Three hours later, I was giving up and running to Walmart for a new shirt. The customer had bought the camo shirts on clearance of course. Which meant that there wasn't any medium shirts. I bought two XL's just in case. The embroidery machine jammed and I had to cut the bobbin thread, to get the shirt off the machine. Leaving behind a small hole in the shirt.

This morning I picked out the thread of the two letters, an hour worth of work, slow and steady, clip and pick the threads, clip and pick the threads. I then ironed on a small piece of no show mesh stablizer to the back after I pinched the hole as closed as it would go. I went back to the computer and added a tree behind the Name. Once the tree stitched out over the hole, you could not even tell there had been a problem. Once I finished the name, my machine gave me an error message about the wiper sensor, which is what pulls back the thread before clipping. I was done, so I manually trimmed the thread and un-hooped the shirt. Quick lunch break and then I placed the shirt on the machine to begin the business logo, when I got more error messages. Thankfully the stitching only did the first lock down stitches and the jump stitch to the start of the first part of the logo.

A quick call to my dealer and I fixed the thread jam, under the needle plate. I decided that I had better do a stitch out to make sure everything was good.

I just grabbed some twill squares and stitched it out. You can't see it but the bobbin thread is showing on top. So I rethreaded the machine, changed needles, cleaned out the bobbin area again, and the second stitch out still wasn't any better. The best part was I used the serger to finish the edges. This stitch out will go in my customer file for next time.

I also have a small job to make some patches for the dry cleaner in town. They are sponsoring their great niece in the rodeo and want patches to sew on her shirt sleeves. Look good, except when I went to soak off the wash a way stabilizer, it didn't wash away. Crap, Now I have to slowly trim the extra stablizer without cutting the satin edge. Tomorrow I need to add the patch attach to the back so in a pinch they can just iron on the patches.

Biscornu and Baby Announcements

2011-08-04T21:31:00.002-05:00

Last week everytime I walked into the sewing room. I felt so overwhelmed with everything, I would just walk back out. I would get mad at myself for not getting anything done. I'm a Virgo, so I plan. I made a new schedule to grab my mess by the hair and drag it out of my cave.

I color coded my day. I only allow myself 30 minutes on the computer in the morning. Sewing 9-12, lunch and then Sew 1:30 - 4:30. I alternate business sewing and personal sewing. Weds and Fri mornings are devoted to Errands and Weds afternoon is for paperwork. 4:30-6 is computer time.

So far the schedule is working for me. I plotted out my business sewing into a project or two a session.
I finished two Baby Announcements.

A part of my personal sewing is, a finished Biscornu. Biscornu is an eight sided pin cushion. The Yahoo group for my software had laying out cross-stitching a Biscornu in the software. I had a good time playing in the software. So I digitized another one. I could not find my stuffing and thought I'd have to stop by JoAnn's to get some, then I was talking to my Daughter and spotted the bag.

The first one is 4 x 4 inches.

I love the second one, The original Biscornu pattern had alot of white space which makes it hard to count to place the x's in the right place. I added extra designs and borders and was very careful of the jump stitches. I am ticked to death over this new pattern. I'm going to sew the pin cushion together by machine.

The new one is 5 x 5 inches.

This morning was for digitizing while I waited to the Schwan man. I got five projects done. I even stitched out the second biscornu (twice, once for each side). I stitched a third Baby Announcement, but I need to clip threads and press. After I run errands tomorrow, I can frame it, ready for delivery. My machine hummed away while I clipped threads and cheanged thread.

I have tomorrow's projects starched and ready to go.

Tennessee backroads

2011-07-14T21:21:00.000-05:00

I decided to stop and take some pictures of the back road on the way to my Dad's house. It takes me 15 minutes from their house to the hotel.

The tunnels of trees make everything feel very Lord of the Rings.

I keep waiting for the Shire to be around the next corner.

The climb up the mountain is interesting, tight turns, road narrowing then converting to gravel. the bridges that only allow one car to squeak over it, the big boulders that force the roads to curve tightly around them. neighbors who back out without looking, the guys who run a stop sign, because the road is not very travelled.

This afternoon, we drove over the the nearest large town to do a little shopping. My Dad is very patient, then he spotted fabric with a western theme. I bought 2 panels (which actually gave me 4 panels and the coordinating cowboy fabric for pillow for their couch. My Dad picked the coordinating fabric from 3 fabrics I picked off the shelf.

The third fabric I bought is fall leaves with chestnuts.

My Step-Mom asked me to fix a teddy bear quilt for one of the nephews. He is so excited that I am going to fix his quilt. The top is well worn, but the real problem is that they didn't actually quilt the batting. There is a perfect spot to embroider his name and birthdate before I put the quilt back together.

My Step-Sister is preggo and my Step-Mom would like me to make a new Teddy bear quilt for the new baby.

Thursday Morning

2011-07-14T09:47:00.000-05:00

The past few days have been going by so fast, well except Monday. Monday was hang out at the hotel then at the airport until my flight to Nashville. I should have stayed at the downtown hotel and gone back to the Family History Library. Even though I didn't have my binder I could have work something. I did poke around on Ancestry.com.
Tuesday was spent visiting with family around the kitchen table. After a while, we were trying to decide about dinner and decided to go to Golden Corral. It was fun. My dad goes silent and his head down when you put a plate in front of him. His whole attention is on his plate. He's always done this, so focused on eating. After dinner we hung out gabbing on the porch swing.

Weds was so fun. I stay at the local Super 8 (the only hotel in Town). So we can use the pool. Yesterday, All the local grand kids, my step-sisters and my folks played in the pool. My dad and step-mom played hard and fierce with the boys. The chlorine was really high even sitting on the pool deck it was burning your eyes. You could not open your eyes in the water. We often took the boys to the bathroom and flushed their eyes with water. Debbie said it was the best birthday ever. My step-mom is a wonderful lady.

I got back to the hotel around 11 pm again. I brushed my teeth and crashed.

Minnesota Nice or Mom Syndrome Day 5 SLC

2011-07-10T22:24:00.000-05:00

Today started out pretty much on target with the plan. Get up eat breakfast, meet June to walk over to watch the Broadcast of "The Spoken Word" a weekly broadcast of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The choir was awesome.

As we walked out of the Convention Center and was greeted by Sister Missionaries who announced in their different languages that they are available to show us around Temple Square and share about the Church.

June and I walked to the Joseph Smith Building and attended church. The chapel was beautiful.

Afterward I changed into jeans and drove to the airport. The gate got changed after I had been sitting there reading for awhile. At the new gate, the flight was delayed. Turned out that the incoming flight was delayed due to mechanical issues. Delta replaced the plane with a smaller plane, so then our flight was overbooked. They called for volunteers to give up their seats and got a few volunteers, very slowly. As they were getting ready for boarding, I got called up because they need to give me a new seat assignment.

The Mom Syndrome
The young girl behind me didn't get a seat assignment. She looked like she was gonna cry because she wouldn't have a ride home from Nashville if she wasn't on this flight.

The Mom in me wanted to take care of her. The counter people were gonna try anything to get her to Nashville, but everything even routing her through Seattle to Atlanta to Nashville was leaving her without a ride home. Delta needs more flights into Nashville, there is only one per day direct from Salt Lake City to Nashville. My plans are flexible enough, so I stepped up and gave up my seat.

Delta gave me a $400 voucher for a future flight, a hotel and meal vouchers. They upgraded me on tomorrow's flight. The girls behind the counter even gave me a toothbrush/overnight kit for tonight, because my luggage was on the plane already. Waiting for the shuttle to the hotel, I called my hotel, rental car and my folks. Then I called the Hubby. He just laughed, because we had been talking on the phone when they called the first time for volunteers, I think he knew I was going to end up giving up my seat.

The young girl kept saying she didn't know how to thank me. I think she did a pretty good job. Hopefully she will pay it forward someday.

Day 4 Salt Lake City

2011-07-09T20:51:00.000-05:00

The last of the conference went really well. I attended all three sessions, then we had lunch with a talk afterwards.

Session Two was about resources for Eastern European research on Ancestry.com . I did something funny. The speaker was on slide 2, when I asked him to stop and chnage the color of his text to something other than Ancestry yellow/green. Everyone else in the class agreed it was too hard to read. I like to sit in the back of the room and could not read the slides. I'm just getting old. He laughed and quickly took our tips on how to change the color and we were off and running again. I do learn something in each class, even it isn't about my area.

After lunch we wandered back to the Family History Library. I feel like a goob taking pictures of the library, so I didn't. I used all but 15 cents on my $5 copy card. You swipe the card to activate the copier and the printer function on the copiers. About 5 o'clock my tummy started to growl, so I headed back to the room to drop of my stuff and to talk to the Hubby.

Two Salt Lake City blocks down was an Olive Garden. I had Shrimp Ravioli. The table across from had four small kids under 6. The youngest was not a happy camper and was screaming and whining. He had to much stimulation and needed a nap bad. I wanted to give the Mom my bread sticks to feed him, but before I could get up the waiter thought the same thing. But the bread and salad was not what he wanted. Mom had to take him out of the dining room for a walk.

Day 3 Salt Lake City

2011-07-08T22:06:00.001-05:00

Good day for doing genealogy. Every day is a good day for genealogy. This morning's conference sessions were about Prussia and Polish research. I attended the first session on Using the EWZ micofilms, the EWZ was the German immigrant tracking system for moving the ethnic Germans back to the father land in front of the german army in WWII. The amount of detail including photos from 1939-1946 is amazing. The genealogy that was included is great for us, but had an ugly cast to it. If you were Jewish or Polish, even if your were german jewish you were not transferred. The German government only wanted Pure Germans.
Because I don't have any Polish and Prussian ancestry, I went to the Family History Library at 10:00. I had a list of a few books on Croatian Immigration to America I wanted to look at. I made a few copies of some pages from each. Then I went back down to the International Floor. I had my one-on-one consultation, this afternoon. Dr Edlund, a professor at BYU in Eastern Eurpean genealogy helped me narrow down one of my villages, the county and the district. Then we found the Evangelical Lutheran church. It sounds so easy, but it took us an hour. The first village is so small it wasn't in the gazetteer for Hungary. My village used to be in Hungary in 1890's.

Then I pulled my first microfilm from the drawer and began the very slow process of looking for my surnames. Guess What?? I found one, while I'm not sure if this is my guy. This tells me that I found the right film.

Look how pretty the surname is. The handwritting is lovely. I can't figure out what it says yet, but I will soon.

About 4:30, my stomach was protesting that it was hungry. I rode the Trax again to Appleby's for an early dinner and then past Temple Square on the way back. I walked back and strolled through Deseret Books. I was looking for T-shirts for the kids, but they didn't have any t-shirts. But check out the cool bronze statue.

Day 2 Salt Lake City

2011-07-07T23:27:00.000-05:00

Today was day one of the FEEFHS conference. Federation of Eastern European Family History Societies is a small conference. The conference is setup with six break out sessions in the morning and then after lunch we meeting with a consultant for a one-on-one session in our area of research in the Family History Center Library. A group of us walked five blocks to The Gateway mall for lunch. I hitched a free ride back to the hotel via the trax, a light rail train. Check out the bronze pidgeons on the roof of the station across the street from the hotel.

After spending the afternoon in the Family History Library. I walked to dinner and then met one of my classmates so we could go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir practice at the Convention Center. It was awesome to sit in the conference center,

I really enjoyed watching the conductor as he worked with the different sections of the songs.

The organist and the giant pipe organ were amazing. I'm going back for a performance on Sunday morning, they perform a show called The Spoken Word at 9:30 am. I don't fly out until 5 pm on Sunday.

Day 1 Salt Lake

2011-07-06T20:18:00.000-05:00

My flight was very early, this morning which is nice, but tiring. I got to Minneapolis, then was on a very full flight to Salt Lake City. I was a bit annoyed at the car rental line, but got over it when the girl upgraded me, because it was all they had. I'm driving a Dodge Dakota pickup, very nice, basic little truck with four doors. My son's would not fit in the back, but the grandkids might. This would actually be a great truck for a teenager or 20 somethings like my boys.
The flight arrived at 10:45 am, so I couldn't check in at the hotel, so I went shopping. First stop Lane Bryant, for jeans. The Lane Bryant closet to the airport was in this very nice outdoor mall. I took pictures of kids playing in the water fountain in the middle of this mall. I missed the singing and dancing, that happens every 30 minutes.

The music ended and alot of the parents grabbed their kids and disappeared. I wanted to get out of the parking garage, before 1 hour was up, so I didn't have to pay for parking. The mall is called The Gateway. Turns out to be 5 Salt Lake City blocks from my hotel. 7 Salt Lake City Blocks equal 1 mile, while 10 regular city blocks are a mile.

This is the view from my room at the Salt Lake Plaza. that is the Capital building in the background.

The second picture is of the back of the Family History Library and the dome behind that is the Mormon Tabernacle where the Choir sings every day at 10 am. I might have to play hookey one morning and go to see them.

I also found three sewing stores and a grocery store before I headed to the hotel. I only bought 2 fat quarters and a pattern. A quick quiet dinner in the restaurant next door and now it's check my email and post time. I got up at 3 am Central Time and it's now 15 hours later, I might turn out the lights soon.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2011-07-06T12:08:00.001-05:00

I'm leaving on a Jet plane. I'm packed and ready to head out to a Genealogy Conference in Salt Lake City. For being so into Genealogy This is my first ever trip to Salt Lake City. Cruising through the airport does not count.

fabulous 4th

2011-07-05T17:08:00.000-05:00

I hope everybody had a fabulous 4th of July. I did, even though it started earlier than I wanted. The Hubby took a few days off so we were sleeping in when the phone rang at 6 am.

This dude called us from Iraq, He's coming back to the states the first week of August. This one is my non-communicator, he doesn't write and he doesn't always call.

Saturday the Hubby and I drove over to Silver Bay MN along the North shore of Lake Superior to visit a high school teacher and family friends, who moved to Minnesota. It was a nice drive in the new truck. We spent the afternoon and evening with them. About 9 pm, we headed to the hotel then had breakfast with the friends before meandering back home on Sunday.

4th July was like an extra Saturday, we got up after our phone call. Went to breakfast, stopped by some friends to invite them to dinner. A quick run through the store for steaks. A nice easy holiday meal; of steaks salad, potato salad, coleslaw and rolls. Visiting with family and friends is a perfect weekend.

Today was slow paced. I ran some errands, did a few house chores, then packed for tomorrow. I am leaving on a jet plane.

Embroidery Club Monday

2011-06-27T21:23:00.000-05:00

Today was so crazy, I got up early to clean out the RV. It was pouring rain out. The teenager and I cleaned out the RV and dropped it off at the dealership. Yesterday I found all the keys and the titles to both of the vehicles we traded in on the new truck. Because today is Embroidery Club day, I need to leave home by 11 am for the 1:30 minute drive to Grand Rapids MN. I had a plan for what I wanted for the cleaning. But decided that we were just going to load up the boxes and bags and sort the stuff latter. We dropped off the RV at 1030. I was on the road by 1050. Look what I left on the kitchen floor.

This is stuff from the RV kitchen and the bathroom.

Monthly my Babylock dealer has an Embroidery club meeting where she shows off new stuff and then we show off what we did in the last month.

I bought this very cool Glow in the Dark thread.

I got home about 4:45 and checked my email, and I got a surprise.

Every Sunday I spend a good part of my afternoon in the Family History Center helping people work on their family genealogy. This Sunday, the center cleared out early and I started to read on Rootsweb's message board about Croatia. I decided to post a message asking for help. My great-grandparents came from what is now Croatia to America in 1910's. My surprize was a two and a half page email response from an expert on Croatia Family History. He gave me information about my family names that confirmed what I had been told that we were German. He also gave me 4 links to more information. One link he believe is a family tree of my maiden name. I had found this page before but dismissed it because the birthdate was wrong.

I need to go throught the email and read each link and think about what the expert is trying to tell me. I am so excited about my upcoming trip to Salt Lake City for a genealogy conference on Eastern Europe.

Scrub caps Finished

2011-06-25T18:04:00.000-05:00

Love the halloween model!

Don't you love my model. I wanted to show what the caps looked like other than in a big pile on the cutting table. No one in my house wants to be the model and right now the Hubby is working in the gargage on his lathe and the teenager is working. I bought this old halloween candy dispenser a few years ago. When you stick your hand in his mount for candy he makes noise.

Any way, it's now 6 pm and I sewed Scrub caps. I pinned them last night watching TV and I finished 11 caps in 40 minutes. They are off my "to do" list. Whoo Hoo.

I only had just plans for sewing all afternoon, but that's not what happened. I am so glad I was better organized so I could whip through these caps and be finsihed.

We got up early and got our Saturday chores (grocery shopping) done early. Right as the Hubby was going into the garage to work on his lathe and I was heading down stairs to sew, the phone rang. The dealership had sold our RV if we still wanted to trade it in. Plus, the financing group had a special discount this weekend. So we grabbed the Ford Explorer that was also going to be traded in and headed in for the sales manager to test drive. He needed to do that to set the trade-in value for the vehicle. 2 hours later we are the proud new owners of a Toyota 4Runner. I have a list of chores to do Monday morning, before I go to Embroidery club in Grand Rapids.

I collected up all the extra keys and the titles. Monday the teenager and I need to empty the RV. It's a good thing I bought some new storage tubs, because there is something in every cabinet and in every cubby.

15, 30, and 60 minute sewing

2011-06-24T21:55:00.000-05:00

Today was kind of crazy, but I was determined not to waste even small bits of time. So I broken the sewing steps into small time blocks. I decided to work on the half finished scrubs caps that were in the pile on my sewing table.
First thing I did was to cut my 1 1/2 inch fabric strips for the ties, 15 minutes.

Next block of time was to run the fabric through my bias tape machine. I watched a bunch of different directions for how to use this machine. I read and re-read the directions. This is my method.
Step 1. Clip the end of the fabric strip into a point. Turn on machine wait for light to turn green.

Step 2. Feed the end of the fabric into the tip. I use a pin to nudge the fabric through the tip, until you have 3 inches sticking out the end.

Step 3. Lift the heating lid off the heating element. Place the tip back into place. replace heating lid and hold for count of 5.

Step 3. Lift heating lid again. be careful and pull fabric tip until the end is over the roller. Replace the heating lid and count to 5.

Step 4. Press the Run button, until finished. Press Run button to end. 20 minutes.

Step 5. Fold in ends and then fold the length in half and sew.

After the Schwan man left and I did some house chores, I had 60 minutes to sew ties

I have a great clear presser foot that actually allows the fabric tie to run right between the side runners of the foot. I use this foot more often than any other foot, because the side runners are 1/4 inch. If I put the needle in the center of the foot it is 1/2 inch. My favorite part is that I can see where I am and where I'm going.

Finished pile of tie straps.

Then after running errands, I got to sew some more.60 minutes.

I added the straps to the cap. Yesterday I had 30 minutes to sew so I serged the edge of the front of the cap. Today, I turned the serged edge up and pinned a ties to each end of the hem. I finished 9 of the 20 scrub caps, before the Hubby called saying he was on the way home from work. I pinned and sewed as I went along. I think if I had taken the time to pin all 20 caps, the actually sewing time would have been reduced to 30 minutes.

That left me with a pile of finished caps on the right and a pile of caps ready to have the hem pinned, while I watch TV tonight. Of course after I finish writing this post.

New Buddy

2011-06-22T20:40:00.000-05:00

This morning I had to clean up my messy space to begin to do anything. You might think that I'm a teenager the way everything was thrown around and piled on every surface. I basted my new nightgown's seams, so I could check fit. I was pretty happy with the fit. I could use a smidge extra across the bust, but it's do able. I also played with the tensions on both the sewing machine and the serger. This material is a silk and is wiggly and touchy.

It's hard to see, but I ran to Joann's for matching thread. I'm going to have to change my buying method. Normally, I like to buy 2 spools of thread for a project, so I can wind bobbins while still sewing. Now I need 4 spools, so I can serge, or maybe six spools.

My new baby can use regular thread, not just cone thread. I just slide on these spool holders over the thread spindles and off I go. I have four sets of cone thread, 4 of each, black, grey, cream, and navy blue.

I had to take two breaks and go pick up the husband from the dealership. He came out of a dentist appointment and the check engine light came on. It turned out to be nothing, but I picked him up and then ran him back over there to get the car when it was done.

I pinned the lace on the front of the bodice. The machines are set up for tomorrow,. Whoo Hoo.
I also used the serger to clean up the edges for some of my towel samples. I needed to do something about the raw edges. I was learning toward binding the edges, but serging, is perfect. I also finished the cover of my pin board, it's just a pale blue, bed sheet, I fixed the hem, that was coming undone, and the serged two sides, My picture of the board turned out kind of crappy, because of the lighting and the pale color.

So you can see towel samples instead.

I also cut the rest of the towels, I have in the pile for samples. I will also serge those edges in the next few days. This way I have the pieces ready to stitch samples wihout running around looking for old towels.

The Hubby has been eyeing a Toyota 4 Runner, so when I dropped him off, he stopped and talked to the sales manager. He would like to trade out unused RV in and his Explorer, the one I got fixed last week. About 2 hours after the Hubby came home, I got a messge on my phone about the pictures the sales manager asked for, the dealership already has someone interested in the RV. So tomorrow morning I'm going to take pictures of our RV and email them to the dealership. Looks like his going to get a new truck faster than I planned. Hopefully it will have stopped raining,

Evolution

2011-06-21T16:55:00.000-05:00

I was so sick of fussing with my serger. I have sewing to do. Don't you Know?! Thursday last week I fussed and got frustrated and walked away.
Friday I fussed some more and thought I had it fix, Nope. not fixed. Grumble, grumble.
Saturday, Went and drooled over a new serger. Too much money
Sunday talked to Hubby about old serger.
Monday, Called my favorite dealer 1 1/2 hours away from my town. She had an Evolution for better price, display model, I'm good with that. She even threw in some extras.

Today. I drove over early and got a lesson, threaded the machine five ways to Sunday. Ran to lunch with a friend. then picked up my new buddy.

Yes I grabbed the photos from the web. I didn't want to show off my messy sewing room. This morning I decided I needed to have a bag of scraps to practice on. So I cut left and right and just tossed stuff every where to leave to get my new friend.

This Machine is two machines in one. It's a serger and a coverstitch machine. The best part is the air threading system. You run your looper threads through two steps and then tuck the end of your thread in the hole and swoosh, the looper is threaded. If you watch the video on Babylock's site. Nancy Zieman is so excited about this threading system. (I grabbed the YouTube.com link because it was easier to grab.)

The method if switching from sergeing 3-, 4- to coverstitch is so easy, flip the lever and thread the coverstitch needles. 2 minutes I swear from sergeing to coverstitch. You can also combine coverstitch and serging, or you can chainstitch (straight stitch) and serge.

I got home after being stuck behind a logging truck doing 55 in a 60 MPH zone. I unboxed it and threaded my new buddy. I made such a mess, I need to take the time to clean before I can do more than just stitch more samples. Tomorrow, I need more thread. I have that night gown project and the jean skirt.

Lost Morning to Chores

2011-06-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

I lost my morning to this.

The plan was to have a girlfriend pick me up at the dealership and I would help her put her computer together. Then when my car was finished she would drop me off. Well that's not what happened.

She didn't show up, but there was a funeral at our church. I didn't know the gentleman, but I do know the family. I didn't plan on going to the funeral, I didn't know my friend decided to go.

So I sat for 4 hours while my vehicle got fixed.

A few weeks ago I had taken my Explorer into the Ford dealership because it was making a clunking noise when I turned hard. They told me it was my shocks, so I had them replace both back shocks. $250 later. I drove home and it made the noise again the next morning. Back to the Ford dealership. They decided it must be the ball bearings, so they repacked them or what every they did to them, it involved a machine shop due to rust or something to the tune of $600. The next night my husband said that the noise was still happening. We had dropped off his vehicle at the Toyota dealership for a oil change. So when I went to pick it up, the service manager asked how my day was going and I told him that I was tired of vehicles being in the shop. He frowned and asked why? Knowing it wasn't his shop I was talking about. I explained what happened at Ford and he asked if I had the Explorer with me. Yes, so he said lets go look. In the rain, he crawled under my truck and bounced the back a few times and said I know what it is. Joints like our knees hold the body to the chassis, and sometimes the vehicles equivalent of the cartilage get messed up. He was willing to order the part and schedule my truck in. So my appointment was this morning. After about 20 minutes, the mechanic came out from the garage and said it's not the joint, but a spring. The manager called the parts place and they ran a set over. I had them replace both springs because they came as a set.
In the second picture, you can see where the spring is broken and there is rust build up, which means it's been broken for a while. After the work was down, the mechanic and the manager told me that if the other dealership had my truck on the lift and the tires off, there was no way they could have missed the broken spring.

Because I have a boy scout meeting tonight, I didn't want to get into a project and have to stop to get cleaned up and change into my scout shirt. I am the Advancement Chair for our boy scout troop. Tonight we have a Eagle Scout Board of Review. This is where the scout brings his completed application to become an Eagle scout before a Board of scout masters from the area, he answers questions and they review his complete package on his project, his merit badges, his volunteering and letters of recommendations. Because I have been helping him write his eagle package and organize his book, I'm not a voting member. I guide the scout, through the process, like telling him where to stand and what to expect. I make sure his uniform is sharp. I also bring all the paperwork for signatures by all the board members to send to the council for the official Boy Scouts of America for final approval. Tomorrow morning I will package up everything and send it in. Once we get his approval back from headquarters, I gather everything for the award ceremony. I also help him and the scout master write invitations and the ceremony program. Plus I order all the actual award stuff, like pins, neckerchief scarf and patches.

Pattern Making for a Perfect Fit book review

2011-06-14T16:21:00.000-05:00

I saw this great new Sewing Show on PBS, called Sew It All. Episode 107. Knockout Knockoffs by Steffani Lincecum. Steffani is the author of Patternmaking for a perfect fit.

She showed how to make patterns from your favorite skirt without taking it apart, using the rub off technique. I enjoyed the stories in her book, about how she started and got to this point, plus illustrations and photos.

Step one is that you need a pin board. I made mine from two foam boards, the kind kids use for school projects. I already had the boards. I sprayed one with craft spray and stuck the second board on top, I wanted the thickness for the push pins.

My foam boards are 20 x 30 x 3/16. I have plans to cover the white foam boards with a cotton cover from an old bed sheet.

Step two. Collect all your materials. You need:

push pins

a long ruler

a curved ruler.

Pencil and

Paper scissors

Paper. You can do like I did and use Swedish tracing paper or use brown paper wrapping paper or open grocery paper bags. You could even use the old bed sheet.

Optional: Carol’s Pattern weights

Step Three lay the paper on the pin board.

Draw straight line down the front of the paper. This will assist in lining up the skirt.

Okay, my first pattern is of my favorite jean skirt. The skirt has six gores. When I measures the front panel is not the same size and the back panel. The two front side panels match and the two back side panels match.. The waist band is a simple rectangle I just measured. There are two side pockets sewn into the side seams. So I need to copy five pattern pieces.

Fold skirt in half and line up the fold with the line you just made. I turned my shirt inside out, but it’s not necessary. Smooth out the fabric making sure your seams line up

Step Four. According to the book, you place a push pin into the seams. I modified this part. I placed one pin at the waist band by the folded edge or along your line. This holds your skirt in place. Because of the length of my skirt, I placed another pin against, but not through the skirt about half way down the length. The plastic top of the push pin help the fabric in place. Then a third pin at the bottom of the skirt. Then you place pins along each seam. Once you’re done placing pins, you pull them out one at a time. I lifted the left waist band pin and fold the skirt out of the way and put the pin back into the same hole in the pin board. Do this to all the pins. Set aside the skirt.

Step Five. Use the long ruler to draw a line between each push pin. I pulled the pins up slightly and slid the ruler under the plastic top of the pin, so the ruler bumped against the pin part. Use a pencil to draw your lines. After I finished drawing the lines, the pencil marks didn’t show up very well in the photos so I traced them with a sharpie pen and the pen bleed through to my board.

Step Six. Mark your pattern and add seam allowances. Don’t forget to mark the fold. Cut out and you are ready to go. I made notes directly on the Swedish tracing paper. I also traced a favorite nightgown, I added the notes about lace and length of the spaghetti straps. I also marked the waistband information on panel A of the skirt.

One of the things I didn’t mention was how I made the pocket pattern piece I slid a notepad under the pocket and just traced it, I made notes of where I need to add seam allowances and where I don’t need to.

Repeat as necessary for each pattern piece. Label all the pieces. Steffani Lincecum recommended using a method of notches for placement to sew. I will use stickers marked piece A, B, B, C C, and D for my skirt panels.

Love this method, it made more sense than any of the other books about making patterns I have. I will use this technique a lot.

Pro: Quick and easy to understand

I owned everything but the notch maker (not a big deal)

Con: Easy to forget to add the seam allowance.

Once I made a few patterns I needed to slow down because of all the holes in my foam board.

This should be fixed once I make the fabric cover for my pin board. I can always flip the board around and at $5 a board I can have a new anytime. Steffani used acoustical tiles for her pin board. I thought about using some cork tiles I already hard, but I wanted my board a bit thicker for the push pins. I can always add the cork tiles later.

Homemade Pattern Weights

2011-06-13T14:35:00.001-05:00

Homemade Pattern weights

I wanted to make a silk nightgown. I hate to pin silk. I looked at pattern weights and Joann’s had small ones (4 pack for $14.99) a bit much because I wanted 12 weights.

Looking around the dollor store, I found some decorators sand, in the flower and vase section.

I checked all over for small tight containers until I found theses mint containers. They were the perfect size.

I wanted an even dozen weights. I opened each container and dumped out the mints. I have to say I just threw away the mints, they are not to my taste (ie. They were awful).

I peeled the labels off, then using Goo Gone, removed the sticky residue.

Some of the stickers needed to be scrapped off, especially the bottom stickers. A small knife made short work of the stickers.

Once the stickers were off I washed the containers in soapy water to remove the excess orange oil.

After drying off the containers, it was time to fill them.

Using a small funnel, I added the sand. I had to tip and shake the containers to get the most sand in the containers.

After dusting off any excess sand, I super glued the lid shut. I ran the glue from the corner were the pop lid joined the container up and around the curved lip of the lid and back down to the joint again.

I let the containers dry overnight.

I have a small plastic container to store the weights in.

I bought 4 containers of sand: $4.00 used only 1 = $1

I bought 12 mints: $6.00

Super glue: 4 single packs at Target for $2.15 used one single tube.

Blue storage container $1.00

Twelve pattern weights $ 10.15

targeting the plan

2011-06-13T14:25:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't been posting as often as I want. I decided that I need a better plan. I use my iPhone to help keep me on track for house stuff. Much better than a To Do list on paper that I used to lose in the bottom of my purse.

On the calendar function I add an item and then delete them as I finish each item. For example:

Today
9 am Dry Cleaners
10 am pick up Shoes for husband
11am Laundry from Hubby's Trip
1 pm Pictures in Photoshop
2 pm Blog about pattern weights.

Many of my favorite bloggers, Sew Many Ways, and Domestic Anarchy posted with themes for each day. Maybe if I use that to help me plan my posts, versus sitting and staring at the screen without a plan.

So today I'm on target with the plan. Yes, sort of, I wrote the blog post in Word and laidout the pictures to help me be better organized. Which is funny. I used to be so organized. I had what used to be called a Filofax, then a Steven Covey organizer. That was all before.... I must warn you I am a Virgo.

That means I like to rearrange and rearrange the plan regularly. Sometimes planning in my head for way too long, which is what happened to my blog. I was plotting and planning for way too long. Then I read someone else's apology for not posting regularly. Decided not to procrastinate any more and to just jump in and go for it. So today you dear readers will get 2 posts today. This one apologizing .... and then the Homemade Pattern weights.

Going in Circles

2011-03-25T17:32:00.000-05:00

To day I have been going in circles. I started out in my robe on the sofa watching the nes with my latop. I'm going to be giving a Genealogy presentation on ordering films from the Family History Libary, Ordering records from the National Archives in Chicago online and Searching the Card Catalog on Ancestry.com. SO I needed to walk through my steps and write notes, I also needed solid examples of records to search for.

This is the WW-I Draft registration card for my great grandfather John (Johan) Glazer. He is a newly naturalized citizen at this point. On his WW-II card it lists distinguishing marks, the card says he was 5 ft, 11 3/4 and 165 pounds, with a scar on his left hand. Grey hair, grey eys, and ruddy complexion. He was 53 in 1942.

I have the draft of my presentation finished, then I made a list of Microfilms I want to order and drafted that presentation. I had to run to the dry cleaners, so I ran into the Famiy History Center and ordered 15 films, I know it's nice to be the Drirector of the Family History Center - it means I have a key and can come and go as I want.

I also made my reservations for my July trip. I'm going to Salt Lake City (never been outside the SLC airport) for an Eastern European Family History Conference. John (from above is from Austria, Hungary, Jugoslavia and Croatia. I know you just tipped your head sidewise and went Huh. My Great Grandfather Johan was born in Antunovac, Austria, then with WWI the town was in Hungary, then afterwards the country became Jugoslava and is now called Croatia. It tooks me a long time to find the town and figure out the history of why his different documents reflected different countries.

So part 2 of my trip to to fly into Nashville, to visit my folks, My Dad lives 2 hours east of Nashville. My Step-mom's birthday is that week. Then I'm going to drive to Evansville IN for the International Enmbroidery Conference, then I drive back to Nashville to fly home (2 hours).

I got some pictures of John, his wife Mary, her sister Theresa and her husband, the sister's brothers and their wives, from my Aunts. All four couples came to the US together. The guys came by twos, then the wives came together. I need to scan them into the computer. Just in case I lose my copies or I want to post a pic of John on my blog.

As the Director of the Family History Center, I also teach classes at the local genealogy discussion monthly and at the local historical society's annual history day. Plus the people at Church. I've been doing this kind of teaching for over 11 years.

Digitizing sew outs

2011-03-17T16:13:00.001-05:00

Normally when I digitize a new logo for someone I sew out a sample on fabric close to what I'm going to finish the item on. For example if the job is a baseball hat. I sew the logo on a hat or if it's going on a polo shirt, I use a 5 x 5 square of a polo shirt fabric. I just chop up a shirt I messed up previously and then use that.

So today I stitched out a few logos. The logo above is for a soft, slouchy hat. The hat doesn't like being in my hat hop. I ruined 4 hats so far. I cut the messed up hats and decided maybe a patch sewed onto the hat, might work. Using a piece of the hat with the seam down the center sounded good, but the bottom edge has a blob where the seams didn't get trimmed nice. The rough edges are the wash away stablizer, before I washed it away.

This logo is for a friend of ours, for his consulting business. I liked how he had taken his initials, DCM and stacked them and blended the edges. The lower photo is the back version to show my friend the type of stablizer, I used a no show mesh cutaway. I think this logo will need to be smaller to balance the two logos if they are to go on one shirt.

This last logo is also for my friend, but the hardest part is the name. I'm supposed to have the bear outline, with his signature. The signature is too small for the bear. I need to work on it more. yes the signature is just his initials, but I was really looking at the dimensions not the whole. I need a better sample of the signature.

Now to email the photos to each of the customers and then tweak the designs. Once I think we're ready I stitch them out again and photo and email again. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon, I'll stitch again. That way last minute twitches and tweaks then Monday I can hoop the dress shirts and begin to finish up the project.

Missing in Action

2011-02-11T10:37:00.000-06:00

Our family had a crisis and I have not been able to post. Truthfully, emotionally I can't sit still enough to sew. I drift into the sewing room, mess with a few things and end up drifting back out in less than ten minutes. After the crisis calmed down the hubby and I ran away from home to be adutls together, in the most non adult place, Disney World. Actually the trip had been booked for over 4 months, and it just happened that Sunday monring after the Friday funeral was our flight south.

We went there for our honeymoon and travel there as often as we can. Sometimes we even take the kids and grandkids. The Hubby is a schemer. I took some pictures of the embroidery shop in Holleywood Studios. He bought a hand towel so now he thinks he can talk the accountant into writing off the trip as a business trip. My accountant just smiles and presses on. Maybe this afternoon I'll post the pictures from the embroidery shop.

Brr midji is here

2011-01-20T16:29:00.000-06:00

Brr It's cold out. It's 12 degrees below zero today and going to get colder throught the weekend.

I added velcro closure instead of snaps. I like it, but I need to add the velcro on the pocket before assembly.

After trying the ID Holder from the otherday, I was messing with the file and decided to try and make a bigger one to hold my iPhone. It worked but I need to tweek a little the pocket placement. I added a ribbon loop on the back so I could hang it from a lanyard, that needs work.

I sewed the velcro on the flap right through the layers and thought to cover the stitching with a covered button. Making a covered button was easier than I thought. I just need to be neater, I have a couple of lumpy spots.

I also worked on digitizing a logo. It's a signature, which is not easy. I want it to have a smoother look. More work tomorrow.

I have a Genealogy meeting this evening and I need to write up my notes. I'm the presenter.

I think I have adult ADD

2011-01-18T16:33:00.000-06:00

Some days I think I have adult ADD. I'm not trying to make fun of anyone but myself. I jump from wooo look at that -- to oooh I need that. Today the mail man delivered a new toy.

i-Top from Imaginisce

It looks like a funky pair of piers. It is called the I-top , Custom Brad Topper. Brads, I don't scrapbook, really I don't. But they seem to have all the cool toys. This can also make fabric covered buttons and snaps. The other day making the ID Holders I wanted to put a nice neat snap to close the flap. I goggled snap sets, etc. I ran to Joann's and bought a few snap sets, and the tools to use my hammer.

Then I got distracted by my cricut. Someone on a Yahoo group asked about cutting fabric with a cricut. I have all the stuff to do that, but seldom every use it, so I began to google cricut and such. I downloaded new software to cut with and downloaded new tutorials.

Okay see, back to the i-Top. May package came in. I ordered what is called Snap Daddies, to be able to cover the snap with fabric, guess what! The stupid things do not come with all four parts of the snap. Most snap sets come with a cap with prongs, a socket, a stud, and an open prong. You sandwich each piece of fabric with a prong and either a stud or a socket. The Snap daddies only came with the cover and the socket. Remember this is a scrapbooking tool, they cover brads and stuff to bling the pages. It's a good thing I was all over the Internet and ordered a bunch of resin snap sets from the Snap Source. Plus I have snap sets, so I can play with those first. I also bought some button covers called Button Daddies of course.

The ones I bought seemed small online, but the 28 mm is a smidge over an inch, thats a large button. The mediums are 22 mm which is 5/8 of an inch. I can see embroidering mini designs and making buttons of the store.

I also found a blog called Pink Cricut who had a demo of the i-Top and she said you could use your Crop-o-Dile for snaps. I think if I had the big bite, it would be easier, because I needed two more hands.

Playing with the embroidery machine

2011-01-14T16:26:00.000-06:00

A couple of days ago, I made a huge mess of the embroidery machine. I got a snarl that I had to cut the fabric out of the hoop and cut the bobbin thread tornado. I was so mad. I just had to walk away for a bit.

Yesterday I looked at the machine and thought I don't want to clean out the clipped thread and such. Today I decided I needed to get the machine back together and running again. Cleaned out the thread and used the mini vacumn I bought for just this problem. I rethreaded the machine. DON'T vacumn the machine with thread on the machine or bobbin thread in the case. Guess how I know. The vac sucked the whole bobbin empty in 50 seconds, it was kinda cool. No no ... don't do that.

ID Holders front

ID Holders Back

I have this embroidery design I bought off the web and I hadn't made it yet, I transferred the design to a disk and printed off the directions. I read the directions and read the directions. I seemed to be missing a step or two. Ok I grabbed a fat quarter and cut and starched. I didn't have any warm and natural, but I had fleece ends.

In this photo, you can see the third one I made out of purple/maroon Paisley. All I have to do is add the snaps and key rings. I tried one method of snap, but I think it is too big. I figured out why I didn't get the directions, the designer Renn, from Embroidery Garden, laid it out so that you turn it indise out and then flip one pocket and you're done. No hand stitching a turning hole, no extra anything. Once I finished the first one, I was so tickled I had to wake up the napping college kid and make her look.

I then had to go back to Renn's site and see if she had one to fit my iPhone, yes so I ordered it. I love instant download.

Traveling or Not

2011-01-13T17:29:00.000-06:00

This week I was supposed to travel from Snowy, cold Minnesota to warm sunny South Carolina. Except, it snowed in Georgia and South Carolina. Sunday morning I got a recorded call that my Monday flights into and out of Atlanta were cancelled, and they were trying to rebook me. So late Sunday night I finally got someone on the phone and cancelled the whole trip. Which turned out to be good, because Atlanta's airport was snowed in for two days and they are still trying to get everybody back to normal.

I called today and booked our annual trip to Vegas. I have multiple trips and multiple packets of papers, on my desk. The ladies in Florida and Georgia at Delta were great. But the paper thing is driving me crazy. I Have this great plastic folder that I got from Disney one year that I keep reusing. I tried to make one out of fabric covered file folder. Nope that was cheesy. I mean it works, but .... I can do better. So I made a fabric folder. or three.

The first one I actually made in September after the file folder problem.

I made two more today in a sagey green. Because then the Hubby will use them on his trip to DC the end of April. I'm not going because the company I used to work for is based there and the Hubby has ideas about going to work for them again. We promised the youngest child that we would be here through her undergraduate degree, she's got three more semesters then off to medical school. yah!!!!

I used the original plans on the file folder, but added an inch in length, because I found the first one, needed and extra bit to hold my 8.5 x 10 papers folded in half. I decided not to add Velcro or a button, because the folder slides right into my computer bag pocket and buttons or Velcro would snag. I top stitched the top so that holds the flap down, just right.

I wanted to make one in a Vegas'y print but the only thing I had was some playing cards print, and I didn't have enough. I'll have to get some more. Vegas prints from Vegas, babbbyyy! now comes the hard part waiting until April.

Sewing for Christmas

2010-12-08T17:37:00.000-06:00

I never know whether to laugh or cry when I get a request for a sewing job around Christmas. Today is the 8th of December. I was told that that's plenty of time to do her project, for Christmas. Sigh. Today makes me want to close the shop, then this afternoon I got an email asking about my digitizing two logos. One is going to be super easy, it's just letters, but I needed more information about size and font, so I sent an email back. I did tell them that due to the holidays if he needed his job done before 10 Jan, there would be a rush charge. I can order the shirts, that way when I get bored after Christms rush, I can do shirts.

I need 40 more lace ornaments. Three more tote bags, a purse and misc zipper bags.

No Cable

2010-12-07T17:31:00.000-06:00

This morning I woke up to no Cable TV. I tried to call the cable company, but of course I had switched my phone to them too. No Phone. I grabbed my cell and called. Someone cut the cable line while digging in our area. It took until 4:20pm to get the cable back up. This is my front yard. Who is digging before 5 am in the snow and cold?

I sewed all morning. I had three machines going at once. Of course no pictures. But nothing is finished, so I'm not worried about it. Tomorrow, I'll post pictures when I'm finished.

I was running around trying to find my dongle, for my embroidery software. I keep leaving it where I'm not! I needed a lanyard so I could drape it around my neck as I go back and forth from my laptop, desktop and the sewing machines. I started to look around to make me a lanyard, when I noticed that the one I made for my camera was perfect.

My Camera needed a new one, this one while nice, wasn't hardy enough. I saw someone had made a camera strap with a little pocket for the camera lens cover. I want to make one like that. So the lanyard got detoured to my dongle. It's perfect.

Genealogy Monday

2010-12-06T16:48:00.000-06:00

Today was email and Genealogy Monday. I sent about 25 emails. I am the Director of our Family History Center and I needed to update my Patron list. I printed it off yesterday and brought it home. I then used my email book for a local genealogy group to update my list with emails. I then individually emailed each person with a form letter about why I was emailing and new changes coming to Family Search.org. The ones without emails, I called. Now I'm getting reply emails to verify their addresses and phone numbers.

I've been on the computer all day. I tried to sew, but I was so distracted that after marking placements for embroidering pockets I wandered out of the sewing room.

I ordered a few things, then the daughter flounced in and told me she was going shopping. Then wanted to know what I was looking at. I flipped my Explorer shut as she walked up, can't have her see me ordering Christmas stuff. Then she picked up a catalog and proceeds to read it to me. Yes the catalog is cool, ThinkGeek.com. But It's like when someone reads you the Comics in the Sunday paper after you read them. Quite annoying when she's 20 almost 21. I find all sorts of gifts in this catalog, for my twenty something kids and even the Hubby's co-workers. A few years ago all of his co-workers got plush germs for Christmas. I growled at the daughter and she started to walk off with my catalog. I demanded it back and told her to call me if she's coming home for dinner. She flipping asked me if I was hot flashing and she ran up the stairs. She forgets I know where she sleeps.

Grrrrr Argh, The beatings will commence until morale improves. (Mine)

Scrub cap

2010-12-04T18:15:00.000-06:00

I made this scrub cap for my Hubby's co-worker. It's a sage green, almost khahi green. I embroidered

Paul, the big 60 in the center of the cap. The picture was really bad, because the restaurant was dark. I used my iPhone without a flash. The birthday boy is on the left and Hubby is on the right.

This morning was normal Saturday chores: laundry, grocery shopping, etc. After I finished putting up all the groceries I headed for the sewing room. I got the bathmat to finish the embroidery. It was tough, the bobbin didn't like me. Then I folded the ratty towel together and stitched the sides, leaving a section to turn it.

At this point the Hubby wanted me to run to Target with him, he put together the fake Christmas tree and wanted a new power strip for the tree and my angel for the tree topper is old. He wanted a new tree topper. We found a glittery star.

I trimmed the towel with my pinking shears and then turned it right sides out. Top stitched the edges to close the opening. I really like how it turned out. I just need to wash it and throw away the old rug in the upstairs bathroom.

I also cut out a few tote bags for Monday. I need to run and get purple zippers for one of the totes.

Sew and Tell Friday

2010-12-03T17:17:00.000-06:00

I love Sew and Tell Friday at AmyLouWho's site. Every Friday morning I check my email, then pop over to see what Amy has done this week. Even when I don't have anything to post. Finding myself checking through the day and all weekend long as sewers like us post what they worked on this week.

I have been in a slump. I tell my husband and kids that when they feel sick, they will feel better to get up take a shower and get dressed. There is a scene in one of my favorite Sandra Bullock movies where she's grieving for her husband and her sister shows up, climbs under the covers with her. Tells her to get up, brush her teeth and take care of her girls. This is what I decided to do, figuratively of course. To just get up and start sewing. Yesterday I sewed another scrub cap for the Hubby's co-worker who is turning the big 60. I'll take a picture at the birthday dinner tonight, and post it tomorrow.

After embossing the HIS towel, I decided that both my boys needed towels for Christmas. They are both in the Army. Boys always need fresh towels. When (yes when) they get deployed overseas the towels are yucky. So I embossed their names on Khahi colored towels. Before you asked I just got them for $5 at Walmart.

Yes my Hubby named his boys, Conan and Shon. Each of his kids are names after Irish Kings and Queens. It makes it hard to find things with their names on them, like pencils, key chains, etc. But I know that because their names are unique their towels won't get lost in the laundry. I tried to upload more photos and Blogger kept locking up, So sorry only one photo of the towels.

Saturday I'm going to make a new bathmat for the boys bathroom and then do wash cloths for the boys. I have the machines all set up and ready to go.

When I tried to wind the bobbins, they were all weird because the spools of thread are large too large for the sidewinder. I stuck the spool inside a plastic cup to hold it from wobbling and falling on the floor. The bobbins were still messed up. I wound the thread from bobbin 1 to bobbin 2. It worked so much better. I had tried the pre-wound bobbins but you can't always find the right color.

I spent most of the last two days in my sewing room and I can't believe how much better I feel. I made a list and I'm checking it twice. Running errand became a chore, because I didn't want to shut things down, but I had to go to the dry cleaners, they are now closed over the weekend.

Day 2 of the Original Sewing Expo

2010-11-12T21:06:00.000-06:00

Okay, yesterday I wrote about my Embossed towel I stitched yesterday. I gave another classmate from yesterday the directions on how to digitize the embossed design. First class today was Beyond the Basic's in 4D/5D Professional software.

I learned so much. Then as class broke up the lady in front of me overheard me and Mary talking about the embossed towel. She asked if I had the directions, but I had already given my copy away to another lady. So we talked through the directions and she was going to see if she could get a copy of the directions, from Diana Cedollia. Love that lady, she was so sweet and loved teaching us the new software. She demo'd the same project in both 4D and 5D at the same time. Flipping back and forth from window to window.

My second class was after lunch, making a laptop case. I'm not a quilter, but I learned a couple of new techniques in this class. First we embroidered the back, then strip pieced the front. Second was to make a block, I can't remember the name. After sewing the three pieces into one long strip. The hard part was fusing the tricot fusible to the three pieces. I had not pressed the seams in one direction. So I pulled the fusible back off, pressed the seams again and the fused it again.

After basting to a duck canvas, we folded up the bottom (or front) and then boxed the corners. Repeated for the lining. The lining is slid inside the main bag, basted and then using bias tape, binding the raw edges.

The three steps I have left, to bind, to place the grommet and then sew the tie on the front,

Today was my small shopping time, I bought some threads, filled bobbins, an oil pen. Plus one splurge on a piece of red flowered fabric, so a skirt or maybe a hawaiian shirt for my annual trip to Vegas.

I'm going to post my towel and my laptop bag on the Amy Lou Who's Sew and Tell.

Day 1 of the Original Sewing Expo

2010-11-11T20:01:00.000-06:00

Today was great I took 3 classes. First was a presentation about digitizing by Diana Cedollia. She demo'd 5D and talked about the new changes. I met some new ladies. I am the kind of lady who talks to strangers in the grocery store. I talk to every one.

Second class was a hands on class about embossing, taught by Diana. We set up the towels and walked through hooping and then started the embroidery machines to stitching. Then Diana demo'd in 5D how to make and embossed design. She answered a bunch of questions. I got an extra copy of the handout for one of the ladies from this morning.

I'll post pictures of my towel tomorrow. I left it in the car is the parking garage. I walked around the very reduced expo hall. Last year it was twice the size as this year. Favorite booths are here, but...

Third class was with Debra Bohn, who teaches 4D/5D software. Even though I use my software all the time, I always learn something new during every class I take. Today I learned how to set up an embossing, how to align buttonholes, and to use stitch editor to change an existing designs fill patterns.

Today, I was reminded that last year I got a call about the shooting at Ft Hood. My son is stationed there and while I know the anniversary was last week. Today is Veteran's Day. Thank your favorite Vet, or even your non-favorite Vet. They will stand a little taller for it.

Original Sewing Expo

2010-11-10T22:28:00.000-06:00

Today was the day before classes for The Original Sewing Expo. I took Diana Cedollia's Serger Bootcamp classes.

The first class was all about learning the serger. We made a bunch of samples. I liked it, but Diana said that when she teaches the class at home, she takes 2 days versus 3 hours. Each student brought their own machine, so every time we tried something new, Diana checked with each of the 19 students to see if they knew where the button was, or the dial.

After lunch, I switched to a Babylock Evolution serger. I've been wanting one. Now I want it even more, but I need to wait. We finished two projects. This time the class was smaller, with 9 students. The first project was a sweatshirt.

I like the weight of it and I learned a few new techniques. The second item was a tote. It was interesting, she used the tucked in boxed corner technique that I use on my favority tote.

I need to stitch the hole for turning the tote inside out, and top stitch the top. But it was really nice to finish two projects, and not come home with more UFOs.

Tomorrow is two digitizing classes and one embossing class, we actually leave class with an embossed towel.

I'm back

2010-11-09T10:28:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry I was lost, but I'm not gone forever.

I was reading at Made by Rae about Celebrated the Boy and I got excited. I sent the ladies an email about my idea.

But I can't chat, because I'm supposed to be packing for Minneapolis. I'm going to the Original Sewing Expo, 11 - 13 Nov. It is during hunting season around here. Last year it was opening weekend of hunting season, so once your Hubby left for hunting, you could join the ladies sewing.

I will try to post while I'm at the convention. They have rules about pictures at the Expo Hall. I got caught last year, and asked to put up my camera. iPhone to the rescue.

Okay really, I gotta go.

Day Three of IEC

2010-09-30T20:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was fabulous. I had a basic digitizing class with Terri Hanson of Terradon Embroidery. She is also from Minnesota. She gave me a few good hints. There was another lady in the class who also has 4D Pro, who was not happy with her software. I helped her a bit, but I think she's going shopping for new software.

After lunch Edie W, showed us how to print on fabric. She talked about different brands of fabric sheets for ink jet printers. She also showed up how to use Bubble Jet to make our own fabric sheets.

I roamed around Evansville for a bit, stopped at Toys R Us for the grandkids.

Today, was all about embroidery. My first class was Edie's Fun with Mylar class.

After lunch, I had class with Reen, from Embroidery Garden. We made a small pumpkin coin purse in the hoop. Putting my stuff away, I climbed in the truck and went to the mall for jeans and dress pants for my Dad. He's tall and skinny, finding 36 inch inseam pants is hard. Then I found the Joann's looking for more pirate fabric.

Of course, Red Lobster was on the menu. I came back to the room to watch Project Runway, but I guess I have to watch on the Internet tomorrow, because the hotel does not have Lifetime.

Day One of IEC

2010-09-28T21:56:00.000-05:00

My day started at 5 am, I was on the road at 6 am.

I drove past Evansville, IN, to Ft Campbell KY. My oldest son is stationed there. We talked him into waiting on his car, until he found out what was going on at his first duty station, could he be deployed right away. The answer is not until May 2011. The deal we made was that I would bring his car in Oct when I came to visit my Dad. My dad lives 4 hours east of Ft Campbell.

After finding his unit, I started to unload the car from the Tow Dolly. I was startled when a sergeant asked me if I was repossessing the car. I laughed and said no, I'd be a bad repossesser. Then I told him I was delivering the car to my son. He offered to help me unload it. After visiting with the boy, I dropped off the tow dolly and headed north again. I'll stop back when we have more time together next week.

I made it to Evansville in time for the opening ceremony and first class. Mary Young taught basic digitizing, called "Where do I start?"

Mary is helping a student try to ungroup lettering.

Class was spread out, due to power plugs.

Mary and a couple of new friends. Darlene, sitting next to me is taking her part-time embroidery and quilting business to full-time.

On the Road

2010-09-27T21:16:00.000-05:00

7 am Bemidji

9:15 pm in El Paso Illinois, 20 miles north of Bloomington.

Well I'm packed and ready to go.

2010-09-26T15:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday my husband traded me time to bake potato rolls for helping me hook up the tow dolly and load the car. I made three batches of rolls, for a BBQ at one of his co-workers. Every time we go to a cookout or a holiday dinner I get "Can Carol bring rolls?" I'm wondering if my Husband is not starting it and they just agree.

The first batch didn't seem to want to rise, so I warmed up the oven under the bowl and placed it closer to the vent. Twenty minutes later we were ready to roll out the dough. I should have taken pictures, of my three big bowls rising on top the stove. I make a batch and set the timer, then make a batch and set the second timer. This gives me 10 minutes between to roll out the first batch til the second batch is ready. The three bowls or batches gave me five tinfoil trays of rolls. Each try has 20 rolls in them.

I left one tray at home to be nibbled on and took the other four to the BBQ. One of the youngsters was sneaking rolls, when he thought no one was looking. I had given his Mom the recipe, but telling someone that they take 3 hours to make, slows them down. The dough rises twice for an hour each (2 hours). Mixing takes 15 and baking takes 25 minutes.

Between I packed my sewing machine and I hope everything I'll need for the Conference. I packed my laptop and digitizing work to bring with. I packed my audio books, and muchines. The Hubby helped me load up the son's car with all that he wants me to bring him.

POTATO ROLLS

1 Tablespoon Yeast

1 Tablespoon Sugar

½ Cup lukewarm water

· Mix together and set aside. To speed the yeast activation set over a bowl of hot water.

1 Cup scalded milk or canned evaporated milk, (Dry milk – reconstituted)

1 Cup hot potatoes (can use reconstituted potato pearls or potato flakes)

2 Teaspoons salt

½ Cup margarine

½ Cup sugar

· Mix above ingredients and let cool until lukewarm

· Add 2 eggs and yeast mixture

· Knead in 5-6 cups flour (2 cups at a time) until not sticky (Can use Kitchaid or Bosch mixer).

· Cover and set aside to rise (double the size) for 1 hour

Rises faster in a warm place/close to warm oven

· Mix down and roll out to about ½ inch thick. Cut out rolls, with circle cutter or glass.

· Place in pan (touching) (20 to pan). Set aside to rise (double the size) for 1 hour

· Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown

· While rolls are hot butter the tops.

Shirts for me

2010-09-22T17:01:00.000-05:00

Getting ready for my trip I decided that I need some t-shirts embroidered. I like this one best, because the variegated thread goes from lavender to pink. Plus I have always loved the geometric look, reminds me of my youth and drawing with pens and the gears. I'll remember what that is called at midnight tonight.

I used the Sewing with Nancy Place and Stitch book. You lay your shirt on the book to figure out the neckline, then you open your software with the neckline embroidery (basting stitches). I copied and pasted the neckline, because it only gives you one side, lined then two up and flipped one over, Then I browsed my bazillion stitch files for something cute, but not to old. I added the first one at the center of the neckline, then copied the rest up the collar. I didn't go all the way to the shoulder for two reasons: 1: my hair covers the shoulder area and 2: the way I laid it out on the hoop would not let me. LOL

So after I finished these two, I started to look for more shirts to do. I found was some white shirts with stuff on them already. I let the teenager rummage through the pile and she took two. This is what she left - a mess on my bed.

I had to run some errands, so I stopped at Fashion Bug and got a bunch of shirts On Sale. It was buy one on clearance get the second clearance $5. I got 6 shirts. Three of them are perfect to decorate: 2 white and one teal green. Plus a cute tunic with lace, then a blue t-shirt, with a weird fabric flower thing and a nice black 3/4 length sleeve with hot pink swirls.

I have plans for the fabric flower covers t-shirt, but you have to wait until tomorrow for the before and after pictures. The Hubby called and said he needs another scrub cap with Pirate stuff on it, because one of the guys is having a rough day and needs to growl at another office. Grrr Arrgh

Getting ready for Indianna

2010-09-21T17:40:00.000-05:00

I've been working on Projects for my upcoming trip to Indiana. You can't read it very well but it has the name of the conference. I choose a grey thread that blended in the denim.

I'm excited about going to the International Embroidery Conference in Evansville IN.

I added tons of pockets. There are four upper pockets with two lower on the top by my hand, and three upper and three lower pockets on the bottom, closest to the cutting table. This flower burst pattern has been on the stash pile for over a year now. There is also the same pattern in a plum/purple color. My daughter liked the blue with the denim, but she frowned over the plum. (she's my artist child) The fabric might become my working out the kinks fabric, because it's a nice home dec weight. I had a problem, I cut the boxed corners the wrong size. I wanted it to be narrower. This made the bag almost square. My travel cadoodle plastic box fits inside the bag perfectly, even with the corners oversized. I can also slide in rulers, my soda, etc. This is going to become a good going to sewing class bag.

Every Tuesday morning I have to go read Tool Time Tuesday by Sew Many Ways. Karen always has some interesting ways to use different items from a hardware store in your sewing room. Plus I want her sewing room, it's 12' x 24'. Today Karen took two side tables and a hollow core door and made a new desk. I did something similar with my cutting table. Karen is 5ft 3/4 inch and I'm 5ft 8 inches. So we have similar problems of normal furniture not being the right height. My cutting table, one from Joann's with the folding legs, which kept trying to fold up and one of the legs became bent. I bought two cubby bookshelves from Target and a bunch of the fabric drawers. I slid then cubbies in place and flipped my table on top, then literally pried the legs off, my husband had glued them. Then I flipped the table back over. One side of the table is hanging down, but I'm looking for the perfect hinge and bracket to hold up the rest of the table, but still allow me to fold it back down. I put a lot of my stuff in the fabric drawers, but I ended up flipping them on their side so I can see what's in them. Until I find the right method of labeling the boxes.

My cutting table fixed.

Like my model

2010-09-16T15:16:00.008-05:00

I asked my husband to model my newest creation and he looked at me like I was crazy. I found a new model in the garage. I think he's kind of appropriate. My husband has been visiting the surgeon monthly for the last six months and This should be his last checkup visit. I thought a nice gift was in order. Hubby thought it was funny and liked it, but would not wear the scrub cap.

Butterick Pattern 4946 was fast and easy

I used the scraps and made two more Name tag holders from Reen at Embroidery Garden, for the Disney trip. Yes I gave in and booked the trip in January to Florida. Here in the Great Northwoods of Minnesota the end of January and beginning of February are known for being cold (50 below zero cold). Florida in January is good. This is our anniversary present to us. The name bagde holders are made in the hoop. I also made some travel folders. A long time ago I was given a plastic folder that I use all the time to hold the trip papers; flight reservations, hotels, car rentals, the maps, and then all the receipts. My plastic one is great, but I only have one. I have four trips coming up and I need a folder for each trip. I could have made it totally out of fabric, but the file folder method works for me. I sprayed the back of the folder and laid it on the fabric and pressed. Once the fabric was in place, I covered an extra piece of the file folder for use as a pocket. I stitched across the bottom of the pocket and then stitched up one side of the folder catching all layers in the seam, across the top and down the other side. This will be perfect for holding all my documents in one place for each of my trips. I need to make a few more, but I liked how it turned out. I can cover the inside of the folder too, but maybe next time. The file folder added just the right amount of firmness. I cut the file folder the right size to hold a bond sheet of paper folder in half.

Buried under hats and shirts

2010-09-09T12:00:00.006-05:00

I've been buried under hats and shirts. I just finished 18 shirts in 3 hours. a shirt every ten minutes.

Just so you don't think I've only been working on shirts and hats. I am going to an Embroidery Conference in Evansville IN. I made a name tag. I hate the plastic things or the "Hello my Name is" sticker ones. I found this great design on Embroidery Garden's website. Of course I modified it. I'm going to make some of the original design, she added a plastic pocket to the front for the name tag to slide into. A second additon is the pocket on the back. I love this thread fabric. These are my colors, red and green. The design has a great sewn button hole to add the clip snap thing for a retractable badge holder to.

I also finished another bag for my mother-in-law for Christmas. It has her name on it, using my quick tote tutorial. I also cut out two more bags from a yard of demin I had in the stash pile. I found a nice blue for the straps. I also cut out a surprise bag. I haven't decided who is going to get this one, yet. It's going to be a cross between the quick tote and the big market bag. I have black cordura for the bottom, and the perfect fabric for the body of the bag. I have an embroidery design I made that I want to put on it, but I'm debating, because then I will not want to give the bag way.

I got my Original Sewing Expo package in the mail for the 11 - 13 Nov trip to Minneapolis. I have a hard time picking classes. I need to check in with my travel buddy to see if she can still go. Plus the Hubby wants to go on a trip, so after I get back from dropping off shirts and hats, I'm going to be knee deep in Delta.com for travel arrangements. Our anniversary is coming up and he wants tickets to Disney World. Plus he's working overtime to make sure I can't say No. Isn't he cute. I haven't said yes, but like a kid, he's decided that if I don't say No, then it's Yes. He's plotting and planning; driving me crazy with his plans. Every day is more plans. Got go here, eat there. etc. I'm going to keep him, even the kid part of him.

Finished scripture Bag

2010-08-14T14:53:00.006-05:00

I finished the bag for my friend's autistic son, this afternoon. I want to bring it to him tomorrow at church. I made it a touch big so he can cram his cars and such in the bag. I placed my scriptures in the bag to make sure everything worked. That's why the bag is standing on it's own.

I made notes and doodles and I worked on the bag. I decided to square off the corners versus the curves.

My hubby wanted me to add a bunch more embroideries of Robots, by Dakota Collectibles, but I wanted to finish the bag in time for church tomorrow.

So now is time to type up my notes and plan which photos to take while making the next one for the tutorial. My notes have color choices, start and stop numbers inside the embroidery designs.

CTR and Scriptures

2010-08-10T14:01:00.003-05:00

I began to draft a new Scripture bag. Sunday I found my youth to give the new case to. I find it's easier to have someone in mind to make a bag. Christian turned 8 this summer and needs a new bag, I had been wanting to make him one. So I asked him Mom, and she asked him his favorite color. He is Autistic, so lots of textures. So today I cut out the pieces and embroidered his name in primary colors and then I put the letters CTR together from a puzzle alphabet. The puzzle is the autistic symbol, like a pink ribbon is for breast cancer.

The puzzle alphabet had the letters filled in, but I decided I liked the look and feel of just the blocks without the lettering filled in. I should have stopped and not stitched out the black border. Because of my putting the pieces together, the border wasn't just right. I also should have used matching thread in the bobbin. The duck cloth holds embroidery, but in a few small spots, you could see white bobbin thread.

CTR stands for the saying, Choose the Right. I liked how this will make this pocket pop. The colors are poppy red, bright blue and daffodil yellow. I'm going to add a Velcro closure to the pocket, to hold his music player. The music in his ear helps him sit for longer times at church and school. So far I like the duck cloth much better than the cordura. I'm debating whether to have the zipper the same as the last bag or long like my hubby's bag, the zipper goes all the way to the bottom of the bag to fold out holding the scriptures.

There is a storm rolling in from the Dakotas and the hubby and I are taking the kids to the movies, so finishing the embroidery and cutting out all the parts fit well for today's project.

Shirts and more Shirts

2010-08-09T21:48:00.006-05:00

Today was a very productive day. I finished lots of shirts. Some for a friend for the Annual All School reunion., the hot pink on the black shirt is great.

The red T-Shirt started as a joke, when I was going to my son's graduation from Army basic training. I told my mother-in-law that I was going to make shirts that said Proud ARMY Mom in Air Force blue. Many of you don't know that military service runs in the family. We have two son's in the Army, a son-in-law in the Navy, my Husband retired from the Air Force and I spent 15 years in the Air Force. The boys' grandfather on their Mom's side was a retired Marine E-9 Chief or Top. So the red shirt says Proud ARMY grandma, but is in Marine red and gold.

Then my Husband who is on vacation, while our son is here, bough some t-shirts and asked me to put more tanks on them. The son on leave is an Abraham M1-A1 tank driver. So two more shirts.

Then our daughter is going to work for my friend at the new game shop and I made her two work polos. I also had one more polo for another friend for his shop.

Wow, long two weeks

2010-08-06T10:08:00.003-05:00

I was busy getting ready for a quick flight to Georgia to visit the grandkids (parents too). Then One of the boys is here. His sister picked him up Friday at the airport, and they went to the movies Saturday before we got back from Georgia Sunday. The Hubby is home on vacation.

I sewed out a few shirts and such, but with the house full it's hard to close the door (ohh yah, my door doesn't close, to much stuff in the way. It's okay to laugh at me, because I laugh at me.

Weds I got my grubby hands on my copy of 5D Professional software by Viking. I read the booklets and ohhed and ahhed while the software loaded on my laptop. I'm pretty pleased. Yes, it's expensive, but I can take it off my taxes. I've tried other programs. I like this best. It might be because I made a fabulous friend at the Viking dealer and she shows me new stuff and has a monthly class. Yes sometimes, it's review for me, but I always learn something new. A new technique or another way to look at stuff.

I loaded MyFonts with the quick fonts wizard and only had a few problems. One is that my 4D pro wasn't really working on my desktop, for a bit, I had to keep fixing the locking out my dongle problem which was annoying. It got to be faster to just grab my laptop. I uploaded 5D on the desktop and no dongle problem. (well maybe a little dongle problem). Excewpt my most recent files are on the laptop. I need to run a backup and merge of my embroidery files. Pain in the pat-tootie. I do need to do it, because we get power blips in the Great North Woods.

New Problem: where did I leave my dongle? I'm downstairs by my sewing room and the dongle is upstairs by my laptop. Yes laugh at me. I was thinking I need a lanyard around my neck for the dongle, or one of those zipline things for name tags. I have one somewhere, from my old job, where I had to swipe my badge to open doors.

Well I'm gonna go deliver some shirts and then start some more shirts. I only have one more job, then I can work on my own stuff. I want to make more zipper bags. I have a design for a stationary folder for the boys running around my head. Maybe they will write home more often if I give them a full stationary kit. I also want to make them an embroidered shave kit. The youngest comes home with only the clothes on his back and his game stuff. I fill the bathroom cabinet with stuff, because he always needs a new toothbrush when he gets here.

digitizing at the hospital

2010-07-23T16:45:00.002-05:00

Wow The procedure took 4 1/2 hours from walking in the door to walking out to the car. While I hate getting up so early to be at the same day surgery at 6 am (finishing at 9:15 am), I find that they are so much faster, than coming in at 8:30 am, finishing at 1 pm. Same procedure. Hubby is fine making jokes and watching TV (flipping channels).

I brought my laptop and digitized a couple of things. I want to make a nice USB Storage folder for my computer bag. So I laided it out on paper and then digitized it. I also corrected the small bags from yesterday, I needed to adjust the sewing lines by the zipper. The ones I did work, but the zipper is really tight. Then I began to add names and embellishments to the basic outline. I made a folder on my computer to store all the files so when I'm ready I can stitch out the bags. I still need to fix the zipper spacing on the tall 5 x 7 bag, for the Vegas trip.

I got a great connection at the hospital for WiFI and could breeze around and check on who posted on Amy Lou Who and Lush Friday.

After I settled the Hubby at home, I needed to come into the Family History Center and make some calls to Salt Lake about our Microfilm Scanner and the software. Looks like I'm stuck emailing people at the Imagaing company to figure out why the sfotware only scans a white page. I've been calling the company since 4pm Central time with just a recording. I know I really expected someone to work on Friday afternoon?

Zipper Bags in the Hoop

2010-07-22T16:31:00.005-05:00

I digitized these zipper bags in the hoop. There are the same size as my wristlets. I think they are going to make great Christmas presents, because they are really fast. Half the time of the other way.

The first one I sewed out is for my step-mother. I thought to blur out the name, but my camera did that for me. I love the love of the font, but it is hard to read sometimes.

The second bag I did was just fabric. My friend is a huge music lady and she doesn't make fun of her tone deaf friend (ME), when we sing in church. No I'm not in the choir, just when we sit together. I was going to put her Initials on it, but I think the fabric is too busy for embroidery.

The third one is a keeper. I was playing with just the width of the stitching by the zipper, and decided to add a swirl border from my Embroidery Machine. I love the look. I wish there is a better way to transfer the embroidery designs from my machine to my computer/software.

When I save to the disk, it is in a format my software won't open.

I also added a small piece of suede to the side to act as a key clip. Then after I flipped it I threaded on a key ring. The hardest part is remembering to open the zipper before you stitch the back on. I figured out a good way to remove the extra sticky stablizer before opening the zipper, because the stabilizer kept trying to stick to the zipper pull. I know I just want it to stick, but not when I want it to not stick. I'm just fickle like that.

The hubby has a procedure tomorrow morning. He's got an ongoing problem, this will be the 4th procedure since March. Normally I just read, while I'm waiting. I'm going to bring my laptop this time. I can play with laying out the Christmas list, initials and such. I laid out another bag, this time 5 wide by 7 tall, and added extra stitches so I can add a strap. I have some great braided cord that would make a cute strap. This size makes a quick bag for travel when all you want is your phone, a hotel room key and some cash. Vegas Here I come. No not really, not until next April for the Hubby's annual conference. Ohhh, pockets.

I also have more laminated cotton, Amy Butler to make the bags into quick makeup cases.

Maybe I can try pleats? Hmmmm?? Oh, I have to log off, because it just started to rain buckets and I can hear the thunder in the distance. We get power blips during storms, so we shut down the computers and I make sure the sewing machines are unplugged.

Laminated Cotton quick tote Tutorial

2010-07-03T17:47:00.016-05:00

Laminated Tote Bag Tutorial

Supplies

1 half yard of material

Cut main bag 16 x 26 (18 x 28)

Cut 2 pockets 6 x 16 (7 x 18)

Larger size uses the whole half yard of fabric.

2-9 inch zippers

90/14 universal needle, cotton thread.

Cut all materials.

POCKETS

Step 1. Sew zipper face down on fabric face up along the 6 or 8 inch side, 1/4 seam allowance.

Step 2. Flip zipper face up, pin and top sticth along edge, catching zipper tape.

Step 3. Sew zipper face down on fabric face up along opposite side.

Step 4. Flip pocket right side out.

Step 5. Pin and top stitch zipper and back together.

Step 6. Open zipper and stitch over zipper teeth.

Repeat for second pocket. I like to make both pockets at the same time, sort of like chain piecing.

MAIN BAG

Step 1. Hem each 16 inch side, using the double fold 1/2 inch hem. (Fold 1/2 inch, fold again 1/2 inch and stitch).

Step 2. Lay bag flat.

Step 3. Mark in 4 1/2 inches (5 1/2) from each side with chalk pencil. Chalk will rub off the laminated cotton, it is just temporary. Lay a pocket 1 1/2 inches down from the hem.

Step 4. Pin the web belting along the chalk mark. The pocket sides sholuld be caught under the web belting. Overlap the ends of the belting, tucking under the top layer. Measure the start and stop of the loose part of the handle to ensure they are even.

Finished pinning the web belting. Add Label if you want.

Step 5. Stitch down the belting, starting with the inside of the belting (Closest to the pockets). Stitch down the pockets as you are working your way around the belting.

Step 6. Fold bag in half right sides together. mark the bottom along the sides. Measure up from that mark 2 inches and mark. Flip bag and do again, until you have six marks, three on each side.

Step 7. Fold the outer two marks together tucking the middle in. Pin. Repeat for the other side.

Step 8. Straight stitch the side seams, 1/2 inch. back stitch at beginning and end of each seam. Now you can serge the seams or zigzag along the straight seam. If I use the zigzag method, I also straight stitch again along the outer edge of the stitching. You can trim the seam allowance if you like.

Step 9. Flip the bag right side out, use your fingers to tuck the pleat evenly.

Finished. Marvel at the ease, plot another one. Oh wait!!! gotta feed the family first.

errand day

2010-07-01T16:40:00.002-05:00

Today was errand day, which means I left the house at 9:30 and returned tired and a little cranky at 3:00. Yesterday, I got a box of shirts from the wholesale company I like. I checked my order and then I had to add two more stops to my list.

A friend is a large lady and wants me to make her shirts for a school reunion in August. They came in the box. I took the shirts to her to try on, because I don't know what planet, a 3X ladies shirt is smaller than a man's XL polo. Of course they didn't work. Gotta send them back.

A regular customer wanted some lighter weight polos, for his business for the summer. I got those too. But the shirts had ribbing on the sleeves. Nope they won't work either, gotta go back.

Tomorrow, I need to stop and have another customer try on the shirt, because it looks to small to me. What do I know, I'm a big lady and this shirt looks like it would fit my 10 year old niece. But the shirts are for a teenager I've not seen. I prefer to run over and have the shirt tried on; then to embroider it and it doesn't fit. That is the down side of being a "small" business, I order my shirts as needed and don't carry a large stock of shirts, no place to store them. I add the shipping time into my delivery due date. I know the first two customers were happy I came by for them to decide on the shirts. I can always send them back. Now they know there will be a small delay.

New Roof

2010-06-30T17:02:00.006-05:00

Wow does the house look different. The roofers arrived at 7:50 this morning.

This is my first picture at 8:45 am, the roof is naked, down to bare wood.

Then at 11:00, the felt went down and the drip edge was almost done. The drip edge guy sang in Spanish. I watched him stop to catch a bottle of water so I know he was the singer not a boom box.

The main house is finished and they are laying the shingles on the garage. I want to spot the guy with the shingles on his shoulder. He lifted two packs of shingles and toted them up the ladder and laid them out. All day long up the ladder, down the ladder, up the ladder. In each of the pictures, he's on the ladder or carrying something across the roof.

2:00pm finished and cleaned up. They even swept my back deck and the driveway. The dumpster guy picked up the full dumpster at 5:00pm.

New Bag

2010-06-30T10:51:00.007-05:00

I waited again yesterday. I called and they are definitely coming on Weds. I have good news they showed up today at 7:50 am.

I cleaned out one of the spare bedrooms while I waited, the closet had become a dumping ground. I pulled everything out and then only put in the stuff that should be in there. I found all my 72 hour kit stuff. I think next week, I will put the kits together and see what I'm missing. A 72 hour kit is an emergency bag to grab when you get evacuated from your house for 2 or 3 days, due to weather, diaster or something. This spare bedroom was one of the boys', he's now in the Army. Last time we had a visitor try to sleep on the twin bed, it was too funny. I've slept on that twin, it's not so funny. (when a grandchild visited and cried for Mom).

I pulled out all the sheets and paired them into sets after I washed them, the boy just shoved them in the closet. I've been washing sheets and blankets for the last two days. We don't have a twin bed anywhere in the house anymore, so I'm going to give them to a friend. The good sets of course. Buzz Lightyear and Power Rangers will go to a good home.

Then I sewed:

I have this perfect bag. It's the right size for everything from sample to show a client to carrying my drawing and doodling stuff. I carry it all the time. My husband gets crazy because a lot of the time, it has something in it when I want it and I just dump out the stuff in it and go. I decided to make myself some more of this size bag. This is the first one. The fabric is Micheal Miller laminated cotton called Black Damask. I added the outside pockets instead of the inside pencil pocket. The bag is big enough to hold a 1" three ring binder. I'm going to make more if these in different colors. I'd like to sort the bags by use. This way I always know where my drawing stuff is, it's in the drawing bag.

The hardest part was the bottom pleat. The Original bag had this detail. To make the pleat, you find the bottom and mark it, then measure up 2" on both sides (you should have six marks now three on each side). The tuck in the bottom lining up the 2" marks on each side and pin. I'll take better pictures when I get the next one cut out. Okay then when you sew up your side seams, the tucked in part becomes the pleat, like a reverse boxed corner, without trimming off the triangle.

I used the pocket idea from a bag I have that holds my laptop. The pocket is formed as a cyclinder with the zipper. Top stitch the zipper to the back of the pocket. I used the web belting to hold the pockets in place. This actually forms two pockets one zippered and one behind. very very easy peasy. What else did I change, oh yah, I made the straps 6 inches longer.

The laminated cotton works wonderfully. I was surprised that I could just tear it like duck cloth. I cliped the selvange and torn. I have this Black Damask on a roll. Note: I pinned and should have pinned more. There are a couple of wiggly places, but I'm the only one to notice. The zippers wiggled, so I need more pins next time.

embroidery club

2010-06-28T21:28:00.003-05:00

I attend two different embroidery clubs a month. The local one is by my friend Bobbie, she is the Viking dealer and She has classes regularly. The sceond club is about 1:30 minutes down the road. I went today, when I called the roofers and found out they were not going to make it today. When I walked in Tanya the owner, handed me a cd of designs, she said I ordered last time.
The crazy part is I don't remember ordering the cd, but it was exactly what I need. I was asked to make a baby announcement about 6 months ago. The mommy's sister had a baby boy, and the mommy wants me to make one for her nephew. For the first baby, a girl, I made the embroidered announcement with flowers in bright pink on chocolate brown fabric. This time, I needed something for a boy. The fabric is going to be mottled blue, with green lettering. I'm thinking the ducks or the teddy bears in the corners. But my first thought was a train, I have to think about it.

Tomorrow, is the roof guys. I got a call from the window guys and rescheduled them to next week, because they are running behind, because of the rain storms last week. Today was fabulous sunny and 65 degrees. The roofers dropped off the dumpster and the supplies to do the roof.

My to do list
Placemats 90 %
Roberts Wedding announcement 90%
Lasley wedding announcements 90%
Apron 100%
etc

Friday sew and tell

2010-06-25T10:18:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I actually told the Hubby I had stuff to do. I gave him the checkbook and closed my eyes. He left with 3 places to go, then came back and told me he made 7 stops. I knew the checkbook was a bad idea. LOL

I finished two of the four placemats I started the other day. I used the pattern "Take Four" it's a stack and wack pattern. It was pretty quick I finished 4 tops in an hour and a half.

Then I finished two quiltings, and backings in about 45 minutes. I was trimming the batting from the thirs and cut of part of the backing. I trimmed them and decided to bind the second two with a regular binding. The first two I used the Quick Mitered border ruler. I have the second two bindings cut and pressed. One is stitched and pinned for the front to be sewn down. the second is pinned for the first sewing.

While at Embroidery club, I bought another 1\2 yard of the backing green fabric, because for the binding I had to cut into one of the backing fat quarters. The plan is to make a total of eight placemats for my kitchen table.

I like out the cutting option shows the colors, and forms a pattern across the placemat. This is going to make a great class.

This week has been a very busy sewing week. After I called all the maintenance men and confirmed dates for arrival, I could stop sitting in the kitchen, because when I'm working down stairs, I hear a noise and I have to come up stairs to see if it is them. I do that three or four times, before I just hang out in the kitchen instead. I'm trying to post every day or every other day. I did like Candi for Candied Fabrics and made a list of projects in the order they need to get done.

To Do List:
4 Placemats 85% needs binding finished
Wedding announcements 25% digitized
Penny's apron 25% digitized
Pat's hats 35% digitized and sample stitched out
Chuck's Hats 20% digitized
Dennis's shirts ordered from wholesaler
Tami's Shirts " "
Vickie's shirts " "

I have finished a bunch of projects this week, so take a minute and look to see what I made. I'm linking this up to Amy Lou Who's Sew and Tell Friday. Link on the sidebar.

wild weds

2010-06-23T16:52:00.002-05:00

Today was kind of a wild weds. The hubby had a doctors appointment, so he took a sick day, yes the whole day. This morning, I got to sleep in no lunch to make, while he had his blood work done at 7 am. Then a quick run through the house, before he left again for the appointment at 10 am. This is just a normal regular visit. His numbers are fabulous; blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.

The tornado arrived and wisked me off to lunch at Subway, then he made me go the Bemidji Woolen Mill, looking for new slippers. Had to stop by the Pendleton Blankets. The Woolen Mill has an annual warehouse sale in August. I reminded him, so I could get him out the door.

He's been out in the garage cutting wooden bowls on his lathe. I ordered his slippers online. Then I ordered new filters for his mask to prevent him from breathing in the dust. I also ordered shirts for three orders I have and added youth shirts to the pile for Christmas presents. I also added a few onesies, for the twins.

I don't know what is up with blogger, but it doesn't want me to add images. Maybe tomorrow. I did some digitizing and computer work. I can't belive it's already 5pm. This is what happens when my Hubby is home for the day. Tomorrow is a repeat, he has another appointment.

Plan for tomorrow is to embroider an apron for a client, three wedding announcements, two more hankies. and finish the placemats before Embroidery club at 6pm. I found a cute wedding ring design that is almost totally an outline, it has highlights to use as quilting for the wedding announcements.

Red Scripture Case

2010-06-22T18:45:00.002-05:00

Today I finished some minor sewing. I had to go back to the green scripture case and reinforce the seams, with a triple stitch. Cutting out two more cases out of red.

Rummaged around and cleaned out some drawers looking for my Quick Mitered Binding ruler. I finally found it. I only had two more drawers left to go, so I cleaned them too. I found my seam allowance pencils, I couldn't find last week when I wanted them.

This morning was spent doing genealogy. I found the elusive Moorhead Genealogy Conference. I found the sponsor and sent out an email to the local Genealogy group, with the link. The hubby reminded me, that I can't go, because I'm supposed to be in Tennessee for my Dad's 70th birthday on the same date. Got a call from a good friend about going to lunch, so I found my shoes and off I went. Lunch was good. We could and have previously spent 3 hours at lunch chit chatting. It was a good thing she had a doctor's appointment at 1 o'clock or we might still be there, chatting.

New Scripture bag and tutorials

2010-06-21T18:33:00.005-05:00

I sat waiting for the Windows installers again this morning. At 10 am I called them, because it started to drizzle. For the last three Mondays I have been hanging out in the kitchen waiting for them. I know they can't install the windows in the rain, but it would be nice if they would call me. Now I'm scheduled for next Tuesday, because of the weather report. Guess what it started to pour down the rain again, as I sit here typing my post.

While I waited I traced out a pattern and wrote directions on making a Simple Scriptures bag. I had bought a nice simple bag for my grandson's birthday in July. I always think I can make that. Today I did.

I finished the actual making of the card holders, and took all the pictures. I will finish the tutorial soon. I made changes as I was making the holder. I always do that. Sometimes it is because something didn't work like today. I was going to use Wonder Under, but I didn't have any, craft spray to the rescue, but it made more of a mess. Then I wanted to use the stitch witchery to close the sides, but the stitch witchery didn't want to sticky to the card stock. I did get the pattern scanned and a couple of copies made before I started. I think the opening might be a pain, so I'm going to get some sticky velcro dots. I only have the sewable ones.

I did a little of the stitching on the Modesty panel, but didn't feel like futzing with the pinning and trying on the top.

I pulled out the Cordura to make the Simple Scripture bag. I cut a chunk off the pile and began to work on it. First to test the embroidery, how would the cordura hold up to the embroidery process?

The red stitching is the first one. I just used a font on my Ellageo. Note the start stitch number of each letter while testing the stabilizer. Second Stitch out was to test my stopping and starting to change colors, and I doubled the stabilizer.

Finished (almost) finished bag. I need to fix a couple of the corners. Clipping a little exuberant. The next bag will be out of a little heavier cordura, which should fix the pucker problem. Cordura is the stuff that briefcases and backpacks are made out of.

Off to watch the Bachelorette. Yes I watch cheese reality TV. I like it. I try and pick the winner or in this case who the Bachelorette will pick.

Writing Tutorials

2010-06-20T15:59:00.003-05:00

As I sat waiting the bug spray guy, I began to write a tutorial for a cleavage cover up or a modesty modifier. I started with the shirt and added the photos as I walked through writing the tutorial in my head. You would have laughed to see me in the kitchen with my cleavage shirt propping up the mirror and trying to get good pictures. the first few were so funny. One had me looking down at my own cleavage in wonder.

I am bosom blessed as you will see tomorrow. I need to finish the cover up. I have the cover up cutout, but not sewn. So after I got the pictures, I put back on my t-shirt and began to write out the directions. I think I finished the directions, still no bug guy. I also wanted to add some small quick things to the Christmas in July classes.

I saw a no sew tutorial on making a Business card holder from an Orbit package. I traced the gum package I have and wanted to write better directions for the class, I'm going to add some small stitching. I got two tracings to fit on one page of cardstock. This way I can make copies and not worry about having gum packages for everybody. My plan is to give the directions with two cardstock template pages. One for class and one to be able to copy from, if the ladies want to make more. Maybe on colored cardstock. I will link up the tutorials when I finish them.

Tomorrow is more waiting. This time for the Windows installer, we're getting new windows in the house. We have drafts through four windows. I hate to be in the middle of something when a repairman comes to the house. Because I lose where I am in the project and most times don't get back to the project and it ends up on the WIP pile.

My Father's day is going great. I had my genealogy class at church, then a meeting with a new boy scout from our troop to get his paperwork staightened out. My husband had his best friend come over for steak dinner. The two of them are outside on the front lawn visiting. Male bonding at it's best. The friend's wife is visiting their only daughter who is expecting their first grandchild any day now. I thought I would post to the blog and start typing up my tutorial notes while they are outside. The teenager is watching "Robin Hood, Men in Tights". I talked to my Dad earlier in the week, they are going out of town to visit friends. Hubby talked to his Dad, yesterday. Our oldest son called this morning and one of the girls texted the Hubby "Happy Father's Day".

Take Four Placemats

2010-06-18T16:24:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I had a bunch of meetings. No Sewing. I did stop and buy a bunch of Christmas fat quarters. I'm working on projects for the shop I like. I'm going to be teaching some classes. The Placemats above are todays project. Of course tomorrows too. I finished the tops and tomorrow while the Hubby is off Male bonding with a friend, I can use the big kitchen table to lay out and pin the batting and backing. They are going to target shot their black powder pistols at the buddy's hunting property. After lunch I get the house to myself. I might not even answer the phone. Teenager is working tomorrow afternoon. Oh, well I just got a call, I have to answer the phone tomorrow and the door. The bug spray guy is coming after lunch. I have the house sprayed annually to keep down the bugs, ticks and spiders. I am a city girl living in the north woods, so bugs be gone.

As you know the weather has been rough here lately. It has rained everyday for 30 days or more. Last night we had tornado watches and warning most of the evening, with thunder and lightning. Which means I shut down all the computers, and sewing machines.

The placemats are from the "Take Four" pattern by Cary Flanagan. I got to meet Cary at the International Quilt Market in Minneapolis. I finished the 4 tops in about 2 hours this afternoon. I had already prepped the fabric. Prepping means I finished the washing, ironing and starching the fabric. I bought enough fabric to make 8 placemats. I need to finish the first 4 by Thursday night.

While I sewed I also washed, ironed and folded the new fat quarters. I have to get up and walk and use the rest room every hour, so I walk past the laundry and shift the laundry, then put it out next time I walk past, etc. The fat quarters are to become the Texture Magic Christmas stocking from Annie Unrein.

good day sewing and sad night

2010-06-16T10:09:00.006-05:00

I had a really good day sewing. I was finishing up taking the pictures and the phone rang. My sad night was a friend from Washinton state called, a mutual friend passed away. Turns out my friend had liver cancer and he passed away due to complications from a surgery. My husband and I worked with this friend for over 5 years. Then the phone kept ringing, because our friends were calling to see if we knew, as the word spread of Darrin's passing.

Okay, I can be sad, but this is about the sewing.

I envisioned embroidered ties. I was very worried about how they would turn out. So I bought a few cheap silk ties at Walmart. I clipped the stitching holding the back closed and spread out the tie. I had made a template for the hankies and thought it would work great of the ties. It did. The center white one, was the first and I decided that the embroidery was too low. The metallic silver thread was a bear. It kept tangling before it would go through the machine. I even used my thread guide. I had to hold the thread and stop and start over after I untangled the thread. No more metallic thread for me.

The next two, I aligned the tip of the tie at the bottom of my 4 x 4 hoop and pinned in the back flaps (sounds funny) sides. I like the Spokane WA lettering better. The Hubby wants me to make him a Bismarck ND tie, but he wants black thread on a black tie. He likes the monocromatic stuff best.

My next project was some wedding Hankies and some birthday presents. I started with a simple mongram. I used the template for the first one, stupid template. The template was also the basting stitch to hold the hankie in place. I had put the monogram upside down. So I just pinned the second Hankie to the hooped stablizer and skipped stitching the template.

How many Hankies make a good gift, 2 or 4. I can never decide. I liked the white on white. It takes yucky pictures, but I turned off the flash and on the overhead light in the living room.

It's been raining for 30 days and 30 nights here. So no outside pictures in daylight. Really every day it has rained.

The second group was a gift for my step-mother, Deb. One of the Hankies has a thread glob on the back, because the bobbin ran out of thread.

The Monogram is from Embroidery Arts, it is their Cutwork, but I liked it even without cutting.

The next set was for the wedding gift. I did a similar set for one of the nurses where the Hubby works.

I started with their Initial, then first names, Last name, and wedding date.

For this set I made four. One for the bride, maid of honor, the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom (mother-in-law).

Today is Nail day, which means I'm going out of the house to do my errands today. I need to run to Walmart and get more ties. Dry cleaners, post office etc. Maybe I'll have time to cut out my next two projects, this afternoon. Then tonight while I watch America's Got Talent, I'll stitch up the back of the ties, and fix buttons.

Serenity Bag

2010-06-09T13:51:00.007-05:00

I decided to finish a bag, instead of fighting with the hats. So I present my finished Texture Magic Bag.

This is my teenage daughter, I made her come outside and be my model. She drapped the bag across her chest.

The bag is made from the Serenity Bag pattern by Annie. My bag doesn't have the fancy curve

on the front, because I was a ditz and forgot to flip the pattern to cut the lining. So my lining and my textured flap didn't match. I just cut off the curve. Hah now they match (take that curve) hah.

The lining fabric is a Moda fabric, I got at the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo in Minneapolis last November. The bundle came with three fabrics of 1 yard each. I needed a chocolate fabric for a project for a baby announcement. I just tucked the remaining piece and the rest in a stash drawer. I took a class and made the purse insert and used the Moda pattern/paisey-ish and the coordinating pink.

Watch out for playing with Texture Magic, you might use up all your fabric playing and have to run around town looking for coordinating fabric. Ask me how I know. Good thing I bought two packages of Texture Magic.

I tried Annie's tip and used Headliner foam instead of Pellon or Timtex. How cool. I had to watch and make sure the sewing machine didn't eat or suck the foam into the needle hole of the throat plate. I like how the bag has firmness, without the weight. The foam was easy to cut with scissors or my rotary cutter. I just pushed down on my ruler to hold it and cut. I bought two yards of the foam to play with. I like the handle, it's soft. I was worried about how the foam would handle turning the bag inside out, but it was easier than Timtex. Timtex is stiff, and the foam was mildly bulky.

I always change a pattern, in my mind for the next time I make one.

1. add more pockets (always want more pockets)

2. Trim the foam more, there is bulk in the seam areas, my fault.

3. Follow the directions this time. I didn't leave the opening in the lining, but then left the opening in the opening of the bag on the front to turn the bag. Next time leave more space.

I bought more patterns from Annie to make a computer bag and a scripture/book bag.
I also bought her Christmas Stocking for Texture Magic. I like the texture, but all the sewing makes me feel like I'm quilting.

Lost in my sewing room

2010-06-07T15:23:00.003-05:00

Yes I have been lost. Some of it was travel. Some of it was finishing up sewing projects for sale. I don't like to post those, becasue they're not really mine. Yes I did it, but the design is someone else's I'm just the stitcher. Even the digitizing, which makes me happy.

I have been wrestling with what to do about the blog, the etsy store, and even the business. I am so very grateful I have a husband who loves me and wants me to be happy. I have found that I'm not the best business woman. I charge too little for my time or some say, they will pay me next week and I let them, just to not ever get paid. The bad part about that is I saw the lady is still using the bag I made (yes the unpaid for one). My husband says let it go. I was so proud of that bag. Now I hate that bag, everytime I see it.

I like, no love that feeling when I surpise someone with a special gift I made with them in mind. I've been thinking about just finishing the projects I have and not accepting any new work, until I get my mind straight about what I want to do.

I want to stitch what makes me happy not a dozen hats, or even a dozen ties. I made wedding hankies that turned out great, but I felt rushed, the whole time.

So with that said I'm off to hem pants, sew on buttons and stitch out hats. Yes I can multi-task. I hoop a hat, and pin the pants, hoop a hat, stitch a leg. hoop a hat and stitch a leg, then hoop a hat, and stitch a button. etc.

Quilt Tours of Vegas

2010-05-01T17:07:00.003-05:00

I don't have any sewing to show you, but I want to tell you about this great tour. Have you ever been in a city and wanted to visit all the quilt shops? There is a great quilt shop tour of Las Vegas. call Susan Tracy.

My friend and I took her tour this week and Susan picked us up at the Hotel. We drove to Boulder City, Henderson and then back into Las Vegas. Susan offers different levels of shop hopping. We took the five shop and lunch package. I want to ramble and tell you everything, but I really want you to take the tour and experience it for yourself. This was a great business plan to have a quilt tour of the city. I wish every city I visit had one.

I was on the hunt for Minkee. My friend wasn't sure what she was looking for, until she found this great pattern for napkins and a table runner. Then the hunt for fruit fabric was on. Our companion on the tour was hunting for Pear fabric. We all found what we wanted. I would show off pictures, but Susan also offers shipping via flat rate boxes, so I boxed my fabric and goodies and had her mail it home. The fabric will be there when I get home.

I had lunch with two other Embroiderers that live here in Las Vegas. Three hour lunches are great. It was fun to put faces to names on one of the Yahoo Groups I belong to. We talked and laughed and brianstormed problems we have with different things. I have a ton of new ideas to try when I get home. I miss my sewing machine. I want to be sewing right now, but I'm in Vegas until Monday and then I fly out on Tuesday to Ft Leonard Wood Missouri.

I want to link this to Amy Lou Who

Friday Laundry

2010-04-24T12:17:00.002-05:00

Love all the bag making fabric I bought. I love the section where every piece is $1.25 a pound. I bought six pounds and four pieces that were over a yard at $1.50 a yard. I was looking at my pile and I had picked out all blues and reds. I had to add a splash of color so I found a cute green. When I pulled the green out of the pile a bunch of twill white jumped out and joined the stack. I can use that twill for patches and stitch outs.

I spent most of friday washing fabric and regular laundry. I have to divide up my fabric and wash it separate so that way if my reds bleed, it won't kill the green etc. We have well water so, I always wash everything. Then I sat in fron of the TV and watched this Chef of Beverly Hills show and folded and clipped threads. My fabric always ends up in a twisted tangled mess after the dryer.

Today I have small chores to do before I can sew. The Hubby is mowing and then the window guys is coming, we're putting new windows in the house finally. Then we have a Bunny Hutch in the back yard that a friend is going to convert into a chicken coop, they going to pick it up this afternoon.

look what my husband brought home

2010-04-22T16:54:00.006-05:00

My husband brought me home this hat. Gotta love the stickies. They are stapled to the hat where he wanted the designs. After I stopped laughing. I have to find this type of hat in grey and pale pink.

The grand daughters called today, they got their Hello Kitty wristlets (purses). They love them. Their Ninentendo DS fit in them perfect. I tried mine before I finished the bags.

I went shopping today to buy more home decor fabric to make more bags.

Front and Back of view. I found this great flamingo home decor fabric in Denver and Knew I would be making a bag(s) out of it. I changed up the pattern a little, the flamingos are directional so I didn't want them on the straps, so I rummanged through my strap stash and found this great hot pink.

I have two friends who don't know each other, but both love flamingos. This bag pattern is huge. The bag is 18 by 18 by 8. It's called a Market bag, it looks like my LL Bean bag.

See I have been sewing. I bought some Ladies T-Shirts to decorate tomorrow or Saturday for my trips. Men's shirts ride up my hips, so I'm always tugging them back down.

So checking the mail on the way back in the house and Joann's has a 50% off Home Decor Fabric starting next Sunday, 25 April. I'm gonna stock up and work on Christmas presents. The Market bag only took me 1 hour to cut out all the parts, then 2 hours to embroider and sew, Psst, that included the ironing. LOL

I'm going to post this on AmyLouWHo's Sew and Tell Friday. Maybe I'll be first, nope Mrs Moen is overseas, she always beats everybody to the punch. Love her stuff, I have a link on the left to see what everybody else made.

Digitizing in my Cave

2010-04-21T10:11:00.003-05:00

I have been digitizing in my Cave and while I haven't been posting, I have been sewing. Now that some of the customers are happy I can post pics.

This is the Cebu City, Phillipines, LDS Temple. The temple is going to be dedicated on 13 June 2010. It is a tradition to have temple hankies, to commemorate the event at the dedication. I have been digitizing new temples, for other people to embroider and sell, most of the time the sale is used to buy stuff for the local church or church members. Cebu City is going to use the proceeds to buy temple clothes for loan/rentals. I also digitized the new Vancouver, British Columbia Temple. I can post pictures later.

I joined a bunch of Yahoo Groups for embroidery. An LDS Embroiery Group, a Pro Machine one, a Monogram Wizard and an Ellageo group. Each of these groups have given me great ideas.

I did a bunch of shirts. I have an order to make hats, the customer is picking out the hats.

Of course I digitized their logos for the shirts and hats.

I have also been teaching Genealogy at church and I have another class today 1-4.

I'm also getting my stuff together to travel next week. The Hubby and I go to Vegas for his conference and then once we're back I do laundry and repack my bag, I go see our son graduate from basic training. I can't believe it's been 7 weeks, since he left. I need to make me a Proud Army Mom shirt before I go. I made two great big huge, Market bags (also called Boat bags). I love them. But of course I never follow the pattern. I can buy a pattern or find one online and I change it before I even start cutting the fabric. Then Mid-sewing I change it again. This time the changes were good, I changed the seams to french seams and it is so much neater. The two I made so far are going to be Christmas Presents. I have two more to make for Mother's day. Hopefully while I'm in Vegas I'll find the perfect focus fabric, for the two Mother's day ones. I also calculated the pattern into the different sizes from in the LL Bean catalog. I have the cutting patterns and sizes all figured out. Now to find good home decor fabric. I need to run to Anderson Fabric in Blackduck, MN.

I better go and pack my bag for today. I have nails, dry cleaning, and then the class this afternoon. Date night with the Hubby. Busy lady.

Wow Wednesday

2010-03-10T10:49:00.002-06:00

Wow, I looked up and it's Wednesday.

Thursday in Denver was good, Hubby finished class at Noon, then we did the US Mint tour early. He/I bought some quarters, we are only missing one of the US Territories quarters. I'm not sure which one becasue the Hubby took over the collection. I know I have Virigin Islands, Guam and American Samoa, because I got them. Then we had a quick lunch at a food court under a bank. Back to the room for a Nap. Oh laa Laa

Then we strolled down the 16th Street Mall. I finally talked him into the Hard Rock Cafe. I've been trying to get him in there all week, it's only two block from the hotel. We wandered back to the hotel and watched a movie. Hubby packed, in case I had to check out without him. Checkout is Noon.

Friday, he got done at 1130, as I was going to call for the bell hop. I actually got everything packed into my suitcases, including the winter coats. My suitcase expands. We use the carry on size while we drive and the large cases in Denver. Nice to only have to lift out a small case for the hotels on the way home. We were actually outside of Denver at Noon. I'm the in town driver, he's the backseat driver and the navigator even with the GPS. Hubby turns the GPS so he can see it.... Yes you can laugh. When he drives he turns it so he can see it. So we made it to North Platte, Nebraska by 5 pm and stopped for dinner and decided to spend the night there, because it was pouring rain. Once we checked in, it started to thunder and lighning.

Saturday, up and out by 7 am. I talked him into letting me drive first so that when he got to Omaha, I would be driving again. We switch drivers ever 150 miles or so. It was still drizzling rain, but not bad. Until we got ten minutes to Lincoln, NE. There was a semi turned over on it's side in the ditch on the westbound side of I-80. Then about every ten miles or so, we saw another vehicle in the ditch, thankfully on the other side of the Highway. We turned north at Omaha and decided to drive all the way to Fargo, ND for the night. 12 hours of drive makes my tush feel flat.

Sunday we slowed down and took our time for the last three hours home. He even let me stop to throw away $20 at the Casino, but I walked out with $40. Moe, Larry and Curly liked me. Hubby picked the slot machine so as not to lose him in the casino I just played the machine next to him and we both won, Hubby was up $8. Stopped at the grocery store for bread and such.

Monday was catch up day, I paid bills, ran to post office, dry cleaners, groceries (more than bread). Tuesday was Physical therapy for my knee. I had fell down the stairs a couple of years ago, hyper extending my knee backwards. I sat on my toes, hald way down the stairs, I caught myslef with the railing and the wall. The ER just gave me a brace and tylenol. The brace sucked eggs. The stiffness and pain is getting harder to deal with, if I sit too long. The PT guy was good, he gave me some exercises to do. I had brunch with my daughter and ran more errands.

My father-in-Law sent me this cool website. Called Virtual Turnpike. www.vpike.com you type in addresses and it takes you there. You can turn in circles and see all the houses or business. I looked up my old house we lived in while I was in high school. How cool is that. I've been pluggin in addresses from my genealogy to see houses of my ancesters. If you don't have the house number put in the street name and you can drag the little stick figure to the right spot on the street. The only problem I have is how to save the photos, I don't want to print then scan the pics. I will figure it out.

Today is Nail day and Family History Library.
Well I better get my butt in gear, I need nail day bad. I'm down to 4 and 1 /2 nails. I even have a band-aid over one to stop a tear across the nail bed. Ouch. Three weeks for a nail fill is too much time for me, my nails grown really fast which then means the tips are too long and then they pop off with little or no force. They will be pretty again in fire engine red, I love it.

Wednesday in Denver

2010-03-04T10:13:00.004-06:00

Weds in Denver was beautiful. 55 degrees. I went west to the Colorado Mills, outlet mall.

I went to Lane Bryant. I bought a pair of jeans, blue sweater, tank top, and a grey hoodie t-shirt. Then I jumped on the highway and went around the city to the south, I stopped at the Denver temple and bought a few things. Then I spent a nice hour in the Book store. I bought a set of scriptures for my grandson's birthday and a set of CDs. I was heading to another sewing store when I got a call from the Hubby, his class was done.

I wanted to show you the patterns I bought on Monday.

I love the way the dress and jacket drapes. When I get home I'm going to buy some batiks and make some more clothes for our Vegas trip. The top will be great in the hawaiian print I have at home, maybe the pants in a matching batik. I always like when a pattern in sized from xs to xxl.

Today is supposed to as nice as yesterday. The Hubby just jogged through the room saying, he should be done by Noon. I made reservations to tour the US Mint. He talked about wanting to do that last night, but made a face when I told him about reservations. I know it sounds weird, but it balances the tours and I didn't know until I looked up the website to find out what time they closed. The last tour is at 2pm.

Tuesday in Denver

2010-03-02T16:52:00.003-06:00

Tuesday in Denver was spent with three great kids and their Mom. We went to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

The boys loved the Space Odyssey section best.

I took a few pictures but many of them were with the kids in motion, so they are blurry.

I tried to take a picture of these great textiles. But of course the glass and the reflection was yucky. I need more practice with my camera.

Denver shopping

2010-03-01T15:57:00.004-06:00

We made the drive from Minnesota without a hitch and great traveling weather. The first day, Saturday we drove from White Earth Indian Reservation where we had spent the night at the Shootting Star Casino and watched Jeff Foxworthy in Concert.

We stopped in Lincoln Nebraska for the night and had dinner at King Kong's burgers. My sandwich was good. I should have taken a picture of all the King Kong statutes out on the front lawn of the restaurant.

Sunday, we got in Denver around 2:30pm and checked into the hotel. Wow, this historic hotel is amazing. I'll take pictures and post them before we leave.

This morning I hopped in the truck and drove to a suburb called Littleton.

I stopped in the Creative Needle, I bought two embroidery design packs.

This is called Hmong's The Way, by Laura's Sewing Studio. I have three small bags, embellished with Hmong (pronounced Ha Mong). I have always like the embroidery, which is done by hand, but being able to do this on my machine is great.

The other pack is a Babylock pack called Modern Mola.

I also went to a hugh fabric outlet called Denver Fabrics. I bought a few yards of fabric and two patterns. I'll write more about the patterns later, I left them in the Truck, when I valet parked. Yes valet parking, downtown Denver is not easy to find parking and the valet was quikc and easy.

The Clerk at Denver Fabrics gave me a local resources listing for all things crafty in the Denver area. She sent me to a quilt shop called Fabric Expressions. Where I bought the pattern to make this handbag. It has tow pockets under the flap and four inside the bag. The bag is called, Serentity Shoulder Bag by Patterns by Annie. The bag uses this new technique to texture the flap with Texture Magic.

Tomorrow the plan is to go to the outlet mall, Colorado Mill.

Proud Parents

2010-02-26T09:35:00.003-06:00

This is our oldest son being enlisted into the Army by his retired officer dad.

This brings back such memories of being in a MEPS station in 1983, myself. We got a phone call from him when he landed in St Louis and then again when he arrived on Ft Leonard Wood, MO. He starts processing right away and basic training starts on Monday.

Hurry Up and Wait

2010-02-24T18:10:00.002-06:00

I've been very busy with trying to help my son get ready for the Army and our trip to Minneapolis for my husband to enlist him, then back home and then quick turn around to Denver. The Hubby has a class in Denver and I'm going along for the ride and much shopping.

So this morning we got to the MEPS (Military Enlistment Processing) and waited for 30 minutes for them to tell us that there was a computer problem and they can't enlist our son until tomorrow. They tried a bunch of ways to get the paperwork straight without the computer so the enlistment could happen. No luck.

The Captain allowed us to take our son for the afternoon and evening. He had to be back in the hotel by 10 pm. But he had been so wound up about going today, that he was yawning in the truck and we feed him dinner and then took him back to the hotel. The Army has a contract with a hotel near the MEPS and such. The hubby and I are staying down the highway, near his favorite restaurant, Culvers.

We going to try again tomorrow.

Friday Sew and Tell

2010-02-12T16:48:00.007-06:00

Well I finished getting my paperwork together to take to the accountant. I have to find a better way of keeping track of my paperwork. I feel like I have a shoebox, I throw receipts into.

Our youngest son is in the Army and was home for the holidays and his Dad noticed that his luggage didn't have a name tag on it. I had made these before and gave hime a few.

Husband's version. I took old military name tags and added them to larger luggage tags from Brigade Quartermaster. I tried to find these same one's and they changed to a different style. The new ones now come in neon colors and have a plastic top where the shoestring attaches. I was going to just make the same style, but I had a hard time finding the 2 inch web belting without buying a 20-yard roll. I did find a surplus place in town that sells 1 1/2 inch black only. Using 18 inches of belting, I embroidered our last name onto the belting twice, then folded the belting thru some snap clips I had in my stash and stitched them down, around all four sides. I got two tags from a Yard of web belting. Our older son is going into the Army in 2 weeks. He needs some tags for his bags.

The daughter liked the idea but she wanted purple to match her luggage. She's going to her sister for spring break in 3 weeks. I changed the text to more girly and smaller and waaa laaa.

While getting the tax stuff ready, I was at Office Max tring to get copies made and they had a bunch of business card cases on the counter. I bought one to modify.

I added Magnetic business card stickers to the inside to hold needles and pins. Next time I won't add a magnet to the inside cover, I really like just the bottom it works great. My business card magnets were bought at Walmart. Mine were used, I just used a glue stick and it is holding like a champ. I have a business card section stuck on my freezer of businesses I call regularly, like the car dealership, the snow plow guy. This way I don't lose the business card.

Visit Amy Lou Who and see what everybody else is making. (Button on sidebar)

Zero sewing this week.

2010-01-29T17:01:00.004-06:00

I did zero sewing, but I got the new computer Monday at 9 am, as I was packing up my bag to leave for Embroidery club in Grand Rapids (MN). Yes I'm a crazy woman who drove 1 1/2 in a minor snow storm to attend Emboridery club. I had a couple of ladies ask about my purse. It's a bag I made this summer from a Quilts and More pattern called pick-a-pocket.

I was using the teal one, but a modified version. The pattern had a bunch of seam come together in the bottom, which caused bunching. So I modified it to eliminate the bottom seam and changed the pockets to move the seams. Then I had to change the straps. Mine has snap clips so I can change the straps for longer or shorter ones.

I made a wristlet in the cranberry/pink one and gave both to my father-in-law's significant other, Karen. I was showing off my embroidery machines and she ooohed over the cranberry/ pink. Since it was a first draft, I gave it to her. She loves it. The next one needs to have more firmness and more pockets, I always need more pockets. LOL

I think I have everything copied and installed on the new laptop, except I had to delete the Norton Antivirus, because it kept interferring with the embroidery software. Today was copying files to the external hard drive and then from there to the new laptop. While I made hotel reservations for an upcoming trip to Denver. Tonight is going to be about adding fonts to my windows fonts so I can add them into my 4D embroidery software.

Well time to go and cook dinner, broiled chicken and noodles, with a salad.

Friday Sew and Tell

2010-01-22T09:14:00.003-06:00

Sewing for Sarah. Love this new Embroidery designer, she's my kind of girl.

This is one of her In the Hoop designs. It's a crayon purse done totally in the 5 x 7 hoop of my embroidery machine. Love it. It took only 10 minutes. Because while the design says 10 color changes, the color changes are really only there as stops. So you hoop a cutaway stabilizer and lay a piece of your cute kid fabric over the stabilizer and sew step one, then you place the second fabric and it stitches the pocket down, then the third stitch is for the crayon dividers. the fourth color is for the back pocket placement.

Then you place the pocket fabric and it stitches it in place. NOTE: Tape down the top edge of the pocket so the embroidery foot doesn't get caught in the pocket. I used blue tape across the fold. then you stitch the ribbon placement, place the ribbon, twice once for each side (color 6-9). Ten you pin the ribbon in the center of the bag, I tucked it in the pocket. Place your final fabric and stitch the last outline. Unhoop, trim the corners and seams, turn and slip stitch the bottom shut. Add crayons and a 4 x 6 notebook and off your little one goes. I need to run to the dollar store and get crayons and notebooks.

I think I'm going to make a bunch of these for church and give them away. I may send some to my brother, Sheriff's deputy to have in the squad cars and maybe the Women's shelter. I can use up all the odds and ends of fabric I have and inherited from my Mom.

Holding up and behind the purse is my scraps, thread clippings bowl. I bought it years ago at a goodwill store. Under the purse is the next crayon bag, love the colorful frogs, ready to cut out. I bought more designs from Sewing with Sarah, will have to try them out.

See what AmyLouWho is showing off for Sew and Tell Friday.

Christmas ornaments in January

2010-01-16T15:50:00.002-06:00

Christmas ornaments in January is in self defense, I need 150 small gifts for the nurses, lab techs, dental assistants, basically anyone who wanders by my husband. If I can stitch out 15 good ones, it's going to take me 10 hoopings, but I always get one this is not quite right. So If I don't start now, I'll never get them done. Plus then He wants to send a set of six to the In-Laws and friends, which can add up. This last Christmas I mailed 20 small boxes. So that is another 120 ornaments. Oh yah don't forget the ladies at Church. I want to make lace bookmarkers. That is our next lesson in the software at the dealership. Probably 20 of those, plus my nail lady, the ladies at my favorite fabric store (Ben Franklin) and the Embroidery club, etc. I'm looking at 35 hoopings or more. If I do one a week, I'll be ready, by December 1st. Laugh out Loud.

Yesterday was crazy, In the middle of cutting out rolls, right after I took the picture. I use a round cookie cutter, the handle broke, so I decided to use it without the handle, and sliced through my thumb. I bleed everywhere. I put the dough, both cutout and to be rolled out in the fridge. I was going to bake them this afternoon anyway. I made the kids (in their twenties) cook dinner. When we opened the fridge to get the cheese, etc the dough had risen and risen in the bowl. I have monster rolls, and ended up with 5 pans, instead of 4.

Oh I ordered the new computer, It ships on 28 January. Yah me. Now the Hubby thinks my desktop needs replacing. He's great, but my business account needs a little investing. I need to get my store reopened. I just got a job digitizing by email. Whoo Hoo me.

Well I better go shave my legs for the dinner party and de-flour me (shower). What am I going to wear? Do you think I have time to run out and buy a new outfit? Crap nope, only got an hour.

Friday Sew and Tell

2010-01-15T18:49:00.007-06:00

I made rolls for a dinner party tomorrow. I always get asked to bring the famous potato rolls. A friend gave me the recipe and said that very few people will every make these, because it takes 3 hours to make a batch. Since we moved to Minnesota, I've been making these for holidays and potlucks. If you email me, or leave a comment with your email I'll email you the recipe.

But between laundry, baking and paying bills, I sewed out more lace ornaments for next Christmas. My hubby likes to give small Christmas gifts to all his coworkers. One year it was mood changing rings, or small nail polish. Because I am Diabetic, I don't make cookies or candy to give away. Hubby also works on an Indian Reservation and lots of the Natives are Diabetic.

So for Christmas 2010, we are going to give the small lace ornaments. I found them on Embroidery Library and got them in an after Christams sale. Using my software I placed 15 white ornaments in a 5 x 7 hoop. I also did that for the green ornaments and the red ones. This way I don't have to change threads. I hoop two layers of "Wet and Gone" stablizer, and just sew straight on that. Then I wash it away, in a basin of warm water, then lay them out to dry on a flour sack towel.

You can just see the white ornaments being stitched. I stitch these out while I'm doing other things, because I can set it up and go, put rolls in the oven or check on the laundry without to much worry.

My computer likes to go to visit the computer guys

2010-01-13T17:30:00.002-06:00

My computer actually like to visit the computer repair guys. This morning I tried the computer again and the plaid screen again. So I packed it up and off to my meetings. I stopped at the computer guys first. The laptop booted up just fine, again. I have that feeling like when your car5 makes a weird noise, but the mechanic can't get the vehicle to replicate the noise. But the computer geek told me that because it happened before, I need to backup everyday, because someday it will just die.

Oh by the way, it can't be fixed, because the laptop is 4 (yes 4) years old. So I think I need to order the new computer tomorrow. Tonight is date night and the Hubby called he'll honk in the drive way in 35 minutes. It reminds me of high school, when the date doesn't want to run into my step-father.

I spent my day at the Family History Center, teaching 6 different people how to use our computer system. I'm the new Director. whoo hoo, the lady in charge. My students came about every 30 minutes to an hour. I kinda planned that.

I have to backup the designs I made over the weekend, before the laptop decides to give up the ghost. I'll post pictures, tomorrow.

Killed my computer

2010-01-12T21:09:00.003-06:00

I think I killed my computer. I think I may have loved it to death. On Monday, 28 Dec, I wanted to work on digitizing. Turning on my computer because a nightmare. I didn't get the black screen of death, but a screen filled with little red squares, kinda like a funky plaid. I could still make out the Windows logo as the computer booted. I could just make out the click here on the Owners button and the Shut down computer button in the lower left. I shut it down and took great deep calming breaths. In a panic, because I never fixed my desktop so I could run my embroidery software, since I got the laptop working. I tried several times to start the computer. with no success.

I packed up the computer, power cords in hand I drove into town and tried to stay calm. When was the last time I ran a backup? I got to the computer shop and the very young man, looked 14. I told him what happened and he says let me see. I turned it on and a miracle happened, not red plaid. So why am I telling you this, because it happened again today. Tomorrow, I'm going to take my computer for a ride to a meeting I have in town and see if my computer just needs to go for a ride, or if I need to go to the computer place after my meeting. I think I just need a new video card. I did backup my computer two weeks ago as soon as I got home, but the designs I did the last four days might be toast.

My wonderful, lovely husband says order a new laptop, it's a business expense. Isn't he wonderful. So if the laptop repair is outrageous, this is what I want.

Say hello to the

HP Touch Smart

TX2Z series.

I have a tablet by HP currently.

I love the tablet features and the "cool laptop" response I get when I pull it out and twist it to set up.

Sew and Tell Fridays

2010-01-08T17:24:00.006-06:00

I finished a ton of stuff for other people, for the business. Mainly locals wanting one item or small stuff, like stockings embroidered with names, a tree skirt and a few stocking caps. I also did a jacket. But for me, I made a few lace ornaments to give away. I think next Christmas I need to close the shop earlier, or make my stuff earlier. I got asked the day before Christmas Eve if I would embroider 10 stockings. I turned her down, but told her to call me after the new year and I would give her a good discount for non-seasonal (Hint: non-rush) embroidery. She said she would call me.

I did a bunch of digitizing today waiting for deliveries. We bought a new bed and dressers for the three bedrooms upstairs. My kids are rough on furniture. I wanted real wood. if the oldest boy breaks anything, hes been told he is paying for the replacement of my choice. He has broken sofas (3) tables (2), bed (2) and two dressers. I also told him if he yanks the doorknob off his door, I will not fix it. He regularly has to tighten the knob. He's gotten pretty good at that, not the slamming the door part, but fixing it.

Okay blogger is giving me fits about uploading and linking my pictures, and I got a notice that IE needs to close because of an error. I'll write more tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T13:01:00.005-06:00

I've been having a good morning. Yesterday, I baked bread and such, and between risings, I digitized some more designs. Now I'm waiting to start the side dishes, I thought I'd transfer the embroidery designs to images and post them.

The first is a name tag for Embroidery Club, I know it looks simple, but it used three or four tools in the software. We had to manually digitize the applique frame and the eyelet, then we were in import into the Embroidery and add our name.

So I was playing and writing up my notes. Some how I got volunteered to type up my notes and email them to all the classmates.

I also met a nice lady at the Sewing Expo, that lost her Viking dealer in the night. One day the dealer was there and the next day, the store was gone. I am sharing our class notes, so she can practice too. I tried to get her to visit us, but the 2 1/2 hour drive was too much for her.

Then while playing I made the turtle and the weird lizard for my Christmas gift giving. The turtle is a Hawaiian Tattoo my girlfriend has on her ankle. The lizard is for our Geocaching friend. All I need to do is add the lettering and test stitch.

I also have started two more designs, but I'm not done, yet. Maybe tomorrow I'll get a chance to stitch them out and take good pictures.

My Hubby is down to 2 working days, before he starts the new job on 1 Dec. So Friday, I'm going into his office and help him, box up his pictures and books. He also has three boxes of forms to shred. I think I'm going to be on my feet for a few hours shredding. I think he is taking me to lunch, as payment.

Things I'm Thankful for.

Family, yes all of them.

Health

Friends

Again Happy Holidays. Watch out for crazy drivers tomorrow on Black Friday. I'm staying away from the stores. I like shopping in my jammies, via the Internet.

Digitizing fun

2009-11-24T19:55:00.005-06:00

I want to tell you that I have been busy, but today I had a second class on manually digitizing. I wanted to show you my homework. I digitized the designs using the manual tools in my software.

Flowers, I put four copies the design on the image below.

I've started to redo some of the designs I did with the Wizard, because they need help. My classmates asked me to type up my notes and email them to them, wow what a compliment. Two weeks ago I helped a classmate, by pulling my notebook over and walked her through the steps in my notebook. She told me she never takes good notes, so before we left I copied my notes and gave her a copy. This morning she stopped and told me that my notes helped her finish her homework. We had to digitize the tree and the flowers and stitch them out.

Tomorrow is all about the baking, but between dough rising and such, I can work on the laptop at the kitchen island.

Sorry I got lost

2009-11-09T14:38:00.005-06:00

I wanted to blog about the Original Sewing Expo, while I was there. I got asked to put away my camera twice. So the few pictures I got are with my iPhone and are all blurry.

I took a full load of classes. I mentioned the day before classes, I still need to finish my skirt.

I finished my Tote and love it. I used it the rest of the weekend. There is also a small pocket just inside the top that perfectly fits my cell phone . Next time I may make the bottom wider. The mesh vinyl is fun.

Thursday was laptop day. I took two classes, a digitizers workshop that turned out to be the same class as last year, but the instructor switched software brands. I couldn't follow him click by click. The second class was on the new 4D Monogram module. I liked it and can see tons of use for this module. The module is a wizard that lays out everything you want and then makes it into an embroidery, without fussing around with sizing. Then I got the call. At 630 I took a copyright class and learned a few new things, like the difference between copyright and copyright registration. The teacher, Connie Spurlock was also the Mesh Tote bag instructor.

Friday was a lecture on pucker proof embroidery, a refresher on stabilizers. Then I got a class on Photoshop, so My photos on the site should start looking better really soon. Katie Bartz taught Photoshop and I can't wait until her new book comes out.

My friend Bobbie and I took a quick drive the the Mall of America and had lunch at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Shack. Bobbie collects Madam Alexander dolls and wanted to check out the American Girl Doll Store. You would not have known that there is a recession going on by the crowd. They have the cutest crafts set, which includes a table, sewing machine, thread pins, tape measure, etc. I don't collect dolls, but I wanted it. I restrained myself. We both had 4 o'clock classes so we zipped back to the hotel.

My Exciting Bags in a Flash class, was fun because the instructor had us show off our bags, then did a trunk show of some of her bags. She recycles old bags, belts and leather from thrift stores to make bags. She used an old clip on earring as a closure clip on a small dressy shoulder bag, with lace and it looked very vintage.

The evening class was Embroidering for a Profit. I knew alot, but I'd love to visit Melanie Coakley from EmbroideryFx in her shop in Tennessee. I need to define my business a bit better and find my niche. I'm very sure what I don't want in my business.

Saturday, Bobbie went off to visit her grandkids who live in the cities. I had a hands-on class, You embroidered this for me? We embroidered a tote with an Applique Monogram, then a golf towel and a hankie. I did the hankie for my step-mother, she's going to love it. Debra Bohn teaches this class and she is fun.

I got to talking and skipped a stabilizer class, LOL. Then I was shopping and thought my last class was at 2:30, but my friend Dori said no the class is at 2. So I snuck in the back 2 minutes late. Embroidery Trouble Shooting, again with Debra Bohn. I got great ideas how to rescue some of my mistakes.

I was pretty good with the shopping. I bought one bundle of fabric (got a free quilt pattern). I bought a bias tape ruler, wash away basting thread, an organizer purse (to copy) and a tool called the Embroidery Wand. I also bought 4 design packs from MomoDini, they have great Chinese embroidery. I bought dragons, koi and two flowers. I like how their designs are flowing lines and simple fills versus very heavy dense fills. Their designs are listed in the new Nancy's Notions catalog, the design pack comes with the thread for the designs.

Long Moment of Panic

2009-11-05T21:16:00.002-06:00

This afternoon, I had a very long moment of panic. Then my training kicked in and the calm, became business. What am I talking about? My son is in the Army and is stationed at Ft Hood. He called home and is okay. Today a gunman, maybe two gunmen killed 12 people and 35 injured on the largest military base in the US. I've been on the phone reassuring family and friends that our son is fine. So I'm going to go back to calling and will post about the conference tomorrow.

Thank you for your prayers for our nations sons and daughter who have choosen to serve our country in the military. My family is military. Hoo Rah, Go Army, Aim High.

Serve Country and God.

The day Before Classes

2009-11-04T20:49:00.002-06:00

I had a great time at the Sewing Expo. I took two classes.

This morning was the Perfectly Skirted class. The teacher, Emma Seebrooke brought racks of knits and slinky to choose from. The class fees included, the pattern of our choice and the needed fabric. I started a trumpet skirt in cranberry (my favorite color). I need to finish the waist band and hem my new skirt. I learned that using a stay tape in the seams of a knit makes it easier to sew the seams. I will post pictures once I'm home and can finish the hem. I can so see me making more of this skirt.

Then after a quick bite and potty break, my afternoon class rocked.

Tote-ally Fun Vinyl Mesh bag, taught by Connie Spurlock of Idaho. The class fee include the pattern and the kit to make a great tote bag. I'd post pictures, but goofy me. I left my bag next door in my friends room, she was yawning at dinner, so I'll get it from her in the morning. I learned a new technique to make the bottom of a tote. You know when a tote has a different color bottom, like LL Bean Boat Bags. I learned a quick way to make that bottom. Then we used an enclosure for the top of the bag. Once we were fnished with the totel, we had time to make a small zippered mesh bag from the leftover mesh and a scrap of fabric. My bag was 7 x 8 finished. That bag is next door too.

I know I know I promised pictures. Tomorrow, for sure.

Tomorrow is all about the digitizing software. I signed up for two classes, then in the evening I'm going to take a Develop it, Copyright it, Get it to market class. I'll take some pictures of the exhibit hall. Okay. I need to check my email and then run downstairs to the little shop and get some batteries for my mouse, it died.

Original Sewing and Quilt Expo

2009-11-03T11:50:00.003-06:00

I'm so excited.

I'm packed and ready as I'm going to be. I'm picking up a friend in 2 hours and we're driving to Minneapolis to the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo. This is going to be my second year going. Last year I went armed with my laptop and learned that I didn't like my software. So I bought new software and love it.

This year they have the "Bring Your Own Machine (BYOM)" for sewing classes. I'm bringing mine and I can make small bags in the hotel in the evenings. Last year I kept wanting my machine. I'm not bringing the embroidery machine just the regular simple machine.

I've been running around trying to get a weeks worth of chores done in 2 days, which is why there has been no sewing. I will take pictures and post while I'm there. Of course there is no guarantee, but I'm going to try.

Show and Tell

2009-10-30T16:37:00.008-05:00

Wow I find that having the Show and Tell can motivate me. I saw on some site, where they were selling a design pack of circles and initials so you can use them like key rings for your scissors. Of course me, I have to laugh and say I can make that in 2 minutes on the computer. So I did:

Then I made a new camera strap. I hate the one that came with my camera, it kept trying to slide off. Off course I made it too long so I added a bead to for adjusting and it works great. I used the Jump rings from the jewelry department to attach to the sides of the camera. I like the small snap hooks on the ends of the strap.

But when I came upstairs for lunch loook what was outside my house. Snow. I did not touch up the photos or use any thing special. I only downsized them to 4 x 6. This is really how it looks outside my front door.

Driveway and Yard on 30 Oct 09, 1 pm. Every year since we moved to Bemidji, we have had snow or rainy and cold for Halloween. The kids here wear snowsuits under their costumes. This is why I call my blog, Brr midji Designs. I'll post more really reason pictures in January when it's 50 below. Bemidji is the first city on the Mississippi River, the Headwaters of the Mississippi is about 50 miles away. Every winter when the lake freezes, yes freezes, people ice fish and put like fih houses, little trailers on the lake to fish from. So the joke is that Brr...midji is the second city on the Mississippi.

Just for your info, Bemidji is indian for "river runs through it." The Mississippi River runs right through Lake Bemidji.

Sew n Tell

2009-10-23T15:35:00.005-05:00

Amy Lou Who has this sew show and tell on Fridays. I love it it gets me movitated. I also found this link to previous sew and tells. I loved the Apple Cyder Slap Napkin Ring Tutorial on 29 Sep 09. I saw the slap things for my stablizers on Nancy's notions where you get 12 printed and 8 blank wraps for $35. Or make your own.

Ignore my mess, I've been on vacation and as soon as I got home I got sick.
So what I did was start with Apple Cyder's directions and modified it. I cut the size down to 3 1/4 by 12. I embroidered two in my 5x7 hoop. Then I cut the purple slap bracelet from Oriental Trading Company (12 for $5) and pulled off the cover. Boy was I surprised to find a metal measuring tape under the nylon cover. Then I stitched and slid the bracelet into my new cover and stitched then end. I didn''t make the end fancy like Apple Cyder did. but other than you guys and the Embroidery clubs I belong to who is going to see my new stablizer wraps.

I am a member of two embroidery clubs at different shops. Last night was my local Husqvarna Viking dealer, she is my software, stablizer and thread dealer. The group loved my wraps, I also gave a copy of the tutorial I printed off to the dealer to email a link in the newsletter. I need to print another copy of the tutorial off for Monday, I drive 75 miles to the nearest Babylock Dealer, she my machine dealer. Yes Dealer, it is an addiction, just a legal one. LOL

This is our oldest daughter, her husband and the three grandkids we joined in Disney World for a week of playing. Oh my was it hot. It was 95 and a heat index of 105 the whole time. Heat Index, it snowed at home in northen Minnesota while we were gone. I'm more used to wind chill, than heat. I went from sweating to fleece, it is great to be home.

Vacation

2009-10-07T19:56:00.002-05:00

Hi, I have survived the last two weeks of computer problems. The Windows update ate my dongle. Kinda like the dog ate my homework. I got both the laptop and the desktop fixed, after 2 weeks of fighting and fixing and fighting and fixing. I got the designs finished and embroidered on the safety vests. (No pictures, sorry was in too much of a hurry to finish today)

The Geocaching Guy liked the vests so much he wants me to bring my Babylock BMP8 to an event in Spring to embroider hats and such. He wants me to make the event hats and then be available to add embroidered names to the back of the hat. I can also sign up people to do their logos.

Anyway, The Hubby and I are off to visit the Grandkids at Disney World. See you in a week. I will be found near the embroidery places in Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom.