New Roof

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.