Hello there interweb friends. It has been over a month since I posted and I actually accomplished quite a few things.
First on a personal note....it might be a while before another update (but maybe not...we shall see how it goes). I'm very sad, we have had an ongoing epic war with the people we rent from and it looks like we lost, and I'm trying to lose gracefully--this is a new concept for me, I usually win or get what I want, but this time I've lost my gumption I guess and I have no plans on fighting, Billy said he will take over. I'm leaving this to him and fate and well the USMC. I guess being married to the marines is really awesome sometimes and really really sucks sometimes, I feel like military people get screwed a lot more frequently than regular folk, and their isn't much we can do about it, at least all I have to worry about is a dog and not kids, I'd be freaking out so much more than I was today if I had kiddos to worry about.
The result of the war: we might be homeless in less than 60 days. Yep. Oh blog-o-sphere, I wonder sometimes if this is the universe's way of testing my resilience? I mean I guess I'm tough, I've overcome every obstacle put in front of me and succeeded, I have very few regrets when it comes to big life decisions. Recently though, the universe has been rough on my soul. Between some other personal issues and some sad cases at work, that really have wretched my heart, I'm having a hard time keeping up the feisty cheery front. I think there's only so much sadness someone should have to see in a month, I am well over my quota for the year I think. I know being a nurse, and an ER nurse at that, it comes with the territory sometimes, but usually my personal life is great and I don't have to worry about home stuff too....these past few months have been battering me from just every angle, and well quite frankly it sucks. I stick out my tongue at you universe and give you a raspberry! You deserve it, sorry. I'd moon you, but you already have a moon, so that's overkill.
Anyway universe, you have silly and sick sense of fun, to really say "surprise you have no place to live in 60 days with 18 months left on your husbands contract" is kind of a lot to swallow, not to mention I just finally got this place into something I like. Ugh! We are keeping our fingers crossed that our few plans work out, but the expense of an unexpected move means no extra projects for me....even if I can save $300 when I go to JoAnn's. Anyway if you pray or if you don't just keep us in your thoughts that things work out for us without putting us in the poverty line. Maybe the universe really just wants us to move back to NJ....way to tell us universe....you could have just asked us on an episode of jersey shore or something...sheesh.
Okay personal ranting aside, I have been a crazy seamstress and have two projects ready to sew up tomorrow (if I'm not wallowing in too much self pity, or looking at rentals..again)
Things on my list I can cross off? Well a lot! I still have made no progress on my Mom's quilt....I'm seriously overwhelmed by it now....I still have no clue why it sucks the sewing mojo right out of me, but alas it does. Tomorrow afternoon maybe I will listen to my audio book (Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter....yes I'm still a geek, and yes I enjoy it emensly, I listened to it my whole solo car ride back from NJ last weekend and I didn't even realize how quickly I got home....I'd also like to think Iceman enjoyed it because he sat very calmly the whole time and kept eyeballing the speakers) and try to accomplish the last two rows...that's a good 3 hours of work. Ugh.
Here's the rundown....ready (I don't think you are...)
1. Emergency gift for my sister...SUCCESS! AN SO DAMN CUTE....if I do say so myself! I will be keeping this in my quick to whip up projects for gifts in the future...or for my imaginary etsy store. The little apron is a pocket too....I could not believe how easy it was to make, took about maybe 1.5 hours, including cutting (but not including how long it took me to figure out how to enlarge the pattern on the computer and wasting about 10 sheets of paper...the simple things elude me occasionally--that was total operator error lol)The
tutorial was pretty good and I highly reccomend it for anyone with a basic level of sewing skill! Also this was an ALMOST free project.....The pink is from a stash of like $400 worth of fabric and notions I got on craigslist for $80 and it was all in new condition, most with the stickers still on from the store, lace ribbon and lace tie, from a stash stolen from Grandma (sorry!). Then less than $1 (if you do the math) to supple the tiny piece of fabric for the apron, and the bias tape again from the craigslist stash. I'd estimate it cost me less than 5 bucks to make....hooray craigslist, and grandmas!
2. T-shirt quilt for my sister. We were supposed to sew two quilts, but my sister conned me into sewing her quilt for her. It was my first every t-shirt quilt and I sorta just made it up as I went along and I have to say it came out awesome.
 |
| Steff "trying it out" |
 |
| She didn't believe me that it was the perfect size for couch potato time....it was! |
It's just about as tall as me...
Better shot, I have to say this is something I will definitely repeat when me and the hubster clean out our t-shirts....its such a great idea. So I used an idea I found on the interwebs for t-shirt quilts that instead of binding them (which proves to be slightly unstable around the edges unless you add an edge and fusible interfacing and blah blah--I was too lazy--) you make it like a GIANT pillow case. I did that and well I hand sewed it closed with the bane of my existence slip stitch and I think it came out so cute, I'm getting better at slip stitch, it doesn't look like frankenstein's scars anymore! The back is the ultra warm ultra soft microfiber fleece I got ON SALE at joannes, so I didn't need to add batting which also made the whole thing go so fast, and only cost about $14 for the cost of the fleece, which I way over bought because I suck at measuring. I used a total of maybe 2.5 yards so it really was only about $10. If you want really basic instructions to make it, message me or leave a comment....if you can sew straight lines and cut out squares you can make this in a weekend! I will give it to my sister, this was a really good idea, except she was supposed to learn how to sew and somehow even though I'm 28 she still is able to boss me around hmpf, and I did it for her! It was a good learning experience though.
3. BULA the dressform, although smurfette is in the running because boy she is blue!....is still her working name and I dressed her up in MY finest made by me dress. This probably deserves a post all of its own but alas dear readers I have been promising for months now to show you a finished dress....and viola! I'm pretty proud of my first ever tailored garment....as you can see I still didn't hem the lining straight it's peeking out the bottom. I made it red though because that's fun. The belt is from a craft fair, I lover it. Bula is my size and it looks big because well this dress is also a little bit big on me, I was so nervous about it being too small that I accidentally added like an 1/8 inch all around making the dress about 1.5 inches bigger than the size it was supposed to be...who knew! It was a good learning experience though and I was consistent on my extra 1/8 inch all around so at least its well porportioned...if not just slighly large in the chest lol
here's the pattern I used....You can see I used exactly what they suggested....It was the perfect New Year's Eve dress though! It has pockets! I got this idea from my idol Gertie and while I thought making a dress would be WAY more complex, it wasn't and I can't wait to dive into the world of dress making...yay. Its super satisfying. Not to mention a strange body shape like mine makes dresses not a pleasure to buy off the rack in stores.
4. My quilt also got finished....it didn't get done over the same weekend, but it got done all the same. And well I love it...."If Caitlin was a quilt this is what she'd be" That's what I named it. Billy just laughs at me, but he agreed. I was SO proud of how straight i sewed it, I have come quite a long way from not really being able to match up seams well, and not really getting why 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch seam allowances mattered....or how to even figure out where the line is on my sewing machine. I do know of one purchase I would like to make in the near future and its the magnetic seam guide that goes on the throat plate of the machine....or if anyone has an extra one that they would like to give me....I wouldn't say no :) Its a very inexpensive item ($3 at joann's, I might just break down and order it tomorrow with some tailor's chalk paper stuff so I can get on with my clothes sewing.....but I feel guilty buying anything considering our impending homelessness and all....a magnetic seam guide will not protect my family and I from the rain....sigh!)
Look at how Divine the straight lines look...and those pies look yummy even upside down. Dear Fabric.com stop having amazing fabric and sales!
This is the front before I put the back on....I did it the same way I made the t-shirt quilt and it was really easy! I used a really pretty so soft mustard yellow microfiber fleece. And its so toasty warm. The peace signs, owls, trees, nesting dolls, mushrooms, paisley, and peace birds (last block of the first,third,fifth row) are from a sweet sale at joannn's and then the cupcakes, damask pink, and purple peacocks are from a sweet sale on Fabric.com. They suck for having such cute prints. Its like my sampler...I really need to make an apron from the pie fabric though.
I'm obviously disturbing his beauty sleep.
Tada!, just some plain old squares....but I really like it!
It's Iceman tested and approved!
5. I also made about 6 pillows from this Library Book print I finally found for my mom (again all hail Fabric.com). She needs to take a photo of the pillows I made her for her....LIBRARY lol They look so darn cute in there. But I had leftovers and made 2 little guys for my sister's new office. She is a library director...so It was kind of perfect.
They match so well!
I also finished up 2(!) Easy peasy skirts....I shall put them on bula today and photograph. I also made two dog collars, which were really easy, I need to get the mutts to model for me. And a stuffed animal for my nephew's christening that I of course forgot to take a picture of....maybe I will be able to get a photo of him with it, the pattern said bear but it turned out looking like a really really cute hippo lol in the softest cordory.
It seems like I accomplished everything but the two things I still have on my list. Tomorrow is easy peasy skirt day for my friend because I just feel guilty about it now and since all the gifts for easter and stuff are out of the way, I basically have no excuse.
I also broke down and bought one of those craftsy online classes....its for Diane Rupp's booke SEW everything workshop, which I already owned so I thought it made sense. It teaches the envelope pillow (which I have clearly mastered....but I still learned a few things from the video) The other thing on it is the skirt in her book, but it claims that once you can make this skirt you can make any skirt from a pattern. We shall see. It's a pencil skirt with lining and I plan on it being my month of may projects (well it was that before we found out about the homelessness thing lol) So it might be ongoing over a few months :(. If I can successfully complete it though I will FINALLY break down and by my very favorite person Gertie (from
gertie's guide to better sewing blog) bombshell dress and suit classes.
Phew....busy month. And if I still have a home for the next month I hope to keep sewing....otherwise I sacrifice the sewing cave for just a plain old bedroom from whatever place we can rent out....tears, I loved my little world. I just keep saying 18 more months and no more moving around.
hopefully back soon....if not I will be posting from maybe new digs---tears!
ON a lighter note....we won first place at our easter egg contest. My sister threw a wonderful easter party and billy and I kicked some serious butt with our entry. He wante d to go all out....and I couldn't stop him, it came out fantastic....Its called "eggry birds" lol
Almost all put together
putting it together, before the slingshot
After the slingshot, the yellow bird was my fav....but Billy was in charge of the birds and he did one heck of job....our kids are gonna have awesome school projects (as long as its angry bird replicas lol) Good thing I had my sewing stuff with me, because that's my elastic and pins he used to make a sling shot (oh and a real tree branch..."For authenticity cait")
Invading my mother's kitchen for the afternoon....but it was worth it!
I was in charge of set decoration....billy painted that brick by hand though. I made all the popscile towers...oh yea and all the bolders from modeling clay...and that tiny little TNT box lol.
Theres the scene
Pig Carnage
Side view! My failed attempt at making the crow was so bad, so he went into the carnage pile, he knocked a pig though woho
These pesky pigs were my job, and I think I did a great job....they still make me laugh, a lot.
Good morning!
