I spent the last two days working on a mini duffel bag. Have you ever tried to follow a pattern and just couldn't do it? This bag was just about the end of my sewing career. I think part of the problem was that I downloaded the pattern off the web. The printed instructions were not terrific and I had to go to the computer to look at the pictures. On top of that, I was "using what I had" which did not include all the zippers required. So I was modifying the pattern as I sewed. Well, to make a long story short, I continually sewed things on incorrectly and ripped out about twelve times. Finally, when I realized I had sewed the straps on wrong (several steps before) I threw the whole thing in the trash! Maybe I'll fish it out today and rip, rip, rip. Maybe I won't.
Here are two things that I made properly. The first is a pair of oven mitts. If you remember this quilt you may notice some similarities in the fabric design. The second is this little halter for my next door neighbor, Tess. It is terrifically fun to sew for girls.
Here's a new pincushion I whipped up the other evening. I remember when I learned how to cut hearts out of paper by folding the paper in half. I thought it was the most fantastic thing and proceeded to cut heart after heart after heart. It still sort of amazes me.
It is a beautiful day outside and we plan to get out there. Oh, how I love the flexibility of schooling at home!
We have a very busy weekend ahead of us. I'm glad I was able to spend quite a bit of time sewing yesterday. Here are some of the other projects I completed. The flower pin cushion is for my friend Amy. I had to wrack my brain to remember how to make those embroidered flower petals. It came to me but I definitely could use some practice. The photo below is of some coasters I made using small bits of fabric that I just can never throw away. I have a large pile of fabric pieces on my blanket chest just waiting to be put into a project. I doubt I'll get to them until Monday and maybe not even then. Let me know if anyone out there is trying to "use what you have".
I found this pattern for a groovy bag. I printed it off, found some fabric that I thought might look ok together (from the stash, of course) and cut everything out. I then read through the directions. I already knew I wasn't going to make the weaved fabric before I started so I didn't really bother to read the rest of the instructions. I sewed the lining to the outer pieces of fabric and then went on to read how to attach the panels together. To my great dismay, I discovered that it was all hand sewing. Sew the inside lining of piece A and B, then sew the outer edges of pieces A and B. That is a lot more time than I wanted to spend on this bag. However, I don't actually mind hand sewing and I do spend a lot of time sitting at the school table (where I can't machine sew). So, I spent the next two days hand sewing.
We have been learning about prepositional phrases and how they are sometimes used as adjectives and sometimes used as adverbs. This is tricky stuff. Frankly, I am only understanding it now. I didn't get it as a kid. So, why am I telling you about grammar in a sewing post? Because I was sewing the bottom piece of the bag while trying to explain grammar. Guess what happened? Maybe you already figured it out by looking at the picture. I sewed the bottom on to the top of the bag. This wouldn't be a problem except that I used Toile fabric and so now all my pictures are upside down.
I guess factories call this type of mistake a "second." Welcome to simplysewn seconds.
I don't think you can call this shameless self promotion since I am not promoting myself but my husband. I guess you call it shameless husband promotion. Who else should you promote but your closest loved ones, right?
Anyhoo, my darling husband of 14+ years and his good friends Don and Karen are in this lovely little band called The Innocence Mission. They have been recording music together since before time began and are just the most amazing musicians you've ever heard (no bias here). Did I mention they are also really nice people? Well, they are, take my word on it. Mike of course is a saint just for putting up with me all these years.
I want you all to take a look at this website and if at all possible buy their new, absolutely fabulous album (oops, I guess they call them CD's now). Well, come to think of it, this CD was released on vinyl too and we have a copy (but don't have a working turntable to play it on). While you are checking out the web site (I must get Don to teach me how to do all of that Web design stuff), you should buy all their old CD's as well. They are all super fabulous and I loved the band before I loved Mike, but that's a whole different story.
Happy Easter from our family to yours.