Disboutiquers Part 29 Kids Disney Boutique / Customs Clothes psst..we sew ;-)

[dianemom2]

I am having a hard time finding what I can eat that is lactose free....any tips? I need very plain and low fat.....then next week, they want me to try gluten free....to see if this all gives my gut a chance to rest or if I get any more/less GI symptoms....lol.....

What are you guys giving your significant others this year?

I'm sorry that you are still having a tough time eating. My younger dd's teacher from 5th grade had all kinds of digestive issues and was sick constantly. Then she cut out gluten from her diet even though she didn't have Celiac's. She is 100% better. I hope that one of these things that they are having you try is going to be the thing that gives you relief from these symptoms you've been having. I'm not much help on the lactose free stuff but I am sure there must be some good websites that can give you some advice.

Neal and I don't usually exchange presents. This year we did get him a Kindle Fire when they had the Cyber Monday special. The kids bought me presents with their own money for the first time this year. One bought a candle from Bath and Body Works and the other one got me Starbucks k-cups.

Such good news your husband's reports came back benign. My mother had surgery about 2 weeks ago for a mass in her abdomen, the results were not back yet when she received an EMAIL OF ALL THINGS from the insurance company approving the treatment for her Ovarian Cancer. It arrived in her inbox Thanksgiving day so she had the long holiday weekend to take that in. Following monday she had the surgery, turns out it was benign cyst, the insurance company just decided to offer up their diagnosis via email.

What a terrible story about the insurance company emailing your mother about having cancer. I'm so glad for you and for her that it turned out to be untrue! But I'm sure that caused her a huge amount of grief and anxiety.

Your aprons turned out just great! It was so smart that you were able to use dishtowels and cut them in 1/2. I am sure that your playgroup kids will just love them.

I need a little help. I need to make pajamas for my 6 month old grandson and I bought flannel Christmas fabric. The problem is that the pattern I wanted to use suggests that I use fleece. It is a pattern to make a blanket sleeper and I can see how the fleece has better stretch and would be better suited but I am wondering what whould happen if I made it in the flannel? Does anyone have any experience, opions or advice for making a one piece footed pjs out of flannel or should I just go find some christmas fleece?

I would definitely think that the flannel won't work right because the pattern is made to have stretch in it. The sleeves and legs would probably be uncomfortable and tight. I think that I'd save the Christmas flannel for next year when he is walking and you can make him regular pjs with it instead of a sleeper.

Dr's really need to be careful when they come out and talk to you. they told us to say good-bye to my mother and that was 2 yrs ago and she is almost back to being herself again. Glad his diagnosis is good.

Another scary story! Drs really do need to be more careful what they tell people. I'm glad for you that your mom is healthy and doing well.

I've learned that I'm nowhere near ready to sew without a pattern, because this dress definitely has "personality." And by personality, I mean glaring flaws. (Strings obviously haven't been cut yet.)

Question: well, whining I guess. How long does it take to get good at this sewing thing? I've made about a half dozen things now. And I feel like there's no improvement. I can't sew a straight line if my life depended on it. My seam ripper gets more mileage than my sewing machine lol. Something is always lopsided, completely wrong, etc. Oh, and it takes me FOR-E-VER to sew something. I'm in the middle of sewing a patchwork twirl skirt, and I feel like I could have gestated a human in less time. When will I start getting better?

Your Merida dress turned out very cute and I'm sure it will be loved!

All of us seamstresses see our project's "personality" much more than anybody else. I can always see the flaws in everything that I make and I've been sewing for years. It slowly gets faster and easier with every project that you sew but you do still keep learning. Plus, your seam ripper is always a necessary item when you sew! My gets plenty of use!

I would suggest getting a slow cooker since the meal can cook while you are at work. Roasts, chili, and soups are easy to do in the slow cooker and they are lactose and gluten free. They would be pretty low fat too if you use lean cuts of meat.

Since a few of you requested a picture earlier in the week, here's my Advent calendar:

Good idea about the slow cooker. Plus there is a website where a lady did one new slow cooker recipe every day for a year. She has a daughter with Celiac's Disease so she posts about which recipes are gluten free or how to turn the recipes into gluten free recipes. Here is a link: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Flora your calendar turned out fantastic!

 

[billwendy]

Thanks everyone - yes, there is about 80lbs less of me since August -lol..I'd love to maybe lose 30 more to be at the low end of my range to have a "cushion" ...lol.....I am seeing lactose in EVERYTHING!!! ugh....but right now everything seems to go through me - even plain lettuce! I have to go back to work on Tuesday, and I have no energy! And what the heck can I pack for lunch that will stay in side me!!!! Im supposed to try gluten free as well, so that should be interesting to add on top of low fat, low spice (from the reflux), lactose free....I asked Billy if he could back me a cookie with those specifications for Christmas, and he laughed and handed me an "air cookie" and said enjoy!!!

Love all the beautiful creations everyone!!!! And thanks for your support!!!

 

[ADisneyQueen]

My dd16 and I are both lactose intolerant and we drink lactaid milk and take 2 of the dairy digestive tablets with some dairy things we can handle.

I would suggest cabot brand cheese because it is lactose free.

 

[billwendy]

My dd16 and I are both lactose intolerant and we drink lactaid milk and take 2 of the dairy digestive tablets with some dairy things we can handle.

I would suggest cabot brand cheese because it is lactose free.

Cool - I picked up some fat free, calcuim enriched Lactaid!!! Im not sure if they want me to do this because they think Im intolerant, or if they think my gut just needs to rest???? How can you tell if you are truely intolerant?

 

[smile5sunshine]

Taking a mini-break from cutting out fabric. I LOVE the Grace ruffle dress pattern, but all those ruffles are fabric hogs and it's a pain in the behind to cut out. Multiply that times two and I want a break! It's so worth the trouble though when it's all sewn up. Ugh, can you tell it's late and I'm tired so I'm just blabbering on?

This is so cute! I feel dumb, but what is a blind hem stitch and was it difficult?

Flora really did a fantastic job explaining it. But just so you know, it CAN be done without the blind stitch foot (I don't have one, but then again that's probably why mine didn't turn out as pretty as Flora's did!). I followed this tutorial: http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/07/blind-hem-stitch-with-a-sewing-machine.html

do you think that a pageant dress is really silk or is it polyester ?

Also, do you follow the directions for putting patterns together or do you do it how you like better ? the new patterns have you putting the whole bodice together and the whole skirt together and then putting them together but the old way is to put the front of the skirt to the front of the bodice and I like that better. It makes it much easier to gather.

I think most of them are probably polyester. Silk is such a delicate material and some of them are so ornate with many intricate details which makes me think silk wouldn't tolerate that very well. In addition, I always think of silk as more drape-y while the polyester retains it's shape better. Of course I could be WAY off base (as I've never needed to sew or buy a pageant dress before).

I personally have to follow the directions as written at least the first go around. Every time I have tried to do something my own way, it ended up being all wrong and I have to go back and fix it.

I took DH back for his post surgical follow up appointment today. It was very good news. The pathology report was already back and everything was benign. I don't know if I had mentioned it here but the endocrinologist who visited DH while he was in the hospital scared us quite a bit because she kept saying that the mass was malignant and we needed to get into her office to see her within a week. The surgeon told us today that she was definitely mistaken and must have confused us with another patient.

Oh that is wonderful news! So happy everything came back okay. I hate that you had to spend those few days so scared though.

Hi Everyone!!

So sorry I have been MIA. My gallbladder removal went just fine, spent 1 night in the hospital and was then sent home. I have been having a rough time eating and drinking since August, and after surgery, I was just not able to keep myself going and got into a bad dehydration hole, so had to go back into the hospital again this week for a few days. My guts are just a mess right now!! But at least the pain from the gallbladder was gone when I woke up = I just expected the digestion issues to be gone as well...oh well. My dreams of stitching and sewing while I was home recooperating boiled down to just 1 Eeyore Christmas Tshirt and a half done Tigger one!!!! YIKES!!! So, Im hoping I'll finally feel better for Christmas this year!!!

Thanks so much friends!

Flora - I just cant seem to eat or drink much at all which is very freaky!! I have lost so much weight, which I could absolutely afford to lose, but not too much more. I have gone from a size 24W to a 12! Its super duper weird for me. I always heard that when you lost weight you got tons of energy, but not so far for me....hopefully it will come, I can keep it off and will be back in the swing of things. It will be a pretty low key holiday for us. My mom and her husband will come here for breakfast, and then they are flying to Austin around noon to visit with family out there. So it will just be Billy and I.

I am having a hard time finding what I can eat that is lactose free....any tips? I need very plain and low fat.....then next week, they want me to try gluten free....to see if this all gives my gut a chance to rest or if I get any more/less GI symptoms....lol.....

What are you guys giving your significant others this year? Billy and I usually exchange a few things since we dont have kiddos, and of course Tigger will be spoiled rotten. He has been so cute with the Christmas tree...lol....I want to take him to get his picture taken with santa - I know its crazy, but oh well!!! lol

Golly I HATE that you are having such a hard recovery. I hope that the new diet will give your body time to rest and heal. And yes, I think they want you to go lactose/glueten free to give your body time to rest, heal, and reset. Lactose and milk products can be very hard for your body to digest.

As for what I'm getting Dh for Christmas, well he wants some adjustable hand weights (the kind where you can add/subtract discs to change the weight). But he was also really interested in one of the gifts we are using for a white elephant/yankee swap: a home microbrewing kit.

I am going to try to make a couple adult bowling shirts for my husband. His birthday is new years eve, so I hope to do one for birthday and one for christmas. both are superhero themed. I also made a couple hoodies for my kids, my nephew and a fleece throw for each my husband and two kids. Still have a bowling shirt in the works for the nephew. I did finish my aprons though! A grand total of 14, all appliqued with gingerbread boy or girl and personalized with their names. Also whipped up a bib for the little sister of one set of twins.





I sort of winged it, I had a large dish towel from IKEA, cut it in 2 and hemmed the rough edge. Cut top corners and hemmed, and the straps are cotton tube w/ elastic on top and ribbon for the waist with a snap to close it. I think they came out cute and I was able to use the embroidery software (I did end up buying it, and the fonts from 8 clawes.) to put together names for the first time too. Glad to be done so I can tackle the rest of Christmas projects.

Gracious that's a lot of aprons! they came out very cute though. GL getting all the rest of your sewing finished.

I need a little help. I need to make pajamas for my 6 month old grandson and I bought flannel Christmas fabric. The problem is that the pattern I wanted to use suggests that I use fleece. It is a pattern to make a blanket sleeper and I can see how the fleece has better stretch and would be better suited but I am wondering what whould happen if I made it in the flannel? Does anyone have any experience, opions or advice for making a one piece footed pjs out of flannel or should I just go find some christmas fleece?

I also don't think the flannel would work well for a blanket type sleeper. It really does need that stretch.

I finished up dd's Merida dress for BBB. Let me just say, Merida is now my least favorite Disney character. My machine apparently got PMS, because it kept jamming and giving me problems. I've learned that I'm nowhere near ready to sew without a pattern, because this dress definitely has "personality." And by personality, I mean glaring flaws. (Strings obviously haven't been cut yet.)

Question: well, whining I guess. How long does it take to get good at this sewing thing? I've made about a half dozen things now. And I feel like there's no improvement. I can't sew a straight line if my life depended on it. My seam ripper gets more mileage than my sewing machine lol. Something is always lopsided, completely wrong, etc. Oh, and it takes me FOR-E-VER to sew something. I'm in the middle of sewing a patchwork twirl skirt, and I feel like I could have gestated a human in less time. When will I start getting better?

When's the last time you cleaned out your machine? Typically machine jams are caused by a stray thread hiding somewhere.

And as far as the sewing, I can't for the life of me sew straight either. I've learned some tricks to help a bit (like using my presser foot as a guide) but a lot of times my stitching is all wonky. AND I can tell you right now why sewing he Merida dress was such a bear (hee hee!): it was the fabric! Crushed Panne is difficult to sew with because it stretches so much and curls up on the edges. It also fuzzes horribly. I hate working with it. I guess I'm trying to say that you need to be patient with yourself. You are developing a new skill and it's not going to happen overnight.

Since a few of you requested a picture earlier in the week, here's my Advent calendar:

I am not 100% happy with it but it will do for now.

I think this turned out very nice! Hope you are enjoying using it!

Thanks everyone - yes, there is about 80lbs less of me since August -lol..I'd love to maybe lose 30 more to be at the low end of my range to have a "cushion" ...lol.....I am seeing lactose in EVERYTHING!!! ugh....but right now everything seems to go through me - even plain lettuce! I have to go back to work on Tuesday, and I have no energy! And what the heck can I pack for lunch that will stay in side me!!!! Im supposed to try gluten free as well, so that should be interesting to add on top of low fat, low spice (from the reflux), lactose free....I asked Billy if he could back me a cookie with those specifications for Christmas, and he laughed and handed me an "air cookie" and said enjoy!!!

Love all the beautiful creations everyone!!!! And thanks for your support!!!

HA HA HA HA HA (at the red part!)



Okay, I guess it's back to the grind for me. As an aside, I have the Belle dress 70% complete. Bodice is totally done and just needs to be attached to the skirt, both skirts are hemmed, but I need to work on the bustling for the top layer.



*edit* WENDY I just thought of this. Ask your doctor if it's okay to take probiotics. Your digestive tract NEEDS some good bacteria to function properly, and taking the probiotic will help promote the good bacteria that is helpful, and perhaps speed up your recovery a smidge. Again, make sure you ask your Dr first, as there might be some reason you shouldn't take it right now.



Sunshine

 

[billwendy]

Sunshine - I was wondering about those probiotics. They have recommended that I be followed by a nutritionist, would they recommend things like that? Im not sure who to ask what question to - lol - surgeon? GP? GI doc? lol...I have never had so many dr's in my entire life!!!

Bill is into trains this year, and is setting up a platform in the basement. So I ordered him a few train cars off of amazon- love amazon this year!!! haha...Also got him an army Tshirt and a lifeguard ornament!

 

[PurpleEars]

Neal and I don't usually exchange presents. This year we did get him a Kindle Fire when they had the Cyber Monday special. The kids bought me presents with their own money for the first time this year. One bought a candle from Bath and Body Works and the other one got me Starbucks k-cups.

Flora your calendar turned out fantastic!

How nice for your kids to buy you presents this year. It sounds like you will enjoy both items.

Thank you on the compliment on my calendar. It looks really wonky in the picture but it looks better in real life. I still need to fill the pockets with Advent activities, though probably not this year!

Thanks everyone - yes, there is about 80lbs less of me since August -lol..I'd love to maybe lose 30 more to be at the low end of my range to have a "cushion" ...lol.....I am seeing lactose in EVERYTHING!!! ugh....but right now everything seems to go through me - even plain lettuce! I have to go back to work on Tuesday, and I have no energy! And what the heck can I pack for lunch that will stay in side me!!!! Im supposed to try gluten free as well, so that should be interesting to add on top of low fat, low spice (from the reflux), lactose free....I asked Billy if he could back me a cookie with those specifications for Christmas, and he laughed and handed me an "air cookie" and said enjoy!!!

Love all the beautiful creations everyone!!!! And thanks for your support!!!

Too funny about Billy's cookie for you. I hope you can find something that you can eat! Maybe chicken noodle soup or something?

Taking a mini-break from cutting out fabric. I LOVE the Grace ruffle dress pattern, but all those ruffles are fabric hogs and it's a pain in the behind to cut out. Multiply that times two and I want a break! It's so worth the trouble though when it's all sewn up. Ugh, can you tell it's late and I'm tired so I'm just blabbering on?

Okay, I guess it's back to the grind for me. As an aside, I have the Belle dress 70% complete. Bodice is totally done and just needs to be attached to the skirt, both skirts are hemmed, but I need to work on the bustling for the top layer.

Sunshine

I hope you get the fabric cutting done. I have to admit cutting fabric is not my favourite part either. I can't wait to see pictures of the dresses you are working on!

Sunshine - I was wondering about those probiotics. They have recommended that I be followed by a nutritionist, would they recommend things like that? Im not sure who to ask what question to - lol - surgeon? GP? GI doc? lol...I have never had so many dr's in my entire life!!!

Bill is into trains this year, and is setting up a platform in the basement. So I ordered him a few train cars off of amazon- love amazon this year!!! haha...Also got him an army Tshirt and a lifeguard ornament!

I think a dietitian would be your best bet for helping you out with your diet. I don't know about the regulation in the US, but a nutritionist here is not the same as a dietitian. A dietitian has a university degree and are certified here, whereas a nutritionist is not.

 

[PrincessMom4]

Anyone have any ideas for a simple pattern for boys shorts and a shirt??

 

[goteamwood]

Anyone have any ideas for a simple pattern for boys shorts and a shirt??

I love the Carla C bowling shirt for boys. The directions are good step by step. I have also made the Camp shirt from fishsticks which I liked, minus the pocket. I also made Carla's easy fit pants into shorts too which look a lot less like PJs to me.

FishSticks Camp Shirt


Carla C Easy Fit Pants shortened.


And one set of 7 sets of bowling shirts I did for my boys.


You can get the carla c patterns at youcanmakethis.com and the other through etsy or fishsticks designs website.

 

[billwendy]

Definately the Easyfit pants and the bowling shirt by Carla C - she is the best!!

Just finally finished Bill's Tigger Christmas shirt!! lol....Cant wait to give it to him tonight when he gets home from work!! I am so tired of being alone so much while he is at work - I dont know how everyone else does it!!!

Does anyone have any ideas for a quick get away for new years? We adore Florida, but know the crowds at Disney would be bad (We've done new years several times). We have Friday through tuesday and are willing to drive...would like to have Tigger with us????? My birthday is new years eve, and I'd just like to get outta town for a few days!

 

[aboveH20]

Definately the Easyfit pants and the bowling shirt by Carla C - she is the best!!

Just finally finished Bill's Tigger Christmas shirt!! lol....Cant wait to give it to him tonight when he gets home from work!! I am so tired of being alone so much while he is at work - I dont know how everyone else does it!!!

Does anyone have any ideas for a quick get away for new years? We adore Florida, but know the crowds at Disney would be bad (We've done new years several times). We have Friday through tuesday and are willing to drive...would like to have Tigger with us????? My birthday is new years eve, and I'd just like to get outta town for a few days!

Have you ever been to Hershey? (I haven't, but it's on The List.)

 

[billwendy]

Have you ever been to Hershey? (I haven't, but it's on The List.)

We have and its soooo beautiful!!! you should definately do that sometime!!

 

[babynala]

I think I lost some quotes because I know I was really far behind....

I just saw the wish family I made big give shirts for received them so I am OK to post them here. I think they turned out super cute, and the best part was I was able to make them with fabric I already had (from the Wall-E, Buzz and Monsters Inc Adult shirt leftovers plus some nemo FQ I had on hand.) They wanted the brothers coordinating, so I tried to make them similar but different.

One boy said Crush was his favorite, the other Nemo, so it worked out well. I love the way Crush came out though, might be one of my favorite appliques I have done.

These came out great. I love that you were able to coordinate the shirts.

I finished the lady bug outfit. I am pretty proud of the fact I only needed help on the pattern placement for cutting out the fabric. I did the rest entirely on my own. It is not perfect but I am pretty proud!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Great job, your DD looked so cute in that outfit.

And just to break the trend, I made a pair of bowling shirts for a Give:

I also made a growth chart as a baby gift (they already have 2 other children so I thought it would be used by all children):

You have been busy making things for the gives. The bowling shirts are great. The growth chart is a perfect gift, what a great idea. All that baking sounds like fun.

If you're ready for picture overload, here is everything I worked on last week.

First up a small purse for my 10 year old niece. She is a girly girl and her dad is in the Air Force so I thought the fabric was fitting for her.

Next up is the same style bag for my 14 year old step-niece. I don't know her very well but my SIL told me her favorite color is balck and she is into skateboarding. I couldn't find a skateboarding fabric that I liked that wasn't too kiddish but I thought this would work and also adds a little color.

Next up I made a casserole holder for each family. One of my SIL's mom is coming too so I also made one for her. For these I used Flora's idea and used batting so whatever you put inside will stay warm! My one SIL and her mom are always cooking so I think they will use them and my other SIL bakes alot and is always bringing treat into her work so I thought she could use hers for that.


And yes, I made my own gift from her, she did take it with her to wrap up though to I have something to open on Christmas!

WOW, you have been buys. The casserole covers are a perfect fit and I love all the bags.

I finished the aprons for my grandchildren, please excuse the half naked mannequin!

and this looks wonky because the mannequin is a size 4-6 and the vest is size 6 months. Its for Gus Gus to wear to Christmas Eve Mass

Your aprons came out really nice but that vest is soooo cute.

Cheryl - thanks for the tutorial on the bag. I have made a few of these but I have never done the strings right. Your pictures are so helpufl.

I feel your pain! We leave for disney in 7 days!!! ACK!!! I still have so much to do. I have 3 more shirts to finish, 2 scarves and embroider a jacket and a hoodie. My youngest asked me if I could make her some skirts to take with too. No pressure! On the plus side, I have finished up 45 of the 48 shirts, 2 hoodies and one scarf. And of course there are three parties this weekend, christmas baking and getting the house in order. Oh, and packing. Have to pack sometime don't I?

Yikes that is a ton of stuff to do but at least you are on your way to Disney.

And I am also 90% done with the first dress. It's a Snow White inspired dress using the Little Lizard Apron Knot pattern. Overall the directions for this pattern are clear, but she doesn't really include any sizing information or finished measurements. I modified the apron portion. It was supposed to be a rectangle, but I wanted the rounded corners. I also lined it so I could use the ric-rac. I also used a blind hem stitch for the first time, so YAY me!

I still need to add the buttonholes (the directions are a bit unclear for this so if anyone has made the patten before help me out, otherwise I'll have to email Little Lizard) and then I am also going to add an apple applique to the apron. Overall, happy with how it's turned out.

Hoping to get a couple more dresses cut out today/tonight. Maybe more pictures tomorrow.

Sunshine

The snow white dress is so cute. Did you read Carla's tutorial on YCMT called "buttonhole basics"? It is a free e-book and it give detailed directions for doing buttonholes and buttons.

I took DH back for his post surgical follow up appointment today. It was very good news. The pathology report was already back and everything was benign. I don't know if I had mentioned it here but the endocrinologist who visited DH while he was in the hospital scared us quite a bit because she kept saying that the mass was malignant and we needed to get into her office to see her within a week. The surgeon told us today that she was definitely mistaken and must have confused us with another patient.

This is such great news. I can't believe that the doctor gave you incorrect information. Glad to hear that everything is OK and that you don't have to fret about this any longer.

Hi Everyone!!

So sorry I have been MIA. My gallbladder removal went just fine, spent 1 night in the hospital and was then sent home. I have been having a rough time eating and drinking since August, and after surgery, I was just not able to keep myself going and got into a bad dehydration hole, so had to go back into the hospital again this week for a few days. My guts are just a mess right now!! But at least the pain from the gallbladder was gone when I woke up = I just expected the digestion issues to be gone as well...oh well. My dreams of stitching and sewing while I was home recooperating boiled down to just 1 Eeyore Christmas Tshirt and a half done Tigger one!!!! YIKES!!! So, Im hoping I'll finally feel better for Christmas this year!!!

Wendy, I'm so sorry that you are still not feeling well and that you are still week. I hope that a nutritionist can point you in the right direction so that you can get your strength up.

I did finish my aprons though! A grand total of 14, all appliqued with gingerbread boy or girl and personalized with their names. Also whipped up a bib for the little sister of one set of twins.

I sort of winged it, I had a large dish towel from IKEA, cut it in 2 and hemmed the rough edge. Cut top corners and hemmed, and the straps are cotton tube w/ elastic on top and ribbon for the waist with a snap to close it. I think they came out cute and I was able to use the embroidery software (I did end up buying it, and the fonts from 8 clawes.) to put together names for the first time too. Glad to be done so I can tackle the rest of Christmas projects.

WOW! I can't believe you made and embroidered all those aprons. They came out really great and looked so cute on the kids. The sizing is perfect for the little ones.

I finished up dd's Merida dress for BBB. Let me just say, Merida is now my least favorite Disney character. My machine apparently got PMS, because it kept jamming and giving me problems. I've learned that I'm nowhere near ready to sew without a pattern, because this dress definitely has "personality." And by personality, I mean glaring flaws. (Strings obviously haven't been cut yet.)

Question: well, whining I guess. How long does it take to get good at this sewing thing? I've made about a half dozen things now. And I feel like there's no improvement. I can't sew a straight line if my life depended on it. My seam ripper gets more mileage than my sewing machine lol. Something is always lopsided, completely wrong, etc. Oh, and it takes me FOR-E-VER to sew something. I'm in the middle of sewing a patchwork twirl skirt, and I feel like I could have gestated a human in less time. When will I start getting better?

The Merida dress looks very nice. I would not want to sew with that fabric. Also, it takes forever to make a patchwork twirl skirt. All that cutting and then sewing it back together, not to mention the gathering. Sometimes when I get frustrated I like to work on something smaller in scale or maybe a bag that doesn't have to "fit", like a simple tote. As others have said, I think you are being too hard on yourself.

Since a few of you requested a picture earlier in the week, here's my Advent calendar:

I am not 100% happy with it but it will do for now.

Nice job on the advent calendar. And thanks for the directions on the blind hem. I will bookmark this for future reference but I have to say that you lost me at the word "hem". I really try my hardest not to have to fix any clothing items that people want to actually wear after I am done with them.

 

[PurpleEars]

Anyone have any ideas for a simple pattern for boys shorts and a shirt??

As others have said, I would recommend the Easy Fit and Bowling Shirt. Another option you may want to consider is the Raglan shirt. These patterns are all by Carlc C and they can be found on youcanmakethis.com.

Just finally finished Bill's Tigger Christmas shirt!! lol....Cant wait to give it to him tonight when he gets home from work!! I am so tired of being alone so much while he is at work - I dont know how everyone else does it!!!

Does anyone have any ideas for a quick get away for new years? We adore Florida, but know the crowds at Disney would be bad (We've done new years several times). We have Friday through tuesday and are willing to drive...would like to have Tigger with us????? My birthday is new years eve, and I'd just like to get outta town for a few days!

Hooray for getting the shirt done! I don't have any suggestions for your quick get away, but I hope you will have a great birthday!

You have been busy making things for the gives. The bowling shirts are great. The growth chart is a perfect gift, what a great idea. All that baking sounds like fun.

Nice job on the advent calendar. And thanks for the directions on the blind hem. I will bookmark this for future reference but I have to say that you lost me at the word "hem". I really try my hardest not to have to fix any clothing items that people want to actually wear after I am done with them.

Thanks. I enjoy sewing for the Gives so it works out well. The funny thing is that I only do hems on clothing that I make. Thankfully I don't have to hem store bought clothing 99.9% of the time. Our problem is actually finding long pants that don't look like capri pants on us!

 

[BabyRapunzel]

I feel your pain! We leave for disney in 7 days!!! ACK!!! I still have so much to do. I have 3 more shirts to finish, 2 scarves and embroider a jacket and a hoodie. My youngest asked me if I could make her some skirts to take with too. No pressure! On the plus side, I have finished up 45 of the 48 shirts, 2 hoodies and one scarf. And of course there are three parties this weekend, christmas baking and getting the house in order. Oh, and packing. Have to pack sometime don't I?

I missed this before. That's alot of shirts, Have fun!!!!

Thanks so much friends!



What are you guys giving your significant others this year? Billy and I usually exchange a few things since we dont have kiddos, and of course Tigger will be spoiled rotten. He has been so cute with the Christmas tree...lol....I want to take him to get his picture taken with santa - I know its crazy, but oh well!!! lol

My husband is still a child at heart and always loves his video games. Also his birthday is after Christmas.. so Cds, Dvds that I got on Amazon lightening sales.

Such good news your husband's reports came back benign. My mother had surgery about 2 weeks ago for a mass in her abdomen, the results were not back yet when she received an EMAIL OF ALL THINGS from the insurance company approving the treatment for her Ovarian Cancer. It arrived in her inbox Thanksgiving day so she had the long holiday weekend to take that in. Following monday she had the surgery, turns out it was benign cyst, the insurance company just decided to offer up their diagnosis via email.



I had to give up ALL dairy when I was breastfeeding because one of my sons had terrible reflux and cows milk sensitivity. Milk is in EVERYTHING. Pretty much you have to go vegan to get rid of it. They use it in so many processed foods you would never dream of, like taco seasoning and potato chips. It wasn't easy to get rid of. But it helped and he outgrew his allergy, thankfully.

I am going to try to make a couple adult bowling shirts for my husband. His birthday is new years eve, so I hope to do one for birthday and one for christmas. both are superhero themed. I also made a couple hoodies for my kids, my nephew and a fleece throw for each my husband and two kids. Still have a bowling shirt in the works for the nephew. I did finish my aprons though! A grand total of 14, all appliqued with gingerbread boy or girl and personalized with their names. Also whipped up a bib for the little sister of one set of twins.





I sort of winged it, I had a large dish towel from IKEA, cut it in 2 and hemmed the rough edge. Cut top corners and hemmed, and the straps are cotton tube w/ elastic on top and ribbon for the waist with a snap to close it. I think they came out cute and I was able to use the embroidery software (I did end up buying it, and the fonts from 8 clawes.) to put together names for the first time too. Glad to be done so I can tackle the rest of Christmas projects.

That is absolutely crazy about the email, how worrisome. Love those aprons! I can't imagine ever making so many items, wow!

Dianne ~ I am so happy for you and your husband with the results of his surgery!

Wendy~ 24 to a 12!!!!! That is a ton of weight! I hope you figure it out soon and start feeling better. I am no help with lactose free but I am sure if you googleit you will find a ton of info.

I need a little help. I need to make pajamas for my 6 month old grandson and I bought flannel Christmas fabric. The problem is that the pattern I wanted to use suggests that I use fleece. It is a pattern to make a blanket sleeper and I can see how the fleece has better stretch and would be better suited but I am wondering what whould happen if I made it in the flannel? Does anyone have any experience, opions or advice for making a one piece footed pjs out of flannel or should I just go find some christmas fleece?

Sorry, I have no idea, but looks like others have offered advice.

I finished up dd's Merida dress for BBB. Let me just say, Merida is now my least favorite Disney character. My machine apparently got PMS, because it kept jamming and giving me problems. I've learned that I'm nowhere near ready to sew without a pattern, because this dress definitely has "personality." And by personality, I mean glaring flaws. (Strings obviously haven't been cut yet.)

Question: well, whining I guess. How long does it take to get good at this sewing thing? I've made about a half dozen things now. And I feel like there's no improvement. I can't sew a straight line if my life depended on it. My seam ripper gets more mileage than my sewing machine lol. Something is always lopsided, completely wrong, etc. Oh, and it takes me FOR-E-VER to sew something. I'm in the middle of sewing a patchwork twirl skirt, and I feel like I could have gestated a human in less time. When will I start getting better?

This dress is awesome! I see nothing wrong with it, it looks just like Merida!

Wendy - I am sorry to hear that you can't eat or drink much. I think people get tons of energy when they lose weight due to reasons other than being sick! I can totally understand your desire to keep your current weight though, it is much easier to buy clothes at size 12 than at 24 I would imagine. Hopefully once you get the GI issues straighted out, you will have lots of energy. I think the best way to go lactose free is to make meals from scratch. Milk ingredients simply show up in too many processed foods! Gluten is even worse in terms of being in foods. I would suggest getting a slow cooker since the meal can cook while you are at work. Roasts, chili, and soups are easy to do in the slow cooker and they are lactose and gluten free. They would be pretty low fat too if you use lean cuts of meat.

DH will be getting a Lego Townhall set for Christmas. I have been giving him a large Lego set for Christmas the last few years.



That is terrible about how the insurance company emailed about your mother's results. I am glad that it was benign. I am sure it was a very stressful time for your family after you got that email! I would be furious.

The aprons look great. I hope the baking party will go smoothly and everyone will have fun.



I imagine flannel would work since both flannel and fleece don't stretch like knitted material.



The dress looks beautiful. I think you are being too hard on yourself. I am sure each time you sew, you learn something new. And guess what? I can't sew a straight line either. I think you are getting better at sewing, you are just not giving yourself enough credit. As long as the recipient wears the things that you made, does it really matter that it is not perfect in your eyes?


Since a few of you requested a picture earlier in the week, here's my Advent calendar:

I am not 100% happy with it but it will do for now.

Great job on the Advent calendar!

Since we had a discussion about blind hem stitch, here's a photo tutorial of "doing blind hem stitch on the machine"

First, we have a couple of pictures of what a blind hem stitch done on the machine looks like:

On the right side of the garment:

On the wrong side of the garment (the light blue thread is the blind hem stitch):

So, let's get started on a new blind hem!

First, find the blind hem foot. Mine looks like this:

Next, finish the edge of the hem:

Then you fold the hem and iron it in place (in this example, I used 5/8"):

Now you are ready to take it to the machine:

You will need to fold the material to the right side of the fabric, while leaving a little bit of material for the stitches to catch onto. The fold should be on the left hand side of the divider on the foot. The finished edge of the fabric will be on the right hand side. The majority of the stitches will be on the right hand side of the divider. This picture will probably explain it better:

Set your machine to blind hem stitch, which looks like straight lines with zig zags. It should do a a few straight stitches on the right hand side of the divider, then jump over to the left to do 1 stitch, and return to the right hand side of the divider again.

This is what it should look like as you continue to stitch:

When you are done, unfold the fabric. This is what it should look like on the outside (I used white thread so it would show up better):

In my case, I should adjust the zig zag width to narrower than default as the stitches are pretty large. It is trial and error at this point because you want the stitch to catch the fold you created when you put the material under the foot, but you don't want large stitches to show (like this example).

I hope these pictures explain the blind hem stitch a little bit better than what I tried to type last night when I was on my way out to see my friend. I am happy to report that she and her baby are doing well, as are the rest of the family. She was thrilled to receive the growth chart as they didn't have one.

Wow, awesome tutorial! Maybe I should ask you about how to do more things!

Question for those of you with PE770's

I was stitching out a Mickey head design from Heather Sue and it has stitched out fine before no problem at all. This time it stitched fine OTHEr than it missed the final satin stitch on a section of ear. There also is no way I can go back and fix it because I can't go back and repeat steps or anything.

Was this just a fluke maybe? it was part of another step, it is supposed to do the whole mickey head final satin stitch at once and it just missed a section.
thanks
Erin

Sorry can't help you, I have no idea, except maybe the fabric pulled somehow to make it jump?

Taking a mini-break from cutting out fabric. I LOVE the Grace ruffle dress pattern, but all those ruffles are fabric hogs and it's a pain in the behind to cut out. Multiply that times two and I want a break! It's so worth the trouble though when it's all sewn up. Ugh, can you tell it's late and I'm tired so I'm just blabbering on?





Flora really did a fantastic job explaining it. But just so you know, it CAN be done without the blind stitch foot (I don't have one, but then again that's probably why mine didn't turn out as pretty as Flora's did!). I followed this tutorial: http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/07/blind-hem-stitch-with-a-sewing-machine.html



I think most of them are probably polyester. Silk is such a delicate material and some of them are so ornate with many intricate details which makes me think silk wouldn't tolerate that very well. In addition, I always think of silk as more drape-y while the polyester retains it's shape better. Of course I could be WAY off base (as I've never needed to sew or buy a pageant dress before).

I personally have to follow the directions as written at least the first go around. Every time I have tried to do something my own way, it ended up being all wrong and I have to go back and fix it.




Oh that is wonderful news! So happy everything came back okay. I hate that you had to spend those few days so scared though.






Golly I HATE that you are having such a hard recovery. I hope that the new diet will give your body time to rest and heal. And yes, I think they want you to go lactose/glueten free to give your body time to rest, heal, and reset. Lactose and milk products can be very hard for your body to digest.

As for what I'm getting Dh for Christmas, well he wants some adjustable hand weights (the kind where you can add/subtract discs to change the weight). But he was also really interested in one of the gifts we are using for a white elephant/yankee swap: a home microbrewing kit.





Gracious that's a lot of aprons! they came out very cute though. GL getting all the rest of your sewing finished.




I also don't think the flannel would work well for a blanket type sleeper. It really does need that stretch.




When's the last time you cleaned out your machine? Typically machine jams are caused by a stray thread hiding somewhere.

And as far as the sewing, I can't for the life of me sew straight either. I've learned some tricks to help a bit (like using my presser foot as a guide) but a lot of times my stitching is all wonky. AND I can tell you right now why sewing he Merida dress was such a bear (hee hee!): it was the fabric! Crushed Panne is difficult to sew with because it stretches so much and curls up on the edges. It also fuzzes horribly. I hate working with it. I guess I'm trying to say that you need to be patient with yourself. You are developing a new skill and it's not going to happen overnight.




I think this turned out very nice! Hope you are enjoying using it!



HA HA HA HA HA (at the red part!)



Okay, I guess it's back to the grind for me. As an aside, I have the Belle dress 70% complete. Bodice is totally done and just needs to be attached to the skirt, both skirts are hemmed, but I need to work on the bustling for the top layer.



*edit* WENDY I just thought of this. Ask your doctor if it's okay to take probiotics. Your digestive tract NEEDS some good bacteria to function properly, and taking the probiotic will help promote the good bacteria that is helpful, and perhaps speed up your recovery a smidge. Again, make sure you ask your Dr first, as there might be some reason you shouldn't take it right now.



Sunshine

I soooo wish I was brave enough to try the Grace dress, it is soo pretty. But each time I think I'll try, I freak out and think I can't do it.

Anyone have any ideas for a simple pattern for boys shorts and a shirt??

Looks like you got some ideas here.

I love the Carla C bowling shirt for boys. The directions are good step by step. I have also made the Camp shirt from fishsticks which I liked, minus the pocket. I also made Carla's easy fit pants into shorts too which look a lot less like PJs to me.

FishSticks Camp Shirt


Carla C Easy Fit Pants shortened.


And one set of 7 sets of bowling shirts I did for my boys.


You can get the carla c patterns at youcanmakethis.com and the other through etsy or fishsticks designs website.

Love all these shirts, so cute!!!

Definately the Easyfit pants and the bowling shirt by Carla C - she is the best!!

Just finally finished Bill's Tigger Christmas shirt!! lol....Cant wait to give it to him tonight when he gets home from work!! I am so tired of being alone so much while he is at work - I dont know how everyone else does it!!!

Does anyone have any ideas for a quick get away for new years? We adore Florida, but know the crowds at Disney would be bad (We've done new years several times). We have Friday through tuesday and are willing to drive...would like to have Tigger with us????? My birthday is new years eve, and I'd just like to get outta town for a few days!

Sorry, I don't have any ideas, but it sounds like it could be fun!

Ok, caught up again. yeah!!

 

[BabyRapunzel]

So, I finally finished a project. Last minute as always. It is a tote bag for my DD2s dance teacher, hope she likes it. It is my first try at a tote, not bad, but I do have a few areas on the back that did not work, the inside lining was just a little too big so I had to make a few pleats, oh well.

 

[smile5sunshine]

Sunshine - I was wondering about those probiotics. They have recommended that I be followed by a nutritionist, would they recommend things like that? Im not sure who to ask what question to - lol - surgeon? GP? GI doc? lol...I have never had so many dr's in my entire life!!!

Gracious that IS a lot of Drs! I think I would ask either the person who told you to go on the restricted diet, or the GI doc. I think they will know what is best in your situation.

The snow white dress is so cute. Did you read Carla's tutorial on YCMT called "buttonhole basics"? It is a free e-book and it give detailed directions for doing buttonholes and buttons.

I guess I should have been a little more specific. It's not the button holes themselves I am having trouble with, but rather the placement. In the patter it just says to make the button holes 3/4" and the lists one number which I can only figure is supposed to be the distance between the two button holes. But it didn't say how far down/to the side of the bodice they should be placed either. I have a feeling I will just end up eye balling it as best I can.

I soooo wish I was brave enough to try the Grace dress, it is soo pretty. But each time I think I'll try, I freak out and think I can't do it.

Oh you really should try it! It is remarkably easy in the construction of it and Lisa's instructions are spot on. I think it's one of those items that LOOKS so much more complicated than it really is, which is something I like about the pattern!

So, I finally finished a project. Last minute as always. It is a tote bag for my DD2s dance teacher, hope she likes it. It is my first try at a tote, not bad, but I do have a few areas on the back that did not work, the inside lining was just a little too big so I had to make a few pleats, oh well.

Pretty! I hope the teacher appreciates it.

Okay so for tonight, my goal is to get both the bodice and ruffle panels on the skirt of the Grace Ruffle dress done. That will leave me just the appliques to do tomorrow, and also cutting out the last dress. I think I'm going to be incredibly close on time though. These MUST be finished and in the mail by mid afternoon Wednesday! Eeek!

Sunshine

 

[disneychic2]

Well, I got behind on this thread again really quickly. Trying to get things done and my parents both got the flu pretty badly, so trips to their house to take them soup and gatoraide, plus dental appointments and just life I guess.

I love that your granddaughter loved the skirt and top you sent her. How nice that your daughter sent you a video of her enjoying it.

What Brother machine do you have that does sewing and embroidery? If it has a card slot, you should be able to download designs and stitch them out. You just need to purchase PED Basic. It costs about $100 for the box and a card. I used that for several years on my old Ellageo machine. That machine also took floppy disks and I found out that I could buy a floppy disk writer for about $10. That allowed me to transfer all the designs to floppy disks and transfer them to my Ellageo that way.

My machine is a Brother Pacesetter 8500. It's around 12 years old, but there were many years I didn't use it much at all and it still works great. I paid $2,000 for it, which to me was a huge amount of money and the computer program add on would have been another $1,000, so I opted not to get it. I looked at the PED basic, but wasn't sure it would work for me. My machine has a card slot, but I wasn't sure if just any card would work or if it had to be the brother ones. I'll look further into it. Thanks for the advise!

Love the idea of Fabreezing away the monsters!!!

A simply sweet with 3 layers of ruffles would mean you would have to sew through 4 layers of fabric to attach it to the dress. That would be very thick and difficult to sew. I think you would end up with a few broken needles. Instead, I think that I would use this method:
http://www.danamadeit.com/2012/03/tutorial-the-layered-skirt.html

It will be a bit more work in measuring and cutting. But I think it will be easier sewing in the end.

I've made three of those layered ruffled skirts and they were easy as pie! I posted this pic already, but not sure how far back. Hope this helps!

es I am busy, but I must admit, that it's really all my fault that I am. I have known about needing to sew these items for quite a while and just procrastinated until the very last minute! I should know better, but alas I keep making the same mistakes over and over again!


I want to say that I am praying for the poor families in Connecticut today. Horrible and heartbreaking.


I am 90% done with the give eye spy bags. All I need to do is get the filling (either rice or the poly pellets, which are my first choice) and sew them closed. Can't post pictures of those yet though.


And I am also 90% done with the first dress. It's a Snow White inspired dress using the Little Lizard Apron Knot pattern. Overall the directions for this pattern are clear, but she doesn't really include any sizing information or finished measurements. I modified the apron portion. It was supposed to be a rectangle, but I wanted the rounded corners. I also lined it so I could use the ric-rac. I also used a blind hem stitch for the first time, so YAY me!

I still need to add the buttonholes (the directions are a bit unclear for this so if anyone has made the patten before help me out, otherwise I'll have to email Little Lizard) and then I am also going to add an apple applique to the apron. Overall, happy with how it's turned out.

*edit* hee hee, I just realized my eye spy bags are peeking out from behind the dress! Those black straps are the handles to the bags!

Hoping to get a couple more dresses cut out today/tonight. Maybe more pictures tomorrow.

Sunshine

Believe me, you are not alone on the procrastination!! I once bought a book on how to stop procrastinating but never got around to reading it! (yes, it's true!)

Love your Snow White outfit! You did a fabulous job!

I took DH back for his post surgical follow up appointment today. It was very good news. The pathology report was already back and everything was benign. I don't know if I had mentioned it here but the endocrinologist who visited DH while he was in the hospital scared us quite a bit because she kept saying that the mass was malignant and we needed to get into her office to see her within a week. The surgeon told us today that she was definitely mistaken and must have confused us with another patient.

Oh my, what a terrible mix up! So glad the real results were benign! Yay God!!!

Hi Everyone!!

So sorry I have been MIA. My gallbladder removal went just fine, spent 1 night in the hospital and was then sent home. I have been having a rough time eating and drinking since August, and after surgery, I was just not able to keep myself going and got into a bad dehydration hole, so had to go back into the hospital again this week for a few days. My guts are just a mess right now!! But at least the pain from the gallbladder was gone when I woke up = I just expected the digestion issues to be gone as well...oh well. My dreams of stitching and sewing while I was home recooperating boiled down to just 1 Eeyore Christmas Tshirt and a half done Tigger one!!!! YIKES!!! So, Im hoping I'll finally feel better for Christmas this year!!!

Thanks so much friends!

Flora - I just cant seem to eat or drink much at all which is very freaky!! I have lost so much weight, which I could absolutely afford to lose, but not too much more. I have gone from a size 24W to a 12! Its super duper weird for me. I always heard that when you lost weight you got tons of energy, but not so far for me....hopefully it will come, I can keep it off and will be back in the swing of things. It will be a pretty low key holiday for us. My mom and her husband will come here for breakfast, and then they are flying to Austin around noon to visit with family out there. So it will just be Billy and I.

I am having a hard time finding what I can eat that is lactose free....any tips? I need very plain and low fat.....then next week, they want me to try gluten free....to see if this all gives my gut a chance to rest or if I get any more/less GI symptoms....lol.....

What are you guys giving your significant others this year? Billy and I usually exchange a few things since we dont have kiddos, and of course Tigger will be spoiled rotten. He has been so cute with the Christmas tree...lol....I want to take him to get his picture taken with santa - I know its crazy, but oh well!!! lol

Oh, what you're going through sounds just awful! What a difficult way to lose weight. I guess at least that's one good thing that has come from all your discomfort. So sorry you're feeling so weak. Good luck with the lactose and gluten free diet. I'll be praying for you.

I got my hubby a Kuerig coffee maker. I usually do the 12 days of Christmas for him. I start on Dec. 13th and give him little presents every day until Christmas. The gifts range from his favorite Peppridge Farm cookies to a bottle of wine or a bag of Starbucks Christmas Blend. I leave a gift in his car, or put one in his lunch or under his pillow. He loves finding his present each day and I have fun finding things that he'll love. Other gifts I've done are Woodworking magazines, suduko puzzle books, fiction novels, gum, GC for Subway.

I finished up dd's Merida dress for BBB. Let me just say, Merida is now my least favorite Disney character. My machine apparently got PMS, because it kept jamming and giving me problems. I've learned that I'm nowhere near ready to sew without a pattern, because this dress definitely has "personality." And by personality, I mean glaring flaws. (Strings obviously haven't been cut yet.)

Question: well, whining I guess. How long does it take to get good at this sewing thing? I've made about a half dozen things now. And I feel like there's no improvement. I can't sew a straight line if my life depended on it. My seam ripper gets more mileage than my sewing machine lol. Something is always lopsided, completely wrong, etc. Oh, and it takes me FOR-E-VER to sew something. I'm in the middle of sewing a patchwork twirl skirt, and I feel like I could have gestated a human in less time. When will I start getting better?

I would just say, be patient. Half a dozen things is not all that many. It does take time to perfect your sewing. You are tackling some pretty difficult stuff, especially in your fabric choices. Having said all that, your Merida dress looks pretty good. I would never guess you're so new to sewing. Hang in there and try not to measure what you're doing with anyone else's work. Time and repetition are the only things that make you better. Compare what you did first against what you just did and see how much improvement you've made. And my seam ripper gets a pretty good work out at times too. You're not alone in that! Don't get too discouraged and don't give up. You're on the right track.

Since a few of you requested a picture earlier in the week, here's my Advent calendar:

I am not 100% happy with it but it will do for now.

I think you did a great job on the Advent Calendar! Very pretty!

Definately the Easyfit pants and the bowling shirt by Carla C - she is the best!!

Just finally finished Bill's Tigger Christmas shirt!! lol....Cant wait to give it to him tonight when he gets home from work!! I am so tired of being alone so much while he is at work - I dont know how everyone else does it!!!

Does anyone have any ideas for a quick get away for new years? We adore Florida, but know the crowds at Disney would be bad (We've done new years several times). We have Friday through tuesday and are willing to drive...would like to have Tigger with us????? My birthday is new years eve, and I'd just like to get outta town for a few days!

Have you been to the Poconos? How about Niagra Falls? DH and I used to go to the Canadian Falls a couple of times a year. It's so beautiful in the winter! Also, if budget isn't an issue, Nimacolin Resort is beautiful. I've never stayed there, but toured it and it looks fabulous! Very pricey, though. Our daughter and her husband like to go to Berkley Springs in WV. Also, Corning N.Y. or the Finger Lakes region of N.Y. is beautiful. Don't know if you're near any State parks, but here in Ohio, we enjoy renting a cabin at one of the parks, they have hot tubs and fireplaces and are so relaxing. Hope you find something that you love!

So, I finally finished a project. Last minute as always. It is a tote bag for my DD2s dance teacher, hope she likes it. It is my first try at a tote, not bad, but I do have a few areas on the back that did not work, the inside lining was just a little too big so I had to make a few pleats, oh well.

This is soooo adorable! She'll love it!

 

[pyrxtc]

Definately the Easyfit pants and the bowling shirt by Carla C - she is the best!!

Just finally finished Bill's Tigger Christmas shirt!! lol....Cant wait to give it to him tonight when he gets home from work!! I am so tired of being alone so much while he is at work - I dont know how everyone else does it!!!

Does anyone have any ideas for a quick get away for new years? We adore Florida, but know the crowds at Disney would be bad (We've done new years several times). We have Friday through tuesday and are willing to drive...would like to have Tigger with us????? My birthday is new years eve, and I'd just like to get outta town for a few days!

I get the being alone... it's no fun and will only get worse for me in the coming year with my DH leaving to work in TX in March while I wait until June to go. I'm sure he will love the shirt. What about doing a New Orleans trip or something in the Florida keys ? You could just do Georgia and hit up the Antebellum mansions.

So, I finally finished a project. Last minute as always. It is a tote bag for my DD2s dance teacher, hope she likes it. It is my first try at a tote, not bad, but I do have a few areas on the back that did not work, the inside lining was just a little too big so I had to make a few pleats, oh well.

Looks cute. I'm sure her teacher will love it. I was going to do one for my DS's teacher for Christmas (technically he is supposed to do it) but it's too close and I have so much to do that it's not gonna happen.

I have been sewing together some adult bibs for my Mom to bring to her adult daycare place she goes. She has a few for herself and I think they do a Christmas thing where they leave stuff on the table in the corner and you can just take something. They had a gorgeous Mickey and Minnie thing last year. I bought the pattern and read the required amount of fabric but wasn't thinking and bought twice as much as needed since I was using flannel on one side and cotton on the other and bought the required amount of both for one bib. So, I made a few more than I planned and still have plenty of fabric left over if they want some more. I made 4 for the ladies and 4 for the men.

The bibs over the top of the chair are the cotton side and the bottom part is the flannel side.

I think that in the future I will go a little more fancy. I still have to make my skirt for me to wear for Christmas (and hope it fits right) and I have so much else going on this week. UGH !! I don't even have any food for Christmas and was hoping to have Christmas dinner on the Eve but DH told me he will be at work and that just doesn't seem right.....

 

[billwendy]

My goodness you little elves have been busy!!!

Love the idea of the 12 days of Christmas - so much FUN!!!!

I got Billy the wii Lego Lord of the Rings game that he asked for - lol!!! He can be a kid at heart too!!!

Have a GREAT day everyone!!!