New Toy

I have spent the last 45 minutes or so weaving in my basement. That in itself is pretty good, since I have a craft show on the 5th of December, and I need some inventory.
The extra-exciting thing is this
One of the lovely ladies in church choir asked if I would like to borrow this loom for a while.
How could I resist?
I don't really know what I am doing yet, my next stop today is to the library to pick up some weaving books I have on hold.
Also, I think I need to re-organize the craft dungeon, there's not a lot of flow as it is right now.

I hope the weather is as wonderful where you are, I hope to spend not too much more time in the basement today.
The Younger and I need another afternoon in the woods.

As I was shopping for halloween costume material at the thrift store today I hit the jackpot!
An American Girl doll for $5.If I had to guess, I'd say Samantha, though she's dressed a little like a lady of the evening.
Since we'll have a 7th birthday in December, I thought what better thing to do than get an outfit or two, books and maybe a cheesy day out with her doll.
What I hadn't realized is that the original girls are all discontinued.
This may take a little more thought.
I guess I can scour ebay from now until then.

I suppose that since I do actually know how to sew, I could make her some outfits.

I could even call this a Laura Ingalls Doll, come to think of it, and make her some prairie clothes.

Clearly I am thinking aloud...

The weather here has continued to dazzle, so I may just leave the sewing and/or agonizing about what to do with this new friend for the Elder, until later.
Time for a walk in the woods!

Kids Clothes Week Challenge, Fall Edition Day 5

I spent the morning working on the Younger's vest, and I am almost finished.
I quilted and bound the whole thing and now all I have left are the pockets.

Not being a very skilled quilter, I decided to just go across the vest in straight lines.I used painter's tape and moved my needle to the far right position, following the tape with my presser foot. This gave me a pretty fool-proof method of measuring my quilting lines.
I do still have to attach the pockets, but I may leave that until late tonight.

I always love to join in on these sewing challenges! It really helps me focus on a few key projects, instead of fluttering around from knitting to weaving to sewing to baking to whatever else strikes my fancy at that moment.

Anyway, I'll call this vest a moderate success.
The Younger wanted the bugs to be on the outside,but as I had already quilted it by that time, there was no way I was going to put in a new zipper.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kids Clothes Week Challenge, Fall Edition Day 4

I got about halfway through a vest for the Younger today.
Hopefully, I will quilt it tomorrow, and then he'll have a fun, cozy, transitional garment for the late fall/early winter.
I found these two fabrics in the remnant bin a few weeks ago, and I just loved the color combo.A quilted vest seemed like the perfect project. The brown is a fine wale corduroy, and it is really soft and cozy.
At first, I had planned a reversible garment, until I was sewing in the zipper tonight and realized that I hadn't bought a reversible zipper.
So, brown lined with bugs is what we get.
Then, as I was sewing in my non-reversible zipper, I sewed one side upside down.
Sigh.
So I ripped out the zipper, re-aligned it and sewed it back in.
Now all that remains for tomorrow is the quilting, binding and sewing on the pockets.
I just might be able to finish this during my me-time tomorrow morning.

Can I just give a little product review here?
I just discovered Wonder Tape. It's double-sided, water soluble tape. All you have to do to put in a zipper is tape the fabric to the zipper, no pinning.
And, as I have been assured by a very trustworthy co-worker, it washes away in the laundry.
I used it yesterday on the hooded sweatshirt, and it was so easy!

Kids Clothes Week Challenge, Fall Edition Day 3

I got most of a flannel shirt finished today for the Younger.
I left the bottom hem until I find a separating zipper.
I think it should fit him well for a little while, at least through the fall.
This wasn't planned, but the side seams came out almost even!
Are you sewing this week?

Update:
I put in the zipper, and finished the hem.
I think the Younger might just wear this to school tomorrow!

A Trip to the Park

The weather has had its ups and downs lately, but yesterday was definitely an up.

Kids Clothes Week Challenge, Fall Edition Day 2

I spent last night finishing the backpack for my girl. It's not fancy, but it will hold her homework without creasing it. Also, it matches her lunch box. That's just a little mama geekyness.

I also spent this morning finishing up a dress that I had intended to finish before school started.
I pulled out my very favorite sewing tool - my buttonhole maker.
It always makes perfect buttonholes, unlike the buttonhole feature on my zig-zag machine.

I was able to agonize over button choice, make the buttonholes, sew the buttons on and hem the dress this morning, and I still have a little time to stop in here and share the photos.

A girl could get used to this 2-hour alone time.