I'm so LUCKY, Sewing....

**Ali Lee** · 07-05-2012, 11:31 AM

I made 10 more tshirt bags. For the Gr'dau's they brought me their school tshirt. I cut fabric ties from LO sleeves. I used the ties to gather the "handles" of their bags. Just knotted it-no bows. Looks really cute. Today, since it is so hot, I'm going to go thru my basket of projects & "go to town"! Have fun sewing!

**Ali Lee** · 07-09-2012, 04:23 PM

I made kitchen curtains today for my dau out of a vintage tablecloth. Just a simple seam at the top. I starched & pressed them for her. Really looks nice. And sewed a button back on my Gr'son's shorts. "You can sew Gr'ma, right?" They are so cute...

**Spirit Deer** · 07-09-2012, 07:16 PM

I made a blanket for the new camper, part of the sleep system I'm making for the small bed in there.

I have been trying to figure out for days what to use to make the bedspread for that bedding. I didn't have anything to match the three comforters and bedspread, but didn't want to make something that didn't match. Yeah, I know it doesn't matter all that much, but the older I get the more it bugs me when things don't go together at least a little bit. But it finally hit me that I had cut about two feet off of one of the comforters so it would fit the small bed. I was really happy to see I had enough of that left over to make the bedspread, by pulling out the batting and folding the cut section open. The plaids don't match which I'll hate and there will be a seam down the middle, but it's better than not matching at all. No one will really see it anyway since in theory the bed will be put away every day, so I can live with it.

It doesn't sound like much but it feels like huge progress. Maybe I can get the whole mess done tomorrow.

**frugalfranny** · 07-11-2012, 05:09 PM

I am doing horrible..............I have some paperwork to do that I DON'T want to do...........and can't even settle down to do ANYTHING........and sewing is "off limits" until I get this done............it HAS to be done and soon.

Maybe if I put the 'sewing reward' at the end of the project that will work...............yeow.........feel like I have ADHD!!!

If it wasn't so HOT I would probably be BAKING TO STALL!!!

**Spirit Deer** · 07-11-2012, 06:19 PM

I didn't get any sewing done today, and I wanted to finish up the camper's new sleep system. It's just too hot. It's frustrating because the AC guy was here yesterday but didn't have the right part. We were hoping to have it fixed yesterday. Oh, well, could be worse. It should be fixed within a week. The truck AC gets fixed tomorrow and the van AC gets fixed at the end of the month, and the dog's surgery today went well and she's home safe and sound if a little out of it yet. So all in all, nothing to complain about.

Tomorrow I won't have to deliver my poor doggy to the vet and leave her, so maybe I can sew in the morning before the house heats up too much. All I have left to do are cut and hem the sheets and then sew the sheets, blanket, and bedspread all together along one side.

**Ali Lee** · 07-11-2012, 11:17 PM

My goodness Spirit Deer, you had me out of breath reading your post! Good Luck with everything!!!

**frugalfranny** · 07-12-2012, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

and the dog's surgery today went well and she's home safe and sound if a little out of it yet. .

Not exactly a sewing topic but...............what did the dog have surgery for? Hope she does well with recovery!

**Spirit Deer** · 07-12-2012, 10:43 AM

She had to have a small cyst removed from next to her eye, so nothing invasive, luckily. She didn't even need stitches. While they had her under they also cleaned her teeth, clipped her claws, and one of the vet techs amused herself by plucking dead hair since Sugar is currently blowing coat. LOL. Her recovery went well and she's pretty much back to normal today. I'm glad it's over. We almost lost a dog once during a surgery so I always worry.

I got the sheets all made for the camper and the instant I cut the thread after sewing the last stitch, I realized I had done it wrong. So now it's gRIPe, gRIPe, gRIPe around here. Grrrr....

**frugalfranny** · 07-12-2012, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

I got the sheets all made for the camper and the instant I cut the thread after sewing the last stitch, I realized I had done it wrong. So now it's gRIPe, gRIPe, gRIPe around here. Grrrr....

Glad to hear the pooch is okay!

OMG.........don't you just hate it when you do that?!!!! And if I am REAL DISGUSTED with myself that is when the whole project can go 'on the back burner'............but a little hard to do when you need it done for the camper.

Sooooooooo---save the 'ripping out' until tonight when you are watching TV...........then start over tomorrow morning with a fresh mind and attitude!!!

**Spirit Deer** · 07-12-2012, 03:30 PM

Too late! I ripped and re-sewed and it's all done now. If I can ever get my pics to load I'll post one or two, although there's not a lot to see. Glad that's all done. Now I have to hem around some quilted fabric I want to use for a blanket on the big bed, and then the bedding should be all finished. That'll be good!

Then I need to make a pocket to hold the grocery bags we use for trash bags.

None of this stuff sounds like a big deal, but when you're in a camper where nothing has been done, it really does drive me crazy. All the little tiny details really do matter when it comes to keeping a small space organized.

**bent** · 07-12-2012, 08:20 PM

a ? please for all the sewing people.
do you pin before you sew if your doing something like making a bag from a shirt or curtains or hemming pants? I was taught by both grannies one pinned and the other just sewed.lol

I find that I am like my nannie I just sew and go. haven't been doing much of that lately though but can feel the sewing muse stirring. it probably also harkens back to when I was a commerical sewing worker where you just held the material lined up and zipped through the seams.

**Spirit Deer** · 07-12-2012, 08:44 PM

It depends. I tend not to pin but I've sewed professionally too. Pins slow you down, but sometimes they really do help. I would say I don't use pins more than I do use them.

My advice is to do what works best for you.

I mentioned it in another thread, but I've decided to use our old canvas tent to make cushion covers for the new trailer, so that'll be my next medium-sized project. Free stuff, yea! Should work out nicely, I hope.

**frugalfranny** · 07-13-2012, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by bent

a ? please for all the sewing people.
do you pin before you sew .

I don't pin for the examples you gave...........I WILL pin for somethings when making a shirt or other clothes.....the cuffs, collar, or things that might have to be 'eased'.....and I pin if making a quilt and have to go over a bunch of seams.........otherwise for just straight piecing, I don't pin.

When I made the 'heart bargello' quilt and was putting the actual 'heart' together I PINNED EVERY SEAM........

and it had 57 seams in each row!!!! I would pin during a TV show.............and run in and sew it at the commercial!

**Ali Lee** · 07-19-2012, 01:19 PM

A while ago, cleaning out hubby's Aunt's house, I found several pairs of pillowcases. Beautifully emboidered, the backs just as pretty as the
front. The pillowcases were emboidered on pillowcase "tubing". But they weren't finished. So I sewed & finished the seams. Oh, how pretty
they will be on my bed. My dau left her body pillow when she moved out. I threw out the pillow but kept the case. So, I cut it in half &
sewed the seams. Now I have a pair of dk green pillowcases. I went thru my "stash" & found a few more tshirts for bags. I kept
FV archives on my ''puter favorites. Last night I skimmed thru all the topics & found the one on recycling tshirts. That article said going
rate for tshirts bags-$4. hmmhmmmmmm..... Enjoy sewing!

**Spirit Deer** · 07-19-2012, 02:03 PM

I got the first cushion cover done for my camper today. I ripped up an old canvas tent to make cushion covers. It looks pretty nice! I hope to get the other two done tomorrow.

I'm so glad I thought about using the tent for the covers. We would never use the tent again, and couldn't make ourselves part with it, so this puts it to good use and de-stashes it too.