Ms O is Three

Dang.  Weeks have passed and I completely forgot to mention Livvie’s 3rd birthday!  Poor third child.  Anyway, we had a great time and so did she.

We had her party at one of our local parks and had only a few people join us.

Ya know…? It was kind-a nice. I didn’t stress about things and the people we really spend time with are the ones who joined us.  It was prefect.

I made her a pettiskirt which of course she doesn’t like to wear.

That’s okay because it’s big enough so she can wear it for many more years.  How do I know?  Well, it’s a secret that I promised not to tell, but big brothers 5 & 7 loved trying it on and twirling around and around and around.  (It really fits Eddie perfectly, but you don’t know that okay?)

So happy birthday to my little princess who loves to watch Pocahontas & Ariel in my bed with her kiki and blanky, loves toast with jam, and adores her brothers.  We love you!

The Secret is Out

If you want to know what to look for and how to purchase your very own vintage machine, take a look here at my article I wrote for SewMamaSew.

Now, don’t you all go running out snapping up all the good deals!  Nah- just joking…  but seriously, these beauties can be found just about anywhere and often for under $50.  I bought three in the last year and never paid more than $50 including the table (although they all needed cleaning and new wiring).  So if you really want a great machine, keep your eyes peeled and enough cash to grab one when you spot it.

Trials

So I tried to shirr a while ago.  I started this dress back at the beginning of May after hours of designing my own pattern.  (My sister has asked me to copy several mini Boden outfits for E.)

I finally got around to putting it together and shirring last week.  The elastic thread has already come apart so I have to do it over.

I scoured the web looking for a shirring tutorial where the rows were not sewn in a circle or tube.  I just wanted to go back and forth across the front and back of the dress, but didn’t know if I had to tie off at each end.  Yeah, I was too lazy to tie all those darn knots that people do.

I wanted to sew one continuous line, but since I couldn’t find anything showing it done this way I wasn’t sure if that would still work okay or if it would throw off the whole shirring process.  Instead, I backstitched 3 or 4 times at the beginning and end of each row.  Bad idea.  After talking with G the other night, I found the exact thing I wanted to do in an Octobre mag!  The worst part was that one of the editions I already had also had the exact shirring technique that I was trying to accomplish.  Frustrating.  It was right in front of me all along.

So I will be re-doing the shirring and will be sewing in one continuous line this time, (and will reduce those ginormous pockets!).  Live and learn.

I also finally tried AB’s Swing bag- minus the scarf.  I don’t like scarfs.

I liked the pattern.  It was bare bones.  No pockets, gussets, or closures.  It’s supposed to be reversible so you can’t add all that nonsense stuff if you want to be able to turn it inside out.  I really liked the pleats at the base of each handle.  It’s too cute.

The bag was for a neighbor’s daughter who just graduated high school and is heading off to OSU.  I tucked in some hard-to-find long sheets for her dorm and called it good.  It was great because I didn’t have to wrap it.  I don’t like to wrap. Talk about a waste of resources.  (Sorry, I feel a mean cold coming on which is why this post is a little funky and negative.)

I really do like the bag pattern, but changed a few things such as: I didn’t interface it with canvas as the pattern instructs.  Who keeps light colored canvas on hand?  Do you?  I sure don’t.  I had this stuff which worked out just fine.  Also, I did not leave the opening for turning on the curve of the top of the bag.  I wasn’t about to handstitch on a curve- it always turns out crappy.  So instead, I put the opening on one of the straight sides and topstitched. Finished and given already with lots of thank you’s.

Next up- how does your garden grow & tour of my yard.

Papa’s Pets

My dad never really liked pets.  He let us take in a stray or two, but they would disappear.  We had some fish here and there, a turtle and a bird.  Overall though, I do not remember pets playing a huge role in our lives.

Lately, I’ve been wanting a dog.  (Or another baby, but that’s not going to happen so dog it is.)  I never had a dog growing up and would love for the kids to have one to raise, care for and play with.

In the meantime, my dad has been adding animals to his life.  He now has goats, ducks, chickens and horses occasionally.  Dad has about 3 acres which he maintains with the help of these pets.  It’s funny to hear him talk about his pets, their personalities, and all their quirky habits.

We finally made it out there to spend some time with the animals and of course, Papa & Penelope.

The kids had a blast and are still talking about hugging the goats and holding the babies.  Maybe someday we’ll get our chickens and a dog (fingers and toes crossed).  In the meantime, we’ll try to make it out more often to visit papa’s pets.

Memorable Morels

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend.  We had a great time up at the Ranch although we didn’t spend that much time actually on the ranch itself.  We went hunting.

It was such a fun weekend.  On Saturday, we were out in the forest from about 9:30am until 6:30pm.  Ms O found the first morel of the weekend and it was one we all walked right on by!

She was proud of her morel.

We walked and walked and walked.  The kids just kept on going.  Chris and I couldn’t help but take advantage of their love of the outdoors.

Ms O entertained us with her singing, Eddie made us laugh with his special “mush-a-room” walk and Augie amazed us with his finds.

They are all so much closer to the ground than Chris and I so we had the best spotters ever.

At least that’s our excuse.

Needless to say, everyone got plenty dirty, but Ms I won the prize everyday.

Now we’re back home enjoying our bounty every night.  We fired up the dehydrator tonight, but we kept some out for a few more fresh morel dinners.  Oh, and yep, I plan on throwing some porcini burgers on the grill as well.

YUM!

Happy Singing

The other half had his birthday today.  His dinner choice was Caesar salad (such an awesome recipe- I swear it’s better than any other), oven-baked red potatoes and lamb chops.

Oh my!  I never knew these chops were so good.  Eddie and Olivia loved them too, but Augie stuck to his usual vegetarian fair.  We also had cake which is rare.  Everyone loved the cake so it may be made again someday.  Chris loved the chocolate chip surprise.

After dinner, we had a little sing-a-long. My kids were trying to sing like their little cousin.

Warning, many videos.  If you’re not family, you may not want to click…

Oh Ottobre

G and I have been freakin’ out over this design mag.  There’s so much packed into each one.  From the patterns (usually 30 or so), to the many photo examples and sewing tips.  We have fallen in love with these Finnish folk.

While up at the Sewing & Stitchery Expo back in March, I thought I got suckered into spending $70 for a magazine subscription that I wasn’t sure I would even like. I had been thinking about a subscription to a sewing magazine for some time, but I was never sure which one to spend the dough on.  They are spendy!

Turns out this was the best money I’ve spent in a long time!  I did order both the womens and kids which is why it was so much, but I don’t regret it ONE BIT.  I ordered my subscription from here while up at the Expo, and I’m very pleased how fast I received my first one.  Now, with that said, I can’t guarentee the same for you if you decide.  G ordered hers three weeks ago and still has not received her first magazine yet. (I’ve already received this seasons’.)  She’s been borrowing mine for the time being and has studied it down to the children’s eye shape.  (Sorry G, had to sneak that in!)  You could also order it directly from the Ottobre site.

So the shorts were made from the latest Summer ‘09 magazine.  They are “Bermudas” and Eddie picked out the fabric which was on sale for super cheap. The bad part is that a lot of the great detail which drew me to this pattern is lost due to all the darn patchwork.

I love the mock fly which makes these look a little less homemade than the usual ones I make.  I also like all the pockets.  I did not like sewing the elastic in place instead of a casing.  It was really hard to stretch and sew, but I think that may have been due to the elastic I was using- some thrift store find. Yuck. The pattern calls for belt loops and also a tie, but I opted out.  These took me way too long to sew as it was with 4 pockets per pair, mock fly and all the topstitching.

Now that I’ve got the pattern for each boy traced and cut out with my adjustments, another pair should be alot faster to whip out.  Hopefully with fabric that’s not so busy next time!

Debating

Cut it down or keep some for the birds…

I think he’s going to cut it down.  (Do you see him up there hanging on for dear life?)  Hopefully his chance of survival is greater that way.

For those who know our backyard, you understand what a big deal this is.  Chris has wanted this birch down since moving in almost 10 years ago.  It’s just too dangerous to try and top which is what he’s done with several of the trees in the yard.  Let’s just hope it falls in the right direction!

Sleeveless

I’ve decided that I’m not sewing sleeves anymore.

And I’ve acquired a new addiction: sundresses.

And as you can see, Ms O loves to wear them.  I’ve made 5 dresses in 3 days.  I think I may continue making one a day until there’s a nice collection.

For the pattern, I used Sandi Henderson’s Portabellopixie Claire pattern.

Okay Sandi, how in the heck are you making any money off these patterns?

For $16, you just about get a book!  There’s TWENTY pages in the pattern.  There are colored illustrations, photos and pages of instructions  She teaches you how to make bias tape & piping, how to shirr and two ways to gather.  The pattern back shows 4 dress options, but really that’s just the beginning.  You could make umpteen dress combination’s with her awesome instructions.

All that said, I only made the petal knot dress without the apron and knot.  I love the proportions of the band width, amount of gather and the simple lined bodice.  These dresses fit Ms O perfectly and she looks too darn cute in it.

Each dress takes very little time without those darn sleeves.  I’d rather sew on buttons and make buttonholes any day than sew a sleeve.  I’m tired of the hemming, gathering and easing in to fit a sleeve.  It takes way too long.

Although, I did make this Burda dress again, but you know how much I love this dress.  I will make sleeves for something this cute.  All in moderation I say.

It was supposed to be for Easter, but you know how that goes.

I would love to buy yards and yards of this Moda Wonderland line, but have to make due with what I have.  (Worse case scenario is now the best case for LO schools and I’m sure PP schools are in deeper trouble.)  The great thing about these dresses is that you can use different little pieces of fabric so there’s not large single cuts of fabric needed.  I need stash busting projects and I’m sure you all could use it too. 

Five

My little Eddie-Freddie is 5. Five is a big birthday isn’t it?  They are a whole hand.

Eddie is everyone’s favorite.  He loves Pokemon and mazes (pronounced “ahmazes”).   He has a crazy pine cone collection and idolizes Augie.  “O-yivia” is his best “yittle” sister and he is definitely Nana’s toko.

After days of thought, meatballs and couscous was chosen for his birthday dinner.  My cinnamon rolls were requested instead of cake.

I dread his meltdowns, miss his kiki face, love our afternoon naps, and look forward to watching him begin school.  Happy 5th Birthday Eddie.  We yuv you!