It's been awhile....

Well, its been a while since I've posted. I've been working on my to do list for this year. First of all I've gotten my daughter's Basketball scrapbook well on its way. This is her senior year of high school and seems like it's going by quickly these last couple of months. Her team is in the sweet 16 of the high school playoffs. They've won the state championship the past 2 years. So keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

I've got a Cricut machine, and just recently bought the SCAL (Sure Cuts A Lot) software. I'm so excited I just created my first cutout using it for my daughter's scrapbook:



On to my sewing, I've been busy. I've been working on my first block of the Christmas quilt. I'll post it when I am done.

I've also gotten the quilt top done for my son's quilt. I had a bunch of African print scraps that I wanted to use; so I did the rail fence pattern. I'll have to post the picture later since the quilt is queen size (my son is 6'5"), I've got to find a place to hang it up first. But its coming.

Also, I've decided to teach a beginning sewing class (actually quilting) to a group of my lady friends. We start next weekend.

Oh and this is a snapshot of a outfit I did for the Christmas celebration at work. I was supposed to represent the Kwanza Holiday. So I made this skirt set. The skirt is elastic and goes to the floor. The top is Simplicity 2702. I just shortened it to be a top.

Well that's it for now.

I need these, like I need......

Yes, I need these like I need a whole in my head! But I'm really liking these new patterns from Butterick. So here's what's on my list when the next sale happens at JoAnne's or Hancock:

I think this dress is just adorable. I've got some fabric in my stash slated for this.

This reminds me of the dress that Michelle Obama wore; I believe it was on the View. But I'm actually liking the two piece (view B and view D).

In the meantime since my last post I've been busy. I've got a couple of garments done, and have been working on the quilt for my son.

Oh yes, I met the most amazing lady at the quilt shop this month. She and I have made a pact to complete the following "monthly block" quilt:
This is a design by Sue Garmen, called "The Night Before Christmas". What better way to keep the Christmas spirit year round, than to work on a Christmas quilt! So wish me luck on this one. I'm excited. I'm planning to use a lot of those scraps that I just can't seem to throw away. I'm making a vow to myself to each month post the completed block on my blog. Between my quilting partner and my commitment to the blog, I think this should keep me accountable.

I'm also going to be teaching our community ladies group how to sew. We'll be starting at the end of February. I've decided to do a lap-size quilt, just to introduce the women to the basics.

I also got the local scrapbook store to agree to do an intro class for our group. Scrapbooking is another vice for me.

Well, this is it for now.

Something quick to cook

This is indirectly sewing related. The other day I had decided to sew, but of course that was interrupted by the fact that my family was hungry (how dare they interrupt my sewing and have the audacity to use the excuse of hunger!). Anyway, being the good mother that I am I stopped to fix something to eat. I found this recipe in the Sunday coupon section and decided
it was the perfect time to try it. The recipe was "Spaghetti with Szechuan Peanut Sauce"

• 12 oz of spaghetti
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast, cooked
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup sweet chili Thai sauce
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp finely chopped green onions
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1. Cook and drain spaghetti
2. Cut cooked chicken into cubes
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add sauce and chicken to spaghetti and mix until evenly coated. Garnish with additional cilantro if you desire.

The family really liked it. We were all pleasantly surprised that it tasted so good. The longest part of the preparation was cooking the chicken breast. I chose to cut up the chicken breast prior to cooking, this cut down on the cooking time. Ive decided to post the recipe here so that I don't loose it.

Well off to more sewing.....

Pillows and the fabric stash

Well as I said earlier its amazing what you find in your stash when you actually can see it. I had 4 pillow forms in my stash, along with some upholstery fabric.


So from these:





I made 4 of these:

My daughter was happy to see them, she said she was tired of lugging bed pillows from upstairs when she wanted to lay on the couch to watch television. Although, I know she got worried after she saw me bring her a 4th one. I assured her that was all the pillows I had in my stash!

Fabrics, Sewing room, and a Gift - (pic heavy)

This is what my husband surprised me with for Christmas.... I told him in my eyes he can now do no wrong. He and the kids got together and decided that "I deserved it". You know I think I'll keep all of them as my family.

So now I have no excuse for sewing the fabrics I bought.

By the way here's a pic of my family (me, my husband, my youngest son, my oldest son, and my daughter):


So this is my fabric purchase from Denver Fabric. The 1st was a rayon spandex blend, the burgundy is a micro-pleated fabric, then a stretch cotton, and finally a golden silk dupioni.


I've decided to make the micro-pleated fabric into this outfit from BWOF 7/99, item number 101:

Finally my "re-do" of my sewing room; mind you I am still in the process of getting it straightened out. The room is actually a combination sewing/scrapbooking room. See all the scrapbooking supplies on the shelf & my most loved scrapbooking item a Cricut. (My husband has a stack of pics/articles for me to scrap from the kids basketball years).


I finally went thru the bins I had with fabric in them. I discovered "out of site out of mind" means you forget what you have; so this time around I'm placing them in FULL view on hangers in the closet. I'm also giving some to charity.


My pastor gave me boxes of sewing notions, etc that belonged to his mother when she passed away. His wife remembered that I was an avid sewer and thought they should go to a good home, so needless to say I have more notions that I will ever use.

Also in the process of my moving rooms, I located two quilts that I had been working on but forgotten (remember that "out of site, out of mind"). The first is Jacobs Ladder pattern, it was to be a gift for my sister when she was single. I just have the quilting to finish (I was having a hand quilting moment). Now she's married, so I told her that she and her husband will have to cuddle up under a twin size.


This is one I was working on for my niece (rail fence pattern). The yellow print has bluebirds on it. Its a lap size quilt, something for her to use when they travel to her maternal grandmothers house. I was having another hand-quilt moment, but its just a lap-size so won't take long to finish up.


Well I think I've blogged enough for the day. Besides, I've got to give my family some overdue hugs!

The Start of a New Year

Well, very Happy New Year to everyone!

This past year has been one of growth, learning, joy, and pain (but aren't they all). My prayer is that the new one will bring much joy to everyone.

How did I spend my New Year's Day? Well I of course went to the fabric store; Denver Fabrics here in Colorado, everything was 30% off and silk dupioni was 50% off (I'll post pictures later).

But most of my day was spent cleaning my sewing room for a new arrival. See my husband decided to surprise me with something that I had been "googling" over for the last month. I pick it up on tomorrow. In preparation, I swapped my sewing room with my youngest son (his room was bigger, and since he's only home on breaks from graduate school I figured why waste all that unused space). I didn't realize how much stuff I had (sewing and non-sewing related). I'm talking super-hero action figures, baseball/basketball cards, clothes that haven't seen the outside of the closet in years (specifically basketball jerseys my boys wore when they were 10!).

We were keeping a lot of "memories" in boxes in the closets. My new motto is "if it hasn't been used in 3 months then consider giving it to someone that will use it".

As you go through the items, you begin to realize just how much your life has changed, and will continue to change. Its a bitter-sweet and sobering moment; But with God's assistance the change is always for the good. Seems like it was just yesterday when we had to move the end tables to the basement because the boys were using them as diving boards!

I've been trying to pull together my Goals for this 2009, so here's a rough-draft:

1. Continue to acknowledge God for his presence in my life
   
2. Exercise at least 30 minutes each day (I've already joined the local 24 hour fitness, and started going every other day since beginning of December)
3. Run in my first 5k of half-marathon (just keeping it real) by June 2009
4. Tell all the key people in my life that I love them regularly.
5. Complete Daughter's Basketball scrapbook
6. Document everything I sew
   
7. Make a custom dress form
8. Improve my fitting techniques
9. Complete quilt for my son

Tomorrow, I'll post pics of my "Christmas Gift", fabric purchase, and "cleaned-up" sewing room.

Lots of Love to everyone....

NL 6826 - New TNT pattern.

Well, I've found me a new TNT Pattern. Its New Look Jumper 6826. I wanted something easy to make that I could wear with a Turtleneck and tights now that the cold weather is approaching. I've made it twice now (both out of a light weight wool). One is a houndstooth print.

This is from my fabric stash. I took about two yards. I had to make the following changes to the pattern:

1. Added 2 1/2 inches to the overall length.
2. I made a size 14 but altered it to a larger width at the full hip (specifically in the back); which meant I had to redistribute the pleats.
3. Added 1/2 inch to length of bodice (yoke) piece.

I made the dress in a solid grey wool the first time I made it. I did it specifically by the pattern, although it was quick; I really didn't like the finishing on the inside. I wanted a lot cleaner finish on the inside, so I sewed the zipper and straps in place before adding the yoke lining. I also used a centered invisible zipper; the pattern called for an overlapped zipper.

Below, a picture of the houndstooth dress, the zippers edges are not exposed as they are in the first version of the dress (the grey). The ends of the dress-straps are sewing with in the facing on the houndstooth version, in contrast to the grey version,where the straps were hand sewn to the bodice. I like the houndstooth version of the dress inside so much better

If you're a beginning sewing, definitely give this pattern a try.