Custom Pattern Weights

I was looking for something to do, and decided I need some more weights to use for my sewing. I didn't want to pay the outlandish price that I did when I bought the ones from the sewing store. But I didn't want a bunch of metal washers either. So here's what I started with:

List of items:

1. 3/4 inch washers from local hardware store
2. 1 skein of embroidery thread
3. glue from my scrapbooking supplies (glue used for paper, metal, fabric)
4. tracing paper (to use for bottoms

Stack two of the washers together. I did this to give it some added weight. I also put a little glue between the two washers to hold them together

Begin wrapping the thread on the washer, make sure that the thread wraps are bumped against each other. Also, have the tail of the thread such that your wrappings are over it


Continue wrapping until the entire washer is covered. Then make a knot in the last loop. Finally place some glue along the side of the washer where the knot is. This will keep the knot from coming apart.

Your completed weights will look like this:
The one in red was done using pearl cotton thread, the other using regularly embroidery thread.

It only costs me 34 cents per washer; so it came to Approximately 70 cents per weights, and $7 to make a set of 10 weights. Plus it was something I could do while I was watching TV with the family.

My Spring dress

Well I decided to do something in a springy print. This pattern is Vogue 8555. I found a flowerful print at the quilt shop, and decided I wanted to try it out in this pattern:

It's very comfortable. I didn't have to do much alterations; I decided not to put the pockets in the dress. I do think I'll make it a size smaller next time though, I think the pattern ran a little large in the bodice. But I most definitely will be making it again.

Now for my next project:

Vogue 2891 for my daughter's senior prom; I've got 2 weeks to get it done! One alteration I've already got in mind is to bring up the back skirt some, so there isn't as much back out.

Wish me luck!

Free sewing pattern on Sewing Pattern.com

Well, I was just fishing around on the internet, and came across the following free patterns at sewingpatterns.com. The following patterns were for free (plus some others):

I requested the Mccall and Simplicity pattern. I'm going to print them tomorrow. The website uses what is known as "secure printing". You can only print the files, you can't save the patterns to a disk.

I'll let you know how it goes. By the way I'm prepping for spring, and just finished my first "spring print" dress. What better way to get ready for spring than to mentally prepare. "If you think it, it will come". I'll put pix up tomorrow.

UPDATE: 4/9/2010 - Well I tried to print the McCall pattern, and am not sure this service is worth it. First of all I can only print the pattern from the computer that I originally used when I signed onto the service (which rules out the possibility of me taking the pattern to Kinko's to print it, and believe me Kinko's is not about to let me bring my computer to their shop and get onto their network; nor do I want to do that). I could print it from home, but I have no desire to tape together 45 sheets of 8 1/2 inch paper to make a pattern. However, I did send their support organization an email to see if there is a way to print the patterns from another computer, without having them change my default computer. I was told that I would have to send them an email so that they could reset the account to allow me to print from another machine. This to me is inconvenient. It's better/more-convenient in my perspective to just catch a sell on the pattern at the store. This maybe worth it for patterns that don't have very many pieces &/or contains smaller pieces, say the pattern for the purse. But right now I'm not seeing it being practical for larger patterns like dresses, etc.

Additional update Arielle gave me a heads up on one of the patterns "McCall 5446"; while I was editing the comment for the update above:

"... I just want to point out that there's something funky with the armscyes in the McCalls. The Slapdash Sewist made it and she is not the only one, IIRC, who couldn't lift her arms while wearing the dress!!! Just a heads-up!..."

Thanks for the info Arielle! I was thinking of just picking it up at the store but if I may have these kind of problems with it then I think I'll spend some time on something more productive.

Quilting Lessons, Custom Jeans, Awards, and other tidbits...

The past couple of weeks have been very hectic for me. Basketball season is over for my daughter, she has officially had her final game as a high school student. That's the bittersweet part of it. However, the good thing is HER TEAM WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP! That makes 3 state championships in a row for her high school team. They were undefeated, and in her 4 years of high school they had over 104 wins and only 4 loses!

Here's a picture from the newspaper website.
Now me and my husband are preparing for the final prom and her high school graduation.


I've been busy with work. I've been working to get a project done, which I'm happy to say is complete, and I got it thru testing, YEAH! Now to hand it off to the next set of folks in the chain.

On the sewing front, I"ve started teaching a quilt class to a group I belong to. I thought I'd end up with only about 4 or 5 interested, but wound up with 13 women signing up. 2 of the women in the group have quilting/sewing experience so they have graciously offered to help me.

Also, I signed up for a pants fitting class at the my Bernina dealership (Studio Bernina). It goes for 8 weeks. At the completion, I will have a "oak tag" pattern that I can use, and also hope to have drafted a "jeans" pants that I can use to make custom jeans with. I typically don't wear pants, primarily because I can't find them to fit (I need a 36 - 37" inseam) plus the fact that I have a curvy figure, which makes it difficult for me to avoid the "gap-oses" at the waistline. I have a difficult time making them because I have to do some serious alterations to the patterns.
When we took my measurements, it was a very eye-opening experience trying to map them to the pattern. It just reconfirmed why I never liked doing pants! But I am looking forward to the aspect of finally having some jeans that are "made to fit" me.

Oh, I was just looking in a quilting magazine, and found a solution for my collection of rotary rulers. In case any of you are interested, it's a metal vertical sorter from Office Max, it's only $3.00, and a very cost effective solution to my ruler storage problem.I received this award from Paco, Thanks Paco! Its so difficult for me to pick nominees, since I love reading all of the blogs I come across. I'm going to nominate every single one that's in my blogs I read list.
'

Marilyn Monroe did not live in Colorado!

Well, today I discovered why Marilyn Monroe didn't live in Colorado. Today, I was wearing one of my "vintage" Butterick 5033(see my version of B5033) dresses, you know the kind with the full skirt. I love these style patterns.

Anyway, I decided to go out to get some lunch. I mean it's over 70 degrees in early March, come on, no way was I going to pass up a nice day. As I'm heading to the little
restaurant a not-so-unusual gust of wind came. Up went my dress. Envision Marilyn standing over the steam grate, and her dress billowing up around her legs; now envision me in the middle of a parking lot during the lunch break. I manage to grab the full hem of my skirt, and place my hands and purse in strategic locations!

I now have a totally new found respect for my Mother's generation, and am convinced that they must have worn pantaloons or something under these dresses (Believe me I'll be asking her when I talk to her on the phone!).

My son's quilt top

Well here it is, the top for my son's quilt. It's got alternating strips of railway block with solid stripes. The quilt measures 90 x 72. On to the quilting phase I go.....

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.