I'm better now.

I was bitten by a bug.  A sewing bug.  And it's catastrophic to my family when I do.  I zone out and hibernate in the sewing room.  This was a long bug.  I was bit bad.  But whew!  I'm over it now.  I'm sure it will be back.  I still have some pjs to sew and Halloween costumes and spring outfits and flannel shirts.  But for now, the machines are clean and oiled and the fabric stash, trim stash, elastic stash, and thread is down to dress size quantities.  No more little remnants are hanging around.  

 The first sign the bug had bit was when Christmas was mere days away and I needed to get nightgowns and pjs done.  The nightgowns were a success considering they went on as soon as they were opened.  I learned NOT to use tulle on nightgowns.  I've already had to cut the tulle off of one of them and the ribbon on the hem off another.  They love the twirly princess effect so I'll research next year for a filmy something that has more body and strength.  This was the last year of doing pjs for the older kids.

 Next up was a rainbow jacket for the youngest granddaughter.  The smallest size the jacket pattern comes in is size 5 so it will be awhile before it fits.  I'll go ahead and enter it in the fair this year and it will be a Christmas or birthday gift in the future.  I have sewn these jackets for so many.  The first was for my daughter some 30 years ago.  They last since she still has hers and it is about time for her daughter to wear it.  It looks like a lot of work but really, they sew up fast.  A lot of punch for a little work.

 Doll clothes!  Just about double everything you see in the doll clothes pictures.  Two granddaughters got 18" dolls for Christmas.  One was an American Girl doll.  I sewed totes of doll clothes for my daughter that are still in great shape and being used by her daughter.  Could I do any less for granddaughters?  Actually doll clothes are fun to sew.  Like the rainbow jacket, a lot of punch for a little fabric and trim and work.  And they deplete those little remnants of fabric!  I am not a clutter person and I loved diminishing it in my sewing room and those pieces of fabric I didn't quite know what to do with.

 This quilt for my youngest granddaughter has been in stages for 2 years.  It is finally finished!  It is the last quilt I will quilt on my sewing machine.  I actually didn't totally quilt this one.  I tied the big borders with crochet cotton and buttons to add some whimsy to it to match the appliques.

 I have a collection of "Little Darlings" patterns for little girls.  They involve a lot of finishing, ruffles, lace.  I had some fabric in my stash (the filmy with the purple flower embroidery) that begged to be used in something special.  This pattern fit the fabric perfectly.  There is a lot of finishing.  Trust me.  Lots of hand sewing to make it truly finished.  I was going to enter it in the fair.  I still will.  If it survives Easter on this little princess.  Her Mommy saw it on her and said it screamed to be used for Easter.  I agree with her.  So Easter dress it is.  And, if it survives, another fair entry.

 I did get a picture of another little princess in her new nightgown that went on as soon as she opened it and didn't come off for another day!

I've mentioned fair entry several times in this post.  I would like to try one last time for the "niftiest needler" at our county fair.  This will be the last time to try because I have no intentions of quilting again.  Hence the references to fair entry.  As much fun as it would be to enter, and win, I still much prefer the things I make to be used and worn and loved so if the things I make beg to be used before the fair, as in the Easter dress, and don't make it to the fair, they were still a success.

Geared up and ready....

As these "gorgeous gobblers" remind us, it's the season.  For giving Thanks, and then onto Christmas. But even before Thanksgiving, a little crafting is in order.  

 A snowman for our tree.  I made some modifications on the tree to snowman pattern in "Topsy Turvey Toys" to make this little guy.  Details of those mods are on my ravelry page.

 I've been involved in a few ornament swaps in my Itty Bitty Group on ravelry.  This one went off to Wisconsin.  I sure hope it doesn't classify as an "ugly Christmas sweater".  Pattern is also from Susan B. Anderson.

 Bird Feeders for great grandparents for Christmas!  It was a simple recipe and they had fun doing it.  We've made 4 and need to make 2 more.

 Someone, ahem, had more fun with the clean up!  And terrorized everyone in the process.

 A very sweet little granddaughter made these for me.  They were waiting for me in a gift bag when I got home from a meeting.  They will take front and center on our tree this year and for years to come.

 The week of Thanksgiving I was mostly child free.  A good time to sew or knit or shop?  Nope.  A good time to go to the schools and have lunch with grandchildren.  On Monday I went to one school to have lunch with a sweet 2nd grader.  She opted to have what I had brought for little J and myself instead of buying lunch.  I think the selling point was the strawberries.

 We waited 20 minutes and had lunch with a handsome 6th grader.  He opted for PB and J.  No big surprise there!  He did share his chocolate milk with his little cousin.

 On Tuesday I went to another school to have lunch with 3 adorable 1st graders.  I had enough time to stay and watch them at recess.  Twirl on bars, walk on bars, and play football.  I am SO glad I did that on my days "off".

 Which brought us up to Thanksgiving.  Or rather the day after.  We usually celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday.  That would be black Friday and, more importantly, the day of the Civil War.  I was so grateful for all the help I got this year.  I try to have jobs for the grandmunchkins to help with.  They love to set the table for starters.  This year they made the fruit salad.

 And licked the beaters.

 And dried the dishes.

 After dinner it was gingerbread decorating time!  Houses for the older ones and men for the little ones while the Civil War was on the tv in the living room.  Do you think she wished for the Ducks to win?  If so, her wish came true!

 Any guesses who he's cheering for?  In a very loud voice? With lots of giggles and hand waving?

 Another swap ornament that's winging it's way to Oklahoma.

 And this is what my sewing room looks like after Thanksgiving.  Yes, I shopped on black Friday.  At Joann's.  For flannel and fleece.  I'm going to be busy finding the table.  And the way to find the table?  Sew it all up!

May the season be bright and may I find the gumption to get 'er done!

Monster mash

It's been a crazy busy summer and I am trying to reap the most out of the last days.  We celebrate birthdays all summer and that means, usually, a lot of knitting or sewing.  This year it was knitting.  Monsters.  8 of them to be exact, or 10 if you count the 2 baby monsters.  There is a sampling below but all but one are pictured on my ravelry page.  Why monsters?  We went to see Monster's University for 4 of the birthdays.  So monsters.  They were fun to knit.  And I would do them again.  Maybe for great grandchildren.  I so appreciated my daughter's help.  She did all the stockinette in the round.  I did the shaping.

 This last week we've been making the use of the days.  Being children.  Lots of fort building going on inside and out using whatever is available.  Mattresses and couches and blankets inside.  Sticks and whatever outside.  A lot of art work to keep hands busy and fighting to a minimum.  Homemade play doh  bought me two hours!

 Painting rocks and paper, another 2 hours.

 And today, tye dyeing shirts for football season.  Duck colors of course!

 As well over the summer we worked on some sewing.  Learning some basic sewing on the machine and cutting and ironing.  All of the simple skills went into making 20 dresses for the Dress a Girl Program via a friend in Washington who is active in the program and is planning a return trip to Africa next summer.  We were glad to add 20 dresses to her goal of taking 1000.  More importantly than the sewing skills they learned was the way their hearts were touched for little girls in Africa without dresses.  One of my granddaughters prayed for the little girls as we were sending the dresses off.  That ranks success in a project to me.

Two more days of summer for me to play with them.  I will miss them dreadfully as they don backpacks and lunches.  They asked for mac and cheese...again.  My answer, yes!