I have some good-sized lemons on my lemon tree, but they aren't ripening! One of them has been there since March!
I have a lone orange on my orange tree, LOL. Nothing on the rest of my trees.
Fall is coming, I need to go and "clean out" my garden boxes. I got a good harvest of beans (they were delish) and more jalapenos and peppers than I could use, but not much else. The lettuce and carrots didn't grow, even though I planted several varieties of each. I wanted to plant a fall garden but I didn't get the chance to. My 3-year-old is extremely rambunctious right now, she does not nap during the day so I can't go out to the garden then, and if I take her with me she keeps getting into so much stuff out there (or trying to climb our chain-link fence) that I don't have time to get anything done. *Sigh* My 1-year-old is generally good when I sit him in his stroller to watch me...
We're expecting rain all this next week, including heavy thunderstorms tonight. It'd be a good time to plant ryegrass for a winter lawn, if I had any seed. I planted bermudagrass last month and it has sprouted, but I think it's going to go dormant soon, and it might be too young to handle winter dormancy...
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Gotta start thinking about Halloween...
Our church Halloween part is in 3 weeks, and Halloween itself is 4 weeks away. I need to start planning some costumes for the kids, and maybe myself. (I don't yet know whether I'll dress up or not).
I need to use patterns & fabric out of my stash- no buying anything. That will be a challenge for my 10-year-old (he'll be 11 by then) son. There aren't very many patterns in his size (largest that most kids' patterns go is an 8), and the ones that are available are things he doesn't want to dress as!
With my 8-year-old and 3-year-old daughters, I suppose I'll have to do something historical-themed... or princess-y, if I can manage it.
I need to use patterns & fabric out of my stash- no buying anything. That will be a challenge for my 10-year-old (he'll be 11 by then) son. There aren't very many patterns in his size (largest that most kids' patterns go is an 8), and the ones that are available are things he doesn't want to dress as!
With my 8-year-old and 3-year-old daughters, I suppose I'll have to do something historical-themed... or princess-y, if I can manage it.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Just my luck
Last week I ordered some patterns (4, I think) from SewingPatterns.com, when they were having a $2.99 McCall's pattern sale. With shipping they ended up being around $20 for 5 patterns... they normally go on sale at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby for $1-$2 each, but the nearest JoAnn's is 80 miles away and the nearest Hobby Lobby is 45 miles... and I rarely have need to go to either of those towns, and it never happens during a pattern sale, so I didn't think I'd get a chance to go.
Well, yesterday my husband had a test to take in a completely different town, and he wanted me to drive there with him (it was a 1 hr 40 min drive). The test took about an hour, so what was I supposed to do with the kids while waiting? Turns out there was a Hobby Lobby just 1/2 mile away! I went there and wandered around for a while (and bought a discounted remnant of Dora the Explorer fabric for my Dora-crazy 3-year-old, and some bandanas to make some bandana pants... and saw that McCall's patterns were on sale for 99¢ each! It figures, huh? I could've saved $15-$16 if I'd just waited a week or two (I had no idea the pattern sale was coming up though, or that my husband would need to be in that town that day). My 3-year-old was acting very obnoxious though and was constantly trying to climb out of the basket, so I didn't take time to look at any more patterns (I later thought that I should've bought some back-up patterns for the ones I ordered last week and that I'm still waiting to receive in the mail... they're plus-size girls' patterns, and there are very few modest ones out there, so I'll have to be making the same patterns but trying to modify or decorate them for more variety).
Anyway, in the mail on Tuesday I got the Butterick B4972 pattern I ordered off eBay for my daughter. Too cute! I don't really like the bubble-skirt look so I think I'll make the skirt w/o that elastic casing at the bottom andf lengthen it to below-the-knee (it'll just be a normal pleated flare skirt), and I'll make the jacket... but without the lace cut-out on the back. The pattern says "Pants D are above mid-knee length"... not quite sure what that is (just above the knee?) and I wish I knew how to lengthen them into pants, as winter is coming and my daughter will need some pants. I can't find any plus-size pants patterns in a style I like...
Well, yesterday my husband had a test to take in a completely different town, and he wanted me to drive there with him (it was a 1 hr 40 min drive). The test took about an hour, so what was I supposed to do with the kids while waiting? Turns out there was a Hobby Lobby just 1/2 mile away! I went there and wandered around for a while (and bought a discounted remnant of Dora the Explorer fabric for my Dora-crazy 3-year-old, and some bandanas to make some bandana pants... and saw that McCall's patterns were on sale for 99¢ each! It figures, huh? I could've saved $15-$16 if I'd just waited a week or two (I had no idea the pattern sale was coming up though, or that my husband would need to be in that town that day). My 3-year-old was acting very obnoxious though and was constantly trying to climb out of the basket, so I didn't take time to look at any more patterns (I later thought that I should've bought some back-up patterns for the ones I ordered last week and that I'm still waiting to receive in the mail... they're plus-size girls' patterns, and there are very few modest ones out there, so I'll have to be making the same patterns but trying to modify or decorate them for more variety).
Anyway, in the mail on Tuesday I got the Butterick B4972 pattern I ordered off eBay for my daughter. Too cute! I don't really like the bubble-skirt look so I think I'll make the skirt w/o that elastic casing at the bottom andf lengthen it to below-the-knee (it'll just be a normal pleated flare skirt), and I'll make the jacket... but without the lace cut-out on the back. The pattern says "Pants D are above mid-knee length"... not quite sure what that is (just above the knee?) and I wish I knew how to lengthen them into pants, as winter is coming and my daughter will need some pants. I can't find any plus-size pants patterns in a style I like...
Sunday, September 27, 2009
My sister is married!!
She got married in Las Vegas on Friday! Hooray, I am so excited for her! Now I need to get used to calling her by a different last name, LOL!
Her reception is in November, so I need to get started on her dress soon!
What to do first, what to do first.... hmm. Bodice or skirt? Hmmm...
Her reception is in November, so I need to get started on her dress soon!
What to do first, what to do first.... hmm. Bodice or skirt? Hmmm...
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Patterns for my daughter
I've been looking around at patterns. I haven't been able to find much, but here's what I have so far:
Butterick 4972 (ordered off eBay for less $$, it's out-of-print so it can't be bought in stores)
McCall'a 5745 (bought online at SewingPatterns.com during a $2.99 sale... not as cheap as a sale at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby, but cheaper than gas to either of those places, and cheaper than Walmart)
McCall's 5135 (also ordered at SewingPatterns.com).
I'm also keeping these in mind (some are OOP, some are not):
McCall's 4765 or McCall's 4246 (for special occassions)
Simplicity 2878
Simplicity 4106
Butterick 4972 (ordered off eBay for less $$, it's out-of-print so it can't be bought in stores)
McCall'a 5745 (bought online at SewingPatterns.com during a $2.99 sale... not as cheap as a sale at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby, but cheaper than gas to either of those places, and cheaper than Walmart)
McCall's 5135 (also ordered at SewingPatterns.com).
I'm also keeping these in mind (some are OOP, some are not):
McCall's 4765 or McCall's 4246 (for special occassions)
Simplicity 2878
Simplicity 4106
Making skirts for my daughter
I've sewn skirts before for my 8-year-old daughter, but now I have to. She's gained a lot of weight in the last year (she eats a LOT and refuses to do any activity, despite my efforts to bring healthy food into the house and trying to get her to be active... even putting her dishes in the sink when she's done eating is too much... sorry that sounds mean, but I am frustrated). She is 4'3" tall and 95 pounds... about 30 pounds more than she ought to weigh. I bought some size 10.5 (plus) shorts for her online... and they are way too tight. I have to buy her size 14.5 to fit her! But... most of the plus-size girls' clothes I can find are school uniforms! There are a few other things, but not anything I can afford. And I got frustrated looking for plus-size girls' sewing patterns because most of the stuff is immodest. Still, I did manage to find a couple, and have put them on my sewing list to pick up if I am at JoAnn's (80 miles away) or Hobby Lobby (45 miles away) at the same time they are having a pattern sale.
She got mad at me this morning, as we were getting ready for church, and had the nerve to yell at me because she couldn't find anything to fit her! What, as if all this is *my* fault? She asks me for a milkshake every time we go anywhere (which I do NOT get her), she steals food out of the pantry and sneaks it into her room to eat, she screams whenever I ask her to do anything (trying to get her off the couch), and yet it is somehow my fault that her clothes don't fit. Or who knows, maybe she was yelling at me out of frustration on her own part, I can't imagine she likes being overweight... the kids at school make fun of her about it all the time. (Someone told me, "Well, it's just a part of socialization that she needs to learn to deal with"... yeah right. No kid should have to go through this. I was overweight as a kid- not as overweight as my daughter- but I still hated all the name-calling and getting shoved around. Didn't do me a bit of good as far as I can tell.
Anyway, I need to make her some skirts, so she has something to wear to church. I figured tiered skirts will be the easiest. I have some new T-shirts I picked up from Hobby Lobby ages ago, I can take scraps from the skirt fabric and make little appliques to stitch onto the coordinating shirts.
She got mad at me this morning, as we were getting ready for church, and had the nerve to yell at me because she couldn't find anything to fit her! What, as if all this is *my* fault? She asks me for a milkshake every time we go anywhere (which I do NOT get her), she steals food out of the pantry and sneaks it into her room to eat, she screams whenever I ask her to do anything (trying to get her off the couch), and yet it is somehow my fault that her clothes don't fit. Or who knows, maybe she was yelling at me out of frustration on her own part, I can't imagine she likes being overweight... the kids at school make fun of her about it all the time. (Someone told me, "Well, it's just a part of socialization that she needs to learn to deal with"... yeah right. No kid should have to go through this. I was overweight as a kid- not as overweight as my daughter- but I still hated all the name-calling and getting shoved around. Didn't do me a bit of good as far as I can tell.
Anyway, I need to make her some skirts, so she has something to wear to church. I figured tiered skirts will be the easiest. I have some new T-shirts I picked up from Hobby Lobby ages ago, I can take scraps from the skirt fabric and make little appliques to stitch onto the coordinating shirts.
Friday, September 18, 2009
1883 Riding Habit
I decided on Monday that I wanted to make a repro 1883 Riding Habit, using the Truly Victorian bodice and skirt patterns. I had planned on entering it in our county's Fall Festival, and the entrance deadline is this morning at 10:00... but sadly, I did not get it finished in time. I don't have buttonholes or buttons on the skirt yet, I don't have the seams inside the skirt finished, I haven't finished the armscyes inside the bodice, and I need to re-do the hook & eyes inside the bodice (I put 2 of the 3 hooks facing the wrong direction- silly me!) And I don't have it ironed properly... I can't seem to get the creases right. So the bodice doesn't look as crisp & tailored as the photos on the Truly Victorian site. Oh well.
I also made it in a pattern size 12 (or "C" in Truly Victorian sizing), or about a ready-to-wear 4/6. That's quite a bit smaller than I am now! I was that size a few years ago, maybe I can get there again. Not that I'd have anywhere to wear this to, as I sold my horses last fall (*sniff*). Not that I'd be brave enough to try sidesaddle on anything other than an old plug...
I only have 2 photos right now. For some reason, every time I take a photo in that room it comes out blurry... so I have to turn off the light and use the flash (in the nearly-dark room) to get photos to come out well. Weird. I think it has something to do with the CFL bulbs we use, maybe??
With the skirt extended out to the side:
With the skirt looped up in the back:
I also made it in a pattern size 12 (or "C" in Truly Victorian sizing), or about a ready-to-wear 4/6. That's quite a bit smaller than I am now! I was that size a few years ago, maybe I can get there again. Not that I'd have anywhere to wear this to, as I sold my horses last fall (*sniff*). Not that I'd be brave enough to try sidesaddle on anything other than an old plug...
I only have 2 photos right now. For some reason, every time I take a photo in that room it comes out blurry... so I have to turn off the light and use the flash (in the nearly-dark room) to get photos to come out well. Weird. I think it has something to do with the CFL bulbs we use, maybe??
With the skirt extended out to the side:
With the skirt looped up in the back:
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