A bit of history

I finally got a chance to sew on Sunday.  Saturday was another busy, busy day, in which we bought a new table.  The Thomasville store near us was closing, so we got a great deal on a new kitchen table from there.  “Great” being all relative when talking about their prices. 😉  It was probably at least 60% off, though.  The chairs have an upholstered seat.  Oy.  That was the only downside.  They are going to be a PITA to re-do when the time comes.  Because with small children you KNOW we will have to reupholster those chairs.

Anyways, I have been wanting to make another skirt like this one:

I made that skirt in junior high, I think.  I re-purposed a suit that my aunt Judy had made for herself when she was younger.  The skirt was too big and too long, so I hacked it up.  It has stretch to it, so amazingly it still fits me.  Yes, it is probably a wee bit tighter and shorter on me now than when I was in junior high.  But it STILL FITS.  That’s all that really matters…  😉

I traced out the shape and added a bit more space around the edges and some length.  This is a heavy knit (double-knit?) hounds-tooth fabric.   It took maybe a half hour to make it from pattern tracing to being done.  Easy seams and an elastic waist.  A very comfy skirt.

Then I wanted to make a wristlet to put in my HUGE purse that I bring to work.  That purse holds my laptop, about every lipstick I own and various other things that I apparently need to bring with me to work.  I wanted something I could take in and out when I have to just run into a store for stuff.  This is a really, really soft leather with a silk lining. 

FYI…ripping stitching out of leather is not fun. 

What really helped in sewing the leather was using tissue paper to help move it through the feed dogs.  I figured that out after I had to rip out the stitching.  It was sticking and not moving very fast.  It ended up being bigger than what I needed it to be.  It’s basically a small purse LOL!  Oh well, it will work for what I need.

Then Leah and I traded craftiness.  She wanted a newborn hat to take pictures of a friend’s impending newborn, so she made me some jewelry in trade.  I made her two hats, and hopefully they will work well for her photos.  These have actually been in-process for a month and I finally got them finished and mailed out last week.  I’m nothing if not punctual. 😉

 I am hoping to get some more sewing done in the next few weeks.  I want to sew…finding time is just hard right now.  Plus we are having a Superbowl party on Sunday for the Packers.  Woot!  Go Pack!