Say What?

Here is the jumper with it's new longer straps. See how the red is on the back of the strap now? Hopefully it will fit her better (and that I didn't make it so long that the straps fall down). I kept some extra length on the straps tucked away inside the dress so all I have to do is seam rip two little inches and pull out a bit more strap if it isn't enough (or I want those inches this winter). I think it turned out okay.

I'm planning on hanging it on a hanger on her dresser this evening, so in the am she'll be sure to ask to wear it. That way if it needs adjusting I can do it before school starts.

The Pursuit of Sewing Through Math

I am currently working on lengthening the shoulder straps of a jumper my mother in law gave my daughter earlier this week. But all rights and means the jumper is to small, but that is a story for a different day. First, I was just going to add to the bottom of the "skirt" to lengthen it, but then I discovered it has a pleated hem. So I changed my tactics and went for the shoulder straps. Since the underside of the strap is the same material as the top side I decided to steam rip both straps apart and completely remake them instead of merely making a new strap from some other fabric. The way I figure it is if I use the fabric from the back side of the strap as well as the front side the length of the dress can grow up to 3"! Don't worry I'll use something like red for the back side of the strap. This will allow the dress to maintain the original appearance, without me having to come up with straps to match. So far it has been much more work than I anticipated, but I do hope it will be worth it.

In my original math, I somehow thought I needed to divide by 3 (aka three straps!?!?) instead of two. So glad I took a moment to check my math!

I did a little bit of online fabric shopping and I found fleece for Jessica's nap mat (oh do I have an idea for that!) as well as a pretty "vintage-looking" butterfly fabric. I'll be using it to make a gathered hem jumper. Do you sense a pattern? I'm so excited I can hardly wait for the order to arrive.

Nap Mat and Pillow Case

Jessica's school supply list requires a nap map and a pillowcase to store it in. I haven't quite decided what I will do about the nap mat, but I did make the pillowcase to keep it in. I raided Jessica's pillowcases for one in the way back and here's what I came up with. I made a tube and then tucked everywhere I needed curves to spell out her name. As you can see it's applique. I looked around this morning for applique letters, and somehow this way just seemed more like what I wanted.

The bunny fabric is a stash raid from my mom's stash, which is living here these days (no complains from this lady!) It was originally purchased in Fort Lauderdale to one day become a bunny quilt for me (I selected the fabric). Two daughters later mom made three quilts from that fabric, isn't she great? While I'm unsure as to the whereabouts of my sister's quilts, mine is tucked away safely in the closet. While I am a quilter for use, this quilt has been much used and until it's ready to be to be loved that way some more - my closet it will stay.

It's nice for me to see this little strip put into use once again, and hey as a bonus that tired quilt now has a matching pillowcase.

Drops of Love

Last Saint Patty's Day, Jessica and I made green shamrock cookies. Well they were so good I woke up yesterday morning with a hankering for them again. This time we added Wilton's Red Gel Food Coloring in the Sugar Cookie batter and cut them into hearts, lucky for me they taste just as good as they did in March.

Going the posts from March I can also update you on something else. I made babies! Well sort of, in all reality I helped to make seeds. The two Nun Orchids (Phaius tankervilliae) capsules were sent off to Troy at Meyer's Conservatory and they were viable! 90% Viable even! I'm so excited that in spite of everything (even the tornado!) we had that kind of success. The seed assay they did reveled the embryos are 10% of the seed, which is awful tiny since the seeds themselves where fluffy like blowing flour. The Conservatory is in the process of germinating the seeds, which is the real test of viability. Interested parties can order here.

A Pocket For Corduroy and School Stuff?!?!?!

Jessica is four now and that means things like school supply lists (I received my first one as a parent two days ago, more on that in a jiff). Backpacks, clothes for her first day, as well as Friday Spirit Day Clothes. It's really feels like a lot to do before the month is up. After I made my first pair of boxers, for my husband, I learned tags are there for a reason, so I always put in at least a scrap of fabric so the wearer gets it on the proper way.
So what do I do? I go on a tangent looking at little girl jumpers. My all time favorite line in the Harry Potter movies -to date- is Ginny saying "Mummy, have you seen my jumper?" I adore the way she accents that! My mom offers up her pattern from when my sisters where little, which I promptly alter to make pjs. Not bad for an deviation from the pattern, if I do say so myself. Everyone knows it's very important for children getting ready to start school to have new "jam-jams!" LOL, right! Yes, that's a Purple Punch Vera Bradley Backpack, Jessica's auntie loves her very much!
As for that school supply list, it says EVERYTHING must have the child's initials on it. Want to take a guess at my daughters initials? JR! Right, like I'm going to cover her things with that. So JCR it must be. I had a fight with the embroidery machine about it. The embroidery machine won, but I got my way by turning the flywheel by hand 1198 times - one turn per stitch, now there is a workout for you. DH started calling around about the sensor the machine needs (of course we don't have a part number!) and the only quote he was able to get today was $90 to start and any parts needed would be on top of that. I know, Eeegads! Of course my sister tells me after I did all that that she could have had the kind people at Vera Bradley do embroider it for me.

I'm a first time mom, I can't help myself. Since I am also armed with the knowledge that I'm a last time mom, it's really important for me to do everything right, can't you tell? Jessica's school supply list says "12 pack of crayons". As a child of the 80's I know there are two kinds of crayons. The good kind made by crayola, and the bad kinds made by everyone else. Even today I find this to be true in every pack of crayons I come across. Like a good little mommy I go online and type in "12 pack crayola crayons" I can have 12 boxes of fill in the blank number of crayons made by crayola. I can have 12 crayons all the same color... Or I can buy something else. Melissa and Doug are making plastic ones now... That seems wrong, like somehow you'd have to press harder or something I dunno. Then I found another place P'kolino. Their own website doesn't show the crayons as being available (only the colored pencils), which makes me uncomfortable.

So here's what I've learned. Most 12 pack crayons (including the lumber crayons believe it or not) are not round. In theory preventing them from rolling, and allowing for a better grip. Another thing about crayons that my super artistic daughter taught me is that washable is the best. Crayon isn't fun to try and get out of anything... So I'll be hoping for a box of triangle washable Crayola's! I will have accept the yoke of "one of those parents who can't follow directions". Because if I order something online and it's wrong... Grrr...

"A Pocket For Corduroy", while not the first book of the dearly beloved little bear named Corduroy, the pocket one is the one we own (you try having oodles of voucher money at a paperback bookstore that is going out of business and see what you buy!) After reading that book the other day Jessica insisted on him having his own pocket (I selected purple fabric to sew on, just like in the story). No photo of him as he's tucked into bed with my little one this evening.

Today is my 6 year wedding anniversary. I had it all planned out. I was going to give DH a Bobby Flay Reversible Double Cast Iron Griddle, and then we could enjoy bacon and pancakes for breakfast. Well Kohl's was out of them, so we'll have to save that for another day. So since I have vested interest I hope all of you had a great day. Because that's all that mattered anyway.