whiplash shirt

This is my first attempt at stenciling. I'd originally started this project last year for my friend Jeff's birthday. I'd made the stencil design, bought the freezer paper to print it on and use as the stencil, and then decided I just didn't care any more and bought him The Cable Guy instead.

So when his birthday came around this year I decided to give it another go. I'm glad I did because it's actually a fun process once you get the hang of it. I had bought spray-on fabric paint and tried that on my first shirt. It came out way too fast and heavy and bled all over. So on the second try I sprayed the paint into a container and dabbed it onto the stencil with a small foam brush. This worked much better. There's still some bleeding, as you can see around the dog's head, so next time I'll have to be careful to use less paint.

I'm excited to make more stenciled shirts. Any other ideas?

Apron

I've wanted an oilcloth apron for a while now. And I've had a crush (thanks for the lingo, Kathleen) on the oilcloth at Treadle Yard Goods for years. I actually completed this project in a way more timely fashion than usual: I bought the fabric in February, with this actual project in mind. Then I began cutting the pieces out a couple months ago, and then Bernie (my Bernina) decided to rebel against me. I hadn't had a chance to bring Bernie to the doctor until last weekend, so when he came home better, I was ready to crank out the remainder of my apron. Luckily, I had so much momentum to finish the project when Bernie first broke, so I cut all the pieces out and planned it completely that day. When I returned to the project yesterday, all I had to do was sew. My dreams finally came to fruition yesterday. And Mom & Deirdre were there cheering me on! Were I do make another such apron, I would use a non-oilcloth fabric for the neck and side straps. But I'm still really happy with it.

Dishcloths

Two years ago when I first started knitting Deirdre was kind enough to come down to Des Moines and teach Kathleen and me to knit in the round, increase, and decrease stitches. On that visit she gave me a booklet of 16 dishcloths. I vowed to make every dish cloth in the booklet.

I wasn't able to do much this week, but I was able to knit. I made three dishcloths this week. With the cloth I finished this morning I have finally finished all of the patterns. I'm looking forward to returning to my favorite patterns, just as soon as I get more dishcloth cotton.

When you find something that works...

When you find a pattern that works

and you have the bugs worked out of it

I recommend making it in several colors!

I wish I had a close-up of the fabric...

It's red with tiny denim blue flowers...

Would be adorable as a shirt with jeans/jean shorts.

Mariah gets up some mornings

and she says she needs "to wear a BOO-suh-sull dress".

I have made a collection of "beautiful dresses" for

daily wear... Easy to wash and stains come right out!

Partial Dress

So I decided to try the dress as designed (only a bit bigger for a 2T-ish size), and you might be wondering why I'm posting it just the unfinished front of it. That's because WE HAVE GUARDIANSHIP OF BRINDA!!!!!!! and we should be leaving to pick her up in two or three weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She may actually come home and wear it!!

And we're a bit excited.

Sew HOT

Is that a PAINED look or what???

Ugh! Don't ask a 3 and a half year old to smile!
I woke up today and it was HOT!

It was 84 degrees at 9 a.m.

I refused to look at the thermometer again!

Between long soaks in the pool and tall glasses of ice water

I made this dress...

I think it turned out CUTE despite the HORRIBLE

directions that came with it!

Also, according to their measurments,

I should have sewn an 8 for Mariah... This is a 5...

The straps were not supposed to "V" like they do...

I was supposed to overlap the back enough to put a button on it.

I have it overlapped 4 inches and ended up with 3 buttons!

Plenty of room to grow!

She can wear it to college!!!