Pete the Cat

This is a long sleeved, heavy weight, woman's shirt from Goodwill. I think $4.50.

Just so you know, incredibly hard to find plain yellow anything in fall. 
A kind clerk at my box store told me yellow is a spring color 
and I was wasting my time looking in all the stores, now.
So, I bought 3 shirts at Goodwill, had middle try them, 
and this was the keeper.

I split it up the center, added yellow cotton facing that was heavily interfaced, 
one layer of iron on plus another layer of cotton. 
I had three of the buttons. I had to buy the top, aqua one.

I returned the shirts I did not use. 

It looks like a doll size shirt in the pictures, but it is actually a women's size large,
so middle can wear it as a sweater/jacket over regular clothes.

It was for Pete the Cat week at preschool, last week. 

The next set of pictures are for Halloween in her class. 
The theme is children's books.
Everyone is supposed to dress as a character.
I found this picture, and that gave me the idea.
The hat is a stocking cap I remade.
The cap was $1. 
The shirt is actually a waffle weave shirt from the boy's department at Walmart in a size XL. The shirt was $7+. 
I had the pipe cleaners and fabric in my stash.

Dress up clothes line

See the long leg piece, against the wall, running along the floor? That is what keeps it all upright.

The U screwed into the back of the bookshelves keeps it steady.

This was a place to get a bar for the dressup clothes (posted a week or two ago) without taking up much extra room.

The doll blankets are "therapy" blankets, a rough side (towel) and a soft side (minky selections), the pillows have pillow cases

Knit shirts for modern dolls, I took pictures of the steps as I did them, so I remember next time

Arm stretch - this is an area where I do have pain sometimes, it happens more often with my left arm (holding things) than my right arm (doing things)

https://youtu.be/OT-1mQSE3lw

His suggestion is if you do a lot of arm/hand work, this is a stretch to do several times a day. I think he mentioned 5 times a day.

I do not feel a defined stretch when I do it. But then my arm does feel better. If you type a lot, I think it is super important to check arm and hand positioning. Like height of chair. Being able to rest your forearms on something. Etc.

Cowboy vests

I figured out the mathematical formula to calculate how long the pieces are for armhole bias tape on this vest pattern. I then sewed four vests/eight armholes easily. They are identical cowboy vests, picture below.

I am getting much faster. And better.

Might be the cleverest things I have ever done

I did not know regular people could order embroidered patches used on uniforms. We can. And they are very inexpensive and also high quality.

I already had the NASA patch. It has been hanging around since (I think) 2000. It had a $8 price tag on the back, but I was so glad for it to finally have a good home that I did not care. The other patches were between $.60 - $2.00.

The fabric is Marine Vinyl. Used to make cushions for boat seats. Very dense and durable. Also wipe-able.

I bought the reflective strip at JoAnns and peeled off the iron on strip on the back and sewed it in place.

I used outdoor thread (very think, comes on a spool) to sew the shoulder seams. I also top stitched the shoulder seams. They are very sturdy. There are no side seams. I drafted a pattern so it was all one piece.

I curved the edges so it was easy to bind. I used one of the strainers out of my kitchen to get the perfect curve. I used packaged double fold binding. My binding is sewn together on the bias. This means I had to sew the armhole binding into a circle before I attached it to the vest. That was the only trick part.


Middle is teaching in a three year old preschool room. First classroom that is all her own. It has taken both of us all summer to get her ready. And now I am filling in holes as needed. My two close friends have helped hugely (they are both big garage sale people, so they have found great things).





The vests are for her dramatic play classroom areas. I am collecting toys with these same themes. Found firetrucks. Still looking for NASA and police and ambulance/EMT.

Last week's project -
The aprons are for dress up play (BBQ, cooking, tool bench, she has all three in her play areas). They are also made from Marine Vinyl. I used wider double fold packaged bias tape for edges. The tie parts are reinforced with 911 iron on interfacing. Velcro on the ends. Short ties so they do not strangle. All those edges of bias tape are straight stitched and zigzagged. 

I enjoy Amalah very much

Death and children (explaining death to children)

Watching Amazon Prime on my iPad, when I touch the screen, while an episode is playing, it tells me who (actor's name and their character's name) is in that scene. We are often discussing "they look familiar/who is that/what else have they done?". So a handy feature for us.

V. $ecret

Tags from Victoria Secret NO lines underwear.
I put more information in comments.

These are shorts, from Dick's, that both my girls wear under short skirts and dresses.
These are a very silky fabric and very form fitting.
Both girls need a medium.
They have them in black and in gray.
There are some shorter and some longer,
the girls wear the middle length inseam which I think is 5".

Last season of Lewis started last night (in the states)

The first series was Morse. They are all currently on Netflix. Oldest and I have both watched all (33 episodes, 8 seasons) of them. PBS and great (in our opinion).

When Morse stopped, Lewis (his sergeant) continued on PBS. Really great, maybe better than the original Morse, in my opinion. It is that series, Lewis, which is winding down now. The first seven seasons are free on Amazon Prime, for members. The last season, currently playing, is on PBS for free or Amazon Prime for a fee.

Meanwhile, a younger version of Morse, called Endeavor, started. The first two seasons are available free on Amazon Prime as part of their package. The third season is available for a fee. I happen to love Endeavor, but not everyone does.

Netflix = everything is free on their system for their members. Not everything is carried on Netflix, but if they have it, it is free for members.
Amazon Prime = somethings are free for members, other things require a fee. So instead of not carrying things, they carry them for a fee.

5 posture, back strength moves

Five moves for better posture.

Four and five can be done at a desk.

Stargate (again), Veep, and Downton

Youngest and I watched Stargate (SG1 TV show and the related movies) in the days of checking DVD's out of the library and waiting for Netflix DVD's in the mail. A marathon in those days was 2-3 shows in a row when we scored at the library on the same day the mailman was beloved.

I am rewatching the series on Amazon prime right now. The series will take me a long time, because I fall asleep part way thru at bedtime and then watch the second half the next night.

(I always have wondered if Kurt Russell was sorry he didn't stick around for the series (he did the first movie). Richard Dean Anderson is such a good fit that I always have wondered if the series would have faired as well with Russell.)

Meanwhile, my husband really wanted to watch Veep. Also on Amazon Prime. I thought I would love it because I adore Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I tried. Maybe as many as the first ten+ shows, so I really tried. I can see why other people, my husband included, think it is very funny. It just makes me sigh or cringe, depending on the episode. My favorite character is Gary Walsh (Tony Hale). His attention to detail and ability to take care of her is clever and sweet and funny. But the rest of it just isn't for me. I stopped part way thru the roast episode because I did not think I could bear whatever was going to happen with her song. Season 2 episode 4. So, I am done. My husband watches things I do not like when he is on the elliptical. So I hope Amazon Prime is on our Roku system.

Also on Amazon Prime is Downton Abby. Middle did not see it when it aired. She is loving it now. I think she might be on season three already. (Being PBS, it is short seasons. She is going to be very sad shortly, because I think there are only eight six seasons. Finding a great series and then having it end, with no more, is sad. Be careful not to say anything that would be a spoiler for her. Somehow she knew nothing about the show.) I think she has two more weeks before her boy is back on campus. It is a good end of summer show. I had to talk her into trying it. But it hooked her immediately.

Rollers

Foam rollers and stick rollers.

Yoga block

Endeavour (Morse), season three with four episodes, is running on PBS now, I had to go back and watch the first two seasons on Amazon Prime to remember, the original Morse is available on Netflix, and Inspector Lewis is on Amazon Prime, FYI

Father's Day Collection

Karen Anderson with one of my very favorite Father's Day posts.

Zipper and button boards

I wrote about it here.

I did find something.

At the local art store.

(Thank you very much, because I was thinking lumber yard, not art store).

I am not sure what it is called. But it looks very close to the product used in making  clip boards (the brown ones).

The only thing we had to fix was sharp corners, my husband rounded them with sandpaper.

My close friend found zippers at a garage sale. And huge buttons.

And she talked me out of making calico shapes (that needed actual button holes) and into making felt shapes. Because I can just put a slit in a felt shape and have it be a button "hole".




I am knee deep in craft supplies, three ring binders, laminated activities, and stacks of random things.

Like baby dolls and their clothes.

And pom poms glued to magnets in cake pans.

And recess balls, parachutes, cones.

And a bin with science table items. That bin started nearly empty. It is now full with more coming.

There is an old scale on my kitchen counter, the kind with two sides that balance. Everytime I walk by, I scrub a little more with an old tooth brush. I found it at a garage sale on Friday. I was nearly speechless when I saw it. I told the lady - I will take it, but I am stunned that i found it. It will take me a minute to gather myself.

 It was one of the things middle specifically wanted.

So yes, I have piles.






Here is a very good example.

I found this list of things to keep on hand for crafts and activities. Really good list. I have added oatmeal round boxes, egg cartons, crepe paper, toliet paper rolls to it.

IF YOU THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE, PLEASE LEAVE ME A NOTE.

I HAVE almost all those things.

And those are the types of things when middle is in her college town, it sort of kills me when she has to buy something that I have in droves.

So, I am assembling all those things in an organized way.






Middle (currently) is deep in starting her behavior clinic job (which starts with a certification). That job is full time right now. It will go to part time and continue. Some of the hours count toward her masters program.

She is (currently) taking one condensed masters class this summer. I think that is nearly half done.

She attended a wedding this weekend. We are attending a wedding shower next weekend. We have plans for July 4th.

Busy.

Her three year old preschool class/job starts in the middle of August. (And I will be in Alaska when she gets full access to her classroom in July).

I am getting her (physical) stuff together for that class. Anything that can be done in advance, I am doing.

It is a lot of collecting and assembling/organizing. It is busy work. I enjoy it hugely. I have time.

We got the classroom books together two weeks ago and they are in her classroom ready (that was a big job). These are the board books the kids "read" during their story corner time. And also the books she reads to them each day.

She is steadily working on her lesson plans.

Thinking caps please - zipper board

http://laughingkidslearn.com/diy-zipper-board-for-kids

I would like to make a zipper board for middle's preschool classroom.

I am not using cardboard.

And I am not using glue to hold the zippers. I am sewing the zippers to fabric.

My plan is to make something that looks like a small pillow case and sew the zippers to the case.

And then slip a board of some type into the case. And sew it firmly shut. (I might need to put glue on the edges to keep the case from slipping). And I might use canvas so the case is very stiff, sturdy.

Can you put your thinking caps on please?

I need help thinking of what board to use.

I wandered thru a box store and a dollar store looking for ideas, no luck. The only thing I saw that was a possibility was a cutting board, but it was too dense. It would hurt if they dropped it on their foot. (And it was too expensive. I am looking for nearly free. I would be most happy if I used something I already had.)

A clerk at the dollar store suggested an actual board from the lumber yard. Maybe. But what kind of board?

I first rejected the idea of foam core board. But am now wondering about two layers of foam core. That might be sturdy enough and will not hurt them if they drop it on their foot. But not sure it will hold up long term. Two layers of foam core with something in the middle?

And I keep going back to idea of cookie sheet or back side of jelly roll pan. Those would be very sturdy. Might be able to find at goodwill.

Ideas please?

Planning to do the same thing with a button board.
http://www.rockabyebutterfly.com/2012/01/button-board.html

And I might make two of each so she can have a "station".

So I probably need four boards.

King size quilt went in a carry on

This is a huge quilt, on our driveway, with oldest at the top of a ladder to get it all in the picture. If you are trying to visualize the size, the row of flying geese, on each side, is nearly to the edge of the top of a king size bed, a little of the gold/brown shows on the top of the bed, then the rest of the border hangs down the sides. It is massive and very heavy.

In the process of cleaning out stuff (in general), I came across a partially finished quilt top.

It was finished to the flying geese on the sides.

So it was finished vertically. It just needed the outer borders.

And I knew WHY I had not finished it. I ran out of the right kind of fabric, like 15+ years ago.

I looked at a couple shops (an hour away) and did not see anything that was just right.

Then when I was out of town a month or so ago, I found the blue that ended up being the outer border.

And a friend gave me the blues that are in the 16 patches (on point in the gold/brown border).

So I finished this quilt top, sent it to my machine quilter, bound it, and it went home with oldest in his orange carry on yesterday.

This quilt was king size. We had to fold it several different ways and put it in a plastic bag and squish all the extra air out, but it did fit.

It is going on his bed. He now has six quilts (of mine). And all six are ones he really wanted.

Interestingly, he looked at it and said - there is something funny about the binding. I said - yes, it is machine bound and you are use to hand binding, but it is too hard on my thumbs, I don't do that any more. It was interesting that he noticed that immediately.

Middle has a couple with her name on them (still at home, but hers - feathered star, purple/orange). And I am making pairs of twin quilts for her future children - (2) pink/green and (2) brown bear version 2 and (2) my flag design. And she will take her childhood quilts (below).

Youngest has a few squirreled away (log cabin, yellow/white and bow tie). And she will have her childhood quilts (below). She sort of puts them under her arm and scurries upstairs to hide them in her room, so we don't know exactly how many. Interestingly youngest goes by the feel. She likes the old cool cotton feel. She has to touch them to know what she wants.

And I stuck a white/blue Irish Chain in  my closet. It is in emaculate condition. The white is as white as white can be. Beautiful, rich blues. It is not often that I look at a quilt and think - please do not touch it, but when I saw that one, it went in the top of my closet, rolled, not folded. I might make another one and put them on the girls downstairs beds when they have both taken their childhood quilts with them (brown bear version 1 and star quilt, one of each quilt for both of them, 2 each, 4 total).

If anyone can multi-task . . .

. . . and listen to Natalie Jill and James Maskell for a half hour and give me a recap, I would much appreciate it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm3lnEa9iv8&list=TLpKU8eTNEdK8yNTA1MjAxNg

12 minutes - Gretchen - Drift

http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2016/05/drift-graduate-school/

This was a big chunk of Tuesday

Graduation gifts for youngest's circle of friends. Some of these are best friends, some are regular friends, some are friends who have lockers in the same area and would be hurt if everyone else got one and they did not.

We did the base coats all the way back here.

Emergency call to my husband to pick up the R on his way home. We forgot one person. And this ended up being proactive, because I had him get another M, for a girl graduating next year, while he was there.

This (below) is how we made the dots. And we had to practice, a lot, on construction paper, to understand the right amount of paint and how to apply it.

ALWAYS have a coupon (40% Hobby Lobby is often the easiest, 50% Joanns is also readily available) when buying things from any of the craft or fabric stores. Walmart might appear to have lower prices, but the coupon gets prices even lower at the other stores.

Peeps

Remember the fabric that when I put it with green it was red and when I put it with red it was green?

Look what it does when I put it with gold?  Stellar. I think.

And just in case you were wondering, when I take out the stripe with the red in it, this is how the greens read. I think MAYBE this is okay/safe/simple for those who like more muted color things. Do you agree?

OR is better with just two greens? (that Houndstooth plaid is my favorite fabric out of all of them).

Calling all color peeps, I need you for a quiz please

First six pictures were taken in short time span in the same window. So the same lighting. I am not sure why the lighter colors are so washed out looking in the pictures. Same window I usually use.

I have two blue fabrics.
And I think that blue might look good with these two pieces of floral.
And I think the two pieces of floral might have too much white in them to use with other fabrics.
Soooo, I think this is a very good use of four fabrics. 
I think someone might like these.
I have enough for one, maybe two skirts with this color combination and then I am not buying any more of any of these fabrics.
So that is question 1. What do you think of this blue option?

This stripe seems somewhat busy to mix in with other prints.
(I am remembering no one likes these skirts to be too busy, quilt-y looking.)
The red reads as a solid.
Question 2. What do you think of this stripe with the red fabric?

This green is very light and reads as a solid.
It is very close to the same shade of green that appears in the stripe.
Question 3. What do you think of the stripe with the light green? 

Question 4. What do you think of the stripe with gold? 

I have enough of the stripe for ONE skirt if I alternate with another fabric. 

And it is possible the answer is to NOT use the stripe with anything, scrap bag it.

So, Question 5. Do you think I should just forget the stripe?

These are my greens.
Except I can see that the picture picks up the center one as a red.
So retake time.
(I moved that print to the red pile and it totally reads as a green there).

So now I am back with my greens. This is a similar concept to the red skirt and the gold skirt.
I probably have enough for two of these green skirts and then I am done with green.
Question 6. What do you think of all the greens mixed together?
Do you think it is too many patterns and I should make two green skirts with just 2-3 green fabrics each?

And if you are trying to remember, here are the original red and gold ones (below).
(The multi print belongs to middle and will not be made again.)

I have enough red fabric for more red skirts.
It sounded as if we all agreed the red is a keeper and probably best general appeal.
This (red) is the skirt I intend to make long term. Restocking reds as I run out of them.
Question 7. Do you agree red skirt is the safest/best bet?
I have enough gold for a couple more skirts.
If the gold turns out to be surprisingly popular, I can restock golds.