Something About Me Monday

Not that I am that interesting or lead a jam-packed fun-filled life but I am interested in knowing my fellow bloggers and thought they might be interested in knowing me. Not detailed, in-depth soul-searching stuff but just some basic or fun facts and interesting little tidbits.

Just the Facts, Ma'am...............

I am the 5th in a series of 6 children. I have 3 older brothers, 1 older sister and 1 younger brother.

I was raised in a small community on the far southeast side of Chicago.

I am a second generation American of Polish ancestry, maybe with a little German thrown in the mix somewhere.

I am in my early 50's.

Both of my parents are deceased.

I have been married to The Husband for 26 years.

Stay tuned............................

Fido Friday

Since I seem to only be posting once a week and try to cram the post with everything under the sun, I've decided to make the dog pics a Friday feature. I'm also going to start a Monday posting feature called 'Something About Me Monday', where you can (can you guess, can you???) learn something about ME! This should break up my posts to smaller ones a few times a week rather than one ginormous post. I'm hoping the blog will be a little more interesting then.

So on to ....................

Fidos



Ed, sacked out in our computer room after a tough day of doing ......well, nothing!


We do not let our dogs up on the furniture, except on the RV. This is Lily's favorite spot! She wishes she could live on the RV.

A dog's life, ain't it grand!

Skirting the Issue

I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of the finished skirts. Since there is really nothing special about them and it is still too stinkin' hot out to play dress-up, I just took pictures of them on the hangers. When I actually wear them I will take better pictures.

Butterick 3717

I made the capri's from this pattern and they came out really nice. I really like every piece offered on this pattern and hope to make the jacket too.



This is just a muslin, unlined, made from a quilting cotton but is very wearable. The color is way off in this picture, it is blue-grey with navy, lavender and white accents. It looks nice with a plain white tee.


This picture shows the finishing on the vent and is much more true to color. As with the capri's this pattern worked up easy and is a nice simple style. It has a very narrow waistband and front and back darts. A good TNT pattern that fits well. A real keeper!


Butterick 5036


This is the first time I have made B5036. I made it from a taupe-brown non-stretch twill. I bought this fabric from Fabric.com and it was a little heavier than I expected. I thought a more casual jean-style skirt would work and this pattern fit the bill with the fly-front zipper. Like the previous skirt, it has a narrow waistband but only back darts and no vent. It fits good, but not as well as B3717. It has a little too much room in the hip area (how often do we get to say that!) and needs to be tapered a little more on the next go around. But I like it and will make it again.

The center front and back seams are flat-felled. This was my first attempt and I was a little off as you can see on the inside seam below. To make sure it didn't fray, I put another row of top stitching down, just a smidgen away from the first row.

You can see the double top stitching above on the outside of the seam but still looks nice and it should hold the seam well on the inside.

I've finished the side seams and hem with bias, which is a first for me. I like the way it came out and it was pretty easy to do. I used a warm grey quilting cotton for the bias because it matched the inside of the fabric better than a taupe (although it looks off in these pictures).



From the Garden


Almost ready...............





Althea (Rose of Sharon)

Dog Days of June

The Husband is out of town again this week so I am left to amuse myself......could be trouble if it wasn't so stinkin' hot out! So the kids and I try to say inside most of the day, but do venture out occasionally to see..............if it's still stinkin' hot out! Which it usually is, but we all need a breath of fresh air (no matter how humid it may be) now and then.

Dog Down!



Lily, like some middle-aged women can not take the heat!


You Talkin' to Me?



Wassup, Eddy!


On Guard...........

Ed making sure the plane flying overhead doesn't land in HIS yard! (Honestly, our dogs growl at low, slow flying planes.)


Hot Dogs, Summer in the City


Mom, seriously, we're meltingggggggggg...................


Beast from 20 Million BC.....

This little guy( I think I'll call him Hank) is a young Cuban Brown Anole. Several of them live in our backyard and are pretty funny to watch. They posture, fanning out the orange pouch on their neck, and even get into a little tussle now and then, not to mention chasing each other all over the place. They are wary of us, but not totally frightened. Hank let me get close enough, about 3 feet, to take a few pictures, posing very nicely I might add. Including his tail he is only about 3 - 3 1/2 inches long right now. I tried to get a picture of one of the larger ones, Grill Monster, (so called because he lives in the BBQ grill, how obvious is that! We have to de-lizard it before we grill ribs). But he wasn't so cooperative, maybe next time.

I've finished two skirts from two different patterns. They are very similar though, just different zipper placement and darts. But, I'm pleased with how both turned out, one needs a little more tweaking but they can both be TNT's now. Hopefully I will get pictures of them up this weekend when The Husband gets home.

I'm not sure what I'll make next. I think about it while I catch up on paperwork and laundry this afternoon. Or a nap sounds nice, too because it's ................so stinkin' hot out!

I Need A List!!!

Last night I started working on my, hopefully, wearable muslin for the skirt from Butterick 3717 and I can't believe how many things I have already messed up or not done.

I cut a size 14 because that is what I cut the capris. I was going to add a 1/2 inch at the side seams before cutting it out, but I forgot. I got all the darts in okay, then the partial back seam (it has a kick vent) and pinned in the zipper and the side seams to fit it. A little snug at 5/8's seams, but without the extra 1/2 inch allowance I was going to add, I could only do 1/2 inch seams.

So I started to sew the side seams, now mind you when I pin basted it the pins were on the outside, which means so was the seam I was sewing! Luckily, I got about 2 inches done before I figured out something wasn't right. As I was tearing out the side seam another lightbulb went on....... I hadn't sewn the zipper, it was still just pinned in, have to sew that in before the side seams.

So I put the zipper in, and realized I forgot to finish the back seam before I put it in. I don't have a serger so just zigzag or turn the allowance under 1/4 inch. I was able to finish the seam without taking the zipper out.

Then I did sew the side seams (inside this time) and got one side of the waistband on, when I realized I once again, forgot to finish the side seams. I won't have to take the whole waistband off (it hasn't been folded over and stitched down), just take out the seams at the sides so I can finish the side seams all the way up.

So yes, I need a list to check off when I'm making something. I realize this is just a muslin but I get frustrated when I forget things like this. Must be old age..............

To make me feel better I look at these in my front yard:




I love Gerger Daisies!

May Sewing Recap

Many sewers do monthly updates, so I thought I would start doing them too. I actually got 2 garments done in May, the first being Simplicity 4176 which I posted pictures of earlier and I also finished Simplicity 3724, an OOP It's So Easy pattern.


Sorry the picture is blurry, I don't know what happened there. I had to take a picture of it on the hanger because The Husband is out of town. Anyway this is a really simple and easy dress. If it wasn't for the back ties this would be a shapeless sack. The ties only make it marginally better. But when the humidity is pushing 90, this is one cool little number. Nothing binding or clingy. I made it from quilting cotton from my stash.

I might actually make this dress again if I come across a nice cotton print. It is just so easy to wear on those HOT, HOT days, of which many are on the way.

So 2 wearable garments in one month, not great but not bad either. I know they were both super simple but hey I don't need anything fancy right now.

I am working on a muslin for a simple straight skirt that I'm hoping will work out to be a TNT pattern from Butterick 3717.

Earlier in the year I made the capri pants from this pattern and they turned out rather nice, so I'm hoping the skirt works out too. Maybe I'll even make the jacket someday.

Fidos

Belly rubs, please!

Lily has a few tricks up her paws, this is her favorite. If you say 'belly rubs' she will flop down where she is and roll over on her back......sometimes you don't even have to say the magic word. She LOVES belly rubs.

Ed has a few tricks too, but I have yet to capture them on camera. He feels a Rottweiler has to keep his dignity in front of the camera, lest some silly act come back to haunt him. But I'll catch him someday, he really is quite the clown at times.