Hello Kitty Fascinator time!

Tomorrow at work, we are having a Fall into Halloween event. We had to use a cotton fabric to create a fascinator to wear for the event. Here is the one I created.

Yeah, that's right. I made it with our new Hello Kitty cotton, and the netting is pink to match! What fun. Additionally, I sewed pink sequin on the netting and glued on two Swarovski crystals on the Hello Kitty flowers. It should be fun to wear tomorrow.

Making my man a dress shirt...struggling on the sleeves.

I got this nice pattern to make my hubby a dress shirt, but I didn't like how the sleeves were attached to the cuffs in the pattern. So, I am trying to replicate this

here.

Keeping my fingers crossed that I get this done right for Bubby.

This month is full of birthdays, so I wanted to post one of the gifts I made. I mailed this to my friend Laura.

She lives in Baltimore, and she said it was already cold enough to wear this wool scarf. Yikes! I love the Florida weather.

Another day at school.

Working on my hubby's dress shirt today in class and tracing a pattern for a plastic dress we are making for a runway show. Hopefully, the dress won't be too hard to make. It has a front center seam, but it is not a princess cut. But as we know, once you make a hole in vinyl, it is there forever. Wish me luck!

Go 'eers!

I just wanted to say Let's Go Mountaineers! Even though I am a "Woman of Marshall," I married a WVU graduate and love anything that supports Wild, Wonderful West Virginia.

Feather pants are finally done. Hip, hip hooray!

I showed the example of the pants I made out of muslin. But, I don't think it does justice to the wonderful, black linen from Italy I got at the store.

I'm feeling pretty darn good about these. I made cool pants that fit me. Yeah!

Here is me posing and being goofy as usual.

Umm, not that I really want to show my doopa(my grandma Sally was 100% Hungarian, so anytime she wanted to threaten us as children, she would say, "I am going to spank your doopa.") on here, but I wanted you to see the pockets flare out with the polka-dotted lining.

An extreme close-up of the sweet removable feathers. They are attached my snaps, so I may take them off to wash my awesome pants.

Oh and maybe the coolest part is that I put on exposed zippers that taper down when zipped and flare out to show scraps from my wedding gown lace when unzipped.

I love these pants. Even the high school students said I was cool. I feel real good about myself. Life is good.

Kitty in a box. Big, fat kitty in a box.

I figured it was time to introduce you to Bobbers. This is our big, fat cat that likes empty cardboard boxes, not much different than Garfield, except he likes the cheapest, driest food. Let me just say, Bobbers is his nickname. His legal name is SueBob. I didn't know if he was a boy or girl when I got him almost nine years ago, so I felt SueBob was all encompassing.

This cat is totally cool. He doesn't bother anyone unless they are going to the kitchen. But, my amazing hubby has trained him to not go on the linoleum, unless he is getting fed, which is only twice a day. 1/3 cup each time. He is pretty good about staying out of the kitchen. I am sure I will be posting more pictures of him in time. He has great facial expressions and a wonderful temperament.

Exposed zipper with lace...pretty cool.

So, here is my Juki up close. Still drooling over this bad boy.

I love you Juki. Some day, I will buy you.

I finished the black habotai shirt that I needed my walking foot for, and I wore it to class the other day. I think it came out very cute. FYI, I made this halter lycra net to go under it, in case it was a little too see-thru, which it didn't end up being. But, I love that halter. I want to make 10 more with the rolled hem finish.

I have been working on muslin on these linen pants. I think I got the exposed tapered zipper with extending lace layed out nicely on my working sample. This is the front.

Here is the working underneath side.

I can't wait to get these fully sewn in my black linen pants and wear them. so comfy.

Who got to use an industrial Juki today?

Her name is Shall Pal, and she couldn't be happier. I mean, I could leave all other gadgets aside and use my old jeepers for as long as it could run, maybe go without water and food for awhile, if I could own the industrial Juki I started sewing with today at school. Since that can't happen, I am going to enjoy every single minute of it. And, pray someone lists an electronic one on Craigslist some day soon! I mean, it has the horsepower of a small giant and glides like an experienced ice skater. But, the best part maybe, if there could only be one, is that it cuts and backstitches at the end of your sewing, just by simply pushing your heel down on the pressure foot.

Okay, I am done drooling for now. Anyway, got my skirt and shirt down. Will be posting those once I wear them and get a picture of them. And, I am so stoked about my linen pants. I cannot wait to wear them with the snap-on feathers.

Planking after work...

My hubby told me about planking the other day, and I got a real kick out of it. So, when I was done working the other night, my girlfriend took a picture of me planking on a cart. Pretty funny, huh?

I learned afterward that I had not planked correctly. But, I don't think it is too shabby for never planking before. 

Finishing up some great projects at school. Man, it takes soooooo long for the finishing details of something nice. Can't wait to post for all. 

Last minute baby shower gift.

My hubby told me two hours ago that he has to go to a work baby shower tomorrow. He is so cute. He said, "I will just pick up a bag of diapers tomorrow on the way to the party." He didn't want me to have to do any other sewing projects. Very thoughtful. But, I like a good challenge and need to put myself under deadlines. So, I said, hey, let me try to whip up something. I said, let's go to Wal-Mart and pick up some onesies. I sewed on some appliques, and I think they are pretty cute for the little muffin that is baking right now!

And, there's a lockdown drill.

I am over ironing my shirt, thrilled with my new accessory feet (more on that in a bit), and there is what is called a lockdown drill alarm. We have to turn off all the lights, lock ourselves in the classroom and be quiet. Now, coming from up north in West Virginia, I was use to the shelter-in-place drills, but not the lockdown. This was quite different, and I am not sure how effective. So, we all sat there in the dark, while people peered in through the outside to see if we were sitting there quietly. Then, it happened. The high school students burst out laughing. It was totally awesome. Needless to say, the lockdown was a funny success.

Back to sewing. The double Ds were down visiting, Deb and Don, my parents, that is our nickname for them. And, my mom asked me what I needed for school. Well, I said as a matter of fact, I could really use a walking foot for my Husqvarna machine. She took me to get one, and I am THRILLED at the results. I am working on a silk habotai slipover shirt, and I needed to topstitch the yoke with a walking foot, because the regular foot was causing puckering. Hard to see here, but smooth sewing as a baby's butt!

The package deal we got also included a 1/4" foot, metal rods for measuring inch separations on works and the most amazing free motion foot.

I love my Husqvarna. Thank you so much Lindsay!

Fire drill. Everyone out of the building.

The fire alarm goes off at school, and it is like wait is this real, or am I back at Simpson Elementary School again. HA! So, everyone files out of the building, and we follow with the Home Decor instructor and her students. Well, I guess that wasn't correct. So, unfortunately, we got lost from our teacher. Yikes! Luckily she found us and moved us to a different part of the parking lot. Thank goodness. Anyway, I was wondering if it was a test run or had someone burned a pita in the toaster oven? Who will ever know.

On a side note, we couldn't find one of my girlfriend's from the class outside. So, we assumed she really needed to stay inside and finish her suit jacket to graduate on time. So many sacrifices for fashion, and so little time that a  fire won't stop ya.

Making some pretty sweeeeet pants!

I have this cool Butterick pattern that I am modifying to make a better fitting more narrower pants for myself. I plan to use exposed zippers and pleats on the calf side seams. I hope they come out cool. I'm making them with this really nice blank linen from Italy that we have at the store. I just love linen. Anyway, since I am learning and making so many changes to the already cool pattern, I am making it first out of muslin. I feel like I am learning sooooo much in this pattern-making experience. I know this pic isn't too cool out of muslin, but I am thinking it may be cooler out of the black linen.

Oh by the way, I am doing a fly-front zipper on these bad boys. Whew, is that a lot of work, but hopefully really worth it.

P.S. I will post the pictures of my mom's birthday gifts I made recently once she opens them at the end of September. I know she will look adorable in them.

First night off, and I am so stoked.

My hubby is going to ride four-wheelers with my brother this weekend in North Carolina. So, I am so excited, I got to cook for them for this weekend. I love cooking, but I never seem to have much time to do it anymore. So, I am trying my first bbq pulled pork with Jack Daniels seasoning. It smells delicious cooking. I just hope it tastes as good as it smells. Also, I made a beef roast with potatoes and carrots. And I am going to make some nummy pepperoni rolls. A great West Virginia tradition. I think I am going to try to stay up tonight to make them, so I can eat one warm. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Oh how I miss the grade school lunches with a warm pepperoni roll (baked bread with pepperoni sticks inside) and then you always got a good stick of cheese to go with it. That should fill the men up.

Brian is making Chapman chili. Now, that I am a Chapman, he said he can reveal the recipe to me, he he.

School is going wonderfully, but I am now working on several projects at once. Today, I helped another student with an exposed zipper, which has to be my new favorite next to the invisible. I worked on a couple of different fly front zippers. And, I think I am going to have to get a walking foot for my Husqvarna. I am working on this silk habotai slipover shirt, and to topstitch the next, I am going to need a walking foot. I think I might need to put that $60 attachment on my Christmas list!