fullofstitches.com Blog

I’m having a little chuckle. Apparently, San Fran is banning regular plastic grocery bags -only at the grocers that make the most money! Here’s a great chance for the little guys (that generally already sell canvas bags) to start something. Why don’t they just charge extra (penny each?) for the plastic, or make a bag rental system? Pick a ’store color’ for these ones, sell other colors for the customers who want their own supply (after all, who knows how many people wash the bags after meat was carried, or how well the stores will provide such a service). Sturdier bags, small price. Bring them back each visit. If you don’t need as many next time, leave it with the store and get a realistic bag refund.

I bring my own bags, I even walk to the store most of the time! Every time I shop, I get 1-3 cents per bag off my order (the $.01 is supposed to be for reusing the plastic bags, the $.03 is for using your own bags). $.18 cents last time, multiply that by 52 weeks: $9.36. Most of my bags were freebies, though I wouldn’t mind picking up another good one with a zipper when I need another bag. I may even start using the cooler bag in the summer for the cold and frozen items.

Edited to add: Whole Foods carries green reusable sacks for 99 cents. They take off (or you can donate) 5 cents per bag per order.

“Time! Time! Whose got the time?” queried the Madhatter of the White Rabbit.

Hmm.. Must sleep! But, first, I’m so much happier with the dress! I chopped off the ELD #203 bodice (it’s still in usable condition, though, so I may find something for it the next pregnancy) and cut out the bodice of New Look #6587 -with a higher neckline, I wasn’t sure how low it would be, so I raised it before it could confound me. The bodice and skirt are together. Have yet to do the sleeves and buttonband, neckline and hem. I’m still deciding between lace and cuffs for the sleeves.. And, I like the sash idea, so I may get enough fabric for the sash and a matching apron.. or at least little girls’ dresses.

must crawl to bed…

TJ takes great pictures! I love the angle on this one -he usually doesn’t do that!

The dress: I think that, realistically, it would be wearable, and it’s not half bad. For me, I prefer the heavier looking fabric on the heavier end, so it’s upside down . The nursing opening currently sticks out like a sore thumb. So, I guess next time go up one size. I’m not sure, though. This seems to fit at the shoulders fine, hmm.. maybe a tad tight, so up one size should be okay.

For now, though, I plan to make a new bodice (I have more butterfly print) and take this skirt and attach it to the new top. Then, I’ll just need some ribbon or something for the waistband, and I was thinking lace edging for the sleeves and hem.

How am I supposed to get to the fabric store for the buttons with no car?

Can I register a vehicle that’s not in my name so that I can take the one that is here? Oh, no, the baby’s carseat is in the van. So, I couldn’t go, even in this one.

GRR.

What not to wear: anything in my closet.

I’m constantly in need of a few good dresses.. Mostly because I rarely make ones that I like or will wear much. I’ve been liking the idea of having a few shirt dresses for casual wear, but don’t necessarily want to go around with my dress unbuttoned everywhere. I have a copy of most of the Elizabeth Lee Designs “Nursing Classics” patterns. So, Tuesday night I pulled out pattern #203, adjusted slightly and cut it out. My 2 initial adjustments were:
a) lower the sleeve cap equivalent of 1 size (as mentioned in the #204 directions to give it a fitted rather than slightly gathered sleeve), and
b) made the skirt A-line.

I’d post a picture, but I can’t find the camera.. It’s probably in this room.. scary thought. I just fixed the locations of the nursing openings. Tomorrow, I plan to go buy some buttons (I checked, I didn’t have the ‘right ones’), hem the sleeves and put in a skirt hem.. I just hope it’s not too uneven.

The next time I make this dress, I will do those aforementioned adjustments plus a few more.
1) lower the waistline. It’s an early maternity dress as is.
2) correct nursing opening locations.. running off to mark pattern piece now (for some reason, maybe it’s the right place on a larger size, the dots are really high. The lower dot is just about at my bustline). For me, the current waist seamline is the best place for the lower end of the opening (I’ve got the same issue with the #204)
3) change the neckline. I’m not sure if they were trying for wide scoop or odd boatneck. Perhaps I overdid the interfacing? I need to work on that, too.
4) figure out something to do with the sleeves! Details help in any dress. This pattern is wonderful to someone new to sewing.. I’m a bit more experienced and want a more polished look. Maybe something like this (Julia’s blog here).
5) waistline detail. It could use something to merge the 2 fabrics. Maybe when I get buttons, they’ll pull it together better.

Working ob getting this:

on the sidebar…

BB likes her black&white dress:

BB: “I cute”

Ben: “And modest”

BB: “I cute”

Ben: “And modest”

BB, firmly: “I cute”

Ben: “And modest”

BB: “No. I cute!”

Ben: “You’re cute?”

BB: “Yeah!”

I know I’m a day late, but here’s my green:

My wonderful husband splurged by getting me two citrus trees! The close one is a Valencia orange tree, the further one (at the edge of the hedge) is a ‘Eureka’ lemon tree. I’ve been wanting fruiting trees since we bought a house in 2004, even half-heartedly tried from itty bitty dormant ones, but they got run over by a lawn mower. Then we moved. I showed him the flyer for the local nursery and he agreed to head over there to look at the mini-citrus that are on sale. We wandered the nursery and, as we were looking at the minis, he noticed that the standard sized trees had fruit on them already. That did it! With all the moving we’ve been doing (once a year since we married until now) he didn’t want to have to wait more than a year for the first crop.

Ben has also been working on the aesthetics of my garden area. We chose the Scotch Moss for the color and he planted that as a ground cover. We got some sort of a runner-weed under the garden area and hope that a good ground cover will eventually choke it out of there.

“Watch this space.” Haha.. I was going to plant the sunflowers and smaller veggies over here, but the man had fun with the flower seeds. I can hardly wait to see what it blooms as! I think I’ll go and stick my sunflower seeds in there anyway, I was going to put them by the windows to help reduce the summer heat (we don’t have A/C).

Ben asked if I’ve got cabin fever. Well, um, probably? I dunno. I was just trying to plan for the summer when my summer plans went out the window -yes, I only had one thing planned this summer. Maybe I’ll plan something else, but I really don’t know if I’m allowed out of the house, hahaha. Then Grandpa’s birthday party was brought to my attention. Wouldn’t it be fun to pack up all the children and drive down there? It’s only like a 6 hour drive. We could easily leave in the morning and get there in time for the party. Then I’d get to see my SoCal relatives and they’d get to see the children, and we’d all get to meet my Grandpa’s wife’s (setp-grandma?) kids! They’re visiting (or have they moved here?) from Indonesia. I think it would be fantastic to meet them.

I really have to start setting aside pennies for sunny days.

Last night, I cut out AJ’s and this morning I sewed them both:

I did make BB’s shirt part a little bit long. I may shorten it a little, but, then again, she may grow into it. I used the One-Hour Bodyshirt pattern from New Conceptions for the bodice of BB’s suit. I used the largest size, and the long sleeve and cut it off at the shortest mark -I did take it in on the sides because it’s quite wide for swimwear (about 2 inches off total, one from each side, tapering to nothing at the hem of the sleeve). I think using the short sleeve, this pattern would work just fine.. Maybe even for making a larger person’s swimdress! Just make the sleeves a touch wider if needed. I chopped it off above the snap extension and added an A-line skirt. Because of the stripes, I turned it and put the seams centered front and back to have that chevron design.

AJ just loves hers. I used the size 4 ‘Little Girl’s Modest Swimming Suit.’ This pattern gives you the basic pattern which you then have to lengthen according to your wants and needs. I attached the skirt to the top instead of the shorts (no length change to the bodice), and simply added 2 inches to the sleeves, 3 inches to the shorts and about an inch to the skirt, and I could have easily added another 3 inches to the shorts! Oh, and I left out the ‘panties’ from inside the shorts. As is, it came out really cute.

She was quite taken by the way the skirt floated around her in the pool! They’re still wearing them, and getting everything they sit on soaking wet!

Cow just enjoyed the sunshine and watched the girls swim a bit.