Sewing

Sewing but not on quilts. Our daughter, Amanda, along with the kids came yesterday. And brought Aimee's new sewing machine Santa brought. Yes, Aimee has her first sewing machine.  They hadn't even taken it out of the box yet! So we figured out how to thread it and did some test stitching. Got all familiar. Wound a bobbin with pink thread and away we went. Aimee likes skirts. She doesn't like jeans I have recently been informed. So skirts it will be. There are lots of free tutorials online for tiered skirts and skirts made with elastic waist. Perfect! Would you believe I was so busy I didn't EVEN think to take pictures? Of course, you do. It happens all the time. LOL

I had to clear out the bedroom where I sew when my sister and brother in law spent the night when they were in Texas visiting. I have this table/chair/bench type thing that Larry's brother made in high school in woodworking shop. I have it in the extra/guest bedroom and most of the time it is in table mode with tons of stuff stacked on it. Lots of my UFOs and PIGs (and we're not talking about the four legged variety-LOL) to be exact. I had to find a home for all this stuff so I could make the room presentable. LOL I set aside one of the projects I ran across and thought I just need to work that up and get that out of here! That's what I have been saying a lot this year. So after I got the room all tidied up and all ready for their visit I set up a machine on the dining room table and finished up that project. Dixie from quilt club had brought a shopping bag one day and said "If anybody wants to take this home and finish it they are welcome to it." She had started a fabric basket made from cotton clothesline covered in fabric and it just wasn't working for her. I had made a couple of those baskets and thought -- why not? Well, needless to say it turned into a UFO. Like I was saying I got it out Christmas Eve and started. She had already done the wrapping and had tried sewing it and she said her machine just wouldn't sew it. I took out what she had sewn and thought I'd make quick work of it. Not! For what ever reason I couldn't get the beginning of the coil to work either. After several attempts and unsewing--gggrrrr-- I decided to cut the cord and start at the other end. No more problems. Got it done.

Then I was still on the "basket kick" so found some narrows strips I had been putting back for making baskets and started another one. A scrappy purple one. I added the flower to cover my ending.  I still have to work on my ending. It's not as neat as I'd like.  I like the scrappy ones. I sat and wrapped some more clothesline while watching TV.

 

I found the tutorial for the flower here.

Instead of a button for the centerI appliqued a circle to both the front and back.

Speaking of Dixie-- a couple of years ago I had posted about Dixie's husband being in a small airplane crash and asked for prayers. He passed away several days after the crash. A year later she met a man at church. They started seeing each other and married last February. They have been so happy. She has said that he has been so good to her and she really knew what a good marriage was like. Her husband suddenly died a week before Christmas. He had been sick the week before with upset stomach and sitting on the potty and lots of pain in his abdomen. She took him to the doctor. Long story short, he needed his gall bladder out. Surgery went fine. There were complications. He already had a weak heart. Poor Dixie! She is comforted by her faith in God and that He will see her through this.

Blessings,