Blogging Along

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Sew Saturday: Welcome Ingrid...

I let you sneak a peak at my new old sewing machine on Tuesday....Did you see her??

This is INGRID, my featherweight Singer!

She came with all her bells and whistles and in GORGEOUS condition...

The best part is...

...I discovered her at a garage sale...for a very reasonable price.

Wow, how amazing to have a little piece of history!

The tea wallet was her first project...

and I took it to the nice older lady who sold it to me!

She was tickled!

Friday, May 24, 2013

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

1. It's National Bike Week...do you own a bicycle? When did you last ride a bike?
I own a fabulous Bianchi...a cute, red Italian bicycle. My Mom gave it to me. She's currently hanging upside down in our garage (the bike, not my Mom!)...but it sure is time to get her down and fill her tires! Thanks for the reminder.
2. What's something you learned in school that wasn't part of the curriculum?
Being a leader isn't about being loud, persuasive, or bossy. I was surprised to find that when I knew what was right and chose to do that...alone if necessary...many followed me. Then my teachers said I was a good leader. Huh, good to know.
3. What's a food you've never tried, but want to try? What's a food you've tried and will never try again?
I'd love to try Scorpion...It just sounds so interesting! I'm a REALLY adventureous eater...and I can't think of anything that I would never try again. Huh....I'll think on it.
4. Have you been more demanding on yourself lately or less? Why? Do you think that's a good trend?
I'm always pretty hard on myself. Right now, I KNOW I'm being hard on myself. There's no rest for the wicked. HA. Seriously sometimes there's no alternative...things have to get done and I'm the only one who can do them. No, it's not a good trend. It'll pass eventually...
5. Who is your favorite book, movie, or TV show villain?
Book: Moriarty Movie: Cruella Deville TV: I like CSI and Bones but they don't have a specific villain.
6. How concerned are you about identity theft?
We're careful, we shred important papers...but it's happened to Loverbrains and the police don't do much. Pretty much if they steal it they aren't prosecuted as far as I can tell. Pretty depressing that.
7. I saw this last question on Dawn's blog a couple of week's ago and asked if I could share. Everybody hop over and say hi, but first answer this...would you rather have an ordinary home in an extraordinary place or an extraordinary home in an ordinary place?
I think an ordinary home in an extraordinary place. Totally more exciting! Ooo...like a little house on the edge of a magnificent waterfall, like in "Up" the kid's movie!
8. Insert your own random thought here.
Yes, it's a HAGGARD HODGEPODGE for me...I have GOT to figure out a way to sleep when Loverbrains is traveling or I'm going to DIE! I feel like the mother of an infant...totally sleep deprived. I just don't get it...I'm not a light sleeper per se, I'm not particularly worried/uptight about him being gone...I'm not a cuddler so his not being next to me can't be the reason. Unfortunately sleeping pills KNOCK ME OUT...even the next morning I can barely move my arms. Not a good idea as the only responsible adult in the house. So, I guess it's twitching eyes and stiff necks and grumpy Mom around here. Ugh!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Tute Tuesday: Tea Wallet

I wanted to make a special thank you gift for someone...(I'll tell you why on Sew Saturday!)...so I decided to make a tea wallet! I mostly followed this lady's tute...with a few variations of my own.

You need two 5"X7" background fabrics...one 5"X7" piece of interface...and here's where mine's different....I carefully cut two antique hankies...careful to use their intricate lace edge when I cut two 5"X7" pieces. I also have a long piece of grosgrain ribbon. Save your hanky scraps...you'll see why.

Iron the hankies (wallet pockets) in half. Pin the hankies intensely cuz they slide all over the place.

Iron the interface to the wrong side of one background piece. Sew the top of the pockets.

Measure one inch up from the bottom and attach your first pocket by sewing along the bottom...only...not the sides.

Then align the second pocket with the bottom of the wallet...and again, sew the bottom only.

If you are using 1/4 inch seams and you've been measuring properly...Measure in 3 1/2 inches and mark with pins or fabric pencil. Sew a vertical line to form two sets of pockets. I backstitched slightly at the top of each pocket so it could withstand use...and because the hanky fabric was thin.

Pin your ribbon to the side...and gather it up and pin it so it's not flapping all about.

Put your other background fabric face down on your "sandwich"...so right sides are together and ribbon pile is inside. Sew all the way around leaving an opening at the bottom so you can flip it inside out. I put those two yellow pins facing the left so I know not to pull them. I've sewn things shut before. I'm just sayin...