Update.

My newest grandson is doing well.  Has developed a bit of jaundice, but they are taking care of it and am told that is is fairly normal for this to happen.

If I do this right, you can click HERE to see a YouTube video of little Micah.  If you watch it, please let me know if it works.

Years ago, a friend of mine would compete with me each month to see which us brought the most isolette quilts to the the guild meeting each month.  Just a friendly little challenge between two friends.  I miss her very much since she moved away.  At any rate, I haven't really quilted much in about 5 years or so.  I saw the isolette covers when I visited my new grandson in the NICU.  Not the ones we made of course, but the guild is still making them.  So, I decided that I could make one for him, a special one since I knew how.

I took it down to the hospital yesterday morning.  Very simple pattern, easy to make and quick to make.  The little isolette quilts are only 32 inches square so don't take a lot of fabric.  They are also a wonderful way to try new blocks and techniques out.  At any rate, I went a head and embroidered his name and birth date on the quilt.  

It probably doesn't mean a thing to anyone but me, but I know that I have prayed for good health for my grandson and that a little bit of me is right there with him.

I think also that maybe God is using this to bring me back to a calling, a passion, that I have been neglecting since my father died.  I get such joy out making various types of quilts to give away.  So many charities need them.  I have been told by many that I have a talent for quilting (crafting in general) and went through a bible study class to find that this is truly a gift from God.  I make things, I make them well, and am pretty quick with it as well.  I can crochet, but while most find it soothing, relaxing, for me it is nerve wracking. I love to sew, to embroiderer (both machine and hand) and now have some new goals for my crafting.

One, I want to make several isolette quilts each month and just take them straight up to the NICU that my little grandson is in.  I don't think I will be joining the back in the local quilt guild any time soon.  Too much little knit picky things go on there that leave a sour taste in my mouth.  I am very uncomfortable when attending.  However, I may try it again in the fall.

Two, I am going to jump back in to my church's quilt group this fall when they start back up.  I have a ton of Christmas fabric squares that I hope to make in to a quilt for the church to use as a door prize this year for the Christmas program they are reviving.

Three, I want to make some charity quilts to use up my scraps and stash.  Although, my stash isn't as big as it used to be since I was stupid and gave a bunch of it away, God seems to find ways of providing me what I need to make various projects.

Four, I need to do a lot of sewing of garments.  I have the patterns, the fabric, just need to do it.  That is a fall project as well since I am using the summer to clean and organize the house.

Speaking of God providing.  I have found many times, that I would get an idea for a quilt, be driven to make it, complete it, and not have any where for it to go.  I put it up and it never fails that somewhere down the line it is the perfect quilt for a person that could use it.  Here is an example.  A fellow church member gave me a big bag of fabric because she knew that I quilted.  The following month, a local quilt shop offered a quilt class that I was just really drawn to so I took it.  The class demo was a lovely quilt in mauve, greens, and cream colors a bit of a variation on the Ohio Star.  Reminded me of an English tea garden.  Well, for some odd reason, even though I like the demo fabrics, I decided to use a completely different color palette using the fabrics that the lady from church had given me.  They were bold primary colors, I used black to pull it together.  And, of course, the ladies that take the quilt classes on a regular basis and always make the quilt exactly like the demo, all thought I was crazy and let it be known that they did not care much for my quilt.  Not that I really cared what they thought, I finished up sewing the binding down and then just put the quilt away in my closet.  Almost a year later, my husband's boss had a daughter that was badly injured while serving in Iraq.  She came home to several operations and skin graphs.  After healing up, she came and talked to our church bible study group about reaching for the stars, keeping the faith to reach the stars. I pulled the quilt out and brought with me to the bible study and gave it to her telling her that she is our star for her service.  It was all her favorite colors.  Her dad told my hubby at work that the quilt is the first thing she packs when she goes back to any hospital stays.

In other words, God had a plan, I followed the plan, and the person the plan was for was blessed.  I was blessed by being able to do it for her.

Thanks for stopping by today, hope your day goes wonderfully.  I am off to start some laundry, pick up daughter J from summer class, then to a doctor consult for my droopy eyelids.

I am back home

Well, I am back home. Need to finish up a few projects around the house before I can actually start sewing, but can at least see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.

Got to spend a week with the new grand son. That was totally awesome.

He is just pretty great. Long fingers, long toes, and a head full of black hair. Will be interesting to see what color his eyes turn out being. Of course, he will be walking before we see him again unless they can some how come here for Christmas. Praying, but not holding my breath.

And of course, had a great time playing with grandson #1 who is ready to be a big brother. He is just special to be around and I can't wait until next summer when he gets to come spend a few weeks with us.

Okay, now that you know what I have been doing lately. This is what I have planned. After I get the master bedroom finished and a yard sale held that is. Oh my gosh, it is almost time for school to start. I am actually looking forward to getting everything back on some type of schedule. Would like to make some clothes for my youngest daughter, but she doesn't really seem to interested in the idea. We will see. Am heading to a vintage shop this morning. Just to look around a bit. Speaking of vintage, here is the plan, think I mentioned this in an earlier post, but now have photos.

This is some fabric I picked up on clearance and the two patterns I have narrowed it down to making. After reading a few blogs that have made Butterick 4790, I think I am going to go with Butterick 5209. The main reason is because the fabric is a plisae (not sure how you would spell that) or thin with little bumps on it and do not think that it would be suitable for the wrap waist which will have some pull on it. I do however, think it would be perfect for the view made with the cap sleeves. Both of these patterns are current reprints of the original vintage pattern. I am so hooked on the vintage styles of the 40's and 50's. Simple lines that are timeless. I have noticed that several of the current lines from the fashion designers are using the same style elements in their fall lines. My only problem is trying to make patterns fit me. They are made for June Cleaver figures, I have Aunt Bea's. We will see how it turns out.

I took the day yesterday and went through the patterns that I do have, listed them, and was quite pleased with what I found I already had. There is one pattern that has me a bit baffled though. See what you think.



This is the front of McCalls pattern 5915 which I purchased many years ago. It was supposed to be my attempt at what would be called high fashion, probably from the days of Chrystal Carrington or sometime in the 80's I think.





However, after throwing it in the drawer and waiting...well, a while...I pulled it out to find that the images on the back of the envelope do not match at all. The fabric requirements and line drawing views were for a totally different outfit.





This is what I found inside.

Not even the same style skirt. At least it is of a style that I like much better. Can wear better as well. No problem there, can go with the flow as it has the sizes in it I would need. I got the bright idea that I would just google that pattern and find the correct image of one made up. Would print it out and glue it to the front of the envelope. Pretty smart right? Well imagine what I was now thinking when I googled the pattern number and this is the image that comes up for that pattern.

Yep! You got it. An apron pattern? Believe it or not, this is pretty typical of my sewing experiences. And, of course, I still have not idea what the outfit for this pattern looks like.

Well, I am off to the store. I should be working on my bedroom, laundry and such, but I am taking a break and heading out to do some looky louing. I am actually going to check the prices as I have found some vintage prom dresses and am going to open an Etsy shop and list them and some very vintage shoes that are from the 40's to see if I can get a little income coming in. I have a pretty decent stash of fabric and supplies so am planning on making some things up to put in that Etsy shop as well. Am thinking that with Christmas on the horizon that maybe I can sell some baby items, doll items, vintage styled aprons and maybe some quilts. It is a plan anyway.

Good news is that youngest DD is actually online in her room making a list of patterns she likes. OH YEAH! A local craft store has the Simplicity patterns on sale this month for $.99 and I can take the add to another craft store and they will honor it. I have a long list myself. LOL

Thanks for stopping in and feel free to leave a comment. It is always nice to know that someone has read my postings.

Chaos...seeing the light...maybe.

I am now officially in the land of chaos. Boxes of stuff every where and not sure what to do with it all. A week of emotionally draining sorting of things with memories attached. Why do we put so much emotion in to the things, the material things, is a mystery to me. I watch a show on TV about hoarders and know that could easily be what I become. If my hubby goes first that is. LOL

At any rate, one week down, now to spend the next days putting things in a place, finding a place to put the things, and finding my life again. No more working, means no more extra funds which I had gotten used to. A sacrifice I am totally willing to take on. There is no way I would be able to handle all of this and work as well. I have come to the realization that my cooking skills have gotten very rusty while working. I have discovered how unorganized I am at home as well. All of which I need to work on along with getting things put away. I do have a place for my ceramic figures that I made for my dad. Seeing a chair my dad used was a big enough problem for one son, wonder what he will feel when he sees the deer head and figures.

One bonus, having a week in a house with no TV, no internet, gave me some work time on the afghan I am crocheting. I changed hook sizes, so the new part looks a little odd, but I am not frogging this thing. I hate the colors, John Deere colors because little grand son liked John Deere but of course he has out grown that phase before I could get it finished. I noticed a stitch on the on the wrong side of the design, but have decided that it will be my humility stitch. Similar to the humility block in a quilt. Humility to remind us that only Jesus was perfect. The afghan has been a work in progress, a really simple design in fact, but due to my "humility" stitches in more than one place, I have modified the design some what. It definitely won't be the quality that would sell, but will be excellent quality for a charity. Have no idea who would want the charity project, it is too long to be a lap robe, too long to be a child's afghan for Linus Project or similar, but I am sure that some where it is needed or I would not have been led to finish it. I found out long ago, once I learned that craftsmanship is my gift from God, that God always has a destination for every item I create. No matter how long it takes to make it, and I may have to put it up in the closet for a while, but there will always be some place for it to go, for someone that needs it, show up.

Well, playing around on the computer is not getting anything done. And I have a lot to do. So...off to my email and then to the kitchen to sort cabinets and empty boxes.