Friday, September 25, 2015

A BIRTHDAY AND SOME EMBROIDERING WITH METALLIC THREAD

It's late in the afternoon on Friday but I think I have still got enough time to put up a quick post.  I don't really like summing up an ENTIRE week in one post as they get too long, though honestly I know I am NOT known for short little posts no matter what.  But if I stick to at least Mon and Friday it should be easier.... at least for me.  Maybe it's because other then sewing and running errands and house work my week days all look pretty similar anyway.  I did get to another one of Lindsey's games on Tues and it was a lot of fun in spite of the fact the girls got beat....boo.  They actually played a really good game and I enjoyed it as always even though it was about a million degrees in that gym.  Seriously we have hovered somewhere in the ninety's for weeks now, and last I looked there is no relief in sight.  I am soo over it, but trying to just move along.  I did take a pic of Lindsey, but truthfully it was a REALLY bad one.  The sun was streaming in making the lighting weird, and she was kind of far away and I tried to zoom, but I did the best I could.  Here it is...

WOW IT'S WAY WORSE THEN I THOUGHT....I WILL HAVE TO KEEP TRYING.  I AM PRETTY BAD AT SPORTS PICS AS THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY MOVING, LOL.  

HERE SHE IS IN HER LITTLE UNIFORM.

Well Melody just called me and I talked to her just long enough to use up most of the time I had.  She doesn't get much opportunity to "chat" with her 3 little ones and busy life so I have to take it when I can get it.  Well now I really have to hurry.  Let's see....oh yes, yesterday was Sam's 4th birthday.  I am still a little pouty that I had to miss his birthday celebration, but as always I am soo thankful for all the ways there are for pictures and videos and ways to keep on top of events anymore.  Our package got there in time yesterday afternoon for him to open his presents and I was soo happy about that.  Sam was thrilled with everything kind of the way I knew he would be.  My daughter got lots of pics and I talked to him on the phone for a little bit too, so I guess it wasn't that bad.  I was also thrilled to hear that all the clothes fit little Claire perfectly.  So let me show you those pictures.


PARTY HATS AND PUMPKIN BREAD [THAT HE REQUESTED!] TO START HIS DAY


SINGING TO HIM AT PRE-SCHOOL...MEL BROUGHT CUPCAKES AND SNACKS FOR THE CLASS

HIS GHOST PILLOWCASE FROM GRANDMA

AND HIS TRICK OR TREAT BAG

AND NEW LIGHT SABERS FROM US

AND A NEW CHAIN SAW AND GOGGLES....I SAW THIS AND JUST KNEW IT HAD SAM'S NAME ALL OVER IT, LOL

HAD TO TAKE IT WITH HIM TO THE PARK, LOL

AND MISS CLAIRE....A GLOVE FIT.....I HONESTLY THOUGHT IT WOULD SWIM ON HER....SHE'S WAY BIGGER THEN I THOUGHT.  MEL HAS BEEN TELLING ME THAT, BUT I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT UNTIL I SAW THIS!

I LOVE IT ON HER!  MAY HAVE TO MAKE SOME MORE OF THESE!

AND MY MADE UP NECKLINE FIT JUST FINE....LOVE THIS ON HER!

THIS WAS TAKEN LAST WEEK....SAM'S FIRST DAY OF SOCCER PRACTICE EVER. MELODY SAID SHE'S OFFICIALLY A "SOCCER MOM" NOW LOL

BOTH SAM AND LUKE HAVE A TRUE LOVE OF BOOKS AND SHE PUT THE NEW FALL ONES THERE SO THEY COULD GET AT THEM  EASILY, AND FOUND THEM THIS WAY THE OTHER MORNING....I LOVE IT....I HOPE THEY NEVER LOSE THAT LOVE OF READING BOOKS
Other then that I have not really done a lot of sewing this week.  I am in the midst of making Mel's family some new Christmas stockings.  Mel's taste sometimes is VERY different from mine, lol, and she wanted something very different then what I would have chosen to do.  But then I guess she IS twenty nine and I am sixty one [on Monday...almost here!] so I think there probably should be some differences in taste.  But of course I want to accommodate what she wants so I have been searching for fabrics etc for a while.  She wants ALL white...White fur for the stocking and a white cuff as well in a cotton so that we could put the names on.  She did send me some pretty cute ones she found on Etsy to use as a reference for what she liked.  Of course they wanted 45 dollars for one, so that seems a little steep.  Especially when there are 5 of you like they have. But anyway, I wanted to embroidery their names in Metallic gold thread.  I knew this would require some research as I have heard quite a few horror stories as to how that goes for lots of people, and you know how I love fiddly, lol. However I also love a challenge, and besides I really like the way it looks, and honestly thought it would spiff up the all white stockings quite a bit to have sparkling thread on their names.  So for these last couple of days I have been playing around with the font, the size and placement of the names etc to get it just right before I put the stockings together.  I FINALLY came upon the perfect combo of things.  All the letters are the same size, and yet there are different amount of letters in their names and I had to somehow get them to all fit perfectly centered on the cuff as well.  Now I've told you my math is my weakest subject and if I could have figured this out mathematically it would have probably been soo much easier.  But I finally just "dead eyed" it and it is perfect if I do say so myself. Who needs math, right?  lol  My pictures are terrible.  You cannot see the delicate sparkle and shine of this thread but I really loved it.  I am really glad I researched it first as it made all the difference in the world using all the little tips and helps I came across I am very sure.  Let me show you the final cuffs.  They are laying on top of each other so you can see how the lettering is the same, and they are all centered on their cuffs.  The lining of these stockings will be the same fabric as the cuffs and they should go together very quickly now.  The hard part is over.  I know when you look at it they will LOOK very simple, and really they were once I figured out placement and size, but they were NOT a piece of cake that's for sure.  Working with metallic thread however was NOT fiddly, NOT too difficult, and definitely something I will be using more of in the future.  Sooo here are the cuffs.....Oh, and just figuring out for sure which side I wanted the lettering on etc. so that they come out right and are not upside down or backwards or something once they are on the stocking, was another real challenge for this old gal.  But I think I got it, lol....

THE LIGHTING AND COLORING ARE SOO BAD I AM EMBARRASSED, AND MAKES IT ALMOST POINTLESS TO SHOW YOU AS WELL, BUT I PROMISE WHEN THE STOCKINGS ARE ALL DONE I WILL GET OUT MY GOOD CAMERA AND TAKE DECENT PICTURES

YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HERE THE SHINE OF THE METALLIC THREAD, AND THE PRETTY WHITE ON WHITE FABRIC THESE ARE ON.  ONCE THE TOP OF THESE ARE ATTACHED TO THE STOCKINGS, I WILL PROBABLY DO ANOTHER DECORATIVE STITCH OF SOME SORT AT THE TOP USING THE THREAD AGAIN.  I WAS THRILLED THAT I MANAGED TO GET ALL THE NAMES EXACTLY ONE INCH FROM THE BOTTOM  OF THE CUFF.  CAN'T SEE IT HERE, BUT IT IS FOLDED THERE.  I  WILL OPEN IT UP AND SEW THE SIDES OF IT TO THE BACK BEFORE ATTACHING IT TO THE STOCKINGS.  
Well guess that's it for now and I finished in plenty of time.  I need to clean up my GIANT sewing mess so we won't have to look at it all week-end.  Hubby never complains.  I have often wondered if I would be as understanding if HE made a giant mess working on one of his projects and then just walked away and left the clean up for another day.  But he never says a word.  Not a lot of plans on our agenda for this week-end, but I am looking forward to it as always.  Hope you all have a good week-end!  Many blessings and joys to you all!  Debbie


7 comments:

  1. I am so tickled to SEE baby Claire in her new clothes!!! She made them even MORE beautiful!! I bet your daughter gets stopped and asked about where she GOT the outfits!!!

    I just came in from cutting out a shop keeper apron for a Christmas present. I use a table out on my deck as I don't have flat surfaces in the house that aren't covered in debris! As I was cutting out the pattern I thought, "I feel like BEBBIE!!!!" On a very tiny scale!

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  2. Sam is four already?! I think I lost a year there somewhere. He's so cute with his birthday things. The pic with Luke cracked me up. Nothing like a big brother with a chainsaw! LOL! Luke does not seem at all intimidated. Claire is a wee fashionista! Her outfits are adorable.

    Guess it doesn't matter too much if Lindsey's team lost...it's more about the love of the game. She sure is a pretty gal!

    Hope it gets a little cooler for you soon. Does making the Christmas stockings help you feel cooler?

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  3. What a lovely bunch!! I love Claire in all of those very cute clothes. I love those birthday presents!!! I hope you have a nice before your birthday weekend. I feel for you missing Sam's birthday. It is so hard for me every time I miss one of my grands birthdays.
    Every thing looks so nice Debbie.

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  4. Happy birthday to Sam!! And that Claire...she is growing like a weed, and growing cuter all the time!!

    The Christmas stockings are going to be wonderful. Have you ever thought of ordering some of those little sew-in tags? Yours could say "Custom Made by Mom"! :)

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  5. I miss those sport's days! and I can relate with the hot, hot gyms and trying to take a photo--Lindsey's is a pretty girl!

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  6. Love that fashion show that Claire put on. ;-) And I'm so glad that working with the gold metallic thread turned out so well for you. I used gold metallic thread when I cross stitched and it was a pain. Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!