Remember when I said I would have at least a year before having to sew heavy stuff again? Yeah...
Thanks to a combination of hubby being promoted and someone stealing a set of his cammies, here we are again, forcing my machine to sew through about 3 layers of canvas like material, patches + uniform = thick! (BTW, I hope whoever stole his $200 set of cammies stabbed themselves trying to get his name patches off of them!) This time however, I paid attention to the needle size, thread size, and went slowly. First I used that iron on sewing stuff to fuse the patches on so I wouldn't have to stab myself trying to pin those thick layers, then I had a nice conversation with my machine, stopped often to tell her what a nice job she was doing for me... and it worked!
Since I had the machine out, when I finished the uniforms I finally got around to the reusable gift bags that were to be my first "real project" (uniforms don't count, they are no fun at all!)
I have NO TIME for this in my schedule, but putting it off doesn't work, either. I slapped them together quickly, only using an iron and the machine, no pins or measuring, LOL! If you were to turn them inside out you'd laugh at the construction but from the outside they look okay for their purpose - it's not as if anyone will be wearing them :) All that is left is to thread drawstrings through the tops, hopefully I'll do that while watching tv tonight.
I was able to get all these done, and match gifts to the right size bag, but what's scary is how many are EMPTY in this pic... all those empty bags are waiting for knitted items that I need to knit in the next 2 weeks?! It's my own fault, I decided I would do nothing but handmade gifts this year, and didn't give myself enough credit to start learning socks earlier. As of October 1st, I was still saying it would be years before I would try them :) I will start much earlier next year, like January 1st!
But I do thrive on challenges, and it's something I enjoy - so I'll leave you now as I have a LOT of work to do!
Stay tuned for a very "interesting" project with more buffalo plaid I hope to have done later in the week - it has to do with homecoming!
So...how many pairs of socks do you have left to knit?!
ReplyDeleteHi Alexa! Glad you stopped in to comment! Don't laugh but I still have 5 pairs of socks, 2 hats, and 2 or 3 neckwarmers HA! Ya know, since we're "family".... you should come over here and help LOL! Obviously it won't all get done but we have a 1200 mile road trip in 2 weeks and I'm about to find out if I'm one of the lucky few that can knit in the car without getting a headache, keep your fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add... my kids came home from school and that uniform was hanging up and they thought daddy was home... I felt SO BAD! :(
ReplyDeleteSo did you just hear the collective empathetic "OOOHHH!" that came from all of us reading that the boys thought their daddy was home?
ReplyDeleteMethinks you and the sewing machine have a real relationship forming! What's next? Quilting?? I'm totally impressed with the way you whipped out those gift bags. Now put the sewing machine away and get KNITTING!
Wow, stealing a uniform! That is an all time low! Who does that kind of thing, just horrible. I totally believe in karma, what comes around goes around. Maybe something of their's will get stolen, like their shoes. Speaking of shoes, my husband wears a uniform to work also, and when he was a rookie, he put his boots on top of his locker not thinking that anyone would want to still his stinky boots. Well, he was in for a surprise when someone did and he had no boots to wear the following day. He learned his lesson. Doesn't matter if you wear an uniform, some people are just jerks.
ReplyDeletethat was supposed to read "steal" not "still" in my comment.
ReplyDeleteWho in the heck would do that? And how do they get away with it? Can you put a mark somewhere to identify, one that can't be easily removed?
ReplyDeleteYou totally cranked those bags out! Good job! If I had half your speed and concentration, maybe I'd be done with my stuff! I am already trying to decide what will get put off for another year! oops!
Your boys were probably so bummed! Poor little buggers! Now when he does come home, they wont believe it!
At least you sew bags. I just use squares of fabric, tied with gold "rope" from the craft store!!
ReplyDeleteI'm currently -- right now! -- knitting the only gift I'm pretty sure I'll give. Better luck next year!
Mama Pea, I felt SO bad- you should have seen their faces when they walked in the front door and saw his uniform hanging up, it took me a second to figure it out, ugh!
ReplyDeletemeemsnyc & APG, you wouldn't believe half the stuff that goes on out there, I have a friend whose wedding ring was swiped off the bathroom counter, another whose underwear was stolen - he could tell because they stencil their names on the back with the last 4 of their social sec number and the guy was walking down the passageway in front of him! With 5000 sailors onboard from every walk of life, they have all the problems of a small city including gangs, prostitution rings, etc - it's worse now because of the economy, lots of people have joined the military that have no business in it!
Stefaneener, nothing wrong with that! I was going to do that except that I really wanted to learn to sew "something" before Christmas!
Ah... back to knitting...
You're doing great Erin!
ReplyDeleteOh Erin, I'm sorry all this extra has been thrown at you, but if ANYONE can get through this, it's gonna be you.
ReplyDeleteNow you just make sure you schedule in some YOU time and just enjoy the HECK out of that hubby. Leave stuff GO for goodness sake-you got lots of man-squeezin to do!!!!!
:D
I LOVE YOUR BAGS!! And here I have been buying and cutting out new fabric to make cute gift bags, and yours are the BEST! Now, to keep eyes peeled in resale shops for plaid jammies to cut up for next year!! *Remember~ post it: "Do I have my PATTERNS?"
ReplyDeleteYou CAN do girl, but you may have some tired. sore hands and wrists before it's all said and done. I am trying to knit scarves for all the little girls in our Hispanic ministry at church, and still have several left to do. Like you, I started way to late. But, scarves are much easier than socks. What ever you do will look great, you did such a nice job on the socks.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the bags are a great idea.
ReplyDeleteYou really should try some camoflage knitting. ;P
ReplyDeleteGreetz, Astuga
Ohhh, I hate when someone steals Phil's stuff. At least it's normally only a beret, but then there's the extra shaving and shaping... As for the plaid, you have such interesting projects. I just embarked on homemade presents too. (I always start late...)
ReplyDelete