Adding a pocket in Elastic Waist Pants

I have a favorite pants pattern. It is an elastic waist pull-on pant that makes up beautifully in linen. The only problem: they have not pocket. So, I added one!

I traced my hand so I would know about how wide I needed it to be.

I drew a slanted tear drop around my hand.

I added 5/8 inch seam allowances around it.

I taped the pocket to my pattern tissue, matching the side seam lines and cut out my pants. (You should note that this took about an extra 1/2 yard and had much wasted fabric.)

I stitched a piece of ribbon along the seam allowances on the front of each pocket for support. (At this point I referred to a handy sewing guide. Look for a review of the Reader's Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing coming soon.)

I basted the pocket opening closed along the seam allowance.

I stitched the pants leg together from the hem up to the waist, following the curve of the pocket.

I clipped the corners at the pockets and finished the raw edges. I removed the basting and "bingo!" I've got pockets!

Grandma's Blanket and a pop quiz!

My Big Girl asked her Grandmother in Arkansas "Whatcha makin'?" sometime last fall. The reply, "Oh a blanket for a little girl."


Imagine the BG's surprise when she opened her gifts at Christmas and found this cozy pink, blue, and purple blanket.


She loved it!

And now, for the pop quiz: Notice something different?


Scroll down for a closer look.


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Yep, that's 3 current gaps and 5 teeth she's been paid for. At this rate, the tooth fairy will need a second job!

On more glance at the Christmas tree...

It's almost time to take the tree down. We will wait until next weekend to take down all the Christmas--and pull out some Mardi Gras! But until then, here are a few of the ornaments we've added this Holiday season:

Of course each has its own story.

The candy cane: The LM came home from school with a plain ol' candy cane and said, "Mrs. Claus came to my class today and gave me this to put on the tree so Santa would know I listened good." So we did.

The carousel: The kids and I took a weekend jaunt to New Orleans with my parents. We had a blast at Christmas in the Oaks and rode a carousel that went on and on and on and on... The best part of the entire trip--we were walking through "The Miracle on Fulton Street" when the LM saw a man (in regular clothes) with long white hair. As we walked past the man, LM looked backwards, with his chin on the ground, to see the man also had wire-rimmed glasses, rosy cheeks, a rounded belly, and a long white beard. Then, with his wife giggling beside him, the gentleman leaned down to LM and handed him a candy cane with a wink. I don't know who was more excited to see the real Santa--LM, me, or my Dad!

The red bell: My grandmother gave this to me this year. My Dad made it back in his cub scout days.

The blue ball: Mrs. Lary sent these home with sweet fingerprint snowmen decorating them.

Somehow, I've misplaced the pictures of the ornaments from Great-Grandma, but she gave us 3 beautiful ones also.

More Unwrapped Christmas

This is my favorite Hand-Made Christmas gift:

My nephew Charlie is 1 and I was at a complete loss for his Christmas. Then, Mom handed me this great train-track panel from her stash. I lined the back with black fleece and stitched on a pocket to create a train-in-a-bag set. All his mommy has to do is:

fold the bag in thirds,

roll it up,

and turn it right side out!

And--and made the pocket with an extra pleat so it would open the bag up and make room to store his new train!

Unwrapped sewing

Now that we've opened all the gifts, I can show you a few projects I made this year.

The first is one of several super-easy, super cute bags I did for some little friends. The bags are from Hobby Lobby. I just free-handed an initial, stitched it on, stitched on some ribbon and that's it.
This next one was a special request-or rather a strongly worded hint. Here's the email from Sister #3:

• If anyone still needs a Christmas idea for me - I would like a little clock for my bathroom. Not a wall clock, but a pretty little stand up one that I can put on the towel shelves and maybe make it to work on time. (This was directed at Sister #2)
  
  Also, I would like a gym bag - not the athletic looking kind, but a small bag (fabric or canvas?) for my cycle shoes and seat (yeah I'm hard core!). And if someone had time and was so inclined it could be monogrammed with my initials. I just realized that I have nothing monogrammed with my new - ok, almost 4 year old - initials. (This was directed at Sister # 1 -ME!)
  
  Good luck :)

So, I set off with no pattern, no idea how large cycle shoes or a seat are(Apparently, personal seats are fairly common to those who enjoy spinning classes), and no real plan to create said bag. This is what I came up with:

I raided my stash to find a purple cord and coordinating purple and green flannel. I figured these fabrics would wash and wear nicely and keep their shape well, without giving her the "gym bag" look. I made a basic lined bag (the lining is the flannel) and then I folded down a casing. I put button holes in the front of the casing for the drawstring. The drawstring is from the flannel.

And, of course, it's monogrammed. I actually monogrammed the cord before I put the bag together.

Rather than traditional shoulder straps, I attached the straps as if for a back pack. Here you can see the back.

I didn't get the final measurements, but I'm guessing the bag is about 22 inches tall and 15 wides, because the rectangles I started with were about 1 inch larger than that.

I have one more delightful bag to show you, but it must wait. We aren't opening those gifts until tonight.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas day!

-Edited on 12-29-08 to change the picture size.

Merry Christmas!

I love Christmas for so many reasons:

• I love the lights and sounds.
• I love the smells of yummies baking in the kitchen.
• I love the joyous laughter I hear in children.
• I'll even admit that I love the shopping.
• Most of all, I love the promise of Christmas--the promise that God fulfilled when He sent His only Son into this world to be born.

Jesus Christ's birth changed the world over 2000 years ago, and it changes it still today. If you haven't lately, read Luke 2 again. Then, turn to John 3:16 and remember why it matters!

Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas Traditions

What is your family's favorite Christmas tradition?

We have several, but here's a hint to one:

Yep, you guessed it. I'm in the kitchen ALOT, but at Christmas the baking and candy-making seems to turn up a notch!

Recently, I had the opportunity to share a little bit about our family's traditions with my new friend Karen. I sent her this cute apron, a new recipe book with a few of our favorite Christmas recipes, and some homemade marshmallows. Here's my marshmallow recipe. It's yummy!

• Prepare a 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan by lining it with aluminum foil and greasing the foil with Vegetable shortening.
• Put 1/2 cup cold water in the large bowl of your stand mixer.
• Sprinkle 3 envelopes (3 tbsp.) unflavored gelatin over the water and let it sit.
• Place 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup cold water in a 2 quart saucepan over med-low heat.
• Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is boiling.
• Cover the pan for 3 minutes.
• Uncover and raise the temperature to high. Insert a candy thermometer and let the syrup cook until 240 degrees. Do not over cook.
• Remove from the heat.
• While your mixer is beating at medium speed, pour the syrup slowly into the gelatin mixture.
• After all the syrup is added, turn your mixer to high and beat for 10-15 minutes until the mixture is lukewarm, white and a whipped consistency. Add 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract towards the end of the beating. You will also need to scrape the bowl occasionally. (My big Kitchenaid doesn't take quite 10 minutes. Something less powerful--I don't know.)
• Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and smooth. (It is super sticky-so be prepared!)
• Let the marshmallow stand uncovered at room temp for about 12 hours. I usually leave mine overnight.
• Sift powdered sugar over your cutting surface.
• Invert your marshmallow over the sugar and remove the foil.
• Sift powdered sugar over the top of the marshmallow.
• Cut the marshmallow into 1 inch cubes using a long, sharp knife. It helps if you grease the knife first. After the first cut, keep the blade covered in powdered sugar.
• Roll each side of the marshmallow in powdered sugar to coat.
• Store these in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

The Stockings Were Hung By the Chimney with Care

By special request:

2 new Christmas stockings for 2 very special boys. Hope you like them Jane!

For those of you who would ask: No, I didn't use a pattern. I traced my own stocking and added a seam allowance. The stockings are crepe-backed satin with a micro-suede cuff. They are lined with a green/navy plaid taffeta. The star is free handed and machine appliqued. The trickiest part--I couldn't use fusible interfacing for the applique because it doesn't seem to work with lame'. Instead, I scotch-taped the star in place and removed the tape as I got to each arm of the star.

Snowflakes

I finally hung the last of my Christmas decorations! I've never decorated in the bathroom, and I'm not real certain what possessed me to do so this year..

Inspired by all the glittering goodies I received lately, I decided to try something new (for me). The canvases came in a 4 pack for $5.99 from Hobby Lobby. The snowflakes were at Michael's for $0.50 each. Then I splurged on the MS glittering glue and MS white fine glitter from Michael's. (All MS craft goodies were 30% off last week and this week.)

I'm pleased and they certainly added something to that stark white wall. Here's a shot with a snippet of the shower curtain that I chose not to change for the holidays.

Christmas Interupted

We interrupt this Christmas season to bring you...LIFE.

That's right, all the decorations, crafting, sewing and baking were put on hold when we had a few tough days. But all that's behind us and there'll be a few fun posts coming soon.

I love a good story...

Does your Christmas tree tell a story? Mine does.

It tells the story of...

Friendships...

new and...

old,

things hand-made with love by little hands...

and big...

and long ago.

It tells of Grandmas and Grandpas and the ever-present thermos of coffee and love...

and growing families...

and firsts, like the first time your child put her toes in the ocean.

It tells of favorite things...

like childhood books...

hometowns and toys...

and treasured pets.

And best of all, it tells of Christmas long, long ago.

I hope your heart fills with a story as your decorate your home for the holidays!

Sewing with Fleece

Well, it's time to get my Christmas sewing underway. This year, that means lots and lots of fleece!

Since I really don't want to waste fabric (and $$$) on bum projects, I have been researching fleece tips. Here's what I've learned.

1. Spend money on good fleece. Splurge on anti-pill. (Note: the pilling doesn't damage the fabric, but it certainly isn't attractive.)

2. Most fleece can be used on either side. If you really want to know, you can determine the right side by pulling along the selvage. The fabric curls toward the right side. (According to one website, you can also find the right side by sprinkling water on 2 different areas on either side of the fabric. The side that wicks the water the fastest is the right side. )

3. Once you know the right side, MARK IT!!!

4. Fleece has a nap! Follow the layout on that pattern guideline.

5. Use a zig-zag stitch or a serger.

6. Use a size 14 needle.

7. If pressing is necessary, use a cool iron and a pressing cloth.

Another fun Swap!

I just participated in another fun SWAP. It's so much fun to create things for someone else--and then receive a bit of their handiwork in return. I just received the most wonderful box of goodies from Chrissie Grace. My favorite: The "Joy" sign in the top right hand corner and the beautiful handmade cards.

Sweet Aprons

I tried a new pattern this weekend.

This is "Four Corners Apron" by Vanilla House Designs. Here it is made up in a sweet and sassy fabric with peppermints and penguins!
The pattern was very simple. My only problem, I cut my pocket upside down--2 times!!! Also, my math was off, so my border isn't as wide as that on the pattern, but the black gingham still made a very cute contrast. The apron takes less than an hour to cut out and sew.


I see a couple more of these in my future.

Giving Thanks!

Counting My Blessings:

My salvation through Jesus Christ.

My husband who encourages and supports me.

The kids who are the most brilliant, creative beings.

My parents and parents-in-law, my sisters, and the rest of the gang.

Jane, Ashley, and Ashley.

And their little ones who my little ones love.

My imagination and creativity.

A warm home with plenty to eat.

Wonderful neighbors (Happy Belated Birthday Pam!).

Living in a country where I can speak up about

right and wrong and tell others, without shame, of my Source of joy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Look what I got!!!

I participated in my first blog swap and met my new friend Holly. She hosted a "Sparkles and Snowflakes" Christmas Swap. I was lucky enough to be her swap partner. I sent her a box of goodies and she sent me these wonderful treasures...


Aren't they wonderful? She sent such beauties including 2 special ornaments for my little people, lots of sparkly snowflakes, some yummy cinnamon soap, and a beautiful cross (that the little man said was "to remind us of Jesus's Birthday.")

These are my favorites...

Or maybe this... It's all so wonderful, I really can't decide. I think Holly doubled the sparkles in my house! Thank you Holly!!!

I also think Holly needs to give us a little how-to on making a few sparkly treasures. ;)

The Christmas Card Dilemma

Every year, it's the same.

What can I do for Christmas cards this year?

How can I top last year?

To be frank, I'm never going to beat 2003,

as least as far as my daddy is concerned.

Here are a few others from the past years.

2005

Too cute.

2006

One day in December, the Big Girl came home from

St. Paul's K-4 with this picture. She drew it during free time.

I loved it and immediately knew it would become our Christmas card.

2007

This one was probably the most fun for us

because we all worked on them together.

We all sat around the table to fingerprint the cards.

Then, the hubby applied the sticky-backed rhinestone noses.

I glued on the wiggly eyes and the Big Girl drew the antlers.

The Little Man (only 2 years at the time) had

2 blank cards that he covered with fingerprints while he supervised.

So, what on Earth am I going to do this year?????? I'm open to suggestions.

More fun reading...

I just joined this group of fun blogs. You can read lots of other crafy blogs at www.sewcraftblog.blogspot.com .

Who's Following Me?

So, I'm trying something new.
Over to the right of this post, just below my etsy button, you should see a "followers" thingamabob.
Now, as I type this I have no admitted followers.
So, who's first to sign up?

What's for supper?

Have you ever tried the Grocery Game? Or maybe a free website like southernsavers.com ? If you haven't, these are websites that take all the coupons from the paper and the Internet and match them with local sale papers. The idea is that you clip, clip, clip (or print, print, print) and then use the most valuable coupons with the cheapest prices to literally slash your grocery bill. Then you stock up when you can buy items super cheap and over the course of 6-8 weeks, you aren't really shopping what you need but replenishing your stock. And, they do the matching for you--if you use the coupons from the Dallas paper (Grocery Game) or your Kroger matches theirs (Southern Savers).

Well, since I'm not driving to East Texas to pick up a paper and our Kroger has slightly different sales than theirs, I'm doing my own matching. It is kind of cool, but the question becomes: Do I need to buy 10 bags of Hershey's kisses, etc for $8.00 just because I can?

Anyway, I say all that to say this: This week, I spent $80 on $163.00 of groceries and toiletries. Not too bad. That breaks down to petite boneless sirloins for $2.50/pound, $1.00 for Herbal Essence Shampoo, 4 cans of evaporated milk for free, and $2.25 for a 12 pack of cokes. Pretty good, right?

However, since I only bought things that were on sale, the "same old thing" couldn't go back on the menu.

So I pulled out my trusty favorite: I guess I've had this since college. It is copyrighted 1991. I have notes written in the front cover and all over page 71. (Those cake flour to all-purpose flour conversions get me every time, but I've made the silver white cake too many times to count.) It appears I spilt something on the cheese chapter because the pages hiding our favorite quiche recipe are stuck together. So are the pages with the Au Gratin Potatoes. And the page with the color photos of the cuts of beef--well, half of it is missing. And Mom and Nita-the reason I cook my hard boiled eggs the way that I do--well, Betty Crocker told me to on page 169!

So tonight, I've got ground beef, frozen veggies, potato flakes in the cabinet, and plenty of cheese in the fridge. Sound like the makings for Shepard's Pie. (at least that's what I think it's called.) To the index I go...Oh Betty, you've let me down. I guess this is one recipe I'll have to find on line instead.

Christmas Sewing

It's about that time--only 43 days until Christmas. Here's a peek at my Christmas sewing list:

I know I be making several of these--the shirt, not the hubby;) ,

And a couple of sets of these in other fabrics,And a few little boys I know need cool super hero PJs,And at least one person requested one of these,

And then, of course, there are the pears...