Shorter Days
I find myself going to sleep so much earlier now that it gets dark earlier. If I sit down to watch television, I end up dosing off and missing family time. To solve the problem I pulled out the Armchair Sewing Organizer and I started a new bag of yo-yos... I have one in the car for all the "waiting time" I waste on the road. I am going to make yo-yos that match the living room so I can eventually make them into a yo-yo quilt for the living room... and I'll stay awake to spend time with the rest of the family while I sew them.
New Pans
As I cleaned the kitchen and dug out the pans I will need to make Thanksgiving dinner I discovered I really needed some new pans. The handles were cracked on many of my pans and what better excuse than cooking Thanksgiving dinner to buy new pans? I found the perfect sized pans. I love the weight of them for distributing heat and I loved the nice shiny new handles so I bought three of them and brought them home.
As I washed them to put them away, I was amazed at how fast the heat from the hot water transferred down the handle of the pan and realized that the shiny new handle was going to be a problem if I didn't come up with a way to protect myself from getting burned. I use a gas stove and I didn't want anything that can hang down and possibly come in contact with the flame so I designed a potholder handle cover that fits the pan handles. The handle cover is nice and secure so I have a secure grip on the pan handle and it's thick enough to protect my hand while still being able to maintain a firm grip on the pan. I've seen these pans in many stores so I'm sharing the directions to sew the handle potholder. If your buying someone a set of pans or nice cast iron pans, be sure to make handle potholders to go with the pans. You might even want to make matching handle potholders and kitchen potholders to match the kitchen.
Free Teddy Bear Pattern
I brought in additional kitchen cabinets and we all know how one thing leads to another. Before I knew it, I was moving the dinning room hutch and rearranging cabinets... I did manage to throw away all kinds of things I really didn't need. The next thing I knew I actually had empty cabinets and free space for holiday decorating, so I started browsing the Internet for Thanksgiving projects. I found an adorable Thanksgiving Teddy Bear pattern that could easily be a loved-everyday Teddy Bear, just remember toy safety if you decide to sew up this Teddy Bear as a toy. I'm making one for Christmas for a special little guy on our Christmas list.
Ready to Travel
In the USA, Thanksgiving is the most traveled day of the year. Hopefully it will be this year so that everyone can get together with family and friends. The airlines have all kinds of new baggage regulations and car travel may mean compact cars to save money on gas. When we went on vacation this past summer, we had a compact car and one of the ways we managed to pack LOTS of luggage and bring home souvenirs was the luggage I had made. Most people wouldn't call it luggage but I do... because I make the bags we travel with, they store in smaller spaces and the squish into a compact car, much better than hard sided suitcases... and it costs less than buying luggage. I wonder how a screen bag would be received by the airport security team.
Dressing Up for the Holidays
The holidays are usually marked by new outfits for the family gatherings. This year in order to keep expenses under control, many people will either be sewing a new outfit or sewing new accessories to change the look of a previous years outfit. There are lots of ways to change the look of an existing outfit.
Ut Oh
My daughter moved this past weekend and being a nice mom (if I must say so myself) I made pans of baked ziti to feed the volunteer moving team. We did a pretty good job of setting up her new kitchen the day before the real move so heating the pans wasn't a big deal... until I reached for a pot holder. She had bought really nice heavy oven mitts. They were so heavy that you couldn't really feel what you were gripping so the first pan almost landed on the floor. Once she decides what her decorating theme is going to be I know I am making her new apartment new potholders and oven mitts. Since my daughter doesn't cook, I know I will be the one doing the cooking and I would rather not have my cooking land on the floor... or get any burns.
Christmas Ornaments
I made a resolution last New Years that I was going to sew new Christmas Ornaments every month... and I even kept the resolution for many months but as with most New Year's resolution, I quit being resolute. Now that Christmas is around the corner, I decided to make a bag to keep in the car. That way all those wasted moments that I sitting waiting for my daughter, I can get ornaments made. I'm working on soft sculpture Santa and Mrs Santa heads this week, but because ornaments are small most of them can be made into a take along bag or kit that's ready to sew when ever you have a spare moment.
Just for fun
I have never outgrown the hidden pictures games in Highlights Magazines. My mother had given my daughter a subscription when she was younger and we all had a sheet of tissue paper we placed over the pictures so they could be played over and over again. Threads has a game online that is just as much fun. I have to warn you though... their "Spot the Difference" game is addictive, so don't even think about looking if you have things you need to get done.
Great Grandmother's Gift
When I was very young and just learning to cook, my Great Grandmother sent me an apron she had made. Many, many years (more years than I want to count) later I still have that apron. The only problem is that the thread is now giving way so if I try to tie the apron, the ties break off the body of the apron.... so I decided it's time to remake that apron... and I did. It's a simple to sew, really great apron and doesn't have gathers that tend to "fluff" the waistline.
I can never get another apron from that wonderful Great Grandmother but I can carry on the tradition. I think I'll make them for Christmas gifts this year. Buying the fabric on sale will make them an economical gift. I know I am making a couple to have on hand for Thanksgiving so anyone that wants to help in the kitchen can keep their clothes protected.
Holiday Fabric Sales and New Retro Apron
If you receive the email sales newsletters from online fabric stores, you probably noticed that almost all of them have already started marking down the fall harvest and Thanksgiving print fabrics. I am ordering some to make the new apron I am posting this week... maybe some Christmas fabric while I'm at it to make this retro apron as Christmas gifts.