Still Curving Around

Hi everyone. Have you ever been so curious to know what's inside our tomato shaped pin cushions? One day recently, I was using a new cushion and as I was slipping my pin in I heard a squeak! That did it. Time to take it apart and reveal the truth.

(Of course I took it apart delicately; I am keeping the pattern!)

SAWDUST!!! Eeek! That's terrible. I'm sticking my pins in wood? It's not even cedar so it's going to rot. You know they didn't treat it because I didn't spend the money for treated shavings! Yeah, my pins will rust. For SHAME! *Gasp* One day I will stuff a cushion with emery sand.

It seems pretty easy to make a pin cushion. It's just a rectangle fabric cut with a cute "star" on top. The top and bottom were gathered as if making a yo-yo.

Moving on from the terrible tomato. I'm still working on my curves and bettering my mitten pattern and construction.

Although fleece is a dream to work with, I'm learning alot about it. First, I use a walking foot on my Kenmore. It's so much easier for the curves (besides the fact that I need to move my hands to raise the presser foot - I'm GETTING A KNEE LIFT machine!). There are different piles of fleece. I thought that I wanted a very thick pair of mittens, but my pattern didn't work well with thick fleece, hence the Jersey knit lining (see photo above and then 2 below! lol :}. To say the truth, I am having a hard time working with such thick fleece. I might have been better off with a thinner fleece and then using it for the liner also. My goal is industrial construction standard. I can do this; I have had classes! I looked at my ready-to-wear (RTW for short, for those of you who might not know the abbreviation - specifically my mom. :})...at any rate, back to - my RTW mittens are double lined with a thin pile fleece. My thick Polartec has got to go. At least go to another project. Yes. A hat and scarf! :)

I eliminated half of the cuff band to make a smoother transition on the serger. It's still a trial and my machine is working hard. Although it's performing beautiful results, I am the one who is working too hard to get the result. There is an easier way. I want to be able to embellish the band and this stuff is just too thick. They will make warm and snuggly mittens though. I love the buttery soft pile! The serger finished the edge quite nicely in the end.

In the next photo, I matched up seams. WOW! I did that! Out of 6 or 7 pairs, this is the only seam that's matched up. Sigh. I have three layers together. and even when I pin it, the Jersey knit layer shifts. There's another reason to use fleece for lining!

I've cut out three more pairs of mittens to sew up, but I don't think I am going to do that today. I might work on a hat or scarf instead.

My Sweetheart is working in Wisconsin again and he'll be home tonight. I wasn't ready for him to leave so soon. I miss him. I made him peanut butter cookies for his return. Nothing says love like FOOD! LOL

Well, I'm going to get this online. I woke up late (because I was up until midnight! and should start my day.)

PS. Here's a photo of my coaster that I worked on. I'd forgotten to post this and couldn't remember what I said I was going to post, but my ma let me know (thanks for reading my blog mom!). I need to practice home-dec construction. The bias edge need serious help!

And to my Auntie Shirley - I added you to my list so you will get this when I update the blog. :)