Christmas night

We do our Christmas on Christmas Eve. We had turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, crescent rolls, stuffing, cherry and pumpkin pie. We forgot the green veggie. The turkey took 3 hours more than I thought it would to cook. I won't follow the directions on the package ever again. Instead, I'll put it in the oven and let it cook all day like I used to.

Abby and Donovan are getting a divorce. It's not been a fun few weeks. The economy is tough and Abby, who has been a stay at home mom, is trying to find employment so she can pay rent and the like. Being the holidays complicates it because so many places are only open a couple days a week for two weeks, and nobody is calling back right now. Someone she used to work with gave her a lead and we're praying it pans out. Between us, the family members on this side, we'll take care of the boys when she has them and it won't cost her anything. At issue is custody - who has them when, who drives how far and such - as well as dividing up the possessions. It's horrid to have this happen after 6 years of marriage, especially since it involves the same two "friends" that were involved on Donovan's side last time. Now Abby's feeling like she made a mistake to let him come back 4 years ago. However, hindsight is far more clear than seeing through the trees of the present, and I've spent a lot of time reminding her that none of us can see the future. I am praying this doesn't crush her spirit. She has such a sweet spirit...She's going back to school to be a teacher. She was going to do healthcare because it's supposedly faster but I reminded her that her whole life, all I've heard is that she wanted to be a teacher and that I thought that her love of kids would be better served that way and she decided to stick with her original choice. She's going to go to community college for the basics and then transfer to a larger school. It will save money and she can take lots of the classes online.

JR threw a rod in his truck. He kept telling them something wasn't right. I guess he knew what he was talking about. He is officially laid off till after the first of the year, at least. He can't get hold of unemployment, again because of the holidays, when he calls like they told him to do - but the website says if you don't file in a timely manner you can lose benefits. He needs money too...bills have to be paid.

I made way too many things I didn't take pictures of. I made pajamas, t-shirts, a maternity top, sweat pants, underwear, a couple girl's purses, and a nightgown. I am selling one of the girls' purses in my Etsy store. I cut out too many pieces so I decided I might as well just make and sell the extra if anyone will buy it. I guess it's time to take the stockings out of the store for now as well. I keep trying to sell things but nobody seems to want to buy them. It's frustrating.

The dryer quit. It's going to cost at least $300 to replace. I got a crack in the windshield of my car when a little pebble from the sand/chemical truck ricocheted and hit the windshield. That will be another $300 to replace. Then there is the issue of the tires on my car. They are going to need to replaced within the next couple of months.

Still, all in all, God has been good to us. We're all still alive. The kids are healthy. We have roofs over our heads. We have food in our tummies. We have each other. It will work out for the best just like He promises us in His Word.
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."(Romans 8:28)

He is faithful and good. We are blessed.

Newest quilts and a couple other treats

These are called Chicken Saddles. They are used to prevent overly amorous roosters from leaving their favorite hens with no feathers on their backs. I made them today. A lady asked me to make them for her friend and now she wants some for some hens she's getting this week, too. They alread have bad backs. The saddles are pretty popular with chickeneers.

This is a newborn size fleece diaper soaker. It is used in place of rubber or plastic pants. This is made of an outer layer of fleece with an inner centered "wet spot" protector consisting of ripstop nylon and another layer of fleece. The stretch on the legs and waist goes from side to side. It is very absorbent and helps keep the moisture in the diaper from leaking to the outside.

This is a flannel diaper. It will fit a baby from newborn size to toddler simply by folding in the tabs on the front and folding down the upper part of the back and front. You go from overlapping the folded-down back over and around the folded-in and folded-down front and pinning it with one pin to using it like a regular old-fashioned prefolded diaper. It is made with a layer of flannel on the top to start. This is followed by 8 precut layers of what is called an "insert" that is sewn together with a zigzag stitch and then straight stitch to prevent excess fluid loss through the diaper. This is placed on a bottom layer of flannel that has a layer of the same size of french terry on top of it. The diaper is pinned together all the way around and then fold-over elastic is applied with a lightning zig-zag stitch, stretching the elastic where needed like around the legs, in the front and back, and using it more like bias tape the rest of the time. It is very absorbent and soft. This, and the soaker above, was made as a requested sample from a prospective customer and mailed to her. They are in the process of deciding whether or not to invest this amount of money in something that they will then use as a constant thing. The difference between cloth diapers and disposables is significant but some people just can't commit to using cloth for their baby, and that is okay. We all have our own preferences and limits. She's sending me the samples back so I can use them to show to other people who might be interested in the diapers.

This is a freshly-made green bug-and-frog Oma Blankie. It is listed on my Etsy site in hopes of earning some extra finances. Hubby's pay grade got bumped back down when he did so it's going to be really tight this year. I can't work outside the home, but I can sew, and that is what I'm doing. I have two more quilts planned and partially assembled already.

This is the blue bug-and-frog Oma Blankie. It is also listed on my Etsy site. I am hoping this one sells as well. I've really had fun sewing this last week even in spite of people who don't show or who ask for samples and then disappear. I guess that's just gonna happen no matter what you do, isn't it? It's better to just let it slide than to get all whacked out about it.

Go here to find my Etsy store.

Waistband elastic application for sensitive skin (Part 1)

Fold down the top half of the casing allowance on the pattern for the boxers and cut the pattern out that way. Proceed as usual with making them.

Cut the elastic the circumference of the waist minus approximately 4 inches (10cm). Sew together into a circle, using a zigzag stitch.

Quarter the elastic, using straight pins to mark the back seam, the opposite side, and then match them up and pin the other two quarters of the elastic.

Use the same technique to mark the quarters on the boxer waist part.

With the boxers turned inside out, apply the elastic to the outside of the waist area, with the right side of the elastic facing out.

Pin at the previously marked quarter sections on both the boxer fabric and the elastic.

This is what it should look like with the elastic pinned, right side out, to the boxers, right side in.
Make sure to check that your elastic is far enough down from the top of the boxer fabric that you can sew it to the fabric without catching in the edge of the elastic. This will make turning the elastic to the outside easier and look more professional.

On my machine, stitch number 6 is the lighning zigzag stitch. This is much similar to the zigzag stitch, except the stitches are broken into sections to allow for greater stretching. It is purported to be more sturdy when sewing elastic for waistbands and other applications requiring the elastic to have more give.

This is how my machine looks on the lightning zigzag stitch setting. Since it's an automatic and computerized machine (to an extent), it chooses and adjusts the settings again.

(Continued on next entry due to photo limitations)

waistband elastic application for sensitive skin (part 2)

Sew the elastic to the boxers, using the lightning zigzag stitch. Take a few stitches before starting to stretch the elastic to fit.

You will have to stretch the elastic quite a bit to get it to fit with the boxer fabric. Try to make the tension on the elastic as even as possible.

Check often to make sure that the elastic is staying where it's supposed to be by lifting the fabric and assuring that the elastic is being appropriately attached to the fabric. If there is a line on the elastic like mine has, make sure that line isn't rising above the place where it should be depending on where you pinned it.

When finished, the stitching should secure the elastic to the boxer fabric and it will gather nicely.

Using sharp, small scissors, trim the little threads that have unraveled while attaching the elastic to the boxer fabric.

Turn the boxers right side out. Fold the elastic so that it is on the outside as well. Even it out as much as possible.

Pin the quarters of the elastic once again to the quarters of the fabric so that when you sew the bottom of the elastic to the fabric it will be even and smooth at the top and the bottom.

Using the lightning zigzag stitch, apply the bottom of the elastic to the outside of the boxer fabric. Make sure to stretch as needed to match the quarters up as was done with the inside.

Check frequently while sewing to make sure you haven't gone past the bottom part of the elastic while attaching it to the boxer fabric.

Stretch as needed, a bit at a time, making sure you keep it all even. This takes a bit more time but is well worth it.

(Continued in next entry)

Applying waistband elastic for sensitive skin (part 3)

Once the sewing is all done, if you turn it inside out, you will see a nice zigzag pattern on the inside of the boxer shorts. You will notice there is no elastic on the inside of the shorts to irritate the skin. This can be very helpful if you have loved ones who are sensitive to rubber or latex. There are also no exposed waistband seams to fray and irritate those you love.

Here is a finished pair of boxers with the elastic applied.

Here are the two pair I made for my identical twin grandsons. I believe if you click on the pic you can see a bigger copy, and you will be able to tell I used one side of the elastic as the outside for one pair and the other side for the elastic on the other pair.

I hope this helps people who needed assistance with applying elastic in this manner.

playing catch-up

Okay. Let me see. Becky will be having her baby girl soon, the one I won't get to see. This will be hard again, but I will once more lean on my Saviour for strength and encouragement and lift them up in prayer and wait for the day the blinders are lifted from their eyes and they see the truth for what it is.

In the meantime, I do try not to dwell on it too much. Sometimes it doesn't work out well. Other days I do well. Any progress is progress, right?

I've been to the doctor as has my husband. Other than our age-related limitations, we're doing well. Labs were within normal limits. All else is acceptable.

I am working on a few more craft items right now. I am in the middle of making 2 pinwheel quilts with bugs - one with blue and one with green. I just made some flannel cloths for Abby to use on Patrick's bottom since the terrycloth washcloths are too rough. I have many other things in the works since it is getting closer and closer to Christmas.

I need to hit the sack. I'm trying to re-establish a bit of a normal schedule now that I have an OAB pill that works and I don't live in the bathroom any more.

Night!

moving on

The diapers are done.

The soakers are done.

I also did a set of soakers for Kenny because he can't decide if he's potty trained or not. He'll be good for a while and then, like he did at my house the other day, he'll sit in his chair and pee on the floor through his clothes. It's not like he doesn't know. He just does it. I made the soakers for him so if Abby needs to use them he has them. She can use them on Patrick when he gets older anyhow, so I only need to make one more size - the size between those and the ones he's in now.

I have the quilts cut out for the twins but I'm lacking the energy and motivation to sew the pieces together and make the blocks. Once I get going it will go quickly. It's just a matter of getting off my backside and starting that first block; sewing that first seam will do the trick.

I have a lot to iron. I just caught up on laundry and most of my dresses and such need to be ironed. I haven't ironed for over a week so now I really just buckle down and get it done. I'll probably do that tomorrow.

The garden is doing well. We have lots of cucumbers and the tomatoes are starting to get ripe.

The pullets should start laying soon. I can't wait to see the multi-colored eggs. It's going to be neat to have blue and green eggs in my fridge. The turkens are large birds and so are the Marans. The Ameraucanas will be smaller birds and they are noticeably more shy and mellow than the Turkens, but more outgoing than the Marans trio. Turkens are inquisitive and smart. Ameraucanas are quiet and gentle with bright eyes and pretty colors - their muffs make them especially cute, and their color combinations are incredible.

I did give two of the Marans cockerels to a lady with a farm. She said they have been good boys. I'm really glad she took them. They have a lot of room to run around and about half as many birds as we do to hang out with. She calls me about every 2 weeks to give me an update.

Life is slowly and surely settling into a routine here. It's all going to be good in the end.