2022:SEW- REPAIRS etc see 2022- sew & knit repairs

 Every time I buy underwear I have to cut off the top of the elastic waistband that is like a tourniquet on me. They stopped making the one brand that fits and I am slowly wearing those out. 

I clipped two pair and left one uncut just in  case it decides to fit

January 20

so on my birthday the zipper to my favorite sweater broke- stuck in a bad place. I finally got it to the bottom stepped out of the sweater and cut the zipper out. I thought is would be colorful and interesting to sew up the front with colorful yarn. well yeah it looked like shit and was to thick at my navel. so I cut it out and went back to the safety pins for closure. ha ha

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2022:SEW- NEW PROJECTS

 January 18

Bought this red material to make a stitch book for the sewing machine. Then realized nothing would show up. So it just sat there. I ended up doing a stitch book on an old turtleneck hem LOL good enough for now. So decided to make kitchen door curtains same as the last set of yellow ones. 2 pieces of material 36 inches long and approximately 16 inches wide. Sewed seams on top and bottom for rod and side seams narrow. simple.

It will be awhile before I can put them up- need to block cold glass drafts for now.

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February 2

got to Hyannis and used Dara's gift card at Joanns needed Bobbibs and a craft needle that is long and has a large eye. Got yarn for leg warmers and 2 quilting squares for masks.

April 11

material for 3 kitchen cabinet curtains.

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April 27

curtain for lower cabinet with cleaning supplies and shopping bags

April 19

ed door curtains went up

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May 23

finally made the cabinet curtains for the upper ones.

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The kitchen door curtain May 31

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the above curtains washed wonderfully by hand

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May - June-July etc pillow project.

first had it hanging in sun room window

Mom and I had identical dresses. black and white and long. Tiny mirrors in the bodice. Mine no longer fit so I cut it up for use.

found a pillow form packed away and it is perfect. I machine sewed 3 edges stuffed the pillow in and machine stitched it shut. BIG MISTAKE, stitches all over the place and the machine jammed.

stitch ripping took a few days. Finally hand stitches it back together. wow that was an awkward position for 15 inches. I will do a colorful thread edging as decoration. I hope.

June 26

still not completed . I am undecided as to whether to trim edges with tiny buttons or what. BUT I needed a "sharps" needle to do anything. I must have 100s of needles. Found this round container and even following the instructions of twisting to open could not open the case. So I put it in a plastic bag and hit it- breaking the plastic.

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2022:SEW MASK MAKING

 Anxious to get back to making masks. Got more material and had some on hand. While cutting out pattern my hand slipped and drew around my finger. Easy fix- just thought it was funny. I have to wait to get a lamp and comfortable  seating and height of machine. Lighting sucks and my neck is troublesome.

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Bought some pillows to make sitting more comfortable. They are cheap- and what a surprise they are not flexible- they need to be broken in. I struggled on my birthday trying to get a pillow cover on and then a pillowcase over that! phew.

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so this year I am trying to stick to a way of doing it.  The template is simple but the first one I attempted this year I sewed the outer curves properly then proceeded to sew it together in correctly and had to stitch rip. Had many mishaps. Bobbin running out and making a racket. Realizing I was winding the bobbin incorrectly, a threaded needle showing up coming out of the machine! good grief. Finally settled down and made 3 masks.

Cut out pattern Right sides facing sew the outer curves. #Wrong side facing you stuff the one side into the other forming a cuplike shape. Clip the edges of the curve then sew the edges leaving enough room on one edge to turn the masks inside out. Then top stitch and close that gap.  Made the 4 straps first as those done last seem to take forever. 2 inch wide strips  as long as the material makes it possible.

Iron in half lengthwise , then iron each side into that center then fold in half. stitch starting at an end making sure to reverse stitch twice then sew the long side and then do the same 2 reverses on the other end. This way I have less stray threads tickling my face. Then next set I may try inserting them into the sides of the masks and sewing them down that way.

that's when I realized it was wrong LOL

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while I was getting acclimated to the machine etc- stuff still happens.

saw a lever that pulls down and says "PUSH" on it. google was no help then I watched the Singer sewing machine video yet again and it is used for button  hole making. Not sure I will ever USE that feature but now I know. The other thing was- all of a sudden I saw yellow thread appear like it was coming out of the bobbin case. In watching that video it also appears that I do not have to "bring up" the bobbin thread to the top- you just start sewing. I will test this out for sure! I think I finally got the hang of the needle threader too! yay me.

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step by step mask

sewing the outer curves right sides together

fold it into itself and and "feather cut" the seam

sewing outer edge and turning inside out through small seam opening

the blasted ties were my downfall. so tedious with my hands I think I finally have the knack though

3 masks

one other thing I learned is that red dye in any material smells funny in a mask. So I shy away from that. I do have my skull & roses mask though for Halloween that I will suffer through.

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I think I finally have it down as a pattern to follow.

But I forgot to take a photo of the finished product

strap sew across end then down side and across other end. Ironing before and after each process seems to help.

sew outside curve right sides together. then stuff the one curve into the other. Iron and clip the seams

stitch the outer edges all but mmaybe 2 inchexs on bottom edge. Then turn inside out. then top stitch the edge closing the gap left to turn inside out.

Then I used the stitch ripper to cut 2 slits each end. Then stuffed the tie ends into each slip and then sewed back and forth full length of each end twice to secure.

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February 2

a Wednesday in Hyannis got these quilt squares at Joann's with Dara's gift card

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February 15

I will perfect this pattern yet!

June 8

another mask

November 3

new material for masks. Made one with the black & white pattern.

won't know until I iron it and try to wear it whether the lower back straps are too short.

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straps seem fine being shorter lower back

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