I have a confession. I was bad. I sewed yesterday—pretty much all day. This doesn’t happen very often—in fact, I think this is the first time in months that I’ve sewed to the point where I was tired of sewing.
We had planned to spend the day at the river, but Syo wasn’t feeling well, so I wound up dropping Osiris and Tyo off and heading home with the saddest child to ever miss out on a day of fishing (Osiris caught his first fish last week, so it is officially Fishing Season chez Isis). The upshot was, I bundled Syo up on the couch with blankets, hot lemonade, and H2O (ugh) streaming on Netflix, and headed downstairs to sew. Anything to escape the Australian mermaids.
And sewed.
And sewed.
McCall's one-shoulder top
I finished off another version of the off-the-shoulder kids top (McCall’s 4821)for Syo—she had cut out the pieces (BY HERSELF) weeks ago, but I had black thread in the machine for stitching the Pink Suit, and then I was busy with slips. This version is from her pink leopard spandex, and fits much better than the ever-growing thin knit of the first version. Which almost makes up for the annoyingness of the pattern, and, y’know, the fact that it was cut out by a nine-year-old. The combination of leopard-print with the one-shoulder style does give it a distinct, mm, “Me Tarzan, you Syo” vibe… I used my “athletic stitch” to topstitch the elastic around the neck/armholes this time, just out of curiosity—it worked fine, although I’m not convinced it’s any better or more “professional” looking than the triple-stitch. The hem isn’t the prettiest—I didn’t bother using any steam-a-seam, just folded over and stitched away. Can you tell I really don’t give a flying f#&$ about this little shirt? On the other hand, I have every confidence that Syo will wear the snot out of it.
Coat---PROGRESS!
And then I worked on Osiris’s jacket. Yes, that long-neglected UFO that’s been hanging over my head since before Christmas. I finished the fusing and got the entire shell assembled. I even (ZOMG) stitched sleeve vents (now I just have to figure out how to line them). But I didn’t want to get ahead of myself before checking the fit, so I called a halt before cutting the lining.
Syo's Snuggly
So I moved on to Syo’s current pet project. She wants a new housecoat, reminiscent of Tyo’s. Except, not a kimono. But with the applique and stuff. Last time we were at Fabricland, she picked out a white, not-as-thick as-I’d-like, but inexpensive, fleece. After some discussion, we settled on the directions described in Sew What: Fleece (which I won in a giveaway from the gracious Clio) draft the pattern. And, well, I suspect she’ll be happier with the finished product than I am, but anyway.
In fact, I sewed so much that I’m going to milk it for the rest of the week and dribble out more detailed posts every couple of days.
One thing I did do this weekend was go through the jackets, boots, and other outer-wear—ousting the worst of the winter stuff (so if it blizzards, it’s my fault) and bringing in more of the summer stuff. Unfortunately, this also brings to the fore the more painful side of sewing for your children—what to do with the handmades they’ve outgrown. Now, I’ve said before that I have an excellent hand-me-down chain, and I do, in the form of two little nieces, but we really hit a lot of style issues going from Tyo to Syo. This jacket, my first “real clothes” make, is now too small for Tyo. In fact, it never really suited her, but for some reason it looks ADORABLE on Syo (I think it may suit her darker colouring and broad shoulders better). Syo, however, would rather wear a potato sack. Similarly, she is unthrilled with wearing the first pair of jeans I made Tyo, and the jean-jacket I made Tyo. Although I’m hopeful that practicality will win out in the last case. Which puts a big hitch in my hand-me-down chain, because my stylish sister-in-law gets a little annoyed when I send her stuff that she’s going to have to store for years and years before it’ll ever remotely fit.
But I sewed! Helped by the fact that Osiris and Tyo didn’t want to be picked up until 8:30 that night (after Tyo’s bedtime, I’ll add). And for once, I’m ready to do something else…
Tanit-Isis Sews 
H2O is pure evil.
(yes, I could comment on all that great sewing you did yesterday but really… I think that pretty much says it all.)
I thought you might have suffered from it as well. There can’t be *that* many bad Australian kids’ shows that have made it over here…
I am suddenly, profoundly grateful for having boys. Although I’ll see your H2O and raise you one “I’m in the Band.”
Yay for practical sewing! You know what I did this morning? Sewed a bajillion patches on Oldest’s Scout uniform. Very necessary, very boring, and requires a thread change for every patch. Still, it’s DONE and I most likely won’t have to worry about it again until our next Court of Honor. Now I really wish I had time to sew for myself…
Yeah, we catch a bit of “I’m in the Band”… I dunno, it annoys me less than some of the others. Although the main problem with H2O may be that it’s on netflix so Syo has been watching it, and only it, endlessly for weeks now…
yep. that and “Magical Princess” or whatever that stupid one is (the one where the girl is from a magical land but lives in suburban Sidney or something). It’s definitely the Netflix click-play-repeat syndrome that makes it worse.
However, this is worse: when we were in NZ the Big One absolutely LOVED “Hi-5” (the Australian version– she was 15 months old, if that tells you something). We were pretty chuffed when we moved here and no Hi-5. AND THEN THEY CAME OUT WITH AN AMERICAN VERSION. And I mean, it’s IDENTICAL. The exact same script, same set, everything. Just with American accents, basically. Talk about trippy! It sort of freaked me out.
Is there a sewing patch? There should be even if its just to get the kids to sew their own blinking patches on!
You need to read more Selfish Seamstress… all this sewing for other people… 🙂
As I read your post I thought I need to schedule one of these days. Yours happened by accident but how often does that happen?!
Looking forward to the detailed posts!
I know, I know. Some of these I need to just get out of the way, though, so I can sew for me. I have certainly been *planning* stuff for me! 🙂
Wow, what a great use of a day to yourself. I can’t wait to see all the details of what you worked on.
I hope Syo is feeling better.
She is. Not sure if it was the food or what, but a lot of us were feeling a bit queasy after the weekend…
I hope the robe goes well! Even one project is more use than I’d get out of the fleece book. So I’m glad it went to you! 😉
Well, that’s good! I guess neither of us are really the target audience…
Definitely time to make something for yourself! That leopard one sleeve number definitely shows how much you love your daughter, doesn’t it? 😉
LOL. Well, she did the cutting out, so really it was all of about five minutes to sew it up, and now it’s not kicking around on my sewing table.
What a great day- well, if you weren’t Syo that is. You have seriously earned a ‘you’ sewing day.
I like that idea… 😉
Narratum verbatum. Isn’t that what they call it when kids know all the dialogue in a movie by heart? You have my sympathy for having to be in the house while a child obsessively watches a movie. Good for you on the sewing front though. At my best I am only good for a couple of hours at a time. Three hours max.
Ugh, they have a word for it? Syo will spit out the lines a split second before the character does—very annoying (and she can usually do it by the second watching). Unfortunately, I was also that child, so I can’t be too down on her. I wore out the video tapes to the Sound of Music, Anne of Green Gables, Brigadoon, South Pacific, and many, many more in their day…
OK, that top is totally Pebbles and BamBam! Adorable! And I can’t believe how much you got done in one day. Imagine if you had a bit more time to sew…
Don’t tempt me. Soooo satisfying…
Huh… Gold Coast is just right over there from me, never heard of the show…. From my glance at IMDB, I should count my blessings…
I”M SO SO SO SO thrilled for you! Sewing! YAAAAY! 🙂
That coat is going to look so awesome….
Consider yourself lucky… (not having a middle-school-age child probably helps) 😉
I am glad *someone* is stoked about the coat. 😀
Nice one. I am dead impressed by your whole day. Obviously there were stops for bathroom / food / check child. How do I get one of those days? Hmmm.
I am slightly scared that there is a show called H2O about mermaids. My two will find out way sooner than I care to think ….
I think my kids are a little older than yours? There were a few bio breaks, but not much—I even didn’t make supper. Bad mom! (she ate leftovers and carrot sticks… we had easter dinner on the weekend, there are leftovers galore)
Yeah mine are 5 and get noisy for food every couple of hours. Then again so do I! You’re right not to stop for supper if you didn’t need to though, the wonders of microwaving left overs and chopping a few veg to satisfy mermaids.
My son loves H2O, like A LOT. So does my daughter but I’m fairly certain my son is smitten. And they do the same thing on wearing out movies. Speed Racer is a big favorite (our first blue-ray) as is all the Myazaki’s. And lately I’ve gotten Simon to watch Dr. Who with me. Costume plans are in the works. *evil laugh*
LOL! Hmm, what could he possibly see in a show about teenage mermaid girls? 😉
I would handle endless Miyazaki much better. Much, much better. 🙂
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