Extra: Raggedy Christmas Eve

Ready for sugarplums to dance in their heads.

My sister (Borg #6 of 8) posted this adorable picture of her Raggedies and their dolls.  I just had to share!  

Merry Xmas Eve!

Day 27, 73 to go: Buttonholes and the other red nightgown

They're cuter in pairs.

I am such a big baby.  I had such a mental block about the buttonhole technique on this sewing machine.  I finished the second red nightgown.  There was nothing left to do but finally bite the bullet and figure out buttonholes.  There has always been some sort of attachment with every other machine I have made buttonholes on, so I was feeling like I was driving with no hands to do these. 

I sat down with the directions, practiced a few, made a good collection of mistakes (which is what practice is for) and eventually started to feel like I got the hang of it.  So here are the two nearly finished gowns (I just have to hand-sew the buttons on.)

And then back to the gnomes. 

Supervising avec middle name.

Today’s supervision (such as it was) was provided by Fergus Cassidy.  My friend Karen taught me long ago that all pets need middle names.  At the time, hers all shared the middle name “Marie,” regardless of gender or species.  (“Roger Marie, sit!”)  Felicity’s middle name is Jane.  If you haven’t already done so, I highly recommend giving your pets middle names too.  You’ll see.  They come in handy.

Day 21, 79 to go: Dachshund pajama pants

I made this myself!

Last Christmas, I taught my then 9-year-old niece Anastasia to sew.  We made a nightgown together. I cut it out and attached the sleeves due to time constraints, but she did all of the other sewing.  I picked this fabric because she has a couple of dachshunds, Petey and Doodlebug.  

Peteys and Doodlebugs

So  here are the pajama pants she is getting for St. Nicholas Day this year.  It’s just covered in Peteys and Doodlebugs.   I am sending her extra fabric so she can make a pillowcase to match.  She took a sewing class at Jo-ann’s and made a pillowcase there.  I am so glad she is excited about sewing.  I love feeling like my grandmothers are living on in yet another generation.

Day 21.  I have been at this for 3 weeks.  Time flies whether or not you are having fun.  I thought I would count up my output to see what I have accomplished so far.

Crocheted hat: 1

Etsy Shop: 1

Embroidered tea towels: 3

Medieval Tunic: 1

Pajama bottoms: 9

Polymer clay earrings: 1 ½

Raggedy Dolls: 2

Raggedy doll nightgowns: 2

Red flannel nightgowns: 1 1/2

Xmas Tree Skirt: 1 started, 1 gnome (20 to go)

It’s a start. Once Xmas is over, I hope to move on to curtains, slipcovers, pillow covers, tea cozies and some jumpers, dresses and blouses… oh, and a resume…

Day 20, 80 to go: One Red Nightgown

I will learn to make buttonholes...

Today was a disappointing day as I endured a migraine for most of it.  I was really hoping they would go away once I didn’t have the stress of an office job.  I am particularly perturbed because there wasn’t even a barometric pressure change to explain it.  Maybe it will turn out to be related to peri-mentalpause. (Thanks Moose, for that all-too-accurate name for what my girlfriends and I are all going through each in our unique and unpredictable ways.)

Once the headache subsided (and I was fortified by Coco-Wheats) I managed to get the other nightgown cut out and almost finished this one.  I am so impressed that I got this far.  Often when I have a migraine, my eye-hand coordination is shot. (I can’t parallel park to save my life when a migraine is in charge)  I only have a couple of things to do to finish this one--like learn to make buttonholes!

Oh well, at least once I learn to make them for this gown, I will finish the nightshirt that has been sitting for a year—and which I planned to make 3 years ago…

Robot pants!

Meanwhile, I got this adorable picture today from my friend Shannon.  This is her son Cyler who was thrilled with the tiny robot pjs I sent the other day.  She says that when his dad got home, he kept shouting “robot pants!”  From this picture, it appears that they live in a sanctuary for endangered stuffed animals. 

I also got a warning from my sister (Borg #5 of 8) that the robot pajama bottoms have to be used carefully.  Apparently when her boys wear them, they are put into such a deep sleep that they can not be awakened the next morning.  I swear I didn’t lace them with paregoric.  But maybe the cats cast sleeping spells on them as I made them?  They are very good at making me sleepy…