Two Jkts. Completed

I have the LH Shawl Collar Jacket Pattern from Londa completed, and also a LH Bolero Jkt. from a heather teal knit purchased recently from Londa. I would be glad to send pictures and a little write up.....but I do not have a clue how to do it. Londa, I could send the photos directly to you via an e-mail with attachment, but I don't know whether that will help or not.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I am not finding this site user friendly for this inexperienced techie. How do we know if a post has comments posted on it??? How come hardly anyone is posting messages??? Any feedback anyone??? Or is it just me???

Monofilament thread - Londa's Favorite Brand

As I create more of my creative Sweatshirt jackets for those upcoming Art Fairs, I am trying to 'use up' some older and different monofilament threads - and in doing so, I sure see why I have a favorite: YLI Wonder Invisible Thread - 100% nylon. Comes in clear and smoke.

AND, here is a warning - since I also frequently want to use it in the bobbin - I always keep a bobbin of each 'color' wound as well. Do NOT wind fast - or a full bobbin if your bobbins are plastic!!! If you do - you probably won't get it off the spindle.... I use plastic bobbins for most sewing on my Pfaff 7550, but for this thread - I have metal bobbins. With the metal, I CAN wind them full - which is a good thing - because winding the bobbins is a pain.

It depends on what I'm doing - if I want it 'invisible' - I use the clear thread in the smallest needle that will work for the top (usually a 75 Stretch for the sweatshirt work). Generally, I have regular matching thread in the bobbin. I also then greatly reduce the upper tension (lower number) so that the bobbin thread doesn't show up in little 'hints' on the top of the work.

Occassionally though, there are times when I have the work upside down - and want the clear to end up on the top - OR don't want the bobbin showing on the wrong side - so in that case, I would use the monofilament-filled bobbin.

I hope that is clear...

Just yesterday I was using a large floral cotton sateen fabric (from my stash-those are hard to find!), over top of the sweatshirt. I dropped my feed dogs, had the monofilament in the top, darning foot on, and regular thread in the bottom. Went like wild fire all around the flowers - VERY NOT exact - it really creates a fun, trapunto, rich look. The edges of the fabric then, was stitched close and then a narrow boucle yarn couched down around all the edges with a zig zag with the clear thread in use - again.

Try it - YLI Wonder Invisible Thread. I always have it in stock... :)

For some inspiration as you sew...fr Londa

One of the people that has had the very most influence on me in my faith is Joni Earekson Tada. If you go to her website: www.joniandfriends.org and click on the Larry King Interview and listen to it - you'll know why.

May you be inspired -
Londa

Yea Anyway for our Illini!

Our community is wonderful - you should have seen the 20,000 + turn out at the stadium to weocome our hero Illinois Basketball team back from their championship NCAA game.
Wouldn't have been any different - even if they'd won. In our hearts - they have, all year long.

My camera got left at my daughters' house - where the BABY is! HOpefully will come with him tomorrow for the evening - and I'll get some pics of my most recent creations.

Having fun doing lettuce edging with the serger on the lower ribbing of the sweatshirts - cut off and used at the neck and cuffs. Just finished a jacket this evening using an old floral tablecloth.

Londa

Go ILLINI! and other things to ponder

Yea for our University of Illinois Illini!

I hope you caught how the 'Rev' - a great young Christian Man, Roger Powell, acknowledged our Saviour right when they won - and then again in his interview right after our victory...

On another note - I'm struck by the attention of the Pope's death. Pretty hard for the press to make that 'politically correct'! I was privileged to visit Rome - I think it was 1993 with my husband - a machine 'reward' trip with Elna. An experience of a lifetime. St. Peter's Basilica is awesome. Go there if you can.
Of all the places we were privileged to travel during the shop years, Rome was the BEST! I have a very special embosssed soft green leather swing coat from there I'll always love. Anyway -to see the transformation of Rome from the days when they fed the Christians to the lions in the stadium - and realize that the church is named for Peter whom they hung upside down...what a heritage we have! I personally hope much connection is made between the value the Pope put on all life to the Terry Shiavo sad, sad story. For me - I think suffering is part of God's plan, and brings out the very very best in people.

Meanwhile - I think (hope!) the value of all my orange creations just went up! You wouldn't believe how much orange I've been sewing. Just finished fancy Tee, 6 skirts and a silk jacket almost done. Not bad for a week...

Go ILLINI! This is our 100th year too. An assistant Coach lost his wife to breast cancer (I think) this summer, as well as Coach Weber his mother a few weeks ago. This really is a wonderful story. I'm confident the moral leadership of Roger Powell has much to do with it as well.

Guess what color I'll be wearing to church tomorrow? Last Sunday - Easter - our Pastor pulled out the local newspaper with UNBELIEVABLE! as the headlines as the followup to our miraculous win over Arizona the night before. He said that if there were a newspaper in Jerusalem in Jesus' day - that would have been the headlines on Easter Sunday as well.

Hugs -
Londa

Yea, Illini

Hooray for Londa's Illini and Joan's home state a million years ago.

Me and my Grandson - Oohhhh, Ahhhhh!
It seems I can't figure out (yet) how to add a picture to a post. I can get it in alone in a post - then edit that post (what I'm doing now).
Stay tuned - I'm figuring this all out.

Cutting out/designing fun today - and I'm going to ENJOY it - not 'should' myself today ( I am 'emjoying' my 53rd birthday!)
Springy, warm, and beautiful here today. That alone is a gift.

Also - this is a basketball crazy town. This is where the Fighting Illini - University of Illinois basketball team - in the Final Four hails from. I'm even selling my custom IlliniWear pretty briskly!!! GO ILLINI! (for color, click on the T above, then select color... will change whatever you have highlighted.

We have a condo to rent in Clarksville, Missouri - just 1 hour north of St. Louis, in antique/Mark Twain country from April 1 to April 8. Will make a GREAT deal if anyone is interested...

Baby Crib Sheet 'pattern'

I just 'had' to make a matching crib sheet for DD (dear daughter) .... so here is what I figured out. You might want to print this out and file for future reference - even if you don't need it now. 45" fabric worked just fine - and you need 1 3/4 (1.75) yards. If it is a 60" wide knit that stretches pretty well, you might be able to get the length out of one width.-- with yardage needed being 1 1/4 (1.25) yards.

I'm going to go ahead and explain things - then try to add the picture I scanned of the 'pattern' to this post...

You need the depth, length and width of your mattress. I've allowed for just 1/4" seams. The total width Ii needed (43") was so close to what the fabric was - I just used the total width of the fabric, thereby letting the selvages 'finish' the long edges.

The pattern amounts to a huge rectange of the width by the length (+ 1/4" to each) with a square cut out of each corner equal to the depth of the mattress plus 1/4".

You then pull those 2 edges of each corner cut out together and stitch in a 1/4" seam (I then serged too) to create a 'box'.

Then - the elastic. I used 1/4" elastic, and a 29" piece for each 'end'. Divide the elastic in half, and pin that mark to the half point of the end (width) side of the 'sheet'. Then, each end will be stretched to meet a point 13 1/2 (13.5)" down along each side (length) of the sheet. Place the elastic on the WRONG side of the sheet, obviously. I then put my sewing machine on a big wide zig zag and stretched the elastic to fit and stitched it on - leaving a bit of fabric off to the side (which will be serged off to finish). I do this with the elastic UP at the sewing machine for proper placement. If you have 'needle down' on your machine - use it! Left hand belongs behind the machine, right hand in front of the machine to stretch your work so it 'works'.

Then - at the serger, with ELASTIC side UP at the serger - I skim off that extra bit of fabric to finish. Be VERY careful not to cut into the elastic - or you 'kill' the elastic! :)



That's it folks. Done. Pretty easy.

Loes Hinse Shawl Collar jacket

I received the pattern from Londa last week along with her 2 Cents for that pattern.
I have a few of the pattern tweaks/fitting alterations done and have it cut out. I won't be able to sew straight through on it so I will post as I go along.
By the way "Londa's 2 Cents "is most helpful on this pattern because there are a few missteps in the pattern instructions and she fills in the 'blanks' or offers options. I will recap them when I am finished. I believe I am going to like jacket, however.
Later, Joan

Well it is one day later and the Jacket is basically finished. I just need to sew in the shoulder pads. I will try to snag my husband to take a picture of me with it on and then write a little paragraph of my experience constructing it.
I don't have a clue how to post it on here, though. I will explore the site and see if I can figure it out.
Later and keep sewing,
Joan

Daddy and baby - obviously in love!
from Londa's design room

In honor of my Savior

I'm going to try to post pictures of the church banners I made a few years back.
If you go to my website: www.londas-sewing.com and then the Gallery - and then scroll down to the lower right hand corner and click - you can go to where you can read all about how I created them.

Click on these links -

http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/hedidthis.jpg

http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/threecrosses.jpg

http://www.londas-sewing.com/images/hopeinliving.jpg

Or maybe this will work (I'm still learning!)


I pray you have a special observation with your families this weekend - and that the Lord Jesus Christ is in your heart.

update fr Londa

I'm still here - just somewhat pre-occupied, and needing my son's help to learn how to better post pictures. :)
He's been camping (spring break) - though I've put it on his 'to do dear' list for the day...

Meanwhile - I keep making Orange stuff to sell for our fighting Illini sports fans - we're gonna go to the Final 4 NCAA! I'm convinced...

Hugs to all,
Londa

Good Safety Tips for Women - Review and Remember

You may have seen this before on more than one occasion but is worth sending anyway.

We can now add to the list of victims the retired 77 yr. old TCU >professor from Ft Worth whose body was found last week in Oklahoma--and the 11 yr.old in Sarasota, FL.

Because of these recent abductions in daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation...This is for you, and for you to share with your wife, your children, everyone you know. After reading this, forward it to someone you care about.

It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!
2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away! from you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: A)Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. B.)If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. C.)Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid ! than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).
7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control,>ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ RUN!
8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP. It may get you raped, or killed.... Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her "Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run>over.. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night. Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby.----This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because the Crying>Baby theory was mentioned on America's Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana.

I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well. Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Pass it On!
Londa

GRANDBABY ARRIVES!

IN a rush to get back...my arms ache already from a nite without holding our Cole...

Just sent out a newsletter - with pictures. (I have 100 already!)
One on front of website too - www.londas-sewing.com
EZ 4 hour labor - lucky girl!!!

Slept through the night - having to be woken to feed!

WARNING: pictures coming later!!!
Thanks for all your prayers -

Hugs,
Grandma Londa