Wool Blanket to Wool Coat - Just in Time!

The story of this coat is a story of perseverance.

It started as a beautiful wool blanket handed over to me by Paul's mom.  The pattern was suppose to be from an old Ottobre book but after much frustration with fit I was forced to draft my own.

The heavy blanket was not easy to work with.  I broke a few needles and almost broke down and ordered a wool coat from Gap kids on their friends and family day.  Marie' talked me out it.  

So I marched back down to my basement sewing center, right past a HUGE pile of neglected laundry and asked myself out loud ..... "do I really have time for this"?  I broke a few more needles and came to the conclusion that such heavy wool should not be gathered, it should not be used as a facing either.  It would take a trip to the fabric store to get this coat done the way I wanted it.

I made my way to Habermans in Royal Oak.  Paul's parents met me there and Paul's dad (or "Poppy" as the kids call him) was patient enough to sit with all 7 kids in the van while I stewed over lining and buttons.  Paul's mom kept me focused, helped me pick out a matching poplin for the facings and convinced me that Maryanna had to have the abstract floral lining print.  

She was right, it suits Maryanna's personality (can you believe she is still finding ways to wear that old petticoat).  I consulted with another expert sewing friend Diane about the buttonholes.  She mailed me an envelope stuffed of illustrated instructions and opened my eyes to the fabulous technique of Spanish snap buttonholes.  To my delight it solved the problem of bulky buttonholes, I am going to laminate those instructions and revisit the technique as long as I'm making wool coats for my daughters.

Back to the facings.  You can see above I used matching poplin as the facing.  I used it for the under collar as well.  Again, I thank Diane for that idea.

The sleeves and coat bottom were left finished as the original blanket and the pockets are enclosed in the side seam.

I have to admit the most expensive component of this coat was the buttons, broken needles coming in second.  I originally planned to make fabric covered buttons but the wool was too thick.  The above buttons were also found at Habermans, I was happy about the match but surprised they cost $6 each!   But after all the work that went into this I was committed to splurge and finish it just right.  And don't forget there was no cost for the wool and the lining was a lucky find from a sample table.

In most cases sewing is a stress relief but not this time.  This coat actually compounded other stresses I was already facing.  Good thing I had a vivacious little girl encouraging me.  At one point I tossed it to the carpet full of such frustration that Maryanna came by my side abandoning her dollie tea party and suggested we say a little prayer to help me feel better.  We did and I pleaded for perseverance and inspiration.  I believe I was granted just that and the coat was finished just in time for 30 degree weather.

I admit I am pleased with how adorable she looks in the coat.  I love that she loves to wear it, I love how she wears it and also that it keeps her warm.  But what pleases me most is the triumph that we shared when it was finally complete!   

 

Giving Thanks for Thanksgiving

The smell of roast turkey makes me feel nostalgic.  It is a reminder of all the great blessings I have enjoyed from year to year.  What a gift it is to have this day set apart to reflect on all that we have.

I've been thinking about Thanksgiving a lot this year because it seems every day since October there has been a new catalog in the mail, constant sales flyers and countless emails advertising to me everything that I don't have but should want for Christmas for some reason.  At times those advertisements left me wanting, and even if the wants were as innocent as "I want to give" or "I want to make", wanting, even when the want is filled never fills us they way a quiet reflection of what we already have will.

This year we started a new tradition with an adorable little cookie jar. For the month of November we encouraged everyone to fill it with what they were thankful for, that we may experience the spirit of Thanksgiving for more than just one day.  This has been fun! 

I admit to having a few bad days this past month where nothing seemed to be going right.  On one occasion I broke into the cookie jar and read the sweet words my family so carefully filled inside, this filled my heart and I then broke into tears.  Here were my favorites:

I am thankful for Mommy's beautiful hair

Nachure (the handwriting and spelling made it especially endearing)

My eyeballs

Legs to get me where I want to go

Sweet kisses and apple cider

Cilantro

little notebooks with huge ideas

Hevenly Father (again - it's the spelling that makes it so sweet, it came from a little one's heart)

ducks

rice porridge

our goldfish Colin, Gardner and Gill

Homeschool group

Paper airplane guides

myself

the World map

scriptures

A living prophet

Warm slippers

cuddles and hugs

There are too many to list, the ceramic house cookie jar is completely full of happy little scraps, scribbles and sketches just as I recognize our house is just as full of happy little spirits.  We truly are living in abundance.  

As I type this there is a stack of "Door Busting" sales flyers sitting next to me, I was going to review them before setting my alarm tomorrow morning.  But the desire has been completely extinguished and I wonder what is of more worth.......saving 50% on a box of playdough, $20 on a little camera, $5 on some fabric or letting myself bask in the spirit of Thanksgiving for awhile longer.  Because feeling grateful feels good and I don't have to stampede with the crowds or pay a penny to get there.  Happy Thanksgiving it certainly was.

Airplanes, Rainbows and Things that Matter Most

We celebrated another birthday last week, it was William's and believe or not he is now 9.  We played all day just like we did on the other birthdays and had such a great time I forgot to take more than a few pictures.  Here are two I caught of the boys playing with William's remote control helicopter and testing out new airplane folding techniques:

The helicopter got stuck in a few trees, on top of the van and up top on the roof more than once.  I think the rescue missions were as much fun as the flights.  

As for paper airplanes, I'm about ready to ban them from the inside of the house because no one seems to even attempt any sort of rescue from their scattered landing spots.  Apparently it is just easier to fold another plane. They are everywhere and made out of everything from day old new paper, junk mail, scribbled paper and smaller ones from days past on our word calendar.

William enjoys taking pictures just as much as he loves airplanes so James and I put together a portfolio of his favorite photos on Shutterfly.  We titled it "The Story of the Little Green Camera", that was another favorite gift.

Sometimes William takes pictures of the sky.  Even despite the embedded tick episode he often lays flat and still in the grass, since it was his birthday I joined in.

On that occasion he pointed a rainbow out to me.  So we took a picture.

He also pointed out this lone blossom.  So we took another picture.

William is a great kid and his behavior does not demand much attention.  This last week however he gently suggested he needed "just William and Mommy time".  His chosen activity was walking the dog.  I allowed him to lead the course and as we meandered the neighborhood paths our conversation drifted from North Carolina memories to Utah memories to the colors of the sky and then what types of animals he plans to care for on our future farm.  He informed me that he was a naturalist and that is why he could not bear to witness even a bug being squashed.

Our walk extended into a stop on the neighbors swings.  This gave me a good laugh and I realized I needed "just William and Mommy time" as much as he did.

William is always anxious to hear flight stories from President Uchtdorf so in lieu of scripture study one morning last week we listened to his recent conference address, Of Things that Matter Most.  Later that day I hustled 6 little kids out of the big white van and into Trader Joe's.  I impatiently called for them to follow but William and Maryanna were stopped at the entrance smelling flower bouquets and cinnamon brooms.  I sharply called to them again but William stood tall and responded with, "didn't you hear what President Uchtdorf counseled us, you need to slow down".  

So it is that even little men can be our leaders and what a joy it is when in those moments we get a glimpse of them not so little but of what they may become.  Happy Birthday William, thank you for sharing the world through your eyes, it is refreshing.  

How to make a simple sweater vest

Here is the simple tutorial I promised for those interested in making a sweater vest.  There may be other instructions available online.  This is simply how I do it and there really is no one right way to sew - sewing is just a means to an end and I certainly am among the rule breakers.

First off find a good sweater.  Wool works great for this and it is easy to find shrunken wool sweaters at thrift stores.  Bonus properties of wool include excellent insulation for dampness because it repels moisture,  it is anti-bacterial so it does not need to be washed every wear, and very durable.  I have refashioned cotton and silk sweaters before and the success has varied.  For that reason I suggest starting with wool, even if you live in a warm climate just use a lighter weight wool.  I strongly suggest avoiding acrylics for several reasons, but that would run me a few paragraphs.

Here are my before sweaters:

Please note that I did not change the neckline of any of them.  Look for sweaters that are not gaping because that would look awkward on a child - you can re-do the neckline but that is just an extra step.

Once you've got your sweater washed (I wash on gentle or hand wash then allow to dry on a rack) you are ready to cut into it.  You will need an existing garment for a guide.  Simply lay it on top of your sweater to be refashioned as shown below (the white stuff on the sweater is just a tube of toothpaste Henry got into - it has nothing to do with refashioning):

From here I can plan how to proceed.  If the length is good, as it was for William's striped sweater I leave it alone.  If the neckline is good, leave that alone also.  In that case you have a very simple process of just cutting off the arms and finishing the arm holes.  But as you can see from the above photo I would need to shorten the sweater.  

I use steam disappearing chalk to mark my cutting lines (but sometimes I don't even mark).  Keep in mind about seam allowances before cutting and keep any ribbing intact because that is what you will use to finish the armholes.  Also one rule I never break is 90 degree angle at the shoulder seams (at least for the length of 1" across) and 90 degree angle at the underarm.   Other than that your armhole shape may vary a bit depending on the individual or desired design.

Here I am serging the bottom edge.  If you don't have a serger you can zig-zag on your machine just being very careful not to stretch it out.   Knits can stretch easily even with a serger so make use of your differential feed, or you can just let the knit bunch behind like I did below.  

Next you'll be ready to mark and iron the hem.  Iron it before you sew and take a scrap piece of your knit to figure out what stitch length and speed will look best.  Again if you find your knit stretching as you top stitch just put your finger behind the foot to help control that.  Or you could put a piece of tissue paper or paper towel on the bottom to help stabilize, tear it off then and press again.  Keep in mind it always looks better to use a press cloth (piece of cotton on top of the garment) for your final pressing.

Now on to the arm holes.  Please note I did not use ribbing on William's striped sweater (see last photo) because it was so felted that it acted more like a woven than a knit.  For his I just made a simple facing and did not even finish the edge because the felting was so tight.

The others I finished with ribbing. This technique of self made ribbing can be used to finish the neckline and hem as well.  It is easiest to use the existing ribbing cut from the bottom but the ribbing on this particular sweater was too narrow so I'm cutting my own.  

Ribbing is the knit, purl pattern (or stripes as my kids would call it) that pulls a garment closer in usually at the wrist, neckline and hem.

When cutting the ribbing keep in mind it will be stretch to a point that will narrow it - does that make sense?  Try it yourself and see how stretching it long makes it narrow.  For this reason add extra width.  Also it will be folded so double the desired width and add your seam allowance.   Looks like I did a little over 2 1/2 " below.

The strips will vary in length depending on the knit you are using.  Very stretchy knits don't need to be very long.  But you want it to be slightly less than the circumference of your armhole - remember you are drawing in the armhole.  If you used the same length it could be flipped in for a facing or flipped out for a futurist looking sweater vest, kind of like the Jetsons.

Now sew the strip into a circle.  I just used the serger because it was quick but here you can use your sewing machine and it will not need finishing because it is not going to be an exposed seam.

Now you are going to fold it and half and press it with a crisp edge.  

With raw edges together sew it around the armhole.  Use pins!  That will help with even distribution.  Be sure to keep the ribbing seam line at the under arm.  And again careful not to overly stretch as you sew and if you don't have a serger sew first then finish with a zig-zag.

Hope this was of help and please feel free to leave questions or email me.  Also keep in mind the tone here is to be consistent with our family record and as if I were speaking to my eager to learn children or grandchildren.

And I almost forgot - don't throw out the arms!  Use them as leg warmers just finishing the edges (or not) like you did the vest.

William's invention - The Lego Tooth Loosener

Of all the Lego creations that are presented to me daily this one really wooed me.  It is up there with the Sippy Grab James designed last winter.  

Peter got his first loose tooth this week.  He was planning on pulling it out on November 27 during the Michigan vs. Ohio State game for good luck. But after last night's very chewy dinner the loose tooth started to bleed and Peter begged for someone to pull it out.  William took the job and got right to work on a motorized Lego winch.

  

It worked!  William said he'd post his instructions just as I promised to post a sweater vest tutorial.   Unfortunately I couldn't get the video to upload here but it did load to my faceboook profile - enjoy!  This made my day yesterday.

Sweaters and Seasons

These wool sweaters were picked up in the heat of summer for only $1 a piece, I knew they would come in handy just I knew the summer heat would soon be a memory.

So it is now a memory and the seasons are catching up to us here in Michigan.  It's not just been chilly these mornings but it's been cold.  But I like it, it is familiar, cozy and a bit romantic.  

Even still you can't meet these mornings unprepared.  If you are to enjoy all the contrasts of Michigan's seasons you must dress appropriately.  For that reason I put these sweaters to use and they are now Sunday morning sweater vests for three of the boys.

I like sweater vests, they make these boys look sharp.  They also hide the stains on their ties and the wear on their dress shirts.  And I've already mentioned the warmth factor - they are like pieces of armor for the damp cold we experience here.

The sewing of these pieces is so simple I feel silly adding instructions.  But I'd be happy to post a little tutorial for those interested.

As for keeping myself warm.............leg warmers!  all from the sleeves of these three thrifted sweaters.

   

Fusion

Paul and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary this last weekend.  We enjoyed a fantastic evening out, one that will make it to the top of our favorites list.

First stop Tomukun asian noodle bar where we gobbled down warm pot stickers, steamed pork buns, and huge bowls of pho and bibimbop.  With our bellies full of hot and spicy Asian food we dashed a few blocks through the chilly air to Hill Auditorium where we had the opportunity to see a performance by the famous Mariachi Vargas.  The performance was absolutely enlivening, so much more than I expected.  So much so that I begged Paul to pick up one of their CD's on the way out the doors.  Since it was our anniversary I chose Veinte de Puro Amor and have been listening to it non stop in the kitchen.  I even listened to it the other night as I fried up some rice, ginger beef, and garlic bokchoy.

Happy Anniversary Paul!  What a wonderful fusion our lives have become.

Math Focus

Birthdays, candy, costumes and huge piles of fluffy leaves have got my students distracted.  These candles, though it was only one day, worked to keep them focused.  I told them the candle would be blown out as soon as I heard them goofing off.  They did complete their math assignments quietly but I soon out found they also goofed off a bit, quietly.  The evidence?  piles of dripped wax and one little notebook with a burn hole.  At least it was fun for one day.