New Sewing Machine / Working Out HARD.

First things first: Let's get the new machine out of the way. I succumbed to a love of new and shiny object and made my first ever purchase from the Home Shopping Network. Yes, I bought a sewing machine without test-driving it first. I based my purchase on the fact that it was a) pretty, b) Singer and c) pretty. Since I had test-driven one of the new Singers back in April, I was pretty confident that it would be a good machine. And it was pretty. Presenting the new black beauty:

The 160th Anniversary Edition Singer. With optional cat attachment:

(Hi, Jack!)


The first project I made with it was lightweight wool coat for Miss P.

After a shopping trip to JoAnn's to find supplies for a work project, Miss P found a pattern for felt fruit that she decided she HAD TO HAVE RIGHT NOW! So yeah, I broke down and made some of those, too.

Still Life in Fruit

Now on to the fun stuff: A few weeks ago I went to visit my friend Becki's craft show. (By her craft show, I mean she's the one who actually puts the whole thing on - she's amazing). When we first walked in the door we were greeted by a couple of other friends that I know from Stewart's Caring Place that were there to give out information about SCP and to drum up interest in people jumping in a Polar Bear jump to benefit SCP. Now you know me, I'm a sucker for a good cause. Plus, flattery will get you every where with me. One of the girls said "This is totally something you'd do, right?" and so I said I would. Seriously. A polar bear jump. In Ohio. In the winter. I must be crazy, right? (Don't answer that!)

So I posted on a very male-related music forum (I think there's maybe three other women beside me that participate on that board) that I would be doing this jump to raise money for SCP and I promised them that if I raised $300, I would post a pic of me in a bikini. Well, they managed to raise over $400! :eek: I was now on the hook for not only jumping, but posting a pic of me online in a bikini. ('cause I'm so shy, right?) Oh well.

The day was chilly, but not frozen. About 40F, windchill took it to upper 20s. The lake wasn't frozen, just really freakin' cold. Walking the plank:

Yes, I am insane!

And she's off! (in more ways than one)

----------------- And on to the workouts.
Just a few pics of the things I've been working on:

There's a double dutch bus comin' down the street....

Photobomb!


Oh, and I've registered for the Tough Mudder. I am insane.

Sewing Accidents Redux!

Time to get back in the sewing room! Miss P has finally outgrown the winter coats that I sewed for her two years ago (yes, I made them big. What about it?). We went to JoAnn's to find fabric to make a new one. P wanted another dalmation coat, but unfortunately JoAnn's finally stopped carrying that particular fabric. Instead, P picked out princess fabric. Shocked, I know. Pink, pink, and more pink. *sigh* And for the lining she picked out a lovely pink flannel with fairies on it because "princesses are in fairy tales, mom!".

We used the same pattern as the dalmation coat - Duffel coat, from Sew Hip Magazine (issue 21). I had to trace and cut the next size up. Easy peasy. The entire piece only has 7 pattern pieces!

Stop. Rewind.

Before I even got to that stage, I had to clean up the sewing room. It was still a disaster from wrapping Christmas presents, making the elf costume, etc. I'm pretty messy and sometimes I just don't bother cleaning up right away. Anyway - I was down on the floor, sitting on my knees, picking up assorted small pieces of detritus and when I went to stand up, a needle or something went into the tip of my big toe. Yeow! I don't think I cursed or anything. Actually at the time I didn't really think anything of it other than "Damn - a puncture wound. Better make sure I let that sucker bleed for a bit before putting a band-aid on it." So I did just that. Forced some blood out, then put an antibacterial band-aid on it and went on my merry way. Well, it wasn't that merry, my toe hurt like a mo-fo. But I'm a trouper, so I soldiered on.

Two days later, the toe was swollen, red and a lovely red streak started up my toe so I thought it would be best if I went to the Dr and got some antibiotics or something. One tetanus shot and an antibiotic shot later and I was on my way out the door with a prescription for more antibiotics and instructions to soak the toe.

Another two days go by and I'm now traveling to Southern California to spend two days walking around a trade show. On a gimpy foot. Thank goodness for percocet.

Okay, now it's two weeks later. I've finished the antibiotics, haven't run at all and the toe is still sore. And now it's turning purple. This can't possibly be good. So yesterday I called Dr Andy's office and told them the tale of woe - the purple toe - and they pretty much said "Can you get here now?" Off to the Dr's. Dr Andy poked it, and said "I'm sending you to a Doctor." I get to the new Dr's office, explain what happened and asked him not to amputate - seeing that I have a couple of half-marathons coming up! They xray the foot and lo and behold, there's a piece of metal in my toe! So much for the TSA and their super-mega-scanners! Guess who gets to have surgery? That's right, me. Right then and there! Well, okay it wasn't so much surgery as a scalpel and tweezer operation. There were stitches. Okay, just one, but still! Wanna see pics? No? You sure?

Okay, I'll just link to them, not embed them. That way you don't have to look unless you have a morbid fascination.

Two days post-puncture.
Two weeks post puncture.
Look at the pretty metal piece. Great bones!
'Tis only a stitch.

Cool, eh? So much for this weekend's race.

Okay... now back to the coat. Where were we? Oh yeah, pink princess fabric.








Miss P's babysitter asked if I would make a Buzz Lightyear version for her son. V is turning three soon, so it's a good bday present. Luckily I still had the pattern pieces from the dalmation coat - so I didn't have to retrace any pieces! From start to finish (not including shopping time), I managed to get the coat done in just over three hours! I guess it's true, the more you make a pattern, the quicker it goes together!







As you can see, P was none too happy to be modeling the coat. Oh well.

Next up, a new Cinderella dress for P. The one I made for her 2nd birthday is finally too small and too beat up to use anymore.