Distractions!

Nothing new created this week to share, and yet, I have been busy sewing!? How did that happen?

1. The embroidery side business sends is averaging about 5 items each week. Some require logo designing (time spent at the computer searching for the right picture, choosing the right font, spacing the designs correctly) and some can go directly to the machine (stitching the "rough draft" to make sure it's right, and then stitching out the final version). This week it was polo shirts for the Theatre Staff at school (easy) and a chef jacket for a colleague. The chef jacket was fun, she wears a cap made of a cotton "skull and cross bones" print, so she wanted a matching skull on the jacket and her nick-name. Would you take food from a chef wearing a skull and crossbones logo? Hmmmm..... Actually, she's a great cook, and if it makes her smile, who am I to care? The jacket also had a pocket added to it, and it was my first welt pocket and I used the illustrated instructions from the Spring 2008 SewStylish magazine (p. 47). Came out great!

2. I hemmed 2 pairs of jeans for my father-in-law, and patched a ripped back pocket. If they made a machine just for denim (you know... that part of the hem that has a flat-felled seam and when you fold it over and sew, your machine actally growls at you?) I'd be at the store in a heartbeat.

3. Three more fire department shirts needed embroidered names and titles. Can't complain about that, they put cash in my pocket and pay for my fabric addiction!

Today I was planning on making my FIL a shirt for Christmas. It's a short sleeve button-down that will match the 1970 Dodge Challenger he restored and takes to shows all summer long. The fabric is all cut out, the pieces are all pinned and ready to sewn, but the serger needs to be rethreaded before I start. Not a big deal, just a 2 minute job. But, first I'll need to find my machine. Have I shown you my sewing area?

Yes, it's a mess. Actually, mess might be an understatement. Here's what happened... (Honey, I know you're cringing that I've shared this mess with others, but really, it's okay. They understand that with sewing comes mess and that disorganization is actually a sign of true genius. Really.)

My "sewing table" is the pool table. It's always covered in bags, thread, patterns, my "toolbox", fabric, etc. It's such a waste, we decided to sell it. So, last night I cleared it off, uncovered it, and grabbed the camera to take some pictures of it. You know what happened. Such a beautiful table. Why don't we play it more? I hate to sell it. The kids will be older and hanging out in the basement with their friends and we'll say, "We used to have a pool table, but my sewing crap kept it out of reach, so we got rid of it." So, the sale is on hold, and my job is to get organized. Which starts in a whole other room... to clear space to make a new home for my organized sewing stuff (blank shirts for embroidery and boxes of fabric), so I can shift my tables together. This all happens at a very good time since I'll be hosting my enormous family for Christmas dinner. The cleaning had to happen, the pool table will get used, and the chaos will disappear. Meanwhile, there's the usual 18 loads of laundry, the 2 rugrats to play with, the Christmas tree to decorate...

So, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do. By next Saturday I should have some pictures of a new and improved sewing space and a rockin' canary yellow and black short sleeve mens shirt!

p.s. Dawn, Bunny, Summerset, Lindsay and other sewing friends: I'm so incredibly JEALOUS of your productivity, there are no words for it. Keep up the good work, and I wish I could do so much with so little time. You are all amazing!

Here's the photo of our staff wearing the teal shirts I embroidered. Katie's Day was a big hit!