Sewing Trick - Taking up Jeans

My Mum is full of tricks - especially about sewing. Here is a great one to help taking up jeans or sewing over any thick fabric. She used this little gadget - it is called a 'Button Shank Plate' but is really good for Denim or any thick fabric for that matter.They come with your machine if you have a Husqvuarna so you may already have one, otherwise you can buy them.This little gadget helps you get over the thick lump caused by the seams of the jeans. It stops the cotton looking all cobbled before the seam and creates a more professional look.

• Wind your thicker matching thread onto the bobbin and use a normal matching thread on top.


• Use a new denim needle to make the job a little easier.


• Cut off the excess hem and ensure you fold it over twice - to avoid a raw edge (and create a professional finish)

Once your jeans are pinned to length with the hem folded twice you can start to sew and sew until you get upto the thick seam and stop with the needle down.

At this point you need to lift the foot and slide the 'helper' underneath the foot. The idea is that the 'helper' raises the foot of the machine making it easier to ride over the thickness of the seam. The 'helper' has two different thicknesses at either end, and you need to try to see which one is best for your job. Once you have decided slide it right in until the front of the helper is in line wiht the front of the foot - up against the seam you need to go over. Like this-

Then you put the foot of your machine back down and continue to sew over the seam.

As you can see here, the foot walks off the 'helper' and onto the seam. If the seam isn't too thick you often don't need the 'helper to get back down the hill, however if it is thick like this, sometimes you get a better result if you stick it in at the front and work the instructions in reverse until the foot is off the seam and you are right to continue sewing.

In brief:

• Pin hem with a fold at the top
• Put thick/matching thread in the bobbin so you can sew from inside the leg - much easier.
• Use a new Denim or heavy weight needle- nice and sharp
• Stop sewing when foot reaches thick seam - Needle down
• Lift foot and insert 'helper' from the back. Put foot back down
• Sew over seam
• If needed - lift foot and place helper in from the front
• Sew until over the thick area
• Remove 'helper' and continue sewing.

Happy hemming - this could also be really useful for making bags when you have to go over thick areas.

Sunday Funday

....mini golf....Dad was in his element!

Coffee Cozy

I whipped up this squirrel coffee pot cozy for Mr P's birthday yesterday. It was so easy and looks so effective that I will have to make one for myself. I got the template for the squirrels from the long thread and traced it onto freezer paper which I stuck onto felt.
I then stuck vlisofix (double sided sticky stuff) to the other side of my felt appliques and iron them onto the red dotty piece. Originally I had planned to bag the dots out with felt once I had appliqued, but I changed my mind and went through both pieces to give the squirrels a bit more depth. As it was felt, and it wont fray I appliqued with a straight stitch.I had cut the dots and the red felt the same size ******, but reduced the dots by about a centimetre around each side by hemming it.I added some little buttons for the eyes and velcro to attach it. I added about an inch for the strap and this goes under the handle. This was really my prototype so I was having a go and measuring against my coffee pot, but I was really happy with the outcome - and it fitted Mr P's plunger pot which is a different brand.

Fun with 2 r's

The R's I am talking about are Reading and wRiting!. Alexander is now in grade 1 at school and the expectations (from school) jumped dramatically. What we found was that although he was only just 6 he was already getting homework. It may only be a reader or two and some writing practice but when its every night it becomes more like a chore than time to enjoy the written word together- which is why we use the fairy door.
What is a fairy door?

Our fairy door is a dolls house door from The Dolls House in Camberwell. I buy a raw door, numbers and the handle which comes with a key. I use 3M removable stickers to connect them to the wall and you can put them anywhere - mine is near our toilet which is a common thoroughfare, but others are in the bedrooms.
This isn't my idea - they are around other places, so I looked on the internet for how they are used and some of the "rules" behind them. The main rule is that only the fairies with the key can open the door and their fairy dust means that they can enter into their beautiful home. We cannot force the door, if we do, the fairies will feel that you are attempting burglary and they will leave in fear.
I wrote a little book.let which is a backstory and explains how they moved to the city and what the door means which helps explain the concept of fairies to a male household.

Why use a fairy door?
I use it for two reasons. The first is to encourage imaginitive play. Alexander is still young enough and innocent enough to enjoy the idea of fairies. They are only little for such a short time, that it is really nice to watch him enjoy and interact with our fairies.
The second is really developmental. We communicate with the fairies through written word. This means that if we want to know anything about them, we have to write to them and ask. We draw them pictures, and their magic fairy dust can reduce the size of the image and they decorate their home with them. This is great writing practice. The fairies write back with tiny letters either on their computer or hand written on special ivory paper. Everything from them, or if we make something for their home, it is little which helps develop the boys fine motor skills.
It is also about patience. The fairies aren't about instant results. If we write a letter, we need to leave it at least overnight, if not longer. They regularly check the door for any correspondence. Then if they do leave us a letter, we enjoy reading it together and taking any action. The fairies are up to date with all the happenings in our house. They know if your bedroom is messy, and a lost fairy in your room is a good reason to tidy it up!!!
Finally for us - a boy filled house - it is really nice to have something a little feminine and they all really enjoy the mystery.

How did we start?
Actually the photo here is when we had first mounted the door. We hung the key on the handle and Alexander knew the fairies name was Amelia, but he wanted to know more, so he made a little card asking her some questions, and the communciation channel was open.
We knew Amelia had been as there was fairy dust (glitter) left by the door. She had taken the key and also left her first tiny letter. They are now kind of like pen pals - yet our fairy has intimate knowledge of our home and sometimes leaves specific instructions - particularly about tidying a bedroom!

Ongoing
Alexander really leads how the door is used. When he lost his first tooth he asked if Amelia knew the toothfairy and what she did with the teeth. It was a beautiful letter (I save them all) and after some time Amelia wrote back and Alexander was very pleased with her response:
The good white teeth are used to build our houses and furniture, and the yellow, rotten ones go into maracas!
I am also really enjoying the fairy door- she left her muddy gumboots outside her door the other day and the surprise on Alexander's face was priceless.

Weight on my mind

I bought new scales because the other ones were broken. We don't use them alot but the glass in the dial had broken - otherwise they were ok. The new ones are slimline and digital and have all these great(?) functions such as calculating your BMI and bone density - however I am not really sure how the scale figures that last one out. Like with any new toy, I put in my details, age(I used the real one), height and then had to get on.......

I was really not prepare for the outcome. I know I have not been on scales for a while, new scales are often different to the old ones, I have spent some nights eating icecream in front of the Biggest Loser but I didn't think I was......o...oh ....OH!....obese!!

(this isn't actually me- like I would ever pose like that!!)

Yup. The scales practically yelled "Get off me fatty before you break me!!!" Obese. Honestly, there are 5 good kilos that shouldn't be there (the Biggest Loser ones) and then some I would like to disappear, but calling me Obese is a little outside the realm of reality. I would have said overweight - or "overfat" as my scales so eloquantly put it.

So guess what - yes I am on another diet!! This one is basically based on the Atkins one - no carbs and lots of protein. I am up to day four and am staying far away from those scary scales. Today I am finally allowed to eat something other than pure protein. I thought I was about to turn into an egg! I have just been hanging out for something with a bit of crunch - lettuce even. Assuming it actually helps me lose weight (it promised 5kg in the first 11 days) I am actually not hungry. I am drinking all my water (2-3l) and am allowed tea and coffee with milk. Normally my biggest hurdle is giving up my beloved cuppa.

So while the scales rule the bathroom, me and protein bars will have to become friends.

Momma Bliss

I had a really lovely weekend - and the fact that it was Mothers' Day was just icing on the already tasty cake. The Big Squirrel was home all weekend - which is so rare, but lovely. The weather was nice and sunny which made the Mum V Sons Auskick match much more fun.In the afternoon I got to shop with my mum - sans kids- so I actually got to LOOK at stuff. Sunday was gorgeous - with the boys making me breakfast in bed. I sat up like Lady Muck reading the paper in bed while who knows what was going on in the kitchen. I managed to control my need to control and didn't even yell out to see if everything was alright - and in the end it was. I was spoiled with lots of presents. I love the way that kinder and schools are structured to help with things like Mothers Day. The boys each made me lovely peg bags with beautiful artwork on them. Alexander's school had a stall where he always buys me a plant (I don't know why, I never seem to keep them alive, but maybe thats the challenge!) This year they had a half price sale after school and the little sweetheart used his own money to go and buy some more gooies! My favourites as always is the handmade cards which I will keep forever.We finished the day with a lovely family stroll around Camberwell Market followed by hosting my parents for lunch. The niggles and teasing over how to cook only makes the day more fun. I think I found my own little bit of bliss this weekend - hope you did too.

Riiidddup

Alexander has been busy carving and colouring for a few days now to construct this palace. Well, it is designed for a frog, so for him it would be a palace. It is two storey wiht an insulated garage, flags and a 2D car but he is so proud.
I am sure someone who is not so happy is the mother of the boy who is getting this, and similar constructions from a number of other kids, for her sons toy frog. Yes, the frog isn't living but for some reason everybody has been making homes for this plastic thing. Whatever the reason, Alexander had great fun making this and thats what its all about.