I was crafting today
By ElicBxn
@ElicBxn (63252)
United States
February 27, 2010 11:21pm CST
I want to make a wreath for mom's door at the Health Care Center - green for some strange reason and I just DON'T have any green ribbon
So, I asked the roommate to go with me - well I did need to go to the bank too.
So, stopped at the bank, then went to Hobby Lobby.
First I picked up some more Styrofoam wreath forms, a round sheet of the stuff and then went to look for ribbon over in the sewing area.
The roomie went to look at the little stitch kits before joining me.
Well, I had found some ribbon and was looking for her as well.
Then she got this idea
She was given a shawl sort of thing by her mom to keep her warm at work. The room she works in here at the house is also the coldest room in the house (except for those rooms that don't actually have VENTS in them!
This shawl is pretty good, but still a bit lighter than she was wanting and she saw that the fleece was on for 30% off.
We go look at the stuff and - well, the cute stuff is light weight and the heaviest stuff is UGLY. But there was a nice purple that was a pretty good weight and if were sewn with the cute, but light weight one it would be a good deal.
She got 9 feet of each one, and, because I'm going to be sewing this thing, she got 8 feet of the cute one for me - because I'm not in the cold room you understand. Also, thread for the project.
we pulled out a table to work on, pinned fabric, cut salvages, chased cats off, repinned fabric and then I started sewing.
I sewed up both sides - cut off the extra of one color - sewed up the short end and then we layed it down and calculated where the center cut needed to be.
What this does is basically take the full width of the fabric and have a center cut to have for your head that goes down like the opening of a coat.
I then sewed one of this end, up the inside of the cut and down the other side and then made the corner.
I stopped there.
The roomie offered to turn it right side out, but I knew I could probably get that done in a lot less time than she could.
I started by reaching up the side and then down the other side to grab the other half of that end and pulled it thru. Then I started hunting corners. I would fine one and pull it square until I had the 4 completed corners squared up.
Finally, I worked out where to sew that bit closed and did so.
Now we have a really cute, heavier, longer shawl for the roomie, and I just cut the selvages off my piece and made the center cut and **BAM** I have one too!
10 people like this
15 responses
@GardenGerty (157674)
• United States
28 Feb 10
You got a lot done today. I bet this helps with utilities and whatever as well. I need to get some crafting and sewing done as well, but I keep finding myself at the computer instead. I have other shawl patterns that start with those pretty throws and then get turned into a shawl. Your idea sounds pretty good, though. Roomie will now be very warm. I am sure the cats will love it too.
4 people like this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
28 Feb 10
I have a lot of the same problem, but she will come and drag me away to do things for her!
and hopefully we can keep the cats away from them (it was hard to do while we were working on them because the only place in the house we had enough room to work was the kitchen)
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
28 Feb 10
Wow! Aren't you two creative. I am creative too, but I can't sew worth a damn. My creativity is limited to my computer, but I'm still creative just the same. My husband's ex-wife is very crafty, and she's made some absolutely beautiful dolls. :) People who sew, absolutely amaze me. I designed my wedding dress, but a friend made it.
3 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Feb 10
I love fleese, the cost up here is a little prohibitive to be buying that many yards.
Tis the year to make wreaths. Mine don't cost very much. I use coat hangers as forms or grape vines that grow here. My sis-n-law made an artificial flower one for me. I made a grapevine one for them. I also made a grapevine one for my husband.
2 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
1 Mar 10
That's the nice thing about a well-made wreath, it can last for years.
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
28 Feb 10
That sounds right nice Elic! My aunt made my mom and I blankets out of fleece material. The one she made for my mom is of cats all over the front and another piece for the back of a solid color. Mine is of ladybugs. lol My granddaddy used to call me ladybug all the time so it's no wonder I love them so much and of course cats too but mom got that one. lol What she did is, she took two pieces and cut fringes on the edges and then tied knots of the two together so it would have a front side and a back side. Mom and I love them and use them all the time! They're so warm and so simple to make and very much appreciated. I'm thinking of making some for gifts for the needy or even take them to the nursing homes in hopes to put some smiles on their faces. Something so easy and so needed as well so why not? I just might do that! Thanks for the idea!
2 people like this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
28 Feb 10
That's great you got two done in one day. Now did you ever get the wreath for your moms door done? 
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45594)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
28 Feb 10
And again, no picture.
I was waiting to read you had sewn one of the cats inside it (not on purpose! but it would make it even warmer, wouldn't it?)
(I think I need more sleep.)
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45594)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
28 Feb 10
The joys of modern technology...
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
28 Feb 10
It sounds like you did quite a bit of work for your roomie. She is lucky to have you.
I took a sewing class in high school, but since then I really have not sewn much at all. I really had fun in that class. I had thought about spending the money to get a sewing machine recently because my 3 year old daughter has become obsessed with dresses and I thought if I had a sewing machine I could attempt making her a few dresses.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Feb 10
hi ElicBxn I am so impressed with both of you, I never was good at
'sewing with a machine but my mom was also gifted like you two. she
made my dresses when I was a little girl and all the kids were always
'asking where did your mom buy those pretty dresses, and Ihad to say my mom made them. then their moms would ask mymom to make dresses too but she did not want to do that. I really did try to learn to be good at sewing but I guess I just did not have the talent needed. I can sit down and write poetry and short stories, but to make a dress I flounder and end up with a total disaster. sad but true
2 people like this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
1 Mar 10
Sooo...now that you've finished that project, I gather you have time to fix my gowns, yayzzz? 
Maggiepie
"WHERE'S THE real BIRTH CERTIFICATE?"
Maggiepie
"WHERE'S THE real BIRTH CERTIFICATE?"@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
2 Mar 10
Hm. Okay...I'm here...but I still don't know what you mean by "It ain't pretty!"
Say, want to mend that tear my motor-chair made in the plants cover, when you get my gowns hemmed & mended? 
Maggiepie
"WHERE'S THE real BIRTH CERTIFICATE?"
Maggiepie
"WHERE'S THE real BIRTH CERTIFICATE?"1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
28 Feb 10
Hey Elic! I am soooooo jealous! I wish I could put something
together like that and sew! I was never any good at doing
anything like that! I barely got through sewing class when I
was in school! I just had a really nice teacher who just "passed"
us because she was such a sweet person! I couldn't sew a thing!
I never finished my orange denim skirt (yeah, my mother picked
orange denim)! I did a little better in cooking class, but
not much, but at least that was in my "genes" and I knew how
to cook!lol I wish I could see those shawls! I love shawls!
I think they are so cool (or should I say "warm")? Nice going!
I hope you and your roomie will enjoy them and keep real warm
now!
1 person likes this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
1 Mar 10
You’re so clever! I wouldn’t go there when it comes to sewing anything! I can sew buttons and mend small holes and that’s about it. I take my things to the alterations guy at our local shops. We call him Pepe La Pew because that’s who he looks like. ‘Pepe’ takes clothes in, hems and will even make an outfit from scratch if he is given enough time! I wish I was clever like you too and make my own things! The shawls sound terrific. Good job guys!
1 person likes this
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
28 Feb 10
I hate to sew! Every time I do, I get mad and start to sweat, and get upset. It seems I always have to refill the bobbin or something and nothing goes right. Congratulations on a job well done! I imagine you have to shawls now for much cheaper than if you had bought them. I sometimes wish I liked to sew, but then I think about the past and that is that. When I was younger, my mother used to sew all my clothes.
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
28 Feb 10
it was about $40 for the roomie's shawl and 20 for mine - part of the extra cost was the threads.
I can't say I love to sew, just that I can do it
the one I made for me just involved cutting tho, since fleece doesn't ravel, it was making it 2 sided (and there for heavier) that made the roomie's harder
@satya4186 (279)
• India
1 Mar 10
my dear i want to ask a question about this topic and other help that how can you write that much and if you are writing that much so many discussion you start in a day so please tell me if you have any secrete?????.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
1 Mar 10
IF I start one discussion a day, I'm starting a lot.
English is my native language, so I don't have to "think & translate" to write here.
Finally, I did data entry for a living so I'm a pretty fast typist, so those are my speed secrets - not really secrets...
I do TRY to reply to everyone who respond to one of my discussions, and I have high speed internet - those also help
@satya4186 (279)
• India
2 Mar 10
thanks for telling us the view of success and i will try to follow .
1 person likes this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
2 Mar 10
Sigh...here we go again. MyLot's still gummed up. I'd ask what "ain't pretty," but as soon as I send this, I'll be allowed to answer your comment directly, so then I'll KNOW...(Time out for Maggie to go swear loudly in corner...)
There.
Send....
1 person likes this
