Caddy so far

I spent most of today continuing to work on my caddy.  A lot of the time was spent doing the embroidery and figuring out how I wanted to construct the pockets.  My embroidery machine was cranky today so I had to spend some time undoing and then redoing some portions of the designs.  All in all, though, I think it's coming together pretty well.  I took some quick pictures to post before I shut down for the night. 

Here's the caddy cut out and the top pocket sewn on:



I managed to get one half of the bottom pocket embroidery finished.  It's still in the hoop but I think this picture gives a much better idea of what the colors are like since they are a bit washed out in the top photo.

Word Up sewing party!

I'm a little late getting started as I just got home from my Block Of the Month class that was scheduled for today.  My project for the party is to design and finish a hanging caddy with pockets that I can put all the things that I need to complete my outfit for the day when I get dressed  for work in the morning.  I'm notorious for not being a morning person and trying to squeeze out the last possible z before I'm forced to get up.  My routine pretty much consists of rolling out of bed and into the shower, getting dressed and going down the stairs and out the door where Eric's waiting.  Since he drops me off on his way to work, I get to my office about 45 minutes before my workday actually begins, so I do have time to eat my breakfast and get my daily treat, a Starbucks coffee.  In an effort to make this more streamlined, I've been putting out my outfit the night before and need something to hold my jewelry, tights, slip, etc. together with my clothes.  Having a caddy with designated pockets will also insure that I have everything that I need and that I'm not forgetting something.

OK, while the fabric that I've just pulled from my stash is in the washer, I'll be drafting my pattern.  I'm planning on embellishing my caddy with vintage butterfly embroidery in honor of my word "metamorphosis."  I'll post some pictures as soon as my fabric is out of the washer and ready to go.

6:37 PM

OK, making progress!  I got my fabric washed, ironed and already got the main piece quilted.  I also spent some time noodling around with the pattern and embroidery placement and think I've got it down.

Here is the fabric.  The body is a off-white tone on tone print and I am using the print to band the pocket tops and to bind the edges.  It's hard to see the colors as the lighting isn't the best in my sewing room at this time of the day.

Here's my pattern laying on top of the quilted body with my embroidery templates.  The lower right will have a mirror image of the left corner.  There are two pockets that will be divided in the middle with the bottom one deeper for larger items.

Well, Eric just got back from Boston Market with dinner so I think this will be it for the day.  I'll  continue on tomorrow starting with the machine embroidery which takes a bit of time to do.  I've learned to hard way that it's not something that I want to do when I'm tired.  Thanks to all who have stopped by!  After dinner I'll be going around and seeing what everyone else has been up to today!

Word Up!

Happy New Year! I’ve been very busy with redecorating rooms in my house lately. LOL, no Christmas decorations this past December as the house was and is too ripped up. I took time off from work and did a lot of painting over the holidays and will be putting the last coat of paint on the trim in our den this Saturday. After that, we can begin putting it back together. I’ll be so glad to have our computer set up again just as soon as the new desk arrives (in hindsight, packing it away wasn’t the brightest idea but I didn’t expect it to be down as long as it has been.)


Now, on to my word for the Word Up. This year will be one of change- lots of them! We’ve been in our house for 17 years now and it’s time to freshen things up. It’s also time to pare down the stuff that we have and do a bit of decluttering. This will be a lot harder on the packrat in the house than me, LOL. And since I always consider myself to be a work in progress, I’m contemplating personal changes, too.

As I near 50, I find myself wanting to spend the rest of my working life doing something that I love, that I am passionate about, and that I excel at. This means exploring ways to transition myself from what I am doing now into something that involves doing what I love most which is sewing and creating. Back when I was in Junior High (the dark ages!), I took what were almost the last home ec classes to be offered and excelled in them. Sewing, however, was not considered to be a viable career option by then. I actually ended up majoring in Interior Design in college but soon realized after working in the field for a few years that it was the fabrics and creation of furnishings that I like best rather than working with clients designing interiors. In hindsight, I should have then gone on to a tech school and learned how to construct window treatments and soft furnishings like bedding. Learning how to upholster would have been a plus, too. However, these things just weren’t encouraged by my mother who had a decidedly negative view of that being any sort of career. And at the time, I didn’t have the gumption to buck that.  So here I am at 48, having spent most of my life working but not doing anything that I have a passion for. And since I want to change that, the word that I intend to live by this year is: Metamorphosis