Denim Can Be So Fun

Ok so I'm a quilter. I confess.....I love patches. It's just been my own little piece of heaven playing in scraps. I am so lucky because I just have lots of scraps. Sometimes I think they multiply in my room all by themselves. Really every time I make a project there is always fabric scraps left over. And I can't help it.... I can't throw them out. So, I had these jeans. They were so old and so thread bare I just had to do something. They were calling for patches.

I had inspiration from reading Denim Revolution by Nancy Minsky on embellishing jeans. It's a great book -- you have to try and find your own copy. I found it at Jo-Ann's recently and smiled -- "hey....I have that book....." I have my own copy.

So here's my jeans. What do you think?

back to school and another year I'm not ready

Do you feel the fall yet? It was so crispy cool this am and then at 11:00am it turned warm and sunny. It was supposed to rain but we were so lucky and got another beautiful day. Ok.....so I'm supposed to end with weather.

I worked in the sewing room today. I can't walk thru the room its so messy. But I've been trying to get these jeans to a point where I can try them on let along wear them. I was crazy and got them done. Tried them on and did a circle in the full length mirror. I think when you are making jeans it makes a HUGE difference on the fit. Jeans just have to fit. When they don't, it doesn't matter how cool they are if they aren't a perfect fit they just aren'ta go . So I guess they will be fine but I won't grab them first from the drawer. I do like the "look" however. I had so much fun embellishing them. Lots of patches in the front and just a zig zag on the back. I've decided that jeans can be heavy in the front but need to be lighter in the rear (my rear needs no help being heavy!) Now granted these are super soft trashed and wicked old so definitely keepers no matter what I do to them but I was so inspired to patch that I had to try and work a pair. It was fun. Don't think I could actually make money doing this to jeans like my friend Shelley at Why Not. I'll keep trying to find my own path (or patch).

I took my guy to testing today at the community college. He hates me. Yep. I got a text that confirms it. Kicking and screaming into adulthood that one. I hope I survive. Parenting is another whole subject.

While he was at school, I got to do a little antique shopping. I forgot how fun it is to see other shops and other treasure. I got some really cute sign posts for my shop and a great find at my fav spot. I get to go in to the shop tomorrow and work. Last week I had a ton of stuff to bring in. Tomorrow I'll just do a reorg. And I'm bringing in a repair to sew on. That's what I dream about. . . sitting and sewing and listening to some Mel Torme.

Ah what a life.

I missed a wedding tonite. Working gets in the way of life sometimes. Oh, well. I thought of them all day. Wish I had the luxuary of going.

So back to the weather......Can't complain about a thing. Perfection.

Another beautiful day

Getting organized takes so much extra time. I bet it makes things move more smoothly however when time is a crunch. I signed up for as an exhibitor at the antique show at the end of October. And mentally scheduled the Eagle Court of Honor for my son. Hopefully I can do it together and pull it off. I will need lots of support on both.

The details are overwhelming but great rewards await. I hope to make some cash for my November holiday. That's my small plan -- to take a short but much needed getaway in November over the T-day vacation. It's good to make goals, don't you think. I am listing my antique cars nationally today too. Gotta get the driveway free.

Gorgeous temperature today, sunny and just what the septembers are like.

Know anyone who wants to drive a cute antique convertible? I am sad to say I have had it for sale on craigslist all summer and no takers. It is a cool car and someone would love it I'm sure just need it out of my driveway soon pls.....

Most kids are headed back to school this week. I think I'm the only one who wishes we had kids go back the end of September. Summer is just way too short. I know kids think so too. I bet teachers wish they had another month to relax and maybe refresh their curriculum. Kids love being home too as long as they see friends often. My 16 yr old has figured out that really school is to be seen and not really all about the learning. It has lessons sure but really its mostly the relationships and practice following through with tasks that count and will be repeated in their life. It is just there needs more cloud watching in our days today.

Having a high school student has given me the time to start reflection. So I am starting a scrapbook. OK, I am behind but better now than never right? I'm set, got the book, paper and all the crap. I got lots sorted and organized and a few pages done. I confess it's not the first day I have done scrapbooks but I haven't finished much so I still claim novice. I'll keep you posted how much I get done. I've got until Friday before I have to pick stuff up off the table. That's when the weekend starts and my "rule" is that we really need a table for the weekend. Silly but I always like to eat dinner at the table as a family and perhaps play a game or two if we are all together.

I did take 30 mins to do some knitting tonite. I found it stressful trying to decide where to start scrapbooking . So I left it at 9. The cat was crying for dinner so it was a good excuse to quit. And I wanted to see the new season TV show on fox tonite. Kinda over acted if you ask me. I am looking forward to see the new shows this month. I have lots of knitting to do to tv so I am looking forward to checking out the tube while whittlin' away my projects. I love to list the unfinished ones. I did finish a hat yesterday. It came out ok but I would do it differently next time. I think patterns are complicated. Do other people find patterns are usually wrong or not as easy as you would hope?

I am going to end my blogs each time with a comment on our weather. Oregon has a bad rep on it's weather. It's a crock. It was gorgeous today. Couldn't ask for better weather here.