Shut Up And Sew

It's been a wild weekend.  When hasn't it been?

On Good Friday, I spent all my spare time making the sample tuxedo pants for Briar, Meri's prom date.  During this time, someone told me something that has made me think heavily all weekend.  I've just realized that I am the laughing stock for some.  The butt of jokes.  Not a good feeling.  

I decided to throw myself into sewing as much as I could this weekend.

I also found out just before Good Friday service that Briar would be at my house the next morning at 10 to try on the sample pants and jacket.  Whoops!  I didn't even have the sample jacket cut OUT yet!

Our dryer was giving us fits last week so I spent part of Friday working from the laundromat.

So after church and a quick stop to pick up our traditional Good Friday chili dogs (and we may need to change our tradition as they're $3 each now...) (or just cut it down to just one per person next year) I headed home and cut out the sample jacket.

These are the most hideous fabrics in my stash, but wow!  They did the trick! 

I spent three hours on Saturday morning getting the jacket whipped together.  One of the sleeves matched close to the one that he had gotten from the Goodwill, but I went along with the actual pattern for the other sleeve to see if we could tell any major differences.  

Meri could.  We went with the adjusted sleeve.  AND I pinned out some changes in the back, pinned up 3 inches in the length and added a little on the front lapel as well as placed the pockets better.  This could be the best jacket this kid ever owns.  I hope.

Once the fitting was done, I got to work using black dupioni silk, also from my stash.  I used some shiny black satin (from stash) for a stripe up the sides of the legs and the zipper from the sample pants.  I also used some very soft lining for interlining that I'd purchased.  If these pants don't win a ribbon at the State Fair this summer, the judge may very well have been drinking.  They're looking good inside and out...  I just need to do the hem and hook at the waist and a little top stitching and they're done.  

That spot is from my camera, NOT on the pants.

I stopped at that point and started laying out the pattern pieces for the jacket.  The pieces are all ready and adjusted with what we'd decided Saturday morning but I waited until Sunday after church to actually cut them out.  When you need a larger table to cut on, the bed works the best.  You can just push the pins right into the memory foam like one big pin cushion, then cut around with the scissors.  It's not as slick as using the rotary blade, but it's the next best thing.  

One piece I cut out twice.  WHEN will I learn??!!!

Meri was on a DUO call with Maddy and Matthew and I got in on that.  YAY!  They were busy making their very first Easter dinner for two.  Yummmm.

After cutting out the pieces, I got the house in order and worked on Easter supper while Robb went to pick up the boys.  After plotting out Meri's graduation party with her, I even got a little time to run over and see my bestie.  Her husband is sick so it's been kind of lonely at the nursing home without his visits. 

I took her some purple stuffed plastic eggs.

The Easter egg hunt was just before dinner.

Apparently Robb was getting lazy helping me hide them.  He put a whole dozen eggs carton in a flower pot...  REALLY?...  I rehid those.  Then he left a trail on the yard, with some plastic ones breaking open.  He will never be chosen to be the Dibley bunny... 

Leon was diligent to pick up all the pieces.

His dad watched from the porch.  And coincidentally, this is picture # 2 of the 10 photos of him for the year that he allows me to take.  He's keeping track...  

The wedding last June took a large percentage!

We had our Easter dinner at supper time instead this year.  That way Leon and his dad could join us.  Meri had a friend over too and we had a very nice dinner even though I'm thinking of ways the food could have been better.  Oh well, it was edible! with a little salt and horseradish...

Leon worked on a new Lego set that the Easter bunny gave him. (what the heck, he knows it's me) The girls, Ryan, Robb and I played some Jackbox.tv for a little while before Meri needed to get Allison home.  

And a new phrase that Robb created this weekend has stuck and is now a McVal-ism in our household.  I came downstairs wearing pretty random things late last week.  I asked Robb, do I look like a refugee?  He said "No, more like a gypsy with a Penneys card."

I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend!