Ottobre Hooded Sweat Jacket 1/2005 #26

I just finished this Ottobre jacket. It is made from a sherpa fleece on the body and sweatshirt fleece on the sleeves. The elbow patches, paw prints, and hood linings are from a cotton woven fabric from Sewzannes (I love this fabric and think I have enough left for a shirt); note the little row of paw prints in the stripe. I got the idea for the paw prints from another Ottobre pattern that used frog prints for front pockets. I decided the paw prints wouldn't work as stand-alone pockets so sewed them onto the pockets and stitched a paw print on each of the elbow patches. To help keep the woven fabric from getting too wrinkly and ravelly I interfaced the paw prints completely and the elbow patches to within 1/4" from the edge. I have a puppy applique I could put on the front chest but N vetoed that idea. So, we'll stick with paw prints. I made this in a size 128 and didn't make any other pattern changes except I don't think I was supped to add seam allowances to the elbow patches and I did. I topstitched in reverse colors but the blue kind of got buried in the nap of the fleece. Of course the ribbing doesn't bury it so I hope that looks like a design detail. LOL.

New Family Photo

We just went to get family pictures taken today. Here's the best one we've seen so far...

Ottobre Knit Jacket 3/2004 #12

I finished this jacket up about a week ago and am finally getting around to blogging it. It is a knit jacket made out of sweatshirt fleece I ordered from Sewzannes. The pattern called for front outside pockets and K wanted them at the side seam. I used the pocket pattern piece from #36 and added a pocket. I also added an interlock lining to it to make it a bit warmer for our cold fall weather. Basically I sewed the same jacket in turquoise and inserted it with topstitching visible to the inside. I stitched the sleeve edges right sides together, then I wonder taped the bottom and stitched it, turned it right side out, and Wonder Taped the front edges together. I added the collar before adding the zipper. Then I covered the inside of the zipper with the collar so you can't see the zipper on the outside of the collar like you can if you follow Ottobre's directions. Next I pinned the collar over the inside lining at the neckline and topstitched it down. I had the most trouble with this part even though I thought I pinned it accurately. The pocket is completely enclosed within the lining so you can't see it on the inside. This is made in a size 140 with no size modifications, not even length. Will try to get pics of dd modelling it before school tomorrow.

I am happy to report that K LOVES this jacket and is wearing it. I finally made her something that she likes as well when completed as she does in the planning stages. Of course now I wonder why I thought a fabric with a white background would be a good choice for a jacket. LOL. I keep finding it on the floor. Of course I mind this much more than I would a RTW jacket.

My new favorite game

Previously my favorite game was Blokus. Tonight I played Keesdrow for the first time and I love it! It's like the old word finds I used to do as a kid but better. Using the letter tiles on the board you find a word and mark it with pegs. The letters can be forward, backward, or diagonal all in the same word. You can use each letter tile up to three times; either in one turn or separate turns. It wasn't so much fun for a 4 yo but the rest of us enjoyed it and our word geek (my dh) actually lost so the kids enjoyed it that much more. Not only is it fun to play but it helps the kids work on both spelling words and addition for scoring. This just might be my new suggested kid gift for birthdays.

More cute comments

I'm trying to remember the most recent of my favorite comments of N's. They were made a while ago.

5. "Does God make police cars?" I tell him "no, God gives us the intelligence and technology and man makes cars." His response. "Or girls. Maybe bad men make race cars."
4. "I think we should get a green golf cart" (the neighbors have a golf cart that they drive around the neighborhood in). "That way we could go hunting in the woods." When asked what he wants to hunt he responded "we could hunt for bears!"

How does a 4 yo's mind really work?

Will a 4 year old think of anything just to not fall asleep? N asked me these last two in bed before going to sleep at night.

4. "Why does God give morning breath? Why doesn't he just give regular breath?"
3. "Why does God make Tornados if he wants to take care of us?" When I responded "I don't know" N suggested "let's dream about it."
2. "Can we see when we're dead?" Not having any idea where he's going I respond "no, we can't see or hear or eat or anything." His next question is "Then how can we see God when we're in heaven?"
1. "Is the sky God's floor?"