Bye Bye Sadie Dog

I know that she is just a dog, but we love her very much.  Today, we have to say goodbye and it breaks our hearts.  She was a very good dog, companion, source of entertainment and frustration.  She was my first baby.  

She has lived a wonderful life and made ours happier.  We will miss her terribly.

Randomness-Why Do We Love It?

So, there has not been much sewing going on here since the family has invaded.  We were fortunate to have my parents down over Memorial Day for Sophia's dance recital.  Talk about a whole lot of stress that resulted in a whole lot of entertainment and fun.  I still haven't decided if it is worth it for a four year old, but I am definitely happy we did it this year.

After oma and opa left, Tante Sonja, Eli, and Ella came down.  They are still here and Sophia and Amelia are enjoying their cousins a lot!  Eric, Sonja and I are just trying to get by.  None of us are used to four kids.  It can be a handful at times!!  

But Friday the World Cup started, so now Eric and I have something to enjoy for the next month.  Yay!  We watched the US tie England and enjoyed it.  But yesterday we got to watch Germany win over Australia 4-0 and we loved every minute.   

(picture from http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=249722/match=300111116/summary.html)

As I was sitting there watching, several thoughts kept running through my head. The first was the normal: Why do we care so much?  I don't understand how sports can get us.  The emotion involved can be incredible: heartbreaking or ecstatic.  It is amazing to me because only international soccer has gotten me like that.  Before my first WM (weltmeisterschaft), I truly did not understand how men could get so worked up over college or professional sports. Now, I have at least gotten a taste.  My question, though, is: Do my emotions run high because of the memory, the spirit, the experience that I associate with it?

You see, my first WM was the summer after I moved to Germany.  I was a bit lonely without friends, family, or job.  So, when the WM started coming on, one game each day (we only had basic cable) it gave me something to connect to.

But actually, the whole love for soccer started before that.  In May 2002, Eric and I were fortunate enough to be in Madrid, Spain when Real Madrid was playing Bayer Leverkusen for the Champions League Finale.  Even though we were sort of rooting for Leverkusen, being newly expatriated to Germany, we were thrilled when Real Madrid won because the city went berserk in a very happy, fun-loving way!  The next day the joy continued as the team toured the city stopping at different squares to wave to fans.  They ended in a church to say mass. I loved the otherness of it all.  The players, many of them millionaires, all wore the same suit.  They all wore ties. It was just different than American football.

That otherness continued through the WM.  I loved how they have the kids walk out for the national anthems.  I found it inspiring how the players were so international even when playing on their national teams.  I mean, the German coach, Rudi Voeller, who is German gave interviews to the Italian reporters in Italian since he had spent much of his professional career in Italy.  The same was true for foreign players who played or had played in Germany.  They would give interviews in German to the German reporters.  As someone struggling to learn that language, I was impressed.  In the US, we (or maybe just me) are pretty quick to pigeon hole people and one of our favorites is "dumb jock."  Well, these guys, who do not go through a college system to play professionally or internationally were doing a fine job being informed about the places and people they encountered.

I really can not pin point why I fell in love with it all, but I did.  The memories of that WM after which I wanted, to the horror of Eric, to name our first born son Oli or the one in 2006 which was in Germany  (we never got tickets) and inspired two of my favorite German songs, Dieser Weg 

and Was Wir Alleine Nicht Schaffen,

must have caused my tears on Sunday. I love that place and that time.  I miss it lots even though I am so fortunate to have wonderful friends here.  We feel so connected to Germany and its team even though we have no right to.  It makes no sense, but life and love are often like that.  Hell, sports are often like that.  All I can say is, "GO DEUTSCHLAND!!" and I hope you all enjoy the 2010 World Cup.  We will be watching!

(picture from http://www.dfb.de/)

Sneak Peek

Still working on that darn 1st quilt, but wanted to show it off anyway.  Here it is before the quilting begins. 

The actual quilting ended up being harder than I expected. I knew it would take some time, but I didn't realize that I wouldn't like the look of my stitches. I am now done with all the blocks (hideous stitches be damned) and need to start on the border area.  Since that is the step I have to draw out first, I'm currently procrastinating by blogging ☺

Randomness-The Girls

No sewing. Just the girls. A picture of Amelia at the show and a video of Sophia's End of Year Program. It was just so cute even if you can hardly understand a word they are saying! I love the programs.

Mother's Day

I spent Mother's Day doing something I enjoy: sewing.  I actually sewed some things for my Mother (I won't see her until the end of the month, so technically it is not late.)  I threw in an extra for my sister since she is a mom too (and I had the fabric).  My sewing has resulted in a lot of gifts lately and that makes me feel good.  Mother's Day is a day for all of us moms to do something that makes us feel good.  Some go to the spa, some out to eat, some just to a park with their kids.  I sewed and now I am going to share.  Yay happiness on our day!

First, Sophia's Old Navy dress replica got gathered pockets yesterday.

The pockets are from Made.  I used them on her Easter skirt, too.  They are fast and easy.  You just have to be careful that you turn enough under and that you catch it when sewing the pocket onto the skirt/dress.  I must also confess that I did not put the button on because let's face it, it would never get used by a 4 year old.

My hope for today was to start quilting my quilt top from my class.  Yes, it is done, basted and ready.  However, my Mother's Day gift, a walking foot, did not get here in time.  Boo! Hopefully next week. 

That unfortunate event did allow me to focus on my mom.  She loves that I sew, but she doesn't necessarily want anything that I sew.  It is strange.  So that my feelings would not get hurt and so that I could try out some of the cute tutorials collected for Celebrating Mom, again from Made, I did not ask her what she wanted.   I just picked a couple of things I would want.

First came the brush holder from another fave of mine, Freshly Picked. 

I got carried away and poof, my sister got one too.

Then came the gathered clutch by Noodleheads.  I meant to make my sister one of these too, but ended up having trouble with the zipper in the end step.  It was just too bulky and stopped my machine several times (yes, I do need a new needle soon, but I am trying to push on through with this one for some insane reason.  I am strange.  I do admit it on a regular basis!!)  I think it might have been something about the length of the zipper since I have made zippered pouches before using the end pieces on the zipper and not had trouble.  Regardless, I ended up (after sewing and ripping two times) just taking the whole thing apart and taking off the end pieces.  It worked great after that. 

I plan to revisit the tutorial of the other zippered clutch with end pieces.  I really bet that the end piece was suppose to be 1" long after folding and mine was only 1/2".  I think the pair will make for a nice gift for my mom, though.

The final gifts that were made this week were my teacher appreciation gifts that will be given at the end of the school year.  S has had a GREAT year at school and I think a lot of that is due to her teachers.  She has learned so much and seemed much more comfortable than in years past.  I know some of it is her age, but her two teachers really are super nice.  I made them the Mama Bag from Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule.  The book was generously loaned to me by Melissa. Thank You!!

Like Melissa before me, I added a magnetic clasp and inside pocket.  On the second one I added a large, 1.5", circle of cardboard on the back of each side of the clasp.  It helps a lot to spread the pull on the fabric from the clasp.  I put a bit of cardboard on the first one too, but it was almost the exact same size as the metal back of the clasp.  I feel like I am going to rip the bag every time I open it.  But now, the question is: will the cardboard make a huge mess if the bag is washed?  If anyone has answers for me, please share!!

They look nice and springy though, so I hope they make two wonderful people happy!

OK, that is all for gift time now.  I still have two trinket keepers to make for my wonderful nephew who has a birthday tomorrow.  Again, won't see him until June 2, so not technically late.☺  Then, I HAVE to finish my second quilt top and quilt it BEFORE Father's Day.   That one is a must since I have been late with every gift for my Dad for about a year now. 

Good thing making gifts makes me happy!
Happy Mother's Day to all!

Spring Top Week

You know what?  It has been over a year since I took that sewing class.  It has been over a year since I started this blog.  I am so psyched about what I can do and about what I see others doing!!

Part of that is Spring Top Week by Made by Rae.  Rae's Ruffled Top was a new entry last year on Sew Mama Sew when I had first started sewing.  I soooo wanted to try it, but I didn't have the confidence to start sewing for myself until August.  Even then, I didn't do it often.  It is just so much easier to sew for kids: less fabric, faster results, a real need for those growing kids.  Finally, I started sewing for myself about two months ago and after a few successes, I so wanted to take part in Rae's Top Week.  It is like coming full circle.

I have tried for a month to figure out what top I should make.  I wear t-shirts.  I mean, I ONLY wear t-shirts.  I only wanted to make a shirt if it was wearable.  I only have two non-t-shirt shirts that I like to wear.  I thought about trying to replicate one of those (the one that is NOT a button down shirt), but let's face it, that is a bit intimidating in itself even after my latest success with Sophia's dress.  Then I thought about how that shirt was similar to the Ruffled Top.  Even though, it is probably "so last year" (must be said with a snotty teenager voice), I thought it worth doing.  So, I jumped up Saturday and started measuring and sewing.  I am pretty pleased with the outcome.  I especially appreciated the pockets that will keep little toys and tissues for the kids!

The fabrics are from my stash (the one that rocks!)  I used to say that I would never wear clothes that match my kids.  I have found in the last several weeks that indeed I will due to the stash.  I mean, 3 yards of each fabric will get something for me, for S, for A, and perhaps, for someone else.  I can not say that I am sorry about that!

So, here is to Top Week.  Here is to improvement and growth!

Having a Stash Rocks!

So, did I tell you about that crazy shopping spree at JoAnn's Fabric a month or so ago? 

Well, let's just say I am not allowed back and honestly, I should not need to go except for detail items like buttons.  I also have several items from my closet in the sewing room just waiting to be repurposed.  One such item was a floor length jean skirt.  I had finally chopped it up for use in my second quilt (no, the first quilt is not complete.  The class has 2 more weeks to go.  After that I plan on being a speed demon!)  The skirt had a nice waist area that formed a triangle in front and back that I preserved for use in a skirt for the girls.  I added the waist to some of the fabric I had bought during my spree and brought home thinking, "What in the world am I going to make with this?"  It ended up looking like this for Amelia...

I like it lots.  I also got to try out a peasant blouse/dress tutorial that my sewing circle friends informed me of.  I had been looking for one for a while.  You can find it and lots of other cool stuff at indietutes.  It is amazing to me that my friends always find new stuff on the web.  I feel like I spend soooooo much time surfing that I should have found it all by now, but apparently not.  We should just have a surfing circle so that we can see all the cool stuff that each one of us finds. 

I then tackled a replica of one of Sophia's Old Navy dresses that she had last summer.  It is just too small now.  I still need to add some details (pockets, embellishment on the top yoke) and get her to wear it, but other than that it is finished.  I am pretty happy with it, although I think I need to work on the attachment at the bottom of the yoke.  I bet there is a "way" to do it, but I don't know of it.  I just forced it to work. 

The cool thing about the dress and A's skirt is that I used elastic just in the back.  I had been wanting to try this and it seems to have worked fine on both items.  It helps give the outfits a less homemade look without having to deal with those pesky zippers and button plackets. 

I might be off to work on a shirt for me.  I so wanted to take part in Made by Rae's Top Week, but I only have 5 more days to get the shirt done and I don't even know what shirt I want to make.  Yikes!  Off to sew!