thanks for the memories

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Moving to the edge of my comfort zone


On a recent trip to Barnes and Noble (got to love that store) I came across this book. After a quick perusal I decided that it would be a welcome addition to my sewing library. One search on Amazon later and I was able to buy the book used for 1/10 the price. (that included shipping)

My daughter makes skirts for herself all the time and she has recently introduced Melissa to the art as well. If any of you readers out there have been in a fabric store lately you know that sewing patterns are outrageously expensive. At the risk of showing my age I remember a time when a pattern could be purchased for .25 which left the buyer money to actually get fabric to make up the pattern she had chosen. Now patterns, even at 40% off are around $5.00. That usually means you can buy the pattern on one trip and the fabric on another after you have recouped your loses. But I digress.
It has been many years since I made anything for myself. I would like to have everyone think that it is because I have selflessly been sewing for others which has left me no time to make clothing for me. (this is sadly not true, I am not that good a person) The harsh truth is that I don't like sewing for myself because it requires that I look in a mirror to check the look and fit and the prospect of that is a fate worse than death. (I don't even look in the mirror when I brush my hair. I do it all by feel and it looks that way too.)
Yesterday in the spirit of learning new lessons I took the book down and followed the directions for measuring myself. After I picked myself up off the floor I was able to draft a pattern for a simple A-line skirt. It took me about 1 hour to sew it up and fit it. (I managed this with only one look into a mirror) Again, when the camera woes are over I will post a pic of the skirt sans me. It turned out so well I cut two more.
I might get used to this whole learning thing.

Lesson learned.....I think.

Truly I am not a dumb as I appear, but this whole diaper making thing has been a mystery and a puzzle to me. After a lot (and I mean a whole lot) of reasearch I managed to puzzle out the supplies that I would need to make some of these new-fangled AIO's for Layn. I found a source for the PUL (waterproof) fabric online at a reasonable price. Found another source for the higher quality Velcro (0nly it isn't called velcro it is called Aplix). The problem came when I downloaded about a half dozen different tutorials, patterns, and directions for sewing the darned things. I should have chosen only one and taken it from there.
Mistake number one=lesson number one: everyone does it a little different and therefore there is no one right way to make an all in one diaper.
So here is what I do. I use the pattern called Rita's Rump Pocket (aptly named). I use one layer of the PUL, one layer of some kind of soft fabric which will be against Layn's bottom. So far I have been buying flannel sheets, pillow cases, and clothing from yard sales and repurposing them. Then I use three layers for the "soaker" in the middle. For the soaker you can use anything that you want since it will be sandwhiched between the PUL and the flannel. I have again been using tee shirts that I got cheap from yard sales.
Unfortunately my camera is on the fritz but when it is better I will post pics of both my failures and my successes. Suffice to say Layn now has about a dozen diapers made with love by grandma.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

One lesson down more to go!!!

This old dog is definitely learning a few new tricks. Back in the day, when my children were only wee ones there was no such thing as "going green." We just did what our mothers and grandmothers taught us to do.
So there I was expecting my first child, the question of how to diaper him was not a question at all. Yes, there were disposable diapers available but who could afford them, and why? My policy is and always has been, "I'm doing laundry anyway, might just as well throw in a few more or do another load if that's what it amounted to." As a matter of fact there was no such thing as WalMart either!!!!! So off to Sears Roebuck I went to stock up on all of the baby essentials: cloth diapers, what we called rubber pants, pins and plenty of A&D ointment. We started out with a purchased diaper pail as well, you know the kind that has the compartment in the lid for the deodorizer tablet, but when baby number three came along and I still had two others in diapers, well you know. So we switched to a 5 gallon pail purchased at the hardware store complete with lid. (forget the deodorizer tablet, just splash some bleach in each time you scrub it out and you are good to go!)
Anyway, back to my lesson. Now my grandson is in diapers. The diaper pail is the same but diapers have certainly changed over the years. I won't even begin to list all of the different options that are out there. Like a good mom, Melissa has Layn in cloth but our four dozen prefolds are beginning to show a lot of wear and he isn't two yet and not likely to be trained any time soon.
So, onto the internet went grandma to search out sources for supplies and patterns to make what is known in the modern world as AIO's. (all in one) I am overwhelmed by the information out there, but I have been reading, watching videos, and downloading until I see diapers in my sleep. Time will tell if this old grandma is a green grandma or just an old fogey!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

A new leaf

There is an old saying that goes like this, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." I have recently been informed by my daughter the psychology major that it is just not true. Not only can you teach an old dog new tricks, I too can be taught. I am not sure that I believe her 100% but I am willing to endeavor to learn a new trick just to prove that phrase untrue.
I am now turning over a new leaf and on the path of learning new tricks. I have reached the conclusion that no one wants to learn from my mistakes or be prevented from making similar ones, so this blog is going to take a new turn. I guess that my new attitude and new direction make the title of this blog more than apropos. So here goes and only time will tell whether the new leaf was truly new and that tricks which weren't part of the repertoire have now been acquired.