Actual Sewing Going On (and other stuff)

I really, really want to wear the new capris to a school function on Thursday and other projects (see below) have kept me out of the sewing room more than in it. So, I've declared today a PSD (personal sewing day). And because I want to make a new top to wear with them, I'm probably declaring another PSD for tomorrow. After that, though, it's back to installing floors so I have a functioning dining room for the houseguests descending upon us in three short weeks for DS#1's graduation. Although I will be popping into the sewing room on and off during the floor install so I can make the outfit I want to wear for the graduation. Whew! I'm tired already. ;-)

So, the capris are cut and halfway sewn. Then while making pockets, I decided to get out the camera because this little pressing tool has gotten such bad press (har har) on Pattern Review and it really is a handy notion for me. Sure, you can burn the dickens out of your fingers if you're not careful, but if you handle it from the opposite edge of the iron, it stays cool enough that burns are not concern, and it's aluminum so the heat dissipates quickly. I use it for pockets mostly, but I do sometimes use it to start a measured hem or to press a crease in stubborn fabric. I actually like that it's metal and gets extremely hot because pressing denim pockets into shape goes a lot faster with the extra heat and moisture (when the steam hits the metal).







I finished the fly the other day, but not without some mild cussing at myself. See the striped fabric? That's what I cut for the waistband facing and for the pocket bags. And then I promptly tossed the scraps, and DH even more promptly emptied trashcans and took the trash to the end of the driveway for the next day's pick-up. Except that I forgot to cut a fly shield! So, now you all know that these capris don't have a coordinating fly shield. (Will the horrors never end?)



Here's where I am now — with the leg marked for the embroidery I'll be doing as soon as I upload this post. I had to topstitch some of the hem area first so that the embroidery is on top and not vice versa, which means that I have to turn up the rest of the hem later with parts of it already topstitched. That will be fun fiddly.



In other sewing room "news," while I was taking pics of the capris, Chili fished out the empty stabilizer tube from the trash as his new toy of the hour. (Why couldn't he have fished out a scrap of that striped fabric when I needed it??) This dog loves to shred paper/cardboard. He doesn't eat it, just shreds until it can't be shredded any more and then walks away, leaving his pile of shreds. It's actually kind of funny (even if I'm usually the one picking up the shreds) and on this floor what difference is some shreds blended in with the threads?







And, lest you think I'm letting you get away without yet another remodeling update … hah!

The living room and family room are pretty much done. I still have some stuff to put away and some desk organizing to do, but most of the big stuff is unpacked, out, and/or otherwise put where it's going to be. DH hung the new light fixtures in the laundry room, and made & hung the photo ledges for the family room. It's finally starting to feel cozy in this house (well, some parts of it). Various photos below.

My office area looking from the TV end of the room:



Looking at the TV end of things from the kitchen door:



The HGTV-inspired photo ledges DH made:



The new sofa in the living room:



The new overhead laundry room fixture:



And the wall sconce (why does anyone need a wall sconce in a laundry room? And yes, something that is needed is curtains! Shoemaker's barefoot children and all that …):