Answering Some Comments

Thank you EVERYONE for all the nice comments you leave for me. It's really nice to read them and I appreciate it very much.

Some answers to some recent questions:

Nancy K: "What pattern are you using for your jeans? They look great."

Thanks! I'm using Simplicity 4068, OOP (link to my review on PR). The pattern has back waist darts, not a yoke. I added a yoke for my last make.

Gaylen: (On the shirts for my FIL and DS) Can we get more info on the fabrics - where purchased, etc.

Believe it or not (I still can't), the fabric comes from Joann's. It's a cotton/poly blend jersey with some body. Perfect for loungewear. It was a recent purchase (I bought white too, and that's what I used for yesterday's Ottobre tee) so it should still be available.

Kat: DH has just requested a Dolphins shirt in the same style. Do you use Embird for the embroidered letters?

Actually, I used my HV "VIP Quick Font." It's an older program now, but I don't do nearly enough embroidery to warrant upgrading it. I have Embird for editing and have thought about the Font Engine because I hear it does a pretty good job. But the program I do have does OK too, so I just keep using it.

Laceflower: Please share how you made the iron on logo for your DH.
Julie: How did you make the iron-on logo?

First, I already had the font from a project for a local client or else I probably would've spent hours looking for it. But that's not really what you're asking, I think. The iron-on is easy-peasy. You just need transfer paper for dark fabrics. It has a white base, instead of clear like you usually find at places like Office Depot, etc. Then you print on it with an inkjet just like regular printer paper, peel off the backing, arrange it on the tee/whatever, cover it with the parchment paper/vellum that's included in the pack, and press with a dry iron for 20-30 seconds. I buy mine from PrintOnIt.com It lasts pretty well, although after a lot (think teen sons) of laundering, it does begin to crack a little. Not bad though, and it doesn't flake off and the colors don't fade. You just end up with a "distressed" iron-on, which is still very fashionable. ;-)

Jodi: What pattern is your jacket? I looked at your earlier entries, but I couldn't find it. I really like it.

Thank you! It's #128 from the 04/2006 issue of Burda WOF. My review is here. If you click on "Jackets" in the Labels in my sidebar (scroll down, down), it should bring up all the entries related to making it. I don't make many jackets so those entries shouldn't be hard to single out.

Teddylyn: My youngest DS is a Redskins fan too and would love it if I could figure out how to digitize the logo like you did!

Send me an email to djc at cedesign dot com and I'll send it to you. It's for BIG hoops. Let me know what format you need.

Carolyn: And exactly how many Ottobre tees do you have now?

Counting the PJs I just made, I think I'm up to 10.

bishopfamily: May I ask what Ottobre you use?

All of my recent tees are from the 02/2007 issue of Ottobre Woman. It's still available on the Ottobre website here (click on English) and I think The Woolly Thread sells them too.

kasizzle: Wish I could get away with doing laundry only once a week!

Me too! I meant one load per week of *my* colored laundry which I separate from any of the boys' things out of self-preservation. ;-) BTW, I looked at your profile and if I'm not mistaken, you are in Valrico too? Is that right?

And now for some really old questions which I forgot to answer earlier:

Could I ask you whether you do a 'standard' FBA on your tops or do you have to start afresh with each and every one?

I'll quickly tissue fit a new pattern and make an FBA based on that, so yes, pretty much a new one for every pattern. I also use TNT patterns for comparison and will sometimes do the FBA based on that.

shorty: Oh one more thing about those chevrons, can you elaborate more on which direction they should go?

I think chevrons on a plus-size figure should be oriented so that the vee points down. That way, the illusion of the widest part of the chevron is not opening up and making waist & hips look larger. Instead, it's opening up at your face and creating the expected hourglass female figure. But that's just my 2 cents. ;-)

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Chili has poked me in the leg with his nose at least 50 times while I was writing this (it's so darn cute, too). It's time for their walk and they know it, so that's what I'm off to do. And yep, Dani seems to be good as new. It's been one week since she was spayed and her incision is healing nicely so I'm going to let them run and run today. Maybe she'll exhaust her energy chasing Chili instead of on my patterns. ;-)