MomChops came over Sunday to lend a helping hand with sewing the bird pattern I have been working on for the past few weeks. She looked at my pattern and then at Douglas and Matilda and exclaimed "it's not your pattern that's the problem Lolly - it's your crappy sewing".... She did not *really* say that - but I could see it in her eyes.
My mom comes from a long line of expert sewers. She tells stories of her grandma whipping together 42 dresses in 31 minutes. Flat. Her grandma used to work in the sewing factories in NYC...sewing dresses together for something insane like $.10 per dress. I cannot even imagine doing anything for $.10. Different times that's for sure.
She taught me a lot Sunday. Trimming pointy edges after you have sewn them together, how to use a paint brush to poke out the corners (she's going to get me a real poking out the corners device, but that paint brush worked well enough), clipping slats into the curves, stretching the curves (we don't want any stretch marks now do we).. it went on and on. The end results was one fine looking bird (well two actually). I am going to need to add weights to the bottom (that's my lesson next week) and we also decided they needed wings. Cute little felt wings with..wait for it...blanket stitching AND french knots. I can handle that part. I think.
Note: I removed the beak (it was a booger to get on and he has a point for a beak anyway). I think this works better. In my pattern I will include an optional beak as well as the wings.
Once I manage to get this puppy worked out I will be sharing the pattern for everyone to download so they can make their own Douglas and Matilda birdies. I cannot wait to see what you guys create!
Oh one more thing! MintBasil posted some pics of the Pay it Forward goodness she received from me over the weekend. You can go check it out HERE! mmmm free stuff.
Happy Tuesday everyone!
