Catching up

I'm still trying to catch up at work, with quilt blocks, the laundry... Turns out I missed the best baseball-play of the year as well! Manny Ramirez HIGH-FIVED a fan in mid-double-play.

See the replay here

As of this posting, he's still two home runs shy of the 500 milestone. Hopefully I won't miss his 500th.

(Thanks for the tip, bro.)

Dear Jane B-4, C-3

Anina (Dear Baby Jane Leader) threated us with our lives if we didn't finish our Dear Jane blocks this weekend...just kidding, actually she offered a chance at a giveaway to all who were caught up. Which is really a much nicer option.

I did Friday's block already (Simple Simon M-10) so I only had to catch up with Monday's block, Chris's Soccer Field B-4. I saved it for the weekend because it is paper pieced and I had never tried that before. It came out really well. All thanks to the method and not the skill of the sewer, I promise:


And I even did an extra block, Rayelle's Fence C-3. I have to rip out the bottom third so the lines radiate outward like the top portion. I apparently was not paying attention when I sewed this one up:


That was about all I accomplished this weekend. Except for more hexagons sewn up during Red Sox games. (I don't even want to talk about this weekend's series. A travesty. I am looking foreward to tomorrow's home opener. I have the day off from work and plan on eating nachos at a local bar with my husband. Oh ya, while watching the ring ceremony and game...but I'm really most looking forward to the nachos.)

Clothes Sewing Projects

I am in a wedding a year from now and will have a few events to attend where I will need dresses. I fell in love with this pattern (Simplicity 3867, view A) when it was featured on the cover of a Sew Stylish issue. I attempted the blouse version but gave up after realizing that the fabric I had was a bit heavy for all that gathering and I sewed the "skirt" portion on inside-out. It's still hanging like that in a closet.

I recently saw a beautiful dark blue eyelet version on flickr and am totally inspired to try it again. I have all the pattern pieces traced out already (I like to do that so, if I end up liking a pattern, the pattern lasts longer since it's on heavier paper. I'm also not afraid to alter the pattern this way since I know I can always start over again with the intact original. More work but worth it.) All I need is some fabric.


I bought this pattern last weekend (Simplicity 3835) and some pretty purple fabric for a new shirt. I found time to trace out the pattern but didn't get to cutting or sewing yet. I stalled once I realized I had forgotten to buy the elastic! Maybe this weekend I'll get to it.

The Red Sox are playing a game at a normal time tonight! After the trip to Japan and then the west coast -- where the games were 6AM, 10PM or in the middle of the day -- I can finally go home and watch a game at 7:05 ET. I'll be sitting on the couch hand sewing my hexagons while it's on.

Red Sox in Japan

The Red Sox are playing the Oakland A's tomorrow morning at 6:05 AM ET. The 2008 opening game is being played in Japan which means there will be some early risers here at the Sew and Sox abode. I figure I'll get to watch at least two thirds of the game before I have to leave for work.

Baseball is back!

It is about 20 degrees out today in New England but there will be LIVE baseball on my TV tonight. The Red Sox are playing the Twins in their first spring-training game at 7:00 PM.

Their first two college exhibition games seemed to go well: 24-0 against Boston College and 15-0 against North Eastern University.

In more good news, my Dear Jane book came yesterday. About 20 days ahead of schedule. I only flipped through it and those blocks are 1. small! and 2. complicated! This is going to be a challenge.

Off Season Blues

Checked the Red Sox site today because the winter is cold and cruel. April 1st is the season opener against the Athletics...in Oakland, CA...on a Tuesday night! Do you know what this means?? Because of the time difference, the game starts AT MY BEDTIME!

So not fair.

This weekend I want to focus on getting some projects started and/or completed. So I probably won't be posting until Monday. Have a great weekend!

Great, exhausting weekend

We had a very successful open house this weekend. No offer yet but a couple of prospects. Cross your fingers. It was too stressful though...not just cleaning the house and fixing things but getting THREE cats out of the house was just nuts! Good news though is the house is clean for the week!

I did manage to squeeze in some sewing time. I worked on gifts though so I won't post them here yet. I have a feeling Dec. 26th is going to be a big picture posting day.

And the second best news? (Successful open house is first, sewing is third) Red Sox are #1 in the AL East and will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Yay! No baseball again until Wednesday though.

Go Sox!

As yet I have not posted a single blog entry about my beloved Red Sox. Ironic since I'm way more obsessed with the Red Sox than with sewing. Unfortunately they have been a little, tiny bit of a disappointment this week...swept by the Blue Jays...come on! And are now only 1.5 games ahead of the evil Y**kees.

Well, I am still trying to be hopeful and since trusty Becket -- 19 wins and counting -- we may have a chance.

Go Sox!