It has been awhile, huh? Paper writing is not as easy as it was 14 years ago...

I have a 15 page paper due at the end of this week and then a 7 page paper due by Dec 9th.  So, writing those, home-schooling, Thanksgiving, my little sister's visit, and some sewing I have been super busy!  I might have to go writing once per week and posting pictures of what I have sewed during the week.

But I have sewed all this during the last 3 weeks....(most of it in the last 5 days)
for my 14yo daughter - black corduroy coat with silky lining for our "cold" weather
5 pillowcases, with embroidered names, for Christmas presents for a friend
11 pillows for my Mom - some for Christmas and some to replace the formal living room pillows
5 tablecloths for my Mom (she is having a party this week)
9 new ornaments for my Mom (her family is all western and needed some new ornaments to match -they are made from matching pillow fabric)
2 new fleece exercise coats for my mom and I
the sleeves, collar, sleeve tabs, back tab, pockets, and pocket flaps for my new winter coat...

And I have things cut for Christmas presents - new shirt for my husband, 2 blouses for my sister, a new  fleece coat for her (she asked), 10 pillowcase (with embroidered names) for my family and my parents, a new Christmas dress for my 4yo daughter, a new blouse for my 12 yo daughter, a new stuffed penguin for my 14yo daughter, and 2 new vests for my 9 and 7 yo sons.  I don't know what to make my 17 yo son - any ideas? 

Oh, and I have a client's dress to hem (formal dress with about a millon layers of netting) and the zipper is broken and needs to be replaced and moved as the dress is a little big in the upper back area.

Wow.  When is Christmas again? 

Halloween (AZ style)...

It has been in the low 90's/high 80's for 2 weeks now. Very unusual. We have actually new weather records this past week because of the heat.

So, as normal, we didn't have to worry about anything under costumes, save for a sweatshirt.

So, here are my younger 5 (the oldest has a job and was working that night):

From left to right: Prince Caspian, Queen Lucy, and High King Peter (do you see the theme they came up with?)


And here are my new Charlie's Angels:


And while husband and I were going to dress up, we spent all day Saturday working on the kitchen - leaving us in a 'not wanting to dress up mode'...

As for candy? We have an all you can eat day the following day! Everyone is allowed as much candy they want all day, starting after breakfast. The next morning after that, all the remaining candy is given away to Nana - who stores it for treats in her home (except for the lollipops that I keep for shopping trips)...

And there is no extra candy to tempt me anywhere!

Ok...here is an actual sewing post! Church trousers for a child...

So, in the midst of the bathroom leak, and the kitchen leak, and my son getting suspended, my 9 year old needed a pair of new trousers for church.

So, I bought some nice Khaki Chino from Fabrics.com and went to town...

the front:


close-up for the front waistband:


Close-up of the inside of the back waistband:


What you see there is buttonhole elastic. While I am still trying to lose weight (35 lbs left to go), my children are all extremely thin. My 9 year old has the leg length of a 9-10 year old, but has the waist of a 6 year old!

So, I normally cut his pants patterns (and my other 2 little ones) 1 size larger than they are in the waist, and then cut the length based on their inseam. However, because these are church trousers, and not worn everyday, I also add a 2 inch hem, which I cuff up.

So, I add a 2 buttonholes in the waistband facing, near the side seams, insert the elastic, and sew on 2 clear buttons to hold the elastic. This work much better than havin to see him winch his trousers tighter with his belt!

I have been doing this little trick on skirts, shorts, and trousers for my younger children for a couple of years.

I passed my A+ exams!!!!!

I am now a certified A+ Technician and A+ certified for IT work.

Whew.