I'm sewing again !

 

Current Mood : Hopeful

 

I admit it, I am addicted to my glorious Lab floor now, and want to see all of it all the time. Even DC is in on it, and he loves to curl his long white tail along the Little Disney Princesses while he naps. So the donations that are going but aren't gone yet just had to go ! Bagged up the lot, and offered the red mailbox to Dearest Son.

 

Ah, the red mailbox. I found it at a Big Lots in '02, and actually agonized over spending $6. for it for weeks. When it got marked down to $4., I pounced on it like it was wounded prey and I was a starving lioness on the Serengeti. It's just a knockoff miniature mail drop off box, much like the ones outside any post office, but made without any distinguishing marks or licensing from USPS. It's actually a bit outsized for Barbie-scale, but I really wanted it. Looks just like this ->

 

http://www.7gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/f_audiocubes_mailbank.jpg

 

It was so cool, at a corner of the Dream House (the orange and yellow one), that I felt completely validated. Unfortunately, then-nearly-three Dearest Son‘s imagination was captured as well. Can't remember how many times I picked it out of one of his piles of toys - then had to hunt for the hinged door that always fell off. Dearest mastered the use of keys fairly early. I ended up hiding it, and convinced that I'd never find another, tucked it into the sole box of doll stuff that made The Big Move later that year.

 

Of course, it was bound to happen that I found a much more realistic one - in the right shade of blue, with authentic USPS markings - in a thrift store a year or two later. It was even in scale ! I thought maybe it was part of a Mattel playset, but it's actually a licensed collector's item. Who knew there were post office memorabilia collectors ? By then, the red one was deep in the big box o' props, and the new one soon joined it. I had a wash of nostalgia when I found it this week... and then it went to Dearest, who still loves it. As happy as I am about all the space in the Lab now, I got much more than that from this clean-out.

 

And, I actually sewed today ! Of course, it took me half an hour to find and get to KJ's  power outlet - I'd shoved the cutting table over it, and the new desk just didn't have any ‘give' to wiggle with. So I moved things as little as possible and gave it several really good stretching efforts, and eventually got a small power strip plugged in. Even wrapped the foot pedal around the back of the desk, so KJ's wires were tucked away. The power outlet for Brody is much easier to get to, but I think I'll install another small power strip on the other outlet. According to his manual, Brody needs his own direct outlet, and should be unplugged when not in use. So I comply.

 

First I tried the slipper pattern I got online, in junk fabric just for size, but evidently I didn't replicate the squares-only pattern correctly. It came out awful ! But I wasn't too discouraged - I decided to sew something else. Doll clothes ! While I was rearranging the LDPs, I noticed that Princess Dorrie was still in the white and gold gown from the ‘salvage a doll as doll clothes' directions, and that was written up over a year ago. I thought she might be more comfy in some pajamas, so I pulled out a pattern for loose pants. One of several I printed from Doll Shop Deluxe, from several different measurement sets for the same dolls. DSD is such a PITA. Printed these ‘loose pants with waistband' sheets back in Aug. 08, but never used ‘em. No time like the present !

 

They went together well, but I had the usual difficult time with the inseam. DSD loves to print out different crotch lengths, say a short one in front and a longer one in back. The programs says it's to allow for fitting, but I say it's just a pain getting it to match. I can make simple ‘two front, two back, one waistband' pants in less than a half hour if I don't have to futz with matching the inseam. It took some playing around, but I finally got it, and they fit just fine. Look pretty good, too. Since the fabric is so dark, I wanted a simple, light fabric for the blouse, so I used a scrap sleeve I pulled aside for donated Barbie clothes. Yeah, I kinda cheated on it, but together, it looks good, and I'm proud of me. You'll get a photo tomorrow.

 

But again, the reward is more than just getting new doll clothes. I did it ! The desk worked beautifully, having the cutting table at my elbow was great, and I had the room I need to enjoy it all.

 

I think 2010 is gonna be great !

 

PS- Michelle, please pass my condolences to your friend. It's heartbreaking, I know, but I always see it as the finest, truest act of love, to let them go when they're suffering. And, "Hi " to Smidge-chan !