Sewing progress, etc.

Last Friday, I finished one of the maternity shirts! Hooray! I was fairly happy with the end result, but me-oh-my, did I have adventures with this shirt. :) It was basically a trial run anyway, since it was my first attempt at adapting this pattern. Anyway, here's the story:

I had gotten the main parts of the shirt sewed together before we left for Ohio in December. I was just starting on the sleeves when I realized that I had accidentally only cut out ONE sleeve. Oops. Since I had also accidentally laid out the fabric wrong, I didn't have enough left to cut another sleeve on a fold. So I had to make the second sleeve in 2 pieces--it would now have a seam on the top and bottom of the sleeve. Oh well, I figured I could just wear it around home if it looked too funny. When we got back from OH, I went to pick up the project again and discovered a small snip in the neckline fabric. I thought I must have been very careless when I laid it down (it was right with the scissors) and somehow the scissors must have closed on it . . . either that, or Sam had been messing with it, but I didn't want to blame him too hastily. However, when I went to start sewing it, I discovered another snip in a totally different place on the shirt. Hmmmm, now it was starting to look like Sam was guilty! I patched up the little snipped places with fusible interfacing on the inside and hoped that would work OK. Then I proceeded to sew in the sleeves and put some grosgrain ribbon around the neck for trim. Sure enough, the right sleeve did look a bit funny, especially since the fabric was a bit faded on the seam area. At this point, I knew this would be an "at home" shirt. :) I also hadn't made it quite big enough, so while it should fit for another month or so, I don't think it'll work till the end of pregnancy. But the funniest thing happened when I went to try it on, before hemming it. I started to tie the ribbons in the back (they had been sewed on before we went to OH also), and discovered that my little scissors-happy culprit had cut one of the ties completely in half! LOL. Thankfully I had just enough ribbon to make another tie . . . and I learned that it would be a good idea to put unfinished projects up out of Sam's reach in the future. :) (And he did admit to cutting the ribbon when I asked him about it, and received firm instruction not to try such a trick again!)

So, here is a side view of me in my new shirt (about 27 weeks pregnant),
and a front view (don't look too close, because there are plenty of flaws!):
I also have another project all cut out and ready to sew; hopefully I get that one done by the end of this week!

In other news, today Jim had to go get a few materials for his current job, and the kids and I went along. We had hopes of finding some hardwood flooring for the kids' room at a reasonable price, and we did! Yay! It's supposed to be delivered by the end of this week, or beginning of next. Then at Home Depot we got some more tongue-and-groove for a VERY discounted price, which we will use on a slanted part of the ceiling which we originally planned to paint. And maybe on one of the walls, too. AND, we got paint! It's a medium blue called "Americana" and I think it'll look really nice. I'm so excited because we have almost everything we need, now. We just have to figure out trim. And when I go to Walmart tomorrow, I plan to purchase some material for the curtains (I already have some, but want a little bandanna print to coordinate with it). It's looking like it'll take us a little longer than a week to finish the room--probably more like two--but we'll survive. :) The kids are sleeping fine in their new locations, which is the most important--strangely enough, they've actually slept better than usual.

Well, I better get this posted and get to work on laundry, as well as make out a grocery list for tomorrow. Hope you all are having a great week, and thanks for all the comments! I haven't had a chance to answer them lately, but I do appreciate the encouragement. :)