Oh Bother, Brother!

The mystery of life!

Well, ...

are there really more words necessary?

It got dusted off today.

Detangled the all tangled up threads today.

Digged out description booklet again today.

But still a mystery.

Hours later I know for sure how to thread it after threading it again and again because it ripped, slipped out and it ran out and that all not just once each till the end I finally swichted the practice thread to white. I dared to switch the idiot proof colored coded threading system to white thread even my girls loved all the the COLORFUL seams. So now it would just be good to know more about the stitches.

Well, at least I used it once this year.

TUTORIAL: Pencil Pouch - Schlamperlmaepple

All you need for making a pencil pouch are two 10"x12" pieces of fabric, iron-on interfacing and one zipper at least 12" long. My zippers are usually at least 14" long. It is easier to work with a little extra on each end. More fabric and embellishments from felt, buttons, ... are optional.

Zum Naehen eines Schlampermaepple braucht man nur zwei Stueck Stoff 10" x 12", aufbuegelbares Interfacing und einen Reissverschluss mindestens 12" lang. Ein bisschen laenger ist vonVorteil, da man damit leichter arbeiten kann. Weiter Stoffe, Filz, Knoepfe ... sind nur extras.

I used Chiara's old jeans for this pouch and so I first had to sew two pieces cut of of the legs to get a large enough piece of material to work with. But I am in recycling mood.

Ich habe eine von Chiaras alten Jeans verwendet und musste somit erstmal zwei kleinere Stuecke zusammennaehen um Stoffstueck zu haben, dass gross genug ist um damit arbeiten zu koennen. Aber momentan ist hier Recycling angesagt.

First you cut your outer pouch fabric in size 10 x 12 inches.

Alles erstes den (Aussen)Stoff fuer das Schlamperlmaepple auf 10x12 inches zuschneiden.

I added another strip of fabric for decoration, with the edges folded in 1/4 " and sewed it on

Ich fuegte einen weiteren Streifen Stoff als Deko hinzu, dazu habe ich die Aussenkanten 1/4" eingeschlagen und auf den Jeansstoff aufgenaeht.

To give the pouch a better form I add some interfacing as stabilizer and cut it the same size 10x12 inches as the pouch fabric.

Damit das Maepple die Form besser Halten kann fuege ich Interfacing als Stabilator hinzu. Das Interfacing auch  10"x12" zuschneiden.

Iron the interfacing onto the back side of the pouch fabric.

Das Interfacing wird auf die linke Seite des Maepplestoffes gebuegelt.

Add the zipper to first top side of the pouch, here the 12" side.

I fold the fabric back and stitch with 1/4" the edge.

Der Reissverschluss wird auf die erste lange (12") Seite genaeht
 und mit einer 1/4" Nahtzugabe abgesteppt.

Repeat this step with the second top side.

For stitching the edge I open the zipper almost all the way.

Diesen Schritt auch mit der zweiten langen Seite wiederholen.

Zum Absteppen des Reissverschlusses auf der zweiten Seite oeffne ich den Reissverschluss fast komplett.

When you are done with adding the zipper it will look like this.

Wenn der Reissverschluss eingenaeht ist, dann sieht es so aus.

Fold the pouch with the zipper in the middle and pin it on both sides.

Das Maepple so falten, dass der Reussverschluss in der Mitte liegt und auf beiden Seiten feststecken.

I usually add a little label right there in the middle or sew a small strip of fabric (about 4 x 1 inches finished size will be folded over). It makes it easier to hold on when opening the pouch with the zipper.

Normalerweise fuege ich ein Label an dieser Stelle auf einer Seite mit hinzu oder einen genaehten Streifen Stoff (ca. 4 x 1 inches fertig, dieser wird dann doppelt gelegt). Dies vereinfacht spaeter das Aufziehen des Reissverschlussen vom Maepple.

I sew with a little bit bigger seam allowance the whole edge closed, but go over the the zipper several times back and forth.

Make sure your zipper is NOT closed all the way when you sew the second side closed.

Rechts und links mit einer Nacht die Seiten schliessen. Ich verwende hier normalerweise eine ein bisschen groessere Nahtzugabe und naehe mehrmals ueber den Reissverschkluss zur Verstaerkung.

Bevor die zweite Seite zugenaeht wird, NICHT vergessen, den Reissverschluss zu oeffnen.

Open the zipper as fas as you can. It will make it easier to fold down the corners into these triangles.

I lay them down on my cutting mat and measure exactly 1" up (height) on the seam and 2" in the width. Pin it and mark it on all four corners.

Der Reissverschluss wird nun so weit geoeffnet wie moeglich. Das vereinfacht das Herunterfalten der Ecken zu Dreiecken. Diese lege ich auf meine Schneidematte und messe ab: 1" an der Nacht in die Hoehe und 2" Breite, das wird festgesteckt und markiert and allen vier Ecken.

Sew on the marked lines and then cut of the tip with a seam allowances.

Es wird auf den Markierungen genaeht und die Ecken mit einer Nahtzugabe abgeschnitten.

 Turn it inside out.

Einfach umdrehen.

For the lining repeat almost all the steps except no interfacing and leave the zipper out. Instead just iron the long edges 1/4" to the left side, because the lining needs to be all the way open. I just pin the lining a little more when closing the sides and also add NO label or fabric strip of course.

Do not turn the lining inside out when done.

Fuer das Futter des Maepple werden fast alle vorhergende Schritte wiederholt. Aber es muss dafuer kein Interfacing verwendet werden und auch kein Reissverschluss, stattdessen einfach die oberen Kanten mit einer Nahtzugabe von 1/4" zur linken Seite umbuegeln, da das Futter komplett offen bleiben muss. Ich stecke das Futter mit mehr Nadeln fest wenn ich die Seiten schliessen und fuege natuerlich kein Label hinzu.

Das Futter bleibt auch links und wird nicht umgedreht.

Just set the lining inside the outer pouch and pin the top to the zipper. Now I sew it by hand with hidden stitches together. Instead of  stitching all the way in the  strip of the zipper I only go through the loops of the seam I made when sewing the zipper in, so you can't see the stitches on the outside.

That's it.

Nun das Futter in das Maepple setzen und nur die obere Kante an den Reissverschluss feststecken. Diese Kante naehe ich nun mit der Hand mit versteckten Stichen fest, gehe dabei am Reissverschluss nur in die Naht , da ich natuerlich nicht moechte, dass man Stiche auf der anderen Seite sehen kann.

Das wars.

Usually I know more expressions in English when I am sewing and quilting, but today I truly was stucked with lots of expressions in German. So I apologize if it sounds confusing. But let me know if there are any more questions.

It's snowing in Texas ... on Christmas Eve

P.S. Believe me it was truly impossible to get a xmas picture with three here at any time earlier.

It was a long year ...but finally - Welcome Home

We made it to the Cooper Field, just on time with 2 out of 3 balloons, our sign, all bundled up and still waiting.

We knew Leland was already in Texas. We knew he already landed in Ft. Hood. This time he had his phone and texted. He called that they were in the bus and and on the way to the field while we were still on the way to Ft. Hood an hour till the ceremony time. "We are running late. - Fantastic!" The road through the country is empty just us, but right in front of post everything is packed. Everybody wants to get in and I can't remember the last time when it took me 20 minutes just to get from the hospital through the gate. Why today? Finally.

He texts "Soon".

We still have to get through half of Ft. Hood and every traffic light was on red. Of course, by the time we get there he will be waiting on us with. We see the signs, the road and almost missed it right in front of our nose even we have been there more as once before, just 10 days ago.

But only a few soldiers in sight, music blasting out of the speakers and it's freezing cold. We made it and no busses in sight. Where are they. It took us forever and we are further away. The army!

Chiara and Soren are running on the field with the other kids, Bella stays close to me. Ten minutes later an announcement out of the speakers to clear the field, the cavalery horses are riding up. Soren is throwing a fit. He wants to keep running on the field. He is throwing himself on the ground. Tantrum. - until walking back to the car, thanks - . Finally the busses are driving up. And we can see them lining up behind.

Chiara saw her Dad right away. He was in the first row, the second from the right.

WELCOME BACK HOME, we love you!

Well

Mmmmm.

Well. That's actually not really describing what's going on here. But how do hundreds of questions - especially from Chiara - from the time she wakes up and goes to school to the moment she walks through the door and goes to bed and beyond and also from Bella's  fit in a title line. Luckily Soren doesn't ask questions. 'Mmmmmm'.  I ask questions. Lots of them usually.

When is Daddy coming home? Is Daddy coming home today? Do you know my horsie's name? What time is he coming home? When is Christmas? What day is Christmas? What is your second name? My second name is? Does Daddy have a second name? Where am I born? When is Daddy coming home? Can I have a horse? I really want a dog for Christmas. Mmmmmmm? What is horse in deutsch? When does the party start? Is the party starting yet? Can I have CANDY?

But for the moment, just my head hurts due to not enough sleep. I can't sleep and if I can then my toddler thinks he must wake up right then or the cat because I do not need sleep. Right.

One of my questions usually is:

Me: 'Is your room picked up?'

Either Kid: 'Let me check.'

You can figure out that that means no, because they usually do not come back, disappear into nowhere, out of my sight - probably playing.

If you are wondering why we are short of pictures, I need to charges batteries, the little ones for the little camera, the big one is on way back from repairs - mmmmh - I am not used to look at the screen for taking pics anymore and they turn out blurry. I might try later, because there is a lot to do here and I also need to go and keep myself busy while waiting.

Daddy will be home for Christmas

He set his foot on the plane out of Iraq as far as we now. Finally. A few more days and we can finally say 'welcome home' after 12 long months. The longest ever. The last two weeks almost daily planes are arriving here and welcoming soldiers home. His soldiers, too. I even picked up another wife from the airport, she spent the night here and we brought her to the Cooper field to pick up her husband, but I couldn't stay there, seeing everybody else coming home but not him. So there was no holiday mood around here yet, something, somebody was and is still missing.

Now we are waiting for 'that phone call' to know how many more hours left, until he finally will be back home.

more of these pencil pouches

Do you  have enough yet of pencil pouch pictures? I stilll have to finish one and to make one more. LOL. Then I can go off and figure out the other xmas present on how to make that one. Why did I decide on ideas without patterns this year. Should I not be smarter than that?

At least we got definately the perfect size now for the pencil pouch and even got artsy with it. Thanks for Thanksgiving in joggingpants. It's the best time to be creative. You have no idea how much glitter and glue and paper and feather and .... got used that day also. Perhabs we do that on xmas, too. By the way we still had a dinner with ham and mashed potatoes and even mini pimpkin pies, but you just need to know how to fix everything within one hour instead of standing HOURS in the kitchen plus having a clean kitchen within minutes. lol. But as much as I love my husband I know having him back home by then we will fail in that part definitely. There will be too many reasons why nobody has time to clean the kitchen even there will be enough cooks.

Early morning on November 27, 2009

The sun is shining through the big window in the kitchen, my sewing maching is humming while working on a xmas present, Soren and and Chiara playing in the kitchen floor with their own setup of horses and cows and reading books in between while Bella is still sleeping. It is still early. Music is playing. We still have to fix breakfast. There is no reason to rush today for anything. We are not going to leave the house - probably -perhabs we are taking a walk. lol.

Stephanie's Pencil Pouch

On the last trip to JoAnn's with Karin to pick up the item's of my mom's wish list, my shopping list was pretty short. A little bit of Fimo and some cute paper. But I came across the the bargain table that was another 50% off and also held quite a few different types of fabrics including decorating fabric. So since then I am playing with more as just plain cotton fabric and this is the first pencil pouch that turned out real nice. It holds it's shape great, the size just fits and Bella thought it would be a good birthday present for her new friend Stephanie who just loves to draw. Do you see, even my label got it's first use.

If I can stay awake a few evenings you might see some more pouches which I have planned, some might have to wait till after xmas to be shown due to nosy readers. lol

Stillhouse Hollow Lake & Chalk Ridge Falls Hiking Trail

Sunday afternoon a week ago we spent on a nature walk at the Chalk Ridge Falls Hiking Trail. The kids love it there no matter what season, but especially in summer when the end up in the stream splashing in the cold water. This time Karin and I tried to to keep them out of the water even Soren would have loved to dive in head first of course. On our way back, we stop at the Overlook Park right after the dam of Stillhouse Hollow with breathtaking view.

I just love the this first picture. But the next one was just taken a moment before.

*** WARNING ***

Blue lips inclusive - Sonic Blue Coconut!!!

November 19, 2009 - happy birthday, chiara

Was the day that couldn't come fast enough for Chiara. Her 7th birthday. She said at least 5 times every day before I can't wait anymore and now we have over 300 days to hear those words again for the next birthday. Girl! But she was a happy girl. She had a great day at school, ate cupcakes with her friends there, brought a card home and her birthday ribbon, which she didn't take off all day.

She loved opening her birthday cards the arrived in the mail (Thanks again for thinking of her.) A special thanks to Marvin, too, an old friend of mine who sends Birthday wishes to everybodys birthday and never forgets one since years, even I still don't know his exact birthdate. I will find it out someday.

All three monkeys and Soren is of course already eyeing the cake and cupcakes.

Which he indulged in after stealing Chiara's birthday crown from her head. Little thief.

Chiara was of course her silly self as usual.

After checking out her new desk in her room she actually took the time opening her present from Oma & Opa (thank you so much for the rain coat, with the pour down the next day it was in use right away, it's just perfect) and of course Karin and the shoes and books she got from us. She is a shoe freak. Lol. And ruins them also in the shortest time possible.

We also munched on yummy Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes. Delicious. I tell you.

I might tell you the recipe another day, because if you try it once you just LOVE them. and they are so easy to make.

Now I go back to preparing and getting ready for the PARTY, because a bunch of kids are going to be here soon.