On Furlough AKA unplanned, unpaid vacation

As most of you know by now, the government is on furlough.  No work, no pay.  Time to check out the stash!  err....collection.  I am an artist and this is my collection!   Yeah, that's it. 

I bought this fabric a few months ago with a gift card that my sister sent to me.  It's aged enough, so time to make a shirt!   The 2nd picture is a detail of the fabric. Cute, isn't it?  I saw cats and a sewing room - it's like they created it just for me!
The shirt pattern is my favorite Connie pattern - the old baseball shirt pattern.  Raglan sleeves, pockets, and it fits well and feels comfortable.  What's not to love?

What I did on my Saturday afternoon

I volunteered to work with a group that make stuff for the local shelter.
http://www.connieandteri4animals.org/

Connie is a very fun lady, and she delivered  a whole box of cut-out cat beds to my apartment.  In one marathon sewing session, I sewed all 20 of them together, then copied the pattern and made one for my own cat (she likes it!).   Here's the pile of un-stuffed cat beds.

 

 

And here's a picture of the Princess Rita, sleeping on her own personal cat bed.  I put it down on the couch where she usually sleeps, and she poked around on it for a bit, then settled right down for a good nap.  Good kitty!

 

 

Online Fabric Sources

I found this list awhile ago on my computer, and took the time to check every link, delete the ones that no longer worked, and add new ones that I knew of.  Here's the result, just for you.  Enjoy!

A Fabric Oasis     <http://www.afabricoasis.com>

Acme Country Fabrics     <http://www.acmecountryfabrics.com>

Apple Annie Fabrics     <http://www.appleanniefabrics.com>

Aurora Silk     <http://www.aurorasilk.com>

B. Black & Sons     http://www.bblackandsons.com>

Banksville Designer Fabrics    http://www.banksvilledesignerfabrics.com>

Beacon Fabric & Notions    <http://www.beaconfabric.com>

Britex Fabrics    <http://www.britexfabrics.com>

Buttons 'n' Bolts    <http://www.buttonsnboltsfabrics.com>

Christine Jonson Patterns    <http://www.cjpatterns.com>

Cotton Plus    <http://www.organiccottonplus.com>

Curran Designer Fabrics    <http://www.currandesignerfabrics.com>

Delectable Mountain Cloth    <http://www.delectablemountain.com>

Designer Fabrics Online    <http://www.designerfabrics.ca>

Denver Fabrics    <http://www.denverfabrics.com>

Dharma Trading Co.    <http://www.dharmatrading.com>

Discount Fabrics USA    <http://www.discountfabricsusa.com>

Distinctive Fabric    <http://www.distinctivefabric.com>

D'Leas    <http://www.dleas.com>

Dollar Fabric    <http://www.dollarfabric.com>

Emma One Sock    <http://www.emmaonesock.com>

eQuilter.com    <http://www.equilter.com>

Fabric Club    <http://www.fabricclub.com>

Fabric Depot    <http://www.fabricdepot.com>

Fabric Direct    <http://www.fabricdirect.com>

Fabric Mart    <http://fabricmartfabrics.com/controller/index.php>

Fabric.com    <http://www.fabric.com>

Fabrics-store.com    <http://www.fabrics-store.com>

Fashion Fabrics Club    http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com>

Fishman's Fabrics, Inc.    <http://www.fishmansfabrics.com>

French Connections    <http://www.french-nc.com>

Gayfeather Fabrics    <http://www.gayfeatherfabrics.com>

Ginny's Fine Fabrics and Support Group   <http://www.ginnysfinefabrics.com>

The Grapevine Collection   <http://www.sewitup.com>

Haberman Fabrics    <http://www.habermanfabrics.com>

Hawaii Fabric Mart    <http://www.fmart.com>

The Hide & Leather House    <http://www.hidehouse.com>

High Fashion Fabric Center    <http://www.highfashionfabrics.com>

JCaroline Creative    <http://www.jcarolinecreative.com>

Josephine's Dry Goods    <http://www.josephinesdrygoods.com>

Kaplan's Fabrics    <http://www.kaplansfabrics.com>

Lacis    <http://www.lacis.com>

Main Street by Mail    <http://www.mainstreetbymail.com>

Manhattan Fabrics    <http://www.manhattanfabrics.com>

Martha Pullen Co.    <http://www.marthapullen.com>

Mary's Productions    <http://www.marymulari.com>

Michael's Fabrics    <http://www.michaelsfabrics.com>

Mill End Store    <http://www.millendstore.com>

Montana Leather Company    <http://www.montanaleather.com>

Monterey Mills    <http://www.montereymills.com>

Mood Designer Fabrics    <http://www.moodfabrics.com>

Nancy's Notions    <http://www.nancysnotions.com>

Nancy's Sewing Basket    <http://www.nancyssewingbasket.com>

Online Fabric Store    <http://www.onlinefabricstore.net>

Oriental Silk Company    <http://www.orientalsilk.com>

PM Organics    <http://www.pmorganics.com>

Paron Fabrics     <http://www.paronfabrics.com>

Peak Fabrics    <http://www.peakfabrics.com>

Rain City Publishing    <http://www.raincitypublishing.com>

The Rain Shed    <http://www.therainshed.com>

Rockywoods Outdoor Fabrics    <http://www.rockywoods.com>

Rose City Textiles    <http://www.rosecitytextiles.com/>

Sawyer Brook Fabrics    <http://www.sawyerbrook.com>

Seattle Fabrics      <http://www.seattlefabrics.com>

Sew Sassy Fabrics    <http://www.sewsassy.com>

SewZanne's Fabrics    <http://www.sewzannesfabrics.com>

The Sewing Place    <http://www.thesewingplace.com>

Silk Baron    <http://www.silkbaron.com>

Silk Connection    <http://www.silkconnection.com>

Spandex House, Inc.    <http://www.spandexhouse.com>

St. Theresa Textile Trove    <http://www.sttheresatextile.com>

Stonemountain and Daughter Fabrics    <http://www.stonemountainfabric.com>

Stretch House, Inc.   <http://www.stretchhouse.com>

Super Silk  <http://www.supersilk.com>

Tandy Leather Company    <http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com>

Thai Silks    <http://www.thaisilks.com>

Trim Fabric    <http://www.trimfabric.com>

Vogue Fabrics    <http://www.voguefabricsstore.com>

Waechter's Silk Shop    < http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com>

Wazoodle    <http://www.wazoodle.com>

Chiffon scarves!

I haven't talked about it much, but I have been working on costumes for a local theater group for the past year or so.   Then, my sister asked me to make chiffon scarves for my nieces for the musical they were doing in Ohio.  So now I have done costumes in 2 states!   Here's the scarves:

It took a bit of fussing to get my serger to do the rolled hems on chiffon, but I finally got it working, although the purple was the most difficult.  It's amazing how the same fabric in different colors reacts differently on a machine!   The corners aren't great, but I did my best. They are in the mail to Ohio now.

Happy New Year! 2013!

Happy New Year to you!   I decided to commit some sewing on New Year's Day.

Thanks to Obsessively Stitching and her wonderful instructions, seen here:
http://obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com/2010/12/angry-birds-plush.html,
here's what I did today.

Enjoy.  They were fun to make.