Meet the Sewing Assistant

Hey, there!  Believe it or not, I didn't fall off the face of the earth!  Just had a lot of things to contend with - you know, the usual illnesses, one trip to the ER,  & those pesky migraines (both my son and I have had several in the last couple of weeks).  When I wasn't taking care of him, or hiding somewhere in the corner of a dark room praying to get away from the pickaxe in my skull, I was working at the sign shop or doing some odd jobs here at home.  Nothing glamorous, mostly mending - nothing camera-worthy.  I did get to do some alterations on a boudoir gown, but can't post photos of the finished product just yet.  That was a brain-bender for sure: it was manufactured in China, and it was a bit difficult to figure out how to make it work.  It gave me an opportunity to play with some Wooly Nylon thread in my serger, which for some reason I have never attempted before.  I was pleased with the results:

Doing a narrow rolled hem with the wooly nylon in the upper looper.  This is my powerhouse Husqvarna Huskylock 936!

A close-up of the finished rolled hem - what a beauty!

Part of the other reason there weren't that many crafts to post?  This little guy.  Well, little isn't the word we use to describe him much these days - he's 10 months old and a solid CHUNK of cat.  And he insists on being my sewing assistant.  His name is Neko-Basu, which is Japanese for Kitty Bus.  Comes from the Japanese animated movie "Totoro."  My son and his friends decided on that name, and it is apt for more than one reason.  First, this guy is built like a bus.  Second, his absolutely favorite thing to do?  Be carried around the house in some kind of make-shift bus - a box, a laundry basket, sometimes even a plastic bag.  He only gets mad if you stop moving.  Odd how he lives up to his name, which started as a joke.  

Going for a bus ride - this was an unscheduled stop, as you can see by his annoyed look. 

Ahh, but he also loves to help me with my sewing.  You've seen him being a pattern weight, inspecting my machine's settings, and checking my work from the inside out. Here are some photos of him helping me sort patterns this summer when I was helping out a friend:

I am sitting here laughing, since he looks about twice this big now.  This was when he was only four months old.   Here he is, a little bit older (and fatter):

Why, no, I didn't need to get that pants pattern copied off these slacks.  Go right ahead and use them as a kitty bed.

And now?  Well, let's just say that when he climbs the back of my workroom chairs, it's all I can do to keep from being pulled over backwards:

Remember this one?  He's on the grand piano.  He takes up about half of it.

On my bed.  With a paperback book for comparison.  Just FYI, it's a California King.  He is stretched over half the bed. 

That's it for now.  I just bought a couple of magazines for inspiration (Designs in Machine Embroidery and Stampington's Altered Couture) - I'm really excited about working on a couple more jean jackets, so stay tuned!