Little Boy's Pants

I promised a blog on pants for little boys after posting some ideas for little girls. I have bought for my grandson corduroy I found at the Textiles Store in Nashville this summer that was 50% off so I am inspired to get him ready for Fall. I have found a wonderful pattern that I have pictured below that has worked well for me. I do not want the pants to be too plain but do want them easy to sew. I think this "Britches and Bloomers" pattern does both...it gives you an option for cargo pockets to dress them up a bit and it has a wonderfully easy method of putting the hem in. If you decide to buy this pattern you will also receive a good pattern for a little girl's pant with a single ruffle...I just think for the time I prefer the Portobello Pixie pattern for girls to this one. Try it and see which you prefer. I am dreading the day when I cannot use this boy's pant pattern because it has been so easy and quick to use. Try the cargo pockets and the back pockets...they really look cute on those fat little legs and bottoms! Another plus....I have made these pants in madras and they turn out just as well as the corduroy.

Britches and Bloomers Pant Pattern

 

Sewing for the Fall

I am a high school math teacher and school starts soon...so I am trying to use my last weeks before I am very busy to get some sewing done. This is another wonderfully creative and fun skill that my two Moms encouraged me to enjoy. I was furious when my Mom took two weeks of my summer as a 10 year-old and made me take a sewing class at the local Singer store. If I had only known then how much I would draw from those two weeks of learned skills for the rest of my life. Thanks Mom!

I am getting numerous emails advertising fabric sales. I went to Textiles Fabric store in Nashville last month and bought lots of corduroy for my grandson and granddaughter...all at 50%! I know it is early but I will be so glad when Fall and Winter come and my purchases were made on such a good sale. I have a favorite pants pattern that I use for my granddaughter. She loves ruffles as I do and these pants sew easily and give you a nice finished product. They also fit well. The labor is in the ruffling but is well worth the time and trouble. They sew with a panel between each ruffle that makes the pants fall on her leg just perfectly. The pant is by Portobello Pixie and you can see the pattern pictured here. There are 4 different options in this pattern so I think it is worth the purchase to get so many variations in one. It also covers lots of sizes.

Portobello Pixie Ruffled Pant Pattern

I have a picture below of the corduroy that I bought for my granddaughter that will be made into these pants. The pink patterned cord is a Michael Miller piece that will be a jumper for her to wear with leggings. I am using the "Lakelin" Children's Corner pattern....and I love their patterns...for this jumper and will show you a picture as soon as it is completed. I found this piece of cloth at a store in Asheville, NC called Waechter's Silk Shop. Take an opportunity to visit this wonderful store if you are in that area. I LOVE to browse these shops!

Happy sewing!

PS....more about little boys clothes tomorrow.

Enjoying the Fruit of Summer

My father-in-law was a farmer. He loved the land and anything it produced. He passed that love on to me as  newlywed in South Carolina when my husband and I moved there in 1977. Summer was a wonderful time to be invited to his and Jamye's kitchen. Harris would get an invitation to glean a farmer's peach trees or plum trees. He was always kind enough to take me along and he and Jamye would share the bounty with me. I was enchanted as I watched them freeze and can these gorgeous summer crops. One of these was plums. There in her South Carolina kitchen Jamye taught me how to make plum jelly. I thought it would be so hard...how would it ever setup? How would I get that juice out of the plum? Could I destroy this basket full of plums by ruining the jelly and waste that good fruit? Jamye assured me I was capable of following the Sure-Jell recipe....and a treasure of this delicious sweet spread was born! I rekindled that desire again this week at the Farmer's Market in Asheville, NC. PLEASE take advantage of this incredible market if you are ever nearby. I bought a beautiful basket of wild plums...you want to use the small tart ones, not the larger red ones....the tart mixed with all of the sugar in the jelly makes for a much better flavor. I bought a peach basket full.....which yielded an incredible amount of juice. I was able to make 32 half-pint jars of plum jelly and freeze two 5 1/2 cup recipes of juice to make jelly later if I want...like I will ever need to after making 32 jars!
I would encourage you to give this a try. What a feeling of accomplishment to see that red juice become gifts to share with your family and friends! Let's face it...anything you produce with your hands out of love is a gift from the heart!

If you are interested I will tell you now that juicing the plums is the hardest part...if you consider that hard. Put the washed plums in a large dutch oven. Cover them with water...just enough to cover. Too much water will dilute your plum juice. Put them over high heat and watch the plums burst as the water boils...and there is your juice! Allow the plums to cool in the juice bath. Strain the plums in a colander. If you want just juice lay a piece of cheesecloth (buy this at the paint store) over your colander. If you want some meat from your plums in your jelly strain without the cheescloth. Your juice is now ready to use. It takes 5 1/2 c. of juice and 6 c. of sugar for 9 half-pint jars. Follow the Sure-Jell recipe for cooked jelly. It really is very easy to follow. You can buy really cute jars at any WalMart that will make your jelly into beautiful gifts to give. What a great feeling to share this labor of love with others...and it tastes great!


PS...I was always intimidated by the "hot bath" some cooks use to seal their jelly with after making it. Don't be! Buy a block of Gulf brand paraffin (it is at Kroger with other canning supplies) and melt it by blocks very carefully over heat. Pour a thin layer over each cooled jar of jelly. The paraffin will seal the top of the jelly and keep it from spoiling. Now put the lid on and you are done!

A New Adventure

Today, thanks to my sweet daughter Beth, I am entering the world of blogging. I am attempting this only because I have enjoyed so many other blogs and hope mine will be fun for you to read as well. I have been so blessed in my life to be influenced by two mothers...Helen and Jamye. They have lovingly shared so much of themselves with me that I want to do the same for someone else...maybe you. I am amazed that a million times a day I find myself in the middle of an activity I would never have attempted except that these two ladies were always there for me, encouraging me and urging me on to do anything I dreamed to do. If I can do the same for you this blog will be worth every word I write. I also think it is cool to share ideas that make life easier and fun. So here goes!