I got 99 problems but a stitch ain't one

I had to order a pattern for THE COAT (capitalized to show inherent awesomeness). I was going to pick it up at Joann's, aka my Primary Weakness, but they were out of the size that I needed. Rats. But it came in the mail today, which means progress will begin soon, and maybe I can roll this thing out (at least some of it) before we start getting the really cold weather.

While I was waiting for all that to get here--and I haven't even ordered my fabric yet--I've been casting about for interim projects to keep me busy. I love little things that I can get out of the way in a day or so: pajama pants, bags, purses, etc. It's almost instant gratification.

First on the list is a cushion for my brother's milkstand. Here's my brother:

The goat's name is Tara.

He's raised miniature dairy goats for 4-H for the last couple of years. When he milks them, he likes to sit directly behind them rather than the somewhat-more-orthodox off to one side method. He doesn't seem to mind it, but the metal is cold and it tends to get his pants dirty. He doesn't care much about that, either, but I don't want him to look like a dirty ragamuffin when we're out and about.

THEREFORE.

I made up a simple pattern for a cushion to go on the back of the stand. It's a 12" by 20" by 2" foam-filled pad. The foam, which we had on hand, is covered in cotton fabric (also on hand) and then has an outdoor canvas slipcover that has a few snaps to hold it shut. My brother picked out the slipcover fabric, a nice autumnal striped print.

The interior pad. I was fortunate enough to find some coordinating cotton fabric from a dress my mom made me when I was really little.

The slipcover uses the exact same pattern as the interior cotton pad, with the addition of four 1" wide ties on the corners, so it can be tied on to the milkstand. Figuring out how to put on the ties gave me the most trouble of the whole project.

The ties.

I'm not very good at visualizing technical stuff like this, so when I'm working with patterns of my own design, it usually takes some trial and error before I figure out the best way to put things together. The end result that I was shooting for was to have the ties coming out between the side panel and the bottom panel on each corner. Each one is folded in half at a right angle so that it would stick out flush with each side seam, at least in theory.

After wrestling with it for a while, I decided it would be best to baste them on the wrong side (the "inside" of the fabric, for non-sewers) of each corner, like this:

Makes sense, right? That's more or less what it will look like when it's all sewn together.

I did two like that and then decided to double-check my concept by pinning on the side panel to see how everything would turn out. Oops.

Turns out that once I sewed on the side panel, because it goes on right sides together, the ties would turn to the inside of the slipcover, rendering them useless. D'oh! Good thing I only used large, easy-to-rip-out stitches.

New theory: Pinning on the side panel, which I should have just done in the first place, helped me solve the problem better. Now I could see that I needed to sew the ties to the right side of the bottom panel after all, facing towards the center rather than the outside. The trick was just getting them to line up the way I wanted them to.

I used chalk lines to mark the seam line on each corner. Once I did that, I also realized that I had folded the ties the wrong way. Fortunately, those were just basted too. Ties unfolded, I worked with it for about 10 more minutes before realizing that, hey, this folding thing? Not really working. The better solution was to cut them in half and baste them where I wanted them... which would have saved me a whole lot of time if I'd just done that to start with. Oh, well.

Finally, the right way, I hope.

With that sorted out, I attached the rest of the ties and got to work on the "easy" part of the pattern.

It did work!

The complete cushion and slipcover, tied on the milkstand.

Total cost: $10. The only thing I had to purchase for this project was 1 yard of outdoor canvas fabric since we didn't have any on hand, and we got it on sale. Score!

The other thing I decided to make was a pair of flannel pajama pants for my brother (I really spoil him too much). He's been really into flannel lately, but didn't have any warm pajama pants for the chillier fall and winter weather. So when we went to Joann's for the cushion canvas, we also picked up a PJ pattern and the fabric for it--$10 total. He opted for a blue and purple striped flannel that's so soft and comfy, I'm tempted to make myself a pair, too.

Pajama pants are one of the easiest things you can make, aside from maybe a pillowcase or a simple skirt (even fewer curved lines). I have about six pairs because there is no such thing as too many pajamas.

I wanted to make PJs for my brother because when my sister and I were little, my mom made us a lot of cozy flannel pajamas and nightgowns. We had ones with lace, teddy bears, cakes, kittens, M&Ms... you couldn't beat flannel pajamas for cold winter nights. Before she got sick, she made my brother some cotton pajamas when he was really little. Obviously he's outgrown them by now, so since he's been resorting to hand-me-down long johns, I wanted to pass down some of that flannel comfort.

I haven't finished them yet, but I'll most likely get them sewn up tomorrow and then commence with preliminary fitting and measuring of my long-awaited coat pattern. Then, FABRIC BUYING AHOY!