I Made Some PJ's - Simplicity 4388

In June we were having a PJ crises - the pattern I have used for my son since he was 2 years old (Simplicity 8493) only goes up to size 6.  Well, I found a new pattern - very similar.  It is Simplicity 4388.  I have to say though - I wasn't impressed that they tell you to use bias tape instead of cutting yokes.  My son doesn't like any "itchy" fabric, which is why I usually make his clothes.  Not sure that bias tape would pass his itch test.  Really - once I bought him a t-shirt and the neck band was sewn on with that plastic thread that looks like fishing line.  Well, he broke out in an awful rash that looked like a rope burn right around his neck.  That went over really well at school until I pin-pointed that the rash was from his shirt!  Anyway - the yoke issue was easy enough to fix - I drafted my own yoke by retracing the main pattern pieces in the shape of the yoke I was after... see...

And this is what it looks like all sewn in and finished.  I edge finish the rough edge with my serger and then stitch it all down so it still lays nice and flat after many, many washes.

My son isn't allowed to wear camouflaged fabrics as a rule.  You have to understand - we live part of the year where people hunt alot and he is inside/outside like a yo yo.  Bright colors are much safer.  But, for PJ's - I don't mind.  He picked this nice soft flannel and then added the bright buttons.  I had to smile.
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Not sure when I found the time to make these, but one day I didn't have any lunch reservations and took over the kitchen counter to trace the pattern and cut them out.  That is one way to get things done - do under a time crunch - because I did have dinner reservations!  For me, I find that once I get something cut out it is easy enough to work on it a few minutes here and there at my machine.

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We are apart right now and I miss him an awful lot - he left 4 weeks ago.  But School Boy's have to go to school and I am still working... in a different country.  Other than the 5 nights he went to camp this summer, we have never been apart.  DH went back with him - he is an excellent father and is taking good care of him.  Besides, DH needed a rest and has to go through a series of DRs appointments to make sure his cancer is still gone.  So the decision was made.  It makes it easier for me that he is happy and that he can breathe where he is now -allergies are hard on him in North America.  He was ready to leave when he did and didn't even fuss about leaving me behind; he is only 7 but would rather breathe than be with Momma!  Sometimes we take very simple things for granted (like breathing) unless it is a simple thing that we can't do.  We talk all the time for free on Skype - and the day after he arrived he was most excited about his ease of breathing.  He is happy to be back with his friends and has even learned how to ride a bike!  Thank goodness I wasn't there to see that - Nervous Nellie that I am, just as well he learned while I wasn't there to make him nervous - one nervous person in the family is enough.  Anyway - this pair of PJ's will be off in the post for him tomorrow.  
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Thank you for all your comments and private e-mails about my Spam issues.  Seems like it is a common problem in Blogland and I have taken your suggestions and reset some of my settings and have not received any more Spam, so maybe it is working?  One can hope.  Because I really do enjoy Blogging.  As a matter of fact, this is my 501st post!

If you buy anything on Amazon, I would really appreciate it if you used my links. Thank you!

I Miss Blogging, I Just Hate Spam Comments

My son took this photo of a deer on the roadside this summer.  I think he is a very good photographer!  He just loves nature and being outside.

I've gotten alot of e-mails asking if everything is ok.  I know - so unusual for me not to blog in a very long time.  Because you all know, I la-la-love to blog.  BUT I've been getting alot of Spam comments - all in Chinese.  I don't like it, not one bit.  So, I took some time off from Blogging.  I changed my blog settings that I have to approve comments.  I still get the Spam and on alot of old posts too.   But it appears that the comments are all the same and are probably automatically generated.  I am not sure how they get past Blogger though. If anyone else gets this type of Spam I would be interested to hear about it.  In anycase, I won't be posting any close-up photos of my cutest boy in the whole wide world son anymore, but the far away action shots and side profile shots really capture his personality right now just fine.

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 Anyway - summer is super busy for me.  Usually I am up at 5:30 and I will work until 10 or 10:30 with the afternoon "off".  Off meaning - time to spend with my son, so while it is "off" time - we usually run the errands together and go do something fun and I don't get any rest!  I rest in the winter - you just have to deal with it when you have seasonal work.

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One thing I do - I cook alot of these guys - this is all part of ONE order.

I work alot, but do try to make sure my son has a "summer".  We went camping for I think 9 nights this year - 2 nights here, 2 nights there kind of thing.  We did end up buying a screen tent to go over the picnic table just to keep the night dampness off the table area.  Please be impressed that I can set this thing up all by myself!  Not a chance of it fitting back into the bag it came with, but hopefully I will get a chance to make a big bag for it out of some heavy-duty fabric I have.

And I love, love, love my new camp stove from LL Bean.  Every year I buy myself a birthday present and this year it was a camp stove (a little late, but I waited).  We can stop at picnic stops and make hot tea and cheeseburgers for lunch now!  I like to toast my bagel on the grill part in the morning.  I think this photo was taken the 1st time we used it - now I line the bottom with foil for easy clean up. 

He went away to camp for 5 days which he liked some parts of it and not others, but overall I think it was ok for him to go.  It was his very first time to sleep away from home and it probably was harder on me than him.  And we went and visited friends for a few days - we did all sorts of fun things those days - it was the best part of my summe - kayaking (he had the best time paddling around the river),

 boat ride, splitting kindling with a real ax (just teach the kids to keep their feet well back from where the ax may fall - in this photo you can see that he has his feet in the correct place), 

planing cedar planks (here he is measuring the board to make sure it is the right size - don't you love his safety helmet/visor?  He is also wearing ear plugs),

 fixing a deck, cooking out, just relaxing with friends and talking and laughing... and he fell in love with a 4 lb pom they were doggy sitting.  Here is the best photo of have of her all by her pretty little self.  Our friends also have 2 huskys.  We hooked them up to the dog sled but they weren't interested in pulling it through the grass, LOL!

So, that is a snapshot of part of our summer.  Busy, busy.