Monkeys and Rose Hips

ARGH! I had just finished a long post, and the computer crashed! There's a big "Save as Draft" button below the text entry window. I think I will use it more often.

I HATE SEWING COSTUMES!!!

Whew, I feel a little better. Sewing the body of the costume wasn't so bad. There were a lot of things that I changed because the methodology was terrible (ie dumbed down), but it's basically a jumpsuit with an applique on the front. The hood is PITA. The darts had seam lines marked at 1/4 inch (6 mm). The rest of the seam allowances on the hood should be 1/4 inch because it's a pain to sew a tight curve to a straight seam with 5/8 inch seam allowances (I think that 16 mm). The hood is almost finished. I've turned it. It needs to be pressed, and I'm thinking of topstitching/edgestitching it (not in the instructions). Oh, and the ears need to be attached. I want to edgestitch the ears, but I'm having trouble deciding what thread to do it in. Using my excellent design sense (hm), I used two different fabrics to make the ears. The fronts are the contrast color, tan, and the backs are the fur color, brown. The matching thread for the brown is a quilting thread. I suppose I could go to the store and buy more thread, but I'd like to use what I have. I was using a tan thread in the bobbin, and this worked okay for construction, but I have to admit that my stitches aren't balanced. I get little tan dots on the brown/needle side. I switched to a black bobbin thread, and this eliminated the dots, but I don't like the dark brown or black on the tan fabric. I don't like the tan on the dark brown fabric. What to do? What to do? I need to sew the details inside the ear, too.

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I have neglected my roses this year, but the result is a fall garden full of beautiful orange, rose, and red rose hips. My children are entranced by them. They like to pick them, put them in baskets, and sort them.