The Tale of Two Hoodies

It was the best of hoodie towels, it was the worst of hoodie towels. Why didn't someone remind me that I don't get along with my sewing machine? It really would have saved me some grief. I got a call yesterday from a neighbor in Eagle Mountain (we don't live there anymore, but yes they are all still my neighbors) they are putting on a baby shower for a friend who lived across the street from me. She just adopted a 2 week old baby boy, and she's 12 weeks pregnant. Yes you read that right, she's pregnant. Now let us all have a moment of silence for her.........

Okay, so I guess that's the way it happens for some. You try and try and when you give up trying, BAM!! two kids 7 months apart. Since I'm so happy for her and so glad it's not me, I decide to forgo the group gift and maybe make her something. Albeit, that was a silly idea since the shower would be tomorrow. Tomorrow in my story, but today on my blog. My first thought is crocheting baby burpers as my crochet needles do not argue with me, they do as I say, and I can get them done fairly quickly. But the stupid baby burpers store was closed yesterday. So I headed to Target (torture) in hopes of finding something great. They had a little bath set with soap, lotion etc. so I picked that up, found a hot water duckie, some wash cloths and then a small voice told me a brilliant idea. Make a hoodie towel it said. And I listened. I picked up this lime green towel and hand towel. It would be so cute. It would be so cute if it wasn't such a pain in the butt. This is the worst part of the story. I got home, Molly was asleep, so no better time to whip up my hoodie towel then now. Got my sewing machine out and started to sew. Now, Josh will tell you that the only reason I bought this sewing machine was to sew on my scrapbook pages. And he is correct. I have successfully sewn on my pages. It is delightful. Sewing on fabric is somehow a different story for me. I did make these pillowcases for Christmas presents this year and here's the proof, they turned out so cute.

So this hoodie towel should have been a piece of cake. I lost count how many times I re-threaded my machine, even the times before I broke the needle and had to go get a new one from my mom (thanks mom!). I did not properly install the new needle, which was part of the problem, but didn't realize this until today, while sewing a SECOND hoodie towel, and reading the instruction manual. The first towel I finished was enormous, Owen thought I had made it for him. I payed no attention to the size of the towel when I bought it and since I had used a hand towel instead of a wash cloth, it was HUGE. So here it is, lime green hoodie towel that is now Owen's.
This picture does not do justice to the hugeness and the lime greenness of it at all. This towel would smother that poor baby boy. So on to towel #2. I run to wal-mart first thing this morning to select a new towel. I got a smaller one with a washcloth this time, in blue. Come home, Molly is playing happily, start sewing. Then the same small voice tells me another idea. Hey remember that super cute fishy ribbon you bought years ago for some project and never used? well you should sew that along the edge of the towel it said. And I listened. Why did I listen? Because seriously, how hard can sewing on ribbon be. It's probably not that hard, you just have to not be a spazz to do it. So I get my ribbon sewn on the washcloth. The fish are swimming upside down. Not a huge deal, keep on truckin'. Start to sew the ribbon on the sides of the towel. Get excited that things are going so much better than yesterday, cut ribbon on side of towel too short and I have already sewn 2/3 of it on. Well at least my needle hasn't broke. Spoke too soon. Nevertheless, I finish the towel and manage to fix the side with the short ribbon. And it looks pretty cute. See for yourself.

I decided to put everything else inside the towel, roll it up and hang the ducky from the ribbon on the front.

How cute. Now just pray with me that it doesn't fall apart the first time she washes it.