Tina Given's Sent me a little package!

Look what arrived on my doorstop a few days ago . . . a wonderful package from Tina Givens. No, not just her fabric from a store, but an actual package from Tina with a note to me! I was planning on participating again in the Kids Clothing Week Challenge (check out all the great kids clothing items people made) this fall, it was awesome all the stuff I made the kids during the Spring. I had seven full days of projects ready to go, pattern and fabrics . . . when I injured myself (more on that later). Tina had a post on her blog about the challenge and she generously offered a pattern and fabric to people who were taking it on and sewing one hour a day making clothing for their kids.

I think the hand written note from Tina was my fav! By the way I have got to get some of her stationary, it is so fresh and fun!

I have pre-ordered her new book, Sew Tina, and was anxious to give the zigzag girl dress a try. I love the crossover bodice and have been looking for a pattern. I mentioned in the note on her blog and it showed up with fabric to make one!

With a little help from my eight year old son . . . he did the cutting for me! Here is the fruits of our labor in just about an hour. It is a great pattern and a fun little dress. I can't wait until Ellie wakes up to try it on her and finish up the sleeves and hem!

The reasons I haven't been on flickr much, sewing or taking part in the kids clothing challenge-

(sorry for the patching style of this post, but I had to cut and paste parts of this because my hand is starting to swell and throb from typing)

For a couple of months I noticed when waking up that my hands were still asleep. Then it got worse last week and I started to feel tingling, burning, and numbness in my hands and sometimes up my arms. I freaked out. Tons of things ran through my mind - heart attack, stroke, MS, etc. I moved up my yearly dr's appointment and found out . . . I have a bad case of carpal tunnel in my right hand and moderate case in my left.

Without realizing it, I have had a mild case for years, finally have started working out every day lifting weights stressed it to the breaking point. I had no idea carpal tunnel could be this painful- the brace is helping and most of the numbness, etc is gone.

So . . . for six weeks I am not to type, sew or really do anything I enjoy. Hope to finish little projects, but hand work will be out! Ughhhh. Typing is out, but I can use the touchscreen on the ipad to keep up with my flickr and fb obsessions. Guessing not a lot of blog posts, but hey what else is new.

I promise lots to show the next time I post!