![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkEhpKTVeUdD3ctP4Qfm38r3Mp9SvjdsL0MvHjnViiInhZw7F5B_R3hUJ2Ye_CF4v8Te9iOcG9hs4ILLXmZQJWQ3vt4wP0pWLhYZzkRqp3JfeEcZNkJFKaQeAGd2cz4dQI00HlfWKn-By/s320/Louts+slippers+Sept++2007++.jpg+003.jpg)
This is the sleeve cuff I did way back... so I sort of knew I was in trouble right at the outset. Especially for small foot pads. But, I've had this fabric sitting around for years now..just bought it because I love it... long before I got a sewing machine. So, I asked my friends who sew if they had advice or tricks to offer and at least began armed with those tips. Still, it was slow going and I was being ultra careful with each stitch because I hate to "pick" any of the good side and ruin it. Every mark is magnified and so noticeable on that fabric. Then, my buddy Richy, a bear maker in England, suggested backing the brocade with tissue paper while stitching. Never heard that one before...but I tried it and wow!.. so much easier. I didn't have to position each stitch nearly as carefully ... it seemed to help the needle to slide through the fabric easier.. don't ask me how. I think he actually wanted me to use it on both sides...but I couldn't really make it work on the foot pads with both sides covered in tissue. Too awkward for me to get around all my clips that I use to hold things in position and also..I felt that I couldn't really see well enough how I was placing my stitches. Just felt I had to see the fabric.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb28Bi_FtIqsaXTqvm7MAvsETXMaXXE8cPVDSzA9vOoC7JDHtVLDBqnHCnm1M45dnf1gM4Qfih9LQ8CCDDMKFPn2Rj6Soiqtyub9GxcEsjLZW5EeBcZdFWbbNNxP8GDdMql88bz1zOQO1H/s320/March+29+2008+005.jpg)
Tada! tissue still on the one...peeled off the other foot pad....ooooh...love it. I laughed when I turned it and saw this, becasue it seemed like I had ordered it from the store or something.....just had to unwrap it. Voila....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimC9aAw45MKNQ62TvfDPehrl3CEqWeCmnahwlS86hZq_nHwArkeIaCgDNmHeQ6mlmzb4zNKVUxDPr8-_mO_xPm_RPLtnvmE2KJA9wReNZl7UaHBJvNeQbgorN_vZp-yyRw2voBIcRjAb7B/s320/March+29+2008+008.jpg)
need some daylight for the proper colours of the foot pads... but here is the ear from earlier.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLECl_-y5r5TkWGaDHK525jDgL0oepjfgQWyR_S8B7dGRahS28pC0KFo0Dtick_TizCjkyBI_mbCwg6VgkJMZ4Aw935RJYpMpufSxaVCnSFCzRrL0H22iFUI1iBH7Z0y-A_POMQW6TF_t/s320/Easter+weekend+March+23+022.jpg)
Oh... and... in other news, we had about 4 inches of new snow overnight. Look how light and fluffy it is. It was warm enough that it was melting quickly. I went out to shovel anyway... just in case...and thought it would be heavy, but not at all. It was airy and as soft and fluffy as it looked.
A perfect bread making weekend.... and I am now moving on to making slashes ... had to give it a try right? Think I will stick to plain round top for the crust.. but, found some great multi grain flour... making it more of what I want in a bread.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ibfWfcKu-VjBG5soTpcowlUMdh6UD7Fgxo4cI6Q2kG41niDJN390Tk34NPVMmllYj_80i_tCSGTpaMN6QGt5xSSGvgincvqfSyDM3ogwd3upy4DbdQjI3zO7Z7eQR1wa6HslcOtuMOIe/s320/March+29+2008+001.jpg)
Yummmmmmm