5.11.12

A gift of batik fabric from a generous friend, some time spent hand sewing and watching Netflix on my computer...

...Around the Town Tote lined and finished!

2.3.12

Remember this?

Here is the pattern I am using for the project. Can you guess which version? 

If you guessed NONE OF THE ABOVE, you are correct. I vaguely used the skirt pattern from view C and kind of looked at the bodice and then made my own, better, faced edition.

By the way, if you like this pattern and have a spare $16.95, you could own it, too. Luckily, I am an excellent shopper and bought my copy for $.99.  I love a bargain.

1.27.12

What is it going to be? Another little sewing project. Pictures of the finished product some time soon.

1.25.12

The finished apron. I wore it to the table for the first time and was met with hooting shouts of laughter. Maybe because I wore it over my granny flannel gown and ratty chenille bathrobe.

1.15.12

Happy Birthday Mom. Did it arrive? I did an excellent job on it and I truly enjoyed each stitch.

Here are photos from Away Son's birthday gift.

 

 
Thanks to Ernie Ball's cheap straps which I destroyed to get the hardware, and a tutorial by One Shabby Chick, I was able to make some guitar straps. I have no idea if BASS GUITARS use different straps but I guess I could make those, too. I have a workhorse Bernina 910 and with great care, I was even able to coax it to sew through the holes in the leather tab. I simply adjusted stitch length for EVERY SINGLE STITCH ONE STITCH AT A TIME. It was very easy and only took a few minutes to go around the square twice each. Who knows, maybe I will branch out and make neck straps for saxophones next...

1.13.12

Happy Birthday, Away Son. I made you some things. What are they? I hope they got there in time.

12.31.11

A little garment sewing with Simplicity patterns.

What will it be? It is a birthday request from a 1976 Simplicity pattern.

Yes, that pattern cost $1.25.

Usually I only cut out one thing at a time but a couple of days ago I cut out TWO projects in one day. Then I spent the rest of the day reading.  

 The other project is also an apron. It does not look as modern as the 35 year old pattern above but the price sure is current.

 In  the store, you can buy this for $14.95. I make a list of all the patterns I want/ need and when we go into a real city that has patterns for sale, I use my coupons or hope we are there on a day when that particular pattern company is on sale. I only had to part with $1.99 to get the pattern for the apron on the far right of this package. I am making a modification, of course. I can never leave well-enough alone. My shoulder straps will be more streamlined since I deleted the scallops. And the applique'.

 

The fabric for the big apron is a two strong pinks on brown. I have bias tape in the same shade as the darker pink to make the finishing touches. I decided to make an apron because I can not bring myself to wear a bib while I eat. Ironically, the only thing this apron does not cover is the place I usually spill my food.  I will probably have to wear a bib anyway.

11.27.11

CHRISTMAS  2011  STOCKING, part 7

I like it. It seems a little large. It will only be showing half at a time but it still needs something.

 

BEADS!!!!!

11.26.11

CHRISTMAS  2011 STOCKING, part 6

 I sketched the left half of the tree, then placed the templates on the fold of the packing scrap paper and cut out the full tree. Then I traced them onto freezer paper, ironed them to the wrong side of tree fabric, doubled. Now to stitch, clip, turn,  and press.

11.25.11

CHRISTMAS  2011  STOCKING, part 5

 

How to quilt? I pin my fabric to the batting. I decide to quilt the top to the batting with nothing behind. I try it out. It works fine. I will choose a lining later and put it in last. I am a novice at machine quilting. Should I try random circles?

Interesting effect but it does not really become a background. You can see the plaid really is not plaid. Maybe straight lines will will disappear yet bring a little dimension to the stocking.

Not bad. I will try just vertical lines and look at the effect before I cross-hatch them.

11.24.11

CHRISTMAS  2011  STOCKING, part 4

In my mind, I picture my angel in the dark blue of the night. I go to my Christmas fabrics and pull a very nice blue. Then I stack some greens on it to get the effect.

The poinsettia print on the blue will be lost. The blue kills the greens. Pull more fabric from the drawer.

Red with a funny almost plaid in silver. Very festive. It loves the greens! It will not dominate because the angel will cover most of it.

11.23.11

CHRISTMAS  2011  STOCKING, part 3 

Sketching again. I need to give the doll a shape that will fit the task better. In the Julie McCullough pattern, Angel Hair, the doll is in a straight diagonal line. In fact, the front of the gown is placed on the fold. The doll for my stocking needs to reach up. Julie's original has her arms genteelly carrying a basket.                                                                      

This is a step in the right direction. If I do not mind a seam or dart in the bodice, I can increase the gown and give it a little bend. I can reposition the arms.

Just what I want!

11.21.11

CHRISTMAS  2011  STOCKING, part 1

It is time for Christmas Stockings.

I drew a shape on some brown paper that apparently comes in rolls perforated like paper towels.  It is used to wad up and protect items in shipping.  I rescued mine from the household recycling box. I have tons of it.  I drew several stocking shapes and then I began planning some things to put on them. I have an idea on hold that just will not make it this time because I am captivated by the idea of an angel putting a star on top of a Christmas tree.

11.17.11

I LOVE ROBERTA HORTON

I am reading every word of this book

And I have read these

 and now I want to read the rest as well as all of Mary Mashuta's books.

11.15.11

Look what I have.

 This flannel fabric was a real deal at fabric.com and with this

 I will finally have the perfect winter nightgown. I like mine to cover my wrists and ankles. I tried in vain to find flannel gowns long enough. I have longish arms for my height and no one makes gowns that go down to the ground. I tried to find TALL sizes but the selection was not what I had hoped. I still have not found the perfect robe but maybe I will find a pattern I like for that, too.

11.14.11

Mailed to another sister-in-law for a belated birthday.

Earrings and a pendant in acorn style, a small lavender sachet, and a purse made from a pattern which could be by Indygo Junction, but I really do not remember.  I used for the tab a piece of fabric my mother had hand-dyed and painted, then practiced her sashiko. It makes the bag special to me.

11.13.11

Also done. Now they have eyes, ears, and bathing suits.

11.10.11

One of my sisters-in-law saw this and wanted it. 

 Yes, it should link. Go ahead and click it. It comes in yellow, too.

If you follow fashion, you might have known that it is a KateSpade sweater. It is not my cup of tea but it will really look good on SouthFloridaSis.

You might even think that $179 is a bargain price since you can find it upwards of $259 in various places on the internet. I thought it could be done up with a little hand work if the right sweater could be found. Two weeks ago, I received in the mail, the perfect LLBean sweater in the perfect color so I began sewing on the little daisies. Here is the progress so far. The red thread is basting.

Unfortunately, the internet knows I have been looking at all these sites that have the Kate Spade cardigans on them and IT WILL NOT LEAVE ME ALONE. It has customized all the ads on the games I play on Facebook and everywhere I go to lead me to other Kate Spade fashions. HEY, INTERNET, THIS IS NOT FOR ME. KATE SPADE HAS NOTHING I LIKE OR WANT FOR MYSELF. DID YOU HEAR ME?