Sewing To Do List

                                                     SEWING -2012

               Christmas is over.. and the New Year has come in  with a bang.  I have many ideas and sewing plans for this year..
                I really want to improve my sewing ,  And I would love to take  a couple sewing classes and improve my sewing, or learn some new techinques.
 
Some things on my to do list:

1- I want to make the Oliva Walton wrap dress again. I want to work on the bodice and get the
fit better.

2- I want to work on some of the Colette patterns in the new Colette sewing book..

3- I bought a couple Indygo Junction tunic patterns, and I want to try them.

Olivia Walton's Anniversay Dress[My Wearable Muslin]

                                               Olivia Waltons Anniversay Dress Muslin.
  I love Olivia Waltons dresses. In the anniversary show, she wears a beautiuful dark green dress, I  have studied the reruns of this show and tried to figure out, how it was made. I follow Eva Girls blog,
Theoppulentpoppy@blogspot.com,  Please check out her blog, she does some beautiful garments.She loves Olivia's dresses too. She had sketched this dress, and when I saw her sketch, I realized I had a similar pattern [thankyou Eva Girl for sharing your sketches].

Pattern: Country Gentleman [found on ebay].
Fabric- quilting cotton [found at wal mart]
 
   The pattern had to have some alterations. The neck line was too low, so I had to reshape it. Olivia's dress,
had short ties, and I failed to notice this, until after it was made.But, when I do the anniversary dress, I will shorten the ties [and I plan on going back and shorten these ties].Olivia's dress also had 3/4 length sleeves with cuffs and one button on them. I didnt do this to the muslin, since my muslin fabric was not enough.But , I will do this also. So, the next dress will have differences.. But all in all I am very happy with the turn out.




Ties are TOO long!!




Pinned up ties, to show how it will look , when I shorten them.



The dress is a wearable muslin. It is kinda thin for winter, but I think this spring, I will wear it.It will make for a very good every day dress.  Cant you just see a cute little blue apron on it?? [even though, I really dont wear aprons,ha..But, I might just change that habit.!!]

Goals for 2012

                                                          Sewing 2012

I must say, I did not do a New Years Resolution for 2012.. But  here is a list of  things I would like to accomplish this year.

1- My prayers is for  renewed health for each of my family. But mostly prayers for Kenny with his upcoming back surgery.

2- I pray , I will set an example for my kids, grandkids, and friends, That they would see the Lord in me. That I would be seen doing His will, And I would grow in His Grace.

3- Sewing --- this hobby brings so much joy and contentment in my life.. Did I say, I love it!! I find so much enjoyment from sewing itself, buying fabric /patterns, and talking to other like minded people.

   A. My goal is to "try" to use as much of my fabric stash , as possiable. And to buy less fabric..  I know, I will still buy fabric/patterns.. It just make me so happy!!! But I will refrain as much as possiable.

    B. My  goal is to really work on --making my garment fit better, and make the insides look as good as the outside. [Thankyou Cathe, you have instilled this in  me].

   C. I really want to learn to grade patterns, and learn to fit muslins better.

   D.  I would love to find more time, to read and study the many sewing books ,that I have.

  E. Continue to work on dieting. I lost 25 pounds in 2011 [I think Christmas holidays brough back about 5-6 pounds.eeeh]. I want to  loose another 20. This will help my health. It is a slow process, but I want it to stay off, and fast weight lost seems to return to  me.ha

All in all,  I am looking forward to fun sewing year, and sharing more of my sewing on my blog.
  Happy 2012!!!

Emily Morgan --Wizard of Oz Dress-- Christmas Gift

Emily Morgan...Loves Wizard of Oz.. so what better Christmas gift than this dress?

Fabric- found on Ebay
Pattern- Simplicity [Project Runway] 2444 [she is so tiny, The smallest size on this pattern is 4. I had to cut it down to a size 1..
Bow Belt - Sunni's bowmaking belt tutorial

TIme to complete- 4 hours
Will she wear again--- She said, she loves it and will wear it alot!!! She had picked this pattern out , a long time ago..She said,it looks 'vintagey"..And she is  really getting into the vintage patterns.

Christmas 2011 At Maw & Papa's House

Emily Morgan with Baby Alive Doll



Maw's 5 grandkids- Christmas 2011




Kenny.Wii  Batman Game




Amy Grace...Baby Alive doll



Ashlee Gail in her new PJ's and Guns

Callie Noelle"Lets Have a Tea Pary"



Callie Noelle. Doll cloths for New Baby Boy Cabbage Patch Doll

 Christmas 2011 at Maw and Papa's House..  The kids all enjoyed their  presents.. And all us adults..eat way to  much!!!

Vintage Christmas Children

                                                                       Christmas 2011---

Merry Christmas to each of you,  My prayers are that each of you, my friends, have a blessed and wonderful Christmas.

It's A Wonderful Life-- My Favorite Christmas Movie



Nothing says Christmas to me...like sitting with a  cup of hot chocolate with marshmellows and  watching my favorite Christmas movie..  FUN, FUN, FUN!!

 Sew  Weekly Challenge for week of 12- 12-11 is Patternless Week

 I must confess.. I have no interest whatsoever, in designing or making patterns. I have bought tons
of patterns, and have had wonderful friends ,from all over , give me patterns..Finding the time , to sew
all these wonderful things..is my hard job.  So, this weeks Challenge  was not for me.
                                                 But:

  I  have been wanting to  make  a wool aline skirt.  I have the fabric just sitting and waiting on me. Last night, I thought -"ummmmh" , I can do a muslin from this fabric that I had bought at the Ripley Tradeday Flea Market ,this summer... Since it was a muslin, why not  try to cut it out with out the pattern. I have the pattern [so I really am cheating], and have made it lots of times.. It is really simple. It consist of 3 peices. front, back and a tiny waist band . I did cut it out without the pattern [but really it was from memory,ha] So........... my wearable muslin becomes my 'PATTERNLESS challenge".

   I will be pairing this  long skirt with a black cardigan..

  Note: I can even say, I did the purple challenge.. I didnt realize ,until last night, that this fabric has purple flowers in it.Yea!!

Christmas Decorations - 2011



Christmas tree 2011
Notice the  curio cabinet is full of Christmas music  boxes..
One of my favorite collections.. The musical Christmas Nativity
on top of the curio, Was given to me by Gary and family, the
first year they were married. And it always finds a home on my curio
at Christmas time.




Little table Kenny gave me years ago.Holds a pretty Christmas Candle..Of course in RED...




Cindy bought me this nativity scene , while at
a  teachers conference in Virgina. I just love it,and
it finds ,its way to one of my tables,each Christmas.




Christmas covered stool. Kenny bought this stool for me at the flea market, years ago.





Red snowmen EVERYWHERE... I love them!!

Merry Christmas  to all. Sending Christmas blessings to each of you.

Vintage Linen...

If  vintage linens could talk, what would they tell us?   I would love to hear the stories of the previous owners? Who took their hands and made these ? What  tables and families enjoyed their beauty?

A couple weeks ago, I stopped by the salvation army. There was a buggy sitting there with  these vintage linens in them. The red colors ,caught my attention immediately. So pretty.. The cream/ivory one in the back, has homemade lace/tatting on the edges. I can see , some beautiful embroidery work being added to it..[But this is another post after Christmas  holidays.

Papa & Maw Recieved A Special Christmas Present

 How special  can you feel , when you get that "Really Special" Handmade Gift  from a grandchild?
 Callie Noelle is 10 yrs old and in the 5th grade. Her teacher has a craft box, and  she let Callie
pick out any thing she wanted to use to make "anything".  As you can see, she made us a very special Christmas ornament. She told us, it was a cross on it, because Christmas is Jesus's  birthday.


Callie made this out of  a peice of plastic. She added 2 colors of green floral tape to the back.. She then made a cross from 2 peices of  white plastic. She took floral wire and molded  it and added beads..  What a special  Christmas Present.
We love you Callie.



  Love the back of it.. It says," Made it myself",  "Maw and Papa"
and  "From Callie"

Christmas Ginger bread Houses In Cardboard

 Ginger bread Houses

Christmas is in the air and in all the shops around town..  A couple weeks ago, I wondered into the Dollar Tree.  There sit all these adorable little gingerbread houses [they are actually  gift boxes}.  But, I knew, when I saw them.. They would be displayed.. but I have to confess... I have TOO many displays, and definitely dont need more!!!   But ............how could I leave these cute little boxes sitting there at only a $1 each?
   So, here they sit on my kitchen table..Cute as a button. Don't you just know the grandkids will love them, as much as I do?
  Pray  that each of you and your families have a very blessed and Merry Christmas.

Christmas Plaid Table Setting



Table setting from  "Retro Deco Table Settings Aday"
Thankyou Loran for allowing me to use your photos.

 I love these ladies blog so much.. They do these beautiful table settings each day.. I was so surprised to find this one. Loran  had gotten this plaid fabric from Mena [Sew weekly]. Mena had made a 50's vintage dress
from this fabric and then sold her excess on Etsy.

What a lovely table setting it made. I love red and nothing says Christmas to me...like red plaid.  I have some Red plaid Christmas fabric.. And I do see a plaid table cloth in my future.

 Merry Christmas to all... and may we all remember the true meaning of Christmas. The birth of our wonderful Saviour Jesus Christ.