Modified Dress

I bought this fabric about a year ago from JoAnn's (a light cotton). Just recently I got motivated enough to sew it. But while making it, it just didn't seem to be what I'd anticipated it being. I hate it when this happens! I didn't have enough of the main fabric for the bindings, which was just fine with me, as I wanted to spice it up a bit. Yet again the local quilt store came in handy, and I found a bold brown pattern fabric. I sewed it around the neck and sleeves. The neck seems totally droopy, though. I tried putting elastic through the binding, but I don't like it. So I put a tank top underneath the dress, and I think I like that. The wearer didn't like the "tent feel" to this pattern, so requested an elastic waistband to be added. While I was at it, I decided to sew in a slip with a ruffle for underneath. I think I like it now, but I'm still not sure about that neckline.

Pillowcase Dress

I love cotton and other natural fabrics. I also love the pillowcase dresses. -- I've wanted to make one forever! Several months ago, while at my local quilt shop, I saw this funky, "alive" fabric. It was swirly-flowery and super colorful. Colorful enough that if spaghetti was dropped on it, it would be difficult to be noticed. (We eat a LOT of spaghetti. We also wear it. -- EVERY stinkin' time we eat it.)

I didn't buy the fabric, though. Something else won out instead. But ever since seeing that fabric, I have not been able to get it out of my head. So a week or so ago, back I went to the quilt store. They'd moved things all around, so I had to do a serious hunt to find this fabric, but find it I did. Upon coming home, I went chop-chop-chop with my scissors, zipped the fabric through my sewing machine, and out came this:






I bought some dark red ribbon as well. Can't decide which one I like best with this. Any thoughts???

So Sorry!

It has been AGES (nearly 15 months, actually) since I've posted a . . . POST, and I am shamed by this whenever someone comes by and leaves me a kind comment. So very sorry! Thank you for your interest. It has been a boost that I've needed.

Life has just been busy! What can I say? I have had some things that have seriously preoccupied my time, and I realized that all my crafting needed to take a back burner. But how does something that is so vital to your life remain on a back burner forever? I found myself depressed and frustrated a LOT. So, recently, I have gotten back into sewing, and talk about a lift to the spirits!

The winter season has been long and dreary. But a trip to a local quilting store, as well as a trip to my armoire where all my fabric is stashed, has really brought some color to my soul. I have feasted, and dreamed in pools of color: red, creamy white, and bright-light blue; kelly green and dark brown; light pink and brown. And then I got busy.

See next posts.

Blue Scarf

Ta-daaaaa!! The picture uploading thingy is working! Or, rather, I should say, we finally unplugged everything out of exasperation, plugged it all back in, and NOW the picture thingy works. Technology is just the cheekiest thing around, isn't it?!

Anyway, here's a scarf in progress from a month ago. It's done now, and quite delicate-looking. It's already been gifted.

And you thought I've been doing nothing while sitting on my duff for the past six months. Humph! Well, while not having much proof otherwise for you, I have been productive. Here's a small taste of what's been happening here.

This cupcake pattern came from Julie through Little Cotton Rabbits. (See link under my favorites.) When I saw these, I fell in love! Julie kindly printed a pattern shortly after I stumbled upon her blog site, and I was one of the proud first owners. Since then, I've been busily making these yummies:
Here it is, packed for the receiver:This is also compliments of Julie's blog site. I stitched it to a T-shirt:nd, once again, another pair of felted slippers (pattern compliments of Fiber Trends). I can't make them fast enough! Little beggars are out there. -- Big beggars, too! More to follow, no doubt!
If my computer will one day cooperate with me, I do have more to show you. Computer is just being obstinate and not wanting to upload in any timely fashion.

Sewing Project

I've been whining about my church clothes for some time. Shopping with two small children has not been a whole lot of fun, nor has it often been successful. When I have found something, I don't usually try it on in the store; I just buy it and bring it home to try it on, and then invariably return it, discouraged again. Recently, however, I netted a gain of two dresses! One, though, had only spaghetti strap "sleeves". It would never do as such, but I immediately saw the potential in it if I found something to go over it. So the shopping continued, resulting in nothing. Finally, I decided to resort to an old necessity: sewing. This meant I STILL had to shop for a pattern and material. Finally, after visiting four different stores, I found some beautiful material as well as a rather chic pattern by Simplicity. (I haven't sewn anything for myself in years, and Simplicity has changed a LOT. So I had some surprises on the way, namely in sizing, and was very happily impressed with the pattern I used.) I have fabric left over, so plan to use it to make Daughter a corresponding dress. Here are shots of the finished product, which I am way too proud of. :)


By the way, I'm not sure which pleases me more with these photos: the amazing shots I got with my camera, or the outfit itself. Am I vain, or what?!

Garden Inspiration

A few days ago, Husband brought home a number of books for me from the library. Since I have several project areas going, and much to learn, perusing the books has been a wonderful education, as well as very inspiring. The following pictures are all ideas I found in these books that I think will work well in our projects. (I wish I could tell you this is MY garden.)

One of the projects I'll be working on over the next few years involves the bank area. It is steeply sloped, and I'm thinking the most attractive, as well as erosion-controlled idea for this would be to terrace the slope. Likely this will involve approximately 3 terraces, with a set of steps as well. The steps that are currently in place are scary, to say the least. They look like a metal fire escape that you see on the sides of old brick buildings in downtown areas. -- Very steep and rickety-looking. Add to this the fact that they are set at an angle, and it's scarier still. Every time I go down them, I hold my breath. They are anything BUT safe, and there is certainly no visual appeal. So, steps will be my first job to tackle.


I am hoping to harvest most of the rocks from our property, thus the "few years". I cannot harvest them till late fall, due to my recent rampage with poison ivy. -- No repeats, please! So, once the leaves have fallen, I'll be out in the woods with my wheelbarrow, combing for rocks. I want to terrace dry stacked to save a little more money.

The other areas of inspiration I found involve the garden. I was struck (again) with the idea of training vines up posts. This picture shows vegetables and fruits being trained up posts. I like the thought of putting this at one end of a small fenced-in garden on a gravel bed, with a hammock or swing beneath it.And I really liked this design for a fence around a small garden. Again, it would be fairly economical, and would help with animal control, which I suspect will be a problem here in the woods. (We can hear coyotes at night on occasion, and have seen one go through our yard at dusk, although our neighbor's donkey has greatly helped with that. But we have numerous cats around, and have also seen oppossums and raccoons and rabbits. And have I mentioned squirrels?)