Ooooh, New Shoes!

I really, really like shoes.

And I'm truly liking 30's fashions also.


Etsy: Vintage Sewing Patterns



Past Patterns



Wikia Vintage Patterns



Wikia Vintage Patterns

 Fashions in the 1930's were so feminine and had the most fantastic details, such as bias cut skirts and interesting seam placements.

So, in the spirit of the 30s, look at these lovelies!

I found them at Ross for a song (and just a little bit of money).

Sew Grateful: My First Give-Away!

 

One of my fav-or-ite seamstresses and bloggers is Debi at My Happy Sewing Place.

This week she is inviting everyone to participate in Sew Grateful, asking seamstresses and crafters to offer something (make or finish a project, offer a tutorial, use a pattern that was given to you, etc.) in return for all the lovely assistance and goodies from bloggers everywhere.

I simply don't have time to sew up anything or figure out a tutorial---I'm way too busy sewing curtains and making sure our 19th century clothing is spiffy and clean.

So, in honor of Debi and seamstresses in blogland, I would like to offer some vintage patterns.  These are patterns given to me by a dear, dear relative who was a fantastic tailor and seamstress!  So they mean a lot to me.

Two seamstresses will be chosen-----
You may choose two patterns each!  I'll send them free to anyone in the U.S.

Cut to size 8: Slacks, Dress, Skirt, Top, Jacket

Uncut: Size 12, 14, 16

Uncut: Size 6-8-10

Uncut: Size 6-8-10

Cut to size 10

One size: partially cut (So funky!)

Uncut: Size 8-18

Jacket: Cut to size 10

In order to have a chance to receive your choice of patterns, please leave a comment below.  For another chance, become a follower.   I will need your email to get hold of you!

The end of the give-away is Sunday, December 11th at midnight.  Princess Cupcake (our kitten) will announce the results Monday December 12th. 
Our home is smoke-free but obviously not pet-free.



Some Thanksgiving Thoughts (Before We Rush to Christmas)

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Here's hoping that you had a truly lovely Thanksgiving.

Just wondering--what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving season?

I remember someone asking that question.  And then further musing--what if God didn't bless you with a gift unless you gave thanks for it?

Not that God would be so petty.  But just suppose.....

Are you thankful that you are breathing right now?  That you can see this post?  That you went to school and learned to read?

That you have a computer to read this?  That you have a source of electricity to plug the computer into?  That you are inside someplace warm (or cool)?  That you had breakfast or at least a cup of coffee this morning?

That you actually have coffee?  That someone grows coffee, and that the good earth provides the nutrients for the coffee plants, and the skies rain down water for the plants to drink?

And that you had clean water to make your coffee from?  And you had a mug, and sugar and cream if you so desired?  And, and, and............?

Praise God that He gives us so many, many gifts. 

It's what theologians call "Common Grace".  The everyday blessings we take so much for granted.  Clouds and rain, sunshine and warmth, animals (and cats!), families and babies, food and water, our health.....

For all this and so much more, Thank You, Lord.

Thanksgiving 2011

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A very special, happy and full-of-thanks Thanksgiving to You!

Lacy Lamp for Sewing Room

A llloooooooonnnnnnnnggggggg time ago (in a land far, far away.  Actually in Hico, Texas I believe!) Dearest Husband and I saw some lovely, lovely lamps--(sorry, I've lost the photos).

But for way too much money!

So, I decided that I could make my own version.  Of course.

I started with a hanging plant basket from the dollar store (for $1.00 naturally!) and removed the chains:

Added 1 basic hanging lamp part from IKEA for $3.99:

Then, I drew out one little section on some paper:

 And added seam allowances:

I fished out a scrap of lovely linen from the stash,

cut out nine little pie-shaped sections,

and sewed them together:

VOILA!

              To Be Continued......

Sewing Straight Seams: A Bedskirt

Well, I'm much better--but I have NO voice (just a whisper) and a lingering cough. 

If I'm upright, I don't cough.  Of course, when I lie down to go to sleep----it's COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!

I'm so glad there's not a single class this week! (Except the home school co-op class I teach).  Maybe I need some Ovaltine:

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 So, straight seams are about all I'm managing.  I finally finished up a bedskirt for the guest bedroom.  I'd previously done the hard part--stitching together the skirt bits and gathering them--so it went together fairly quickly!


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It's a very tall bed, but it has a trundle underneath so two people (if necessary) can stay.  I wanted a  bedskirt to hid the trundle bed on bottom.

I used some white muslim from the fabric stash for the flat part (top of the bedskirt) that is between the mattresses.  Then I made a ruffle (cut and finished to the correct length--don't forget to add the hem and top and side seams to your measurements!) long enought to go around each side and the end of the bed.  The ruffle is doubled.  Also, I made the bedskirt so that the corners are "open" to fit this particular bed frame.

Sorta like this!

Don't you think it looks nice?

Here's some places you can find instructions on sewing a bedskirt.  Again--it's straight seams--easy!

A Tailored Bedskirt

A Bedskirt with Pockets

A Simple Ruffled Bedskirt

Ill and In the Bed

Well, it turns out I've got a virus (I hope) of some sort, a tidbit of fever and a sore throat.

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Aspirin is a wonder drug.

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So I've been feeling too badly to sew.  Headaches and sore throats make it hard to concentrate!

Flitting around Pinterest (i.e. goofing off!), I've found something that I think would look so cool.

Combine this:



From the lovely Laura Beth @ A Step in the Journey

http://astepinthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/07/few-printables.html

With this:

From Katie @ Creatively Living Outside the Box
http://blah2beautiful.blogspot.com/2011/11/number-shelf.html

What do you think about this idea?

Veterans' Day

Remember our veterans today who have fought and died for our liberty



Wishing and Waiting to Sew

Well, last Friday I finished up one class.

Today I finished the last paper for my other class.

The only thing left is a group project. 

And now I have two weeks off from classes!  Time to SEW!

I have LOADS of sewing to do.  First up is curtains and a bedskirt for our bedroom.  Lots of loooonnnnggggg straight seams and not very creative (sigh...)

But I'm hoping I'll have time to do some real sewing....
Here are some things I'm thinking about:

I have some lovely red wool that would make up this jacket

so very nicely, and I could really

use a short, but warm, jacket!

 I also could use a winter dress or two to wear to church

and to school.  We have a dress code (basically no jeans),

but I get tired of sitting in slacks all day.

Dresses are SO comfortable!

This dress, Butterick 5556 has gotten great reviews:

 I'm thinking about this Very Easy Vogue 8509 (the 3/4 sleeve version)

as an easy-to-wear popover dress for

all sorts of days and occaisons:

 I have a vintage Marian Martin pattern that is similar

to this one that might be fun to make!

I'd make it with 3/4 length sleeves:

 This too would be a great winter dress (one of the versions

to the left--NOT the sleeveless evening dress!).  This is

a reproduction Butterick pattern from

Vintage Pattern Library.

I like the lace collar on the far left dress:

 There's probably no way to get all this done, but maybe one or two!  I'm a terribly slow seamstress! LOL