Monday, February 8, 2010

More patterns listed

Have a few more patterns, some small sizes, some more recent Vogues in the 14-16-18 range. I am being very critical in the 80-90's patterns, things that are still attractive or mimic today's trends or are classics/basics.

I also hope some of you give some thought to a quilting bee. I would definitely be interested.

A picture of the broken dishes little quilt:

A giveaway announcement

Cultivating Home has a book giveaway at
http://cultivatinghome.blogspot.com/

Sunday, February 7, 2010

I have been curious about...

Quilting bees. I have been checking out some on the internet. The only thing is many of them is that many revolve around the more modern approach of "wonky" blocks, which is fine, but not me. I like traditional, repro feedsack or civil war era fabrics. I like traditional blocks. What I am curious about is how many of you that read my blog are interested in something like that?

A definition of a virtual bee from Oh Fransson blog:

Virtual quilting bees take the collaborative aspect of a traditional quilting bee and put it to work over distance, using the Postal Service and the Internet.

Most virtual quilting bees have 12 members and take place over one calendar year, with each member being responsible for coordinating one month. In advance of the month, the member whose turn it is prepares packages of fabric and instructions to send to each of the other participants. The other participants then create one or more blocks, which are returned to the sender. After receiving all of the blocks, the member whose month it is should have enough blocks for an entire quilt. This is repeated, over a year, until all members have had a turn. There are lots of ways you can vary/personalize the process, but most virtual bees follow this basic structure.

Now she also mentions that postage is a consideration. Being in the US, I would probably want to stick to my country, no offense, but the postage would be outrageous for me. Is this of any interest to any of you? If so, leave me a comment, maybe we could form a small one, maybe 6 members for every other month or 10 for the remaining months of 2010. I think it could be fun, so give it some thought.

I have acquired a huge lot (like 10 boxes) of older patterns, mostly 1980-90, so my etsy shop will be including the best of those. I am looking for designers, classic lines, or things that are hot now. I will not inundate the shop with them, but rather post a few here and there. I will also list a few more vintage 40/50/60 from my stash as I could never sew them all...

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

I am sewing...

despite my having been sick now Mike is sick. I have begun hand quilting the Broken Dishes wallhanging. I am about 1/2 done with the interior blocks. I was going to machine quilt it but got cold feet. I wanted a primitive look with those wonderful colors.

I have shelved the McCall blouse for a few days, need to work out some fit issues, it about fits, but not quite. I think in the double knit it will work but the woven, it's a bit confining. That could be me, though, as I wear mostly knit tops.

I am constructing a NL jumper, bought the pattern at the thrift store for 10 cents, from 1995. Actually quite cute with princess lines on the bodice and an A-line skirt, which I lengthened about 4 inches. I am not used to above the knee skirts. I can always trim it later. I am using a bargain table microfiber from Hancocks, in a grey. I have the skirt about done.

On another note, last night my oldest was saying her prayers and the baby echoed "Amen." Then they both started giggling. Tonight, my oldest son, with cerebral palsy, asked to sleep on his back on a pillow (he usually sleeps on his stomach curled up) with his teddy bear, like a big boy. So sweet, he can be.

Good night, ya'll.

Monday, February 1, 2010

And the patterns are flying...

out the door. I have sold 7 patterns between Saturday and today, and continue to add more in small batches. With 4 kids, I can only be at the computer so long. The housework and cooking and laundry is enough to keep 3 people busy around here. I added a 50's pattern today, and have another 2 to add, these are larger bust sizes, 38 and 40. I am also handquilting in spurts today. I will take a photo this evening of the wall hanging made from scraps from the Dresden plate blocks. Thanks to Little Hunting Creek for directing Peter to the shop, and anyone else who has helped me out by purchasing or promoting. I love you bloggers, so supportive!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Ladybug Duds now has vintage patterns

I have been listing vintage patterns from my stash (recently acquired locally) for sale at my Ladybug Duds etsy shop. I need to trim it down, expenses are really tight right now in the midst of winter slow-down for trucking. So, I am sharing them now. I have listed many really low to sell, the most expensive is 4.99. I have about 12 more to list today. If you are looking for something in particular, I can see if it is my stash and willing to part. I may be acquiring a larger amount via our local resale shop that is retiring. They are mostly 80's and 90's, but actually some good basic skirts and jackets that are not too 80's. Some of them are larger sizes, too.

Thanks, Katie (Kadiddlehopper), for supporting me!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

McCalls 2818

Ok, so far so good, the pattern muslin seemed to fit as a straight 18, taking the larger hip sewing line. I did add to the pattern 2" to the overall length so the top will hit lower on the hip. I have the front and back together and sewn at the shoulders, one sleeve put in flat with the million pins method, which works well, by um way. I had one small pucker, which was quickly ripped and re-eased, very nice method as shown by Ann and Summerset. I think they do theirs in the round, but I chose to sew it in flat construction to "see" the curves and pins better. Then, like knits, will sew the sides in one swoop. I have a small slit marked on the back to make the opening, won't cut until I am ready. So far, this pattern may work very well with some Sophia rayon double knit. I chose a poly blend linen look from Hancock which I have 5 yards of to make version 1. There is plenty left over for a dress, skirt or whatever I may choose, trust me. I couldn't cut into that $10/yd knit that I only have a 1.5 yds until I saw it totally worked up. I paid almost nothing for the linen look stuff, and have plenty to waste. If it fits in a woven, it will fit in a stable knit. Good philosophy, right?

I may get more done or may not, we have a 2 year old birthday girl tomorrow, Hayley turns 2 & have a house to clean and ice cream cake to make.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Under the weather

I have a headache that is on day #2. I have been plugging away at the dresden plate blocks and am finishing the machine applique on the last one tonight. Next, squaring up and trimming, then I can hand them over to the lady next door who is putting them together for Barbara, the lady who asked me to make it. It will be out of my hands. :)

I have some UFO's to finish as well as work on the McCall blouse and black Simplicity dress. My question to you for more expert advice, on the blouse, since I am closing the back seam up with only a small neck opening and one button, what about the back facing? The original had you make a duplicate of the center sections from the princess portions. My gut is to ditch the front facing as well and make self-fabric bias binding and turn it to the inside, like vintage patterns have you do and also use that on the back opening or use it like regular bias binding as the edge. Anything else would be too obvious, I think. I need suggestions, please.

I love sewing garments and will need to beef up my wardrobe soon as many of my clothes are OLD and getting worn. I am also itching to make quilt blocks, too. My focus may be scattered this year. My goal is to work on some of the UFO's. especially those that weren't "right" and make them work. Wish me luck that the headache dissipates soon.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Marching into January

I have started the new year out slowly, working on B's quilt (has it really been a little over a year since I started, procrastination is bad) but she finally paid me for the fabric so I need to finish and will be soon.

I have also bought M 2818 an older Palmer Pletsch pattern to make a basic shell top. Now I abhor blouses that are buttoned up the back, so I read reviews of it and may amend it to one button at the top of the nack in back. I muslined it and found I needed to lengthen it a bit for personal taste. I also have another Simplicity 2473 in black sophia double knit cut out. That's all I am cutting out for now since I have UFO's into infinity to finish (well, maybe I am exaggerating a bit, but there are alot).

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Good Riddance 2009

Now I think this has been one of the hardest years of our lives, not sure why. I spent alot of the year fighting acid reflux, brought on by nerves, I guess, since it was a very rough financial year for us. 2009 saw a lot of people we knew pass on, too, family and friends, and some were very quick from diagnosis to death. That also contributed to my outlook. Despite it all, I have 4 very smart kids, who are too ingenious for their own well-beings, and that also contributes to my frustration. But I wouldn't trade them for the world.

Now that past, our 2010 horoscopes, which I half believe, some is coincidence, are good on outlooks, so maybe we'll see some reward for our efforts made in 2009. Let's hope & pray...

On the sewing front, I had goals set a year ago:
1. Work on better fitting of clothes for me. - I have learned some fitting skills from books and magazines, made a discovery that princess cut bodices can be my friend, and I look better in semi-fitted items that are out of a stable knit.
2. Make about 1/2 of the clothes for the girls. - Well, I tried, but it was hard to get a lot finished. I did make some Jalie tops for my oldest and some other items for the baby, so it's progress.
3. Make a 40's vintage dress and finish the brown one. - There again, I tried, but never got there. The brown 40's dress needs some redoing, so we'll see...
4. Try a 50's or 60's dress (step outside the box). - There again, I tried, but ran up against what doesn't flatter me (50's), but with my December discovery of princess seams, I have some 60's dresses that could be tried in 2010.
5. A real challenge, a 30's pattern. - Never got there, but do think that is a real possibility.
6. Learn how to serge better and master more functions on my Bernina. - Marginal improvement
7. Bound buttonholes/a lightweight jacket or short coat using them. - Made the HP jacket, but no boundbuttonholes.
8. Finish some ufo's and use them or give them away as presents (kids clothes) - Did finish a few but not enough to make an impact.
9. Become more organized in the home and in sewing. - Not really

Finished garments are listed on the sidebar. I have not totalled them yet.
Edited for totals: Mine: 1 dress, 9 tops, 2 skirts, 1 jacket
Kids: 1 dress, 8 tops, 9 pants/bottoms, 2 costumes
Shop/craft sale: 19 items
total 52 items sewn = 1/week on average

For 2010:
1. Basic LBD
2. Another S2473 or other princess bodiced dress
3. Make a few basic skirts
4. Try a jacket
5. Incorporate boundbuttonhole or other techniques
6. Enter a PR contest this year

These are attainable, I hope. Let's hope 2010 is a better year for us all!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

The aftermath of Christmas

We got through it all, my birthday is also past, now I feel like a cold is coming on. I have turned to quilt blocks for today. I am discouraged by the debacle of the dresses, when that happens, I turn to quiltmaking or something else for a bit. Hopefully, I will feel better tomorrow.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Eve, we are almost ready

Got a red velvet jumper this morning for the oldest, have white long sleeve shirt and a similar red velvet jumper in the hand me downs for the baby with it's white shirt. We are good to go. Sometimes sewing just doesn't work out! I am emailing Fabric.com to tell them about the designer techno taffeta being heavy and awful to work with. Maybe they will give a credit :)

Pictures should be taken tonight at my mom's, those who are my FB friends can see them once I post them. I do not post their faces to my blog since it is too public.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! Tomorrow is my 42nd birthday, I see a little more gray in the hair, a few more wrinkles, well earned in this life. Ya'll have a great Christmas, celebrate the coming of our Lord for those who are Christian, and for those who are not, enjoy your holidays.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Admitting Defeat

I think I have come to the end of the road on the Christmas dresses. I made the change to the black bodice, but it stretched out so, looked awful, I don't know, it just looks homemade. The baby's is somewhat ok, my older girls' looks homemade. I am going out tomorrow and see what I can find last minute for her to wear. I have plenty for the baby to wear since I saved all the dressup clothes from the oldest. I could use the handmade dress, but what's the point, if the one I buy tomorrow doesn't match. Well let's see what I find...

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Houston we have a problem...

OK, I have been working on special orders, those are almost done, and the dresses for the girls. After putting most of the older girl's dress together, it is TOO. MUCH. GREEN. I love green, but whoa! So, all morning long, ideas percolated in the brain. I still needed to cut out the baby's dress (yeah, I know Christmas eve is 4 days away!). So, plan B has commenced. I have cut up a stretch velvet black dress I used to wear, it still looked new. That is my bodice for the two. I am putting the baby's together now. I think I will like this better and no lining for the bodice being stretch velvet. I will cut bias facings or shaped facings and be done with it. Now her sleeves are little cap sleeves that are lined, that's ok. Makes getting the sleeves in easy, using a knit. I need to make sure the waist area is interfaced with strips though, because the taffeta is kinda heavy. More later!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I am drowning in green taffeta!

I did not get on my camera a photo of my dress, but my friend at the dinner did, so when she emails them to me, I will post it unless I wear it again before that.

I am up to my knees in green taffeta for the Christmas dresses. Plus I have 2 special order aprons to make and a baby onesie/blanket set to make before Christmas.

I think I am up to about 21 followers. I wonder how many more I can get by 12/31!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Simplicity 2473 - Final Post

Edited: blogger put my photos in reverse order, so the photos and comments are backwards. I would fix it but the kids are fighting and I need to break it up!
The finished dress front

The closer look at the bodice

Back view

The correction on back neck facing; I don't know what happened but after inserting the zipper, the tops did not match. At this last moment, the only solution was to fold it down more, trim the facing and I topstitched the back neck only ending at the shoulder seams. I have long hair that will cover the topstitching, the thread color matched perfectly and I pressed the seams in. I could have fixed it better, but the hook/eye were in and ripping this was painful as the colors matched too well.

All in all, a great pattern, the bodice fit me out of the envelope so that is unusual. I like the flared skirt, but would have liked a bit more volume. I also would have liked it longer than knee length, so if I make it again, I will add to the hem area. Summerset recommended 5/8" strips of fusible interfacing for them hems, worked like a charm. I machine stitched them hems since the thread matched and it was a knit. For a longer hem and in a woven, I would have hand hemmed. Now I may be ready for Sunday night; it's the Knights of Columbus 4th degree Christmas party and since Mike is our Grand Knight, I wanted to look nice. For the retro style, I have been experimenting with wet-set curlers and have tamed my curly hair into a softer look. I will get Alicia, our friend/babysitter to take a photo of us on Sunday with him in his tux.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Simplicity 2473 - Post #4

No photo on the dress, but it is getting closer. I still have hems to do and zipper to insert, I am currently handstitching the inside midriff facing down to the seam allowance. Some things to note:
1. Sophia Double Knit from Fabric.com is wonderful. Even handstitching a knit is going easy so I plan on hand stitching the hem/sleeve hem.
2. I had added to center front on the skirt but had to redo the stitching attaching the skirt to the midriff in that section to "ease" in the difference.
3. I gave up on the neck facing and steam a seamed it down inside along the seam allowance and the shoulder seam areas.
4. I opted for 16" zipper stopping at the lower edge of the midriff. I had basted in a 22" for fit, it was too bulky along the curve of my backside and stuck out. Now that I remember, I rarely had RTW dresses with that long of a zipper as I usually bought petite dresses.
I plan on getting the midriff finished, zipper in tonight and hems tomorrow. Summerset shared her info from her blog, since I wasn't sure of the width to cut, how to use fusible interfacing to stabilize it before hemming. Hopefully I will have a finished photo tomorrow. This dress pattern is awesome with the princess seams. The fit is so much better than my experience using darts. Using the rayon double knit makes it even better.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Obituary - something from an email and very true

The younger you are the less you may morn at the passing, but maybe not.


Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common
Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for
sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago
lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable
lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies
(don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable
strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when
well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in
place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual
harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from
school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired
for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his
condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for
doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in
disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further
when schools were required to get parental consent to
administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could
not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted
to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became
businesses; and criminals received better treatment than
their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you
couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home
and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a
woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was
hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly
awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in
death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife,
Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son,
Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I
Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he
was gone.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Craft Sale


For such short notice, I feel like it went ok. I sold four of these crayon rollups in various prints, these are the two I have left and are in my etsy shop. Sold a variety of things, now I have a better feel for what people are looking for. I may try some other locales in the area.

Now, back to S2473 tomorrow...

Friday, December 4, 2009

How to Sew an Extra Layer in Your Garments For Added Warmth - CraftStylish

How to Sew an Extra Layer in Your Garments For Added Warmth - CraftStylish

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