for my little peasant girl

Recently, I purchased the "Elizabeth Claire" dress pattern from "Little Lizard King". It was emailed as a PDF and I printed off all the pages (which had written instructions and pictures to go along with each step). In a hormone-induced moment of OCD, I hole punched all the pages and put the pattern in a nice little bradded folder.


But honestly, the idea of making that dress has been burning a hole in my fabric stash until yesterday. I cut out all the pieces the night before and put most of the dress together while the wee ones were at school. Then, today, I finished by sewing the bodice and skirt together and decided to add the optional sash.


Because she is napping (of course) I will have to wait to try it on her, but I love how it turned out in two dimensions at least. The pattern gives options for short, 3/4, or long sleeves. This is the 3/4 done in a peasant style.

clackety clack don't come back

My wonderful 20+ year old Kenmore machine has been getting louder and louder when I sew.

Clackety.

Clackety.

Clackety.

Clackety.

Finally, tonight, as I was putting together the bodice of the Alice in Wonderland costume, I decided I'd heard enough of its noisy shenanigans.

With screwdriver in hand, I removed the throat plate and found there to be a lot of lint built up around the (drop-in) bobbin housing. I removed it and blew the remaining bits from around the area.
Then, I lifted out the bobbin case and there was so much lint that I swear I could have knit a dead mouse from it all. If I knew how to knit, that is.

After all that cleaning, I put everything back together and now my machine is as quiet as can be!

Whirr.

Whirr.

Whirr.

Whirr.

Best of all? I just saved myself a $59 dollar trip to the sewing center!!

(money I could use on more fabric!)

modesty at school

For those of you who know me, you know that I am like a skirt nazi when it comes to the length of school uniform skirts. Even though the young girls might not yet respect their bodies, I am an advocate for their modesty. I was inspired this morning by Acts 9:36 - the story of a woman, a seamstress, whose name was (in Aramaic) Tabitha (in Greek, her name was Dorcas).

I have had "drives" in the past... bring your skirts to school and I will lower the hem for free.... usually after their post Christmas growth spurt. But today I decided to make it a year-round ministry. Therefore, today I rejoice and pray for blessings upon the beginning of the Tabitha Ministry.

Sidenote: I do not believe in coincidence and today is no exception. Right after I emailed the school's administrative assistant telling her that I would like to offer this year-round ministry for any student K-8, four different people contacted me about sewing different projects for them for which I will be paid. I just happen to find that downright amazing!

my very first giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

CONGRATULATIONS, GRACE!

To celebrate my upcoming 43rd birthday, I am hosting my very first giveaway.

The winner of this giveaway will receive this plastic lined flower sack made with damask quilters cotton in green and brown. It can hold about 2-3 cups of water or wet floral foam and an arrangement. (I stuck lime green Fuji mums in for one of the pictures.)

It would be really cute on the handle of a door, or hung on a nail as a special little surprise to visitors to your home. Where ever you need a little fabric/flower splash. Or you could give it away to a friend who just needs a little extra smile.

This flower sack is a mock-up for a friend who has a gardening store. I will make them (using home decor fabric) and sell them by the dozen, just in case you are also in the market. ;)

I have never hosted a giveaway before and I gotta tell you, it feels awkward. I will leave the giveaway open until my birthday - Sept 24th. At that time, I will collect all the names and get one of the kids to draw from a hat. Leave a comment and make sure you have a way for me to contact you (email).

what's under the needle....

I have two big projects that I am working on. The first is the t-shirt/memory quilt that I am making for the sister of a girl I made a quilt for last year. Yesterday I finally finished attaching the "framed" t-shirt panels.

This was like clearing a blockage, let me tell ya. One of the hardest/most intimidating projects I've worked on yet... well, besides the Munchkin costumes. Which leads me to the other project I am busy with....

an Alice in Wonderland costume, like the one "Char" from Crap I've Made made last year just before Halloween.

photo credit

This is for the daughter of a friend who will, of course, be Alice in Wonderland for Halloween. Betcha saw that one coming, huh?

There are also several different embroidery projects waiting in line. Alas, part of my computer software is being repaired and will hopefully be here at the end of the week. I am eager to get these projects done because everyone has been sooo patient. Mother's Morning out "scrubs", a set of towels which is to be a wedding gift, and a couple of backpacks are all waiting to get under the embroidery machine's needle.