End of Summer Dress

DSC06987

The coral rose and passion vine tangle up and cover this bench trellis. It’s a pretty spot to sit—or hang a dress.

 

Have you ever had a project that made you wonder if you would ever finish it?  That’s the story for this summer dress that I started in June.  Finally today,  Sept. 2, it is ready to wear.

Yes, it’s a little late for summer, but in central Florida, summer lasts until late Oct.   There are still plenty of 90 degree days ahead for Laurel, my 9 year old granddaughter, to wear this cotton sundress.  Add  to that the fact that it is a little big, so she will be cool and cute next summer.

The pattern is Summer Separates from the Sew Beautiful collection.

summer separates Continue reading

A Sweet Story about a Child, Kindness and Hope

Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the blossoms,
Kind deeds are the fruits.
~19th century rhyme used in primary schools

Robert finishing up a dishtowel for his mother.

Robert finishing up a dishtowel for his mother.

Like every grandchild, our 8 year old grandson Robert is beautiful, brilliant and extraordinary in every way. Let me share a story about this little guy, his kindness and his hope.  Never fear, as you can see from  this photo, there is a sewing connection.

Some time ago in Sunday School the children filled clay pots with paper flowers made with their own little hands.  Additionally, each child made a card to accompany his floral arrangement. The next Sunday, these were delivered next door to residents of the senior apartment complex, which is a mission of our church.  Robert and his sister Laurel were not in town with us that weekend, so they did not participate in the delivery or meet the recipients.

A week later, a thank you note for Robert was received at the church office.  An office volunteer reported that “a little old lady shuffled all the way over here with her walker” to deliver the note.  The carefully printed card expressed thanks for the flowers and especially for the message which Robert had chosen,  “God is always with you.”  Each child had selected his own greeting without suggestion. Most said “Have a nice day,” or “God bless you,”  but Robert had another thought.

He was absolutely delighted with the note which was signed “Miss Charleine, #752.”

The next week he decided to bring Miss Charleine a bouquet of real flowers after church. He was excited about meeting his new friend.  I did not call ahead for fear Miss Charleine would feel obliged to offer cookies or whatever.  We would just stop briefly. Continue reading

Thanks for Fun and Sun

3 sun

hostess gift part 1

 

Our family has just enjoyed a fabulous week of fun and sun at the beach.

 

perpetual motion beach babies playing with their new friends

perpetual motion beach babies playing with their new friends

 

With friends at church we traded a week at their oceanfront condo for a week at our cabin in the mountains.  Just 30 miles from home, the condo was conveniently located and the perfect place for a family gathering.

One reason it is so relaxing was that cars are not allowed on this section of the waterfront,  unlike most of Daytona Beach.   The children were able to run around and dig anywhere that seemed deserving of a deep hole.  Meanwhile, I sat under the beach umbrella with my daughter Rebecca and baby Vivian Rose who was mesmerized by the waves and  the pelicans.

 

 

2 kitch

The designs are from Dakota Collectibles Shell collection.

 

As a thank you/hostess gift, I embroidered some kitchen and fingertip towels for the condo. Continue reading

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days

Nat King Cole sang, “Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer…”

3 bagsCR

I haven’t seen much lazy this summer, and I have never  seen hazy Florida humidity as visible as in these photos.  It was steamy out at the clothesline today!  I have seen plenty of “crazy,” but I’m not even going to start on that.

In earlier posts, there has been discussion about the utility end of sewing.  Not everything we stitch is beautiful or creative or unique.  Sometimes it is just what is needed.  And according to my daughter, her children needed laundry bags.  So that’s what I sewed. Continue reading

Quilted for Tea Time

rug violetsCR

Isn’t this just the most elegantmat?  This was a birthday gift from my dear friend Suzanne Sawko who has honed her free motion quilting skills to a level that qualifies as real art.

The varied textures and intricate patterns on this piece make it almost too pretty to use.  The stippling is so tiny that those areas appear flat.   The quilting designs vary from large and open to small and tight.  Variety makes this such an interesting piece to study, especially while enjoying a cup of tea.

rug alone

Suzanne is a great fan of on-line classes and has taken several quilting courses.  One of these focused on free-style feathers and other free motion quilting techniques.  The designs are not drawn onto the fabric, but created like a pencil sketch drawn with no eraser. Continue reading

Aunt Rheeta~My Heroine

reduced

Aunt Rheeta at our Rebecca’s wedding

 

Yes, she is my heroine and she would be yours too if you knew her.  I want to be just like her when I grow up—oops,  too late for that!  Well then, I want to be just like her when I am her age–78.

This post is only remotely related to sewing, but we all need inspiration and Aunt Rheeta is mine.

Her most recent activity spurred me to write this post.  She is one amazing woman.  Her friend Laura, the 88 years old  catcher (!!!!), is one of the few who can keep up with her.  Yes, Aunt Rheeta hangs with a tough crowd.

 

R swings

I think she said Mickey Mantle was her coach.

At the age when so many people are winding down, or have long since finished  that process, my  fit, fun Aunt Rheeta lives her life full steam ahead.  Now she is a medalist in the Senior Olympics where she competed in baseball, bowling (averaging 126!) and horseshoes. Continue reading

Moving on…..

all w headband2BR

 

It seemed as though I would never finish this simple little pini-4, but at last it is checked off on my to-do list.  There were no technical complications, but rather just a matter if life getting in the way.  Entire days passed when I did not sew and that makes me cranky.  I feel better now.

The original plan was to add a row of cable under the beaded ribbon, but in my eagerness to finish this up I just forgot.  Of course, it’s not too late and I could still do it.  It  really would look better.  But I am tired of this project.  It’s done. I’m ready to move on.

The pattern is the same one I used for the Liberty of London popover for granddaughter Vivian Rose.  But I look forward to when Lisa at Mommy’s Apron Strings releases her very similar pattern.  She has so many improvements, like sizing.

 

pini4-patt Continue reading

Shadow Embroidery by Embroidery Machine

Catching up with my must-do’s so that I can write a new post has been nearly impossible. I won’t bore you with ALLL the details, but one obstacle is time spent supervising 7 year old grandson Robert as he works on the book he has written, Football Frenzy (which soon I HOPE and expect to be for sale @ $7, at least until Amazon or BooksAMillion pick it up ;-)). After I printed up two copies for his perusal, he decided that it is too short. So he is back to composing, adding a chapter on recipes for football watching snacks and more.

Roberts book cover

Additionally, I have been substitute teaching Sunday School for 1st-5th graders, a satisfying but time consuming task.

So until I finish the little popover pinafore (Pini-4) which is almost done, I resort yet again to putting up a post from the past.

Shadow embroidery by machine continues to be of great interest. Though you probably have a greater chance of winning the lottery than of laying hands on any one of Suzanne Hinshaw’s to-die-for collections, you just might get lucky. There are other designers mentioned below with sets or individual designs.

So here is the old post, with a few photos of projects done since putting this one up. A real, new, fresh post should be up very soon.

grandson's Easter outfit with shadow embroidery from Southern Stitches’ Shadow Work Baby Collection

grandson’s Easter outfit with shadow embroidery from Southern Stitches™ Shadow Work Baby Collection

Continue reading

Busy-ness and Sewing

That’s what I’ve been up to, mostly being busy and doing some sewing. But there hasn’t been a minute to photograph or record my life in “the fast lane.”  Ha!  I guess I’m like (or I actually am!) the little old lady who drives down the interstate in the left lane going 10 mph below the speed limit.  But she is in the fast lane and it feels like that’s where I am, cruising but not moving as fast as I should be in this lane.

pini4 parts vertCR

I’ve spent a precious little time in the sewing room. Another of those Pini-4’s, like the one made earlier for 6 month old Vivian Rose, is in the works.  Oh, and I’ve bought yards and yards of fabric, totally blowing my fabric starvation diet. Drat those irresistable sales at Martha Pullen and Farmhouse Fabrics!  But the yardage is lovely and will be so much fun to sew up.

I’m looking forward to finishing the outfit above for Vivian Rose.  The yoke and bloomers will be lavender microcheck and the bloomer ruffles will be cut from the print fashion fabric with Swiss dots.  Instead of piping, I plan to use the wide beading across the yokes and edge the perimeter with the Swiss trim shown.

An 18″ length of the perfect color grosgrain ribbon was in my stash, but that is not nearly enough.  The ribbon shown was purchased because it fit the beading and is purple, though it looks more blue in the photo.  But I’m not happy with it.  I hope to find a better match before it’s time for construction.

In an earlier post (or was it in response to a post comment?) it was mentioned that Lisa at Mommy’s Apron Strings is working on a very similar pattern with some improvements.  She expects to release it soon, so any fans of this look might want to keep an eye on her blog.  Click here to see her darling prototypes.

We’ve had lots of delightful time with grandchildren and Football Frenzy, 7 year old Robert’s book, is going to press this weekend.  He has worked hard  researching interesting facts, statistics and quotes and has written and typed it all himself.  As his editor, my involvement has been primarily to lay it out for printing. Robert very excited about it, though so far, Amazon has expressed no interest in carrying it.  But family and friends are feagerly reserving their $7 copies. Here are a few excerpts. Continue reading

Modeling their New Clothes

 

modeling their July 4th outfits

modeling their July 4th outfits

I simply must show you the pictures that Rebecca just sent of Alastair and Vivian Rose wearing the outfits I made recently.  You’ve probably already seen these clothes and I know I am Pitiful Nana to HAVE to show these off.  I’m like the grandmothers who pull out the 11 x 17″ g’baby photo albums at every opportunity.  But I am what I am.

 

V-stands

 

 

Six month old Vivian Rose, our own four-tooth “Chubbalicious,” is finally getting hair in a reversed sequence of her mother’s development.  Rebecca was born with thick, dark hair that nearly covered her ears but it all fell out and at her first birthday she had about as much as does Vivian Rose now.  Vivian also has 2 teeth now while her mother didn’t cut her first almost until her first birthday.  I thought I might have to send her to  kindergarten with pureed baby food in her lunch box.  FYI, this Children’s Corner Bobbie bubble is a size 18 months!

Continue reading