2010 Coming in strong

YEA!!!!
I am starting off great in 2010.

I always start more projects than I can possibly complete.(Am I the only one that does this?)  But I started a re-decorate of my bedroom 6 years ago.  I did the wall texturing myself an it took me over a year to complete.  As I took breaks from the painting, I worked on the bedding and window treatments. The bed ruffle was made and it is velcro-ed to the box springs for easy removal/cleaning.  I found the valance material and moved quickly to get them sewn.  It took me 6 months to decide on the drapery fabric.  I decided on a split crown moulding to give more height to the 8' ceilings. My sister was excited over my room and did a special oil painting to include. All this has been enjoyed over the last 5 years but I never felt that it was complete because I wanted to get some throw pillows for accent.  I finally completed the pillows and this project is complete.

This is a shot to show the crown mouldings and the pillows.  Oh, and I know that you can't see the picture very well,  but it was painted by an artist, Roberson, from the Townsend, TN -Smokey Mountain area and it is titled Growing Old Together.  I love the picture and the idea.

These showcase the window treatments, dust ruffle and our baby(old girl) Belle.  She homesteads in our room with us.

I had too much glare from flash because the dark walls have a gloss finish.  But Joy(sis) is very talented and I will cherish this for life.

The next completed project for 2010 is my first ever completed knitting project.  I started this project before I did the bedroom.  I have started many knittings before and never completed any.  Many were tossed in the garbage.  But this is an afghan for David.  He wanted it to be extra long so that when he stretches out in the recliner, he can wrap it under his feet and it will stretch to his chin.  I have worked off and on this for over 8 years.  I had not worked on it in soooo long that I had really forgotten how the pattern worked. I pulled it out to take with me on the trip to Texas in November, I think that I knitted and ripped out on about 8 rows the whole12 hour trip.  I determined then that if it ever got put away again it probably would not get finished   thus the push to the finish.  And it is done!! and I am really proud.....first knitting project complete. 

Maybe one day when it is cooler and I catch him asleep with it on, I will snap a picture to share.

Now, more exciting news.  I have also found a new fabric store.  It is about an hour/half drive from here in the little community of Dekalb, MS off the beaten path to nowhere.  The whole 'town' is abandoned except this "Village Fabric Shoppe".  I have never seen so much fabric in such a small place.  There were aisles that even I could hardly get down.  But, I found some fabrics and patterns to start spring clothes for the "grands" and I will be returning to this place many times in the future.

Even as pretty as these blend together, I had take other materials from my stash to match....so they may or maynot be used together...

And last weekend I went to another sale, Heirlooms Forever, Tupelo, MS.  and this pile of buttons was still laying on my table from that fun trip.  There is a whole bag of Christmas prints for year long projects.

Enough for now, must get some sleep....lots of new stuff to plan for Spring.

2010 will be yet another great year.  Oh, how I love life.

Happy New Year

We have had a great Holiday Season and a quiet entry into the New Year.  Sewing has been very slow.  I do not know what has gone with my time, but the winter season is moving fast and I did not complete all that I had planned.  But I have packed up that season of fabrics and plan to work on some projects for the house and a quilt for Julie during the next couple of months.

 Oh, I just realized that I have not announced that Clif & Becky's new arrival came on Nov. 30,  Alliene Davis Scott. She is a beautiful redhead

I completed the Christmas Pajamas in time to deliver before Santa came.  This first set was for Nora Ruth and  Alliene.

These were for Lola and Julian.

Now I am going to try and get the quilt for Julie completed before next Christmas.  Hopefully before Greg and Julie's new addition arrives in July.  So here is the sample block that Julie and I put together during the Thanksgiving visit.

My project for today is to remove the remnants of Christmas and prepare the house for the New Year, get the fabrics for the quilt washed, and continue knitting on an afgan for David that I have been working on for many years.  I really plan to complete it by the end of Jan.  Lots to do!

Holiday Season

David and I have enjoyed a wonderful Thankgiving and I look forward to the remainder of the holiday season.

Greg and Julie arrived the last Saturday and will be leaving tomorrow.  It is always to GREAT to have them home.  They came home this year with the special surprise that July will bring us a new bundle of joy to all of our lives.  This will be their first child.  While they were home, Julie and I spent a couple of days at my favorite fabric store, Main Street Fabrics, in Ackerman, MS.  We selected the fabrics to create a coverlet for their master bedroom.  I made a sample square to make sure that we have the colors like she wants before they go back to Texas.

Clif and Becky have been working very hard to get their house finished.  David went over a couple of days to help out.  Clif and Nora Ruth came for Thanksgiving dinner.  Becky was not feeling well. Her delivery date for their second little girl is Tuesday, Dec. 1.  They will get to come home to a new house instead of the apartment. 

Angela and Ted, Lola and Julian also joined us.  Julian is still having breathing problems but is a tough little guy and is always happy. Lola had a great time playing with Greg and Julie's dog, Timber.

My Mom(81) drove over and to enjoy this great day with all of us.  She brought the quilt that she is making for Nora Ruth's Christmas present.  It is almost complete, only needs to finish the binding.  She does beautiful work.  It is hand quilted.  She completed one for Lola and Julian last year.  Now with the 2 new babies on the way, this year will be very busy for her.  It's great to have her so active at this age. 

As you can see, our life is great! I have a wonderful husband and family. God has blessed us beyond words.
Hope that all of you have had a special week.

Jackets for Winter

Fall has slowed me down 'bunches'.  I do not know what it has been but I have just not had the inner push to sew.  I have now completed the jackets planned for the 'grands' and a couple of outfits for the girls.

I made both Lola and Nora Ruth 'fake' fur jackets.  I did not get a picture of Nora Ruth's before I delivered. It was made by the same pattern as Lola's but was only a blue/brown pattern.  Nora's was the first and when I made the collar, I used the fake fur for both upper and under collar.  It was a little bulky so when I cut Lola's I tried a different approach and used a light weight corduroy for the under collar and it lays a little smoother.  Sewing is always learning.

Julian's favorite thing right now is 'Thomas the Train' so I made him a fleece jacket lined with a flannel in the 'Thomas' print.  When he saw it at the fitting, he was very excited.  Angela(Mom) said that he might wear it inside out.

Both of the girls got an outfit with leggings and a ruffled top.

and Nora got a long all in soft corduroy.  The little apples are out of a gingham and appliqued with a darker pink stitching.  I found a matching ruffle trim and used the darker dot ribbon to complete the outfit.

 

This has taken me 3 weeks to get them completed.  I have several more that I am planning before Christmas.  Hope that I can keep the momentum going.

Halloween Bags

Halloween is close approaching and thoughts began to turn to that old activity of trick or treat.  The grands are getting old enough to enjoy so I thought that I would put together some bags for all the goodies.

I went out on a limb and free hand cut my patterns.  To get the stiffness to maintain their shape, I use just a single layer of cotton quilt batting.  They are fully lined.

The girls have black cats and Julian's is a ghost.  I monogrammed the back.
 

Now I will get back to garment sewing.  Making something different is fun!

Happy Holloween!

Fall is coming, just Look

I have been busy this week.  I did get all the squares done for Lola's jacket, but did not get further on this project when I decided to take off on something else.

Little play clothes for the grands became the focus this week.  I picked up my embroidery machine last weekend and had to see if it was working correctly.

Lola's is a pattern from Embroidery Library of the Paisley Pets.  I did not want to make Halloween themed outfits like last year so I thought this would serve the purpose.  Lola has seen the cat but not the whole set.  I was a little hesitant that it might not be as bright as she would ususally want but her comment was " I Like the Kitty" so I knew that it was going to be fine.

I have not gotten the pants made for Julian yet.  I tried to convince him that the Paisley gekko was going to be for him.  Ted(his dad) tried to help me out but Julian kept saying that he wanted a cat.  Finally Angela said that a dog would be great!  So here it is, another pattern from Emb. Lib. of the patchwork animals.

I had Nora Ruth yesterday and she seemed disappointed that she did not have anything on the table.  I showed Becky(her Mom) my new patterns.  Becky chose the Retro Owl.  While Nora was napping, I worked very quickly to get hers embroidered so that she would be suprised.  Her comment when I showed it to her was, I like the cat better.  I did not win. I haven't completed her pants either but the owl finshed up beautifully.

I did get one outfit complete for sale, it will be listed on the Etsy site when I get better pictures.  I call it the 'funky monkeys' and they are patchwork similar to the dog.

Seems the machine is working well.  I have a couple of things to get out for friends this week so I will have another busy week.  I have a fall romper to get made for a birthday present and an outfit similar to these  above for a friend that works in the office with me.

On to the next projects.  Have a great week.

Labor Day Project

I hope that everyone has a fun day planned for the holiday.  I have no great plans, just to work on the new project that I started this weekend.

I have never attempted much in the way of quilting.  I have pieced 2 quilt tops over the years but it has been many years back.  I was looking in an old issue of Creative Needle and there was a beautiful dress where the bodice was made from crazy quilt.  I wanted to use that technique to make something so this new jacket project was conceived.

I was in Heirloom's Forever(wonderful shop in Tupelo, MS), to pick up my embroidery machine that was being serviced on Saturday, and began to look for the fabrics.  I wanted to do this in lavender, but when Geeds questioned as to who this was for, and I named Lola, he quickly reminded me that pink was her favorite color.

Here are the chosen colors.

I did get the lavender for my trim color. I have 3 different square designs.

I have most of them cut and I am using different trims on each square. I am using decorative stiches, rick rack, braid and laces for the embelishments. 

I have about 8 squares completed and I think that it will take about 26 to complete the project.  I have cut out some of the large flower patterns to use as applique on several strategic locations on the jacket.  The jacket will be just a simple round neck, rounded tail, quilted jacket for playing in. 

This will be an ongoing project, because I have many others that I will work on in between. I will keep posting the progress.

I'm off for now to get busy for the day.

Enjoy your holiday.