My connection to Royalty

Ok, the word connection might be a bit of a stretch more like influenced by Royalty and it all started with baby Prince William.   You might notice he is wearing a little smocked shirt.  My friend Donna sure noticed when pictures came out of the little Prince in smocked clothing.  Donna came over one day and said she wanted to learn to smock would I go to class with her.  Ah, first, what is smocking and why do we need to learn it?  Donna replied, “ Because the baby Prince William wears smocked clothes”.  I was still not sure what that had to do with us but agreed to take the class.   It wasn’t until I saw smocking up close that I realized that is what Grandma had added to my Sunday best dress and yes, my baby girl sure would need some dresses with smocking on it.

With the wedding just days away it brought back memories of so many years ago.  I started thinking will Kate and Williams baby wear smocked clothes? What if its a baby girl, can you imagine the baby fashions we will be all set to copy.

SAGA Trunk Show

The Apple Valley Smockers held a SAGA trunk show Saturday April 16th.  The weather was beautiful the wind a bit chilly but it didn’t keep anyone home.   The turn out for the show was wonderful we even had a lady waiting for the garments to be taken from the box.  What fun to share each item with her as we  inspected each precious smocked dress.   In our little valley we do not get to share a lot of others work so this is a treat we look forward to each year.   Many of the ladies viewing the items told of memories of the time they also had smocked in the past.

Everything is set out and ready for viewing.

Coming up for air

Was this quilting thing a good idea?   The classes are fun and confusing also very, very long.  You learn to take big pieces of fabric, cut them into small pieces and sew them all back together, only different. My vision of everyone getting a quilt has changed.  One thing I have found myself doing is thinking how cute that idea would work on a dress for Chloe or Zoe.

Then I walk through again and see these beautiful creations. Inspiration and just plain beautiful fabrics surround you, it’s just a nice place to be.

Aren’t they pretty?   I so admire ladies that can do this kind of work.  So if you are a quilter just know I really admire you, it is a talent a little different then sewing clothes.

Pesky Pockets

I love it  when I can answer an email to help someone move forward in their sewing.  Pockets seem to be a problem for some and I know just where you are coming from as a beginner sewer.   When I started sewing for the kids if any pattern showed a pocket I would either just leave it off or not buy the pattern.  Yup, I was scared of those pesky things.   Once I found out how easy they are to do pockets went on everything. Side pockets can see hard but they are not hard at all.  Now, I will add an exception to that remark because if you happen to pick up McCall's pattern M4364. The way they show to put in side pockets will send your project to the not  to be finished pile. I tried that pattern and the instructions are way off base. I have a feeling that who ever wrote those instructions have never put in side pockets.

First pick a good pattern, for me that is Kwik-Sew 2604 or any boys shorts pattern by Kwik-Sew.  They show you how to put the pockets in while your project is flat and before you sew anything else.

As you can see this is a well used pattern.  The shorts will be sewn using madras plaid.

You will want to use a fusible interfacing on one side of your pocket, pockets get lots of use keeping those frogs in so you want them to be strong. You will want to mark your sewing line on the pocket piece.  Now pin the right side of the pocket to the right side of the shorts, stitch following the stitching lines marked. Clip seam allowance in the corners. Turn the pocket to the inside and press, top stitch 1/4'” from the edge.

Now, you will pin other pocket to the pocket on the front, right sides together,  and matching notches and raw edges together. All this being done just on the front piece while your work is still flat.

That's it pretty easy, now just sew the back to the front on the seam line and you have side pocket to hold all those treasures little boys find.

The smile

I was in line at the fabric store waiting to get some fabric cut, the lady in front of me was getting some fabric for the backing of a quilt.  Standing beside this lady was a little boy about nine years old,  the lady was his grandma and she was explaining to him the fabric she was buying would be the backing to his quilt, it was 108" wide and would need no piecing.  Now, I don't think the little boy cared one bit about the piecing statement, but he did care about the quilt, the smile on that little guys face just lit up the store, he looked around smiling at everyone, you could see on his face what the finishing  of this quilt meant to him.   I can see years from now, the quilt bringing memories of when he was with grandma picking out the backing,  I am sure he had a great deal of input into this quilt.

So, when a challenge was put (by me) on the forum of "Venturing out" moving beyond your comfort zone when sewing,  quilting came to my mind.  I have sewn for years not to many things I have not done and am comfortable with, except quilting.   I have dabbled in it, have done place mats and a few table runners oh and even tried out a block or two and made a potholder.  Nothing big, nothing that takes your breath away like the quilts do at the quilt shop.

Now, this is something the grand kids will not out grow for a few years.  This is what I have saved all those sewing scraps for, yes, I am signing up for lessons and I am going to learn to quilt.


Here   is the shop that I just love.   Now, I am thinking should I for warn the kids?  They might not know what to do with a hundred quilted potholders.

Really Excited

I am really excited to have been given this book but now am wondering does this mean I have to cook?  I have spent a good part of the day reading it and have learned a lot my mother didn't teach me.  Of coarse she didn't know about making fancy sauces am sure if she did she would have shared that with me. 
One of the recipes I was excited to find was one for sauerbraten, for those that don't know this is a German dish.  It is a marinated pot roast with gingersnap gravy, it takes about a week to make but it is so good.
I had a recipe for it given me by a friend and somehow through the years it was lost.  So you know I am anxious to make that dish.
It also has many what I call chef's secrets, so now I know why their dishes turn out and mine don't.

I am looking forward to cooking new things for the family.  

My creations never turn out like the pictures they look good enough to eat.   I am sure I will be adding a recipe here every once in awhile.  
The only problem I can see right now is how often do I want to cook for 10 or more, so guess that means I will have to use a little math on some of them.