BUSY IN THE SEWING ROOM

Haven't posted a lot

but have been busy.  Getting things ready for Christmas.

I love making the gifts!

These are place mats, for a country kitchen.

I will finish these doing

what is called the 'flip' method.

No binding, so they are quick and easy.

Also I am doing stitch out's

practicing how a design will

stitch out, before I move on to the

main project.

I have a certain project in mind for this design!

Have a few other things in stages, so for 

now, not a lot ready to wrap.

coasters.  So fun to make, these are

a add on gift.

I will try to keep you posted as to what is going on in the sewing room.   Really could use a elf to help out.

Pure Elegance

Pure Elegance 

Since the Christening gown was shown in the last post I wanted to re-post the original story of the gown.   

 

 

Ole McLaughlin, is a member of the Apple Valley smockers and does the most amazing Brazilian embroidery. I hope she will let me show more of her work in the future.
Some Christening gowns have stories connected with them before they are created, with others the stories are created by the babies who wore the gown or the creator of the gown. This gown shares a little of both.
Ole, fashioned this elegant gown from silk brought back from China by her father a member of the Flying Tigers in WW2.  His soon to be bride used some of the silk to make a blouse for her wedding, the rest of the silk was stored away with orders for it to be used for Christening gowns when Ole’s boys became fathers.
Ole choose a pattern from AS&E issue #60, called Heaven Blessed.Ole said,” The only changes made, I didn’t put the bows on the front yoke and didn’t do the lower skirt embroidery. Instead I added the lace insertion. The fabric wasn’t long enough and I felt the silk was busy enough without adding embroidery.”
I hope I have been able to capture the beauty of this gown.










 

  Ole has 3 plus months in the creation of this gown. She has one more to make I am looking forward to what she comes up with, I know it be fantastic.

  I hope you have enjoyed this gown. I know it is hard for a camera to capture the true beauty.

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CHRISTMAS SEWING

Christmas past

 

I thought I would share some of past

Christmas sewing.

It is time to start again, sewing for this

year.  I have actually gotten a few things done, but can 

not show them yet.

 

Teens are probably the hardest to sew for

Last year, the teens wanted 

A. Something Grandma made and

B. Something warm and soft

 

So,for warm and soft,

What could be softer the minkie?

She modeled for me!

 

Reading pillows and a good book

 

Of coarse the Christmas quilt

warm, soft and something Grandma made!

 

To me, Christmas sewing is a challenge

at the same time, it is fun.

 

DOWN MEMORY LANE

So much has changed

I wanted to take a trip back to memory

lane.

A visit to the Apple Valley Smockers and

our booth at the quilt show.

This booth was at the Town Toyota Center

in Wenatchee, Wash.

If I remember it was our first or second year

of the quilt show being held there.

  This post has a lot of pictures.

Fun to re-share the memories.

MEET KATHY DYKSTRA

One thing I love about

computers and blogging is 

being able to 'meet' people,

I would never other wise have been

able to meet and call a friend.

One of those friends is Kathy Dykstra.

Kathy, is a designer, teacher, artist and blogger.

Her blog sewing_adventures.com

is full of inspiration.

Design by Kathy

Just a sample of the beauty/talent you

will find on her blog.

Kathy, has been a huge influence on my sewing and smocking.  I used many, many of her designs

when they were published in AS&E.

A magazine no longer published and missed so much.

Kathy also designs for wee babies

and for wee care.

She offers many tutorials on her blog.

 

Her patterns are available through

her  Etsy

kathysheirloomshop

 

HIGH SHANK__LOW SHANK

Your  sewing machine has

a shank.

Your pressure foot attaches to

that shank.

The shanks are either high or low. I

would guess most of them are low.

so what is it?

See that white piece of plastic?

That is the shank, the piece holding my

pressure foot.

You might also notice I have a snap

on pressure foot,vs a screw on.

 My machine is the Viking sapphire

760 quilt machine. Mine is considered a low shank.

Another thing that can be confusing 

is-this piece is also called an ankle.

When purchasing new feet

the choices are, a choice between

high shank and low shank.

 I hope this helps clear up

any confusion, when you see the term

high shank or low shank.  

 

MY FAVORITE KIND OF SEWING

Always my first love

Garment sewing, especially for the little ones, will always be my first love in the sewing world.

Since I do have a great granddaughter. 

Who happens to love things I sew her.

My heart is full!

These dress's were from a Bonnie Blue pattern.

Named Kimberly.

Keeps me very busy.

CHANGE IS A GOOD THING!

Time for a change

Our smocking group has been named.

Apple Valley Smockers

since it was formed. 

I saw it as a time to change. Not, just the name but what we do as people that love to sew and create.

Apple Valley, is used for everything--the word smockers, said we smocked things.  What every that is supposed to be.

So, along with another member that shared my thought process.  We changed the name!!

I had some banners made and although I am not

excited about this display at our local quilt show.

I am excited about the possibilities. 

Like I said Change is good.

It has been slow

Slow in the sewing room

Still sewing is happening and what I love to do.

Update on the quilt tops, they are off

to the long arm lady Patti and she will

work her magic and they will be quilts.

I let Zoe have  a say in her quilt. She met with Patti

and discussed the quilting plan.

This was all new to Zoe and I am so glad

I was able to share this with her. 

Quilt top lay out.

I will finish the quilt and wrap it for Christmas.

 

COMING TOGETHER

Collecting all the tools

The last of the fabric came Saturday.

The Kona cotton skinny strips were on

back order.

So now!

Time to get started.

The secret so I am told is this tool.

It is made by Creative Grids and when I saw

it demonstrated I just had to try it.

If all goes well.  This will be a quilt for Zoe. 

It is small, but I am sure she will be able to use

it as a cuddle quilt, while I get busy and make her

graduation quilt.

Thank goodness, I have a year to get that done!

NEXT PROJECT!

Not much to add

This is my next project 

I am excited to get started on this one.

NO!

I have not finished the last one I started.

I KNOW< I GET IT!!

Super boring

I know, the discussion of fabric choices is

not the most interesting topic.

Do you all just know what fabrics and

what colors you want for a quilt?

This quilt was a mystery quilt.

The fabric choices were made

by the ladies at the quilt shop

My next project was a class on

making this table runner.

Choosing fabric--helped by the ladies

at the quilt shop.

They even put numbers on the pieces.

This project, I just plain copied

So it goes, one project after another.

How do you put your designs together?

Do you stay close to the pattern choices?

Do you have favorite colors, you always use?

 

 

FABRIC!!

What do I choose?

Choosing fabric for a project was never an issue for me.

I was and basically still am a garment sewer. 

I know what fabric will work for what garment.

I know my basic children's fabric, for play and everyday wear. 

I know the specialty fabrics.

I also know where to order the best and just where it is located in the fabric stores.

Now!

That has all changed!

I started quilting. 

Oh you say, that's easy just pick

quilting cotton.  Not so fast.

Even if I stick with 'quilting cotton' we have color

to deal with.  we have prints, big prints, little prints.

What will a print look like when it is cut into

a two inch square?  what is the quilt to be used for?

Right now, I am pretty much sticking to kits.

I know, cowered, that I am.

I also am staying pretty close to

https://www.missouriquiltco.com/

Jenny, even has a you tube Chanel. 

I commented myself!  

Not like it sounds--I commented myself

to making two quilts and a table runner

as gifts for this Christmas. 

You quilt people, see no problem with that!

for me, it is huge.

HOLIDAY SEWING

What is your favorite?

Do you have a favorite holiday you like to sew for?

I love all the holidays.  If I were to pick a favorite I like to

sew for, it would be any patriot day.

The fourth of July will always be my favorite.

 

Love red, white and blue

 

Cousins need matching dresses.

Nothing better then a quilt in red, white and blue.

THE GIFT

The Gift from a friend.

I just love this. It is a place to carry

all your sewing supplies, so they are

always right where you need them to be.

My friend Cathy, made this  one.  when she shared

a picture I knew I had to have one so,

I set about trying to make one.

 I didn't do a very  good a job.  

Cathy,even sent me the instructions, still

mine did not turn out.  Main reason

was, I had the wrong placemat.

You really need one squared off and mine

had the rounded corners.

This goes every where with me.

Isn't it pretty?

There are two large zip bags and

four small zip bags.

They hold absolutely everything.

Easy to carry with you.

Nothing falls out and gets lost.

Thank you so much Cathy 

LEARNING SOMETHING NEW

New to me

I know smocking has been around for many years. 

I have smocked many dresses

As with anything, there is always variations.  new ways for things to be done.

This is vertical smocking

Where the smocking is done vertically instead of horizontal.

It takes a bit to get the concept.

I enjoy the possibilities