When You Wish Upon a Sewing Machine...

Making children's clothing can be so much fun. It is always a delight to complete a cute little outfit, especially when it is for a special occasion.

In this instance, the occasion was a trip to Disney World. My client brought me three smocking plates (completed smocked designs) to be inserted into new outfits. Her family was going to Florida, and she wanted matching clothes for her children. Minnie Mouse silhouettes were to be inserted in the girls' sleeveless A-line shirts, and a Mickey Mouse silhouette was intended for the little boy's romper.


Are they not adorable? (Their older sister was still trying on her outfit.) All the pieces are fully lined, and all the tops unbutton at the shoulder. The girls' pants have elastic waistbands. Narrow red piping outlines the smocked insertions.

I hope they enjoyed their trip immensely. It is nice to think that my handiwork had the opportunity to go all over the "happiest place on earth."

Cushy Redo

Sometimes you just need something new. Or at least something that looks new. Moth and rust doth corrupt, after all--as do our beloved pets...

In this case, my client's dogs had decided that it would be fun to tear up the covers of her couch cushions. When she decided to redecorate, the interior designer with whom she was working told her to get a new couch. That is not an inexpensive proposition.

The couch itself was in good shape, but the cushions looked decidedly the worse for wear. Besides, she liked the couch. So she contacted me about recovering the cushions and making some new throw pillows.

When she brought the cushions to me, she had already cut off and thrown away the old covers. If she had not done so, I could have used them for patterns. I managed just fine without them, though. (The finished cushions are on my daybed in the photo; I wanted a picture of them but knew I would not be able to see them in her house.) The throw pillows are simple chenile squares. The covers for the couch cushions have piping around the edges and zippers on the bottoms, since she wanted to be able to remove and wash the covers. Considering the fact that she has dogs, that was not a bad idea.

Her ottoman also needed reviving. She was particularly pleased with how well it turned out, and so was I. The top cushion has a zipper on the bottom and is attached to the base with Velcro, again making it possible to remove and wash the cover. The base itself has an elasticized cover so that it, too, can be taken off.

This project cost her much less than buying a new couch would have, and she still got to update her decor the way she wanted. It is great to be able to resuscitate someone's "treasure."

Pillowed Parlors

Throw pillows can really make a big difference in a room. They can either complement or contrast with the overall decor, emphasizing different aspects of the color scheme. They also make the room cozier and more welcoming, inviting people to settle in and be comfortable.

In this case, my client wanted throw pillows for two very different rooms: the living room and the game room. She had fabric to work with both rooms; I just had to turn the material into pillows. The style of pillow is the same for both rooms, although the piping size is different for the two rooms.

This is in the living room. The small photo at the top of the post is of the left-hand pillow on the couch. Once again, the camera flash caused a color change.

This is in the game room. The walls in this room are actually the same shade of pale blue that is in the paisley pattern of the fabric. In both rooms, throw pillows were an easy way to add interest and comfort to the decor.

Veiled Belle

It is such an honor to be involved with a wedding. I am always pleased when I can contribute to such a joyful celebration. I started early with my wedding experience, since I was the five-year-old flower girl when my oldest sister married. (Incidentally, my sister is a fantastic seamstress, too. She made her own wedding dress, and she and my mother made the bridesmaids' dresses. You might almost say that sewing is in my genes.) Having a relatively large family, I participated a few more times in the nuptials of siblings before I first sewed for a wedding.

When I was asked earlier this year to make the veil for a friend's wedding (actually, both the bride and groom are friends of mine), I was thrilled. She wanted a cathedral-length veil with a lot of fullness and multiple layers. I talked her out of a layer or two, because it would have overshadowed her lovely dress and her lovely self. In lieu of using the added tiers of tulle to achieve the desired fullness, I did a lot of gathering. The result was nice and fluffy.

Is she not pretty? (As a Georgia native, she is a true Southern belle!) This picture was taken during the reception; she sweetly let me reattach the train so that I could take a photo of it, which is why the train is wrinkled. The white background makes it a little difficult to see, but the top back layer of the veil is fingertip-length, while the blusher is wrist-length. The nine-foot train is secured to the comb by Velcro, making it easily detached.

Here it is without the train. She was delighted with the veil, and it received several compliments. Even a couple people who did not know that I had made it commented to me that the fullness was very nice. I am pleased I could add to the special occasion.

Not Just a Scarf Anymore

One of the great things about sewing is being able to take one thing and turn it into something else. In this case, my client had a window scarf that she wanted made into a valance for her kitchen. She loved the material, but it just was not what she wanted for the room. Since I am quite accustomed to looking at just about any fabric item as a possible supply source for another project, it was easy for me to envision the scarf as something else. Not everyone can mentally "see" finished products like that, but my client could. In fact, she knew just how she wanted the valance to look and made me a sketch of it. I love working with creative, artsy people like that. They know what they want; I just have to figure out how to construct it.

After taking the measurements and with my client's sketch and the details she had given me about additional accents, I set off to find the necessary material and buttons. It does not show up very much in the photos, but the scarf fabric has dark sage green stripes among all the reds, oranges, and golds. I found some gabardine that nicely picked up the green. Finding the wooden buttons was harder; they must not be especially popular right now. However, I eventually discovered some that would work.

Since the scarf material was very fluid, I lined the valance with unbleached cotton muslin to give it some body. The straps are for decoration only; they cannot be unbuttoned. Since, as you can see, there is considerable wall space between the top of the window and the ceiling, the length of the valance visually extends the window and makes the room itself seem taller and more spacious.

It really looks good in her lovely kitchen. She told me that she receives many compliments on it, and that is always gratifying to hear.

On the Subject of Handbags...

Or purses or pocketbooks or whatever you call the accessory that women use to carry their personal stuff with them.

Since my last post was about the reproduction Victorian opera bag I crocheted, I thought it would be fitting to show you a purse I made recently. This one was a gift for my sister (a blue rose fanatic), and I made it to her specifications. The fabric was leftover from a dress I made a few months ago, and it just reminded me of her. You must admit that her fancy for blue roses is wonderful, since it is the reason that such things of beauty remind me of her.




It is fully lined with a blue plaid fabric that also brings her to mind (for an entirely different reason that would take too long to explain), and there is a zippered inside pocket in the back. I wish I had taken a picture of that before I sent it too her, but I did not think of it at the time. The button loop that secures the top flap is made of the same fabric as the outside of the purse.

In all, I thought it turned out well. She did, too, which fact delights me. I love you, sis!!

Just One More (for a Good Cause)...

This will be the final post about the Sticks to Bricks dinner. I think. It is not really sewing-related, but it does have to do with my outfit for the evening.


I posted earlier about my gold evening gown. I accessorized it with this beautiful little handbag, a reproduction of a Victorian opera bag:



I crocheted it a year or two ago, using size 30 thread. I made it a little larger than the pattern specified and lined it with some off-white fabric pulled from my stash. It is big enough that I had room for my car key, business cards, and camera; and the drawstrings are long enough that I could put them over my shoulder. The ecru thread went perfectly with the gold silk of my dress, and it added a vintage touch of class to my attire.