Mother of the bride dress

The photos are pictures of the mother of the bride dress I am making for myself using V8556. The fabric is a stretch charmeuse from Fabric Mart. The wedding colors are purple and a mint green. The pattern has gone together nicely. I could have cut a smaller size but rather than be in a predicament of wrong size not additional fabric, I cut it out then took in and altered where I needed to. I did a 3/8 inch full bust adjustment for the cups. I will take a photo of me in it when completely done. The skirt is just pinned on now as I need to get some lining fabric. I did not know whether I wanted to line it or not as the fabric has some body to it but the skirt is cut on the bias and I think a lining cut on the straight grain will help the bias skirt to skim my bumps and bulges better!

Here Comes the Bride ('s mother)

I had a client bring me this picture. She wanted this made for her daughter's wedding. She loved the neutral color pallete and and flow of the pants. She is not a dress kinda gal so the palazo pants seemed like the way to go. Fancy but she can feel comfortable & beautiful!

This is the final product. Minus the person modeling it. It does not do it justice with hanging on a dress form! I used a champagne satin as the base of the camisole. The overlay was a black lace. The jacket was made using a knit chiffon from Fabric.com. This one has a shawl collar and the original did not. The pants are made with a chiffon and a china silk polyester lining. I added the front pleat detail that she loved. I used three patterns to crate the ensemble: OOP See and Sew 6910, OOP Butterick 4982 for the pant, and McCall 5890 for the jacket.

I hope to have pictures of her in it at th wedding so I will post those.

It was fun to create this for her.

Blessings- Linda

Circus is in town!

The circus came to town yesterday. I realized that my girls had never been to a circus before so I took them. I did not wait for hubby to say he'd go along. He prefers to spend his down time watching stupid movies on his laptop and, in the past I have waited for him to go along to do things with the kids. NOT. ANY. MORE. I am going to just do it from now on. Time is passing by at a rapid rate and I want to build some memories with the girls. Evan leaves for college this fall and unfortunately, he won't have many family fun time memories. Not going to happen with the last two. Anyway, I am way off topic!
The circus was not BarnumBailey but it was a fun way to spend the afternoon. The girls had their faces painted as you can see. The picture above is not a good representation of having a good time. It is, however, a very true representation of two sister arguing over who touched whom! LOL!

Geordan, age 11 is my beautiful clown!
Olivia, age 9 (10 on the 18th) is the prettiest butterfly around!

This AM has been filled with taking down my snowmen displays and cleaning. I stopped at 11am to get cleaned up. I need to run the sweeper and then get some sewing done. There is still more cleaning to do but it will wait until another day as I have some client sewing that needs to happen today.

Off to finish a couple chores an then sew!
blessings- Linda

Purse-onality!

I made this purse today. I had been working all week on client sewing and needed something fun! It is a downloaded pattern from Ottobredesigns.com. It went together very easily! I think I will make some more of these. I am going to try carrying it for a day but is is rather small for my carrying habits! Fabric from Joann's flat folded area with a cotton polka dot lining!

Bling!

Some wedding DIY projects are done.....



My eldest child, Jen, is getting married in September. This weekend was project weekend. We accomplished the bouquet, assembly of the vintage pedestal cake plates, figured out the birdcage veil, did a roundup of some vintage tableclothes, and bought the fabric for the bridesmaid gifts. Below are pictures of the brooche bouquet. Not the gretest quality but if I get better pictures I promise to post them.





The following photos are of the vintage pedestal cake plates we created from garage sale and thrift store finds consisting of glasses, candlesticks, and plates. Each table will have cupcakes in the middle as the centerpiece instead of having a large central cake. Not great shots but they are in the store room and I am too tired to move them out for better pictures! ;)







Watch for more wedding projects to creep in here! I am so happy with what has been accomplished.... this week is client sewing to finish up a project and then hopefully the pieces I need for the bridesmaid project will have arrived!

Goin' to the Chapel and we're gonna get married!

Blessings- Linda

Productivity makes me happy!

This top was made from a very soft knit that has been curing in my stash for a couple years. Probably from JoAnn's clearance area. I used Simplicity 2520 top for this. I'd like to make a mustard pencil skirt and get a skinny mustard belt for this top.


This was an outfit that did not quite pan out in person as it did in my mind! The skirt is a double sided quilted piece from JoAnn's clearance area. Again, it's been curing in the stash for a while. I used a salvage edge wool for the trim in the front seams. The front panel was cut on the bias and stretch wonky when I put it on so I fused a tricot interfacing to the front inside. The top is a cheap sweater knit from who knows where.... again, a very cured piece from the stash! I used New Look 6753 for the top. I did add to the bust area so the seam would fall below the bust line rather than across it.

This top is made with the Jalie tee pattern. It is my tried and true pattern for tops. I did finally break down and do a bust adjustment. I did not like how just using a larger size sagged on my shoulders. This fabric is from JoAnn's. There were two pieces in the remnant bin so this top was cheap! It will be nice with jeans and a jacket.

This is another Jalie tee pattern using the enlarge bust. Printed fabric is from remnant bin and not sure where the brown is from. It was stash and matched really well. I added a ruffle down one sleeve. Again, another great top for jeans and a jacket.

I am pleased with my February sewing. This was in addition to the Mom of the Bride outfit I am making for a client and all the embroidery and alteration/repair I did for clients. I have three more things that have been cut out for a while that I want to sew up this weekend so we shall see! I'd like to get all my UFO's (unfinished objects) sewn and out of the way so I can start on some other ideas that are swirling in my head!

Blessings! Linda

Transforming Ugly....

Well over a year ago... maybe two this spring.... while on the way to church, I spotted two wingback chairs in the trash. U.G.L.Y. I was almost in panic mode as I wanted the chairs. My hubby was flabbergasted that I would consider it. So we dropped the kids off at church and drove back to load them into the van. The upholstery was worn and they stunk!


People from church were driving by and hubby was mortified! I was giddy with excitement and the possibilities for these two chairs.


Here is a picture of the found state...


We have a friend who is a carpet cleaner so he came and tried to get the smell out but what worked the best was sitting the chairs in the sun. I started the search for fabric for the chairs. I did not want to spend a ton of money on the fabric and wanted a piece that was pretty neutral so I could put the chairs anywhere in the house.


I found just the piece at JoAnn's on a 50% off the clearance. $3.00 a yard for upholstery weight fabric! Cha-Ching!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Here is a picture of the fabric:


This is a tan chenille with the leaf pattern cut into the chenille.



My hubby and I re-upholstered these together. It was our first "real" upholstery job. We've done kitchen chair seats and little benches and such but nothing like a wingback chair. I am sure a professional could have done a much better job but at $500.00 a chair I decided to go for it myself. We have less than $100.00 in re-upholstering BOTH chairs.





Here's a picture of the chairs. I am working on a little side table for between the chairs. Right now their home is in my bedroom. Might try them flanking each side of the fireplace.... I see some furniture moving in my future!








I am motivated to get my bedroom finished up now...... I have been dragging my feet. A little more painting... a little more sewing..... ooooo the possibilities!

Linda
Paticipating in Metamorphisis Monday At http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Time marches on!

Yesterday my hubby and I celebrated 20 years of marriage. Time marches on..... quickly! I cannot believe that much time has passed. We have certainly had ups and downs, bumps along the road of life. 12 years ago our marriage was over... I was done. He was done. God intervened and brought restoration and love back into our marriage. He transformed two self-centered people into people seeking Him and wanting a marriage based on His plan. I am blessed. I have a man who loves me even though I weigh significantly more than I did in 1991. Even though hormones rage in this middle aged body. Even though I spend money when he thinks I should save it. Even though I love home improvement projects and he only tolerates them. I am blessed. Not every woman can say she has a man who loves her no matter what.

Here are some pictures of then and now:

Jennifer was 9 and Jason 7 when we walked down the aisle toward Rick, making us a family. Rick was a brave guy of 23 years of age to take on a wife, two kids, and all my baggage! LOL!

Here we are 20 years later.....I think I need to work on a better photo! LOL

Here is the whole family in August 2009 when my eldest son married his beautiful wife, Jenny. God is so good!



This beautiful couple is our eldest child, Jen with her fiance', Dave. They will marry this year in September. Love this guy!

So that is our family then and now. Again, God is good.

Goin' to the Chapel!

My daughter is getting married on 9/10/11. I am in the process of making many of the things for that day. My list includes:

Birdcage veil and fascinator

Wreath for the altar area

Lace "shrug" for her to wear during the ceremony

Vintage Brooche bouquet

Purses for the bridesmaids

Flowergirl dress

Resize a bridesmaid dress (from a lady's size to a girls size)

Bake corn bread muffins for 180

Bake cupcakes for 180

Make bridesmaid bouquets

I have been blessed with a multitude of gifted friends so I will be calling on their help during the next 8 months! ;)

Here are a few things I have completed.

This is the fascinator for the birdcage veil. I am not sure this is the actual brooche she will use in the center but it worked as a stand-in for the photo! The fascinator is about 5 inches across. Very pretty and vintage looking! I could not phathom paying 150.00 for a birdcage veil when they are so simple to make!

This wreath photo is what we are shooting for at the "altar" area. The wedding is outside. The ceremony area has trees surrounding it and a wreath will hang from the trees with organza draped down to two small pillars that will have boston ferns resting on them.

Below is the wreath I have created so far.

Progress is slow but she is a working girl living 70 miles from me so we don''t see each other often. We are planning a weekend where we can get together and work on wedding things. Some of the things I just need to get off my plate so I can feel a little less overwhelmed!

Linda

Green Skirt with wings!

Made a skirt of a green gabardine found on a clearance shelf at JoAnn's. I use a Today's Fit pattern V2933 http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v2933-products-5479.php?page_id=283&search_control=display&list=search

The pattern is out of print. I have had it in my stash for years. It's a cute and easy skirt but not one that you need several of in your closet! I have not really styled myself in the photo. Need to get some jewelry on and my sweater before I head out the door!

I am looking through my stash for a coordinating fabric to make a top to go with it but for today it is a brown tee with a cream sweater.

I hate photos of myself. I want to lose 15 pounds but am struggling getting the scale to move despite going to the gym and following Weight Watchers. Why must we base our worth and value on our size.... I wear a ready to wear 10/12 but find myself saying things like "you are a big fat cow". Why? Why? Why????? I am 25 pounds lighter than I was 3 years ago but I focus on the 20 pounds I gained back from my lowest point. Always the negative.... Sad.