Pretty Peasant Top...

This little top for my Rosie Posie is created using this tutorial from Indietutes.  It came out pretty cute, though there are a few things I would change if I make another one.  The fun thing is that when you draft your own pattern, you feel like you can tweek it the next time.  I love that...and this little top...

She tried it on when I was needing to fit the elastic, but wasn't interested in modeling it for me when it was finished.  She did say it was pretty though!  She is very 3...does what she wants when she wants pretty much unless I deem it important and worth the "no".  I try to limit the "no"s to what matters.  I think this will be very cute with a little pair of jeans or shorts.  I would make it longer if I make another one, and change the top of the collar slightly to make it easier to sew.  I used the size 4 measurements listed in the tutorial.

For my beautiful big girl...well, we used the same proportions to work out the math for fitting her top.  A little bit of math over the summer doesn't hurt...and it worked.  Again, I would personally lengthen it if it was my choice, it is just barely long enough to tuck in.  I think she likes it tough, and will likely wear it with other things not tucked.

She chose to do more of a flutter sleeve.  That ended up being quite hard for her to finish nicely on the inside of the sleeve as it was difficult to turn nicely.  She got it done though...and well.  She used french seams this year, and the inside of her sewing is just as nice as the outside.  I think it came out beautifully, and she is pleased with it.  That is more important.  She says this outfit is her favorite bit of sewing yet.  That makes it all worth it, no matter how she scores at fashion review and fair this next week.

The next thing we worked on was finishing her outfit for a project called Decorate Your Duds.  I helped her learn to do a shell crochet edging and she finished her jacket, top, and skirt with that after having embellished the jacket with needle felting and kanzashi butterflies...I'll share that with you all next. 

I am proud of her, and hope you all enjoy seeing what she creates.  I have nothing more of my own to share right now, as my creating time is taken up at present by sitting next to her and teaching...but it is a pleasure to watch her learn and I don't mind in the least.

Until later then,

Julie

A Sweet Wrapped Skirt...

Perhaps you all will enjoy seeing what we have been working on for my older daughter's 4-H sewing....

I find it difficult to teach her how to sew without touching her project, so the method I have devised is to sew something for little Rosie Posie or myself based on the same design.  That way, I have something to "show" how to do the next step on.  Her work needs to be her work, not mine.

One of the projects we've done this past week is a wrapped reversible skirt using this tutorial from Sew Mama Sew.  This tutorial takes you step by step through how to draft your own pattern based on your measurements.  It worked beautifully and produces a gorgeous skirt.  I really want to draft a pattern for myself and make up a few of these beautiful skirts for my own wardrobe!

This time though, I started with one for little Rosie Posie, a version for her wastes a lot less fabric if it doesn't turn out quite right...and I really wanted to test this out before committing.  As you will see, it creates a beautifully wearable skirt....and so, here is my version for Rosie Posie:

 

You can see that she likes it, and it is very wearable.  It came out beautifully, I think we'll be making a few more of these for her...and more than likely, I'll be drafting a pattern in my size as well!

Here is a photo that shows the reverse, a pretty pink gingham.  I think it provides a pretty contrast.  I love this little skirt!!!

...and here is the version that my beautiful older daughter created...

 

She chose a khaki and a black lightly patterned cotton fabric, with the hope that this will be something she can also wear to school in the fall that will fit uniform requirements.  It is beautiful on her and she did a lovely job with the sewing.  We'll see how it does at the fashion review and the county fair next week...

...The shirt she is wearing is the next thing we sewed.  I'll share that with you later...Rosie Posie's version is equally sweet.

Happy 4th of July...

Happy 4th of July to each of you, I hope your day is wonderful wether or not you celebrate our Independence day!  I thought you might enjoy seeing some photos of girls and I in our 4th of July finery...

 The skirts we made last year, I made little Rosie Posie's and mine, but my older daughter made her own and her top as her practice skirt and top for her 4-H Fair sewing exhibit.  They are fairly simple gathered tier skirts.  I've made them in a variety of widths and number of tiers, always fun to play with.

This year, we only made some quick flowers for our hair as we are in the midst of sewing for fair again...the clips are done in a similar fashion to the ones I blogged about here.

 

I hope your holiday is wonderful and blessed...

Happy 4th of July!!!

Julie

A Star in Clovers...continued!

Well, the tatting is done...but now I have decided to mount this in a ring so that it can be hung for the holidays.  Again, the pattern is Star In Clovers by Jon Yusoff.  I think it came out prettily in Tat-alicious' beautiful "Patriotic" thread.  I used her size 20. 

If you chose to tat this, it takes 2 FULL clover shuttles with a shoelace trick in there somewhere.  I didn't load my shuttles quite full enough and had to add thread with just a couple of clovers left to go.  Another couple of yards would have done the trick.

Here is what this pretty star looks like thus far...

Grandma used to create some beautiful suncatchers with this method.  I loved them, still do.  I also remember that she used to hand me a ring and set me to work covering them for her...I imagine it kept a little girl busy, and I'm guessing she wasn't too fond of doing this herself.  It is tedious to say the least, but I really prefer the look of the rings being covered with thread to match the motif.  Today being Father's Day, I didn't get as much time as I would have liked to work on this...so it is still a work in progress. 

Star in Clovers...in progress...

I thought I would share what I am currently working on, so that you will know that I am still here and still tatting.  This is one of Jon Yusoff's patterns...Star in Clovers tatted with Tat-alicious' "patriotic" thread.  Hope to finish tomorrow, but here is a sneaky peak...

Spectacular Mail Day...

I enjoy seeing the goodies that other's receive in the mail or otherwise, but I haven't been very good about sharing my own.  I've received several packages recently, but we'll just work backwards from yesterday.  It was a rather spectacular mail day...

Two packages, one from Jess of Tat-alicious and one from Nancy Tracy at Be-Stitched.

Here is what I ordered from Jess' shop Tat-alicious...

Two of these are her red, white, and blue thread called "Patriotic"...in two sizes (40 and 20) for my stars.  (I need to show you those).  I love this thread...it is beautiful and vibrant.  Jess sent me some of this beautiful thread when I won one of her fun give-aways a couple of months ago (I need to share that too)...it was so perfect that I needed more, and some smaller thread in the same colorway too for the "bigger" stars.

I tried Jess' winding service too...I didn't have ANY Easy-Bobs or Bob-Eez or any such.  I just have dealt with the thread very carefully and used it off the hank.  Not really that fun.  I thought this would work out for me as then I would have 3 of these Bob-Eez and the thread would be ready to go.  She doesn't charge much to do it and I think it was well worth it!!!  Isn't it great how these flip down to protect the thread and flip up to provide ready access for the winding or admiration of the thread...

The third thread is a gorgeous fall-esque thread called "Tiger Lily-icious", it was simply so pretty I couldn't resist.  It will make gorgeous fall leaves or possibly some beautiful jewelry...which leads me to the next package...

This one came from Nancy at Be-Stitched...

Three new tatting books!  Tatted Jewelry by Marilee Rockley, Occhi (the book with the gorgeous peacocks), and the Lene Bjorn Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped.  All three of these are books that I have admired so many of the things others have shown, tatted from these books. 

Finally...three new Lizbeth threads in Christmas Green, Navy, and Golden Yellow Med.  I have never found the Christmas Green in the stores...and have several wreath patterns that I wanted to try last Christmas but I had no green in size 20, so I really wanted this one.  The other two are in my older daughter's school colors, and are sitting next to the cross bookmarks book as that is primarily what I will tat with them.  These make nice gifts for her teachers and friends at the school as it is a Catholic school and I enjoy tatting crosses very much.

At any rate, these were what I chose to use my Birthday money from my Mother-in-Law and Father-in-Law & his wife for.  It was very, very fun choosing what to get!!! 

I do think I need to finish a project so I can have an empty shuttle or two to wind Jess' "Patriotic" thread on and start tatting some more stars...even my new shuttle from LaCossette has something attached (the shuttle was a Birthday gift from my husband).  I'll have to show you all that too...but for now, well, I'm off to play with my new tatting goodies...

New Mexico Wild Flowers...

We spent the weekend at my husband's family's ranch in North Eastern New Mexico...we wanted to get down there and spend what time we could while Spring was still touching the land. 

I thought I would share a few photos of the wildflowers that were blooming, they were incredibly beautiful...like jewels hidden among the grasses.  I will let the flowers speak, my words being inadequate...

"What greater delight is there than to behold the earth apparelled with plants as with a robe of embroidered works, set with Orient pearls and garnished with the great diversitie of rare and costly jewels. But these delights are in the outward senses. The principle delight is in the mind, singularly enriched with the knowledge of these visible things, setting forth to us the invisible wisdom and admirable workmanship of almighty God."

- John Gerard, 1633, The Herbal 

May your life be blessed with and inspired by the sight of beauty in your surroundings as these blessed and inspired me this weekend!  Until tomorrow then...