Busily Sewing!

I’ve been working on a new cotton day dress for the past week. It’s been REALLY hot for the past few days(like in the 100’s and 90’s, hot), so I didn’t want to sit and do much sewing under any light or to turn on the iron to press a seam. But today has been a very cool and pleasant 79*, so I worked on my dress this morning up until 2-ish to take a rest.

All I have to do now is hem the sleeves, finish the neckline, and hooks and eyes! I think I’ll add some of that fine french lace to the cuffs too. I also made sure when I was cutting the neckline that I’d be able to wear my new chemisette with it.

I’m just loving this dress and this fabric! I can’t wait to wear it! If it stays cool, maybe I’ll put it on and get some pictures of it posted, but if not, ya’ll will have to wait until after Birgade next weekend!

What to Sew? What to Sew?

I have too many projects. I so don’t know what to sew!

I’m making a quilt to put on my bed for my dorm which will double for reenacting as it’ll be of these lovely reproduction prints. Gotta love them all! I’m just not too sure what pattern I want my quilt to be!

A new Dress! I love this fabric! It’s a reproduction; I got it at JoAnn’s last week along with the fabrics for my quilt. (which I also got enough to put into my quilt too!)

This lovely wool plaid is a dress that is half way done that I am making for one of my reenacting friends, Nancy. It just might be the heat, but I really don’t want to work with wool; it’s just so hot and sticky! I am getting a lovely shawl for reenacting from making this dress though!

Lissa’s silk sewing apron. It’s halfway done too. I started it the week before last, and didn’t finish it becuase I didn’t have any velvet ribbon to trim it with. But now I got it, and I need to finish it! (I’ve only had it for a year and a half! Now, if Lissa would have given me a date to have it done, I would have finished it by now! See what happens when I don’t have deadlines?)

A Polka Dot and Plaid skirt. It’s all cut out, it just needs to be sewn up.

Dresses waiting to be cut out and sewn up! The top blue plaid one, I made and finished earier this summer (it has to be my favorite sheer dress yet!), then the yellow, is fabric for my yellow sheer, then the teal silk is for my sheer over dress, then the pink silk is for another dress; probaby a ball gown or fancy day dress.

I’ve had this for a while (I got it for free too!) and there’s enough here for two dresses. I’ve been wanting to make a fan-front dress of it, and a wrapper.

This fun fabric is for an apron for my Aunt Shari. It’ll be a quick little fun project.

Yet, another busy week has flown by!

Last weekend I baby sat for the Hagers, a family that goes to my church. They live on a farm, and we had quite a bit of fun all weekend long! I have finally uploaded pictures from last weekend, though I didn’t take much. I shall share some more after I do some editting later next week.

I love the Hager’s dining room table.  Espically the mis-matched chairs that are of the same wood tone. And I loved ow the light was coming in the window as I was making dinner, so I had to go take a picture!

Busy Week!

I’ve been real busy this week, so I haven’t had time to do much posting! Monday and Today (Wendesday) I went to the the Hager’s Farm (a family from church), to help out and get to know the kids a bit more becuase I’ll be baby sitting for them this weekend. Then, Tuesday and Thursday (tomorrow), I’ve been helping out at Camp Fort Nisqually day camp at the fort. (I’m really excited to go again tomorrow!) I also had ballet on Monday evening and this afternoon, so not only have I been on my feet quite a bit, but also, sitting and driving too!

Haven’t sewn much due to all of this, but I’ve got some projects waiting for me! Next week is sure to not be as busy, so I shall get some sewing done and post about it too!

Oh yes! I wanted to share Sophia’s new blog! Come vist her at Relolving At Two Speeds!

I hope Sophia doesn’t mind too much, but I’m posting a picture her mother took of us at the fort on Tuesday. I went lower class; we had lots of fun! We made beaded necklaces, did a little skit of the 1849 Skrimish, made fry bread, and played games and did chores. *grins*

Look!

A Kitty-Piler!

I saw this little guy sitting outside on a plant, and the lighting was just right; so I had to go get my camera! Isn’t he a cutie?

4th of July

Our 4th of July wasn’t very busy. In the evening, we went down to the bay by my aunt’s house and watched others fire off fireworks on the other side of the water. I took my camera and my tripod, and played with taking pictures of fireworks. It was quite fun! Also, for the fourth, I wore a new (to me) vintage polka-dot dress that I got from the goodwill last week; I made a red ribbon belt to wear with it too.

And now, for the Fireworks!

I hope you had a great Fourth!

The Skirt Fix

Common Scenario: I’m shopping at some store, bargain hunting the clearance racks or some thrift store, and I come across a lovely skirt in a style that I love. I look at the size-it’s too big- and it’s the only one of it’s kind.

But how could I turn down such a cute skirt? Especially when they are name brands like Christaphor & Banks, Eddie Bauer, Jones New York, etc, and still in great condition. The seamstress in me yells, when I find a skirt like that, “Take it in! Take it in!”. I don’t think many people know it’s that easy to take a skirt it, but it really is! (It shouldn’t take more then 10 minutes!) Here’s how!

First, put the skirt on, see how much you’ll need to take in with the waistband where you desire it to sit when it’s finished. Pinch the extra out on each side of the back evenly. Pin.  (It’s ok if it’s not exactly centered, you can fix that on the next step).

Next, turn the skirt inside out. Using the two pins you placed as a guide, turn the extra you pinned out, in. Pin the extra out in a dart. Do the same to the other side.

Sew darts.

Press darts toward the sides.

Try on, and your done! You may have to take a little more in or out; it may take a little fiddling if the fabric of your skirt is streachy or if your skirt is lined. If you are taking in two or so inches in each dart, you may want to slash it down the middle to reduce bulk.

I’ve have had sucess in taking in skirts like this of  any kind, denim and light weight cottons. I normally wear a size six, sometimes an eight, and I’ve had sucess in taking in skirts ranging from a size 8 to 16. I’ve also used this method to take in a skirt that’s made to sit on the hips, to sit on the waist instead. Good Luck!