I might make some without the hoops with drawstrings for the upcoming farm-market season. Wonderful tutorial here.
Showing posts with label Sewing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sewing. Show all posts
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The Seamstress's Prayer
”...As the pieces come together, help me sew seams that are straight, so that nothing tears apart or unravels; and when it does, show me where and how to patch with just the right touch...”
The Seamstress’s Prayer by Jay Hanley
Monday, August 1, 2011
HIDING OUR MESS
When my mom was in town a few weeks ago, we decided to make a skirted cover for a table out on our back porch. I had wanted to try it solo, but thought I might need some back-up.
Turned out my mom pretty much did it solo, with a little back-up from me.
Here is how it turned out.
We made it out of a drop cloth from Lowes and I added the pre-made trim from Hancock's.
I am planning on having a piece of glass or plexiglass cut for the top.
This was one of the first pieces of furniture my husband I bought together. It served as our kitchen table for quite a while. I was having a hard time parting with it, so I decided to just cover it up.
I love the way it turned out.
See the mess! We have a garage, but it is detached, so we keep our muddy shoes under here, charcoal, random pots and anything else I don't feel like dragging to the garage.
I bought those jars at the thrift store and they both had lamp kits in them. I am planning on placing them on either side of the table as lamps, but I haven't found two matching shades I love yet.
Next up, staining the concrete floors.
Once that is done, I'll show you the whole porch.
It happens to be one of my favorite spots.
Skirted tables are quite the rage. Here a few stylish ones I have come across lately.
Elizabeth at The Mustard Ceiling made a beautiful skirted table cover recently and I love the way it turned out. So classic and elegant.
Julia from Pawley's Island Posh made this lovely thing.
Believe it or not, there was no sewing involved in hers.
Makes you one to put a skirt on your table, doesn't it?
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Fourteen Days of Love - Day 6 - Oh...You're so Crafty!
We all know there is no shortage of creativity out in the blogosphere. So, there should be quite a show of special crafts dedicated to L-O-V-E for this Valentine's party!
I come from a long line of crafty women–no, not that kind–the good kind!!! ; )
My grandmother was a seamstress, who passed that skill on to her daughter–my mother–who passed it on to me.
It's a craft that has proven to be quite useful for all of us, especially during the years of rearing children and making our homes our families' havens.
I have a daughter who now also has a daughter–my granddaughter, Lana.
My daughter, Asheley, set out to find a very unique Christmas stocking for her daughter's very first Christmas.
I know...you think I've got my holidays mixed up! Nope…I don't.
Since the current holiday is all about love, I thought I'd share a very special craft project that I feel totally represents that topic.
Asheley looked for weeks for that special stocking, but found nothing she felt was special enough.
So, Grammy–that would be me–put the old thinking cap on and came up with this solution.
If I could pull together everything I needed, from bits and pieces gathered from the four generations who came before her, I could craft a very unique Christmas stocking for my first grandchild.
Each of the items you see in the photo above represents something that belonged to either my grandmother, my mother, my daughter, or me.
My grandmother had already moved on to Heaven, years before Lana was born.
The only thing my mom could find that had belonged to Grandma–something appropriate for this project–was a pink cotton nightgown, stored away in her keepsake trunk, along with some vintage buttons.
My mom donated a variety of lace pieces and several cards of tiny vintage buttons–just perfect for a baby's stocking.
From my collection of vintage fabrics and notions, I was able to select a fabric for the stocking itself and several battenburg lace doilies to use as embellishment.
Asheley has not yet taken up the craft of sewing. So, it was even more challenging to determine what her contribution to this project would be.
As she and I sorted through her keepsakes, I spied two items that were exactly what was needed to finish off this one-of-a-kind gift.
There was a garter from Asheley's wedding–there had been two, one to throw and one to keep–and a piece of sequined trim that we had used on a costume we'd made for her senior prom.
The theme for her prom had been Phantom of the Opera and that trim had been used on an elaborate mask we had created to go with her gown and cape.
Now, with all the necessary elements assembled, I was ready to embark on the journey to create that "special" Christmas stocking.
The pink cotton from Grandma's gown was used for the lining and the inside ruffle at the top of the stocking.
The outer ruffle–at the top–was created from a piece of my mother's lace.
There could not have been a more appropriate trim, to unite the ruffles at the top and the stocking fabric itself, than Asheley's garter.
Look back at the image above. See how the solitary rhinestone heart plays up the tiny hearts in the lace?
There was just enough of the sequined trim to create a heart in the center of the stocking and accent the toe and heel as well.
Isn't that pink heart button from my grandmother's collection precious?!
One of my battenburg lace doilies was heart-shaped, so it became the focal point at the center of the stocking. It made a terrific background for the sequined heart and pink heart button.
The other doily was cut apart and used as decoration on the toe and heel.
I selected several other vintage buttons–from the assortment gathered from my grandmother, my mother, and me–and used those as the final decorative touches.
And the bits and pieces of four generations culminated in this.
The three generations of mothers still living, who have seen this sweet little Christmas stocking in person, are well pleased with the end product.
And I believe Grandma is smiling down from Heaven knowing that she was able to contribute something special to one of her great-great-grandchildren.
But her most beautiful contribution was not the material things needed to create a Christmas stocking.
It was her link in the chain of mothers' love that has been passed down through the generations!
More giveaway goodies:
Crafting is so much more that just assembling bits and pieces. It's an expression of who we are.
So…today, I'm adding an assortment of fabric, buttons and trim–some vintage, some new–to this week's giveaway.
Hopefully, the winner will be able to create her own special keepsake for a loved one.
And...
did I create a little suspense about yesterday's giveaway? I hope so!!!
I know you're just dying to know what it is.
So, without further delay...
here is the adorable set of mini bowls that will be added to the giveaway, for yesterday's topic–Seeing Red.
I'm sharing my craftiness at Tiffany's Making the World Cuter Mondays, Kaysi's Motivate Me Monday, Diana's Just Something I Whipped Up Monday, and Summer's Market Yourself Monday.
This post holds special meaning to me. Though it is an older post, I'm using it for Beverly's Pink Saturday event this week.
Reminder: Please be sure to publish your
Valentine's post, before you link to the party. And
don't forget to mention the Brambleberry Cottage
in your post.
Remember to leave a comment to be entered in this
week's drawing for the giveaway!
week's drawing for the giveaway!
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