Patchwork Life

Sep. 20, 2007 - Early American Dress for Polite Society Tea Party

Early American Dress for Polite Society Tea Party

image of M5414

Here's a shot of the dress that I made for Jessica's Dress-up Birthday Tea Party. This is the pattern, so I'll have to upload a shot when she's dressed up later this week. It turned out really beautiful, and since the pattern was on sale for .99 at Hancock Fabrics and I got the material on clearance at $2.00/ yard, the whole dress cost less than $30 including the lace sleeves and trim. She's going to wear it for a Mother/Daughter Polite Society Tea Party this weekend also. Such fun! She is so excited! I made a size 10/12 and had Grandma take it in to a size 8 to fit her now. Later we can let it out. Heaven knows, I don't want to make another one anytime soon! Thanks to Grandma for the hem and alterations. She is such a whiz when hand-sewing is called for.

Underneath, we're using an old wire hoop skirt to get the fullness. I promise to upload a picture soon.

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Aug. 24, 2007 - The New Sewing Room is Done!

Posted in Quilting and Sewing

The New Sewing Room is Done!

Well, it was off to college for David this week. We shall miss him very much. However, we are not nearly so sentimental about his bedroom. As soon as he was moved, I went right to work emptying, painting and moving the sewing room into his old bedroom. Josh took the old smaller sewing room for his bedroom and it turned out great too.

Thanks to my little sister Rosanne for the idea in the first place. And she also had the awesome u-shaped table idea. Not to mention the childrens' craft areas that were her ideas also. What a help!

Here's a shot of my colorful bulletin board with some quilt blocks in progress.

And, check out the fabric stash shelving from Wal-mart. Inexpensive, lightweight, quick to setup, and stackable to fit your configuration.

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Apr. 22, 2007 - Blue Jeans Malady

Posted in Quilting and Sewing

Blue Jeans Malady

Quilt retreat weekend is always something that I look forward to. Twice a year, my seamstress friends and family gather at Twin Lakes Christian Center in Manson, Iowa for an extended weekend of sewing, chatting, munching and relaxing. I have just returned from my most recent quilting getaway, fresh with ideas, and with batteries recharged.

It was definitely not one of my more productive weekends, but very enjoyable, nonetheless. I spent the first two days cutting old blue jeans into little squares and the last two days decorating the squares with ribbons, appliqué, white eyelet, embroidery, and fabric yo-yos with button centers. What I now have is a pile of 360 pieces all ready to sew into 90 blocks which will make a truly unique blue jeans quilt for Hayley’s double bed.

Last summer I saw a news report about an Iowan woman who was making blue jean quilts for soldiers in Iraq. The reporter asked for donors to send jeans to her to provide additional fabric for her project. A few days later, a follow-up report explained that this kind lady’s home had been overwhelmed with hundreds of boxes of jeans, sent by viewers, with more on the way. She now was emphatically asking that all jean shipments cease.

For those of you contemplating sending your old jeans to me to put them to good use, please know that I have been cured from my former jeans affliction. I’ve been saving these jeans for ages, but halfway through the cutting project, I started to question whether my recycling effort was worth it, after all. Having finished the cutting, I can honestly say that I will have to forget how much work it was before I attempt another jeans quilt.

Here is a sampling of the embellishments on the unfinished pieces.

Ever wonder what 360 little squares of blue jeans looks like? Well, not anymore.

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