September, October, November...

Fall is my favorite season.  

I love pulling out my sweaters and snuggling up in them.

I also enjoy adding a few new items to my wardrobe.

This is quite a long post, but mostly pictures of things I've

been making and doing over the past few weeks.

Over labor day weekend, I overhauled my bedroom.  

It has been 13 years since we moved into our home, 

and I felt it was time for an update.

So, I washed the walls in orchid, made new curtains, and 

updated some shelves and the headboard background.

This is the headboard before...

This is after...

It matches the shelves.

I took a rug making class and made a rug for the guest room.

It matches my tuffet and crazy quilt that I have in there.

My next project was a big one...

I made my son, Logan, a new quilt for his bed.

This is a pattern I developed myself and I quilted it

using the quilt-as-you-go method.

It didn't take me long at all to put this together and I had

it completed in less than a week.

I call it

Random Chaos/A Metaphor

(that's a very "Logan" group of words)

This is the back, but it's hard to see much.

I quilted it on the machine and it is quite random.

It's quite a modern quilt.

Next...

This fabric is so luxurious!  It is a cotton, but it feels like silk.

I bought this from Marcy Tilton's online fabric shop.  This fabric

is sold out now.  The pattern I used is from a Japanese sewing book 

I've had for a few years.  Love this, and I hope I wear it to rags.

I just completed this dress yesterday.  I almost threw it

in the trash!  The instructions were not good.

I've been sewing garments for almost 40 years.  I know how

things go together, but this pattern was ridiculous.

This is the pattern...

I will likely use it again, now that I know how it needs to be done,

but my, oh my.  There are only 3 pieces, for heaven's sake.  I'm not kidding 

when I tell you I spent HOURS trying to sort this one out.

Okay...enough of that.

I pulled out some of my fabric treasures I bought in Paris.

The center part of this jacket is a beautiful batik I found, and I love it.

But I had to be careful what I made because instead of me wearing the fabric,

the fabric could easily wear me.  It's a VERY bold, large print.

 I made this from a vintage NYNY pattern.

This sweet thing is also a vintage NYNY pattern.

This was a remnant I found at a local store called

Old Time Pottery.  It was just a small scrap, but as

soon as I saw it, I knew what I wanted to make from it.

The pin I have used here was one of my treasures also found

in Paris.

This is a dress pattern you saw in my last post.

This fabric is another find from Paris.

The color doesn't show up very well, but it is a lavender,

polka dot, linen made in Japan.

This...THIS little top, I made this weekend from...

drum roll please...

a tea towel and 2 napkins

I found on clearance at World Market.  Yep!  That's right.

My name's not Scarlet, but I can be inventive with 

household items.

The back is a fabric I had in my stash that I bought on a visit to Arkansas

to see my sister.

So...those are the additions to my closet over the past few weeks.

Yes, fall is my favorite season.  We see deer in our yard throughout the year, but

I have seen 2 bucks in my yard at one time in the past couple of weeks.

They are quite elusive.  RARELY do they allow themselves to be seen, and 

I was not successful getting pictures of them, but here are 2 young does

that came quite close to the house just this past week.

Such beauties.

And one more thing...

My husband, son, and daughter just returned last evening from a 10 day trip to

Japan.  My daughter is working to become a doll maker and she follows 

several different ones around the world.  

Danny Choo is the creator of the

Smart Doll and has a store in Tokyo.  

My husband took her to his store and they

were able to meet him.

Aubry showed him the doll she's been working on.

He was impressed with her.

This is a picture he took of them.

It was a wonderful experience and I'm so thankful to him for taking the time

to encourage her.

Happy Thanksgiving

Merry Christmas

and

Happy New Year

At the rate I seem to go, it will likely be 2019 before I post again.

he he he

The Month of June

I thought I had posted this already...
Found it in the "draft" column.  So...here you go.


June was my light month of the summer.

We didn't have too much going on and I felt productive.

I made myself a couple of things.

The texture on this fabric is hard to see, 

but there is a nice woven stripe.  

This pattern is one I made

from a top I bought years ago and it one of

my all-time favorites.  I like boxy shapes.

I have received compliments on this top every time

I've worn it this summer.  The fabric is light and breezy.

This is in my laundry basket every week too.

These next items are blasts from the past. 

I made the skirt with all the embroidered linens several years ago.

For some reason I wasn't happy with it and it hung in my closet.

I pulled it out recently and wore it to worship with a cute little linen 

top that I also made many moons ago, and I couldn't figure out

why I had been unhappy with it.  

It's now a regular pick for me when I'm looking

for something in a hurry.

This little number I made last year.  It is an Amy Butler pattern.

I love the length and the sassiness of the fabric mix.

The trims added a nice little touch too.

Dot Your I's and Cross Your T's

What a GREAT summer it's been!  I feel like I've accomplished quite a bit

even though I've been rather busy.  

These are some of my recently completed projects.

I like to hand embroider.  My sister taught me when I was quite young, 

and I find it relaxing.

I took this project with me on a couple of trips this summer.

People were curious about what I was doing.

You don't see people hand embroidering everyday.

This was a fun project though and I'll let you just look at the details.

This little bee is dotting an I.

And this little inch worm is helping cross a T.

NEXT:

Several years ago I saw a project similar to this dress form

at a show house.  Of course I had to have one (and thus my

dress form collection began).  The first one you see here

is one that a sweet friend of mine put together. She did

a terrific job fixing hers up.

I love these little details.

This one with the green topper is mine and it needed a refresh.

I didn't change much, but I added the little dangling details.

Every August, I go to Cincinnati with a couple of friends to
Stampaway USA.  It is a rubber stamping convention.

This year I saw a gal demonstrating how to use this weird gelli plate

to create cool designs.  She was transferring to paper, but she had a sample

of it being transferred to fabric.  

Well, I was hooked.  The feel of the fabric sample 

was divine.  SO, I bought a few things to try it out.

This was my starting point.

These are some of my first attempts.

This one below here is my favorite.  It's a ghost-like image.

This one didn't all transfer together, but I still love how it turned out.

You NEVER know how it's going to look until you peel it off.

I hope to make some time soon and do more.

These little darlings are doll backpacks...with working zippers...

Yes, I am crazy.

But aren't they the cutest??

This past weekend (I'm caught up for the summer),

my daughter and I went on a sewing retreat.

I LOVE GOING ON THESE!!

I get so much accomplished in a short amount of time, 

and I come back revived and inspired.

These are the projects I completed:

This fabric is more olive than it looks (at least on my computer).

It is a cotton lawn.  I added the little cap sleeves after I got home

because I felt it needed something.  VERY pleased.

I will wear this thing to rags.

This is a project that was inspired by a skirt I saw on Pinterest.

It was covered with a collage and then I think it was over dyed.

The pattern is from a Japanese sewing book I have.

What is it about script that I love so much??

THIS dress...the inspiration came from one I saw on a British

design show.  There was a lady wearing something like this and 

I was obsessed (ask my daughter) with this adorable thing.

I was able to take a pattern I had and finagle it to make one 

similar.  I CANNOT wait to wear this sweet one with a little cardigan.

Fall??  Do you hear me??  I'm ready for you!!

I have been wanting a large-collared blouse for some time now.

I don't know how much I will wear it, but I hope a lot because it's

really cute.

This is an Amy Butler Barcelona skirt.  I like the mix of fabrics.

This is a vest that I saw on Pinterest and I didn't have a pattern; only a 

diagram of the design.  I'm pleased with how it turned out.  While I was working on it,

I wasn't that enthused about it, but I think it will be something I wear often.

It's easy.  You just throw it on.

So now it's time for my next projects.

I am going to be refreshing my bedroom in the coming weeks.

That's going to be a big job.  I'm painting and making new drapes.

Also, I hope to make something out of this sweet piece of fabric

that came to my mailbox today.

From Marcy Tilton Fabrics...

This fabric is from Japan and feels exquisite!

It is so soft and drapes nicely.

Yes, it's been a nice summer.  Even YoYo our 14 year old calico 

has enjoyed being outside.

And Echo...

Still keeps finding new places to nap...