Stitching the pieces together

1103104106108109131

Comments

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2014

    I used to love doing bridal wear and got a very good name for the quality of my product but that was years ago and now I wouldn't have the confidence to sew clothing for anyone else but me........I guess that's just a sign of older age..........notice I said older not old?..........lol.

    Still working on my snowflake blanket, yes, it's turned into a blanket rather than a throw as I have decided to put it on the double bed in the guest room as a pull up if needed.  I've done a hundred hexagonals and need to do at least another two to make the size I want.....thank goodness they only take me about 15 mins per.   I also like to crochet some and then put them together including weaving in the tails.......somehow it makes the work grow quicker.

  • melissadallas
    melissadallas Member Posts: 929
    edited January 2014

    Chrissy, I can't bear crocheting or knitting during the summer because I can't stand to have stuff laying in my lap. Weird, huh? You'd think having a partially quilted quilt draped all over me while I try to machine quilt it would be worse.

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2014

    Melissa if I'm hot I can't do it but with the air con going there are noooooo problems........lol.  I'd have to agree that there really isn't much difference in doing rugs of wool or quilts other than in the mind.......lol......it's all about perception!

  • melissadallas
    melissadallas Member Posts: 929
    edited January 2014

    Nope, doesn't matter how high the A/C is turned up. Just can't do itWinking

  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801
    edited January 2014

    When I got married, I knew I didn't want a Cinderella dress, because I was 55 years old! But I didn't want a mature "suit" either....(Big church wedding, first marriage for me; second for him.) So I asked a seamstress to make one for me. I showed her several pics of what I liked, and she came up with a design.

    Unfortunately when I got there for my first fitting, it was a muslin shape she had made, and I looked kind of like an old Amish woman. I was devastated.

    But in the end, it was the best wedding dress EVER! She had created a simple long tank dress out of white T-shirt material. Then she made a sheer lace overlay with 3/4 length sleeves, out of STRETCH LACE - and added gorgeous beading around the neckline. It was ankle length, and I wore fancy white leather sandals.

    It was soooo comfortable, it felt like a nightgown - and you couldn't even tell in the pics, it just looked like a regular wedding dress. One smart cookie, that seamstress!

    p.s. The day the dress was finished, my Matron of Honor was visiting me from out of town. I told her where I needed to go... and she gasped. Turns out that she and the seamstress were BFFs in junior high school, and had lost touch with each other. I took her with me to pick up the dress, and told the seamstress "I brought someone to see you." Then my MOH walked into the room, and both women screamed and hugged and laughed like the junior high girls they had been. Good memory!

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited January 2014

    Blessings your dress sounds lovely and very suitable.  A good dress maker always does a calico mockup first so she gets the fitting and design just right with out messing up the more expensive fabric.  I would love to see a photo.

  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 1,032
    edited January 2014

    Blessings, the dress sounds gorgeous! I concur with chrissyb, would love some pics! What an amazing coincidence with your seamstress and Matron of Honor!

  • eph3_12
    eph3_12 Member Posts: 2,704
    edited January 2014

    And what a smart cookie waiting to 55, for what I hope is THE ABSOLUTE BEST to fall in your lap!

  • wren44
    wren44 Member Posts: 7,932
    edited January 2014

    Your wedding dress sounds beautiful - and comfortable. Threads Magazine had a little black dress contest. The one I liked the best was a dress-length tank with a black lace dress over. The lace had sleeves, can't remember if they were short or 3/4. The person who made it wore it in Italy and said it covered most situations. Tank during the day, lace over at night.

  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 1,997
    edited January 2014

    The wedding dress sounds great. A muslin mean you are dealing with someone who knows what they are doing and will get your fit right! 

    Waiting until 55, the best is yet to come! 

    Hugs GInger

  • Smaarty
    Smaarty Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2014

    image

    well, I'm back from the retreat. Got lots of stuff done or almost done. A couple pages back I posted a pic of the poppies I did. This is roses for my sister that I got started and was going to be finished by the 18, before my exchange. Now I'm going in tomorrow so will have to finish it later in the month. I'll post a couple other things once I'm feeling human in a couple of days.

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited February 2014

    Oh WOW!  Smaarty that is going to be stunning!  Where on earth did you learn this technique as I would love to learn it.

    Good luck with your exchange!

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited February 2014

    All the creations are beautiful!

    I've done two wedding gowns and one set of bridesmaid dresses.  Never again.  I made a muslin mock up of the bridesmaid dress, and you are right, it terrifies the person trying it on.

    On the flowers, do you bond them on then machine applique them on the piece?

  • Smaarty
    Smaarty Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2014

    yes, the flower was made on the stabilizer, then that's cut away then you sew it to the background with the leaves. I took a two day workshop through my quilt guild. The roses are my attempt to make another one for my sister.  Didn't like it at first but do now.  I also want to do 2 more, one with daisies and one with orchids.  Thanks.

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited February 2014

    Smarty is there a pattern for the flowers?

  • Smaarty
    Smaarty Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2014

    I made the roses from a clip art I found on line. Just looked for one that was line drawn. Then found one I like the shading. I'll do the same for the daisies too.  The teacher sold the poppies and iris pattern in class. I can send you her info if you want the next time I'm up. I think she's in Portland, Oregon.

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited February 2014

    Smaarty, unless she sends her patterns by mail or email her details won't be any good for me as I'm in Australia......lol......but I'm sure the others may like them.  Thanks for the thought though.

    I'll check out some clip art and see what I can find then I'll just need to find something maybe on utube for a tutorial.  Where there's a will there is always a way.......lol.

  • Smaarty
    Smaarty Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2014

    I will check and see if she mails out there.  It wasn't hard to do. Let me know if I can help.

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited February 2014

    Thanks Smaarty, much appreciated!

    Love n hugs.    Chrissy

  • Smaarty
    Smaarty Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2014

    Chrissy, this is her website. Scroll down through the flowers. There's a spot to put in your request.

    She is not in Oregon, but here in California.

    http://www.donnagreenwald.com/index.html

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 11,438
    edited February 2014

    Thanks Smarty!  I'll go check that out!

    WOW!  I have sent her an email.......thanks so much for that!

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited February 2014

    I just sent a request for her schedule,  I'd love to learn how to do something different.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 7,605
    edited February 2014

    Gorgeous stuff! I LOVE thread painting, but a lot of people have trouble with their machines (or their confidence level). Another trick is to use markers to "shadow" or "highlight" the fabric you've appliqued on. Gentle dots or soft strokes along the edges of the petal for instance. I've also used crayons and then free-motioned thread over the colours.

  • wren44
    wren44 Member Posts: 7,932
    edited February 2014

    Has anyone tried making a swim top? I found the shorts I was looking for, but all the tops are for cleavage which I no longer have. Can you buy the soft cup bra to sew in? I don't know how they can call them mastectomy tops when all they've done is add a pocket to a low cut suit. And they are SO expensive.  Sorry for the rant, but I was about to cry looking online yesterday.

  • Smaarty
    Smaarty Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2014

    try the tankini tops, you can always cut out the bra section. That's what I did to my swim suits last year.

  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 1,032
    edited February 2014

    Here is my just completed reversible apron for oldest DD. 

    image

    image

  • wren44
    wren44 Member Posts: 7,932
    edited February 2014

    Smaarty, I'm a uni so I need the bra for floppy old girl and a foob for the other side. No recon here. My chest is really bony above the scar. Not sure it's noticeable to others, but sure is to me.

  • Smaarty
    Smaarty Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2014

    wren, you just need to make a pocket for the foob side. I have a pattern for that, I put pockets into my bras. Give me a couple of days and I'll look for. 

    Yorkist-like the apron.

  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 1,997
    edited February 2014

    Yorkie mom the apron is so nice. I think your DD will love it and keep it forever. :) 

    Wren doesn't Nordstrom's have special fitting for mastectomy bras? Perhaps they have a good assortment of swimwear. I second the tankini tops. Land's End has good modest suits and you can order a mess of them and return what you don't want. I had no reconstruction either but had a lumpectomy and no surgery to level (:P) everything back out. I am at least one cup size different side to side and tell myself no one will notice and I try not to look. I just don't want more surgery. Maybe on my back if it will fix me so I can walk again, but nothing reconstructive. 

    Woops we are on sewing here aren't we.   Back to topic dear ladies, sorry. 

    Off to the Orthopedic suirgeon jump in ,my pockets please I am really nervous. If they can't fix me I don't know what I will do I hate sta ying home every single day. Love GInger

  • Smaarty
    Smaarty Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2014

    ginger-in your pocket