They're Going Like Hotcakes!!!

Tamara, a fellow Alaskan, has volunteered to finish up the Size 8s and Size 10s for us. That's a total of six skirts. You can visit Tamara's blog by clicking HERE. Thank you, Tamara. That takes us to six size categories closed out and 89 skirts total!!!! God bless you.

Size 3T: 10 – DONE
Size 4: 5 Sewn/Promised
Size 5T: 10 - DONE
Size 6: 10 - DONE
Size 7 – 10 - DONE
Size 8 – 10 - DONE
Size 10 – 10- DONE
Size 12 – 8 Promised/Sewn, 2 Needed
Size 14 – 4 Promised/Sewn, 6 Needed
Size 16 – 7 Promised/Sewn, 3 Needed
Misses Small – 4 Promised/Sewn, 6 Needed

The sizes below were added after I set a goal of 100 Skirts and so are not included in the original plan. After I started on my project, my mother mentioned that there were some older girls who would need large sizes, but she couldn't tell me exact sizes and how many of each. I have an email into the director and will give more info as soon as I hear from her.

Misses Medium – 1 Promised/Sewn
Misses Large - 2 Sewn
Misses Xlarge – 1 Sewn
Misses 2X –

UPDATE April 19th - Four more skirts promised. Three are sizes unknown. Total count now is...

93


UPDATE April 19th - Today I received an email that Marji of Fiber Arts Afloat has sent two Misses Large skirts in cotton batiks, a wonderful choice for the climate. You can visit her wonderful blog Fiber Arts Afloat to view her exquisite garments. And while you're there, give her an "atta girl" for her participation! :)

So the current total now stands at...

95


Ya'll are awesome!

The Winner of the Shadow Applique Give-Away Is...

I'm happy to say that Karen (blog, Grammy Mac) is the winner of my Shadow Applique Giveaway. Congratulations, Karen. I have left a comment on your blog as to how you can collect your prize. :) Thanks for visiting and I hope you'll come again.



Charity

Harvest Dress Question

Laurie asked about the construction of the Harvest Dress in my sidebar. I made this dress a couple of years ago for a invitational event on Ebay featuring two children's designers from each state. We were to design a children's garment thematic to our state. My design was inspired by the world-renown giant vegetables (due to our long summer sun and the unique glacial silt soil) in the Alaskan valley where I live.

It was made in this way:

Jumper - An out-of-print Vogue children's pattern, 9275 Florence Eiseman. I wanted a really full skirt so I angled the side seams on the pieces even more and I added more fullness to the width. The appliques were done by fusing with Heat and Bond and then were "thread painted" (stitching to within a few threads of raw edges and then design lines stitched in) with rayon threads and then some selective beading done. Edges were left raw to go along with the country primitive look of the outfit.

Attached Petticoat - The skirt was going to be heavy from the weight of all the applique and its beading. I wanted the skirt to stick out so I added an attached petticoat. To avoid even more bulk at the waistline, I made a straight skirt from lining fabric that was the same waist circumference as the jumper bodice. I put the ruffle with a layer of gathered tulle at the bottom. It's about a 10 inch ruffle so that it can really hold the skirt out, but only peeks out a couple of inches.

BLouse - basic peasant blouse from black homespun

Jacket - I wanted a cropped jacket. I took a girl's jewel neck, button to waist dress pattern. I no longer even recall what it was. Sorry. I only used the sleeve and bodice pieces. I cropped the length and the sleeves. I reversed the facings and did them in a contrast fabric. Jacket is lined.

Hope that helps. Here are some additional pics.

83 Skirts and Counting

Yesterday's Sewing Bee with 8 teenaged girls from my local church was determined to be a hit...with lots of pleas for more of the same in the future. :) We had a wonderful time. I will post pics soon. I was so busy helping girls that I didn't think to take as many photos as I should. I apologize for that. We had 4 skirts finished during the Sewing Bee and the other four are very close to being finished. The girls took them home to finish them up. They all did a wonderful job, especially considering that most of them are beginning seamstresses.

Eight more skirts plumped up our Skirt count quite nicely. Plus, this morning I received photos of TWELVE skirts from Betty (cyclegirl). I also heard from two more new participants. Isn't that amazing! I've added these TWENTY (!!!) new additions to our count. Our current final total (just of sizes specified, not counting requests to help with no size declared yet) is...drumroll, please....

SEVENTY-EIGHT SKIRTS!!!!!!!! We are almost there!

Size 3T: 10 – DONE
Size 4: 4 Sewn
Size 5T: 10 - DONE
Size 6: 10 - DONE
Size 7 – 10 - DONE
Size 8 – 6 Promised/Sewn, 4 Needed
Size 10 – 8 Promised/Sewn, 2 Needed
Size 12 – 8 Promised/Sewn, 2 Needed
Size 14 – 4 Promised/Sewn, 6 Needed
Size 16 – 7 Promised/Sewn, 3 Needed
Misses Small – 4 Promised/Sewn, 6 Needed
Misses Medium – 1 Promised/Sewn
Misses Large -
Misses Xlarge – 1 Promised/Sewn
Misses 2X –

HOT OFF THE PRESS UPDATE!!! 10:08 a.m. April 16th AK TIME - Just heard from a donor who wants to finish off the Size 7s. We now have FOUR size categories completely done. UPDATED COUNT....83 skirts!!

A Good Time Was Had By All

Tuesday 6 women and 8 teenaged girls arrived at my home, sewing machines in hand, intent on sewing up a skirt storm! We set up machines and then sat down for a debriefing, a short devotional and prayer for both the girls sewing and the girls who would receive each skirt. When each understood their mission, it was time to cut. The cutting table quickly filled up and then we had girls, fabrics and pattern pieces everywhere! Down the hall, in the homeschool room, in the living room. It was a Layout and Cutting Minefield. Some of the girls had not had an opportunity to shop for fabric so they had a good time shlepping through my 700 yard fabric stash. A wide variety of fabrics were represented. There was a beautiful pink burn-out linen and an embroidered faux-sueded in a beautiful shade of turquoise. There were ladybugs and roosters and butterflies. There was a wonderful paisley print in warm tones, cut on the bias so it flowed beautifully. Pink and sage coordinating prints for a layered skirt. And a wonderful mottled denim blue with a bright calico. The floors quickly cleared up and the girls sat down at their machines. The room was soon humming. A constant line formed at the two ironing boards as the girls learned to do French Seams. Moms circulated the room, chasing toddlers, puzzling over instruction sheets and offering encouragement and assistance. After a break for some yummy munchies and lots of chatter, it was back to the machines and finished skirts soon began to come off the production line. Each was "introduced" to the crowd with appropriate oohhhs and ahhhhs and applause. We closed up shop in the late afternoon wrapping up the day with four finished skirts and four almost finished. I had a fantastic time.....and a sound night's sleep! LOL!!!!

Where We Stand - UPDATE

Requests to be involved in The Hundred Skirts Project continue to arrive daily. Just today I had 8 more skirts committed to the project. So...guess that means another update is in order!

Here is our current count, which includes skirts which have been sewn by me, skirts I have already received from others and skirts promised, but not yet received. Please know that if you had your heart set on sewing a size already covered, please go right ahead and do it anyway! It would be wonderful if we exceeded our goal. The Guatemalan government is in need of more homes for orphans and the orphanage has plans for expansion. So if we exceed our goal, that will just mean that those coming in in the future can be given a new outfit when they arrive! Wouldn't that be nice?

For those who are waiting to hear about the sizes needed for the older teens and plus sizes, my Dad tells me that the director has received my email. She does not have internet access at the orphanage and can only communicate infrequently when she is able to travel to an access location. But she will be getting back to me soon. I will post as soon as I have more info.

So without further ado...the current count...

Size 3Ts - DONE
Size 5Ts - DONE
Size 6 - 9 DONE, 1 cut out, but not yet assembled (mine)
Size 7 - 5 DONE, 5 NEEDED
Size 8 - 6 DONE, 4 NEEDED
Size 10 - 8 DONE, 2 NEEDED
Size 12 - 3 DONE, 7 NEEDED
Size 14 - 1 DONE, 9 NEEDED
Size 16 - 4 DONE, 6 NEEDED

8 Skirts promised, but sizes unknown. These are the attendees of a Mother-Daughter sewing bee I will be having tomorrow. There will be 8 teen-aged girls sewing skirts. I think most of them want to do their own sizes, which should be somewhere in the Sizes 12-Misses Small range. I know two girls plans to do smaller sizes.


Charity

Whatever Happened To...

those adorable tiny japanese paper umbrellas? I've looked everywhere locally. Can't find them anywhere. And cute pinwheels in primary colors. All I can find are nasty silver metallic things. :( It's making me grumpy...

Charity

Last Chance

This is your last chance to win the little Shadow Appliqued DoorHanger below. I will be drawing a name tomm. night. All you have to do is leave a comment HERE.

And life goes on....Party prep continues. I'm looking forward to spending time with these young ladies and their mothers, getting to know them all better. I'm cooking the food that can be prepared in advance tonight. Everything will be finger foods since we have to serve buffet style and eat on our laps. I would have preferred sit-down, but this is a working party and tables will be filled with humming machines! Here is our menu.

Menu
Sugar-Crusted Bacon Chicken

Miniature Quiches

Mexican Pinwheels

Spinach Pinwheels

Ham and Cheese Kabobs

Fruit Kabobs

Relish Tray

Chicken Salad-Filled Mini Rolls

Egg Salad-Filled Tea Sandwiches

Lemon Squares
Pecan Bars
Cheesecake Cupcakes (Cherry, Blueberry or plain)
Brownies
Assorted Bottled Drinks

Sugar Coma, anyone?