Prom Capelet

It's 10 a.m. I have about 8 hours to finish up this little capelet. It should be no problem except that our family has two events to attend today. We're participating in our pregnancy crisis center's Walkathon. Then after that our church has a Biker Blessing. The local motorcyclists bring down their bikes to be prayed over, listen to music and eat hot dogs and burgers. It's a popular event. However, I'm going to return home after the walkathon so I can work on the little capelet. I'll leave the bikers to my men. :)

So far I have constructed the shell. The lining is also put together. The next step will be to make a tiny button loop. I've never made a spaghetti strap before so I'm hoping my cheap plastic loop turner will do the trick. Then just bag the lining and I'm done. I want to make a chinese ball button and hope to find an online tutorial for that. If I don't end up with enough time to make the button, I'll simply do a quick covered button instead. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there will be a little time left for some hand-beaded accents, but we'll just have to see.

Of course, chatting on here is just eating up the little time I have left so I gotta scoot!!! Will post pics when done and pics of the kids all dolled up as well.

Here's a pic of what I have done so far. The collar looks messy, but I did press it and it just needs the roll tweaked a little. The construction on the collar surprised me for such a quick and easy project. Nothing difficult, just extra steps. There is both an upper and under collar. The under collar is cut on the bias and is done in two pieces seamed in the center. The interfacing is likewise two pieces, cut on the bias and with a center seam. This means that there is quite a bit of ease caused by the bias when you attach the collar to the capelet. For those who might want to try this pattern, you might be tempted to eliminate the interfacing but it really does help stabilize the bias.


Charity

A New QUICK Project (as in 24 hours!)

My youngest son, Casey, has a school formal this weekend. It's a private Christian school so it's much like a prom, but without the focus on dancing and, of course, a more conservative music choice. He has asked a female friend, Emily, to attend with him. She is the daughter of my closest friend and one of my Monday sewing lesson buddies. You've probably heard me mention her and her sister in my posts. Casey and Emily have known each other since they were pre-schoolers. Our families are all close friends. So...anyway...the divine Miss Em has picked out a pink floor-length formal. Feminine, sweet and delicate. Much like herself! It has been cooler in the evening than normal and so I thought she might want a pretty little evening wrap and offered to do one at the last minute. As in the party is tomm. night! LOL!

So we met at the fabric store today. We settled on a simple elbow length capelet with a shawl collar. No sleeves will speed things up. It will be made from a Chinese brocade with a champagne background, pink roses and peridot leaves. It's lined in bright pink flannel backed satin for warmth. Here's the pattern. It's View E without the braid and beading. The brocade is soooooo gorgeous, it doesn't need adornment.




I hope to have time to do a little bit of hand beading on the motifs along the front opening. We'll see. Anyway, I'll post pics as I go. I've got to get right on it.

First stop...clear off my cutting table. It's buried 2 feet high at the moment!

Charity

Progress Report

This is my current Sewing To Do list. Updated in italics.


Immediate (this week!)

Alter a friend's bridesmaid dress - DONE! I finished this last night. It is a beautiful duchess satin dress in a gorgeous shade of copper. Fully lined and with a chiffon drape over the bust. It needed taken in on each side, which meant taking apart the drape, satin and lining at the upper edge, taking in 1/2 inch on all of them and then putting it back together. Then shortened the straps 1 5/8 inch. That wasn't so bad. The pain was hemming it 1.5 inches. It had a narrow rolled hem. I didn't want it to look different from the other bridesmaids, so I had to reproduce that in a dress with side seams, a back seam and front AND back princess seams. What a pain to try to roll through that many seam allowances! I was almost in tears trying to use the foot. Just wouldn't work through all those layers. So I had to do a tiny, tiny, tiny hem the turn-and-press way. What a pain! But the end result was just fine.

Put the last border on my Lavender Quilt top - Fabric has been pre-washed and ironed. Need to go clear off my cutting table so I can cut and attach this last border. Then the top will be ready for applique.

Sandwich and Baste a flannel quilt top (A year old UFO!) - Nothing new to report

Short Term (through the summer)

Art Coat - Nothing new to report. Shopping without success for a colorful, but sturdy lining. Thinking through underlining and how much warmth I want. Still need to post sketches for you all

Finish Lavender Quilt - See above

Finish Flannel Quilt Top - Nothing new to report

Karess' Harvest Dress - Secured fabric for dress and appliques. Need to still select the fabric for the reverse facings.

Long Term (by next summer)

Finish UFO Crazy Quilt (tons of hand-stitching, beading, etc.) Nothing new to report

Perhaps a capsule wardrobe - Nothing new to report

Winners of The Hundred Skirts Giveaway

The winners of The Hundred Skirts Giveaway are....

Basket of Craft and Sewing Goodies: Bec Clarke
Needlecase/Silk YoYos/Needles: Paula
Needlecase/Silk YoYos/Needles: Mindy
Needlecase/Silk YoYos/Needles: "a"

I will be contacting you soon for your addresses in order to ship your goodies. Or you can email them to me... lovelace @ mtaonline.net

Congratulations to the winners! And thank you to all the Hundred Skirt Project participants.

Charity

Modest Chic

I've been reading a discussion online about modesty. I'm a big believer in modesty. However, I'm also a lover of fashion. Most of the discussions I read about modesty pit these two against each other as if they could not possibly peacefully coincide. Unfortunately, most of what I have seen forwarded by the "modesty camp" as acceptably modest is appallingly frumpy. I think this is one reason why those who love fashion have been reluctant to embrace the concept of modesty. They automatically picture baggy sack dresses and assume that membership in a cult must be next on the horizon. Not so... I decided to take the strictest definition of modesty that has been given to me (high necks, long sleeves, at the knee hems, not form-fitting) and show some fashionable variations that are most decidedly NOT Frump Girl Material.

These are by Kenzo, one of my favorite designers.



And some others from my "Sew Someday" File



I think there are plenty of options for the woman who desires to dress modestly and still look chic, have a strong sense of personal style and express her love for fashion. Sewing your own clothes gives even greater freedom to tweak a pattern to meet a personal requirement of modesty - in all its wide and varied definitions.

Charity

What's Next?

I'm cleaning house this morning. Had a wonderful weekend with my sons. We laughed and talked and watched movies and ate and detailed out cars and just had a great time. It was like old times, including the wrestling mania with me standing around wringing my hands saying "Stop it! Something's going to get broke! Someone's going to get hurt!"

The house is showing the weekend's strain big time. And so the windex and Pinesol and all are making their appearance. Housecleaning is usually when I plan my creative projects. I think through what needs to be finished and what I want to start next. And that's been my mental fodder today. The 100 Skirts Project is coming along fine. My UFO list is pretty manageable. I'm thinking that after I wrap up just a few loose ends, I could start A Big Project. And I think it's going to be the art coat mentioned here. Marji of Fiberarts Afloat is considering a coat sew along. If she decides to go ahead with that, I think I'll join in. I've been wanting to enter something really spectacular in our State Fair. Perhaps this will be it.

So my Upcoming Projects List looks like this...

Immediate (this week!)
Alter a friend's bridesmaid dress
Put the last border on my Lavender Quilt top
Sandwich and Baste a flannel quilt top (A year old UFO!)

Short Term (through the summer)
Art Coat
Finish Lavender Quilt
Finish Flannel Quilt Top
Karess' Harvest Dress

Long Term (by next summer)
Finish UFO Crazy Quilt (tons of hand-stitching, beading, etc.)
Perhaps a capsule wardrobe

I will do a post soon with sketch, fabric samples, work schedule, etc. of my art coat. In the meantime, here are some inspiration pics...



Charity

The Hundred Skirts Fashion Show

I have had 15 skirts arrive for The Hundred Skirts Project this week. Twelve from Betty (TX) and three from Noreen and daughter (NY). The ladies did an amazing job. They are all so beautiful and I am just thrilled to share them with you. The photos simply do not do them justice. They are even more darling in person. If it was like Christmas for ME to open them, can you imagine how much fun it will be for the girls? I hope this thought blesses those of you who are so generously giving of your time and resources.

This is Noreen's "Hoo's Got Pockets?" Her daughter created the tags to go with the skirts. Aren't they adorable.


Noreen's "Color Garden". The skirt has a flounce with bias band and 3 buttons tied on with embroidery floss. The corduroy in this skirt feels like velvet.


Noreen's "Periwinkle Blues." The skirt has a flounce with eyelet trim and is made from the softest pique.


Betty is from Texas. She was an early arriver to The Hundred Skirts Project and signed up to do TWELVE skirts. I was awed! And each skirt is beautiful. They are made from brightly patterned, high quality cottons in tropical and themed prints that are perfect for a warm weather climate. I know the girls will love their skirts and have a lot of fun playing "eye spy" with some of these prints! And can you imagine doing that many double ruffles on that many skirts? The woman deserves a halo!

These are two of Betty's 12 skirt set. The lobster print is "Lori Lou" and the chicken print is "Josie Mae." Betty named her skirts after female family members.









A big round of applause to Noreen and Betty for a job well done! You both did a marvelous job!

The Hundred Skirts Project Thank You Give-Away!

UPDATE: Just bumping this to the top. Drawing will be Tuesday, May 13th. Get your name in the drawing by leaving a comment on this post.
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To all my readers who encouraged me through your emails and comments. To my readers who sewed or are sewing skirts. Tor those who couldn't sew, but are helping by funding postage or tees. For those who spread the word through mentions on their own blogs. And because of the myriad of other ways you all worked together to help this project be successful...a big THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. There is no way I could ever truly show my appreciation, but I offer a give-away drawing as a gesture of friendship and gratitude. Please simply leave a comment and I will put your name in the hat for a drawing. You do not have to be one of those doing actual sewing to be involved. Your friendship, support, prayers and words of encouragement are enough. EVERYONE is invited. I will do another give-away when all 100 skirts are here and ready for shipment. There are four giveaways today.

Three giveaways for: a hand-painted Alaskan flowers/scenery needle case, a set of silk, hand-dyed yo-yos for embellishing and a set of hand-sewing needles



And the major give-away...A bunch of goodies packed in a heart-shaped paper mache box (ready for your crafting touch). There are vintage patterns, vintage greeting cards, vintage trims, threads, pins, fat quarters, pre-made appliques, my hand-made baby gift tags, cupcake tags and more.



Just leave a comment and all names will be put into the hat for the four drawings.