Pleating The Easter Dress

The fabric pleater is one of the best inventions in my sewing world. Years ago a stencil was ironed onto the fabric. You would then have rows of little dots and pick them up with a needle and thread to pleat the fabric before smocking. I am sure that there are still some people who pleat this way but the pleater has added ease to my life. It has needles that are threaded, the fabric is rolled up on a dowel to assist with control to keep the fabric straight. The next step is to place the fabric behind the roller and turn the handle on the right hand side and slowly send the fabric through the rollers, unto the needles, and then off onto the threads. When you get to the other side of the garment, you pull the threads through the needles and tie them off, block the size that you need and begin the pleasure of smocking the garment. Some sewers steam their pleats before smocking to make them stand up straight. I find this to be a good exercise and it takes no time at all.

Now to smock the little bishop dress and get it on it's way to the Easter Parade. I shall share the picture of the dress and bonnet when finished. I hope that you enjoy it.

Organization - Sewing Storage

I am amazed by the person who has a few sewing items and fabric piles. They are the people that purchase a pattern, thread and fabric, go home and make the garment and then send me the pattern or place it at a yard sale. Although in my mind less in more, I just can't resist purchasing fabric and sewing notions that make sewing so much nicer.

Now the big question is, where do I store all of this? Currently, I have shelves in my basement next to my 10 ft by 10 ft cutting table. These shelves hold bolts of fabric. Next to them is the unit that holds all of my daughter's scrapbooking supplies (well not all of it as there is a table next to the unit that holds the balance). I have shelves in the spare bedroom (pink rm) that hold folded fabrics and white on white baby clothing that I have fallen in love with at auctions and antique stores. There are shelves in the sewing room that hold folded fabrics, sewing notions, patterns, magazines, books, ribbons, magnifiers, hoops and threads along with the television and DVD player for watching all of the sewing DVD's that I have. There are baskets with projects that I am working on, and baskets with projects for the future, baskets with onsies as I use lots of these in my sewing business.

Today I sat in the sewing room at 6 a.m. thinking, "Oh my, I need to organize this to one room". I thought about more shelves, I thought about what I could rid the room of, I thought about color coordinating the fabrics and ribbons, I thought about moving the pattern boxes to the closet shelves so that fabrics can come out of the guest room closet. I have spent time on the internet searching for ideas for shelving and organizing.
My problem with these systems is, who really only has 12 things? Have you ever looked at these ads and thought, "Wow that looks great"? And then reality hits you and you realize that you will have to purchase plastic totes to store everything else in and put them in the attic or basement.

My husband just came downstairs and asked me what I was up to. When I told him mentally organizing the sewing fabrics and supplies, he rolled his eyes and kept moving......Can you tell that we have been here before?

Staples vs Stitches

Last Friday I had a total right hip replacement. I have a lovely row of 29 staples holding the skin together until next Friday when they will actually get removed. The staples made me begin to think why do they no longer use stitches? It would seem to me that the stitches that dissolve would make more sense but then again that is why I am the patient and not the doctor.
However, the whole thing did remind me of one Easter morning when I had Mary's dress and bonnet completed and both of the boys had vests to match and new slacks and dress shirts. I totally ran out of time to hem their slacks so ...I stapled them. Yeap, just took the desk stapler and nicely laid a few staples in the side seams. I worried on the entire ride to church that someone would know or worse yet, the boys would tell on me. No one was the wiser and the pant legs stayed up until I had time later in the week to properly hem them. It is amazing what we can do when pushed for time and also when we look at a tool that we have purchased for one purpose and realize there are many other uses.

School of Art Fashion- Huntsville, Alabama

Today Doug and I begin out travel home after a great 7 days at the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion in Huntsville, Alabama. This year I took all of my classes with Wendy Schoen. Her hand embroidery is fabulous and she is a great educator with a wonderful personality. Wendy's assistant Linda is a pleasure to be with as well and wow is she talented. Since I will be getting a total hip replacement in 11 days, I will have plenty to embroider during recovery. Yes, I will do the exercises that they give me and attend physical therapy. But, I am looking forward to getting some projects completed.
School was great and though I have come many times, there is always something new to learn and lots of friends with the same passion to share with.
Doug spent some time going to car lots searching out antique cars and car parts. His 1956 Victoria is a wonderful car and so pretty. He, like sewers, is always on the look out for one more thing or one more tool.
A lovely lady in my class, Joanne, brought her machine from Chicago in a great rolling tool box from Craftsman. Sturdy, safe, with lots of room for the machine. It only cost $45.00 compared to the $200.00 that we spend on the "cute" machine cases. Now that is a good tip, check out your local hardware store for lots of multi use tools and cases.

January 30, 2011 - Baby Names

My daughter just delivered a baby blanket, cap and nightgown that I made for a customer for a new baby boy's shower. I embroidered his name and a basketball on the blanket. He will be a Junior and evidently his Dad is enthralled with basketball. The nightgown and cap have his nickname, M.J.. I can remember when my children were being born, the big excitement was finding out if they were a boy or girl at the time of their birth. Then came deciding on a name. My first child, a son, didn't get his name until day 4 because I just wasn't sure who he looked like or what name seemed right for him. His name is Matthew as he is the first chapter of my husband's and my life as parents. A strong name, so much so that he did not receive a middle name. I do think over the 38 years of his life that I have heard nicknames for him but to me he is Matthew. Jonathan and Mary Elizabeth followed behind Matthew in the naming of our children. It is interesting what names we choose and why. I am not sure if I prefer knowing before the birth or after. What about you? I love to hear your comments.

January 22, 2011 - Where do the days go?

I can't believe that Christmas was a month ago and yet my home is still decorated for the holiday. I have begun the task of packing away the decorations and promising myself that I will be so much more organized next year. This, by the way, is a yearly promise, some years I make it and others....well not so much. I must confess that I do leave the family room tree up until sometime in late winter. It is not in the way and gives my husband and I such pleasure as this is the room that we tend to watch television in and let's face it, winter is blah. Unless of course there is snow. Speaking of which, we are due to get a storm on Tuesday. We shall see how this turns out as yesterday's storm resulted in a dusting. My friend's in Alabama have seen more snow this year than we have here in Delaware.
Today is the day to cut and pleat some smocking things. I will be having surgery at the end of February and want to have several items ready to go. I specialize in children's heirloom and classic clothing. I also do special occasion clothing for proms, weddings and have had year's where I do massive amounts of home dec (curtains, spreads, dust ruffles, drapes, tablecloths).
Now to figure out how to put a picture with this and day 1 of being a blogger will be a success.