Dedication Gown

Another niece to arrive soon.

The mother and her family are 3000 miles away.

No problem having a baby shower.

We had a SKYPE shower.

Family gathered on the west coast.

Each one bringing a gift.

One by one we sat in front of the camera and showed our gift.

I made a dedication gown.

My great grandmother was a frugal lady.

She also love beautiful things.

She made fabulous laces.

When something wore out, she would save  buttons and trim to reuse.

Some of that lace has been passed on to me.

Now I'm passing it on to the next generation.

Pin tucks on the bodice with vintage buttons.

Lace edge puff sleeves.

Large tucks at the bottom with lace and ruffle.

Underslip hemmed with more vintage lace.

Vintage button closer in back

Wrapped and tied with a hand made silk ribbon.

It's a joy to pass it on.

This is one of my favorite things to make.

Debbie

I Pad Cover Solution

My Children gave me a wonderful "little toy" for Christmas. An I Pad. I love it! I use it much more than I thought I would. I'm getting on line all the time now, just looking things up. Before it would have been inconvenient to go upstairs, just to look something up on a whim. Now I just grab the handy I Pad, with a few touches, I have the info, and I'm back doing whatever. My fear it is that I might drop it and kill it. What to do??  I went to the Apple store to look at covers. I was rather uninspired. Nothing looked right. Nothing was really in my budget. So I thought about it.... and....  bought this piece of leather, and made this case.  I like the rough organic look of it. The wavy, natural edge of the flap. I used heavy pearled cotton to whip stitch the sides together.

 I made a removable padded pocket also. I mostly stays in the case, but can side out.

Something so very simple, but so right for me.  

Thank you Dear Children!

Now, I need to figure out how to load my pictures from my camera to the pad so I can use it for blogging too. lol

Thank you for visiting. Blessings,

Debbie

Sweet Addition

My cousin and her husband have been waiting for this for years. Finally, they are crowding 9 months of expecting into about 3 weeks. Their little boy was born, soon they will hold him in their arms and take him home. What a blessing after years of waiting, and hearts crying to be mother and father.

To celebrate, I've made this sweet little baby tux for him. Made from scraps of a wedding dress, vintage lace and vintage mother of pearl buttons.

I'm so excited to meet my new little cousin!

In another part of my life, my son and his company made it safely into the nether regions of Afghanistan. A few posts ago, I talked about sewing these patches into his clothing. He left a few in his room. My husband came down and said they would make a great bracelet.

I got out the findings, and here it is.

My husband wears it, a reminder to pray throughout the day. (does he really need reminding???)

I am at peace with him there. Thank you for your prayers for all out servicemen.

Now, what is the next project? The list is long. Which one do I chose? LOL

Thank you for visiting!

Debbie

Organizing and Sewing

I can't take the credit. After the new year, my studio was......well.....it looked like a tornado touched down. Everything was a mess. Piles everywhere. One daughter was over, I went in the studio, sighed, "I need to clean this up" I said. She walked right in and started picking things up, moving things around.

After two days, things are reorganized and usable. It was wonderful. I played with the baby, she cleaned and organized. Now it's just a little messy, cause I've been playing in it again. lol

I have LOTS of stuff. The sewing stuff. The painting stuff. The book making stuff. The different kinds of fabric for clothing, quilting, formal wear, and upholstery, and other home decorating. The vintage lace and fabric scraps. Books about all of that, along with gardening, and medicinal herbs. I'm not bragging about the amount of stuff. Just justifying to myself the reason why I have so much, so I shouldn't get rid of it (and have more room to work), cause I use stuff from the stash all the time. It does make things crowded and easy to be overwhelmed when I get several projects going a once.

I like the way she hung some finished pieces on a old six pained window frame that are not out on display right now, next to hanging baskets, and bags.

I finally got to sew something for myself. It's an upgraded hoodie. I used a Burda pattern. The fabric is a blend of cotton and silk, French Terry knit. I love the feel of this fabric.

I think I be wearing this a lot.

I made this jacket from a gently worn wool suit several years ago. Another folk art clothing item, all pieced together. When I first made it the styles were rather boxy. I haven't worn it for a couple of years, because it looked so .......frumpy. It's light, but warm, and very comfortable to wear. Today I spent a little time taking it in. You can't see it well, but it does have some curves now.

My favorite part of the jacket is the scalloped hem.

How is your weekend? There are still two days to do fun things. Enjoy!

Thanks for taking time to visit.

Debbie

Tea Cozy and Crackers

The dawn of the last day of the year. The soft glow was wonderful for moments, when the earth was hanging on to the last little bit of night, then bursting into dazzling sunshine. We woke to shivery chrystals of ice and sun. We haven't seen much sun for the last few weeks. What a welcome sight!

One of the projects I was working on for gifts was another tea cozy. With space for handle and spout, tea can be poured without removing the cozy. Made of washed recycled wool, hand appliqued, cotton batting to hold warmth, lined with cotton, and trimmed with bias cotton.

I made it for my sister. We have been enjoying tea time lately.

I tried a new cracker recipe for a party last night.

I used some of my own milled whole wheat flour. They have a rich nutty taste. They are not too heavy or cardboardy tasting, as sometimes happens with whole wheat.

I roll the chilled dough out to about 1/8th" thick. Then I brushed on a little melted butter infused with garlic, rosemary, and fresh cracked pepper. Cut to the size of a tea bag. Then baked for 9 minutes.

Mmmmm. Served plain or with fresh farmers or goat cheese.......yum.

Thank you for your wonderful inspiration and thoughts this past year. You all are amazing. May you treasure the memories of this past year, and experience true joy in the new year.

Happy New Year!

Debbie

Fall, Tea, and Comfort Food

The leaves are still here, gorgeous, falling. I love the fogy mornings, the earth wearing a mantel of shrouded mystery. Soon the color will be gone, .....on the ground for me to rake. Fall......
it's time for comfort meals, cozy quilts, hot chocolate, spiced cider, crackling fires, and tea with friends.

Comfort foods aplenty here. The Oregonian featured this Bacon, Onion, Upside down Cornbread last week. Baked in a cast iron pan.

Very yummy! And pares well with soup. I made a Split Pea soup.

I started a new project. Using recycled wool, wool and cotton scraps. In the style of Maggie Bonanomi, who designs 19th century-inspired primitive projects, I made a Tea Cozy.

I made openings on each side of the cozy. One for the spout, and one for the handle. Tea may be poured without removing the cozy and losing heat.

There is a different design on each side.

I'm also spending time snuggling with my newest granddaughter, Emery Abigail.

Looking at the beautiful, bright warm tones of leaves gently swirling to the ground, I'm reminded of how rich and warm life is. I hope you are enjoying your fall.

Debbie

New bag

I made a new bag for our oldest daughter. I made it for her birthday. After I gave it to her I remembered that I didn't take any pictures. So I grabed these pictures while we were shopping.

The pattern was for a pillow from Maggie Bonanomi's first book. I downsized the pattern and changed it around a little. Made from all recycled wool. Super relaxing project!

Dreams

Dreams to inspiration, to dreams. I have been so blessed with children. My children are dreamers. Dreamers, who are inspired to go out and live their dreams. Children, who then dream some more, and help others live their dreams. All of the "kids" have traveled, or still travel. Some close to home, other to far off lands. During some of their "down" time, they seek non tourist "treasures" to bring back home. Much of the time I am the recipient of some "treasure". Recently, one daughter traveled to Mali. She brought back several pieces of textiles. There seem to be two kinds of cottons that are most often found in the markets. You see them stacked above.

The finer cottons are what a Malian woman would use to make an outfit for herself. There, you don't by fabric by the yard. You purchase it by the piece, about 12 yards. That is the amount needed to make a traditional outfit, always with matching headpiece.

The finer cottons are actually woven in England and sent to Mali for dying.

Mali is famous for it's bright designs. Also for it's indigo dyes. Indigo dye is more difficult to achieve and is more expensive.

Cotton fabric woven in Mali is much heaver. The spun cotton fiber in rather rough by out standards. It is not woven in the wide widths we are use to, but in 4"-6" strips. The piece above was woven using two colors, then sewn onto more white strips. You can see it in the top picture. Some strips are dyed then sewn together to make wider pieces of cloth.

Some are sewn together, then dyed to make a large pattern. This is mud cloth. Not quite as rough as our burlap.The Bozo people in northern Mali make this traditional cloth. The white parts are non dyed areas. The people gather dark mud and let it ferment in a container for a year, then use it to paint the designs on the cloth.

A piece such as this might be used as a covering for a doorway. Or it might be the covering on a sleeping platform.

This is large enough to be a bed spread. Again, narrow strips were sewn together, then dyed. Then the indigo edging was added. The color varies in intensity over the whole cloth.

The Malian people still use traditional methods their people have used for centuries. Gathering from the earth around them, blending, manipulating, experimenting for a verity of colors, and creating great beauty.

From another part of the world, Panama, one daughter brought this shawl. Woven, using fine threads, native Indian woman create these incredible designs. Traditionally, the tribal women would wrap these around themselves to wear, their only garment, in the humid, intense, heat. Now, the women sell their weaving to people who travel to the remote mountain regions of that country.

India is another country rich in fiber. A wonderful silk shawl.

The Indian people in remote areas densely embroider strips of fabric. Later, it is pieced together to form a large decorative piece.

I am privileged to receive many different fabrics. I marvel at the different kinds of beauty, the different skills, the different mediums and techniques. Each one so different, yet all using many of the same "ingredients " and tools. Spinning wheels, looms, dyes,and needle, all products of hard working hands. I wonder about the dreams each creator had in her mind. Did she envision the completed piece in her mind even before starting? Did she "wing it" and see how it developed as she went along? What was the inspiration for each design? Did she dream about what this completed piece would do for her family? Would her child have shoes, or books for school? Was it letting part of "herself" go. Does she wonder where the labor of her hands is now? Would she be surprised that I think of her as an artist? I would love to tell her that what she dared to dream, then create, has inspired me. Her artwork does not end. It has created new dreams.

Debbie