Anna Quilt Block (with flower picture)

Anna from Frozen Quilt Block

Work in progress:

     Making a second Anna - Doll carrying case.

Will post additional pictures when completed

Thank you for viewing.

My new dress

Simplicity pattern 1801

Like usual, I walk into a fabric store just to pick up a button, thread or zipper.  I walk out with a couple of sacks of fabric.  I get home and realize I forgot  the button or whatever item I went in for.

Now the cycle starts all over again.  So I return to the store for the button and I am distracted by the sewing patterns, which were obviously placed in my way.  (They weren't there earlier). 

I hear a voice   "Hey you....., so what are you going to make with that new fabric"?   I look around.  Odd......, no one is near by.  I must be hearing voices or could there be a ghost?  Oh well, I'll answer that question anyways.  "I haven't decided yet. I need to look at those patterns". 

Just as I am checking out, ding ding ding.  It hits me like a ice water poured over me.  Where is my button?  So I walk back in the shop for the button, proudly holding my new sack of patterns and couple of yards of fabric I  had regret not purchasing on that first trip.

Now the cycle starts all over again.

Here are some pictures of my new dress.  By the ways, it was an easy to sew pattern, and yes, I did picked up the button.

The Pattern:

Thank you for visiting.

White Lace Dress completed!

New Look 6243

Part II

The Update:

This is how it went down......

Labor Day holiday was just around the corner and we were having family over for the weekend.  My sewing room is one of my guest bedrooms.  So obviously I needed to clean this room up and put away all my sewing supplies, ( like out of sight ).

Hubby is such neat and organized guy.  I mostly  try to keep the door to this room closed. (So hubby's blood pressure won't go up).   Wow, what a considered person I am, or I just don't need to hear a sermon.
For the most part my house is nice, neat and clean, but..... this room gives me a problem.

If you sew or craft you know what I am talking about.  I had little Klingons all over the place, (and I am not talking about the ones from  the Star Trek tv show).  These Klingons come in different colors, sizes, shapes and lengths.

They actually  are snippets, (scraps of threads and fabric).
They were all over the carpet, the furniture and even on the curtains.
(I am scare to look up at the ceiling fan).

I call them Klingons because they cling on to your clothes and follow you from room to room and then they jump off your clothes scatter themselves throughout the house, and the nasty things are multiplying.
Oh yes, I have found them in my bed.

My plan was to finish the dress, gather the lace (the generic one), and attached it to the skirt and finally hem the lining.

 (Easy, I thought).

 I walked into the room and I saw a pile here, a pile there and a pile everywhere. 
Well my eyes directed themselves over to a different project.  I proceeded to pick it up and work on this other project.

Bam!  Pow!  Wam!  

Ouch..... What was that!!!!  I was knocked to my knees.

It was my own foot kicking my butt in gear.  That's all it took my friends.
The dress was completed, the room was cleaned and the Klingons sucked out with the vacuum. (Until the next project).

Thank  You for reading my long stories.
I just have a problem getting to the point. (According to hubby).



The Unfinished Project

Part I

Approximately five months ago I started to sew a new white lace dress for the summer.
 (Wait a second.  What am I talking about?  It is summer here all year round) . Today the dress is still sitting on my dress form, (my body double), and unfinished.

My plan was to make a white dress with lace trimming on top and the at bottom hem.
In searching the big web world, I found an embroidered lace with pretty daisy flowers all over.
That's it!  Just what I have been searching for and it was white!

So I ordered the white lace from a far away land, China.   This made me a little leery, since we all know the jokes (Made in China).   The price was awesome. (A give away, and shipping was a few US bucks).
Can't pass up on a good bargain.

The days and weeks went by and I started to cut my pieces out.
That's it, I came to a stop.  (Waiting on the arrival of the lace).

Like a child on Christmas eve alert for Santa's bells, I would run to the front window every time I would hear a truck coming down my street.  All the neighbors were receiving packages.
(But where is mine?)
 
I wondered if my package was delivered to one of my neighbors in error?  (Should I jog across the street and investigate?)  Nah.... I'll give Fed-ex a few more days.

Yippee,  my lace arrived after a few weeks of going through customs.

I grabbed the large envelope and headed straight into my sewing, craft room to open my package in my favorite room.  Just like a kid hiding candy and eating it in a corner so he would not have to share.

OH how beautiful it was!  I immediately laid the lace over my white fabric.
OH NO!

How disappointing!!!!   In America white is as white as the driven snow.  The lace was off white, or more like a cream, beige color.      Did they send me the wrong color?

I checked on line again and the only color available was white.  Apparently China's description of white is anything resembling a very light beige.

I am stuck, not worth returning.  So I purchased some generic white lace at a local fabric store and continued assembling my dress.  I am not too happy with this new lace so that could be why my summer dress is incomplete.

Next week or so, I will kick my own butt to get right back on this unfinished project.  I asked hubby for help, but not on sewing, but to help kick my butt in gear.

I am sure I am not the only one with unfinished projects.

Will post completed pictures in the near future, this year.

Thanks for reading and please excuse my grammar.

Anna quilt block (with window)

Anna from Frozen

I finally completed the doll carrying case.  The cover is Anna from the Disney movie "Frozen".

It resembles a little girls book with handles.  The cover is wrapped in clear plastic to protect the quilted block of Anna.

Inside the tote is a little miniature quilted bed with a folded-over bed sheet, and a matching pillow case with machine embroidered details.

"Love is an Open Door"   This is the zippered pocket where the dolls clothes are put away.

The zippered pocket is like center page

The back page of the tote has another pocket to hold  little treasures.
 

Back of tote

Anna - window

Thanks for viewing.

Elsa applique quilt block

Second Elsa quilt block

Work to date:  I have added a few details, framed the block and quilted it.

Work in progress on my second cover for the doll carrying case.
The face is hand embroidered.  Yippee! I impressed myself, I believe I captured her look.

Stay tuned (lol)

Will update with additional photos when competed.

Thanks for viewing

Bird House in my backyard

The Red Barn Bird House

 

Many types of birds like hanging out in my backyard.  Could it possibly be that there is an ample supply of worms, flies or creepy crawling bugs?   They may be enjoying the landscape, the orchids, the water view (pool),  or the birdbath.

Maybe not so!
It must be the breadcrumbs I toss out to them every couple of days.

The bluejays have become very demanding.  On the days I don't toss bread, they sit on the fence gawking into my windows and beeping, honking and tooting like a bunch of neighborhood  hoodlums. It has become a nuisances and little bit annoying at 5:00 in the morning and the only thing that can sleep through it is the clock radio.

Not fair!

From the goodness of my heart, I thought I would give them protection and shelter for cold rainy days.



I ordered the barn bird house on line.  I painted it red and green, and build it up on a post.

Wah-lah!
Accommodations, a little bungalow, an inn, a B&B, a retreat!
But those ungrateful, greedy birds sit on top of the birdhouse and after having a good crumb meal they poop all over it .  They certainly are not interested in setting up a dwelling.

Could it be due to the pounds they have put on and can not squeeze their plump bodies into the little openings?  (Bad carbs).

Oh well, the birdhouse looks great in my backyard, and I enjoy the view. Oh, I did see a new tenant. It's a little dark lizard. He's shy, or perhaps hiding from the bluejays. I will name him Obama.  Welcome to the crib!

Construction of the Bird house:

Don't get me wrong,  I am the last person to dive into a neighbors garbage drum.  One day I took a morning stroll down my street and low and behold!  My eyes focused on these two black iron poles hanging out in a neighbor's trash bin.

Uh-huh!  They were detailed and looked pretty interesting with some fancy metal twisted around on one end.  Perhaps I thought, I could stick these in the ground and hang orchid baskets from them. (Kind of like a shepherd's hook).

I looked around, (my eyeballs searching from side to side and not a person in sight). The rusty iron poles came home with me.


They were actually outdoor oil lanterns like the ones Wal-Mart sells. (See picture).

The bottom base was missing so I tried to push the metal post into the ground and snap! Now I have two parts. (Darn it!).  The rusty poles ended up in their original destination, (the garbage dump / landfill). R.I.P.

I kept the top parts with the detailed twisted metal.  Most of the rust came off with sandpaper and a metal brush, (oh yes with some elbow grease too).  They were sprayed painted black and they turned out new, like right out of the factory.

Rusty iron

Sanded and sprayed painted black

Location for the new bird house

My dear brother helped me with this project.  He enjoys solving or fixing things up.  On the other hand, hubby said, "Just go out and buy a bird house stand".  (He likes things the easy way). Smart guy!  I am more like: "We can make it!"

 My brother buried a pressure treated 4x4 into the ground, and then attached the fancy twisted iron to the wood with clamps.  Next he attached the underneath of the birdhouse to the top of the fancy iron with clamps.  Very handy guy to keep around.  I love him dearly, but man can he eat.  Kind of like a buffalo, grazing all the time.  (Just kidding bro, I need more help from you with other projects).

Looking good so far.

On its way there

How about that!  Me using a power tool. (Careful not to break a nail).

Drilling holes to hang iron plant holders

One down and one more to go!

 Wha-la!   In the end I win.  I was able to use the found treasure oil lanterns as plant holders.  What a good find honey!

But a bad habit came out of this experience.  My eyes are always piercing around. One man's trash is another man's treasure.


Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed and excused my improper grammar.

Chaise covers

Beach towel chaise covers 

 

Our pool chaise's have taken a whooping in the last couple of years from the sun, rain, wind, mother nature, and kin folks.  It is time to replace them again.  The inside cushion is in fairly good shape, but the outer pvc fabric is deteriorating like a cheap suit.   I believe if I dress them up, they can hang in there for another year or so.

I purchased eight inexpensive beach towels from Wal-mart.  They were under $4.00 a piece and they come in assorted colors.  I stuck to the blues.

Bargain beach towels

For the seat back, I folded the towel in half and stitched a seam about two inches long on each side. (On wrong side of towel). This will keep it from moving around or blowing away.

Stitch the sides and slip on over the back of the cushion

For the bottom cushion I folded back the two corners (triangle) and stitched.  This  made a pocket for the end of the cushion. They fit nice and taunt.   Let the wind blow, they're not going anywhere.

                                  Before:

  

                              After :

Easy fix, plus much prettier to look at.

Thanks for viewing

 

Elsa quilt block

Frozen Elsa Quilt Block

This is the completed doll carrying case I made with a zippered center page (pocket) for her wardrobe.
The outside is encased in a clear plastic.

Doll carrying case

Case opens like a book

Inside is a quilted bed (pocket), where the dolly sleeps and a soft pillow inside the pillowcase.  Attached in the center is another pocket with a zipper.  This pocket contains her wardrobe.

This is the little hand made cloth doll.  She has long wavy soft hair.

Dolly tucked in her bed

Attached center pocket with applique letters

Zippered pocket for dolly's wardrobe

Thank you for viewing.  I will be working on her wardrobe next and will update blog.

Refashion shirt into a swimsuit cover up

Swimsuit cover up

I purchased this beautiful white linen shirt sometime ago to wear with jeans.  I wore it twice and I wore it proudly.  On the second time I wore it, a photo was taken on the day we girls got together to pick out our bridesmaid's dresses for my niece's wedding.   I am the one on left with the white tunic.

They are all thin girls and I stood out like a hot air balloon ready to float away.  I realized from the photo how big the shirt made me look.  (Kind of like an  Indian tepee).
Never again would I wear this shirt.  It sat in my closet for a year, or perhaps two.   

Recently we planned a trip to South Beach with my sister and her spouse.  Knowing my sister, we were going to spend 80% of our time in the pool or at the beach. (She is part fish or she may have gills).

 I needed a swimsuit cover up.   I checked on line and found one I really liked.  It was a Ralph Lauren cover up which resembled my top.  I actually like my refashioned version better than the designers coverup.

Ralph Lauren swimsuit cover up

So....... Uh huh!  An idea popped into my head and a smile on my face.

No need to buy one.  I can make one!





Steps for refashioning a shirt:


I started by cutting off the sleeves and from the sleeves I cut out two strips for armhole facings. 

Original shirt

Remove the sleeves.

Cut two strips diagonally  about 1-1/2" wide from the sleeves to be used for armhole facings.

Sew on facing along the armhole, then turn in and top stitch

Open side seam, about waist area on both sides.

I had some lace fabric left over from another project and I was able to create a pleat and attached it to the sides.  This makes it loose fitting and easy to pull on and very easy to take off over your head while at pool while others watch you basically undress.

My new swimsuit cover up:

Oh, yes one more thing I forgot to mention.  I gathered the shoulders by sewing casings under the shoulder seams. Than I ran a drawstring through and tied it with a bow to create the gather shoulders.