Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Ashlin's Dresses - Update

Ashlin's Dresses - Update
I made these dresses for Ashlin last Spring...You can tell from the original 2 pictures how much she LOVED the dresses. Her problem was they were too long! So, I cut 12 inches off and she s much happier with them. The sweater her grandmother got her before Christmas works perfectly with the flowered one.
~Sarah and Ashlin

The Before Pics from Last Year:



 The NEW Pics:









Shadow Box Sampler

Country Cross Stitch "Shadow Box" Embroidery Sampler

This little sampler was made from a kit from Country Cross-Stitch. It is stitched on size 20 Jobelan Evenweave light tan colored fabric. This means there are 20 stitches to an inch. This is a thicker fabric with a weave that is much harder to work with than a typical Aida fabric. it was stitched with DMC Floss.

This sampler is filled with fun country items like apples, books, a cat, a rocking horse, a woven basket with hearts, a goose, and a country doll. It's colors are browns, grays and blues.

It will fit in a 5"x7" frame without a mat or in a 9"x11" frame with a mat.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/180748189/country-cross-stitch-shadow-box?ref=shop_home_active_2





The Back

~Sarah


Country Fresh

Kitchen Vegetable Canning "Country Fresh" Cross Stitch Embroidery Sampler

This sampler was made from a kit from Bucilla entitled "Country Fresh". It is stitched on size 14 count 100% cotton tan Aida Cloth. It was stitched with DMC Floss.

This sampler is filled with fresh food straight from the farm. It has eggs, corn, tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, carrots and peppers. There are a couple Ball canning jars and a coffee pot. This would be a perfect wall decor for a country kitchen.

It will fit in a 4 1/2" x 13" frame without a mat or in a 8 1/2" x 17" frame with a mat.

~Sarah





The Backside



Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Two New Dresses for Sally

My mother asked found a "NewLook" pattern she liked and asked me to make her a couple dresses. We went and found enough fabric to make two A-line dresses; one black textured fabric and one brown shiny lined rayon fabric. (4 Yards of Fabric for each.) We measured her and I cut out the pattern. She wanted the waist line 2 inches longer as she is 5'10" and needs the added length in the waist, so I folded the fabric 2 inches wherever the pattern showed the waist. I cut out the 6 dress panels and 6 neck and arm lining sections. The pattern called for a 5/8 seam allowance. I cut the fusible interfacing and ironed the neck and arm pieces.

I started stitching the black dress first. After getting the 6 main panels together with the tie, I had my mother come and  try it on...WAY to Tight. So...The pattern runs small. Since I had already cut out the brown fabric, I stitched the 6 panels together using a very narrow serged edge seam. After trying this on...It fit perfectly.

Now....What to do with the black? I couldn't take out the seams as I had already trimmed the darts in the breast and back and the black fabric kind of hid the thread. So....I cut two 2.75 inch width panels to stitch into the side seams I cut away. I stitched them in the gap I had opened. I cut a a matching piece with interfacing to insert under each arm for the lining. I had my mother try it on again!!! Yay!!! It worked.

I did need to narrow the stitching for the darts in the brown dress to compensate for the narrower seams in order to attach the lining for the sleeves. My mother had me cut 8-9 inches off the bottom to make the dress fall just below the knee. I stitched a basting stitch around the bottom of the skirt and folding it up and hemmed the dress by hand to make it lay flat. Over all, I think my mother was pleased with her 2 nice new dresses.

Costs: about $20-25 per dress for fabric as the fabric was on sale. $3 for the thread. (I already had the interfacing.)

~Sarah
P.S....I think the jacket will be a project this spring.



Thursday, February 6, 2014

Juanita's Filled Dates

Juanita's Filled Dates
I had these last year. Juanita made them for a belly dance class. I had to see if I could replicate them. They are so sweet, yummy and good for you too..... Lots of Fiber and Anti-oxidants. It costs about $10 to make a plate of them.
Ingredients:
  • Pitted Dried Dates
  • Cinnamon to taste.
  • 1/2 Package Cream Cheese
  • Pecans (Walnuts would work too.)
I got a back of dried pitted dates.  The have a slice where the pits are removed. You can pull them apart at that point. I fill them with the mixed cream cheese and cinnamon filling. Add a nut on top and they are ready to eat. So Simple and Yummy.
~Sarah





Sparkle and Butterfly Pastel Lap Quilt

 Sparkle and Butterfly Pastel Lap Quilt - Measures 53 x 40 inches - Flannel Back

My 13 year old and her friends helped me with this quilt. The fabrics are solid pastel colors with sparkles or butterfly themed fabrics. We pre-washed all the fabrics and flannel to preshrink it before cutting and stitching. We washed it again after it was finished.

We randomly stitched the squares together in the center trying not to put any of the same colors next to each other. We pieced the butterfly fabric around the center. There are 2 folded over fabric strips, one purple and one yellow, around the quilt. We machine quilted it and added the binding using the sewing machine as well.

The backing is a pastel striped flannel to make it extra warm and cozy.

This quilt measures approximately 53 inches by 40 inches.

This quilt can be found at: https://www.etsy.com/listing/176733620/sparkle-and-butterfly-pastel-lap-quilt?ref=shop_home_active_3

~Sarah and Ashlin (and Friends)


 The Back:



 The Front: