Category Archives: Sewing

Busy Autumn Week

Hello! How have you been? We’ve had a gorgeous week here in northern Illinois–sunshine and blue skies all week. I’ve started a new habit to be still each morning, and be thankful for all I am blessed with. The beautiful weather has made it on my gratitude list every day.

I’ve never been a person of rituals or habits, but I think it is what my soul longs for. For the past 2-1/2 months I spend some time on my yoga mat, first thing in the morning. I bring a mug of tea, light a candle, open the window for fresh air, turn on my salt lamp and spend time stretching and slowly waking up. And while I drink my tea I reflect on those things to be grateful for. These last weeks I have found myself to be more calm and patient and mindful.

Speaking of gratefulness–I am grateful for all of you who have visited my You Tube channel. Thank you so much! ❤ I am happy to share what I know and do. It is good for me to do this, and I hope you enjoy it too. I realize I have a lot to learn and appreciate you coming along with me as I learn and get better (hopefully) making videos.

I published Part 2 of how I make a Little Darlings dress this week. Part 2 covers making the lined skirt, adding inset eyelet trim, and then sewing the skirt onto the bodice. I included time stamps in the description, so you can click on the time and go to that section. Please watch if you’d like. Your comments, liking my videos, and following my channel are very much appreciated! Thank you! ❤

I have a pink sweater that I had knit for this dress and I didn’t like it with the blue/red apple print. I really like the sweater and want to make a fall dress to go with it. One evening I spent some time going through my fabrics. Here are four fabrics that I liked with the sweater. I like them all, but I have a favorite–which is yours? I’d love to know…

The colors are really changing around here and the feel of fall is in the air. I spent most of yesterday outside: in our backyard, walking the neighborhood, and at the forest preserve. If you’d enjoy another nature video let me know; I’d love to put another one together.

How was your week? I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to. Have a wonderful weekend! ❤ ❤ ❤

What I’ve Been Up To This Past Week and Plans

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Hello and happy Sunday to you! It’s been a full week for me. I’ve been learning more and more on how to shoot video, edit video, and turn said video footage into movies in iMovie.

It turns out there is also a lot to learn to simply upload the movie and get it onto You Tube. I spent the entire day yesterday trying to figure out why my upload kept stalling. Literally, it took all day. I wouldn’t find out it was stalling until hours of uploading had already gone by. My poor overworked laptop… I think I may have figured out how to avoid it next time, but who knows.

The video that I was working on uploading is called “Sew with Me – Dress Bodice for Little Darling Doll. In this video I take you with me through the entire process and show you how I make the bodice of a Little Darling dress. A lot of the ways I do things have evolved through trial and error over the years of making doll dresses. Maybe you’ll pick up a tip here and there? I hope so.

On Friday I did a voice over for the video mentioned above. I talked throughout the video as I made it, but it sounded like silliness to me. I was very nervous (first time) and had no script. I repeatedly couldn’t think of words like “that ‘thingy’ that makes a sewing machine go”! (Yes, I said that in the video!). I repeatedly said things over and over, and just felt like I wasn’t explaining things very well. So, when I got my wits back I recorded sound bits and added it to the video. I don’t like the feel of the movie as well as when it is live, but at least it makes sense now. lol

Here is the video. If you like it please click the thumbs up. Thank you!!!

I’ve also taken video footage while making the skirt and attaching it to the bodice. That’s next to be made into a video.

I am awaiting delivery of a device that will hold my phone/camera so that I can record my hands at work. This will come in handy for showing you hand sewing, embroidery, etc. I can’t wait to get that. For many months I’ve been looking at it and wondering if I had the courage to actually publish videos on You Tube. I really dislike hearing my voice, *ugh* but it’s out there now for you all to hear (and laugh at!), my midwest accent and all! My face is another matter–we’ll see about that. Baby steps… Anyway, I find it quite energizing and inspiring sharing with you.

Earlier in the week I published a short video showing how I do the finishing on a doll sweater: weaving in the ends, sewing up the sleeve seam, and closing up a raglan sweater gap under the arm. Here is that one is.

Other news– I’ve had requests for a knitted doll hat pattern from quite a few of you, so I plan to do that soon.

While at Whole Foods a week ago I got a huge bunch of mums for $13! I made four bouquets for around the house–so fall-like and colorful. Love them!

I hope you are having a good day today. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead! Thank you so much for visiting today. I appreciate you so much! ❤

Winter?Autumn? and WIPs

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Winter has bullied its way in, and pushed our beautiful autumnal season out! 😦

*sigh*

It doesn’t seem like our 7-inch snowfall on Halloween was a fluke either. The snow did melt (none too quick though–took a few days!), however, we are still colder than normal and the rooftops are dusted white once again this morning.

I took these pics the day after our big Halloween event!

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You can see autumn didn’t get to finish its ‘work’ this year.

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Even our front porch squirrels got Halloween snow dumped on them!

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So, anyway… Hello! On a positive note, with this weather comes more time to spend indoors and create, right? I’ve got lots of things in progress. (Probably too many, as my head is starting to feel a bit jumbled–better get some of these things moved to the ‘completed’ list.)

I showed you this dress as it was being knit. I finished it, blocked it, then tried it on my Little Darling. The sleeves were too long and a little too wide. 😦 I figured out where I wanted to decrease the sleeves, and then ripped back to that row. Two decreases and four rows less on each sleeve did the trick. It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be.

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I spent the day on Sunday sewing dresses for Gracie and Talyssa, my Kaye Wiggs MSD girls. I quickly realized that I am out of practice sewing for them–the first dress came out too tight around the waist–no room for the added bulk of a pair of snaps. If I add a bead and loop closure it could work, but going to put it aside for now.

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After this ‘fail’, and so I wouldn’t ruminate over it, I quickly made another and the second dress worked fine. Yay! It turns out my skirt width for the first dress was too wide and added too much bulk (with the gathers) to the waist.

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While in my studio sewing I snapped a few photos of my dolls and their ensembles that were pretty-ing up my view.

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Today I’ll probably do some knitting on the cardigan that will accompany the red snowflake dress and start weaving in ends on my three sweater dresses that are waiting to be completed.

I might also brave the cold and go out for an invigorating autumn, or I should say wintery, walk in my neighborhood. Also, a pot of homemade soup simmering on the stove would be perfect today.

How about you? What are your plans for the day?

❤

Thank you for stopping by!