"Library Dress" by Oliver + s

Spiritual - "O eternal Word made flesh,  You have given us the Sacraments endowed with the virtue of Your Blood and Your Passion.  Through them our souls are bathed in Your Blood, nourished by Your Blood." Divine Intimacy


 Sewing -  One of favorite patterns, lately, is Oliver + s "Library Dress."  It is a great dress for a tween!
My 12 year old granddaughter is getting very particular about what I sew for her and she did like this dress.

I also made one for my 4 year old grandbaby, Gigi.

***The dress appears wider in this picture that is actually is!

Spiritual -  "To become generous, we must learn to do with our whole heart, not only what is a duty, but also what, though not obligatory, will give more glory to God."  Divine Intimacy   Lord, help me to know and practice this.

Sewing -  If you ever get the opportunity to take a class with Gail Doane, do it!  She is an excellent teacher, taking the time to teach each technique by sample or demonstration.  I learned  many tips and techniques that made me think,  "I can't believe I haven't done it this way!"  I will definitely schedule another class with her.  Thank you, Gail, for sharing your talent for designing and teaching!

School of Art Fashion, Feb. 2014
Gail Doane & me with my completed yoke
I made during  her Toddler Sailor Bubble class 

Grid  made in the linen for the yoke

Completed "girl" version

 

 

Kathy Dykstra 2-pc in Sew Beautiful Magazine

Spiritual -   We cannot content ourselves, as the Pharisees did, with simply not doing harm to our neighbor; we must practice toward him a positive, fraternal charity.

Sewing -

 Sew Beautiful Magazine, issue 149,  front cover.  This precious little outfit was designed by Kathy Dykstra  and is fast and easy to put together.  I made is as a "ready to smock" as soon as I saw it.  That was the Aug/Sept 2013 issue!  Well, I finally got around to do the smocking.  Making a size 4T,  I used skip dent and imperial pink batiste rather than the handkerchief linen that Kathy used.  Skip dent is wrinkle resistant 65/35 cotton/polyester, more suitable to my daughter's laundry habits.

Sweatshirt Conversions & Flirty Skirts

Spiritual - When she consented to become the Mother of the Son of god, Mary bound herself by very close bonds not only to the person of Jesus, but also to His work.  She knew that the Savior was coming into the world to redeem the human race; hence, when she agreed to become His Mother, she also agreed to become the closest collaborator of His mission.  In fact, by giving us Jesus, the source of all grace, Mary collaborated most effectively and even directly in the diffusion of grace in our souls.  "If Jesus is the Father of our souls," St. Alphonsus says, "Mary is their Mother, for, in giving us Jesus, she gave us true life; and later, by offering on Calvary the life of her Son for our salvation, she brought us forth to the life of divine grace."  Divine Intimacy

Sewing -

Since watching Mary Malari teaching us all about sweatshirt conversions on "Nancy's Sewing", I've wanted to try it.  I started working on the above jacket in December, but had to put it aside for the holidays.  I had purchased a book by Fran Morgan, "So Precious Sweatshirts" which gave me the pattern for this version and was the inspiration for the one below.  The little fish is a machine applique design.

I made the skirts first, then used the leftovers + whatever else I needed to make the jackets.  Both skirts were made using Bonnie Blue's " Merri Ann" pattern.  The pattern has several variations and the directions are clear.  Bonnie Blue is one of my favorite independent designers for children's clothes. 

Learning to Quilt!

Spiritual - God has entrusted to each one of us a share in the great redemptive work of Jesus.  As consecrated souls, we are especially called to cooperate in Christ's work.  First of all we must cooperate with grace, so that the fruits of the redemption can be fully applied to our souls. We are called to sanctify ourselves in order to be able to bring others to sanctity.  Each one of us has a mission to fulfill for the good of others. All actions are of value only insofar as they help toward the accomplishment of this work  Anything that does not contribute to our own sanctification or to the sanctification of others is useless, a waste of time, and should be courageously eliminated.  Divine Intimacy

Sewing -

This is my very first quilt made for my grandson, Liam.  One of my sewing students, Mitsy, convinced me to take a quilting class with her, "just for the fun of it!"  Boy, this that start a new addiction - like I needed one.  haha   I did piece and quilt this one and made a matching pillowcase.

Back

Needless to say, I took a second class at a local quilting shop.  Because she loves pink, Gigi got this one.   I did the piecing, but had it quilted.

Back

Front

  I did this one on my own for the oldest granddaughter, Audrie. The pattern was from a 2009 quilting magazine and Audrie picked out the fabrics, and  it was professionally quilted.  I love piecing, not so much the quilting!

Jon-Jon and Jumpers

Spiritual - O Jesus, I place my poor soul before You.  Fill me with the zeal which You had for the Father's works, with Your wholehearted, unconditional dedication to the mission He gave You.  Oh, that I could perform with your zeal and love the small part assigned to me in Your great redemptive work!  But I need You to teach me how to make this zeal genuine and fruitful!

Sewing -   "Holly & Hunter" by Bonnie Blue is my favorite jon-jon and jumper pattern.  All sizes through 6 are included and the instructions and cut of the patterns are great. Here are a few examples:

Pillowcase Tutorial - A Beginner Project

Pillowcase with trim and border

Supplies:



Fabric A - body of pillowcase - 3/4 yard

Fabric B - border - 1/3 yard

Fabric C - trim - 1/8 yard

Measuring Tape

Scissors, cutting and trim

Pins and pincushion

Preparation & Instruction:

1.  Wash and dry fabric, if desired

2.  Straighten fabric

3.  Trim selvages off of fabric

4.  Cut:

      a.  Fabric A -  27" X 41"  -  pillowcase body

      b.  Fabric B -  11" X 41"  - border

      c.  Fabric C -  2 1/2" X 41" -  trim

5.  Fold and press the trim (Fabric C) in half, wrong sides together.  Press.

6.  Place the folded trim piece on top of the right side of the border (Fabric B) making sure raw edges are together.  Pin the ends, the middle, then in between. 

7.  Place the long side of the pillowcase body (Fabric A), wrong side up, on top of the trimmed border making sure the raw edges are together. Pin each end, the middle, then in between.
8.  Using a stitch length of 3.5 - 4, baste all layers together with a scant 1/2" seam allowance.  Press.
9.  Optional:  Using a 3.0 stitch length, topstitch the trim to the pillowcase body 1" from the raw edge of the trim to anchor the trim to the pillowcase.
10.  Place your project on the table with the border right side up and the pillowcase body wrong side up.  Roll the pillowcase body toward the stitched edge until you can bring the unstitched raw edge of the border over the rolled body to match the basted raw edges.  Pin at the ends, the middle, then in between, pulling gently to fit.  The border fabric should be right sides together with the pillowcase body rolled in between.

11.  Turn roll over so that you can see the basted stitches.  Using a 3.0 stitch length, stitch just to the left of the basting stitch - full 1/2" seam allowance.  Press.

12.  Grade seams allowances to reduce bulk.  Press.   Pull the body of the pillowcase out of the border.  Press all seams flat.

13.  French seams:  Wrong sides together, match raw edges at the sides and bottom of the pillowcase.  Pin the border and trim area so that they "match" at seams and trim edge.  Pin the ends, the middle, then in between.  Using a 3.0 stitch length, stitch the sides and bottom with a "good" 1/4 seam allowance.  Press "as stitched".   Trim the seam allowances by half.

14.  Open pillowcase and press seams to one side.  Turn pillowcase inside out.  Press seams so that the seams edges are sharp.  Check to see that the trimmed area seams match, then re-pin the sides and bottom.  Stitch to encase the previous seam allowances.  Turn right side out and press well.

Smocking in the Hoop - Brooch or Pin Cushions

Spiritual - Since we know and believe that He who directs all things is our Father, we will entrust ourselves to His direction with absolute confidence, and this we will remain sere even in adversity, strong in the conviction that He can made use of evil, of man's errors, and even of sins and malice for the good of the elect.

Sewing -  These delicate pin or brooch cushions are machined smocked rather than hand smocked.  Lace or edging is gathered around the outside.

My Favorite Baby & Toddler's Machine Embroidery Designs

Spiritual - If God has willed the distribution of grace in the world to depend upon the prayers of men, and if people today pray so little - many indeed, and perhaps most of them, not so prayer.  By their lives of continual prayer, adoration and unceasing praise to the Most High, these souls supply for the negligence and carelessness of many, and thus they re-establish in the wold the balance between God's rights and man's duty, between action and contemplation.

Sewing -  Some of my favorite machine embroidery design packs for the baby things I make.  Of course, I purchase single designs on the internet, too.

 

 








                           








                                                                                                          

 

Linen Bonnets

Spiritual -  O God, You are my God, for You I long; for you my soul is thirsting.  My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water.  So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory.  Psalm 63

Sewing -  I've been having fun developing new bonnets made from lace, linen, and antique buttons.  These are size 0-3 months and would be great with casual wear or formal wear.  These would be wonderful photography props!