Ruffles, Satin and Lace

 Sewing with satin is interesting.  It wants to slide all over the place when you're trying to cut out your pattern pieces.  And, if you don't serge all your salvages, they get very wispy as they fray.

As I studied this pattern I decided I didn't want to make a dress and a pinafore, so I attached the lace pinafore bodice to the satin dress bodice so when I attached the lace sleeve caps and skirt to the bodice it became one garment with two skirt layers. 

 My advice to anyone sewing satin for the first time is to serge all your salvages (make sure you preserve your notches and markings) and use lots of straight pins to keep the slippery fabric layers even.  Please note that satin bruises so don't leave the pins in too long.  Also, be careful as you press the satin because if you press in an unwanted crease, the satin is not forgiving.

You can make beautiful garments with satin if you take the time and care it requires.

If you have any questions, post them.  I'll be glad to answer them if I can.

FAD AND FASHION

  Is it universal?  Is everyone suffering in this rotten economy?  I make wonderful garments that can be handed down for generations.  They are made to last and outlive the fad clothing.  The boutique thing will pass but my garments will always be fashionable.

I LOVE MAKING DOLL CLOTHES

If you've never made a little doll dress, you really should try it.  It takes less than a yard of fabric for most garments and it's a lot of fun.  I made these garments last week and I fell in love with all of them.  I told my husband I had to have an 18" doll for Christmas.  Silly, huh?

                                                  

I am not a quilter and I almost always have fabric left over from the children's garments I make.  It's usually not enough to make anything in a child's size, but it is perfect for an 18" doll dress.

This is totally off my topic but I just recently noticed that a term has been created to refer to people who sew.  I have an opinion but I like Ardeana Hamlin's better:  "So call me seamstress, call me tailor, call me stitcher, call me needleworker, but please don’t call me “sewist.”  Ardeana is Asst. Editor of the Bangor Daily News and you can read her entire story here:   http://bangordailynews.com/2010/01/11/living/donrsquot-call-me-a-lsquosewistrsquo/

I Love to "Fall Back"

It seems like I am fighting the clock from the moment they make me "spring forward" and lose that hour. It's always sleep I lose because no matter how hard I try, I can't go to sleep an hour earlier just because we changed the clocks. And then when "fall back" approaches, I think about all the things I will do in that extra hour. Will I spend that hour on the computer looking at all the cute animal videos or listening to music on YouTube or any one of those things I put aside and save for that day when I have more time? And then the weekend arrives and there I am with that delicious "extra hour" just around the corner. What do I do? You guessed it...I fall asleep...

What I did today...and part of yesterday

I love making little dresses. This one was a little challenging since it is yoked all the way around. Gathering the front, back and sleeves onto the yoke was interesting.

LISTING TODAY AT GRANDMABENNY'S

Cute vest for the Christmas season. More vests to come.

You all recognize this one as the Feliz so, for the Christmas season, I have dubbed it the "Feliz Navidad"

And this is the back view of all the ruffles that make this little dress so adorable.

I am sewing every day so if nothing in the shop tempts you, it's probably not made yet. Come to Grandmabenny's often.

Little Boys - Part 2

Well, I finished it.  How sweet is this little size 6 month outfit.