New Fabric and New Patterns

I did a little fabric shopping yesterday. One of my favorite on-line retailers, Vogue Fabrics Store, had dreamy iridescent chiffon in silver berry and crushed pewter on sale for $2.00/yard so I bought three yards of each! These will make lovely blouses, and the price made this material an excellent value.


I also bought this beautiful French blue stretch cotton fabric. This is the same fabric that was used in Vogue Patterns Magazine to display this new blouse pattern:
Vogue 8598: Vogue Basic Design
This morning I received an e-mail that Club BMV is having a pattern sale for all Butterick, McCalls, and especially Vogue patterns! So I ordered the Vogue blouse pattern above, as well as these two patterns:

Vogue 1127: Badgley Mischka

Vogue 1132: Vogue Wardrobe

This weekend I plan on finishing up a cute little shrug I am making with Butterick 5232. I will try to post pictures tomorrow.

I also need to think about my next project. I have several ideas, but haven't quite settled on one.
"The Lord Himself will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forget you" (Deut. 31:8).

Vogue Autumn 2009 Patterns

Vogue has just published their Autumn 2009 patterns, and I am so excited about their new designs!! I usually love all things Vogue, but the last couple of collections didn't have much that tempted me, so I haven't bought many Vogue patterns this year. However, these wonderful offerings are too tempting to pass by.

Vogue 1132: First, this beautiful tailored suit wardrobe. Just look at that lovely, feminine jacket. I absolutely LOVE the back peplum.


Vogue 1126: A new Tracy Reese design. I just love the pleated back detail. The skirt is very pretty. The ruching on the side is a lovely touch!


Vogue 1127: A classic Badgley Mischka design. I love suits with this clean, simple, tailored look.


Vogue 1123: A sleek, elegant Anne Klein design. Lovely, lovely!!


Vogue 8593: I just love the interesting top on this dress. I think I might actually make a blouse using this pattern.


Vogue 8601: A gorgeous jacket.


Vogue 8600: One of the new Marcy Tilton patterns. Usually her designs are a little too casual for me, but I actually liked the interesting lines of this jacket. It's a different style than I usually make but I think it could be very pretty made up in just the right fabric.


Vogue 8598: Here is a beautiful blouse pattern. I love the detailing on the sleeves. So very feminine!


Here is a picture of the blouse made up:


Vogue 8603: I like the variations of this interesting skirt. Like the Tracy Reese skirt, this one also has lovely ruching detailing on the side panels.


I am just waiting for the Vogue patterns to go on sale at Hancock's, and I'll be scurrying over to pick these up. These will be part of my autumn sewing plans!!

"How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You" (Psalm 31:19).

A Lovely Holder for Cones of Thread

While perusing the latest issue of one of my favorite sewing periodicals, Vogue Patterns, I came across an advertisement for this wonderful device. This metal artist was inspired to design a decorative holder for large cones of thread when he noticed his wife, a talented quilter, struggling to feed a cone of thread into her sewing machine. Each thread holder is made by hand from recycled steel, and weighs 3 1/2 pounds, which means it will not tip over or be knocked out of place on a crowded sewing table. He has even added a holder for bobbins!! You can find a link to the site here.


This will definitely become part of my sewing room decor. I just think this is an inspired idea--and I love the idea of taking something functional and making it beautiful!

"The Lord will be the hope of His people" (Joel 3:16).

A New Pattern and Some Lovely Fabric

I went to Hancock's a couple of weekends ago with the intention of buying three of the new McCall's patterns just released. Although I didn't find the McCall's patterns I was seeking, I did find this beautiful Claire Shaeffer Couture pattern by Vogue. I absolutely love the Claire Shaeffer patterns and I am slowly collecting all of them.


I also found this truly lovely boucle. It will make a beautiful spring suit, and the best part is I bought it for only $2.50/yard!!



I haven't quite decided which pattern I will use for this spring suit, but I certainly have time to think about it. It will be a fun project to work on this winter.

"The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love" (Psalm 33:5).

Philemon - A Message of Mercy

Today we had a guest speaker at church who delivered an excellent sermon on the letter of Paul to Philemon, a wealthy believer in Colosse, and to the church that met in Philemon's home.

Paul was writing on behalf of Onesimus, one of Philemon's slaves who had escaped. Providentially, Onesimus met Paul in Rome, was converted to Christianity, and became "very dear" to Paul (Philemon 16). Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon to submit himself to his master.

In Philemon 11, Paul uses a bit of word play on Onesimus' name (which means 'profitable' or 'useful'), when he says "Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me.

A recaptured slave could expect harsh treatment once restored to his master. But in Philemon 17 - 19 Paul appeals to Philemon in the most touching terms to "welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it."

What a beautiful example of the message of salvation! "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross" (1 Peter 2:24). Paul offered to pay for any debt owed by Onesimus to Philemon. It is such a touching letter. The message was such a blessing and gave me much food for thought this Sunday afternoon!

Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
(Is 53:4-6).

One Nation Still Under God

For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for? (Deuteronomy 4:7)

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you (Psalm 33:22).

An Inspired Idea!

Just look at this wonderful little automobile registration and insurance card holder. These can be made with quilting fat quarters. I have a small, and ever growing, collection of fat quarters and I intend to try to make one of these soon. I just need to figure out where to find clear plastic for the pockets.

Please follow this link for the complete tutorial.

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:9).

Inspiration Can Come From Anywhere

I receive sewing inspiration from a variety of sources--ready-to-wear catalogs, patterns, sewing periodicals and web-sites, displays in shop windows, etc. One of the aspects of sewing that I enjoy the most is the fact that I can create something unique--no two people sew a pattern quite the same way. Each person uses different fabric, different colors, different embellishments, and so forth, creating a garment that is uniquely their own.

However, there are some things that just do not say "dress" to me. Porcelain plates, for example, or circuit boards, or duct tape. But that's just me.

These incredibly creative people obviously do not labor under the same lack of imagination that I do:

Stylist: Li Xiaofeng
Materials: Blue and white porcelain from the Ming and Qing Dynasties


Stylist: Jolis Paons
Materials: Phonebook paper


Stylist: Kasey McMahon
Materials: Brass wire




Stylist: Kasey McMahon
Materials: Plastic spoon/fork utensils called "sporks"


Stylist: Not known
Materials: Duct tape
This is a prom dress made from duct tape in response to a scholarship contest sponsored by Duck brand (a manufacturer of duct tape). I hope this entry won! (How do you suppose this young lady actually got to the prom wearing that dress?)


Stylist: Niko Fric
Materials: Balloons


Stylist: Em Stone
Materials: Circuit boards, computer parts, green silk


Stylist: Katrina Chalifoux
Materials: Charmin bath tissue


Stylist: Not known
Materials: Bath tissue, duct tape, glitter glue


Stylist: Not known
Materials: Bath tissue


Stylist: Not known
Materials: Balloons


"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" (Proverbs 17:22)

The Greatest of These is Love

The pastor of my church is giving a series of sermons on the book of Ecclesiastes this summer. Last Sunday he mentioned Ecclesiasties 7:21-22, and cautioned us about the dangers of speaking harshly to someone who has spoken ill of us, or of someone about whom we care.

"Do not give heed to everything that people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you; your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others" (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22).

This made me think of the wonderful passage in 1 Corinthians 13 that describes the fruits of love. Paul reminds his readers that love is not irritable or resentful (1 Cor. 13:5). It is far too easy to harbor resentment in one's heart when someone speaks an unkind word to you, or about you. But Jesus had a better way. He encourages us to bear all things (1 Cor. 13:7) and not to be easily provoked (1 Cor. 13:5; also Gal. 6:2). Solomon observed that a "soft word turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1) and "a gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit" (Proverbs 15:4). Imagine the wars throughout history that could have been avoided if men would only have heeded that advice: Don't harbor resentment, respond to criticism with patience, remembering that you have yourself spoken unkind words.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

I am going to earnestly try to take these admonitions to heart. The world would be a much more godly place if we all just tried to exercise more patience and forbearance with one another!

I wish you all a blessed week!

"And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13)

New Autumn 2009 McCall's Pattern Collection

Recently McCall's released their new Autumn 2009 pattern collection, and there are some very pretty designs that I am excited about!

Here are some that particularly caught my attention. It just so happens that Hancock's has their McCall's patterns on sale for 99 cents this weekend. I'll be waiting with my nose pressed against the glass for my local store to open Saturday morning!

I like this nice, basic sheath dress. I have some lovely jacket patterns, and this dress design will be a perfect complement to so many of them!


I like skirts with interesting back details. I think I can lengthen this skirt without marring the design. I am looking forward to trying this one!


I really like this unique belted jacket. I wish they would choose more sedate fabrics for their sample garments. The plaid in the picture below hurts my eyes and it makes it a little hard to see the "bones" of the jacket design! I envision making this in a very pretty silk matka (a loosely woven suiting material) I bought last year.


I foresee lots of sewing happening in the summer months! My kitties will be beside themselves, since they will have lots of lovely fabric to roll around on, and lots of pattern pieces to bat at while I'm attempting to cut out the material. We are already experiencing temperatures above 100, and it isn't even July yet--I am very thankful for an air conditioned sewing room!

"I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me" (Psalm 13:6).

1913 McCall's Pattern Advertisements

I am a frequent visitor of The Graphics Fairy web site. She has wonderful, unique, free images and I always enjoy seeing what new surprises she has to display.

Earlier this week I visited her site and noticed she mentioned that she has an Etsy store where she was selling four actual pages from an October 1913 McCall's Pattern magazine!! Well, I clicked over to her Etsy shop as quickly as my little fingers could fly. The pictures above are from her web site, and I can tell you that the actual pages (which were waiting for me when I arrived home from church Wednesday evening) are even more wonderful than the pictures above show.

They are in very good shape, and even have the little staple holes in the sides. It looks like someone very carefully cut them out of the McCall's Pattern magazine with scissors. Each of the pages has a top corner turned down, as if someone way back in October 1913 wanted to mark the pages to find them again. I couldn't help wondering who that person might have been. Did she look forward to receiving her pattern magazines as much as I look forward to receiving my sewing periodicals? Did she settle down with a cup of tea and feel the same quiet joy when she looked through the pages and let her imagination soar? Most of my sewing magazines have turned-down corners to mark articles or ideas that have interested or inspired me. And I sometimes cut pages out of catalogs if I find a garment that I want to try to make.

It is truly wonderful to feel a connection to a fellow sewing enthusiast who lived almost 100 years ago!

The pages are 8 1/2 x 11 inches, just perfect for framing. These will make such unique and inspiring additions to my sewing room decor!

Thank you so much, Karen from The Graphics Fairy, for this opportunity to own something so nostalgic! I will treasure these and display them proudly in my sewing room for many, many years!

". . . ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls" (Jeremiah 6:16).

Vogue 8491

I have been working on this lovely pattern, Vogue 8491. I found a beautiful mid-weight suiting material at JoAnn's a few months ago, and I was blessed to find it in both maroon and black. I knew right away I wanted to do a dress with a coordinating jacket.

I am very pleased with the way the jacket turned out. It is a loose-fitting, belted jacket which will be comfortable and easy to wear. I love the oversized lapels.


This is the lining material I used. I usually line my garments with a matching lining material, but I had this fun pattern already in my stash. A woman at the law firm where I used to work gave this to me. She was cleaning out her attic and I was the beneficiary of several boxes of lovely fabric that she no longer wanted!




The next step will be to complete the dress. I have the material already cut and marked. The white strip you see on the side of the back pattern piece is interfacing. That is where the invisible zipper will be inserted. The large furry object you see on the front pattern piece is Desdemona. I literally turned my back for a moment to pick up the camera, and she materialized out of the ether and settled herself right down on top of the piece. She stubbornly refused to move so I just took the picture with her shedding all over my (soon to be) black dress. I will begin working on the dress this week and hope to have it finished by the end of this coming weekend.


I'm very happy with the way this is turning out. Since I will soon be finished with this outfit so I need to start planning my next sewing project. I will have a nice, long four-day weekend during the Fourth of July holiday, so I definitely need to figure out what I want to sew! Perhaps I can get it all cut out this weekend. Stay tuned . . . .

"She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple" (Proverbs 31:22).

Let Everything That Hath Breath

Three Young Women Singing from Hymn Books in Church
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

Praise God the Father who's the source;
Praise God the Son who is the course;
Praise God the Spirit who's the flow;
Praise God, our portion here below!
--Thomas Ken

"Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD" (Psalm 150:6).

Weekend Accomplishments

I have been away from blogging for a while, but I thought it was time to try to start posting again. I will probably only post two or three times a week. I really need to be disciplined in the amount of time I spend on the Internet.

On Friday, I created a list of tasks that I really wanted to try to accomplish this weekend. I awoke early Saturday morning to try to get some things done before it was time to leave to run errands. I sorted through some books on my bookshelf and pulled out several that I will be taking to Half Price Books. I need more space on my bookshelves for my growing sewing library, and I have some books I know I won't be reading again. I also re-organized some shelves in my sewing room to make better use of the space. I now have a shelf available for the various interfacings, muslin and other utility fabrics I use. I was glad I had a chance to do that early this morning, before the stores were opened.

Here is my list of tasks I want to try to accomplish this weekend. So far, I am doing pretty good, but I really need to get that jacket finished!

> Wash and wax kitchen and bathroom floors (completed Friday evening)
> Pick up and drop off dry cleaning (completed Saturday morning)
> Have oil changed in car (completed Saturday morning)
> Grocery shopping (completed Saturday morning)
> Drop off package at UPS (completed Saturday morning)
> Check on hanging plate in dining area--it rattles when the air conditioner is on and I think it needs to be secured to the wall better (completed Saturday afternoon)
> Finish maroon jacket, including sewing button holes and buttons and hemming the sleeves and bottom of jacket
> Laundry, ironing (completed Saturday afternoon)

"For in Thee, O Lord, do I hope: Thou wilt hear, O Lord my God" (Psalm 38:15).

Love Crucified, Arose!!

Painting: "He Lives" by Simon Dewey

Easter Sunday is the most triumphant and joyous day in the calendar of the Christian Church--and it should be!.... The wonder of His resurrection is symbolized in the hope that beats in the hearts of believers everywhere as they sing triumphantly: "Christ the Lord is risen today." It is the message "Jesus is alive!" that lifts Christianity out of the category of dead superstitions and archaid religions and makes it the abiding faith of millions.... And now God's promise is for you: "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). ~Rev. Billy Graham