Wine Embroideries

 

New wine center

     Several years ago, I bought some wine embroideries from Embroidery Library.  I had planned on stitching them out but they are very time consuming so I kept putting it off. 

Hole in the embroidery

     Finally last August I took the time to stitch them out using white felt.  While doing one of them, I somehow got a thread nest and had to start all over, what a pain.  This year I was determined to frame them and get them hung.  My son and husband built the frames for me.

Marked for cutting

     I measured how much fabric I wanted to pull to the back and marked the finished embroideries and cut them out.  

First staples

Stapling the corner

All stapled

     I used my electric stapler to staple the fabric to the frame.  I started by stapling the center on each side and then stapled the corners.  Then I stapled all around making sure I kept it straight and taut.

Hanging in the family room

     I knew I wanted to place them on the wall next to the entertainment center.  After my husband got them hung, I decided it would be fun to move the wine rack from the dining room into the family room right under the embroideries.  On the wall to the right, a cork holder will be hung, just need to get the right nails.

On the wall

     These took me almost 8 years from the time I bought the designs to the time I got them in place.  I think though it was worth the time and effort.

First Communion Dress

 

Miss M at church

     My granddaughter made her First Communion on Saturday.  She had asked me to make her dress.  She and her mom and I went shopping a while ago.  She found a pattern she liked and found a beautiful lace with pearls.  The store didn't have the pattern in stock but my daughter bought it on line.  When I did start on the dress it turned out we didn't have enough of the lace because it had to be cut lengthwise because of the finished edge.  My daughter was able to get more of it so the day was saved.

Brad holding on the pearl

Pearl removed

Brad after pearl removed

     The pearls from the lace had to be removed from the seam lines so that I could sew it.  The pearls were held on my silver brads from the back,  I used a small pair of scissors to pry the pearl off of the brad.  Rather time-consuming but necessary.

Trimming the bottom edge

     I also had to trim the netting away from the scalloped edge of the lace very carefully with sharp small scissors.

Pattern used

Finished dress

Closeup of the dress

     I did French seams on the lace so no raw edges would be visible and I also did it for the skirt pieces as the fabric raveled really bad.  Construction wasn't that hard once all the prep work was done.  After I finished the dress, my granddaughter decide she also wanted the little bolero jacket.  She wanted the lace outside and the dress fabric as the lining.  The jacket didn't turn out as nice as I wanted as you could see the serged seams but she loved it.

A New Machine

 

     After over 10 years in business I finally broke down and bought an industrial machine.  I called Hoffman Brothers in Des Pines and told them what I was going to sew and that I wanted a walking foot machine.  He suggested this one and a week later it is set up in my sewing room.  

     I had to move a bunch of things around to fit it in so my room is a total disaster right now.  I plan on taking a bit of time to learn the machine and then sew up a large cushion for a client.  I hope I spent my money wisely.

Black Leggings

 

Pattern used

     A private lesson client of mine went MIA about two years ago.  She had left her projects at my house and after many attempts to call her to pick them up, she never came.  I donated one project she had left but I decided to make the leggings that she had bought the pattern and fabric for.

     The fabric was a heavy double knit and I planned on using them for winter running tights.  I made the pattern according to size.  If I make them again there are some changes I would make.

Too long

 

     From the photo you can see they bunch at the knees and ankles as they are too long.  I will remove some of the length above the knee and also below the knee.  With tapered pants like these you don't want to just remove the extra length from the bottom as then they would be to wide at the bottom.

Dipping waist

     From this side view, you can see how the waistline dips in the back (I drew a white line so you could see the dip.  If I make these again I will need to add about two to three inches to the back crotch seam so the waistline would be even.  I might even need to take a little out of the front crotch seam. 

     I was glad to make these from no cost to me fabric so I could check the fit.  They will be fine for running but I wouldn't wear them around other than that.  The drawing on the pattern makes them look more fitted but the model looks more like straight leg pants.  

A Quick Project

 

     A client brought me some panels for her parent's new home that they bought from WayFair. They were just a bit too long and they wanted them shortened.  The panels were 100% polyester and so VERY wrinkled from being packaged.  It took quite a bit of time to press out the creases.  Even after pressing before and after redoing the hems there were still areas that looked creased.  

     The panels are shiny and slippery making it difficult to get a nice straight cut.  They also had varying sized hems, only by an inch or so, but it meant I couldn't just cut off an even amount.  Each panel needed to be measured.  I hope they are even when hung.

     Next up for work is a large cushion.  Working on my granddaughter's First Communion dress and a project for my son.