Vintage Swap Package Delivered!

It is so cool that I can track my package through USPS and see that my swap partner received delivery of her package in Australia at 4:30 yesterday.  And that means that I can now share with you the items I sent in my very first swap.  Let's see how you guys think I did.

This was a Vintage Swap hosted by Tilly Rose and this was the information for the swap:

The swap consists of five items as follows:

1) *A little something that's vintage or vintage style...piece of fabric, haberdashery, china, linens etc
     (It really doesn't have to be big and expensive)


2) *A little something with a shabby chic style (the possibilities are endless!!)

3) *Something brimming with loveliness...I'll leave one that to all your wonderful imaginations!

4)*A little something that's full of colour and scrummy gorgeousness

5) *Lastly....a sweet little surprise for your swap partner

Shabby Chic Swap

Decorated Skeleton Key

Shabby Chic Star Ornament

China Sugar Bowl & Creamer w/Roses

Pink Cameo Toothbrush Holder & Soap Dish

Miniature China Tea Cup & Saucer Set

Antique Collar with Hand Tatted Lace

Set of eight Pink Bird Napkin Holders

Pair of Pink & Cream Rose Porcelain Candle Holders

40 Year old Antique Baby Hair Brush-Blue

Handmade Apron -Vintage Fabrics

Beatrice Potter Book

Matched Set of Pink & Cream Crochet Doilies

A Trio of Guest Size Lavender Soaps

Apron I made from vintage fabrics and it is reversable

Close up of the Victorian Lace Collar

I hope my swap partner likes these things I chose for her!  The new swap starts in a couple of weeks so I still have time to learn how to do that Parisian Rosette.

A Hat, Parisian Rosette, and more

I finally made a hat from McCall's pattern 5641.  Last week I pulled the pattern out, read the directions and did not like what I saw.  So after giving some thought to potential problems with this pattern I brought it back out for a go. 

Directions called for the brim to be made of a single layer of fabric--are you kidding me?  Also the fabric flower McCall designers wanted made seemed like another piece of poorly thought out work.  So I made a few changes:

The brim is two layers of contrasting fabrics with light weight pellon.  Sew wrong sides together, turn, and topstitch. 

Added ribbon trim to the interior seam between brim and crown--see in photo #2 below.

Forget that ugly flower design from the pattern and since I signed up for a Parisian Rosette swap--make one.  After all, I had never heard of the Parisian Rosette until last week and I have to make one for my swap partner.

Ta da, behold my first attempt with hat and rosette:

I worked out some of the problems in the hat design but will try some other things on my next version of this hat.  The Parisian Rosette designing needs some more work too.  Not much help to be found on the internet as far as these rosettes are concerned.  The wrap and roll rosettes are everywhere but not the ones using silk flowers.  Darn, this makes my work much harder.  If you guys have any ideas out there let me know.  I really don't want my swap partner to be disappointed with my end of the deal.

Sewing Machines

My cheapy Singer that I just had worked on a couple of weeks ago is at it again.  I decided to try making a pair of pants after seeing a blog where the lady had made 4 pairs of pants and 1 dress in a week.  No need to be jealous of her success Toocute, just put your mind and sewing machine to work.

You would not believe the high drama a simple pair of elastic waist pants have turned out to be.  No details--too embarassing, but look at the stitching in the photo.  From the front all looked just fine but then:

Those were long seams to pick out and I just paid to have this thing fixed!  I will not put another dime in the blasted sewing machine!  It is out of here!

My other problem with the pants is that while on the phone talking to the BFF I said "Geeze these pants look huge! I'm going to hate it when they fit."  Guess what? They fit! "screaming hissy fit, crying on the floor like a two year old".  So elastic waist, seams to finish (gabardine ravels like crazy), trim to length and hem, then I'll have a pair of pants.  Yep, big butt pants.

Cheap & Picky is on a mission for a featherweight and I found this site with lots of information about featherweights to share with you all. Come to think of it I need to replace that cheapie Singer with something.

http://singerfeatherweight221.blogspot.com/

That is it for today I guess. I have a meeting with someone about doing a database for the non-profit group associated with the animal shelter.  No dog walking until tomorrow.  Thank goodness, it is HOT in South Carolina.

Color & Design

I found this new site that I believe will be very helpful to me (and you) in selecting and designing color palletes.  It is called Color Trends and is easy to use and very wonderful.  Check it out for yourself and see what you think.

Color Trends

I'm Doing It Again!!

It is a new swap--this could be dangerous.  How did I ever get started this with? It could become an addiction if I am not careful.  Ok! So this time around it is a "Rosette Swap".  You know you want to do this.  Think of all the ways you could use this new fashion accessory with your sewing hobby or whatever your passion is.

So visit Gypsy Brocante at: http://www.gypsyfleamarket.blogspot.com/ for the details and the very beautiful examples of rosettes she makes. 

Alrighty then--off to the day's work and hopefully the new project I want to start.

Yippee! Celebration Time!

Thanks to all 11 of you who have joined as "Followers".  That is really cool and I have to give some thought as how we should celebrate this.  I'll let you know what I come up with later.

I mailed my Vintage Swap box off to Australia this afternoon.  Next week I'll post some photos of the things I sent to my swap partner.  But I should give her a chance to see them first before sharing with you.  I will say that I made an apron for her using vintage fabrics.  It was made without a pattern and just evolved.  It is reversable too.

Not much sewing going on since I started volunteering at the animal shelter this past week.  But I hope to get back on track this week with a new sewing project.  Hopefully, I will lose some weight walking all these dogs.  They are soooooo cute and really easy to handle.  After all I own two rough and tumble dobermans these guys at the shelter are a piece of cake compared to my girls.

Off to the upstairs to clean up the sewing room--it is a mess!

Tiny Sewing Machines

You guys just have to see these tiny little sewing machines I found at the antique store.  I was shopping for my swap yesterday and ( no I did not buy one of these for the swap) found these little darlings.  Yep, for a minute there you were all thinking about signing me on as a swap partner weren't you?   

I called the antique store today and asked if I could come back and take some photos to share with you and the nice lady Gaye said "Yes, anything to help a sale".  Well, I don't know if anybody wants to buy but I am sure you'll get a kick out of seeing them.  So here we go!

I believe this one ran on batteries.

I tried to take the photos so the tags with details could be seen but it did not work out.  Too many settings on a digital camera for me to know what the heck I am doing.  Sorry about that.  As far as prices it seems like $45 was the lowest with $225 the highest.  But knowing I was not buying I did not pay a lot of attention to this and had hope the tags would show all that anyway.

One more thing to share with you

I wanted to show you the pretty flowers on my table from our cookout/vodka tasting the other night.

Jelly jars and daisies. . . Simple :)

What I have been up to

The sewing machines are back in working order with a new foot control for the Bernina and the timing fixed on the Singer.  But I have not been home to start any new projects.

We went to my mother's farm for a few days and do some things for her.  Finding things, fixing things, etc.  Honey installed yet another ceiling fan in mother's house and there is still another new fan sitting there waiting.  I believe he has put in 3 or 4 by now.  Also, he used a chain saw and cut up a very large pecan limb from a tree about 100 years old. 

The dogs loved it there on the farm with so much room to run.  And the weather was great while we were there.  Still, there is no place like home and I am glad to be back.

Since returning we had a cookout with the neighbors and a vodka tasting. That was interesting and we had 8 or 9 vodkas to taste.  Ok, I know. . .you are saying to yourself that vodka has no flavor.  So let's call it characteristics, but some were flavored so there!

We contributed vodka from New Zealand, Poland, and Ireland.  Those would be in order: 42 Below, Chopin, Belvedere and Boru.  The neighbors brought, Absolut Pear, Charbay Meyer Lemon, something I don't remember, and Rue 33.

Everyone agreed that Chopin was the best.  My own favorites in order top to bottom:

Chopin
42 Below
Belvedere and Boru tied
All these rest suck for me--I really hate flavored vodka and while Rue 33 is technically not flavored--it is. It taste like buttery vanilla and kinda sweet.  I don't do sweet drinks.  Give it to me straight, on the rocks sometimes, but don't add junk to good booze.

OH!  We had food too, after all it was a cookout. Marinated tequilla/lime chicken, hanburgers, and hot smoked sausages, salad, mixed veggies, pimento/cheese/olive spread with crackers, homemade salsa and chips, tangerine pie, coffee, blackberry sage tea and some wine. I bought the hot dog buns for the sausages but I made homemade buns for the burgers.

AND. . . .I have a partner for my first participation in a swap!!!!  Marie is from Australia and I am very excited to hunt down some goodies that she will like.  She suggested I sew something for her and I wish I could make something fantastic for her.  But anyone reading this blog knows that is highly unlikely.  "GRIN"