Artful Homemade Quilts Have A Way

[koshergrl]

I'm a working mom. My mom was a working mom, too. My mom taught me to embroider. An elderly neighbor lady taught me to crochet, and eventually my mother learned as well (in the late 70s). I taught myself to sew a half dozen years ago when I got a job in the hinterlands, where there were no clothing stores but there was a big general mercantile/quilt shop that sold beautiful cloth and sewing supplies, lol.

Some of my fondest memories are of crocheting and embroidering with my mom. We went through a doily phase when I was pregnant with my first child. I still occasionally see the pillow cases we did when I was young.

I want it to be a constant thing with me, like reading my bible, so that I just keep producing stuff year round. I'm working on it.

 

[Sunshine]

I'm a working mom. My mom was a working mom, too. My mom taught me to embroider. An elderly neighbor lady taught me to crochet, and eventually my mother learned as well (in the late 70s). I taught myself to sew a half dozen years ago when I got a job in the hinterlands, where there were no clothing stores but there was a big general mercantile/quilt shop that sold beautiful cloth and sewing supplies, lol.

Some of my fondest memories are of crocheting and embroidering with my mom. We went through a doily phase when I was pregnant with my first child. I still occasionally see the pillow cases we did when I was young.

I want it to be a constant thing with me, like reading my bible, so that I just keep producing stuff year round. I'm working on it.

Right now, I just want to finish up everything before I kick the bucket.

 

[Sunshine]

My daughter took up sewing when the recession hit. Her stuff looked expert from day one. I could never sew and resented that I had to even try. She was an architectural designer, then got her master's to be a construction manager. She bought a pattern for something and when she took it out she said, 'It's just a blueprint.' OMG. How easy things are for some people. She is back to work now, and I doubt she is sewing much. But I know one day she will.

'It's just a blueprint.' Holy Cow!

 

[koshergrl]

I've always associated wealth with handwork.

I don't know why. But I feel like if we have a lot of crocheted/embroidered/quilted things around, it means we're successful!

 

[koshergrl]

My daughter took up sewing when the recession hit. Her stuff looked expert from day one. I could never sew and resented that I had to even try. She was an architectural designer, then got her master's to be a construction manager. She bought a pattern for something and when she took it out she said, 'It's just a blueprint.' OMG. How easy things are for some people. She is back to work now, and I doubt she is sewing much. But I know one day she will.

'It's just a blueprint.' Holy Cow!

I got patterns from Salvation Army and didn't realize that they were in different sizes and probably missing bits.

I just dove in. My first project was nightgown with beautiful long sleeves and a button closure and a ruffle, lol. The arms were size 8, I think the yoke was a size 12 haha but my daughter wore it for years!

I went from that to shorts and shirts...I made fourth of july sets for the kids, my son had a red, white and blue short sleeved, collared shirt with a pocket and everything...and I made the girly some little culottes or cropped pants and sun shirts....all that was a breeze after The Nightgown...

But finally had to face the fact that it's cheaper, and the fit and much of the quality, is usually better storebought. I used LINEN to make my daughter's sun sets, though which I loved but which she hated, hahaha and they lasted forever, but she was finally able to ditch them around 2nd grade. She said she didn't want to wear them because a boy at school or daycare had told her they looked like *clown pants* hahahahahahahaha.

The little sun shirts were adorable, though, and so were the shorts I made for the boy...now THOSE were good quality, and had pockets and the whole shebang.

Then I got stalled making a really pretty dress of yellow gingham (only not cotton, but rayon) with a white duster...I never did finish it, though I got really close.

I'm just starting to think about organizing all my material and yarn and thread so I can just sit down whenever and work, without having to conduct a 3-day search. I know I have bought dozens of spools of crochet thread and all sorts of hooks...but I can NEVER find them. Makes me crazy.

 

[Sunshine]

My daughter took up sewing when the recession hit. Her stuff looked expert from day one. I could never sew and resented that I had to even try. She was an architectural designer, then got her master's to be a construction manager. She bought a pattern for something and when she took it out she said, 'It's just a blueprint.' OMG. How easy things are for some people. She is back to work now, and I doubt she is sewing much. But I know one day she will.

'It's just a blueprint.' Holy Cow!

I got patterns from Salvation Army and didn't realize that they were in different sizes and probably missing bits.

I just dove in. My first project was nightgown with beautiful long sleeves and a button closure and a ruffle, lol. The arms were size 8, I think the yoke was a size 12 haha but my daughter wore it for years!

I went from that to shorts and shirts...I made fourth of july sets for the kids, my son had a red, white and blue short sleeved, collared shirt with a pocket and everything...and I made the girly some little culottes or cropped pants and sun shirts....all that was a breeze after The Nightgown...

But finally had to face the fact that it's cheaper, and the fit and much of the quality, is usually better storebought. I used LINEN to make my daughter's sun sets, though which I loved but which she hated, hahaha and they lasted forever, but she was finally able to ditch them around 2nd grade. She said she didn't want to wear them because a boy at school or daycare had told her they looked like *clown pants* hahahahahahahaha.

The little sun shirts were adorable, though, and so were the shorts I made for the boy...now THOSE were good quality, and had pockets and the whole shebang.

Then I got stalled making a really pretty dress of yellow gingham (only not cotton, but rayon) with a white duster...I never did finish it, though I got really close.

I'm just starting to think about organizing all my material and yarn and thread so I can just sit down whenever and work, without having to conduct a 3-day search. I know I have bought dozens of spools of crochet thread and all sorts of hooks...but I can NEVER find them. Makes me crazy.

I ran across my mother's old mu mu pattern the other day. I've lost enough weight being sick, I could probably wear it. Maybe when I retire, I will get a machine and try my hand. I don't want to do practical things, although I would enjoy duplicating an old mu mu I had as a girl. I still haven't been to Hawaii, but when I was traveling I got enough hotel points to go for 2 weeks. I asked my SIL if she would like to go. The mu mu and my mother's flowers strung on thread were part of that fantasy from the time I was 9.

Today, was such a bad day I left work thinking it would serve the bastards right if I just up and died on them. I've never been passive aggressive before. Don't know what came over me. That will happen soon enough. I have plenty of things to keep living for!

 

[Sunshine]

And I've got to get Beckums' quilt pics uploaded this week. Not a good week to die!

 

[koshergrl]

No dying allowed!

 

[koshergrl]

I love mumus. I tried to find one a couple of years ago but the ones I got weren't right somehow...I want COTTON ones, not rayon or whatever the ones I had were, that got all staticky.

 

[Sunshine]

I love mumus. I tried to find one a couple of years ago but the ones I got weren't right somehow...I want COTTON ones, not rayon or whatever the ones I had were, that got all staticky.

I have found them on line at Hawiian stores. But never ordered any. So, I can't vouch for them. I like cotton too. My favorite I wore until it was thin. I loved it.

 

[Sunshine]

No dying allowed!

LOL. I'll bear that in mind!

If' I were a cheerleader I would be saying 'rah rah ree, kick em in the knee, rah rah rass, kick em in the ass!'

 

[koshergrl]

I just think muumuus look comfy...like a nightgown that isn't a nightgown. And I'm all about nightgowns. I'd wear mine out and about, if I could.

 

[Sunshine]

I just think muumuus look comfy...like a nightgown that isn't a nightgown. And I'm all about nightgowns. I'd wear mine out and about, if I could.

When I had my knee replacements they wanted everyone to bring sweats to the hospital and wear them during the day. But sweats make me too warm. So, I bought some PJs that didn't look like PJs, they had soft pants and tank tops. That is what I wore and I wore them out at home. I still buy PJs that don't look that much like PJs for working around here on the weekends. At my age, the joints are kind of constricting, the clothes don't need to be too!

 

[freedombecki]

My daughter took up sewing when the recession hit. Her stuff looked expert from day one. I could never sew and resented that I had to even try. She was an architectural designer, then got her master's to be a construction manager. She bought a pattern for something and when she took it out she said, 'It's just a blueprint.' OMG. How easy things are for some people. She is back to work now, and I doubt she is sewing much. But I know one day she will.

'It's just a blueprint.' Holy Cow!

I got patterns from Salvation Army and didn't realize that they were in different sizes and probably missing bits.

I just dove in. My first project was nightgown with beautiful long sleeves and a button closure and a ruffle, lol. The arms were size 8, I think the yoke was a size 12 haha but my daughter wore it for years!

I went from that to shorts and shirts...I made fourth of july sets for the kids, my son had a red, white and blue short sleeved, collared shirt with a pocket and everything...and I made the girly some little culottes or cropped pants and sun shirts....all that was a breeze after The Nightgown...

But finally had to face the fact that it's cheaper, and the fit and much of the quality, is usually better storebought. I used LINEN to make my daughter's sun sets, though which I loved but which she hated, hahaha and they lasted forever, but she was finally able to ditch them around 2nd grade. She said she didn't want to wear them because a boy at school or daycare had told her they looked like *clown pants* hahahahahahahaha.

The little sun shirts were adorable, though, and so were the shorts I made for the boy...now THOSE were good quality, and had pockets and the whole shebang.

Then I got stalled making a really pretty dress of yellow gingham (only not cotton, but rayon) with a white duster...I never did finish it, though I got really close.

I'm just starting to think about organizing all my material and yarn and thread so I can just sit down whenever and work, without having to conduct a 3-day search. I know I have bought dozens of spools of crochet thread and all sorts of hooks...but I can NEVER find them. Makes me crazy.

I ran across my mother's old mu mu pattern the other day. I've lost enough weight being sick, I could probably wear it. Maybe when I retire, I will get a machine and try my hand. I don't want to do practical things, although I would enjoy duplicating an old mu mu I had as a girl. I still haven't been to Hawaii, but when I was traveling I got enough hotel points to go for 2 weeks. I asked my SIL if she would like to go. The mu mu and my mother's flowers strung on thread were part of that fantasy from the time I was 9.

Today, was such a bad day I left work thinking it would serve the bastards right if I just up and died on them. I've never been passive aggressive before. Don't know what came over me. That will happen soon enough. I have plenty of things to keep living for!

 

[freedombecki]

No dying allowed!

LOL. I'll bear that in mind!

If' I were a cheerleader I would be saying 'rah rah ree, kick em in the knee, rah rah rass, kick em in the ass!'

The knee?

That little condition better behave itself!

 

[freedombecki]

I've always associated wealth with handwork.

I don't know why. But I feel like if we have a lot of crocheted/embroidered/quilted things around, it means we're successful!

There's only one thing better than an embroidered pillowcase...

An embroidered pillowcase bordered with a luxurious cotton crocheted lace.

I have a couple of pairs from ebay, because when mom passed, Dad kept all the linens. The ones I found on ebay were so well-embroidered, I wondered how I acquired them with no competitive bids. Angels on high were watching over me that day. They still look fresh and new each time I take one out of the linen closet to hug before slipping over my pillow. Mom would have loved them. There's a lot of blue on them with little pink, yellow, and green accents. One pair is floral, the other, bluebirds. She just loved blue and so do I.

 

[freedombecki]

The best way to describe this design is just to show the pictures. I felt disappointment when I first saw it on my screen, but by laying the screen back a little, the full color can be seen. I just hope the brightness of the colors comes across on your monitor.

There are 9 scans. It will take 3 posts to show the 9 scans as we are limited to 3 scans/pictures per frame if they're not too large. Before I can show any of the hundreds of scans shown, I have to reduce the size to 20% of the size the scanner throws into my pictures. You can see a slightly larger version of the thumbnail by clicking on it, and a brief description (if necessary) can be seen by mousing over the top of the thumbnail. Here are the first 3:

 

[freedombecki]

Scans 4-6

 

[freedombecki]

Scans 7, 8, and 9:

 

[freedombecki]

The mortar is a Michael Miller stripe called "Clown Stripes." I had cut 3/4ths of the prints out when I realized I had a huge mix--light, bright, deep yellow, and similar gold prints. I bought a bunch of the stripes at a very good price of someone trying to clear merchandise from their store, so there's plenty to make other things with when I need it. I loved the way it set off every print in the entire batch, and I even compared the yardage with the stack of yellows I had stacked up to complete cutting in a few days. Seems best to not cut more than 20, and to try to cut 8 or 9 at a time mostly to prevent sore feet. The plantar padding on the sole of the foot is a muscle, and that's what fibromyalgia hassles the most--muscles. So, standing a long time or walking are not much fun anymore. To think I trained for distance running several years ago and continued for nearly 8 years. Those were the days!

I'm getting the nanny-yap sign that says I have to spread rep before I can give any more to Sunshine or koshergrl. Sorry I was lazy last night, but I just ran out of gas and got an upper shoulder cramp at the same time and left the boards abruptly sans explanation.