A blog about my adventures in sewing & crafting

Friday, June 29, 2018

McCall 6074 More Vacation Dresses & An OOPS!

What do you do when you take the time to change your dress pattern to a full front version so that you can lay it out straight on the stripes of the fabric and realize when you go to cut out the back that you do not have enough fabric?

You make it into a top!

I feel like I wasted fabric but it's a cute tank style top.


McCall 6074 Top

Back view



$8.00 Top???

I am moving onto another McCall 6074 dress.  I like this brushed jersey knit fabric print.  So pretty!

McCall 6074 Short sleeve- scoop neck

V-neck, sleeveless

V-neck, solid version with short sleeves

I still need a few more version for vacation!

Until next time....................

Bonnie

Monday, June 25, 2018

Our 26th Anniversary

Where does the time go?  26 years of marriage to the same guy!  I told him on our wedding day it was 50 or nothing and if somebody wanted his wrinkly, old butt after 50 years they can have him!  We've always joked I said that.  It's been a great 26 years and I am truly blessed.

Our wedding day was not my happiest day.  My parents were recently divorced, my Mother' friends were aggravating, and people were picking a fight with me.  I did my best to try to get Dear Hubby to elope that day but he didn't wan't everyone else mad.  I think he's tried to make up for that all these years.

We really don't celebrate our Anniversary.  When we got married we were very poor.  We didn't have a honeymoon. We ended up going to Target to buy sheets because we didn't have any for the bed.  Then the next year Boy T was born 10 days before our 1st Anniversary and it's been kids and life since then.  

Dear Hubby does make me feel special every day so what's one day a year.  We usually just exchange cards and have a steak on the grill at home.  Good days!


Wedding day 1992

Sunday morning 2018
Happy Anniversary, here's to 26 Blessed years!

Until next time....................

Bonnie

Friday, June 22, 2018

Young Living Essential Oil

About a year ago a friend from Church invited me to an online Essential Oil Chat.  After looking into Young Living brand oil I decided to make my first order for a healthier lifestyle change.  I ordered the oils slowly since many are very pricey and pinned many oil combos on my Pinterest board.




I have used oils for so many different ailments, problems and just plain yummy room scents.  But my favorite share is Girl M and her acne story.

About two years ago her acne got really bad.  I felt bad for her and decided it was time to take her to the Dermatologist.  They put her on an acne medicine (which our insurance wouldn't cover) and a low dose antibiotic.  For the next 6 months we spent an average of $200 per month.  We did not see any improvement in her skin.  The Doctor suggested we put her on birth control pills and change over to a different acne medicine but we had to have blood work done every month.  I questioned the blood work and reluctantly they told me they had to watch her liver function.  NO WAY!  To begin with we are very conservative and having my 14 year old daughter on birth control was a BIG NO, then allowing her to take a medicine that could possibly damage her liver.  NO NO NO!

Meanwhile when Dear Hubby had his foot surgery I used an essential oil blend for a natural pain relief and he loved it.  So after some further research I found an acne oil blend for Girl M to try.


Now it took  about 6 months for us to tell a difference in her face but the photos are a year and a month different and her skin is improving every day.  She is very good about her daily skin care routine and wears little to no make-up daily.  I think removing sugar from her diet would help, but she's 16 and I can only control so much.

6/2017
7/2018

Her daily skin care routine is:

AM:  Wash face with warm water, pat dry.  Use Apple Cider Vinegar diluted 3:1 as a toner on a cottonball.

PM:  Wash face with Nutrogena Cleansing face wash, pat dry, use ACV as a toner, then apply Essential oil blend of 6 drops Frankincense. 4 drops Lavender, 2 drops Tea Tree mixed into 30ml of Jojoba oil.  She uses about 3-4 drops onto a cotton ball wiped over face & neck.

We look forward to seeing the comparison photo in another year.

Until next time..........

Bonnie

Monday, June 18, 2018

Father's Day

Dear Hubby is a wonderful husband and an even better Father.  The kids enjoyed getting him the perfect gifts.  Our oldest and his wife are the best gift givers.  Very thoughtful and just what you wanted.

Everyone came over on Saturday to celebrate Father's Day with him and we grilled chicken wings and went swimming.  Dear Hubby said it was the PERFECT day!

Our oldest son and Daughter in Law gave Dear Hubby a selfie stick!  We take a Sunday selfie before Church and we are the worst selfie takers ever!  Usually we get Girl M to take our picture for us.  We didn't even know we wanted a selfie stick but it's perfect!  He really enjoyed playing with it.  They also gave Dear Hubby a back up camera for hooking up our "new" to us 5th wheel camper to our truck.

Father's Day Selfie

Boy F

Boy T & our Sweet Daughter in Law

Girl M

Dinner Selfie

Boy F. gave Dear Hubby a socket set and a creeper for working on vehicles in his barn.  Boy/garage gifts!  Girl M gave her Dad a camping storage cube that converts to a stool/seat/table.  Perfect for our upcoming camping trip!

I hope Dear Hubby knows how much he is LOVED and appreciated.

Selfie oops!
 I can't believe how gray my hair is!  I need a haircut too.

Sunday Selfie!

We've almost figured this selfie thing out!

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there!

Until next time...............

Bonnie

Friday, June 15, 2018

McCall 6074 Vacation Dresses

We are planning a vacation later this month.  We are going to visit Savannah, Ga, Asheville, NC, and Stone Mountain, GA.  The weather will probably be very warm at the Georgia stops.  I am hoping that the Asheville visit will be a little cooler.

Of course, I have nothing to wear to sightsee/vacation in!  Why not make a little wardrobe of my favorite TNT McCall 6074 dresses!

I thought sleeveless, knee length with a simple scoop neck would be perfect.  I am loving these dresses and may have to wear them before vacation to "test" them out!

McCall 6074

I am thinking of making a slip from this same pattern.  Making the straps a little more narrow and shortening it by 1".  I don't have a slip that is short enough and I feel more comfortable with a little under garment under my dresses.  I wear Jockey slip-shorts on occasion but sometimes they want to ride up on my thighs.


McCall 6074

McCall 6074

I am a little worried about my feet.  I will wear my Sketcher GoWalk slip on shoes during the day around the house and I love both my Clarks & Born Wedge heels for shopping/Church but I think my Clarks & Born heels are a little too fancy for sightseeing and my Sketcher GoWalks don't look great with dresses.

I did shorten my dress wardrobe so that I could wear my GoWalks with them, then I found these Sketcher suede peep toe wedges on QVC and ordered a black pair.

Sketcher suede peep toe wedge heels-QVC


I am also thinking of toting a backpack so that I can have an extra pair of shoes in case my feet start to hurt.

I'm off to sew a few more dresses.................

Until next time.............

Bonnie


Friday, June 8, 2018

Sure-Fit Designs...More Dots!

I made the Butterick 5354  red and white polka dot knit top back in February and now it is too big on me.  I had enough fabric left over from the first version to make two more tops.

I used my Sure Fit Designs bodice and skirt blueprint and lengthened it to 24" at center back.  I made two different but similar versions.  The first version was a scoop neck, flutter sleeve shirt.  The second version was a scoop neck tank.  An easy sew and two new tops for summer.

Jersey Knit Dot Tank

Back View

Side View w/Bust Dart

Flutter Sleeve Top with Scoop neck

Flutter Sleeve

Back View

I recently found a series of Islander Sewing Systems VHS tapes on Ebay.  I am learning and enjoying the Islander way of sewing.  It's making sewing fun and so much easier!  It did take some practice sewing with no pins but once you get the hang of it, it's great!  I wanted to buy the DVD but they are usually about $42 each.  There are about 12-15 different videos.  I bought  4 volumes of A Galaxy of Sewing Techniques VHS tapes for $19.99 then a set of 2 Shirts, Etc., Pants and Industrial Shortcuts for Home Sewing VHS tapes for $39.00!  I saved a lot of money and I put to use our VCR.  OLD SCHOOL!

Islander Sewing VHS Tapes

I am off to sew something else.............

Until next time...............

Bonnie

Monday, June 4, 2018

Sure-Fit Designs Bodice and Skirt Blueprint

Last year I started my body blueprint from Sure-Fit Designs and ended up getting so frustrated that I  couldn't get a decent fit.  I think loosing 60lbs and gaining a little more knowledge of fine tuning fitting made a huge difference this time.

No person's body is "normal" and mine is very lumpy, bumpy, curvy and swayed. The only part that really gave me a fit this time were the sleeves.  I decided to use my armhole & sleeve template to save myself from too much headache.

  • Shorten shoulder length by 1/2"
  • Sloped shoulder adjustment 1/2"
  • Sway back adjustment  1"

Bodice Muslin

Side view

Back View

Front View

For the skirt part:  Since there was a 15" difference from my hips to my waist I added an additional dart to the skirt front and back making the hip curve less drastic.

For this "muslin" of my bodice and skirt blueprint I added a seam allowance at the center front so that I could get the pieces on and off.

Skirt


Back View

Front View

Top & skirt

 Bust Darts
Back Skirt Darts


Overall I'm very happy with the fit of both the bodice & skirt.  The bust darts are at the correct place and the second waist dart on the skirt helped with the difference between my waist and hips.

I can't wait to get sewing an actual garment.  But school is now out and Girl M is home with me.  She wants me to swim with her and go shopping so I enjoy the times I get to spend with her.

Until next time.............

Bonnie