I Think I'm A Little Behind On My Posting...

...because I've been building up quite a collection of pictures in my camera. We have been doing a number of Christmas activities.

Like carousel riding...

...and gift making.

The girl's decorated gingerbread houses.

Emma received a little help from a friend.

Georgia Beth wanted to help too.

Well, I don't suppose I'll be posting again until after Christmas. See you all then!

Have a blessed holiday!

First Blog Award

Clare of I Have Loved the Rain has nominated me for the Silver Linings blog award. This award is for making the best of every situation (making lemonade when life gives you lemons). Thanks so much Clare, I was really surprised! I am now required to nominate a few more people. So...

Lauren Christine of with humility, thankfulness, and rejoicing

and

Kaitlyn Michelle of I Stand Redeemed

See you all later!

Christmas Party

I had meant to post this days ago (that's why the date is off) but just never got around to it. I've been so busy trying to finish up all the Christmas gifts I'm making. Anyway, last Sunday night was the annual School of Sewing Christmas Party. It was lots of cooking, lots of baking, lots of cleaning and lots of fun in the end.

The tree is up...

The decorations are out...

Of course everyone had to wear their Christmas best...

The table is set...

Waiting for the guests...

Myself (in the black dress) and all of my students.

For any of you (my students) who might be reading this... I can't tell you much I've enjoyed teaching you all. You have all become great friends and have accomplished much this year. I hope next year is even more fruitful.

For everyone who is reading... I'm planning a great big Christmas gift post for next weekend. See you later!

Another Birthday Apron

I must confess, I thought about keeping this one because it looked really good on our dress form!

New Stays

I love the costumes of the Regency Era. I have made several Regency outfits in the past and greatly enjoyed wearing them.

Stays are the foundation for the dresses of this Era. The pair I had was looking pretty bad so I made a new set back over Thanksgiving weekend.

I used Sense and Sensibility's Regency Underthings Pattern. They are made in three layers: two of cotton twill and one of cotton twill interfaced with heavy weight interfacing. They are quilted on both sides, boned with plastic boning from Hancock Fabrics, finished with bias tape and laced with twill tape. I *a-hem!* took the quick way out used metal eyelets rather than doing hand sewn eyelets which is what my last pair had.

For more information on the clothing of the Regency Era you can visit Jessamyn's Regency Costume Companion. For pictures of real Regency garments see Sense and Sensibility or Tidens Toj. For Regency costumes in movies go to Jane Austen Movie Gowns, Eras of Elegance or The Costumer's Guide to Movie Costumes.

Birthday Gift for a Cat Lover

Fabric is 100% cotton from Jo-ann's.

Pattern is Simplicity 3949.

And The Winner Is...

This is my brother Cole. He is holding a basket. Inside the basket are twelve names. One of those names will be drawn by Cole from the basket. The person who belongs to the name he draws will receive the pink handbag from my previous post.

And the winner is........

Ashley!

Congratulations Ashley! I will be in touch with you very soon. Thank you to everyone who commented for their kind words. They were much appreciated.

A Little Giveaway

I made this little bag and decided to have a giveaway!

The fabrics are cottons from Jo-Ann's. The pattern is Grab Bag. There are pockets on the inside. Machine wash and line dry.

If you would like to be entered in the drawing just leave me a comment. I will choose a winner on Saturday. See you then!

As a Follow Up From My Last Post...

How well do you know Pride and Prejudice? Here are a few of the trivia questions from the game. Answers at the bottom.

1. Which two men does Elizabeth Bennet describe with the comment, "One has got all goodness and the other all the appearance of it"?

2. Who simply must have her share in the conversation?

3. Mr. Darcy shares the guardianship of his younger sister with...

a. Mr.Bingley

b. Colonel Fitzwilliam

c. Lady Catherine de Bourgh

4. Compared to the pleasures "that would doubtless be congenial with the generality of the female minds," which Bennet sister would infinitely prefer a book?

5. "The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it." Who said this?

a. Elizabeth Bennet

b. Mr. Hurst

c. Charlotte Lucas

6. What relationship is Mr. Hurst to Mr. Bingley?

1. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham

2. Lady Catherine de Bourgh

3. b. Colonel Fitzwilliam

4. Mary

5. a. Elizabeth Bennet

6. Brother-in-law

Playing "P&P"

I received the Pride and Prejudice board game for my birthday but, unfortunately, it hardly ever gets played. We recently had friends over and four of us had a good game after dinner.

It looks like I was wrong, there were five players.

Note on the title:

My brother insists on calling movies by their initials instead of their names. So Pride and Prejudice is "P and P", Emma is "E" and The Return of the King is pronounced "rot-ik". But my personal favorite is Our Mutual Friend ... "omph".

The game is available from http://www.ashgrovepress.com/

Tag!

Clare from I Have Loved the Rain and Julia from For Lack of Anything Better both tagged me for this meme.

The Rules

1. Copy the questions and then answer them (post it on your blog remember).

2. Tag 4 people and let them know you have tagged them.

3. Let the person [who tagged you] know that you have done a post for the tag.

The Questions

What are your nicknames?

I really don't have any except for Sissy which is what most most of my siblings have called me before they learned to say my name.

What TV game show or reality show would you like to be on?

None. Actually, I don't watch any TV. Except for Masterpiece Theater but I guess that count as a television show.

What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?

I honestly don't know. The first one I can remember buying was The Fellowship of the Ring the extended edition but I'm sure there was something before that.

What is your favourite scent?

Vanilla.

If you had one million dollars to spend only on yourself, what would you spend it on?

Oh, goodness! Clothes and shoes and fabric and books and, and...

What is one place you've visited, can't forget and want to go back to?

Blowing Rock, NC. We went there on vacation several years ago and I would love to go back.

Do you trust easily?

Hmmm... I really don't know. I'll have to think about this one.

Do you generally think before your act, or act before you think?

Um, usually I act first. I am trying to do better about that though.

Is there anything that had made you unhappy these days?

I have a cold. And I don't especially like winter weather.

What is your favourite fruit?

I like most fruit but I think citrus fruits are my favorite.

What websites do you visit daily?

Gmail, Blogger and the S and S forum.

What have you been seriously addicted to lately?

Anything sweet and movies set in the Regency Era.

What's the last song that got stuck in you head?

Fortunately I don't have one stuck in my head right now.

What is your favourite thing to wear?

Anything that's both really comfortable and looks good at the same time.

Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?

No, unless they have lots of marshmallows in them.

What items couldn't you be without during the day?

I'm thinking... Right now books, socks and milk.

What should you be doing right now?

Ahhh, probably school.

Whew, that was kind of hard. Now, whom shall I tag? How about:

Chelsey

Amy

Olivia

and Janna

See you all later!

What We Are

"It is not what we say or feel that makes us what we are, it is what we do."

Marianne Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility, 2007 BBC

Gone Forever

Jacques-Louis David, The Oath of the Horatii, Oil on canvas, 1784

"He had long dispaired of witnessing a Greeklike struggle. Such things would be no more, he had said. Men were better, or more timid. Secular and religious education had effaced the throat-grappling instinct, or else firm finance held in check the passions."

Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage

Holiday Blouse

I purchased a few vintage patterns from E-bay and I decided to use this one to make a new outfit for myself for Christmas. I finished the blouse last night and I plan to eventually make the jumper but have not yet found any material I like. All the materials save the buttons came from Hobby Lobby. The buttons are from my little stash. The only change I made to the pattern was to interface the front facing.

The Pattern


Front


Collar

Sleeve

Back

I am really liking the print, it's very festive. But, I must say, I was so glad when this was finished because I was so sick of sewing darts. There were twelve!

Dress

Gerrit Dou, The Lady at her Dressing-Table, Oil on panel, 1667

"It is a well-known fact that dress plays a very important part in the lives of most women..."

- Louisa May Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl

Two More Skirts

Quilts Blocks

I've been meaning to post this for three (or was it four?) days but just haven't got around to it. Anyway, I made four different little quilt blocks that I plan to turn into throw pillows for my bed after I buy some pillow forms. That's the problem with scrap projects, there's always something you still have to buy.

Little House

Broken Dishes

Window

Crazy Quilt

Are You Ready for Christmas?

Mary Laurence is.

Sense and Sensibility E-patterns

Sense and Sensibility Patterns has introduced it's new e-patterns! Drop by and see them here: http://www.sensibility.com/pattern/main/?page_id=50

E-patterns are great because they are inexpensive and you can store them easily on your computer. You can print however many copies you want whenever you need them. Check it out!

Call to Prayer

"First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath or dissension."

1 Timothy 2:2-8

Strawberry Aprons

I finished these two aprons yesterday. They are made from a tablecloth and vintage handkerchiefs.

First apron. I bought the tablecloth at a local antique and gift store but the tag said "Moda Home". The material is a cotton twill.

First apron pocket. This one is my favorite.

Apron back.

Second apron. The pattern was from a booklet I bought at Hobby Lobby called Sew Simple by Gooseberry Patch.

I'm planning on selling these but don't know the where's and when's yet. Oh, and as a side note I probably will not be posting very many, if any, more sewing or crafting projects until January because from now 'til then they will all be Christmas related. See you later!

Tea Time

" More than anything in the world he would have liked a cup of good tea."

- C. S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet

Fall Flowers

Another project finished! I made this as a gift to take to a baby shower my mother and I were invited to tomorrow night.

The pattern is "Slouchy Bags" by Taylor Made Designs view A.

The fabric is "Geisha Fans" from Amy Butler's Lotus collection. I purchased it from a from a local quilt shop and it is also available from Fabric.com. The lining is a cotton broadcloth from Jo-Ann.

I am planning another, different bag from the scraps but it will probably be a while before I get around to it...