Sat 18 Jul 2009
Last year, I received a new sewing machine for my birthday from my sweetheart. The girls and I can’t believe that there are actually sewing machines that don’t break down! Slowly I’ve been making curtains, because I hate the dust that collects on mini blinds. I say slowly, because I love to sew, but don’t have time like I want, and also I need to be in the mood to sew. Fabric cost is also a factor. Sometimes we have a “Homemaking Week” and put aside our normal homeschooling and spend time cooking, baking, and sewing together.
Here are the curtains in my bedroom/office. All curtains that I make are very basic, without ruffles and lace; I don’t like complications.:) I make tie backs with button holes to fit over the cup hooks to hold them back.
Here are the curtains and fabric that I used to make my curtains for my daughters’ room, which my 2 oldest share. They chose a brown fabric with pretty colored flowers. They made much of the curtains themselves.
Here are my youngest daughter’s curtains. She chose a pink calico. She helped me tremendously by ironing and doing small things for me.
My oldest made a circle skirt using Anna’s instructions, How to Sew a Simple Girly Skirt. We had to adjust it a bit to make it work for us, and we used elastic instead of drawstring. This skirt is beautiful, and I want me one like it!
My middle daughter and I made a ruffled apron using ladybug fabric, but the pattern was so complicated that we said we’d never use it again. The apron is pretty, but way too big. We may end up taking it apart and making it into something else.
I purchased these fabrics recently to make curtains for my bathroom and then a skirt for my middle daughter. It may be several weeks before I get to it though!
My youngest is still waiting on me to make her Raggedy Ann a dress out of some Raggedy Ann and Andy fabric. I’ve put it off because I’m not sure how to go about it. I was blessed to have taken Home Ec. in high school, but there is much about sewing that frustrates me and that I avoid. I’ve often wished I had someone that sewed to help me. Either most women don’t sew, or they are so busy that I hate to ask.
Lady Lydia of Living at Home (formerly Home Living) has been posting wonderful entries on sewing dresses. Her posts and pictures, and the comments, have inspired me greatly! We have a hard time finding appropriate, modest dresses for my teen girls. Perhaps we can try to make dresses using a very simple pattern. I’ve fallen in love with the pretty fabrics at RJR Fabrics, especially the retro fabrics, and at Connecting Threads.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. ~Psalms 19:14
Hello Janet,
What pretty things you have sewn! Thank you for the reminder about Anna’s circle skirt tutorial. I will save the link now. Two of my granddaughters would love to have a skirt like that. I am really inspired by Lady Lydia’s sewing series, too. In fact, I am working on a dress for myself. It’s slow going because I need to make fitting adjustments. I’m not new to sewing but I’m not an expert, either. I’m grateful for all the help available on the internet, and for inspiration from sites such as yours.
Wow Janet, you have sewn some pretty things! I *love* the fabrics, especially the curtains at the top.
Great job! (o:
Your blog is lovely. I especially love all the quotes you have, encouraging women as we do our work at home. I couldn’t agree with those sentiments more! Thank you