Handworks Crochet and then Some!

Looking back I made ALOT of stuff.... so we won't even talk about all that. I had some goals last year... did I accomplish all of them? Lets see... 1. Make Jeans yes!!!!!! I made jeans... and then made some more. I have 7 pair of jeans in my closet made completely by me! 2. Learn to make a welt pocket. YES! I took a lesson on learning to do this and I did it.. and added them to a pair of capris I made. 3. Make a garment with bound button holes. no.... and I'm scared of bound button holes still... 4. Make a corset/bustier. YES! and barely made it in time! 5. Make a blazer. Technically yes... I made a blazer. Even if it was out of yoda fleece! 6. Make a mens button up shirt. Yes!!!!!! and it wasn't that hard... 7. Make a skirt or shirt cut on the bias. yes... but I hated it. I made it to small in the bust. 8. Make something by draping. hmmmm.... well, I did make a dress by draping it... and the fit was right on.... I just didn't like the style of it when it was done...

My New Years cropped jacket is done! Here is the back of it... my fabric turned out awesome! Beautiful light weight corduroy in blue, strips of light weight back corduroy sewn 3 inches apart and a cover stitch sewn down the middle with yli metallic cord..... I made my pants yesterday to go with the outfit. I have to try it all on to make sure it works out on my body like it does in my head! Ok... The Pfaff 2170! My BIG present from my Bald Man! This lovely machine can do SO much.. its really overwhelming compared to my 2134..... The possibilities are endless: 9 mm stitches, maxi stitches, antique embroidery stitches, several built in alphabets.... whew! and thats just the sewing machines part! The embroidery machine part has pfaff's awesome precise positioning , color screen, on screen customizing! and soooooo much more that it will take me months to learn to use all the bells and whistles on this baby! I'm so up for the challenge! Well.... only one more machine on my wish li...

In a previous post I showed you all my dulcimer The Bald Man got me... well, here's the dulcimer I and my ex-husband bought Brian. Its made of cherry wood from the family farm... isn't it so beautiful! Now Brian can actually play the dulcimer! So maybe he'll help me out with mine... (I can play London Bridge so far!! lol !) Here's the polo shirt I made Bald Man! Made from another wonderful Kwik sew pattern! From blue and black knit... and a cross embroidered on the sleeve... just alittle personal touch I love to add! I love the way this turned out! Here's just a few of the things Mom and Britney got me.... Mom made me the green chenille scarf, she knit me the purple multi color scarf and the cute grey fingerless gloves! She wove the burgundy and navy table runner on her loom! Its lovely! The cute pink draw string bag was made by my niece Brit. Here's a Fabric to Go present!! From Mom... how cute is this! Each cup had different fabric and some cups had emb...

Merry Christmas Everyone... I hope all your holidays are filled with joy and love! The reason: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ~Isaiah 7:14 Praise God and Blessings to everyone!

The Bald Man gave me this yesterday!!!!! A hand crafted dulcimer!!!!!! Its made out of oak by a man right in Athens, TN.... isn't it beautiful! I have been wanting one every since my mom got one last summer and I saw how easy it is to play. I have always wanted to play a musical instrument... now I will! Thank You Bald Man! I love it! We usually put up a big white tree but this year I was to lazy to put up a big tree.. really to lazy to think of taking down the big tree is more like it! lol! But I love pink trees so this works out good for me. I have some of my fav ornaments on it, including the angel mom made for the top of it. My Bald Man here in one of his Christmas presents I made him.... some red flannel long pj shorts with little teddy bears on them! lol! To Cute!

Just a quick few words about our Monday Night out... who goes out on Monday Night, you might say? Obviously ... we do!!!! My friend Nancy had a present for me so we met up with her at Purada for karaoke night... Well the present was darling and I've got to get a pic of it!!! Thanks Nanc !!! We had a blast Monday! Nancy is a vocalist and I had NO ideal she was such a good vocalist! Wow! this lady had the people floored... including me and the Bald Man! Karaoke night will never be the same!

With Christmas sewing all complete, except for a few details and small things... I can get back to ME sewing!!! I made this top Friday using this Simplicity pattern. I love this pattern and can say I have got my moneys worth with this one! I have made the long cardigan, the pants, the sleeveless shirt and this shirt 2 times... I used this fabric I got from Philly last year which I also made a wrap skirt and a wrap top out of. This is such a good fitting pattern for me . I admit I have some UFO's... in waiting I have 3 purses, one vest and this.... it there any wonder why this is a UFO.... I've been working on it on and off for almost a year now.. its a completely hand beaded belt for a belly dance costume. The front of the belt is done and I'm starting the back belt now..... its beaded on an antique brocade.. I'm beading along the original pattern of the brocade. I'm thinking this will be a show stopper when it is done... I also used some huge swarvoski crystals o...

Friday night my darling husband and I ventured out to Mirage to see my friend Rachel. Below, me in the new fake ponytail I got in Nashville! Yes I love fake hair!! Takes alot less time to get ready when you just "clip on" the perfect hair! Also.. I made this shirt I have on, its from BWOF. Below here... Rachel in the costume she bought from me that day! I love these colors on her. And in another costume she bought from me that day... The Bombshell costume. Yes, redheads can be bombshell's too! She looks awesome in this one too! I do love to see the costumes I've made dance! Me n' Rach!

Kwik Sew 3251 Jean Jacket. I could not wait to give this to him. It took 5 full days to finish but was not hard to make. It all went together so well !!! It was just very time consuming . I was to happy with it to wait until Christmas. I used 2 different colors of denim... one I bleached completely out, the other I just bleached a little. I wanted it to look "rugged"! This was a very heavy 100% cotton denim! So it should last a long time! All embroidery is from Embroidery Library online. I embroidered a howling wolf and moon on the arm... A cross and wolf tracks on the other arm... A beautiful wolf silhouette on the back shoulder.... Wolf eyes over the front pocket.... and ofcourse added the initials of my "label"... which has special meaning to the Bald Man. I mixed the jean buttons.. using gold, silver and antique brass.... AND I took my seam ripper to it to "rag" it out a some.... more of that "rugged" look I was going for. Then washed a...

Tues. we went up to Nashville to see the Vols play basketball... it was a nice trip... even if I did have to go to a game! Here's a couple of pics.... Me and My Bald Man at one of our favorite places in Nashville, Bosco's. 2-pac and Be'Be' at the hotel... they love to travel!!! Lil' Pac has his Christmas bandanna on!

This is one of the many reasons why I sew for the Bald Man....

Me n' the Bald Man were invited to the most awesome party last night. Below is a picture of our hostess Cindi with her boyfriend , dancing fool Mark! We had the best time and I want to say thank you to Cindi for including us again this year! My Bald Man! Below is the one and only Dixie! Now we've seen Dixie at Cindi's other parties and we love her! She's always smiling!!! She's just one of those people you love being around! And this lady can dance! Cindi and Bald Man! Cindi's whole house is decorated and lit up like a fancy department store! Its truly beautiful!!! She has a huge tree, lights and garland everywhere.... and even little tiny lit up houses and towns all over. Below here is Kippy. We love seeing her too! A really good, fun person! Me... and I didn't even get a good pic of my new bustier I finished up! I'll get some good ones soon. I've decided to make it my official holiday outfit! At home........

I am done with The Bald Man's denim jacket I was making... yes, I can say it because I already give it to him! I couldn't help it... 5 full days of work on that jacket and I wanted to see him in it! So he's extra happy today. I will take pics tomorrow and blog about it soon. In the mean time I have taken a small break from Christmas sewing to make myself a bustier! I had a sewing lesson over the summer about making one and I'm just now getting around to it! Here's what I have so far: Its Burda 7982 View C. I'm using a black eyelet fabric, lined with denim, Both fabrics have a slight stretch to them. I am going to put boning in it and a side separating zipper if I can find one in the size I need. The pattern didn't call for boning... but how can you wear one of these things without it? It won't hold anything up without it!!! I have also been reading Bridal Couture. There is a section on building one of these. I'll be adding a grosgrain ribbon around ...