Handworks Crochet and then Some!

Hope everyone had a fabulous New Years Eve! We had a very nice one... got all dressed up and went to the 5 course dinner event at Chez Liberty... SO GOOD! I even tried a little dish with 'sweetbreads' and had NO ideal what they were... but it was so good after I found out what they were I didn't even care! Now how many people out there know what they are??? Was I alone at not knowing??? Then we Had a bottle of bubbles... And then, I admit, came home at 11 and went to bed! I was asleep before 12!! and it makes me feel like an old fuddy duddy ! haha !! But who cares! I was all dressed up in a dress that took me 3 weeks to make with a crochet bolero that took like a month!I love wearing this dress and rarely have an occasion for it.... besides I had to get up early the next morning... And face things like this...... at our farm to be.... Now this is actually Sunday when my wonderful parents and niece Brittany stopped by to help.. but the day before it was just me and the...

I love clothes.... they are so much fun to make and even more fun to wear! This is a long post! Lots of 'me' pics... since the clothes are for me! The first outfit is one I actually made in April and I'm just now showing!!! It took MUCH planning!!! I wanted an outfit that would really go from day to night! I spent at lest a week playing with a color palette, the fabric textures... then the details... and how to simply re-work the patterns so they would work for my outfit ideals. First I made the reversible bolero made with S2659, leaving the collar off... I used some fabric that was a gift from my mothers best friend Gloria, a pinstripe navy... I designed this on the back of the casual side of the jacket and used my Sashiko Machine to sew out the design and top stitched with it all around. The dress is S6242. I had to made major adjustments to the top so it wouldn't be to low and I used the Sashiko machine to make criss cross designs all over the bodice. I only used th...

Whew, we've been busy! Between trying to get my son finished with his home schooling for the year, our little backyard garden project (which I admit The Bald Man has taken over!) going into work at our business twice a week and ofcourse working out like a crazy person... I have still found time to sew... a little... Check out our back yard garden... its coming along!! I saw a tiny squash yesterday... And picked my first batch of lettuce from my deck garden... Here's one of the embroidery projects I did a couple of weeks ago... I couldn't post them till now because they were part of my moms Mothers day present... coffee themed kitchen towels... cute! I fancied them up after the embroidery with some lace... This week I made some of my quilt... here's the fabrics up close... I love mermaids! Its a very simple quilt project... its my first real quilt...a queen size!! I have all the squares sewn together... I have to find something for the borders... then it'll be off ...

Last Friday was my niece Britney's prom... here she is with her date... love the posing... They do look cute... she said they were the best looking couple there... I know, so modest! She must get that from me!! lol!!! I always say... if you look good... "own it!" but if you don't... gotta own that too!(and better do something about it!!) There's more pics on my mom's blog http://cottonpatchquilts.blogspot.com/ Here she is before the prom. I did her hair and make-up... which I do think she was kinda shocked it turned out good... ha! I've been trying to tell her for years she could learn a thing from her Aunt Ang! I believe in the power of make-up! I mean... I even went to school for it! Ok.... sewing projects now.... There are quite a few pics of me in this white dress.... Because I LOVE it!!!! In a fashion magazine (I can't remember which one cause I read them all) there was a photo shoot titled "White is the new Black for summer" Along with ...

Saturday night is our night out and we both had new clothes to wear that I made last week!! Here is Vogue 1020.... I have made this dress before and I've also made the shirt version twice.. I love it... super easy and really flattering. I cut it out one day and made it in a couple of hours the next. I got this fabric at Gail K's in ATL... while doing my personal style look book projects I noticed alot of military and camo stuff for spring in the fashion magazines.... so I just had to find some pink camo! Here is The Bald Man's new shirt... I told y'all the more shirts I make him the more machines and fabric he'll buy!!! ;-) The is the Islander sewing pattern I always use for him....Made this in 2 days... I'm getting faster! The pattern says it can easily be made in 4 hours... not quite there yet.... haha. Ofcourse the embroidery adds time to it. This more machines I can point out that I used the better.... here's some embroidery.. he picked out this fabric...

I feel in love with this Chanel look last spring.... so instead of making a Chanel jacket I decided to put that time toward knocking this off the best I could.... I am pleased with my results! Fabric from Miami's Rex Fabrics for the top..... and ofcourse fabric for the jacket and skirt... I found a close to perfect match at walmart! Of all places! Add so hip chain belts and here is my knock off! I made the skirt longer than the original.... and no collar on the little jacket... lower neckline on the top... and a bit longer on it too.... I have several other Chanel outfits I want to knock off too... soon as I can find similar fabrics for them! I had fun with this outfit and fun wearing it! Next V8489.... I bought this fabric on a trip to Panama City, Panama. This was an easy pattern and I will use it again in the future. I added a personal touch to the dress but it didn't photograph at all... asymmetrical from shoulder across the waist and to bottom I hand beaded swarvoski crys...

As you all can see I've been messing around with my blog templete and such..... and lost my blog roll!!!! amoung other things!!! I'll get all put back together though... I think this templete is cute though... love purple! I made and took pics of this dress about 2 months ago! I'm so far behind on blogging its ridiculous!!! But here is V8353 . A simple yet time consuming dress... time consuming because all around the waist are pleats! And I mean ALL around! Made from a beautiful stretch woven, black with lilac polka dots (wal mart $3 yd!!!! and this is nice stuff!!!)... and the lining/contrast fabric is a lilac linen (from moms stash! Free!!! whoohoo!) It completely opens in the front with buttons. I love full dress skirt like this. To go with it... I made a necklace and a bracelet....using strips or a floral chiffon (wal mart) velvet and organza ribbon.... topped off with swarovski AB crystals and a cross charm on the necklace. One of my 'goals' this year was to l...

A couple of weekends ago we took a little much needed get away to ATL for a night out and a Falcons game. I am so mad that I was holding my purse in front of the applique on my LBD (long black dress)!!! I finally get to wear it out for a night on the town! We had to much fun... this is the night before the game on Sunday. You'll remember in previous posts this applique took 4ever!!! for me to finish! I felt very "pretty" in this dress. I didn't carry the super tiny matching purse but wish I did now... it wouldn't have been in the way! I LOVE going to NFL games!! (not into college fb though!) Normally I'm a Titans fan... but learning to love the Falcons since I already love ATL.... and I love the GA Dome! What a great place to see a game and not worry about ALL the rain we get! Enter the FALCONS!!!!!!! The crowd was pretty fun (not like NHL games in ATL)... Titans fans are a bit more "lively" though!! lol! It was SO MUCH FUN to be there ... I did...