Handworks Crochet and then Some!

Been way to busy to post lately! I barely even check my emails!!!! The garden was in full producing swing a couple of weeks ago and is now starting to play out... and its very sad..... cause I love days when I gather this much food from our little backyard homestead! I'm especially proud of the cantaloupe! On the sewing side of things I've been doing mostly embroidery stuff, remaking clothes from thrift stores and such. But I did make this blue camo handbag/tote... and its my new favorite bag! Its made from a vintage McCalls 7270... The complete outside has pockets all around it.... and so does the inside!!! So many pockets! I can carry everything in here! Its actually a reversible bag but I used puppy fabric inside so I probably won't reverse it... maybe if I'm feeling silly. I used large grommets and glamour rings to hardware it up! I adore it.... and must make another one! Like I said before I've been doing tons of embroidery and refashions! These were high wa...

My Bald Man and I took a little trip on the holiday weekend to Tellico Plains.. now growing up in Athens, TN I have been to the falls and river up there often.. but Bald Man, after living in TN for over 20 yrs had never been!!! Ofcourse we had to take Pac, he loves a good road trip! This is at the overlook going up to Indian Boundary Lake ... Down by Tellico river... Bald Man just had to 'test' the water and see how cold it was... yeah.. its pretty cold,,, mountain rivers typically are. Bald River Falls.... I am the first to admit we do not take advantage of living so close to such a beautiful area... many beautiful natural areas are so close to us ! I mean, in K town... we are so close to the Smokies,,, not far from lots of North Carolina mountain lakes.... we really should get out more and explore close to home. I used to enjoy hiking a bit... but after almost stepping right on a huge copper head up in Coker Creek I stopped... that was 16 yrs ago. I think it may be time to...

Well, last weekend we had so much fun! So let me tell ya about it! It started off with Friday night. We went to the Golden Shisha ... The Bald Man proudly wearing the much needed new shirt I made him! The Fabric was from Gail K's in Atl. (and I have enough left over for a handbag!) I used the Islander pattern I always use for him... only took me like a day and a half to make it this time! Added a bible verse patch to the sleeve.. and check out the back... you see a good pic of the cheetah on it! Fitness and healthy eating plan... going very well. The pic on the right is me Friday June the 11th 2010! The pic on the right was me last summer June 6th 2009. 12 pounds heavier and a whole lot flabbier! And not near as healthy looking!!! The Bald Man even took last years pic from a down angle or else I would look bigger I'm sure! This was one of the tops in the mighty 'to be altered' pile! Which I am still working on! Below is a picture of the lovely Mia, the bellydancer at t...

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...

Super long post.... ready??? lol!! Self drafted bolero and Burda top 7742... simple top... made with a purple knit with metallic pinstripes (walmart)... Which would have been fine but... I decided the front pin stripes would look cool if I cover stitched them with some thick metallic decorative threads... it worked nicely and added something special to the top. I also chain stitched on the jacket, then sergered the edge with a metallic thread also. To achieve these looks all you have to do is put your decorative thread in the looper on your cover stitch. On the serger it goes in the upper looper.... Sheila over at sheilazcrochetz asked me about doing a tutorial on the technique but honestly ... if I do I'm afraid I would confuse everyone lol!!! Including myself!! So here's my source for cool serger and cover stitch stuff.... "Serger secrets" the book... easily found on ebay or half.com . I have used many decorative techniques from the this book. The projects in it ar...