Model Dogs

And by ~Model~ I don't mean perfect!

The Musical One was asked to knit four Steelers themed hats.

It just about killed JB to put one on his head.

But she consistentely used him as her fit model - which was good.

The stripes on each hat are all just slightly different.

While Beau & Lucy didn't like wearing them at all

I hear they were well received by the persons who ordered them.

Ruffles

In the middle of September Lori interviewed Lynne for National Sewing Month as a podcast through Sew Forth Now.  The theme was returning to sewing and one of the links Lori included was to Ruffle Fabric and a tutorial for making a ruffle skirt.   I immediately ordered both the silvery grey and a rich brown ruffle fabric. 

I thought the ruffles would run parallel to the selvedge, so I ordered 2 yards (needing enough to round my hips).  However, the ruffles run perpedicular to the selvedge so my 2 yards of each color was enough to make 4 knee length skirts - for adult women!  Of course it helps that one of the friends I made a ruffle skirt for is short - seriously - her skirt is 18" long verses mine at 26".

These are super easy to make, althought I'm not sure how to wear it.  (and honestly - posture?)  I'm not positive the sweater was the best choice, I think a belted button down might have been better.

While JB said it was just "Meh" it was fun to wear and I felt girly all day long.  So - do you have any styling tips?  How would you wear a ruffly skirt? 

Toil or Trouble

What is with my face whenever I have photos taken?  Anyway - yesterday I did nothing but putter and play in the studio and I had a great day indeed!  

I plugged my sewing machine for the first time since the retreat - the first weekend in October! 

I bought this cute Halloween print at a local quilt shop this past summer - it was on clearance and I think I paid about $10 for 3 yards.  How could I pass it up?  It hung out all summer - but really the window for wearing a skirt that says "bubble, bubble, toil & trouble" is pretty limited.  So, After cleaning up the studio and putting away the summer fabrics - I found the Carolyn skirt pattern and got to work.

I added 4" of length to the pattern pieces and it's just about perfect.  The entire skirt was sewn with black thread, and because it's a quirky I didn't put a lot of effort into finishing the inside.  I did fold the seams under and topstitch them to keep the fabric from fraying.

Here's a close up of the print? Isn't is cute? I can honestly say that most people I work with didn't notice it was Halloween themed.  You can also see in the close up - the seam topstitched with the black thread.  Which is really a seam finishing technique.

The one most thrilled with the skirt?  The neighbors 3 year old son.  While I was putting candy in his bowl, he was pointing out witches, cats and bats.  But he couldn't find any ghosts!