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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Sewing Again

The sewing room is just the place to be these cold days and nights.  The skirted table sits over a heat vent.  Underneath the table is my basket of clothes waiting to be worked...



Dumperoo loves this warm cozy spot too and has made his bed under the sewing table inside the basket of clothes!  It's a job getting cat hair off every piece I pull out. :)

Opening a shop on Etsy has been on my mind. Maybe selling bonnets and handmade dolls. Actually, I'm a bit burned out with making all these things...














I need to get enthused and excited about a new project. There is way too much time for standing and staring out the window, wishing for warm gardening weather.

Now I cannot do the "altered couture" thing like Lynn.  You can see some of her work at http://www.amothersjournal.com Lynn simply has a natural talent for this.  She can turn almost any piece of clothing into a beautiful dress.

I have tried altering a couple of denim skirts, by sewing the bottom half of a ruffled skirt onto the bottom of a short denim skirt.  Easy! My only try at altering a dress is this...



This was an older long dress with a small neckline and cap sleeves.  I cut off the bottom of the dress and sewed it back, higher up on the dress making two layers with a lace ruffle around the seam.  Then I cut a deep neckline and then cut off the sleeves, making it like a jumper to wear over a long ruffled dress or skirt.  Every other piece of clothing in my collection to work with, I simply stand and stare at.  Not knowing where to begin

I love the old feminine ruffled dresses and pantaloons and have been wearing some of these outfits lately.  It's fun!  Thanks to Lynn's encouragement!

This reversible apron, finished this week, would be cute with pantaloons...



And this super feminine lacy apron I made to wear with pantaloons...




It has been fun putting together some old fashioned outfits.  Plus, the clothes look pretty hanging in the old wardrobe in the sewing room.  I suppose I need to keep using a pattern.  :)

Thank you for visiting.

Love,
Henny Penny







20 comments:

  1. Hey, I am so bored! I need a new project to but I don't know what I want to do. I want to make a Valentine wreath need to get started on that. I have thought about bringing in my grapevine tree and making a valentine tree. I might just do that, If I do I will write a blog about it and share!

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  2. That valentine tree sounds fun. Do put it on your blog. That is, if you get started on it. I hate going out for anything. It is so cold! Days like this make me want to eat, but then I want eat less. I love that last quote on your blog!!

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  3. Your sewing projects are so pretty. They make me want to drag out my machine. :-) And I am totally with you on the Christmas eating bonanza. It is so hard to stop once that fat and sugar gets flowing through you. Thank you for visiting my blog today!

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    1. Thank you and I appreciate your following my blog. By the way, I like your hair style. I love curls! :) I am still trying to stop all this eating!

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  4. What clever ideas you have. And like your other readers, they make me want to dig out my sewing machine. I have a crazy quilt that I cut pieces out for years ago. Unfortunately, my sewing area in the basement is currently filled up with stuff from the other side of the basement. We have a laundry room being created and I'm really looking forward to it. And I'm sure it will be the material for another blog post in a few days.

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    1. Thank you! I can't wait to see and hear about your new laundry room. I love projects like that. A crazy quilt sounds like fun. Quilts do take a lot of patience and time. Having the all the pieces cut out is a good start.

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  5. Henny, your dolls are adorable and individual, I'm sure you could sell some onEtsy - go for it !
    My problem with stocking up my shop is time - I need a 36 hour day here.

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    1. Thank you Wean. I am a little nervous about getting started. You know I am not much of a computer person...always doing something weird...hitting the wrong keys! :) Lynn will help, I'm sure..

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  6. I'm more crofter than crafter...I wish I could sew..I wish I could knit and crochet,but I can't so I'll enjoy what others can do!
    Jane x
    PS I'm good at clearing snow!

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    1. Jane, you always make me smile. There are so many things I would love to know how to do. I never had the patience to sew until I retired. I thought I would never learn to make an old fashioned bonnet!

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  7. Your clothes are cute! That first little apron is darling. I love the hats too, but I can see that after you've made a few of any one thing then you would want to do something else at least for awhile.

    I have gone to Lynn's blog and I love what she does with those clothes. I have several dresses that I never wear but just love the material in them and always think as I debate whether to give them away, "Oh I'm sure that I could do something with these if only with the material in them." Unfortunately I never get beyond that thought! Something else that either needs to be done or that I want to do always pops up and siphons off my time and energy.

    Victoria in Indiana

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    1. Thank you! If I had kept count of the number of bonnets and aprons made in my little sewing room since 1999, it would shock even me. They don't sell so good now. I think everybody in this county must own one. Of course, now you can buy a pretty apron at Walmart for 9.99...made in China! :)

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  8. Thanks for visiting my blog. I had to come see what you are all about. I realized yesterday that I have not had my sewing machine out since last spring. This may not be a sewing year for me, but then you never know. My eight year old granddaughter announced last April that she no longer needed fancy dresses. She would be accessorizing her jeans form now on. Oh, dear. End of an era, and a reason to sew.
    I don't have the gift of alteration either, but then I live in jeans and tee shirts. No lace and ruffles in sight. Love the dolls.

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    1. And, thank you for visiting. I sat here last night for an hour or more enjoying reading your back posts. Your beautifully set table at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and all your decorations. I felt like I had spent Christmas at your house! Love your pictures!

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  9. I love the ladies or girls hats and that bride doll is lovely. I think it takes awhile to do the Etsy thing. I had one for awhile and sold nothing but then I just had cards and carvings:)

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    1. Thank you! I am not much of a computer person and not sure I want to learn all about Etsy. Seems like cards and carvings would have sold. I'll bet those Santas you made this year would sell. Wouldn't that be a full time job!!

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  10. Henny, you will have no trouble managing Etsy - you manage this blog so well, Etsy will present no problems for you at all.
    If anything, I find listing things on Etsy a little tedious - but don't let that put you off ! your dolls and bonnets will be a refreshing addition to Etsy.

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  11. I appreciate the encouragement. I am thinking about it. :)

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  12. Replies
    1. Janet, thank you. Really I am not that good at sewing. Just determined to learn to make something when I retired.

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