Let Us Do Good ~ Making Face Masks

I've mentioned that I'm training myself to be more aware of God's graces flowing through the present moment. This present moment being the Covid-19 pandemic that we find ourselves in. I've also been wondering how I might be an agent of God's grace to others during this challenging time. 

I've been reminded that God tells us through the Apostle Paul, "So then, while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10). What good could I do for those in my own local body of faith while we're apart and not able to gather together? Our leaders have reminded us to keep in touch with one another, to call, to text or email, to pray for one another, to join in virtual gatherings during the week. 

As I was making face masks for My Beloved and other family members, the thought occurred to me that I could make some for those in our church family who don't sew and otherwise would have to purchase them from places like Etsy. I have stacks and stacks of cotton fabric, so I've made several and will make more as long as I have elastic or similar substitute. Presently I've run out of elastic. Elastic is a hot item right now from everyplace online that I've checked, so it's back ordered. Thanks to a friend's donation in the meantime, I've found that girls' hair elastics are working rather well. 

Days filled with doing good for others are, indeed, good days. Busy hands are fruitful hands. 

She works with her hands in delight.  

Proverbs 31:13

In the Sewing Room ~ Dolly and Me Dresses

When our little Anna (age 5 then) was visiting with us a few months ago, she came out of the sewing room with two pieces of fabric and asked me to make her a dress. She had chosen the fabric she wanted for the top and the one she wanted for the skirt. How could I resist?

Of course there's not much time for serious sewing while the grands are visiting, but I told Anna that I would have the dress ready for her when she visited the next time. So in anticipation of their expected visit next week, I made her dress adding a third fabric for the lining and at the waist to visually tie her two chosen fabrics together. Added a little embellishment and made a matching dolly dress. Just need to hem it when I see how much she's grown between visits. The kiddos are always inches taller with each visit!

Even though we have to postpone getting the grands for a few weeks now (distance is no friend to families), I know Anna will love the dress when she comes in a few weeks. Anna has dress love. Can't wait to see her in it!

From the Sewing Room ~ Kaleidoscopes

Not much has been happening in the sewing room for awhile since I've been taking some online courses that keep me pretty busy, but I did finish a project today that I had hoped to have done earlier in the week so I could gift them. Still going to do that, just a bit belated.

These are potholders done in a kaleidoscope design. I fell in love with kaleidoscopes a few years ago when I was studying Psalm 119 and came across something that Charles Spurgeon had written. It ties together my interest in quilting and my love for God's Word. The triangle sections that form the octagon in each potholder are from the same piece of fabric, carefully planned and cut. Just as the mirrors in a kaleidoscope reflect an image, each triangle in the kaleidoscope quilt block reflects color and pattern to create a unique design. Such is Psalm 119.

Psalm 119—A Kaleidoscope of God’s Word

This psalm is a wonderful composition. It deals all along with one subject only; but although it consists of a considerable number of verses, some of which are very similar to others, yet throughout its one hundred and seventy-six stanzas the self-same thought is not repeated: there is always a shade of difference, even when the colour of the thought appears to be the same. Some have said that in it there is an absence of variety; but that is merely the observation of those who have not studied it. Its variety is that of a kaleidoscope.

In the kaleidoscope you look once, and there is a strangely beautiful form: you shift the glass a very little, and another shape, equally delicate and beautiful, is before your eyes. So it is here. What you see is the same, and yet never the same: it is the same truth, but it is always placed in a new light, put in a new connection, or in some way or other invested with freshness.

~ Charles H. Spurgeon

PS~To see a few other kaleidoscopes that I've done, just click the image above.

Weekend Daybook

Outside My Window...
We've had a few snowflakes fluttering in the air the past couple of days. I miss the beauty of the new-fallen snow in West Virginia where we used to live.

Around the House...
I finally got the Christmas things put away and re-organized their corner of the attic. I left this guy out for awhile on the front door. For a few days, he's felt at home. Brrr!! It's cold outside!
 



















In the Sewing Room...
I tried another pattern for a little girl's dress, but it's not a pattern that I especially like working with. I didn't want the elasticized sleeves that the pattern called for, so I changed them. (They look a little crooked in the photo, but it's just how the dress is hanging.) It has three pleats at the neck edge, with binding around the neck. Finished the rickrack around that sleeves yesterday, and just need to add a button. I doubt tat I'll make another from this pattern.

 



















Thankful for...
Funerals and memorial services that turn our focus to the Giver of Life and remind us that those who know Jesus pass from this life into His forever kingdom.  

Noticing the sound of...
Beautiful music as two young grandsons played the violin and piano at their grandpa's memorial service today. They will miss his love and encouragement. 

Brought a smile...
The young brothers playing so tenderly. 

Pondering...
Continuing to read through Romans and stopping to ponder 8:16-18, where the Apostle Paul speaks of our "suffering with Him [Christ], in order that we may also be glorified with Him." His suffering was more than physical, as awful as that was. He also suffered emotionally with rejection and hatred, and He told His followers that we would be hated and rejected, too, simply because we follow Him and His way of living. Yet, the suffering we experience while here on earth will enable us to be glorified with Him when we are in His presence. 

Thinking...
I hope we or someone finds My Beloved's wedding ring. He lost it yesterday, and we've searched high and low in the house and retraced errands where it may have come off when he pulled his glove off his hand. An arthritic knuckle made it impossible to get off a few years ago, so he had it cut off, resized, and although it now fits over the knuckle, it can sometimes be loose on his finger. When the knuckle isn't swollen, the ring is more easily removed, and he thinks he must have pulled it off with his glove when he was running errands. This is the second ring he has had. It's just like the first that he cut off himself about the second or third year we were married. He had his car jacked up changing a tire, and when it slipped, he tried to steady the jack and caught his hand between the jack and the car. We still had that ring with our memorabilia, so he took it today to a jeweler to see if it could somehow be refurbished. It can.

Looking forward to...
Beginning some counseling classes. I should get the student link next week, and I'm hoping to complete the coursework within a couple of years, sometime before I'm 70. ;-)

Learning...
To just do it. I wondered if it was a bit late in life for me to do something like working toward another degree, but I felt the same way the previous time. I know that I don't recall things as easily as in the past, but I will just be faithful and see what God will do. And pray like crazy!

Reading...
 
I agree with Ruth...

"If you fear growing old — or the notion of it simply seems distasteful or immaterial to you — be assured that ignoring or resisting it will in no way delay its onset.  In fact, the more you try to disregard or suppress or belittle it, perhaps the more likely it is to shock and upset you when it arrives, whether that's a few short years from now or decades down the road. How much wiser to approach it with eyes and arms and heart wide open, with a healthy, broadly informed sense of expectancy instead of a dark and narrow dread."

- Ruth Myers
31 Days of Encouragement as We Grow Older

Weekend Daybook

Outside My Window...

Our neighbors are moving, so we thought now is a good time to put up a few sections of privacy fence. We've been here a year and a half and have great neighbors at present, but our backyard is adjacent to both neighbors' front yards and driveways. We hope to do a planting on the other side soon for a little more natural look. Looking forward to some quiet time on the back porch.

Thankful...

For great neighbors. We've had wonderful neighbors all through the years. You never know when you move into a neighborhood how the neighbors might be, or when someone new moves in. 

Noticing the sound of...

My Beloved working on the front doorbell. Been hearing about intruders forcing their way in when the front door is opened, so we're installing a doorbell camera.

Pondering...
Remembering when people were more honest and moral when Christianity was taught in the schools and was part of America's culture and way of thinking. Today's millenials have no idea what a nation's life is like when lived in a Christian context. Sad to say, coming generations probably won't either.

Brought a smile...
Overheard a grandmother talking with her two young granddaughters at lunch today. They were planning to go to the Botanical Gardens. Such a sweet conversation.

Looking forward to...
Meeting our daughters and their families soon at a cabin in the Kentucky mountains.

Thinking...
That reading is a good thing in that it broadens our horizons and gives us new thoughts to ponder. But I listened to a podcast this week on using the library with children and was reminded that it's so very important to be discerning in what we allow them to read. I know it's just as important for us adults to be discerning in what we read as well. My Beloved and I went to our city library's huge book sale today, and seeing the boxes of books that people were carrying out made me wonder how discerning they were being in what they had chosen. Fiction, especially, is reflective of pop culture. It shapes our thinking and normalizes the author's philosophy of life. There's much in our culture today that is anti-God, immoral, and demoralizing. I think we would do well to be more discerning in what we allow to shape our thinking.

Around the house...

Just a simple touch, but I added a small bouquet that I got on clearance for next to nothing to the bathroom vanity. Our little Anna calls this the "fancy bathroom." That's the one she always wants to go to and take a bath in our big garden tub. She's a fancy sort of little girl. :-)  Elijah prefers the bathroom with the cabin wall quilt. Good memories.







In the kitchen...
My mother asked for a bean recipe that I had served not long ago when they were over for supper. Sharing it with you today as well.

Apple Bean Pot  from Fix It and Forget It
Slow Cooker Recipe (Makes 12 servings)

Mix the following together in slow cooker.
Low 3-4 hours, then High 30 minutes

53-oz. can baked beans, well drained
1 large onion, chopped
3 tart apples, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup ketchup or barbeque sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed brown suger
1 pkg. ham chunks

Learning...
To make 18-inch doll clothes with flat seam construction. So much easier!

The fruit of my hands...

I had some extra fabric from one of the little dresses I had made, so I made an 18-inch doll dress to match. Going to make one for my little Anna to match the dress I had made her recently.














Reading...

I found this book for $1.00 on the clearance table at our local bookstore. I've just begun to read it, and it is delightful.

From the back of the book cover...
From her published books, many now out of print, the former Archbishop of York and Lady Blanch present their personal selection of prose and poetry, prefaced by a reminiscence of this remarkable woman who all her life learned of God and shared this with others.

Tutorial ~ Rosettes For A Little Girl's Dress

Finished another little dress this week and added a little rosette to this one. Thought I'd share a simple tutorial with you if you know a little girl who'd like a little rosette to match her favorite dress. Or you can make one to wear in her hair as well. They're so simple you might just not be able to stop making them! If you're familiar with making yoyos, it's pretty much the same thing.

For the 2-inch rosette I made, I began with a little larger than 4-inch square of fabric, and cut out a circle. I used a CD, which was the perfect size for my rosette. If you want to make different sizes, a good rule of thumb is to cut a circle twice the diameter of what you want your rosette to be.

Using a strong thread or doubled thread, turn under about a 1/4 inch and use a large running stitch (about 3/8-inch or so) to sew around the circle. The secret to a tight center in the rosette is the large stitches. The first time I made a rosette, I had to start over because my stitches were too small. Be sure to make a substantial knot so it won't slip through the fabric as you pull up the gathers.

Stitch all around the circle, turning under the edge and gathering as you go.

When you arrive back to where you began, adjust the gathers to your liking and put the needle and in and out through the back a couple of times to secure the stitching and knot or tack off.

I like to use a button with a shank, but you can use any button you like. The shank button fits nicely into the circle of the rosette.

Just sew the button in the center of the rosette, and voila! There's your little rosette.

 

I used a pin to attach the rosette to the dress so it can removed for laundering. To use it in the hair, simply sew a little hair clip to the back of the rosette instead.

I made the black one to match the piping on the neckline of the dress, but they're especially pretty and cute in bright little prints and solids. These were made from the same multi-colored fabric. Add a button or leave them as they are. Add a pin or a little hair clip, and there you go!

You can use yoyos lots of ways. Click here for some yoyo inspiration!

Happy Sewing!

From the Sewing Room ~ Ironing

I haven't been in the sewing room much lately, but I wanted to show you a few items that are helpful when I'm making the little girl dresses or when I'm doing some quilt blocks or applique.

The Mighty Mini Board and the Clover Mini Iron

The Mini Board lets me iron little dress sections and get a nice finish. 

It's a good size for children's armholes or sleeves.

The Mini Iron lets me get into and around areas like buttons or embellishments more easily than a regular iron does. It's also great for getting into the gathers of the skirt itself so they don't just get mashed flat.

The Mini Iron comes with a rest, 

but I usually just let it rest off the edge of the ironing board.

There's another version of the Mini Iron that comes with additional attachments.

I also find a small travel iron to be useful with smaller areas as well, whether it's ironing the little girl dresses, or when I'm making quilt blocks. 

Mine is a Steamfast Home Away Steam Iron.

Well, that's a few items that help the little girl dresses that I'm making iron up nicely.

I hope you have a few things that let your creative side flow a little smoother, too!

 

From the Sewing Room ~ Anna's Dress

I haven't been in the sewing room much lately, but I did make our little Anna a special springtime dress. She wore it when we went to do a little shopping. I was looking for some flowers, and she chose some to take home to her mommy, too. She is a delightful little shopper, and I so much enjoy our times out together.

The dress is the same style I've been making for the other dresses for my maybe-someday-Etsy-shop, but I know Anna especially likes princessy dresses, so I added a chiffon overlay to the skirt. The fabric is actually a piece that I've had for many years. I had purchased it to make her mommy a skirt back when she was in college, but didn't get to it. She had picked out the fabric with scattered tulips back then, so I thought it would be extra special to use it for Anna's dress.

I added lace to the chiffon hem, added a dotted pink waistband and matching piping at the neck. The bodice is lined, and the back closure is matching pink dot loops for little white flower buttons.

I hope you've had the opportunity to enjoy your creative side a bit lately.... or have enjoyed some special moments with your grandchildren. Grandparents are truly blessed!

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged.

Proverbs 17:6

From the Sewing Room ~ Little Girl Dresses

I've finished a few more dresses since I last posted a picture, so thought I'd show one today. I'm enjoying working with my fabric stash that I had collected for quilt making. I haven't gone away from quilts for little ones, but I've been spending more time the past few months pulling pieces that I think would make cute little girls' dresses. Some day I may open an Etsy shop, but for now I'm just enjoying the process and stocking the closet in my spare time.

One of my goals in making dresses is to also make some for our church's next mission trip. So for each Etsy dress that I make, I'm also making a dress for a little girl over there, one that will do her for awhile as she grows. That one is on the left. Trying to be a good steward of my abilities, time, and resources as well as being involved in promoting the gospel. Maybe someday I'll be able to meet some of the little girls that have worn my dresses. :-) I do pray that they are Heaven bound. I had posted about the "Dress A Girl Around the World" campaign a few years ago that touched my heart and got me involved.

The one for the someday-Etsy shop (unless I find a local boutique) has a bound neckline and armholes with the same fabric as the lining and a little self-fabric bow and a button that matches the buttons on the back. I found a clearance sale on buttons yesterday at JoAnn's, so I stocked up—yay!!

God has given us all something we can do for the here and now and for the everlasting. I do hope you are enjoying both, dear one, and laying up treasures that are eternal.

From the Sewing Room ~ Little Girl Dresses

I've had more time to be in the sewing room this week. Showing one of the dresses I've made for my thinking-about-it Etsy shop in a few (several) months down the road. I enjoy working with fabric, the tactile feel of it, the combination of colors, and the design work. Each dress will be unique as I whittle away at my fabric stash. I'm mostly using 100% cotton that I've purchased from quilt fabric shops that I love to frequent. Each shop has a character of its own, and I like supporting small business owners.

As a start, I'm making a couple of dresses in each size for each basic style, probably focusing on sizes 3-10. I'm wanting to learn more about designing my own patterns, but for now this is a basic pattern for cutting the bodice. The directions with the pattern were too convoluted, anyway, so I just construct it more to what seems simpler to the way I think about it.

This particular dress is a size 8 classic style with gathered skirt, and I've embellished the front with a ruffle, some cotton lace, and matching buttons. The fabric is a Windham floral for the skirt and Andover mini floral tonal for the bodice. The bodice is lined with the same fabric and the skirt seams are serged, so all seams are enclosed.

The back closure is formed with self-fabric loops and buttons that match the front.

Something else I'm going to have to learn is how to take better pictures. I've signed up for a Crafty class on Product Photography, and hopefully, I'll learn how to do that before I launch. Or else I'll think about contacting a children's boutique shop here in the area and forget the photos and all the description that goes into selling on Etsy. I don't really want to put a lot of time into that aspect of it.

I hope you're enjoying doing something from your creative side, too. Being made in God's image in part means that we all have a touch of creativity simmering inside us. I don't have much, but I'm enjoying the modest measure that He endowed me with. Some of you can really shine, though! You inspire the rest of us toward new ideas. But as King Solomon once said, "There's nothing new under the sun." We all just tweak each others' ideas. So tweak on, dear one!

From the Sewing Room ~ Striped Table Runner

Showing a table runner that I made from scraps left from another project. I also save any left over batting that would be long and wide enough for a table runner, so this is a simple project for very little cost.

I just cut varying width strips and sewed them together with 1/4-inch seam, alternating white with color. Some of them I wanted really narrow, so I took a deeper seam on some of the strips, which also made them easier to work with. Then I trimmed those seams to 1/4 inch and ironed all of the seams in the same direction. With so many seams, ironing in the same direction helps the runner to lay flatter. Colors are basically aqua/teal and white. Backing is white, and it's also bound in white to keep the stripes accented.

I simply stitched in the ditch, again to accent the stripes, and called it finished. I hand quilted this table runner because hand stitching is relaxing for me in the evenings, but machine stitching in the ditch would make it much faster. With hand quilting, though, I can sit and stitch and enjoy being near my Beloved as a bonus.  :-)

From the Sewing Room ~ Flannel Sheets for Anna

Finished the bed sheets today for our little Anna. It's cold up north this time of the year, and she had asked her mommy for some flannel sheets. Since those are hard to find for her toddler-sized bed, Elizabeth asked if I could make them for her. I was happy to do that, of course! A labor of love!

I had made crib sheets when Anna was younger, so I just adjusted the size a bit and followed the tutorial I had done back then. The bottom sheet has scattered hearts. The top sheet is a pink and white pin stripe, and the pillowcase matches both sheets.

If you'd like to make sheets for your little one, just click on the image and it will take you to the tutorial.

Thinking about our Anna as she snuggles in the for the night.
Sweet dreams, my dear little one!

From the Sewing Room - Hagrid's Quilt

I had shown in an earlier post that I was working on a quilt for my daughter who is fixing her sitting room / office like Hagrid's Hut. When I saw an interior photo online of his hut, a quilt thrown across the chair caught my eye. I knew my daughter would love to have it, so I started figuring out a pattern for it right away so I could give it to her for Christmas. It's all scrappy with variety-sized pieces, which took more construction time than I thought it would. I hand quilted big stitches using pearl cotton thread with a cross hatch quilting design. I'm almost finished--just a bit of binding left to sew down. I hope she sees the resemblance!

From the Sewing Room ~ Hagrid's Quilt

My daughter has taken a liking to Hagrid's Hut. She's in the process of decorating a sitting room like that. She found a similar chair on Craig's list, a lantern on Etsy, a few other items here and there, and is on the hunt for adding little touches every now and then to bring it together.

I googled pictures of Hagrid's Hut to see what she's going for (to each his own!), and my eye caught the quilt thrown across his chair. Upon closer examination, I see that it's all scrappy and mis-matched--I suppose as a mid-sized giant who lives in a hut in the forest would have it. I thought it would be a nice surprise if I made a similar one for her.

The mis-matching took much more time than if I could have worked with strip sets, but I wanted it to resemble Hagrid's quilt as much as I could manage from the pictures. It doesn't look like much yet, but I've finished the center portion of the quilt so far. Some washing and putting it in the sun to fade will help bring about the "look."

When she came to pick up the kiddos after their visit with us, she was talking about her Hagrid room. In the conversation, she mentioned the quilt--that someday she may have the time to make it. Although I had intended to surprise her with it, I couldn't contain myself and showed it to her. She was elated! As I finish working on it, I know it will be excitedly received. Joy to a quilter's heart!