Monday, July 26, 2010

More Flowers!

Lucy needed a fancy party dress for a wedding this week.  Scott and Chelsea liked the lolly top dress from J Crew

Here's my version



Here are instructions for the chiffon flower:

  1.   Cut a strip of fabric 4" by 30"  (this is for a very little girl so make the strip longer and wider if you want a bigger flower)  Cut the flower on the cross grain or bias.




2.  Fold in half lengthwise and pin.  For a softer look don't press the edges.



3.  With fabric folded, taper both ends.



4.   Stitch a gathering stitch 5/8" from unfinished edge.



5.   Pull thread to gather.  TIP :  Always pull the bobbin thread when you gather.  It's easier!


6.   I zig zag along the raw edge just to keep it from fraying so much.  Start at one end and keeping the raw edges even, roll the entire piece up.



7.  Hold together tightly and take several stitches through the entire base of the flower.




8.  Add a pin to the back.  I sometimes cover the pin with ribbon to make it look nice.


9.  Finished product!

10.  I also made a small one for Lucy's hair!







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Monday, July 19, 2010

One Easter Dress finished (just a little late)!


Here's the dress I designed to go with the flower!


Monday, July 12, 2010

Flower Power!


Here's a cute and easy fabric flower to use on dresses, headbands, purses, etc.    I designed this one to go on a little dress-- who knows when the dress will be finished!



Here are the instructions:
First cut eight three inch squares

Fold each square in half and press


Stitch along both unfinished edges with a running stitch.  Stitch about 1/8" from the edge.


Pull the thread to gather the edges and tie a knot-- it should look like the picture below.  When you have all of the petals to this point you can serge or zig zag along the edge if you'd like.


Now sew all the petals together.  Five in one circle and three in the next.


Stack small circle on top of large and hand stitch together.

Cut a strip of contrasting fabric for the center of the flower.
2 1/2 inches by 8 inches

Stitch long side and top together and then turn right side out.


Tie a knot in center of the strip.  Tie another knot over the top of the first one.
Put the two ends of the knot through the hole of the flower with the knot on the right side.
Tack the knot in place and make sure no raw edges show from the front.   


On the back, open up the two ends and stitch in place.  Turn under the unfinished edge before stitching.  As you can see the back doesn't need to be beautiful!!!
Sew directly on to your project or sew a pin on the back.  I would suggest the pin for a project that will be washed often.

Here's another look at the finished project!

For some other cute flower ideas check out  The Domestic Diva


Monday, July 5, 2010

Old Treasures

I'm so glad that we drove out to Utah this year.  If we had flown I wouldn't have had room to bring home these beautiful old quilts!  Here are my new treasures:

A hand-quilted scrappy log cabin.  

                            Another hand quilted scrap quilt.  This pattern is called the Rail Fence.
                Below is my favorite.  It is a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt and is all hand pieced and quilted.
                                                         

These three quilts were made by my grandmother, Ima Willes.  Is it any wonder that I love quilting!!