Variation on a Theme...

I received a request for another CTR patch for a letterman jacket, this time in Black and Gold. And then another request for Red on White.   I think it turned out pretty sharp.  

I was asked to design a patch for a letterman jacket that represented achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.  I was so thrilled to do this, and very sad that I hand't thought about it when my own scouts were in high school.  Oh well!  The year in the middle of the patch is when the award was earned.

The Prom

 The dress is complete, the hair is styled.

 Matching bow tie

 waiting for her date to arrive

Trying something new

My skill set is with the sewing machine and thread.  My oldest daughter is a very talented with yarn, but me, not so much. But sometimes a gal just has to pull out the crochet hook!  Twice a year my church holds general conference.   It is a fabulous two days of listening to the prophet and leaders of the church.  I LOOOOOOVE General Conference. I have eight hours over two days to listen and learn.  I have found that if I keep my hands busy with some fiber arts, I listen a lot better.  Makes no sense I know, but if I have yarn in my lap, I am hearing everything.  So in October and in April, I will pick up my hook.  My youngest is going off to college in a few short weeks.  She is going where there will be snow and cold, it will shock her poor little Texas body, so this time I decided to try my hand at a hat.
I am not a big yarn fan, so this is actually a repurposed t-shirt. I cut the t-shirt into 1 inch strips, connected all of my ends, pulled them tight and rolled the ball.  I then used a size N crochet hook. That was a first for me using one so big.  I'm thinking the cap turned out fine, considering I had no idea what I was doing, and just kind of made it up as I went along.  Oh yeah, I must have started over 4 times, so the pulled jersey is very forgiving.  The hat reminds me of a 1920's flapper.
Chances are this will end up in a drawer, or on the floor of her closet, but for a few minutes, I believe she will actually wear it!

The next prom dress redo

Ignore the track tan... I needed a real body as a model!

Another prom dress makeover.   This one was a little different, it not only was strapless, but had a big gap in the back also.  
So the solution was as follows:   I took some of the very full underskirt and made it a straighter skirt.  Using the cut off fabric, I pleated a piece of fabric that almost matched the pleats on the bodice.  I then used a piece of cotton underneath, sewing the pleats down fabric to facing.  The back shoulders were made the same, without the pleats.    I secured the pleats with hand sewing.  I used a basic wedge shape for the front and the back shoulder pieces.  


As for the open area in the back, I simply made a "boob tube" using the rest of the satin and flesh colored swim suit lining.  It is worn underneath the dress.

Prom 2012, modest remodel

Once again, we have found that prom dress designers do not make dresses that are not sleeveless or backless.  Is there a shortage of fabric in America?  What is the deal with dressing our daughters in a little fabric as possible??  Regardless, my sweet child spent all of 20 minutes shopping for her prom dress. Bless her heart, she is a girl who takes after her mother in the shopping department.  Ok, she actually gave it 10 minutes more that I was comfortable with.  Oh well!   So this is what happens when you add a shoulder seam and a double cross over cap sleeve.  I think it's going to work!

Dang those are blurry pictures!  I promise good ones on the night of the actual dance!