Rubbermaid and Ruminations

Here I go again harping on organization.  Although, there are only a few times I really think about it.  One, when I'm in a bookstore and I page through the Where Women Create magazine and see these phenomenal work spaces that have everything in order (some even by color and type).  I'd like to go to these spaces when the cameras have all gone home to see what they really look like.

Two, when I need something out of my storage space and it's on the bottom of a big stack of Rubbermaid.  I must say though that's a lot better since I did my recent clean out.

And, finally, when a customer comes over unexpectedly and I'm in the middle of a project that looks like WWIII happened the night before.  Then I just lower my eyes and put my tail between my legs and mumble something mildly coherent like "you should have seen it before I cleaned it up!".

Now I'm pretty comfortable with my mess.  I think that's better than "sorry Ms. Customer, I couldn't finish your dress on time, I was cleaning" spiel.  I just meet them at the door downstairs with the finished product.

There they won't see one living room chair that holds two concert dresses that need to be hemmed, a blouse that needs to be altered, and a bag of black fleece that will become a new cover for a white pillow.

There are three jackets on the back of the other living room chair that need to be taken in while on the seat is the material for bright green polka dotted roman shades for a little girl's room.

On one ottoman there is a winter coat that I will reline and another winter coat that needs a hole repaired.  The other ottoman holds a bench that is getting recovered.

Moving on to my desk there are four dining rooms chairs waiting to get recovered (my next post unless I come up with something brilliant to say in the meantime).  I finished one today and that's on my coffee table.

Along with the chairs is a secret project that I will chronicle by next week.

Can't forget my shelves next to my storage room that have two cashmere sweaters waiting to be made into bears and a mock-up for a skirt that I copied waiting for the customer to bring some material.

A dining room seat is eagerly awaiting the morning light so that it can be added to the finished pile.

So now, instead of disorganization, I am grateful to see lots of different projects.   I see Job Security!

Behind Closed Doors

I had my day all planned out.  A consultation at nine a..m.; a few errands; and then back to my projects.  I wanted to set myself up for my upcoming deadlines so that I didn't need to run out and get the supplies I needed while I could have been working.

My original plan for the weekend was to straighten out the storage room but I decided that there were too many things I needed to get done and since it was behind a closed door--who would know.

There's been documentation that if you store things under your bed you won't get a good night's sleep.  That was remedied several months ago.  I don't know if dust bunnies count but true to their reputation they just keep multiplying so I'll just have to learn to sleep with them.  Others say that if you want to get your life straightened out, begin by organizing your bathroom.  Could this be true for that dreaded area behind the door.

I don't really pay attention to studies but tonight when I went into the storage room and wanted to slam the door and forget about it something made me straighten just one thing.  Then, I thought, what if I move this here?  

All of a sudden automatic pilot took over.  Several hours later the bins were organized, things I know for a fact that I'll never use are in a box ready to go to Goodwill and I even cleaned out the shelving in my workroom.

Even though a little voice in my head kept telling me to stop, you don't have time for this, I'm glad I ignored it.  I feel such a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.  There's no taunting coming from behind the door.  Now on to organizing my projects by deadline. 

I am seamstress, hear me roar!

Om

 

One little . . . two little . . . three little yoga cushions . . . . twelve little yoga cushions sitting on a bed.

My latest project.  I have a customer who is starting a new yoga class and couldn't find the shape of yoga cushions she needed so a friend recommended me.

The outside pillow is made from 100% cotton duck.  You'd think with a name like that the fabric would love water.  Not knowing the manufacturer's recommendations when I started the project I did my usual prewash.  Imagine my surprise when I pulled the six yards of material from the washing machine to discover a very wrinkled mess.  A LOT of ironing later I managed to tame the crumpled chaos. 

I started the cutting process and lo and behold I was three cushions short.  What!  I re-did my math to make sure I asked for the right amount of material.  Was I quacking up?  The next step to solving the mystery was to measure the fabric.  There was only five and a quarter yards out of the six I had requested.  Boy, that fabric store is going to hear from me!

There was a deadline so I trotted off to my usual fabric store and told them my tale of woe and they were as surprised as I was.  This time I watched the fabric being cut so there was no mistaking how much I purchased.   The fabric went right into the washer when I got home.  

This time I wasn't surprised at the wrinkled mess.  I was hoping for less shrinkage but alas the same thing happened.  Plus, there was a two inch shrinkage in the width.

At least I learned a lesson about this kind of fabric.  Luckily I had another customer who didn't want her cotton duck washed (this was a bright pink polka dot) or I would have had egg on my face.

This is the side front view.  It has a handy-dandy handle that covers a zipper so when you want to wash the outside it's easy to take off.

There's an inside pillow that's filled with buckwheat hulls.  They come from a company in North Carolina called It's Lagniappe (that's a little something extra for good measure) that creates employment for folks with special needs.   http://www.buckwheathull.com/

The inner pillow is made from a sheet I bought at Habitat for Humanity - reduce, reuse, recycle!

Namaste!

 

Beyond the Bedroom

Pillowcases have been used to make little girls dresses for at least 80 years.  They were born during at a time when nothing was thrown away and time was precious.  They're very simple to make and there's no end to the pillow case designs whether they're vintage or contemporary.


So, when a mother of one of Jack's classmates asked me to make some for her daughters I agreed.  Even though they've been a staple in children's clothing I never made one for my daughter or granddaughter and I wanted to give it a try.


Another little hitch, she didn't have pillowcases but some fabric that the girls just loved.  It reminds me of a vintage quilt.


Bear in mind that Alice, my dressmaking assistant, is a little big as a model but I think you'll get the idea.

Won't they be cute with their Easter bonnets and all the frills upon it?

A is For Apron

Even though I was an average student, I have a fondness for education.  Some of my happiest moments were spent in the downtown library where I cruised the shelves for hours at a time.  I beamed with pride when I got a bookworm stamp on my library card.

Watching my daughter and granddaughter devour books like candy makes my heart skip a beat.  My grandson doesn't read much yet but he does love to be read to.

So, when there's an auction to help raise money for education I try and contribute what I can.

Here are two aprons that I made for Emmanuel Episcopal Day School and their Family Night on April 27.

They're intended to be a his and hers set but they can be used separately.

Almost Makes Me Want to Do It Again

The operative word is almost!  I'll never say never because I don't look good with egg on my face or a foot in my mouth but this wedding dress was so beautiful it got me thinking for a second. 

I didn't make these dresses (the picture of the bridesmaid's dress is next); just did a some minor alterations.  Everyone who has seen them has fallen in love with how pretty they are so I thought I'd show them off in my blog.

Congratulations to the happy couple!!

Playing Hooky

Every once in a while I put my projects neatly to the side, clean my sewing machine, and sweep up the thread from the floor and take a weekend off.  I knew it wouldn't be a couple of lazy days when I drove up to Nashville to visit my sister but then I'm not ready for a rocking chair either.

After arriving on Friday evening we went to meet my sister's friend at one of my favorite Nashville restaurants called Fido.   They've been serving dinner for a few years and offer lots of farm to market food.  It tastes as good as it looks.  My sister had butternut squash ravioli with basil pesto sauce and her friend had a salmon dish.  I almost had the ravioli but the local burger was too tempting.  Now I not only crave that burger but I still dream about their homemade oatmeal with fresh fruit that I usually have for breakfast.

Still too early to leave for Vanderbilt's Great Performances we trotted next door to Hot and Cold--a new ice cream place next door to Fido.  Flavors include:   Sweet Potato with Torched Marshmallows; chocolate with chilies (this about blew my head off when I tasted it); a bourbon butter pecan; a lemon that really makes you pucker; and my choice a blackberry and cream.  Okay, I played it safe.

On to the evening's festivities.  An Afro Cuban band.  I can't say I enjoyed it.  I appreciated the talent but I'm not into jazz.    Hopefully I didn't embarrass myself in front of my sister and her friends with some hastily placed tissues sticking out of my ears. 

The following morning my sister made a wild mushroom bread pudding to take to a brunch with another one of her friends. This was followed by the annual Mule Day parade in Columbia, Tennessee.  There were huge mules, albino mules, decorated mules, miniature mules, mules from Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Georgia.  I don't think there were any mules left for miles around.  Two hours later I think I saw enough mules to last a lifetime; or, at least until next year's mule day.

After a short visit to my niece's for an open house of her Thirty-One Gifts business we readied for dinner at my second favorite Nashville restaurant--Sunset Grill.  More delicious food; short rib with sweet potato johnny cakes and greens; and trout for my sister.  No time for dessert because we were off to see Cats.

My sister and I have never seen it and thought that after thirty years maybe we should.  Again, I enjoyed the talent.  There were some amazing voices.  "Memory" was the only song I recognized but it was worth hearing it.  A twice in a lifetime experience--first and last.

Sunday I got a little rest.  My sister is training for a half marathon and also walks with a friend who is training for a marathon at the Grand Canyon.  Now I know I should have gone, and I certainly was invited, but I knew when to cut my losses.  Besides, I would still be working on finishing those 8.14 miles and they were done in a couple of hours.

What's better than a little pampering after a nice long walk?  A pedicure. 

With a few hours to go we did a little visiting until the family dinner at my niece's house.

Good food and a fun time.

To finish off the weekend my sister and I watched Anna and the King.  Good movie and quite different from the musical version.

Lest you think I totally forgot about sewing.  I got several wool sweaters and jackets to make purses out of.  Plus my oldest niece wants teddy bears made from two of her cashmere sweaters that the moths have taken a liking to.

An early reveille this morning and I'm ready to get back to business.  Prom's coming up and I have two projects for that.  Plus I have those wedding and bridesmaid dresses to finish.  Oh yes, calls are coming in from the Athens Choral Society from women who need help hemming their dresses.