And The Winners Are....

What a great response I had to the Sew News magazine give away. It seems that many of you are especially interested in the "Fitting The Aging Body" article by Joi Mahon.  

A little side story. I had a wonderful friend who sadly passed away a few years ago. She was considerably older than me, but we had so much in common. When she was in her 80's, she one day shared that she wasn't remembering things the way she did when she was in her 20's. My reply was that when she was in her 20's, she didn't have as much to remember :) My comment really made her feel so much better. 

So in the same vein, I don't like the "aging body" label in the article. The thing is, from the moment we're born, we're aging. There's no magical moment when we are not aging and then suddenly we are. What I prefer is simply the ever changing body. And that's all that it is. As long as we are blessed to be alive, we are changing, mind, body, and soul :)

Okay, so get off my soapbox :), and announce the winners!!!

The winners of the Sew News August/September issue are....

Kristine Balinski

Sew Do U Quilt

Cyndy

Congratulations!!!
Be sure to email me at sewbussted@yahoo.com with your mailing info so I can get your magazines off to you.

In case you missed yesterday's post, I'm so fortunate to be able to offer another give away, the Evelyn Handbag and Market Tote pattern from Swoon Patterns. If you would like a chance to win, be sure to pop over to THIS post and leave a comment. 

Have a wonderful day! I'm off to give a sewing lesson to our student that we are hosting this week.She's super excited :) I'm so happy!

It's A Lollapalooza Kind Of A Week!

Today is actually the kickoff of the huge Lollapalooza concert extravaganza here in Chicago. If I'm not mistaken, I think they said that there will be over 100,000 attending the concert and tickets are completely sold out. It's kind of a Woodstock experience for those of you old enough to know what Woodstock was ;) I will not be attending. Huge outdoor concerts where anything can happen is just a little more than I can deal with. 

So what's the connection with the blog today? Well, nothing really, but it's a crazy giveaway week!!!

Quite a few have thrown their name in to win a copy of the brand new issue of Sew News magazine. I'm drawing the winning names tomorrow, so be sure to pop over to THIS post if you would like an opportunity to win 1 on the 3 magazines that I have to give away.

In the new issue of Sew News, you can also see the Swoon Patterns Stella Weekender Bag that I made for the upcoming sew along that will begin in September. 

When I initially contacted Alicia, the designer of Swoon Patterns, about her bag being considered for a sew along article, she was SOOO excited. Rather than send me just the pattern for the Stella Weekender Bag, she sent 2 others that she thought I might like. The first is the Evelyn Handbag and Market Tote.

There are 2 bag sizes included in the pattern. Here are the specifics of the pattern and the supply list.

Product Description

SIZING / FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:

Handbag: 12″ wide, 10.5″ tall, 4.5″ deep
Market Tote: 15″ wide, 13.5″ tall, 5.75″ deep

MATERIALS:

• 1 yard 44” wide quilting weight exterior fabric (1/2 yard for Handbag size)
• 1 1/2 yards 44” wide quilting weight lining fabric (1 yard for Handbag size)
• 1/2 yard foam interfacing (Soft & Stable, or 1 1/2 yards Pellon Flex-Foam)
  You can use Pellon Thermolam and Shape-flex SF101 in place of foam interfacing
• 3 yards fusible woven interfacing (2 yards for Handbag size) (Pellon Shapeflex SF101)
• 1/4 yard fusible stiff stabilizer (Pellon Peltex 71F)
• 16” (or longer) handbag zipper (14” for Handbag size)
• 9″ all purpose zipper (7″ for Handbag size)
• Four 1 1/2” rectangle rings (1” for Handbag size)
• Coordinating thread
• Erasable marking pen
• Fabric glue, optional (Beacon Fabri-Tac)

Now for the good news!!! Alicia would like to give away an Evelyn Bag pattern to one of you. How generous!

So just leave a message on this post and let me know that you would like to be considered. I will draw the winning name next Monday, August 1, 2016. 

I'll have my construction of the bag up on the blog next week, so you can take a look prior to making your own.  

Good Luck!

I'm Coming Out Of Retirement, Wedding Gown Retirement That Is!

I've designed and made more wedding gowns than I can count! Working with brides was such a wonderful experience. Many have asked me how I could deal with so many brides. As it turns out, the brides were great, the bridesmaids were a different story. I had one bridesmaid who was especially difficult. At one point I said, "your title in this wedding is bridesmaid, and the emphasis is on maid and not bride." The bride later told me who grateful she was that I spoke up. 

I loved being a part of such a special day. More often than not, I would at least see them down the aisle. What a joy it was to spread out their train, open the doors and see them take that first step toward a new future. After twelve years, I realized that I either needed to expand my business, or close my door. At the time, my husband really needed me to take over his responsibility in our family business, so the decision was easy. 

My niece is getting married in October. Now the truth of the matter is that she is really not my niece, a family member, but really quite removed. She's the granddaughter to my husband's brother-in-law's sister. How's that for a brain teaser?!! She's held a special place in my heart since she was just a little girl. When she was 8 years old, she told me that she wanted to one day live in my house. I think we are kindred spirits. She like me has a deep respect for family heirlooms and antiques in general. 

When she told me that she was getting married, I could not have been more excited than if she were my own daughter. She wasn't sure about her dress, but she did want me to create it.

A few weeks ago, we visited to a small bridal shop in a quaint little town outside of Chicago. My husband had taken me the week before to visit a few antique stores. While we were there I just happened to look through the window of a bridal shop and saw a gown that I thought my niece might like. As it turned out, she did not like the dress, but we found a style that was amazing on her. 

The back is so pretty. 

She doesn't want a train, and no beaded details, just sleek and sophisticated. She would also like the dress to be a non-traditional color, maybe a deep blue. She has a set of antique jewelry pieces that belonged to her grandmother who sadly passed away a few years ago. She would really like to wear the pieces and they will look especially rich against a darker color.

I'll be getting started on the gown next week. I'm so excited to be doing this for her. I feel so honored in so many ways. And this time, you'll get to take the creating a gown journey with me :)      

Sunday Night Reflections

Suffering has value. We avoid it at all costs, and we would never want to go back and repeat it. But, it does have value. It's a part of life, and no one gets through life without suffering. No one. 

The question is, what do you allow it to do in you? You can allow that suffering to make you bitter, angry, to eat away at your soul, Or you can look for the deeper meaning, the lesson to be learned. In the end, you get to keep the lessons and the pain goes away. 
                                                                                                       David McIntyre   

The New Issue of Sew News Magazine and Your Chance To Win a Copy!

Happy Sunday Everyone!

I usually do a recipe post on Sunday, but I thought that rather than wait, I would get the ball rolling on the new August/September issue of Sew News Magazine. I do have a sew along post included in the magazine, but it won't begin until September, so again, I wanted you to be able to begin to enjoy the magazine now. There are a number of great articles and a fun, free pattern too, so let's take a look...

There's a great article on fitting the aging figure from Joi Mahon. 

We all want our garments to be beautifully finished. This article covers seam finishes as well as hemming. 

So many of you enjoyed the Magic Bias dress from Fashion In Harmony. With this article you'll continue to expand your knowledge of working with bias cut garments. You can find the pattern for the Bias Cowl Top HERE.   

Through September 30, 2016, this fabulous Messenger Bag pattern is FREE!!! What a great back to school gift this would make. You can download the free pattern HERE.

And finally, the featured sew along that I will be doing, a fabulous bag from Swoon Patterns. If you've never heard of Swoon Patterns, you are in for a treat. So many great bag patterns.  This is the Stella Weekender Bag. The picture doesn't really do the bag justice. I'll do another post soon and go over the details of the bag and give you a better idea of the size. It has a little of the old fashioned train case feel, kinda sorta. 

Now for the best part...

I have 3 magazines to give away!!!

If you would like a chance to win, just leave a message on this post. I'll announce the winners on Friday, July 29, 2016.

I've given you just a sampling of the articles that are in the magazine, so I know that whoever wins is going to be in for some great summer reading :)

Good Luck!!!
Rhonda

Can You Help Out a Fellow Sewist?

While scrolling through and discovering Sue's Sew By Me blog for yesterday's Wednesday Showcase, I came across this super cute dress that she made. The fabric is pretty sensational too.

I received this message from Ernie K Designs,

"I had that rayon Mondrian fabric and used it to make my sister a shirt. I wish I had more. If anyone knows where more could be found, I would be a happy gal."

If anyone has a link, or knows of a store that is carrying the fabric, just leave a message here and I'll make sure that she gets the message.

Thanks so much!

The Wednesday Showcase

Before I head out to my garden, I thought I would do a Wednesday Showcase post. I always enjoy doing the posts, but I think I'm also procrastinating a bit, as I really need to get back to my garden and finish the project I started yesterday. I've been a sweaty and dirty mess for days and I'm longing for a break. That will come tomorrow and Friday as it's supposed especially hot, so a little break is in order.

First up is Sue of Sue's Sew By Me. She lives in Australia and she began sewing as a teenager, when like so many of us who sew, she longed for the latest styles and sadly didn't have the funds to purchase them. While her children were growing up, sewing took a back seat, but now she is back with a vengeance!!!

She created this dress to wear to a wedding. Such a wonderful use of a border print, and so very elegant.

Sue enjoys wearing artful pieces and making the best use of the fabric.  Another great use of a border print with this rectangular top.

Love this Marcy Tilton top in the gauzy fabric. I may just have to break down and buy the pattern!

I absolutely love this dress. Sue liked the nod to the Mondrian look of the fabric print. I think I would be tempted to wear this dress everyday.

Sue enjoys using a number of the Tessuti patterns, so if you have had your eye on a few, be sure to check out her blog to see them made up. You can also find Sue on Instagram HERE.

Next up is Kyle from Vacuuming The Lawn. Many of you may know her from Pattern Review. She loves to sew, and she loves taking on a challenge.

Doesn't this look like one fun gal!!!

Look at how gorgeous this fabric is! 

What looks like a simple box jacket, is really a work of art.

Perfection!

And now you see that this is no typical striped fabric. 

After I saw the pictures below, I thought to myself that I may very well never knit again! She made this sweater from a blanket!!!

And finally, I just had to show you this amazing backpack. Check out the cute zipper pull.  Be sure to pop over to her blog and read all about it. You can also find Kyle on Instagram HERE.

Well, I've postponed the inevitable long enough. Time to say goodbye for the day and get back out in my garden. Pictures and a video tour will be coming soon. After all the work I've done, I need to show it to someone :)

Have a wonderful day!
Rhonda 

Sunday Night Reflections

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that  we are powerful beyond measure. 

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. 

We ask ourselves, 

Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? 

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. 

Your playing small does not serve the world. 

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.  

And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. 

Marianne Williamson      

Eating For Your Future/Massaged Kale Salad with Quinoa and Pomegranate

For those of you who have become accustomed to seeing a daily post from me, you may be thinking that you'll need to put out a missing persons alert ;) All is well, I've just been super busy in my garden, in fact, all of my spare time has been spent in the garden. Later this summer, we are hosting 2 rather large parties and my garden really needs some attention. By the end of this upcoming week, I should be in pretty good shape, fingers crossed. Between the garden, trying to get ready for the marathon in October, as well as other activities, something had to give, and sadly, it has been the blog. So hopefully one more week and life will begin to get back to normal, at least my normal :) 

On a fun note...

I went to the drug store a few days ago and basically bought out the Epsom salts. My husband picked up the bag of salts that I had in the car and without hesitation exclaimed, "how many pounds of Epsom salt did you buy?!!! My muscles are screaming and I need all the help I can get!

So now for a really good salad. Hey, who doesn't like a massage?!! Well, I guess there are a few people in this world, I'm not one of them. As it turns out, even kale likes a little massage ;)

With most green type salads, they really need to be made and eaten the same day. Not so with this salad. The kale really holds up, so the salad can be made the day before, and leftovers can be eaten even a few days later.

Massaged Kale Salad with Quinoa and Pomegranate 

Ingredients:

1 large bunch of kale

1 large clove of garlic

1 teaspoon of salt

juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 purple onion sliced into strips

5 radishes sliced

1 cup cooked quinoa(I like to use red quinoa as it stands out against the green kale)

seeds of 1 pomegranate

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

extra salt and black pepper to taste

The key to this salad is the dressing that is massaged into the kale.

Begin by chopping the garlic clove. 

Then mash the garlic to form a bit of a paste, but not a complete paste, you want there to still be bits of the garlic.  

Combine the garlic with the lemon, salt, and olive oil. Set aside.

Remove the stems from the kale and then roughly chop. Place kale in a large mixing bowl.

Pour the dressing over the kale and then start massaging. Be sure your hands are clean!!!

Massage until the kale begins to wilt. This will only take a few minutes. The kale will soften slightly, but will retain its crunch.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

The result is a hearty, yet light salad that is full of protein. And it's pretty too!!! The lemon juice gives the salad just a bit of a tang and the pomegranate offsets the tang with a touch of sweet.

If you give it a try, I hope you enjoy it!
Rhonda

Priceless

Finding a great tea towel on Spoonflower...

Fun

Making an all purpose bag out of the tea towel...

Creative

Surprising a friend who has been through a rough time and seeing her smile...

Priceless!!!

Have You Ever Wanted A Dolce and Gabbana Gown?

The Fall/Winter 2015/16 collection from Dolce and Gabbana was all about roses. I thought it was an especially pretty collection. 

This morning I received an email from Haberman Fabrics, a fabric store in Michigan. This store carries the most beautiful fabrics. I initially found out about the store while participating in the Passion For Fashion contest put on by The American Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan. 

While not exactly the same, the embroideries that they have acquired will give you a very close copy of a Dolce and Gabbana gown.  

  

Underline it in a white silk charmuse and it would closely resemble the dress below.

The dress below is from Marchesa Notte.

This embroidery closely resembles the fabric used in the gown.

While both of the pieces above are beautiful, below is my favorite piece. And of course, it's the most expensive of the bunch! 

You can see all of Haberman's beautiful embroideries HERE. 

Sadly, I'm not getting any incentive to do this post. I just thought the fabrics were so beautiful and that you might at the very least enjoy seeing them. After all, it's always nice to dream :)

I'll let you know if I break down and purchase a piece.

Monday Morning Inspiration/Visible Mending

When I was in St. Louis a few weeks back, my husband and I had brunch with a friend at the most delightful restaurant called Tree House. It's a vegetarian restaurant and the food is amazing. If you are ever in St. Louis, by all means, make your way over for a meal. You won't be disappointed.

Our waitress that morning was so delightful, and as it turns out, quite creative. She loves taking old pieces and giving them new life. She was wearing a vintage silk top that had a hole in it when she found it. Rather than pass the piece by, she purchased the top and then did the sweetest little applique over the hole and added an embroidered spider web over the applique. I wish I had taken a picture. 

With that in mind, I decided to check out mending on Pinterest and I found a few inspirational pictures that I thought you might also enjoy. If you're in the mood, just search visible mending. You'll find lots of interesting ideas.

So here's a few that I found,

I love how a hole was turned into a window in the 2 pieces below.

       

Another window idea, but with lace. 

The next 2 pieces are from an amazing artist, Lou Tonkin. She does needle felting over holes. Beautiful work.  

If you think you might like to give needle felting a try and do a little mending, or just add a sweet touch to a garment, check out THIS POST. 

Even just a simple little touch can save a garment and add interest. 

I may be showing my age, but I am not a fan of the ripped up jean look. The Japanese have such a beautiful art form called Boro where garments are pieced and saved, but no holes are left open.

I thought this was rather fun, adding the British flag in a subtle manner.

Rather than discard a garment because the sleeves are worn, a touch of embroidery will make a worn garment so special. 

I loved how this artist took a striped denim and matched the mend with plain denim and white thread.

A beautiful touch of Boro on this pair of jeans. You can find more of this artist's work at Woman With Wings.

Amy Meissner is another textile artist that you might want to check out. Very interesting work.

And finally, for a little peek into my hippy personality ;), a pair of jeans that I actually wear. It all began with a hole that I decided to cover with a patch.....and then I went crazy!  

So now you see, patching no longer needs to be what your mother did to save the life of a pair of pants by ironing a patch over the knees.  

Happy Monday!

Rhonda