Sunday Night Reflections

An inspiring story with a great message,
"I don't need easy, I just need possible."

Girl Born With No Eyes or Nose Receives a Miracle from sharethemessage on GodTube.

An Update On The Dress

I'm moving right along on my dress, so I thought I would share a couple of pictures. 

As it always goes, I end up making changes once I start the actual project. I had added a little fold over piece under the bust, but now that I have the dress together, I've decided to not add it.

Remember, there will be a black bustier under the dress, so I will not be making a "statement" here!!!

All in all, I'm super happy with the dress. I've had it on about 5 times this morning and I like it more each time I try it on.
I'll try to come back tomorrow with another update.

I'm Late, I'm Late!!!

It's just about zoo ball time and I have to get my dress together!!! So I wanted to let everyone know, just in case you are looking, that there won't be a Fabulous Free Pattern Friday or Sleeves On Saturday post this week. Here's a very quick and very badly drawn picture of my dress. 

And here is the fabric. The zebra print will be the main portion of the dress and the black leather look fabric will be the bustier that is under the dress. I'm having a great time with it, I just need to get it finished!

I'll try to post my progress as I go along. The fitting is finished, the hardest part, so I am cutting and getting ready to start sewing.
You aren't going to believe this in a million years, but I used Butterick 5678 as the base pattern.

I used the already drafted collar from this post,

and then drew in my style lines.
I'll keep you posted.
By the way, last week I asked if anyone could figure out where I used the fabric for last Friday's FFPF post. Marie-Noelle Lafosse immediately knew and was the first to post the answer. So Marie-Noelle, email me so we can talk about the little gift I would like to send your way, sewbussted@yahoo.com. Everyone really pays attention!!! I was so surprised :)

Great News!

Just about three weeks ago I shared pictures of the skirts I tested for Disparate Disciplines.

You can see the post I did on these skirts here, http://www.rhondabuss.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-new-pattern-line.html

Well, the great news is that the skirt pattern is up and ready for immediate download!!! I'm so happy for Miss Mari :)
The inspiration behind this skirt is...believe it or not....Summercrisp Lettuce. Fun!
  "Lettuce was a symbol of the Egyptian god Min, whose harvest festival was celebrated the first month of summer. Celebrate summer in your Summercrisp Skirt, which is shaped like the leaves of summercrisp lettuce."

There's even better news! The pattern is on sale to the first 10 customers with this coupon code, summercrisp10. You'll receive 10% the list price of the pattern. Here's a link to the site, http://disparatedisciplines.com/product/summercrisp-skirt-2201/
The skirt is so cute and so easy to put together. Perfect for all your summer needs.

The Mary Bridge Children's Hospital Pillowcase Update

I received a message from Miss Bobbi B. yesterday as she wanted to let me know that a batch of pillowcases would be arriving sometime during the day. She had not told me that she had mailed them, so it was a wonderful surprise. Inside the package were 19 pillowcases. Incredible!! 

They are all lovely, but my favorite was the simplest.  She took this eyelet piece and two seams later, she was finished. I have no idea why I didn't think about this as I have some eyelet and I think it makes such a pretty case.

I have no idea where you all have gotten your fabrics as at this point, of all the cases that I have received, there have been no duplicates from one person to the next.  Monsters Inc., so cute!

Bobbi sent a number of cases with a Halloween theme. Great idea. I especially like the busyness of the one below.

At this point we have 143 donated pillowcases. Actually, I need to count the at least 26 cases that I know Jenny finished and are just waiting on me to come for a visit and pick them up. So, counting Jenny's, we have 169.  We're almost at the 200 mark. This is just so exciting!!!

Next week I'll show you a few of the cases that I have made.

The drive for the pillowcases continues until the end of summer, so there is plenty of time to make up a few if you would like. Just email me and let me know that you would like to participate, sewbussted@yahoo.com. Here is a link to the simplified instructions that I put together, http://www.rhondabuss.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-simplified-pillowcase-instructions.html

A parting shot. I absolutely love clematis and mine is in full bloom at the moment. The clematis seems like such a happy plant. It doesn't require a lot of attention, it just wants to be able to climb!

Hope you're having a lovely day.
Rhonda

Drafting The Sailor Collar

As I laid down last night, I remembered that I had intended to let everyone know that the sailor collar drafting post was up on the Sew News blog. Ooops!!! So, a little late, but if you are interested in learning how to draft the sailor collar, here is the link, http://www.sewnews.com/blogs/sewing/2013/07/02/guest-blogger-rhonda-buss-the-sailor-collar-tutorial/

If you would like to review the other posts I did on constructing this jacket, you can find them here, http://www.rhondabuss.blogspot.com/2013/06/butterick-5678-made-into-jacket-with.html and here, http://www.rhondabuss.blogspot.com/2013/06/sleeves-on-saturdays_30.html. I got a lot of mileage out of one jacket :-)

If you live in the United States, have a very happy and safe 4th of July!!!
Rhonda

What An Honor!

A few days ago I received a note from the American Sewing Expo staff that was rather cryptic, "click here and take a look at this year's brochure. We think you'll be quite happy." So I did as I was told and to my amazement, here is what I saw!!!

You may remember that this was the garment that I created last year for the Passion For Fashion contest that is held each year at the expo. This contest is like a mini Project Runway contest. The contestants arrive on Thursday night and choose their models. Once the models are chosen, each contestant has about 20 to 30 minutes to take measurements. The next morning the contestants arrive by 8. At that time they are given their challenge and a specified amount of money to spend for fabric and products to complete their challenge garment. Last year the challenge theme was "Fashion Bugs Me." This was my challenge bug,

The contestants have all day Friday to work on their garments. They return on Saturday and work until around 3 when their model returns for the first time since they were chosen on Thursday night. At that time, the contestants have about an hour to fit and make any necessary changes. The judging begins followed by a fashion show later that evening where the judges choose a winner. The audience has some say so in the judging as they get to choose the Audience Choice award and thanks to all who voted, I won this award!
I have looked through the brochure for this year's expo and it looks like it is going to be a fabulous event. If you have not seen this year's brochure, here is a link, http://www.americansewingexpo.com/. Just click on the big gold star and the brochure will download.
Are you going?!!!!