I have none of this machine sewing know how. I do have a sewing machine. I would much rather hand sew something than drag out my machine..which is stored in it's original box..upstairs. My sewing prowess began in high school when I was going to flunk Home Economics sewing..my Mom saved my project..but she only got a C. Later in life, when I was pregnant, I bought some material to make some maternity tops..I sewed the sleeves in backwards..I cried. When the girls were little I tried to sew them some flannel nightgowns. The girls looked so pathetic in them I threw the gowns in the garbage and cried. I still have the remnants of some of my sewing projects upstairs, pieces of quilts..started..never finished. Beautiful patterns for wall hangings..that I would love to sew together..but I know they will never turn out the way I want them to. Part of my problem may be..I hate to measure anything..and apparently just eyeballing something doesn't work in the sewing world.
My Mom always comes to my rescue. I needed new kitchen curtains.. I designed them in my head. When I went over to pick out the fabric from her "store" ..she had four or five matching fabrics for me to choose from for the lining. She sewed them..she didn't like the way they turned out..the Loons in the pattern were not swimming evenly across the material. She whipped up my valence in no time flat. I like it... Want to see some before and afters??
Before: The old flannel ones that she sewed for me, about six years ago. I whined about my sewing skills back then also.
After: A simple valence, lined of course, the buttons are old treasures, some from my Grandma D and some from one of my Mothers old coats from years ago. No, the buttons do not match..they are all individual and unique. Kinda like me:)
It looks like Chance never misses a photo opportunity.:D I love it!
ReplyDeleteThe valance looks nice and I like that you personalized it with family buttons. I like the hodgepodge look too. My favorite is scrappy quilts. Now you have a conversation piece.
Yeah, I'd guess that eyeballing doesn't work so well when you're sewing. I've never had the patience for it myself.
ReplyDeleteI made a jumper once and managed to have one dart pointing out and one pointing in. I passed Home Ec AFTER I washed the blood out of my project. The third time I ran the sewing machine needle through my finger, I decided to give up.
ReplyDelete(BTW -- your "paper whore" comment almost made me squirt water out my nose -- without a Neti pot!)
I love the old buttons idea! How clever of her!!
ReplyDeleteI am just starting to sew and in high school I was not good at it either and hated Home Economics! My neighbor taught me how to sew but I didn't have the patience for all those patterns! Now I do folk art stuff by hand and I really enjoy it MOST of the time! I like your new valance and I am jealous that you have a mom that sews! Take advantage of it...I wish i had my mom still here...:( ...I miss that. I love Chance looking through the window! How'd you get him to do that!??:)
ReplyDeleteYour new valance looks lovely, I especially love the view.
ReplyDeleteI remember grade 8 sewing, I made a jumper, and the front was 3 pieces. I sewed those together backwards, over and over, and over. My Grandma made me tear out the stitches every time. I hated it then. But it made me a much better seamstress. For the longest time, I made all of my own clothes, quilted, sewed everything.
Jen
Hi!
ReplyDeleteGreat curtains! Love the button idea!! I flunked my 10th grade Home Ec. Had to make a dress, but put the arms in backwards. To this day I cannot sew, can make a quilt though! Go figure! Thanks for stopping by my place. Have a great day!!
Sherrie
My mom was great at sewing too. I also used to do a lot of it, but my machine is now buried in the back of one of my closets and hasn't seen the light of day in years. Can't really say I miss it either, which surprises me since I used to make tons of stuff.
ReplyDeleteGreat curtains! Love the button idea...
ReplyDeleteI was always a seamstres too...still have the buttons off my going away outfit that I wore almost 47 years ago..
Julia ♥
Like you, I'd rather hand sew than dig out the machine and remember how to use it! I love your valance and the view is specacular. Don't see that everyday in Georgia! Chance is a ham, huh??? He is so precious. The button idea is grand. I have some buttons from Nalley's dad's police uniforms from the 60's. You are giving me some ideas!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! I had to laugh, because my Mom had to rescue me in a home ec sewing class as well. It's so nice to know that I'm not the only one who depended upon Mom to save me in home ec. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Connie. The name was hidden way, way, back in my memory. If it isn't used all the time it gets a little dusty. Actually, really, really dusty.
ReplyDeleteJen
I like your new valance - the button idea is a great one, much better than keeping them in a jar somewhere - which is what I do because I lack creativity. I may borrow that idea for my sewing room. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! And the button idea is so neat. Chance, of course, looks sublime.
ReplyDeleteEmma Rose
How much is that doggie in the window?
ReplyDeleteCute valance. I really need to try to sew some for my windows. We've lived here 9 1/2 years and have had no curtains. It's probably about time.
Hey there Connie...lovely to hear from youover at my blog, and so touched by your loving care and affection...these things healed us, we know for a fact...having so much loving thought coming our way was a miracle. Bless you ... xxx
ReplyDeleteNow I'm ashamed to admit that I'm an expert sewer. I think I learned by watching my grandmother—who had the skills of a fine tailor. Maybe I picked up my first needle & thread when I was about 4 and started making my own doll clothes....just imagination and eyeballing. Now I can do dressmaking, tailoring, repairs and even upholster.
ReplyDeleteBut I finally realized, in my '50's, that I HATE it. Go figure...I'd rather buy something already made! I only sew if if HAVE to and can't find exacly what I want. Let's face it...sewing is just another chore!
PS: Chance is gorgeous framed in the window!
LOL! And love the pictures - especially those unique buttons.
ReplyDeleteAs for sewing, well I think you know that I score minus points in that department...
I hated the idea of sewing when I was young.My mother could sew anything. It seemed I had a mental block when it came to sewing! Then one day I got the urge. I struggled and struggled I had no one to teach me and reading the patterns was like reading Greek, but bit by bit I got it. I started out making dresses for my granddaughters.
ReplyDeleteMy mother had a stroke years before and she lived far away and I was having a terrible time with a arm hole and I called her, it didn't matter how long since she had sewed after a few tries she told me a few time I got what she said. I fixed that darn thing and let me tell you I will never forget that lesson!!!