Wrappings

If you've ever ordered from Peasant Cottage, you most likely have noticed that I use recycled tissue paper to wrap up orders. While I'm not a "recycle everything!" kind of person, if the tissue paper has no rips or stains I don't mind reusing it. It helps keep costs down and it's fun to use various colored ones or prints. Not long ago I had a Victorian Christmas one and it was so pretty as I packaged up the apron, I almost took a picture of it. ;)

About a week or so ago I came across this fun masking tape at a favorite store of mine. Since then, I've had fun wrapping up aprons and tearing a few pieces of tape to hold the foldings together.

The other day I was working on an order and realized how LOW the shop is right now. Of course last month and earlier in this one some customers have made purchases, but even still, I apologize for not keeping up with it!  Hopefully soon I can get my hands on some fabric to start sewing for the shop.

Meanwhile, the top of my 1940s robe is completed (except for the button closure) and I'm hoping to finish it by Christmas, though it isn't a necessity.

Provision and Progress

What a sad thing it is to be separated.

On Monday Dad and I took my serger and sewing machine into the repair shop. My sewing machine is "fine" although the lever to lift up the presser foot has been tight with the occasional sprinkling of silver powder (metal?) coming down from that area. It still worked so I never said anything about it, but Dad said to say something next time.

He likened that to driving around with an engine light on in my car and me saying, "Oh but it still runs so I'll just keep driving" but ignoring the problem. That analogy could be said of our spiritual lives, too, I think. God sometimes pricks our hearts of areas that need attention and we just try to ignore those promptings when not only have have a problem that will only worsen with time, but we're also building up a wall, brick by brick, around our heart...

Well. So here is Cheri without a sewing machine and serger. While I don't always sew (surprise, surprise to some of you!), I do get into "sewing swings" of not sewing for weeks/months, but then oppositely, sometimes I DO sew for several days/weeks in a row. What does a seamstress do without her machines for 7-10 days? "What if I get really inspired to sew something NOW and can't?" I wondered. ;)

I could start sewing by hand... I could start mending my yellow purse (used for the spring and summer months). I could fix another duck of Sadie's. I could pick up a crocheting project that I started years ago. I could work on some more tatting. But one of my sisters came to my rescue and said that I could use her sewing machine and serger for as long as I needed to. Her machines are several "notches" above mine in what they do, so I'm quite delighted to use them. :D

Yesterday I finished the silk underskirt for my 1914 dress. I love how the shape and fit turned out.

The invisible zipper even went in without any ripples or curves. Zippers and I don't always like each other.

Last night I finally cut out the rest of the dress. Have I ever mentioned that THE thing I dislike about sewing would be having to cut out? It's ridiculous, I know. One can't sew unless something is cut out to sew! The other thing that I dislike in sewing is whenever I put in "hidden" side pockets. Pockets on the outside I love doing, and especially when doing all sorts of designs or using fun trim, but the other ones: no thankyou! :)

Anyone out there have anything that you don't like doing in a sewing project?

Bias Tape Makers

Has anyone seen these before? I never knew they existed up until a week or so ago. I was shopping at JoAnn's and ran into Mrs. C, the sewing enthusiast from our church, and she was telling me about these. Imagine my delight when she gave me this yesterday!

With a whole assortment of sewing projects on the table, I can hardly wait to start using these. Hand sewing that Regency Robe is taking a bit of time too. ::sigh:: I'm not doing the whole thing by hand; just obvious or outer seams and then on the inside I'm doing french seams for a neat finish. I could skip that extra sewing, but a serger just doesn't look right on a Regency garment!