another Joann Fabric Pattern Sale…

Vogue patterns are on sale for $3.99 September 25-27

McCall’s patterns are on sale for $1.99 September 25-27

 

dogue de bordeaux

Remember the movie Turner and Hooch with Tom Hanks?

My youngest and my sister’s brut of a dog, Hugo. This was after they both spent a time chasing each other around the yard! I am absolutely amazed at the size of Hugo’s head compared to my son’s! Unbelievable mellow personality…a gentle giant! Just watch out for those jowls…they hold lots of doggy slime!

 

JOANN FABRIC PATTERN SALES!

Just got the newest Joann Fabric flyer in the mail this week…

   Simplicity patterns are on sale September 7 thru 13th for $1.99

   Butterick patterns are on sale September 18 thru 20th for $1.99

 

Kitchen Makeover

My kitchen is way too small for my tastes, dark and UGLY! But my landlord is more than willing to let me fix it up. The wallpaper is nasty and peeling in spots, the cabinets are dark…The other day, out of boredom-I pulled some of the wallpaper away. Well, I just couldn’t leave it like that, so I pulled out a squirt bottle, filled it with hot water and sprayed away. It was amazing how easily the paper came off!

What I found underneath was paneling that had been painted white (well-kinda painted). I think it may have been painted more as a primer for the wallpaper application. The picture below actually makes the existing paint look nice…but it’s really NOT!

So…coming up with a color scheme…had an idea of what I wanted, with pieces I’ve acquired over the years.  I love cobalt blue, I love colored glass. Working with these colors in mind, the walls now having a “country-ish” look after stripping-I found fabric for curtains at Joann Fabrics (that being the only fabric store in area, aside from a couple small quilting shops, and having not found anything online-hard to believe with ALL the fabric websites!). I also found accent/trim fabric in a totally different location in the store-it matches perfectly!  I think I want the walls to be an orange-yellow color…something different above the counters, just haven’t gotten quite that far yet…maybe a “tile” effect of some sort.

Now just need to find some hens…roosters…chicken wire-and some yellow or amber colored glass to add to my collection!

 

the price of patterns…

I was just at Gigi’s blog-Behind The Seams-and she had talked about pattern sales. It’s so hard to believe the price of patterns these days. I remember when I first started sewing, they were only $1.00 to  $1.55. Even the Vogue patterns were $2.00 to $2.50…course I’m talking 30 years ago!

So, especially when I’m combination patterns for a bridal gown…the neckine of one…the waist detail of another, I try to find the cheapest avenue for pattern purchases. I have gotten many good deals off ebay, and also found etsy.com, a wonderful place to visit! I purchased a $25.00 Vera Wang Vogue bridal original collection for $10.00 there! Another great place for pattern sales is Joann Fabrics-they often have $1.99 sales. Like through tomorrow, McCall’s patterns are on sale. Butterick patterns are on sale August 21-23.

So when patterns regularly, as the ones I bought today, are $14.95 and $16.95…a HUGE savings at $1.99! I tend to go to the pattern websites when I know a particular one is going on sale, make an extensive list, just in case the pattern or a size is out…limit of 10…but that’s alot of patterns to be had!

As if I need more…

 

Wedding Gown Challenge…Part 2

We’ve done 2 fittings on the corselet so far.  I made a size 22, according to Mary’s measurements and that, for the most part fit well, just requiring a couple small “tweaks” here and there. I had to take some excess along the side seams, at the side front seams just under the bustline, and there was some gaping along the front upper edge, that I made adjustments to. Mary is coming over after work tomorrow for one more fitting before I start applying the boning.

In my quest for information, I found and purchased the CD book, BIRTH OF A BUSTIER-by Kenneth King, from PatternReview.com and it has some very valuable information regarding the construction of strapless garments! Since I have made a couple of strapless wedding gowns, I thought it might be an useful purchase and it turned out to be one of the best investments! I highly recommend it!

 There is only one fabric store in my surrounding area, that being Joann Fabrics, and they don’t carry some of the notions I really needed. I have found many use resources on-line to order the majority of the notions. And so, I’ve had a small package awaiting me every day since Wednesday, when I’ve come home from work. Unfortunately, the one item I really want hasn’t arrived yet…the bra cups! On Friday, there was a package-I jokingly said to my 16 year old daughter that it might be Mary’s “boobs”…she replied the package wasn’t big enough! She has my warped sense of humor…and Mary, being a good friend, also with the same warped humor got a laugh too, when I told her! Package turned out to be the hook and eye tape!