New DAG Pattern


I've been chugging along this month sewing little dresses for Dress a Girl Around the World and enjoying each and every one.  Most have been trimmed with bias tape and rick rack and with each dress I pray for the little girl that will receive the dress, praying for her safety, well being, and that she will know that God loves her and others around the world care for her.  I'll give a total count the end of the month with a few pictures.


The little dress I made yesterday was from a kit that I ordered from Dress a Girl when I first became interested in the organization. It's a little different from a regular pillowcase dress as it is more of an A-line with side seams and a different patch pocket.  If your interested you can contact DAG and request a kit, they will send fabric, bias tape, elastic, and a label along with the Pellon pattern so you can make more of this style if you like.

Hugs and stitches
Betty Lou

Dress a Girl Around the World

I Had the Best Day Sewing With Friends



I had the best day today sewing little dresses with my Bee friends, what a wonderful group of women.  They have rallied around my project of sewing little dresses for Dress a Girl Around the World and everyone made a dresss or two today.


We met at Cynthia's lovely home and she had everything set up for us in her family room.  Tables, two ironing boards, irons, cutting stations, and dress kits using some of her stash, all cut with the back seam serged.  To top it off, she had already made the pockets.  What a time saver.

  

There we were, six ladies busy sewing on six Featherweights, what an awesome sight.  My Featherweight, aka Charlotte, decided to act up and was not sewing right,   Many thanks to Adrienne for getting her threaded correctly and making her perfect little stitches again.  What do they always say,  "if your Featherweight has a problem first rethread your machine."


Cynthia had told us, "if anyone wants to stay after noon, I'll have a few snacks."  Well, a few snacks was lunch in her dining room with little ham and egg sandwiches, delicious macaroni salad, fresh fruit and cheese from the morning snacks.  Of course we had to have another piece of her Butter Pound cake.  Wish I had taken a picture of her dining room and the group along with her new Spode dishes.


We took a quick break and we went out to the garage where Cynthia's husband is building a sail boat. We were all impressed to say the least and Greg was very patient as we asked our many novice sailing questions.  Happy sailing, Greg.

More pictures of our fun day.







Hugs and stitches

A Nudge From God


Last week at our monthly S.O.S. (Sisters of Sewing) meeting at the church we had speakers from Congo Restoration talking about the Congo and the sewing school that they have opened for young women.. Two of the speakers were born, raised in the Congo and now living here in Texas. The third, a spokesperson and advocate for Congo Restoration, a program that helps girls and young women in the Congo to raise their standard of living by learning to sew.  The nine month program takes the young women out of poverty, teaches them a skill and upon graduation gives them a sewing machine, with the intent of starting their own sewing business.

A few days later one of my favorite bloggers, Amy Smart of Diary of a Quilter, posted her monthly Sew Goodness - Charity Sewing and this got me thinking about what I was doing to give back  My focus since the mid 90's has been charity support with my infant quilts, crochet hats, scarves, and Prayer Shawls.  I felt the need to do something new.  I didn't have the same enthusiasm for quilting as I once had and my hands hurt after crocheting for any length of time.  I needed a new challenge!

About that same time someone posted on Facebook about a woman from Iowa, Lillian Weber, that wanted to sew1,000 Little Dresses for Africa by the time she was 100 years old, she exceeded that goal and made over 1,200 dresses before she passed away just one day before her 101st birthday. What an amazing woman with a generous heart and using her time and talent to serve God.   1Peter 4:10



Then came my nudge from God and the idea of making pillowcase dresses for girls.  I had made a few dresses for my former church and was familiar with the simple pattern and realized this was something I could do. The next day, excited about my new project, I ventured into Joann Fabric.  Not a fan of their fabric for quilting, but it would be fine for my dresses and they were having a 50% off sale.  Next thing I knew I had purchased twelve yards of fabric, bias tape, and rickrack, enough for 12 dresses.



My first dress was O.K, but by the second and third try I had made changes that I was satisfied with.  Changes like using 1/2" elastic instead of the 1/4", a narrow 3/4" hem at the bottom instead of a 2" hem, and a little gathering at the front and back to give a little extra detail. These first dresses have a simple rickrack or lace trim, maybe as I feel more confident I'll add more detailed trim.


No way will I ever have the dedication that Miss Lillian had but if I made 5 or 10 or maybe 25 dresses, that would be great.  Each one would represent another little girl that had a new dress, maybe the first new dress she ever had and quite possibly would replace the rags she has been wearing.  I pray for each little girl as I sew and let them know that they are not forgotten, that others love them, and most of all that they are a child of God.

I don't know where I will send my dresses as I have contacted a couple of resources and not heard back but one thing I do know is that God has directed me to make my dresses and He will find the best home for them.

I'll be sharing more of my dresses with you along the way.

Hugs and stitches

Villa Rosa Designs


For the month of January, Villa Rosa Designs pattern and fabric company was giving away some of their samples quilts and the daily winner was to donate her prize to charity or someone in need. Most of you will recognize Villa Rosa patterns as the company that gives you complete quilt directions on a post card, their patterns are available in quilt shops, internet, and by mail. Many of their patterns are for small and lap size quilts and great for charity and baby quilts.  Villa Rosa patterns are easy, quick, and use mostly pre-cuts.

I won this little quilt made with Villa Rosa's Gypsy pattern with a collection of farm fabrics.  You can see the pigs, eggs, bacon, and even some milk bottle print in the quilt. Surely a small boy would love this little quilt.  I will be donating it to the Keller Methodist Comfort Coverings, I know they will find that special little boy.

Villa Rosa also sent along ten of their newest patterns as a gift for the winner. Looks like I am going to be busy for a long time.

You can find the Villa Rosa web site here.

Hugs and stitches
Betty Lou

Cozies For My Soup Bowls

E

With everyone raving how the Soup Bowl Cozies were the best thing since slice bread, I finially gave in and made a couple.  Using the pattern by Happy Hour Stitches, I made the first one knowing it would not fit my wide rimed Mikasa soup bowls but I wanted to see what this pattern was all about. You can find the pattern here.


As the directions say, I used 100% cotton fabric, 100% cotton batting, and 100% cotton thread, anything with polyester might start a fire in the microwave.  I must say it is cute and would protect your fingers when removing a bowl of hot soup.



For the second one, I cut my square 11" and shortened my side darts it seemed to fit my wide rimmed bowls quite well.

Will I make anymore, I don't think so.  When I asked my sons if they would use them, the answer was  a resounding no, but Jeff added "maybe you should use them for dip."

Hugs and stitches
Betty Lou




Maybe I'll have had a change of mind.  For a simple dinner tonight, I microwaved  a frozen package Asian Noodles and Vegetables, I went to lift it from the microwave------ouch!  Quick to the rescue was my small soup cozy.  Maybe I better make a couple more.

Ready for Take Off #2



I finished quilt top number two in my ongoing sewing marathon of quilts for great grands that hadn't received a quilt from Grandma Lolo.  This was a cute layer cake called Ready for Take Off by Moda, that I found last week at Must Love Fabrics.  I really like this store, visits there are so much fun.

Again, I used Missouri Star Quilts Double Slice Layer Cake pattern, a sure winner when you need a quick finish.  On to number three.

Double Slice Layer Cake
54"x54"

Hugs and stitches
Betty Lou

Mind Your P's and Q's




 For quite a while I have talked about making quilts for the five great-grands that hadn't yet received their Grandma Lolo quilt.  Trying to decide what to do for them has been challenging and I have changed my mind several times.  Finally I decided to do all five with the same quilt pattern, Double Slice Layer Cake, it is a larger quilt and since one great-grand is three now, the patterns that I had planned are just too small.

This first one was put together with a layer cake I bought several years ago called Mind Your P's and Q's by Moda, I think it will work well for the youngest great-gramd, Peyton, five months.  Of course it is just a flimsy now but I would like to get all five tops finished before I send them to the quilter.  Hope that is not wishful thinking on my part.

On to the next one and if you need a quick quilt, this one goes together in a snap.

Double Slice Layer Cake by Missouri Star Quilts
Approx 54" x 54"

Hugs and stitches

After Christmas Retail Theraphy

I'm not much for venturing out into the department stores and scoop up all the After-Christmas sales, but a visit to my favorite quilt shop, well that's a different story.


I had read on the internet about the new Quilter's Select non-slip rulers and knowing that I really needed a new set of  matching rulers and a with $50.00 gift certificate that I have been hanging on to, I ventured to Must Love Fabric in Grapevine, Texas.  The rulers are a little pricey and my $50.00 only bought two new rulers, the 6"x12" and the 6"x24" but I knew if they kept my hand from slipping they would be well worth the cost.  As I have gotten older it seems I have more trouble keeping my ruler from slipping and we quilters know, one bad cut can throw that seam off.  I also splurged and bought the 6" x6" square.  I use the very small squares a lot with my mini-quilts but I can pick those up later.


I have been piecing Double Slice Layer Cake quilts for five of my great-grandchildren and saw this wonderful boys Layer Cake, Ready for Takeoff by Wilmington Prints, and knew this would be darling.  It's difficult to find layer cakes in boys prints so knew I better snap it up.  Must Love Fabrics is having a 25%  off sale on New Year's Day but couldn't chance that I wouldn't get there or they would be all gone.

A few more items and I was well over my $50.00. This is my kind of after Christmas shopping, how about you?

Enjoy all the pieces of your life

Time For a Field Trip

Yesterday I went with four of my besties on a quilting field trip to explore three quilt shops, a yarn shop, and sprinkled with a few antiques along the way.  With Cynthia as our trusty driver we headed north to a new quilt shop, Box Car Quilts in Crossroads, Texas.  What a surprise, with owner, Laura,

there to greet us we walked in.  Laura is one of the rare people that has the "eye" for not only fabric and quilts, but antiques and innovative decorating.  Her store is open, fresh, and very inviting, filled with so many finished quilts and projects sprinkled with antiques.  Her knowledge of quilts, quilting, and antiques is a wonderful blend.  When you first walk in the store a display of shiny Featherweights catches your eye immediately.  Most of my friends are Featherweight enthusiast and had to contain ourselves to not taking another "Black Beauty" home.  After we all found our goodies we headed to shop number two.








On to Whitesboro, Texas and Kaleidoscope Quits a shop that we have visited before on our field trips and always worth the stop.  As a group of quilt enthusiasts we always separate, each looking for our own treasures.  With so many new grandchildren and great grandchildren born this year or soon to arrive, several of us were interested in baby quilts.  I had recently discovered the Double Slice Layer  Cake quilt and was looking for layer cakes. I need/want to make five new quilts for my recent great grandsons.  No boy appropriate layer cakes here but I did find a kit that would make a nice baby/child's  quilt.


We made a quick trip next door into the yarn shop and found a few more treasures.  New socks, crochet hook and cute little Dick and Jane bag for my crocheting supplies.  It was time for a rest break and lunch, so off to the nearest coffee shop.

The next stop was Lewisville, Texas and Quilt Country.  Another new to me quilt shop with a tremendous array of fabrics and excellent customer service.  I have noticed that in each of the shops we visited, they are all selling more and more precuts. I have always love precuts,  mostly fat quarters and charm squares and now I'm venturing into layer cakes.   Quilt Country didn't disappoint and they use a lot of Villa Rosa Design patterns with kits in all sizes.  Here I found a great layer cake to make the Double Slice Layer quilt and also purchased another child's Villa Rosa pattern amd fabric kit.

Time to head home and as I reviewed my purchases and with a layer cake in my stash at home I think I have enough fabric for five new boy quilts.

Time to get to the sewing machine.

Hugs and stitches
Betty Lou

Sharing the Joy



The other day I was unpacking from the trip and putting some things back in my closet when I spotted something peeking out on a shelf.  Almost completely hidden from view was fabric that I had taken from the church sewing closet to make market bags for Sharing The Joy.  Sharing the Joy is an annual event put on by the Keller United Methodist Women with proceeds going to missions..  I had completely forgotten about this and Sharing the Joy is early November.  Better get busy.

I wanted something basic and easy to construct.  The patterns I researched on the internet are all much the same but the dimensions are different.

I tried three different patterns-----you know how it goes, the first one was too big, the second too small, and the third one just right.  Sounds familiar doesn't it, like I'm reading the story of "The Three Bears."  In the end I liked using a cut 18" x 18" piece for front and back and a 4" or 5" cut strap, depending on the thickness of the fabric.

 Finished are nine bags for Sharing the Joy.

I've been rather haphazard about using my recycle bags when shopping and more times than not I have forgotten and left them in the trunk of the car.  Possibly, if I I make some new matching market bags I'll be more apt to use them.  After all, they might just as well be pretty as useful. As with many things, it s just a matter of getting into the habit of always having your recycle bags with you and maybe keeping your bags on the front seat instead of the trunk.

Freeing the world of plastic litter one bag at a time.

Hugs and stitches

Just an Ohio Girl at Heart

Hubby was career Air Force and we have lived in many places from Hawaii to North Dakota, from Florida to California, Texas to Colorado, and many more.  I have always loved wherever we were stationed but I am an Ohio girl at heart.
We're leaving on a jet ✈️  
This past week son, Chris, escorted me back to my native Ohio, my first trip since I lost hubby.  It was so wonderful to go back and spend quality time with my sister-in-law and her family and play the role of tourist.  We pack four jam filled days with as much as we could.

                                 
                                                  First Presbyterian Chirch, Fremont, Ohio



The first morning we went to worship at our home church First Presbyterian, the church where we were married so many years ago and where our three boys were baptized.  Our longtime friends John and Diane were there and a few tears were shed during the service as the good memories floated back to mind.

Betty Lou with John and Diane in the pink Flamingo room

Monday I had lunch with John and Diane's at their beautifully home tastefully decorated with antiques.  We are sitting in the flamingo sun room when the picture was taken and I said to Diane, whenever I see a flamingo I think of her.  She responded, that's fine, just think of me but please don't send me any.  I think she is in flamingo overload.  We go back a long ways and there was lots of reminiscing of days when John was a cadet at  the Air Force Academy and Diane came and taught her first year in Colorado Springs.  A delicious lunch of homemade chicken noodle soup, apple broccoli salad and homemade bran muffins.  Diane has always been an excellent cook and through the years she has been like a little sister.  We have so much in common and much the same taste.  As I looked at her, I saw that we even have the same haircut.

In the afternoon, son Chris, wanted to take a drive to Lake Erie and see some of the places we used to go swimming and picnicking, East Harbor, Gem Beach, Port Clinton, etc.. Along the way always remembering his Dad and grandparents and things we all did together.

Son ,Chris, remembering the lazy days spent at East Harbor

The trip to Amish country was our venture the next day.  The three hour drive was beautiful but I was glad Chris was driving, as we got closer to Amish country the roads narrow and many blind curves.

First stop was Lehman's Amish General store in Kidron.  The store is like no other, room after room filled with everything needed for Amish life and caters not only to the Amish community but tourist as well.  I did see a few made in China labels but not many.  These are just a few of the many things that caught our eye.



Wood burning fireplace 

Wonderful collection of vintage toy sewing machines

Doing my best Betty Furness interpretation 

Wood burning stove and oven

Son,Chris, and I modeling our Amish  hats

Next it was time for lunch at Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen in Mt Hope.  Be sure and have an appitite when you enter as the food is all homemade Amish food.  Chris and I both ordered the buffet and we were so stuffed after one plate we passed on their delicious pie.  Sure wish I had a piece now..

It was mid-week and there was an Amish horse auction going and on with many locals in town, while the men were at the auction the women and children were shopping.  Lot of buggys everywhere pulled by their magnificent Morgan horses.


Across the street was an Amish fabric shop where the ladies can purchase fabric for dresses, denim for pants and much more.  I was surprised to see that most of the ladies were wearing dresses made of plisse.  In the corner was a rack of what appeared to be ready-to-wear black dresses.  I didn't go over there as an Amish lady was shopping and I didn't want to disturb her.  They also had the ready made little white caps of different styles, boys stiff white shirts, hats, etc.  This was definitely where the Amish shop and I didn't want to intrude but of course I had to buy some 100% cotton, a yard and a half of modded blue.



 The girls at the register were sisters and I enjoyed talking to them about sewing machines, etc.  I asked what kind of machine she had and she said it was an old one and she was saving to buy a new machine.  She asked about mine and I told her I have a Bernina but enjoy most sewing with my 1953 Featherweight.  She wasn't familiar with them and I told her what a beautiful stitch they made and you could do most of the repairs yourself, if you had a a problem just look on the Internet -----oops.  By then it was late afternoon and we thought we should make the trip home.  Chris spotted a few black squirrels along the way, he has an eye for any moving animal or insect. We shared the road with buggys, ladies on bicycles, a few walkers, and cars.


Our last full day I had lunch with a few of the girls in my high school class of 1952, we laughed, exchanged memories, and a few tears.  It was so good to see them and it made my trip complete, as the years go by there fewer of us left.  I had a very light breakfast as we were meeting Bud's sister and family for lunch at Applebee's.  Back to the hotel to rest and then Connie's to say good by to everyone.

This has been a trip to remember and Chris took such good care of me, just like his dad did.  He would be so proud of him.

Hugs and stitches