Momma Art

Got a plain black T? Make it fancy by embroidering some letters or pictures on it! I picked my word: RESFEBER Definition:  The restless race of the traveler's heart before the journey begins. We are planning a summer trip, and I'm gearing up for just a carry on for the plane!  No time for baggage claim!  But I gotta be stylish ya know? I measured out how big I wanted the letters to be and  sectioned them off in equal parts with some chalk. Let the stitching begin! I did a basic chain stitch for all the letters.  This is when the thread is doubled and you stitch up through the middle  of the previous stitch creating a "chain" look. I'm ready to go! I really like the way the v-neck highlights the placement of the word. The white embroidery thread adds a nice contrast, but you could do all the colors!  Next up: Craft Party I try to get my friends to craft with me a couple times a year. I don't...

Winter is not my favorite season.  I usually want to curl up in a blanket watch movies and eat popcorn.... I still have been doing that, (I make the best popcorn by the way).  I also have accomplished a few things in the past 3 months.  I've also sewn TON! I'll give you the run-down: I have spent time with my family At the beginning of December, I became a Zumba instructor! Whew! I did it! I'm working on making some pullovers for my new Zumba side-career... Oh yeah, one other thing: I also graduated with my Masters Degree in Educational Leadership!!!!  Yup! 2 years of hard work and we are done!!! Wahoooo! I wanted to make it special and memorable, so for our last class, I made a dress for myself, matching bow ties for the Gentleman, a pocket square for our instructor, and scarves for the ladies. It was a great matchy-matchy ending to the past hard working two years! Now that thing...

I LOVE BOB ROSS! Here is my tribute to him.... Robert Norman Ross (1942-1995) American Painter, Art Instructor, and he created his own television show. If you don't know who he is, please look up his show on You Tube. Episodes of his "Joy of Painting" will be there for your relaxing enjoyment.   I found this dress at Goodwill and it was falling apart at the neck seam, but that was all that was wrong. I knew I could do something to turn it into a better piece of clothing. This was a T-shirt from Wal-Mart a while back. I chopped the neck. I picked off those sleeves. I chopped the tee just below my natural waist.  I picked the sleeves and skirt off of the dress. I re-attached The dress sleeves and skirt beck to the tee. I also used black bias tape to make a new neckline for my Tee-dress. What do you think??? Happy Little Dress!!! See you next time!

This was a potato sack at it's finest. A simple boring black linen dress. It was screaming for me to help it! How could I pass it up? I took it off and put this dress on inside out.  I had some tailor's chalk and marked my natural waist and the areas  where it was too big under my arms. I took the dress in where it was too big, and cut off the excess. Then, I took a piece of elastic and measured tightly around my waist, and sewed the ends together. Not too tight. Just comfortable enough to be able wear all day. I put the elastic around the waist of the dress. (The dress is inside out) I pinned the elastic along my natural waist chalk line. Keep the elastic nice and even. I sewed the top and bottom of the elastic using a zig-zag stitch and stretching the elastic as I sewed. I flipped the dress right side out, and It looks like this! This dress needed a little extra flair, and I had some trim in my drawer of scraps. So, I sew...

Here is a fun polka dot dress I found thrifting.  It was super frumpy but I knew I could change that! It came with some heavily sewn in shoulder pads. These shoulder pads are sewn in there tight!  Time to get the seam ripper! Buh Bye! The sleeves were too long and needed a trim. So was the bottom length. That got a chop too! I used my pinking roller to avoid fraying. Snip!....I mean...roll... I thought I'd try a little bias tape to fancy it up a bit. I sewed the sleeves and bottom hem  with the bias tape, like a sandwich.  I'm pretty sure that's not how you do it buuutttt,  I did it anyway.  It was not a super difficult refashion,  but it made a big difference. I was trying to get good lighting outside,  but it was FREEZING!!! I wanted to show you the sleeves but,  OH MY IT WAS COLD!! OK!!!! Quick take the picture!!! SOOOOO COLD!!!! Now, That looks a litt...