I FOUND IT, I FOUND IT; A LONG AWAITED FABRIC TRIP; AND A GIVE-AWAY PRIZE...

I found the Anthropologie inspired duvet cover tutorial.  It's illustrated in two parts at Kojodesigns just in case some of you might start obsessing over this beauty like yours truly.  My great big THANK YOU goes out to them for sharing the how-to's.

Belated Happy Holiday greetings to all my blog friends!  I left home so quickly to visit my children for Christmas that blogging time was non-existent.  I did peep in on everybody while I was away though.

I FINALLY got to visit Mary Jo's Cloth World in North Carolina, and it was actually just that - a real CLOTH WORLD!  I have to use my favorite descriptive word - WOW!, and prices are fantastic.  With Ponte Roma knit's regularly priced at $6.95 it wasn't hard to haul a few pieces back home with me.  Woolens and wool blends were beautiful and also very reasonably priced, but the thing that held my attention most was the notions wall.  Things that I have only read or heard about can be found there (like the Fast Turn Tube Turner set, a serger pad with trim catcher bag, and permanent zipper and top stitching guides), and all at a 20% discount. (You do know that I'm a notions/sewing gadget fanatic!)  The sales staff was super nice and helpful.  I even got to meet and talk with the real Mary Jo now in her 80's who ,as the story goes, started the store in the back of her father's barber shop when she was a teenager.  I find her story so amazing, and even more so because she still works there every day!    What was intended to be a one hour trip turned into two, but was well worth driving 30 miles off my travel path for.  I do hope that I get to visit that store again, but if not I do plan on using their handy website to place some future orders.

Last but certainly not least, before Christmas I won Angie's (Quality Time) I Heart U give-away!  The package was waiting on my porch when I returned from my trip this evening.  My package included this marvelous book complete with patterns.

 A great Hot Patterns tie neck blouse pattern, and two party bags with notions (elastic, zippers, etc.)

Thank you Angie, you made my day!!!

SEARCHING FOR ANTHROPOLOGIE KNOCK-OFF TUTORIALS......

Several months ago I ran across tutorials on how to knock off  both this Anthropologie ruffled shower curtains and the cutiest duvet cover.  I thought that I bookmarked both tutorials, but now can't find them.  I had seen the duvet cover in a Country Living magazine during the summer and had fallen in love with it then.  While I am pretty sure I could pull off either of the ruffled shower curtains, I am not sure at all of how to knock-off the duvet cover.  I guess I could set up special savings accounts and purchase "these not so necessary. but I would really like to have them beauties" after several months, but I would much rather be able to say "I made them myself".

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/category.jsp?popId=HOME&navAction=top&navCount=75&isSortBy=true&pushId=HOME-BATH&id=HOME-BATH

(The crown crane duvet cover)
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/category.jsp?itemCount=6&pushId=HOME-BEDDING&selectedProductSize=&id=HOME-BEDDING&startValue=13&defaultSort=&navCount=125&sortView=&prevVisit=true&templateType=hybrid&navAction=top&displayNumber=6&selectedProductSize1=&sortby=&prepushId=&popId=HOME

If you have seen the tutorials on how to knock these off, or if you know how to do it yourself, COULD YOU PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME?

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR...

...it's the Christmas Season, and today is my Birthday!  To EVERYONE who was nice enough to send cards & emails, or make facebook posts and telephone calls - a big THANK YOU, you made me feel so wonderful!

Now, on to the sewing business at hand.  It was such a rainy, chilly day that the Lady Faye photo shoot had to be held inside...

Merry Christmas to all and Happy Sewing!........

SHHHHHHH - IT'S A SECRET.........................

Confession.  Can I keep a secret?  By all means I can.  If you ask me not to tell, I can most certainly keep your secret.  But when it comes to keeping my own secret, is it that easy - not so much.  I've had a secret since Saturday before last, December 4th, and it's been eating me up.  I haven't posted in ten days because I just knew I'd probably blab it all out - and guess what, that is just what I'm about to do...

May I present to you my Lady Faye Coat.  Here she stands in what once was my living room amidst all the clutter that use to resided in my sewing room (but yet, that's another story).
 

I had planned an all out photo shoot this past Saturday with me styling my new coat, but just wasn't feeling it so that appointment got postponed.  The photo shoot will happen very soon and I will post pics of me wearing my laborious results.  The fit is good, but since our temperatures dropped at least 25 degrees below normal, I really don't think it will be warm enough for me (I am EXTREMELY cold natured to the point that I really need to live in a tropical local).  By the way, I decided to remove the flannel interlining because it made the coat weight about a thousand pounds.

Why did I change the name of the coat?  Well, I just felt that since the thing took me so long to complete, caused me to second guess myself and over think the process more than any other garment ever had, she should be named after me.  When I was recently asked if  I loved the coat I had to  say "I really can't say that I love it, but I do like it a lot.  Maybe I'm not in love with it because it took me so long to complete, but I'm sure that with time I will fall in love with her.  I did learn a lot in the process, and tried techniques that I never dreamed I'd do.  Hopefully we will have a long and lasting relationship, and maybe,  just maybe one day I might see my way clear to make a spring version just like her. 

Now I've got my sewing life back!!! (Me jumping for joy)  For months I've had "sewing project images" flying around in my head that it's been hard to focus on just one project.  I have got to get some of these images out of my head and bring them to life before I explode!  First up is this really cute skirt, Vogue 7937.

This weekend I did up a not so quick and dirty muslin and so far so good.  I'm making view B in guess what - a home deco faux suede in chocolate brown.  This is the first time I've used such a fabric, and I am really excited about the possibilities.  I'm using a size 16 needle which is really helping.  The skirt has top stitched seams front and back, and I'm using a new technique that I learned about while making my coat.   I'd like to give proper credit for the idea but can't remember where I read about it.  Maybe you've tried it already but just in case you haven't, it's done by threading three threads through your machine through the same the same needle.  I was only able to get two threads through the needle, but it does make my top stitching (done using my longest stitch) more noticeable.  Now I'm wondering what it would look like using different color threads - mmmm might have to try that one out.  I've underlined the skirt (I do plan on keeping warm) and will also add a lining.  Can't wait to get it finished because there are many other project images screaming to get out next.


Sewing Room Update:  Well, all four walls now have paint on them.  One and a half walls still need a second coat.  Trim, doors and windows still need to be painted, and then the ceiling is still crying out for some attention too.  It's a really S-l-o-w go, but I know it will be worth it when it's finished.  The room already looks much larger and of course so much more brighter....

MY DREAMS COMING TRUE: SEWING ROOM PROGRESS & FINISHING THE LADY GREY COAT...

Well, it finally started!  And I love my paint color choice - "Powdered Snow", not to white and not to beige-y, but just right.  There is still such an awful lot of work to do in here.  Now that the first wall is painted (but still needs a second coat) it makes the ceiling look really dull - so now of course, the ceiling needs to be painted too. 

Taking work schedules into consideration, I don't know, but I really can't see getting this finished before Christmas.  Not being negative, just being realistic.  Well, it is what it is; but it is still the beginning of MY DREAM COMING TRUE - I want to live with white walls!!!

Lady Grey Coat Status:

Will I complete it this weekend???, - well I really don't know.  I thought I'd finish it two weekends ago, and I certainly though I'd finish over the four day Thanksgiving weekend, but of course that didn't happen either.  There is not very much to do to finish, I've even written up my usual "What's Left to Do" chart:

• give it a GOOD press
• tack lining down
• top stitch
• attach belt loops
• hem sleeve lining (had to patch to extend sleeve linings because they were too short)
• Finish buttonholes
• sew on buttons
• schedule photo shoot (LOL)

Doesn't seem like a whole lot of work does it.  It seems that I should be able to get this all done today. I guess I'm just tired of this project, but I'm so anal about not starting another project before finishing this one.  I'm imprisoned with this  Lady Grey project - I have no sewing life beyond it right now, but there are soooooo many other things I want to make.  I WANT MY LIFE BACK.................................