Fabulous Friday: Learn How to Embroider

(I set blogger to post this yesterday at 8am. Wonder why it did not?) 

Embroidery is like painting with thread. Don't know where I heard or read that, but it is true. 

It can delight, frustrate, calm, relax, and allow one to express themselves in an age old medium. Ancient civilizations used embroidery on garments.

There are almost as many styles of embroidery as there are brands of threads and fabrics from which to choose.

There is basic embroidery that can be utilized to create simple 

 or elaborate works.

(Sorry, that's sideways)

 These are some I've stitched.

There is redwork, blackwork, and chicken scratch.

There's the whole 'nother category of Cross-stitch which can be counted or not.

Yeppers, stitched this one too.

And there's crewel embroidery that usually means using wool or wool-like yarn for your stitching.

Whew!

It is always wonderful if you have someone to teach you - as my [Grand]Mama taught me. But, if not, there's a plethora of resources available!

Books are good - like any of the books written by Erica Wilson - THE Queen of Crewel Embroidery

Or by Jenny Hart - THE Queen of Embroidery's current revival!

I also like online tutorials.

My pal Wendi Gratz is on a mission to teach everyone how to sew but takes time to add embroidery to the fun!

http://www.dmc-usa.com/Education/Technique/Embroidery.aspx

http://www.sublimestitching.com/

http://wendigratz.blogspot.com/p/embroidery-lessons.html

Stop in next Fabulous Friday, February (already!?) 1st 

for some more resources, tips and 

some vintage patterns!!!

Have a Fabulous Friday and Weekend! 

Opening In September - Mrs. Becky's School of Sewing and Needle Arts

I'm gonna do it!

Come one, come all!

Old, Young

Male or Female

Beginners

Intermediates who needs a skills refresher

In honor of National Sewing Month,

which is September,

May I present to you

[drum roll and trumpets please]

Mrs. Becky's School of Sewing

and Needle Arts

I offer classes in my home.

Monday - Thursday

Choose from 3 daily time slots

10 am - Noon

2 pm - 4 pm

5 pm - 7 pm

Learn the very basics about 
fabrics, 
needles, 
threads 
and more.

Choose from a 2 hour refresher class or a one month package of four 2 hour lessons.


Open to boys and girls, men and women, old and young, Moms and kids, Dads and kids.
Grandparents and Grandkids.


Sorry I haven't quite figured out how to get cats and dogs to sew yet. But I am working on it!

(photo from - http://cutestlife.com)

Class packages include printed materials and some supplies.


 We'll begin with small hand sewn projects, 
learn basic embroidery skills.
then graduate to learning about and 
using a sewing machine. 

I was blessed to have had a very patient [Grand] Mama who taught me to sew. 
She encouraged me every step of the way. 


What qualifies me to teach?
40+ years of sewing
Both personally and professionally.
And patience.

  My goal is to spread encouragement and the skills that will enable you to use them for a life time.

Message me here or at beckysews@hotmail.com for rates, dates and more info.

Serendipity Handmade Blogoversary Give-Away

My Pal, Collette, writes the cutest blog,  
Serendipity Handmade.

Today is her 3rd Blogoversary.

Collette honored me with an interview about Sew In Stitches.

I answer all those questions that I am so sure you have wanted to ask but were afraid to do so. ;)

AND [sound the trumpet fanfare!]

we are sponsoring a joint Give-Away!!

 How would you like to have this fabulous, handmade,
rockabilly-inspired, full-size  

"That's Alright Mama" Apron 

(in homage to my [Grand]Mama, and the late Elvis Presley):

Collette came up with the name! 

I need her to name all my creations, yes?

And Collette is throwing in a $15 gift certificate to
Serendipity Vintage,
her fab online pattern shop,
for those of you who love to sew!

She has lots and lots of patterns - vintage and hard to find.

$15 Gift Certificate

All you have to do to enter is be a follower of Collette's blog (new or old!) and enter through the Rafflecopter widget on her blog.  

It's easy. 

Go visit Serendipity Handmade!

Show her some love.

Share the love too.

  

 If you have read this far then 

I have one more surprise for you! 

Shop my etsy shop, Sew In Stitches, and use the coupon code

SERENDIPITYVINTAGE25 

to receive 25% off your purchase.

Planning and planting - It's Garden time!

Bill and I recently finished fencing in a "new" garden area. Looks huge but it really isn't.

View from the house end. We had to fill dirt cause the builders put soooooo much gravel (12" deep) when they built it as a rental 15  or so years ago. We are the first owners to even attempt any "landscaping."

Here are the Irises getting ready to blossom.

And do we have rosemary!! That plant has been there for 5 years and just keeps going.

Chives are sprouting in between.

These darlings are Lily of the Valley that are transplanted from the ones my [Grand]Mama planted at my childhood home. I started with 4 (I think) plants last year and look at the multiplication!!

This end needs the most work. We have a forsythia (on your left) that sprouted from one my [Grand]Mama planted. A couple more forsythia from our friend Nancy.

I put my roses back there too. They started out there 5 years ago - may have lost one tho.

This is where I plan to plant the maters, cukes, peppers and more cutting flowers.

Might string up some green beans too.

I hope I'll be using my Gathering Apron lots and lots this summer and fall.

Don't you need one too?

 

 You can have one or two!

Skip over to my etsy shop, 

Sew In Stitches.

  

And what's a garden with out a Guardian Fairy in a "modern art" Fairy Hut?

Gotta go sort some seeds and 

plot the summer harvest!

June is bustin out alllllll ohohoh-ver!

It's June!

Time for Grads, Dads and Brides!

At least that what the folks in the advertising world have reminded us for years!
For BillHubby and me it's a month of birthdays and short road trips.

First, Bill's birthday. This year very low key.  No 12 layer cake like 2 years ago but I did cook.  I know, don't y'all faint!  I filled Crescents rolls (from a can) with shredded cheese for breakfast and  baked a regular ol' box yellow cake with cream cheese icing.  Bill put together a big crock pot full of roast beast and veggie goodness for supper.  We relaxed all day.

The Birthday Boys!!!
 
A few days later it was off to Wilmington, NC for StepSonWill's 30th Birthday Party.  In a park. With 90 degrees as the cool temp of the day. BUT we had a blast with all the kids and got to spend time snatching our Grand Daughter away from the other Grand Parents, who live in Wilmington.

Cutie Pie Aubree on Grammy's lap. I'm Grammy! Bill is Grumps - hee hee
He took this pic and cut me out - hmmph!

(WARNING - Next picture is not safe for work or sensitive types  - bad words.)

What is with this phenomenon called "Cornhole."  It's really just Toss Across for grown-ups, right?

Last weekend we headed over to Statesville, NC for my Great Aunt Iona's 99th Birthday party!  She is the last of my [Grand]Mama's siblings.  Still living in her own home (with some help.)  Still sharp as a tack and funny as can be. I firmly believe my wicked sense of humor comes from the long line of long living Walker-Campbell women! 
Mama lived to be 104!

I've been sewing some and participated in Val of YarniGras! Hot Mama Pin-Up apron Swap.
Not gonna post what I made til I know my swap partner has it in hand but lookie what Becca sent me!!!!

Thank you so much Becca!!!

 Yeah, I really shoulda ironed it first. (I discovered a "new" tool in Photoshop - "decorate.")

Aren't the gals pretty and my apron is fab.  Becca used a sturdy stripey plaid fabric as an under apron and for the ties and waistband.  It's so pretty I'll probably use it as one of my hostess aprons.  Thank you Val for co-ordinating the swap.

One last note - have you been thinking about jazzing up your home decor?  Maybe some  wall sconces, curtains, art? Check back with me in a day or two cause CSN Stores is once again allowing me to review a product and give one lucky winner a gift certificate to use in any of their 200+ online stores!!!!!!! Click their name and check 'em out while I get my product review in order.  CSN Stores has to be the most comprehensive website in the whole World Wide Web!  They have furniture, Home Decor, Housewares, Home Improvement, Outdoor, Baby & Kids, Shoes, Bags & Luggage, Health & Fitness, Pet, Office and School categories with lots and lots and lots of shops in each group!!!!

VTT in my corner of Our Workroom/Den

Testing a new background and layout! All those little techie thingys make my brain hurt!!!

Happy VTT to you all!!!!

Last week I overwhelmed you with a whole room. I do get carried away sometimes!

This week I'll just show y'all the corner of our workroom/den that is mine.  More specifically - the stuff on my wall over my ginormous cutting table. (Yeah, go ahead and be jealous of my cutting table - heehee)

From left to right...........

Peaking from those 3 wide shelves of de-stash fabric - box that now contains only one of the original 45's of the  "Show Boat" soundtrack.

Lucky me, the remaining record is Ava Gardner singing "Bill."  The producers didn't want to use her voice even though they all agreed she sang beautifully.

A really, really old Ouija board from my great Grandparents House.  The pointer is missing so we can't conjure spirits or answers to our innermost questions ;-)

A closer view of my thimble collection and some old wooden spools, some with thread.

The lower half with more threads, a trinket from Washington, DC, tatting shuttles and a cute old bottle that held Violet perfume.

I love my "Ladies who Shop and Lunch" Coca-Cola ad.  The old magazine ad also mentions that the ladies outfits were made with Vogue sewing patterns!  Cool Clemson poster above.

 Just the other side of my cool scrap organizer I have another old magazine ad with Gene Tierney selling us Lux with Color Freshener! James Cagney pic from a now closed Applebee's restaurant, pennants from fav teams.  (My 1960's Wake Forest pennant is on another wall.)

My first Barbie clothing pattern. 

I have other patterns framed but those pics are far worse than this one!

Here we have my teachers, my Grand Mothers.

To the left there I am with Grandma Porter.  She was evidently the giver of the tools, hat and apron.

To the right is [Grand]Mama Holbrook and my Mom at the oft mentioned Great Grand Parents house.

Both Grands taught me about cooking and sewing and gardening and so much more.

I miss them, but the pictures (which I just slapped up on the wall behind a glass with thumbtacks)

remind me of their unconditional love and guidance.

Be sure to visit Suzanne's blog, ColoradoLady to find links to all the other VTT  posts.

Before you go, I added one thing to my De-stash along 2010 list!  I've been sewing others folks' stuff and haven't taken much time to do stuff for us.

AND

Here are our two new additions - I've adopted 2 feral neighborhood cats.

Kitteh Kitteh Lovey

She's a teeny (7 lbs) talker!  Skittish but comes when called and loves her catnip toys.

and

Stanley

He roams but we did manage to get him fixed last week.  Stanley likes to come in for short visits and loves to be rubbed and to purrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

No Grand daughter Aubree yet!!!  But soon!

Vintage Thingies Thursday and a Give Away

As I said earlier - I love September for many reasons!

It's National Sewing Month!
It's my Birthday month - I'll be 50!
It's my daughter Katharine's Birthday month - she'll be 22!
It's College Football kick-Off Month! Go Tigers! Go Demon Deacons!
It's cooler!
It's Fall!
It's time for another GiveAway! Check it out!

Now for somethingys Vintage.

I've shown you things from my Mom's Dad's family and home place. So here's a bit from Mom's Mother's history. We all called her "Mama."



This is the Church her family attended. It was a "Circuit Church" meaning one Pastor was assigned to Moss Chapel and at least 2 other congregations. He would have services at each place on a rotating basis. Believe it or not there are still several Methodist Churches on circuits, including Mama's church.










Isn't it sweet?



















I remember attending a Christmas service there with my family and Mama and her sisters and all the uncles and cousins who were nearby. Twas COLD!! with one wood stove up front. The Pastor asked for all the children to come forward to sing "Away in a Manger." Mama shoved me out in the aisle. Couldn't hide - wished I could be invisible - didn't know a soul there but family - managed to sing and not die. Mama was so proud! I didn't understand til I had my own children :)


The building and grounds have been updated since I was a little girl. They have heat and air conditioning now! Anyone else remember those fans on a stick that we used way back when? And other modern conveniences have been added too....




His AND Hers! Mama didn't get to see these being added but I am sure she would have had more than a few jokes and "true" stories to tell about such places.


It's Homecoming this week at Moss Chapel. Mom is going and we are wishing we could join her and Mama's one remaining sister and all the cousins. The food is always wonderful!!!!


And there's always a stroll through the cemetery where I learn more about our ancestors.

Have I mentioned we are pack rats? Yeah, I know, I have. Here are the Barbie cloths that Mama helped me sew. She taught me how to sew by hand way before I was allowed to think about even looking at a sewing machine!



Poor Barbie would look like a sad bag lady if I were to dress her in these now.

Thanks for stopping by. I know I was late posting VTT today but just in case you haven't looked yet - go over to our dear hostess, Suzanne's site, Coloradolady, and check out all the other Vintage Thingys!



And don't forget to check out my Give Away!

Vintage Thingie Thursday - My Sewing Machines

What brand and model do you have?

I have 3 machines:

1960 Kenmore














1972 Kenmore














and a brand new Singer Futura















How long have you had it?

'72 was a gift 10 years ago, '60 I bought at the Habitat for Humanity Home Store about a year ago, Futie joined us last October


How much does that machine cost (approximately)?

'72 - free in the cabinet with the matching and very uncomfortable chair
'60 - $40 in the cabinet with the adorable matching chair
Futie - Big Bucks but I split it with a decorator friend. I do her sewing and monogramming.


What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?

I sew home decor items (pillows, bed skirts, pillow shams, window treatments,) alter clothes (hate it,) make aprons, tote bags but my fave thing to do is make clothing.


How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

I try to sew every day, mostly on '60, but she has been misbehaving lately so I'm glad to have '72 as back up. Futie is strictly for embroidery.


Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

I love '60 and '72. They are sturdy workhorses. Futie is seriously light (in my opinion) but she is good for embroidering. She has way too many bells and whistles and beepy noises for me to put up with in daily use.

They are named '60, '72 and Futie - couldn't you tell?


What features does your machine have that work well for you?

The basicness of '60 and '72 are perfect for what I love to do. I have always said that if my Great Grandma didn't have nor need it then why do I? (I was one of the last people on earth to get a microwave.)


Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

Futie's beeping at me and having to haul '60 and '72 an hour away to get service.


Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!

My [Grand]Mama lived "with" us in her own apartment that she built on to our ranch style house. She taught me to sew, embroider and knit. (She tried to teach me crochet but it didn't stick.) I was under 10 years old when I started learning.

Mama made me learn by hand before I could even look at a machine. I remember my Mom being very particular about her machine so I was very excited to get my own when I was 15. Straight from Santa's workshop. Who knew he and the elves made Brother machines?!

I sewed that baby to pieces for 20 years!


Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

I highly recommend getting a used machine if one is thinking about learning to sew. In the beginning you don't need (nor want) a beeping computerized monstrosity. It'll drive you nutty.


What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

Again, basics! Ask friends who sew what they want in a machine too. I prefer simple with back stitch and zigzag and buttonholers.

Do not bow to the pressure of those vipers in some fabric/sewing machine stores who will tell you you MUST have the hottest/latest high-end machine. Some cost as much as a car!!! Not many people really need all the bells and whistles. and nobody needs the ridiculous pressure some of those people use.

Do you have a dream machine?

I have always "coveted" my Great Aunt Sally's treadle machine. Mom used to sew on it til the belt broke way back in the early 70's. I don't even remember what brand it is. Welp, Mom informed me a few weeks ago that I can now have Aunt Sally's Treadle AND my Great Grandmother's too!!!

No clue where I'll put 'em yet. But I can not wait! Should have both of them home by July. They shall be named Sally and Eudra!


Be sure to stop over at Colorado Lady's blog for more Vintage Thingy Thursday fun!