Playing dress up

Saturday after the granddaughters were done with the swim meet for the day, we girls went to the movie Moana 2.  Then we came home to a delicious taco tater tot casserole supper made by my daughter #1.  Then we planned to settle in to watch some Christmas movies, but the conversation took a fun turn . . .

It all began with someone mentioning wedding dresses, and Olivia (5th grade) wanting to try on my wedding dress.  About a year ago the older granddaughter Sophia tried on my wedding dress.  It fit her - except I filled out the top a little better.  However, she's now bigger than me and it won't fit her.  But Olivia fit it just fine - except for that bodice of course.  And I had really tall shoes so the dress is kind of long on her.  But she's only an inch shorter than me and weighs pretty much what I did at 23. I'm not very tall, and was way too thin when that dress actually fit me.  LOL  BTW - I made my wedding dress, and both bridesmaid dressed.  It has a Gazillion tiny covered buttons, all made with my own hands.  

So then the conversation turned to the wedding dresses worn by her mother (daughter #1) and her aunt (daughter #2).  Well, it just so happens that Daughter #2 has stored her wedding dress at our house for several years.  So out it came . . . and Olivia tried that one on too.  It was definitely too big yet for her, but she loved being in that dress.

Laura and her husband will celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary in about a week.  The dress was really simple and beautiful.  She tried it on too.  It almost zips up in the back, which is pretty good.  She wore red shoes with that wedding dress.  

And her daughter, Sophia also tried on that dress.  It was nearly a good fit.  Sophia is 12 and in 7th grade.  And yes - she's taller than me.

Daughter #1 plans to get her wedding dress out before Christmas so Olivia can try that one on too - before she outgrows it.  I think both granddaughters will be taller than their mothers, and both mothers are taller than me.  

So . . . what were the boys doing that evening?  Grandpa took them to a Jackrabbit men's basketball game in Brookings.  They had fun too.  

Design Wall Monday - Dec 9

So many projects that could be on my design wall this week.  Which one(s) will actually see some progress?

The final layout for the Tranquility mystery quilt was released last week.  I could start sewing the blocks into rows.  They are all laying on my ironing board in anticipation.

The 6th paper pieced block in Circle of Friends was also released last week.  It's only 1 block, so this is a possibility too.  

And the trimming and binding still needs to happen on this small Folded Star table topper.  

The door to my sewing room has been closed since Thursday as we had a full weekend of grandkids, swim meet, movie, and other fun stuff.  I will probably share some pictures another day from the wedding dress try-on session from Saturday evening.  It was a hoot.  And I'm looking forward to some stitching time today, along with replenishing groceries.  

What's on your design wall today?

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

RSC24 - week #49

This weekend will not see much - if any - sewing time.  But that's OK because I'll be enjoying some family time as both granddaughters are competing in a swim meet 4 blocks from our house.  Can't miss that!!  And they'll be staying here so I'll get some extra time with the girls.  

On the RSC front, this quilt top - Kitties - is now in the hands of a long arm quilter.  It might even be back before the end of the month.  I wanted to finish up one more RSC project this year, and this is the one I chose.  But honestly, it will probably be the first finish of 2025 because I don't anticipate time for binding in December.  These are the Kitty blocks made each month this year for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  It's a generous twin size, and much brighter in better light.  This was one of my favorite scrappy projects for 2024.  The backing is black and white, and a scrappy binding is a possibility.  

Limited time this week in the sewing room, produced limited results.  But I have managed to finish all of the grandkids' annual pillowcases.  These go into their stockings each year.  Jonah played soccer this year, and his team jersey is even a minty/lime green.  So I added that green to his stocking.

Mason is finally old enough to go deer hunting - as a hunter.  He's gone with his dad before, but this year he took the hunt safety courses and got his license.  Now if only he had been able to get a deer. 

 

What are others working on as we near the end of another RSC year?

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Progress on Folded Star

The main step remaining to finish the first of the Folded Star table toppers is to add the binding.  But first I need to trim it all up into a cleaner circle.  And as I look at this photo, I'm having second thoughts about that binding.  It's the fabric sent in the kit for binding, but it doesn't look as good as I hoped.

A dear blogging friend sent me the cutest kit for a small felt snowman ornament.  I do love snowmen, and this one is already on my Christmas tree now that it's finished.  He is supposed to have blue cuffs on his sleeves, but I dropped one and couldn't find it.  I'm guessing it was stuck on my clothes and fell off somewhere else in the room.  So, I decided it was OK without the cuffs.  The metal hanger was in my ornament box, so I stitched it right into the top of the hat.  Isn't he cute?  Thanks Vicki - you succeeded in cheering me up. 

Season of giving

It feels good to be the giver, but it's also fun to be the receiver.

Aren't these socks gorgeous?  Soft greys and a peachy pink - I absolutely love them.  Blogging friend Nancy at https://wyomingbreezes.blogspot.com/ is the person I credit with helping me get a Quilt of Valor group started here.  She has made over 250 Quilts of Valor over the years, and she also does a LOT of knitting.  She chooses the prettiest yarn for socks, and she made a pair just for me!!  I'm a lucky gal.  I'm wearing them today, and they are soft and comfy.   Thank you Nancy!!!

I did get to be a giver this week too.  At the December meeting of the local DAR chapter yesterday, we brought 2 things to be donated in the community.  Cookies were collected and taken to the local fire department.  Hats, mittens, scarves, socks - all collected and will be taken to Salvation Army before Christmas.  

Getting caught up

 Now that I have a few things checked off my To Do list for this week I feel a bit less stressed.

I chose 2 quilts from the stash in the closet, and donated them to a silent auction being held this weekend for the local safe house.  There are still too many quilts waiting in that closet.  

The stockings are all hanging on the fireplace.  

Most of the fall decorations have been replaced with Christmas.

The tree is finally all decorated.  It took me 3 days to do, a little at a time.  

* cookies baked for DAR donation to fire department CHECK!
* most Christmas gifts have been ordered online CHECK!!
*  small gifts ready for group exchanges CHECK!!!

There should finally be some sewing time in today, which will be awesome.  I may have been on the verge of withdrawal.  

One big task before the grandkids arrive on Friday for a swim meet - clearing my clutter overflow from the second guest bedroom.  I have a bad habit of laying stuff on the bed in there when I don't want to deal with it right away.  So now there is a pile of stuff to deal with so the bed can actually be used.

There is an update on my cardiac issues, and the plan for dealing with it.  I've been diagnosed with SVT, which is a weird electrical problem with the heart that causes erratic and very fast heart rates.  It's exhausting but not immediately life threatening.  I'm scheduled for ablation on January 7, which will hopefully take care of that problem.  The knee surgery - is postponed indefinitely and until the cardiologist clears me.    

A new tree skirt and an old tree skirt

Back in February I attended a 3 day quilt retreat, and making the Bargello tree skirt was my main project for those retreat days.  It was a Shabby Fabrics kit. 

I'm really pleased with how the tree skirt came out.  It wasn't as difficult as I had expected, as long as I kept the pieces organized.  It's a bit small under my big 8' tree, but it's so much prettier than my old tree skirt.

I'm nearly done decorating the tree.  There is a small box yet with some picks and other odds and ends.  The quilt hanging behind the tree is one I made about 25 years ago.  It's all hand appliqued and hand quilted - by me.  This tree has served our family well for many years, as I purchased it in 1980 with my Christmas bonus from work.  Dave hates real trees because they shed needles, so I used that $100 bonus to buy a very nice 8' tall artificial tree. He was horrified that I spent that much on it.  But hey - 44 years later it still looks good, although in those days they didn't come pre-lit so the lights have to be strung every year.  

  I also pulled out the tree skirt that belonged to my mother.  She's been gone for 33 years, and the tree skirt has been folded up in a box all those years, completely forgotten until now.  It was embroidered (and sequined) by a dear friend of hers. It seems appropriate to be circling my Cardinal Tree in the dining room for the season.  I leave this pencil tree up all year with all of my cardinal ornaments.  It's a "remembrance" tree.  For Christmas I add a few bells - and now this tree skirt.