Matt and Kim - "LESSONS LEARNED" (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Nothing new…

I still haven’t had a single second to play with my sewing machine.   So much for this sewing blog (no wonder I only have 5 followers).   I did do some last minute adjustments to my vintage dirndl for Gemutlichkeit, but that’s not very exciting so I didn’t take any photos.  I got it from eBay just in time for the festival.  The skirt was so tight that I had to let it out.  I’ve never let anything out before, only taken things in (yeah, I’ve reached that part of my life - getting wider).  The material is wool with a satin liner.  Thankfully it was handmade, so taking the stitches out was super easy.  Also, whoever made it was VERY generous with their seam allowance, so I was able to let it out two full inches.  I have photos of me wearing it; however they were taking at about 1:00 a.m. and let’s just say I was fully loaded at the time. 

We’ve got loads of yard work to do this weekend and a house that looks like a bomb went off inside.  Next weekend I have two craft fairs back to back,  so I don’t see any sewing time in the near future for me L.   

Here is what inspires me today

That's all for today...

Onesies for your Schnitzel!

I am literally vomiting from cuteness right now.  A few weeks ago some of the cousins took a sewing class.  After class over dinner, I said “hey Ang, you should make little baby dirndls & lederhosen for Gemetlichkeit this year”.  In only two weeks, this is what she came up with, she is a friggin genius! 

I mean these are little baby onesies for crying out loud!!

Yo Yo's & Germans

It's busy busy busy around here as I get ready for several upcoming art/craft shows.  Gemutlichkeit Days is a german festival held in my hometown every year, and with it comes a two day craft fair.  It's a wonderful event that allows my cousins & I to dress up in german costumes and drink beer in the street all weekend.  What more could you ask for??  The craft fair section is between two beer gardens, so by staying put in my craft fair booth I can watch all of my hometown go by.  I get to see and talk to everyone and show off my wears.   My cousins make sure to keep me well stocked with beverages all weekend, and my granny delivers spaetzle & real german potato salad.


I can't believe it's next weekend already!  This year i'm splitting a booth with my cousin Angie (of Ada's Accessories).  She normally makes little Tutus, baby dresses and other accessories, and is going to try to make baby Lederhosen and german inspired dresses for Gemutlichkeit.  I can't wait to see what she whips up!


There are fall festivals almost every weekend throughout September & October, and i'm signed up for most of them.  Unfortunately this leaves me very little time for my brand spanking new sewing machine. I had hoped to make a dirndl (german outfit) for this year, but I just don't think i'll have the time.  Oh well, there is always next year!


This is what i'm working right now.  They are little pins & hair barrettes made from Yo-Yo's.   I plan on making a whole bucket full.  The nice thing about these is that they are made from scrap fabric and don't take up a lot of space.  I can sit and work on these over my lunch hour.  Today it was warm & sunny so I sat out on the upstairs front porch and worked on some.  This is the time of year where people start asking if I have Halloween stuff, so here goes... I haven't yet decided on a price yet.  What do people pay for hair accessories?

Also in the Yo-Yo mix are my necklaces, which people always seem interested in, but rarely purchase.  I'm still deciding if it's worth making Halloween themed ones.

On a complete side note, I discovered how to make Lassi today (classic indian yogurt drink).  It's pretty dang simple and shockingly somewhat healthy.  A few years ago, my granny got us all Magic Bullet Blenders for Christmas.  I use mine a lot for making soups & pestos n things.   Today I was making some sweet potato & german butterball bisque and as I was washing out the bullet, I remembered that you can also make smoothies with it.  So upstairs I went to google some lassi recipes.

It's basically plain yogurt & fruit blended together with a pinch of cinnamon (some recipes add sugar or cardamom- My friend Morgan would probably add a pinch of salt).   This year my dad's cherry trees were loaded to the gills, and I ended up freezing a lot of the cherries.  So, all I did was cut up about 6 or 7 frozen cherries, which turned out to be easier and less messy than fresh cherries.  Threw them in my little magic blender with a heaping cup of plain yogurt,  added a pinch of cinnamon and YUM!  Perfect!

The Sewing Machine (song)

Oh Happy Day!

My super special sewing machine is FINALLY going on sale. If all goes according to plan it will be mine, mine, MINE, MINE before the week is through. I’ve been saving for months and I’m so excited I can hardly stand it! I intend to make this my first project. It’s an out of print pattern I found online for $4.99. I have some very special fabric in mind, but I’m going to make the “practice dress” out of an old bed sheet first. I’ll post photos throughout my journey, wish me luck!

Here are some examples of dresses others have made out of this pattern (Butterick 5315)

Made in the U.S.A

Here is the original office (now pattern making room) for Pointer Brand Overalls & Jeans in Bristol, TN.  I could make some patterns in this room.  Hell, I could LIVE in this room.  I've been staring at this photo for the last hour.  This company has been making overalls & jeans since 1913.  Still going strong and still "made in the u.s.a."  That's all for now.