OMGosh

Seriously, I am about to let the goats eat my computer.  It has officially gone berserk, and won't even let me upload photos of Irma's first hair cut to share with you!!!  ARG!

I finally got my beloved sewing machine back, and have been working on several sewing projects which I would like to share with you as well.  As soon as I figure out how to load my photos onto my huband's mac I promise I will post.

 

Until then, imagine Irma with half of a hair cut.  Oh, and imagine two lovely regency era dresses--one navy blue, and the other a beige-ish color with little pink flowers.  Imagine me finishing my red corduroy coat (yay!), and helping my sister Susanna with her first sewing project--a camel coat of her own design.  Fun stuff!

I hope you all are having a lovely October!  Are the colors changing as vividly where you are as they are here in the Georgia mountains?

~Bessie

Knit A Dress A Day

So fast it's truly incredible

Make a dress in only 6 hours

A complete wardrobe in a week!

Knit-A-Dress-A-Day was published in 1968, and was meant to be used with the "revelutionary" new Jumbo Jet needles, which look to be about an inch in diameter, judging by the photo in the introduction.  It is quite a novel idea--who doesn't want a complete wardrobe of giant-knit mini dresses???  You could make one in every color!

Here are some of my favorite selections.  Enjoy!

 The Demure Miss

 Military

 Rich Boy Sweater 

 Miss Liberty

Short Sleeve Irish Fisherman

Triple Monique

 Metallic A-Line (I really just like her hair)

 Triple Treat

 Between Seasons

Sugar and Spice

What do you think?  Are you inspired? :)

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In other news, I harvested some sunflower seeds today for the first time!  

Aaannnndddd, I made some bread yesterday that turned out quite well, if I do say so myself.  

I do not have a mixer, so I kneaded the dough by hand.  This usually results in a denser loaf of bread, so I was pleasantly surprised when mine came out relatively light and with a pretty nice crumb!

You can tell that the crumb is a bit denser on the bottom than at the top.  Ah well, hopefully I can perfect this lovely art of hand-kneading.  I would really love to get better at it so that I can make delicious, healthy bread on a regular basis.  Plus, it'll probably buff-up my arms...

Well, that's all for now.  Sewing machine should be up and running soon, so keep an eye out for fall sewing projects!

God bless,

Bessie

A New Old Song :)

Today I picked up my ukulele and decided to record a song.  :)

 Check out my cover of the classic "Dream"!

http://www.myspace.com/bessiebmusic

Oh, and here is the original version (sung by the Pied Pipers):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLLEc-Xh068

~Bessie

Garments

There are three things on my to-do list today:

1. Do dishes

2. Put away clothes

3. Organize pantry

I have gotten as far as number two.  Well, actually, I think I have done the opposite of number two.  I started going through my closet, pulling out summer dresses to put up in the attic for winter, when I noticed several garments I had either finished and never posted about, bought and never posted about, or had *almost* finished and never followed up on here at the blog.  So I decided to take some pictures and share them with you.  This entailed disemboweling my closet and piling the contents on my bed, so I suppose you could say that I have taken a step backwards in my daily cleaning.  Oh well. :D

Please forgive the quality of the pictures--I had to use Photo Booth because my resident photographer is not in today.  :(  Alas!

Wedding Jacket

This is the jacket I made to go over my wedding gown.  I used a pattern from the 1940's.  The jacket is made of copper-colored velveteen and lined with a taupe satin.  The hem is finished with taupe lace.  My sister Sarah gave me the buttons as a gift several years ago--they are lovely antique German glass, white with lacy gold etching around the edges.

The best Goodwill find EVER

I bought this 1950's Carol Craig dress for $5 at a local Goodwill!!!  Is that amazing or what?  The dress is in fantastic shape, and just happens to fit me perfectly.  I love the front detail and the ruched waist.  I wish I had a party to wear this to... 

The Virginia Mayo dress

This is a dress that has been sitting in the back of my closet for over a year waiting to be completed.  It needs hemming, cuffs, and also taking-in at the waist (I guess I've lost a little weight since the first fitting...).  This dress was inspired by a costume worn by Virginia Mayo in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (a great old Danny Kaye movie).  You can see the inspiration here.  See all of those buttons?  Every single one of those buttonholes are bound.  Yep.  Took me FOR-EV-ER!

The Corduroy Coat

Gosh, I love this coat.  Why haven't I finished it yet?  

It is made of a bright red corduroy, and lined with some Amy Butler fabric (can't remember which line).  Double-breasted, hand-worked buttonholes, and a cute sewn-in belt that buttons in the back.   Pattern from the mid-1950's.  All it needs is the sleeve lining.  I really should finish it so that I can wear it this year...

The one thing I don't like about this coat is the largeness of the armholes.  It makes for some difficult move-age, if you know what I mean. :)

So there you have it.  Hold me accountable to getting some of these finished!

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Bessie