Turtles in the Nursery!

I had a customer email and let me know they needed a baby shower present. The nursery theme is turtles! How fun is that? All of these items are made with soft snuggly flannel. The large changing pad has flannel on the top and bottom with flannel backed rubber sandwiched between to keep everything dry. It is personalized with the baby's name & friendly turtle. The shaped burp cloth is made of 4 layers of that same soft flannel. It is intended to be used with the embroidered design over mom's shoulder and the baby will lay against that soft fabric. A flannel print receiving blanket completes this gift set. It is 36 inches square with a large M appliqued in one corner with the baby's name 'stacked' on top of it. I'm hoping this young family will love them! "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord:. . " Psalm 127:3a What a delight for me to be able to be a small part of the joyous time for their family!

Today's Project--Red Pillows!

I recently had someone ask if I could make some pillows & bench cushion for them before Thanksgiving. I told them I thought I could and today they are finished. These pillows turned out so good. The bench cushion was done in a beautiful print with the red pillow fabric for the cording. Then the red pillows were done with the print cording. This gal has great taste and the fabric shows it!

For the cushion I used a product I'd not used before--NuFoam. It was very easy to work with. It comes in a couple of thicknesses, but I used the 2 inch for this project. The finished cushion came out about 1.5 inches which was good for this customer. For a thicker cushion, I think I'd probably layer it to get about half inch deeper than the finished depth.

She's coming to pick them up in a few minutes. Hope she likes them as much as I do! I'm hoping to get some time soon to post a few more of the recent projects, so check back to see them.

What sewing projects are you working on?

Grandma's Sewing Room

"What a name for a business!" I've heard that a few times when I've given my business name. Old fashioned, I know but I have great memories from my Grandma's sewing room. I have 2 grandmothers that were proficient seamstresses. Some of their sewing was of necessity, but they had a love for it that was seen in the things they used fabric for.

My grandma Edythe, died just before I turned 5. I'm the only one of the grandchildren with memories of her. I would walk across our small town each day after she was confined to bed with cancer. We would go through the magazine she had by her bed and I would pick my favorite picture. She then helped me cut it out and we'd glue it in a 'book'. I heard about things she made. I cherish a small white porcelain goose pin cushion and the sewing chair that were hers.

My grandma Elizabeth was a prolific seamstress and had a definite artistic flair. I have wonderful memories of her sewing long flannel nightgowns for each granddaughter every winter--and of course, pajamas for the grandsons. She made wonderful costumes, pep club uniforms, formals, winter coats--anything with fabric. Many times she would lay fabric on the bed in the room connected to her small sewing room. I was to stand still in the middle of the room. On her command, I would raise my arm, put it down, turn around for as long as she needed. She would then turn and begin cutting--many times with no pattern--to make clothes that FILLED my closet. I was just daring enough that I would wear about anything she made. During the late '60's I had the first 'granny' dress in town and the first maxi coat. When there was a new style to her liking, I got an outfit!

When my sewing business began, I thought I'd be sewing mostly baby things. Now that I'm a grandma to 7 of the most wonderful children you'd ever meet, Grandma's Sewing Room seemed an appropriate name. I hoped my grandchildren would have wonderful memories of my sewing room. But my business soon exploded in directions I hadn't dreamed. I do custom machine embroidery and all kinds of sewing: Home Dec, wedding, childrens, alterations and even some mending once in a while! Probably the largest, most unusual thing I've made is an organ and bench cover for our church. Since there was no pattern that had to be designed first!

Through the years I've sewn for all of my immediate family: pajamas, shirts, dresses, costumes, formals. Long ago, I even made a sports coat for my husband! Many of those things I've wished I'd have kept, but life was busy and the house seemed too small to keep all those things, so they are long gone.

I've taught sewing in the Christian school where I taught for 15 years. I taught K4 but during rest time a teacher's aid would stay with the children while they rested and I taught sewing to high school students. I loved it.

I will endeavor to use this blog as a way to show some of the things I am currently working on. As I begin, I will post pictures of some of the things I've made in the past. You can see many--but not all-of these things on my current website: www.grandmassewing.com. Most of the things I do are custom, so if you have an idea for something you'd like, send me an email and I'll be glad to consider it.

Please do come back and visit again. I'm still 'learning the ropes' of blogging, so please have patience. I hope to hear from you!

Marci