Category: Sewing Projects

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How Dare I

…wear wide-leg pants and a hat named Audrey

(Just like my new pants, this post is cropped, comfortable, and fun!)

Glam shot me with my Audrey hat . ( Emerson crop pant pattern by True/Bias, washable linen from JoAnn Fabrics)

I recently blogged about finding the courage to begin a new project or try something different. I was nervous about making a pair of gold linen, wide-leg pants. They’ll be too bold, too wide, too wrinkly I thought. http://seamslikeastory.com/the-courage-to-bloom I received a comment from a reader who wanted to see the pants when they were finished. (coincidently, this person has the same name as my sister) Here is the finished product. I’m still fiddling with the waistband, but overall I’m happy with the way they turned out. They’re comfortable and the wrinkles in the fabric don’t bother me. Besides, they’re roomy enough for slouching.

The real me slouching on a lounge chair.

Now if I just had somewhere fun to wear them!

Audrey the hat

P. S. Yes, I have a hat named Audrey. You may see her again sometime, but that seams like a story for another day!

Threads of thought icon

Threads of thought:

Take a chance!

Be bold!

Have fun!

Go for it!

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Melanie’s Tutu

Autism Awareness Month

Meet Melanie

Melanie is enchanted by her princess themed room on a (pre-COVID) trip to Disney World.
Melanie explores the great outdoors while RVing

Meet Melanie, a bright, beautiful, energetic eleven-year-old whose smile lights up the room. She loves Disney princesses and has developed a passion for RV-ing. Melanie has autism. Each individual with autism is unique. Though Melanie can communicate through short, repeated phrases or words, she is mostly non verbal. Meeting her specific emotional, behavioral, and educational needs requires a team comprised of her family and a network of dedicated professionals. I am proud to play a supporting role as one of her grandmas.

How to tutu

When Melanie outgrew her Disney Princess dresses, my daughter Kelli asked if I could make a “grown-up girl” sized tutu. Though I’d never made a tutu before, I was willing to try.

Continue reading “Melanie’s Tutu” …

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A Book By Its Cover

How to make a fabric book cover…and why you should!

 We’ve been told “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but maybe we should! A fabric book cover adds a touch of elegance or whimsy to an ordinary book or journal. Here’s how, and why, you should give this project a try:

Continue reading “A Book By Its Cover” …

 We’ve been told “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but maybe we should! A fabric book cover adds a touch of elegance or whimsy to an ordinary book or journal. Here’s how, and why, you should give this project a try:

Continue reading “A Book By Its Cover” …

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Stitch up a Memory

Learning How to Sew

Sky and Leaf
By Debra VanDeventer

Spring green Palo Verde leaves sway against the backdrop
of a brilliant blue sky
and a long forgotten memory stirs on the breeze.
A mother’s hands smooth out two pieces of fabric,
sky blue and leaf green.
Not willing to sacrifice one for the other, both are chosen
and a skirt is designed for her child.
Stitch by stitch, mother teaches daughter.
Together they create
a magnificent skirt
born of the mother’s imagination–wraparound, reversible
sky and leaf.

First Steps in learning to sew

My mother taught me to sew.http://seamslikeastory.com/about-debra/ I don’t remember those first steps in learning to sew, but this memory of a  blue and green, wrap-around skirt recently came to mind.

One joy of sewing is the ability to pass the skill on to others. One joy of retirement is you have time to do so. A few summers ago, my (then) eight-year-old granddaughter, Lillian, came to visit for a week. As a former teacher and current sewist, I was delighted when she expressed an interest in learning to sew. Here’s how we began…

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How to Warm up Winter

The Gallery tunic pattern by Liesl & Co.

Winter Homecoming

by Debra VanDeventer

Fall fades, Winter comes

A frosty walk warms my heart

I am home again

Weathering Winter

Although I now call Arizona home, I’m a Midwestern girl. I grew up in Southern Indiana and am a frequent visitor to our family’s cozy lakeside condo there. We moved to the Southwest, in part, to enjoy the abundant sunshine and warm winter weather. But I must admit, I do occasionally miss the pattern of bare tree limbs against the gray sky, a brisk walk on a wintry day, and maybe a touch of snow. So how do I warm up to winter?

Gallery Tunic Pattern by Liesl & Co.https://www.pinterest.com/liesl/liesl-+-co-gallery-tunic-and-dress/

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