Southern Scraps

I was doing some online window shopping this weekend, which made me think that I could save a lot of money if I'd improve my sewing skills. Skirts and sheath dresses in particular could be made for so much less than what you pay retail for them. Here are five skirt tutorials I've saved and intend to try one day. via Crafterhours Growing Home Elastic waist skirt (JCrew inspired) Polka Dot Cottage Ruffle skirt Craftaholics Anonymous JCaroline Creative Have a great week!

Kudos to those of you who make the beautiful singed chiffon flowers like these here and here.  I wanted to make some white ones and ordered some chiffon about two months ago. This week I tried on two different nights with two different pieces plus some chiffon scarves I picked up at a yard sale recently and failed miserably. My circles did not curl- they burned up! I did some research and discovered you MUST use SYNTHETIC fabrics. I had ordered silk chiffon. I did have on hand some synthetic fabrics from my grandmother's stash that she probably used as linings. I tried this and it worked much better. Here is a blue flower I made out of that: I used a brad from my scrapbooking stash for the center. I also discovered that one of the scarves I picked up at the yard sale was synthetic and would work so I managed to get two flowers done.  I will admit I stitched them together and did not like them and cut more circles and had a second go. This particular fabric curls V...

This past week I played with fabric some more. I've made a dress (come back tomorrow and I'll share it) and I finished up this- a rolled flower bib necklace. Are you sick of these yet? I'm a little slow getting around to trying all the latest and greatest so this is my first one. If you haven't made one yet, you should. They are fairly easy. I studied the rosette flower tutorials at You Can Make This ( tutorial link is within the post), The Woman Who Couldn't Sit Still , and Erin Bassett , and a few others. Ultimately I decided that I liked my flowers made by tying a knot in the end of the strip for the rose "center" and then just twist and roll, gluing with some fabric glue as I go. I tuck and glue the end to the back and then glue the flower to the felt. When it dries, I cut it away so you can't see the felt. I then arranged my flowers on felt and glued, cut away again so you can't see it. I glued on ribbon, sewed and glued pearl...