ribbon rose hairbow

for a gift exchange I made this hair bow. I had been going through some magazines and found a tutorial on how to make ribbon roses. it had several different roses in it, however the magazine was not in English so this was the only rose I could figure out by the pictures. I really ought to try looking up the tutorials online. I’m sure it would make more sense if I could read it. anyway this was all hand sewn. my first practice rose was a disaster but once I figured out how to do them they are actually quite easy. my second one was much nicer. one thing I did discover is you need to have a tight enough weave in the fabric or the knot on the starter thread will pop through and when one is half way through a rose that can be quite frustrating.
I completely free handed the beading. which I thought turned out pretty well. the lace was in my stash. and as for the shape of the bow I free handed that as well.
what I want before I go making too many more of these roses, is to get an awl. I think it would help in getting the ribbon through that first and last time, without cutting the fabric. because the knots on the ribbon go on the wrong side of the fabric and the ribbon has to be pulled through the fabric, which is not easy always easy. I had to make holes first and the problem with that is of course if you cut one to many threads on the fabric your hole will be too big and the knot will pull through. so an awl seems as if it would punch the correct size hole without cutting the fabric. I have needed an awl for other sewing projects as well. its amazing to me all the tools one needs for sewing.
I also have a few more things I made for Christmas gifts however those can not be posted till after the holiday, I can’t risk the giftee seeing them after all.

A Christmas skirt.

for work I had to participate in a Christmas festival , and of course had “nothing” to wear. I didn’t want to wear what I had worn the year before that would have just been tacky right?

I found this dress in some stuff someone had given to my mom for my niece, except my niece will not be anywhere near that size for years to come, and rather then store it away for ages I snatched it up. the dress being in child sizing of course meant that it was not shaped correctly for me, though it did fit but looked like a baby doll style dress on me and that was not something I was going for.

I did like the plaid though so in s split decision decided to make it into a skirt! simple right? just cut off the top and sew it back together. well it should have been that. but they put the thing together in a rather complicated manor. so I ended up having to take it apart a bit more then I had anticipated. the lining and outer fabric where sewn together all around the bust. not unusual but I was rather hoping for just thread tacks. I was excited about not having to deal with a zipper it was already installed so I was going to cut it down, which I did and would have worked except I stupidly zipped it all the way up while I was doing a fitting. and pulled the head off. I was able to thread it back on but I had to undo the bottom of the zipper to do so. invisible zippers I have noticed don’t thread on from the top like other zippers but rather from the bottom. I also had to bring in the waist a bit which I did on the sides. I got it all back together thinking it looked really good only to try it on and have the waist gaping. and now here was a dilemma. I needed the waist smaller by about two inches. but having cut the zipper so short there was going to be no way it would fit over my hips if I took it up. so to solve this I opted to put 1/4” elastic at the top of the band just to snug it up that little bit, which did just the trick and of course allows for me to wear it all season and still be able to eat, since you know it will stretch.

so in the grand scheme of things I like the way it turned out. I don’t think in the end it was any easier then making a brand new skirt but that is okay.

and here I am wearing the skirt. you can tell I was coerced into sitting on Santa’s lap by the way I’m sitting. my work was hosting Santa though, so all of us did and I wasn’t the only one complaining. I also made Santa’s boot furs. I think I was given the wrong measurement though because they kept sliding down. but I can only go by what I was told. my coworker and friend actually made the Santa coat and hat. didn't she do a nice job? I thought it turned out really well.