Back to the forums -- Tussiemussies

[Tussiemussies]

Hi, just wanted to say hello to everyone before I start posting. Hope all is well with you all and you're enjoying early summer!:)

Christine

[fidgiegirl]

Yeah!!! Glad you are back!

[Tradd]

Welcome back! You've been missed!

[Tussiemussies]

Thanks fidgiegirl and tradd!

Fidgiegirl -- you are so pretty!

[fidgiegirl]

Aw . . . blushing :)

[Bastelmutti]

Heeeeeeey! Welcome back!

[Mrs-M]

Yippee! So happy to see you back TM! I've missed you so, so much!!! There have been sooo many times where I've wanted to try and contact you, but I always feel so apprehensive bothering people, so I held back. What is it going to take to keep you here, all to ourselves? :)

[leslieann]

Hi, TM, welcome back!

[Tussiemussies]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes...

Mrs. M., thanks for thinking of me and wanting to contact me -- you can email me whenever you like, I always love hearing from you! : )

[Kat]

Sorry this is a bit late, but...I am glad you are back, too! :-)

[danna]

Glad to see you..Hope all is well with you?

[Aroha]

Nice to meet you Tussiemussies, your creativity is inspirational.

[Tussiemussies]

Hi Aroha,

Nice that you are here on the Simple Living boards. Thank you for the nice compliment. Do you do any crafts as as hobby? You will have to fill us in on the details! Chris

[Aroha]

Hi Chris/Tussiemussies :)

I like to sew and have made curtains, quilts, clothing and kids costumes over the years.

I can also knit but unfortunately my daughter grew out of the jersey I was making before I even finished it. So I undid it and crocheted a retro-style cushion cover which I just finished and stuffed with some leftover pillow.

I have tried my hand at card making and scrapbooking but they are not my forte. I find wallpapering quite rewarding but you only need to do that every so often.

Thanks for asking, I'm sure there are other things I have done from time to time and I'm hoping to open up room in my life for even more creativity. What's your current favourite craft?

[Tussiemussies]

Hi again Aroha,

Sounds like you are very good at sewing! I am a novice and have made a few quilts and have sewn a few items. I wanted to try card making too but once looking into it, it seemed like an expensive hobby!

Seems that we have some things in common! Chris

[Aroha]

I learnt to sew from about the age of 10, and by 14 I was making all my own clothes. I'm no real dressmaker though.

Once my daughters reached their teens I barely got a moment on my own sewing machine but they have both left home now and I am hoping to get back into it. Today I tossed some grotty old pot holders, so I think making replacements might be my next project. I'd better do it quick before youngest daughter catches the sewing bug and I end up queuing for my own machine again.

What are you working on at the moment?

[Tussiemussies]

Wow, Aroha, you were really good at sewing at a young age. I haven't made any potholders yet but I want to with some quilting scraps I have left over. My machine is not working right I have a Christmas runner project that I was working on but it has been by the wayside for quite some time now. I brought my machine to two places and no one could find anything wrong with it.

Have you taught your daughters to sew? Are they really good at it? Chris

[Aroha]

Hi Chris, quilting scraps will make nice potholders. I am going to pad mine with some nice waffle cotton from a dressing gown I picked up at the op shop. I already cut into it for the aprons but there are some pieces left. I hope you can get your machine mended, it is really frustrating when they don't work. One time my overlocker needle went out of alignment, I can't even remember why but it took ages to locate the problem.

I taught both my older girls the basics and they took it from there. My 21yo daughter sews well enough to make her own clothes from a pattern. When she was 16 we worked on her ball dress together, she would sew a seam, I would fix it up. Repeat as necessary until dress is finished. It was unique and she ended up wearing it to two different balls and then lending it to two other cousins for their events in other towns so it was well worth all the work.

My 23yo also sews well and even designs her own patterns as well.

I have done a few little projects like pillow cases with my 13yo but so far she seems to prefer hand sewing and has made toys and teddies.

[Tussiemussies]

Hi again Aroha,

It is so nice that you taught your daughters to sew...did you learn from your Mother or Grandmother? I can't remember if you told me. If so it is like handing down a family skill. I wish my Grandmother taught me to sew. Your daughters so good at it. I always wanted to try hand sewing too.

What did the ball gown look like? Do you hAve a picture of it? Have you made any wedding gowns? Your own maybe?

Chris

PS. All of the Christ'S crafts I posted were for inspiration for all here, I wasn't' t making them, but wish I was!

[Aroha]

Chris, I'd love to know what kind of crafts you like to do?

My Mum always sewed our clothes while were were growing up, she used to get in the playpen with her sewing machine and let us kids play everywhere else. I learnt the basics at school and then Mum finally let me use her machine. I made lots of dolls clothes in those days. No wedding gowns but several bridesmaid and flower girl dresses over the years.

[Tussiemussies]

Hi Aroha,

That is just so funny that your Mom would get in the playpen do her sewing! It sounds like a smart thing to do though incase little fingers got into the wrong place or needles dropped on the floor. I would love to see pictures of some of the work you have done.

I like all crafts but seldom do them because it all seems so expensive once you buy the right materials. I might change my mind about that though! Do you do other crafts?

I live in Northwest NJ/ how about you?

[Aroha]

Chris, I live in New Zealand.

I think it's often possible to be frugal with crafting. For example, I received several handmade cards for my birthday that I know were made by people who don't stamps or scrapbooking tools or new materials, they just get creative with scraps of ribbon and music and magazine pictures.

I actually think crafting is MORE rewarding this way. Making something from castoffs or natural items is very productive. And if it doesn't work nothing is lost except your time and even then you have gained skills and knowledge in the process so that's an investment.