Vintage Lace and Doily Tunic Top

I've been brainstorming and wanting to create some type of lace top for a while now. Wednesday, I had to go to Longview (about 35  miles away) to pickup flower supplies. On my way to there, I finally got the vision for what I wanted to make and couldn't wait to get back home. Even though I had a few wreaths that had to be made, I had to dig out my buckets of lace, doilies, and hankies, and lay out my idea! 

No pattern, no measuring, I just started laying everything out. I was able to get everything pinned and started sewing, before I had to quit and go make wreaths, that had to be delivered Thursday morning.

Thursday afternoon, I was able to get back to the sewing machine and 4 bobbin refills later, the top is finished! I believe this is the first clothing item that I have made from scratch. I always tell people I add to shirts, but don't make them... truth be told, I struggle trying to read a pattern. I really should have wrote down the measurements for this one, though. 

While we were out Thursday morning, we found the pants at a garage sale... they were super cute and I knew I had to have them! Got them home and they were too big. The top folds over like yoga pants, so I decided to sew the flap down and insert an elastic piece. Pretty happy with how they turned out as well and they matched my new tunic top! 

Good news is that I didn't have sewing machine issues while I was working on this  (read: no mental breakdown, hissy fits, or ugly words!)  and I've got plenty of lace to make more! I am planning to make a few more before our show at Vintage Market Days of East Texas in September, so stay tuned.

This was my Thursday morning Facebook post and I think it sums up this top! 

Live - Work - Create

So much has been happening recently, I totally missed the end of the month recap and video for August.

Lots of late night sewing, getting ready for our fall markets. 

Sweet little girls clothes, getting a lacy little makeover. 

One of my customers wanted an easel for her 104 granddaddy, who I didn't know. She told me he was country and wanted a tractor and cow included. She sent a note saying it fit his personality and style perfectly! 

Of course, preparation for lots of fall weddings is underway and several wedding orders have been made and shipped out to brides across the country. 

This one is burnt orange and jade (light turquoise / aqua). 

Red, white and tan burlap bouquet with feathers. 

Traffic one morning! Not my cows (thank goodness), but I thought they made a pretty morning picture! 

Camo, orange, turquoise, tan, and white burlap, lace, and feather bouquets, boutonnières, corsages, and headbands. 

A first peek at one of my new pillows that will be available soon! 

I'm a self taught seamstress and I don't know much about trouble shooting when things mess up. I hope you all have a friend that you can send this picture to and in one text message, she can tell you what to try and you get back to sewing immediately! Thank goodness for Angea, because I just knew my sewing machine was messed up bad. (P.S. She said rethread the machine and change needles.  I had recently broke a needle and must have had something wrong with new needle.)

Turquoise bouquets! 

It had been a couple years since I had made any church flowers. When I left the flower shop in town, I hadn't intended to do fresh flowers anymore. By request, I had started doing a few special events and I ran into one of my former customers at one. She was upset that I hadn't called her and let her know I was doing fresh flowers occasionally and wanted me to do her church arrangement this year, in honor of her mother's birthday. We didn't even have to discuss what she wanted, I already knew her favorites- all pink roses, gladiolus, and stargazer lilies. 

Birthday arrangements 

Flossie says Hi and that it rained a lot in August, but we are appreciative of the rain and cooler weather. 

Navy burlap and lace bouquets - I  had someone request a larger version of the standard size bridal bouquet (on right). Special request and sizes are available, so if you want something bigger, just ask! 

A personalized wedding album. 

This welcome rope wreath went to South Dakota and marks the 47th state I've shipped to! 

I sewed be up a fun little something with flannel and lace.  I know what I'm wearing to our market, if'n the weather is just cool enough, but not too cold! 

Love the all neutral colored burlap bouquets! 

The rain has been good for the flowers! My lantana is blooming pretty again and is over 6 feet tall. 

This week was Gilmer Homecoming and mums and garters are a big thing in the south. I did several school spirit items and delivered to the schools. Here's a few different ones I made this week. I'm

curious, do you celebrate homecoming and have mums in your area?  

Between everything else, we are working hard to get ready for our Yamboree and Backwood's Marketplace booths. I'm making some wooden signs. Several are painted on each side and have a similar word on the reverse side. 

Friday afternoon, after everything was delivered and shipped for the week, I decided it was time to clean up Miss Gussie the Glamper

And prop my feet up for a little while! 

A great big THANK YOU to everyone for letting me help with your special events.  I appreciate each and everyone of you! 

DIY Boot Socks and Cuffs

Have you been seeing all the cute leg warmers, boot socks and boot cuffs this winter? After getting this tall pair of boots, (which have become my faves recently) I began seeing the peek a boot socks online. I loved the look of several, but just couldn't justify the high price that came with many I saw. After all, my first thought was "sweater arms"!

So, I made myself a pair of boot socks and boot cuffs with a sweater. I stopped by a local thrift store and low and behold, there was the perfect white sweater hanging on the sale wrack at a whopping $1.50! 

I cut the arms off the sweater and eyeballed the length I needed to have just a touch of the sweater sticking out above the top of my riding boots.

Then I cut the remainder of the arm to make the boot cuff- for days when you just want the look of warm and cozy socks, but don't need the extra warmth. 

Now, here is the important step;). Get husband to help wind the bobbin with a cordless drill! Yes, I know it's redneck! Here's the thing, my main sewing machine needs a part to wind the bobbin. My other machine, well, I'd have to move a whole lotta stuff to get to it... So he helped me out! 

I have lots of scraps of vintage lace laying around, so as I hemmed the cuffs, I added a lace edging. I used a triple zigzag stitch.

The long leg warmers have two options for wearing: with lace showing or the striped end of the sleeve. I didn't have to hem that end.

Two pair from one sweater in a short time, without much precision. 

Now, I'm not saying the handmade boots socks are not worth the price, but this was a simple diy version. This was not as labor intense as knitting the whole thing.  I saved at least $30.00 to $45.00 making my own.  It would be a great way to repurpose old or stained sweaters. I've seen several pair accented with buttons and I might just add a few to one pair.

P.S. Some of you might have noticed that my blog address is a little different. I'm having technical issues and for the time being, my blog is not redirecting to theGypsyFarmGirl.com as it did before. It's still the same website/blog, only some links might not work, especially if trying to visit from Pinterest links. Thanks for hanging with me at gypsyfarmgirl.blogspot.com as I try to figure out the behind the scenes website business. 

Shabby Chic Drop Cloth Curtains

Last week I rearranged my living room and it lead to new curtains! Canvas drop cloth met burlap banner, combined with rusty bed springs for this shabby chic makeover.

Throw a sweet little girl into the mix as well!

 It was ALL this chairs fault! If you remember, the garage sale vintage chair was sitting in the middle of my living room, blocking my view of the tv. Well I started rearranging stuff in my tee tiny little living room and somehow, someway, we found room for the chair, without having to get rid of another chair!

The $5.oo chest of drawers holds movies and magazines and stuff we seldom use, so it's alright that the drawers are partially blocked.

 To create my simple valance curtains, I tore a strip of canvas drop cloth to my desired length. Then I sewed a pocket for the curtain rod to slip through. I cut five triangle pendants from burlap and tied them to a piece of twine, which was in turn tied to each end of the curtain rod.

 Rusty bed springs and additional strips of the drop cloth were tied to the twine rope, adding more dimension and shabby chic flare to the curtains.

I like this curtain much more than the boring brown paisley valance that was here before. That chair sparked a good change in the house! The coffee table and a book shelf got several coats of chippy paint as well, but that's a post for another day.