Before Mr. Happy was really hoppy!

Before ....

... and when he is really happy!

And close up!

Mr Happy!

After 2 years!  a bloom!

More photos of the sheep dog demonstrations

 This was so funny.  The expression on the sheep when they saw there was going to be 2 dogs herding them!

 The dogs were so fast that I had a hard time taking pictures of them.  Afterwards this one jumped in the water trough.

 The kids went off to wash wool, card it and watch it being spun and woven on the loom.

 I still had a few minutes before tours so.... This is the Cook's house.  He and his family lived in this cottage behind the big house.

 The Dawn Redwood.

I just had to take pictures of the Catalpa tree.  My husband bought a sapling even though I told him how big they grow.  And, look at the size of the leaves he gets to rake in the fall!

Sheep Shearing Day!

Today was a very busy day at Ardenwood!  Tons of little kids and their parents were visiting to see the sheep shearing!  And then they came over to the house for tours, so we were very busy!

Just some pictures of some of the freshly sheared sheep and the herding dog demonstration.

 The sheep see the dog coming and can't take their eyes off him.

 The dog sees the sheep and can't take his eyes off them except to look at his mistress for instructions.

 The job is to keep all the sheep together and drive them on a maze of barrels.

My Favorite Charity

Abode Services in Fremont, CA:

Look at what they can do with so little!

2014 Journey Home Video - Abode Services

Short Stays are Finished!

Done!  And that was a lot of hand sewing!

Here is the result:

The next project is the chimesette or corset cover.  It will have to wait a while though, I didn't get to the garden yesterday and it is calling loudly!

Off to weed!

Lots of things calling

I am fully home now after some days with my granddaughter.  I didn't see a lot of her since she was immersed in studying!  But now I am home and lots of things need attention.  I really need to do some bookwork, but the garden is calling, and then there is the "short-stays" project (almost done).

I think I will get out to the garden early, spend a couple hours there (weeding), then come in, pay bills, then do the casing on the bottom edge of the short-stays to it's final finish.  Sounds like a plan!

Woops!  What am I thinking!  Today is Thursday, Weight Watcher meeting this morning!  I am a day off.  REVISION:  Do the paperwork, then WW meeting, then garden, then short-stays.

Good morning, everyone!  It is Thursday!

Boning is in!

Yesterday, between all sorts of things, I put the boning in the short stays.  And last night I started binding the rough edges. The outside neckline binding is done, the inside (shown) is half way finished.

The bottom edge is a casing with a drawstring.  That I am going to machine sew.  My wrist and hand are not happy with all the hand sewing!

Fixed the problem!

Yesterday I was saying about how the short stays had this extra bunch of fabric at the front armhole.  Well, I figured out it was because the body of the whole thing was a bit too large.  To fix the "bunch up" I ended up taking in on the under arm seams and in the back-center.  I had used my old measurements and hadn't taken it the fact I have lost some weight!!!  Wow! isn't THAT something!  I don't have the rolls below the bra line that I used to have.....What a SHOCK!  It just dawned on me that that was the difference!  The weight comes off so slowly I had completely forgot about that. YIPPIE!

Anyhow, that problem is fixed.  I did all the seams, 3 layers each by hand last night while my granddaughter was studying.  I also realize that my hand stitching through the years has really improved.  That was a nice observation too!  And the fix made the straps fit better also.                                            
Today I will be working on the boning on the short stays.

But the garden is calling too!
Spring is really here and I want to share some pictures I took at Ardenwood:

The House

The Garden

The Herb Garden

Chemise Neckline

I have finished the chemise, neckline and all.

And now I have started the short stays.

This is a very interesting garment, considering I have never seen one in person.  I figure I will just consider this a practice since I don't really know how it is supposed to look when it is finished.  I was having problems fitting it at the early stage.

The straps are being a problem.  I tried them one way, didn't seem right, tried them another way, didn't seem right.  Since I have been with my grandaughter for a few days I hadn't had a chance to check the original pattern.  Today I did, I had them right the first time but had already ripped out the seams.  The original pattern had it marked on which side was the outside but I hadn't marked it on my copy pattern!!

 Well, I fixed that little problem.

 It seems there is a bunch up on the top sides so I may have to put a dart there in the end, but I know things will change as I go on.

I used my punch for making the holes for the lacing.  That worked perfect




















And I do want to brag about my eyelet holes!  First time I've done them by hand.  They turned out pretty good!

New Projects!

Since I joined The Greater Bay Area Costume Guild (which I wish I had done years ago) I have opened myself up to new time periods.  It is a bit scary, but interesting, to go into these new areas but here I go!

I ordered a couple of new patterns from Sense and Sensibilities because I am putting my toe into the Regency era.  The first endeavor is Regency underwear.  No French Drawers here!  (I still haven't gotten brave enough to wear the ones I made last year with the "Challenges".  A little too airy for me.)

This pattern makes a chemise that gathers at the neck.  A chemise is the first thing on, next to the skin, so I used a 100% cotton and made it in blue.

It also makes "Short Stays, which is totally new to me.  It is like a corset-like bra, giving the uplift for the cleavage you see in all those Jane Austin movies.  And the patten includes a Chemisette, which covers the short stays.  The chemisette has a gathered neck that can be adjusted to the amount that can be seen above the actual dress.

The Regency period did not have the advantage of sewing machines and everything was sewn by hand.  I am cheating on my first endeavors.....I'm machine sewing the main seams and finishing the seam edges by hand.  Since I don't know much about the construction of these clothes I want to move along just to figure it all out.  I don't mind removing sewing machine stitches, but hand stitching is painful to remove because I remember the effort to putting the stitches in!

The other pattern I bought was for a Regency Dress.  But I cannot even think about it now so I will stay with the "underthings" and not just go straight to the dress.  So, I started with the chemise.  I always copy the original patterns with tracing paper or freezer paper so I keep the originals in my library.  It also gives me an opportunity to "learn" the pattern as I am tracing it.  Then the cutting out and putting it together.

The Chemise pattern has a gusset under the arm which took me a while to figure out just what I was supposed to.  When I skipped a few steps ahead in the instructions I could see what I was supposed to be achieving and then it was easy.






Then all the seams needed to be flat-felled.

So far, so good.  I have yet to finish the neckline.