needle & thREAD

No sewing news from me this week. Despite my ambitious plans, the stomach bug won this round. But...

I do have some happy sewing to report! A couple weeks ago, a sweet reader offered to take the fabric already designated to the St. Lucy's -Valentine's- winter nightgowns and turn them into loveliness for my little girls. I gathered up a rather haphazard box of works in progress and works not yet begun and sent it off gratefully. A few days later, she was love-bombing my inbox with pictures that made my heart skip a beat. I'll let her tell you about it.

Please meet Tracy, who has not only graciously sewn beautiful gowns this week, but agreed to guest blog:

I love to sew. To be able to create something beautiful and useful out of a rectangle of fabric is a gift. One that I don't take for granted, and that I thoroughly enjoy.
We live in a very tiny house (a recent addition of about 400 sq ft increased the size of our house by 40 percent). Did I mention we have 8 children? (Two of them have married and our oldest lives on his own a few hours away, but we have had as many as 9, and as few as 7, living in the house during the past 7 years.) Even in this small space, I was able to find a 20" x 56" section to set up as my sewing station. To have my sewing machine out and ready for sewing is another gift.

Elizabeth's blog was one of the first that I read regularly. I bought her book, Real Learning: Educating in the Heart of the Home, and it has become my most bookmarked book, with bits of paper sticking out in every direction.

I was tickled (and a bit jealous, if I'm honest) when she learned to knit. I was thrilled when she started learning to sew. I enjoy following her progress with her with needle and thREAD posts. When she mentioned recently that she was struggling with the nightgowns for the girls, I didn't  have to think twice. I shot off an e-mail asking her to please send me the jammies, so I could sew them up for her and she could move on to the Easter dresses. (And then I worried that she'd think I was a crazy woman.)
I got the package on Saturday and got busy. It was a pleasure working with such scrumptious fabric! My girls admired both the fabric and the pearly pink pins she'd used to pin pattern to fabric. (I sent her an e-mail suggesting that she skip that step in the future and just use butter knives or rocks as weights, which is just as effective, but a much quicker method than pins ;-)

I consider myself to be a decent seamstress, although, admittedly, I do struggle with following patterns. ( and recipes...) I had trouble making heads or tails of those directions; it was no wonder that Elizabeth was struggling! I persevered and managed to figure them out, and yesterday afternoon, too late to make it to the post office, though, I sewed on the buttons, and took a picture before packing them back in the box. Not knowing I would be guest posting here today, I didn't take any other photos along the way except for a quick phone picture to send to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth, thank-you for allowing me to help you in this small way. I hope that you feel loved every time you catch a glimpse of a little girl twirling in her flannel gown.

 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. ~Galatians 6:10

 ~*~*~*~*~

I cannot thank Tracy enough. I'm so touched by her generosity. And my girls will so love those nightgowns for a long, long time. Have you ever been unexpectedly blessed by a stranger, who then became a friend because you trusted her? Tell me about it. And tell me about your sewing and reading, too!