The Conscripted Seamstress

From the Madsen Creations tumblr: Fashion Inspiration Journal

So I do not sew-not at all. I have tried to do it and have failed again and again. Sewing is just not for me. I get completely flabbergasted.

From the Madsen Creations tumblr: Fashion Inspiration Journal

I am like Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality, when I look at the sewing machine and the instruments.

So those of you who follow me on instagram and facebook may have seen my embroidery, and might be wondering, isn’t that the same thing as sewing?

Sewing is about construction-in clothing or accessories. Typically you are joining two pieces of fabric together to make something or mending a hole or frayed edge.

Embroidery is about style-you are adding careful and intricate stitching to something, to elevate a pillowcase, dishcloth, blanket, or other home goods.

So embroidery is something I know how to do, my mom taught us young and I have embroidered pillows, dishcloths, pillowcases, blankets, baby shirts, etc. After all:

So last week my friend was getting married and she was planning on saving money by wearing her mother’s old dress.

I told her to try it on months before, just in case it didn’t fit, but she didn’t. On Thursday, two nights before the wedding, she tried the dress on and it didn’t fit.

They weren’t able to add more cloth to it, instead a new dress had to be made. Friday, the day before the wedding.

But my sister, she went to work and created a dress in a day.

What?

After the dress rehearsal, I went over to my parent’s house and saw my sister sewing on appliques to the dress. If she was to be doing it on her own, she was going to be up all night and we were supposed to be at the church at 9 on Saturday.

Ouch!

So my mom lent a hand and then they conscripted me into service.

Like I said sewing is not for me, and I kept messing up. I threaded the needle wrong and it kept falling out. And I was moving so slow…

We stayed up until two in the morning and my sister and mother did lots of appliques…but in the four hours I sewed….I did one.

Yes, this is why I don’t sew. But I was pretty proud of my one applique.

For more on sewing, go to Desire & Decorum: Chapter 3, Threading the Needle

For more embroidery, go to Jane Austen Manors

For more on weddings, go to Crazy Rich Asians

That Would Make Me Happy

Day 8) Favorite Disney Female Sidekick

Merryweather

So I haven’t really talked a lot about my family on here. I tend to try and stay away from making posts about people I know as if they ever read this I don’t want them getting upset with me.  So I have two older siblings, Paige and Holly. Now I love Sleeping Beauty a lot, in fact Aurora is my favorite princess (second to Princess Leia). I wanted to be her (and was for two Halloweens) and used to act it out every year. Now I don’t know if my sister Paige was trying to be mean to me or create a bond between the three of us girls (when I was a little girl I always thought it was the first one), but she would tell me that I couldn’t be Aurora I had to be Merryweather. Paige was to be the leader Flora, Holly Fauna, and I had to be Merryweather. Now as a kid I hadn’t having to be be her, but you know what, the older I get the more I realize what an awesome character she is. She is smart, caring, sassy, and just plain hilarious. And she sounds just like me.

Like wanting to turn the people you hate into a toad? I agree, let’s take them out.

She’s not afraid to speak her mind and give her opinion on things, although sometimes it bites her in the butt.

Plus you gotta love Merryweather for the fact that she’s the smartest of the three fairies. First of all she saves Aurora’s life.

And then saves it again

“Flora: I’ll turn her into a flower.
Merryweather: Maleficent?
Flora: [chuckles] No, no, dear. The princess.
Fauna: Oh, she’d make a lovely flower.
Flora: Don’t you see? A flower can’t prick its finger.
Merryweather: It hasn’t any.
Fauna: That’s right.
Flora: She’ll be perfectly safe.
Merryweather: Until Maleficent sends a frost.
Flora: [laughs, then stops abruptly] Yes… oh dear.”

Plus she is the only one who actually knows how to do any thing without her wand.

[preparing for Aurora’s birthday party]
Merryweather: But, I never baked a *fancy* cake.
Flora: Oh, you won’t have to, dear!
Fauna: *I’m* going to bake the cake!
Merryweather: You?
Flora: Oh, she’s always wanted to, dear, and this is her last chance.
Merryweather: [doubtfully] Well…
Fauna: I’m going to make it 15 layers with pink and blue forget-me-nots.
Fauna: And *I’m* making the dress.
Merryweather: But you can’t sew! And she’s *never* cooked!”

Yep Merryweather’s been doing it all.

Plus Merryweather doesn’t care whether or not Aurora marries a prince, she just wants her to be happy.

“Merryweather: [irked] Ooh, I don’t see why she has to marry any old… prince!”  

More Merryweather sass

For more on Sleeping Beauty, go to Prince of a Man

For more on a Disney Princess, go to A Hidden Wonder

For more on Disney Sidekicks, go to Squeak, Squeakity, Squeak-ems

For more on Disney, go to Episode VI: Return of the My Favorite Movie Lines List

For more on Birthdays, go to Happy B-day

For more on Princess Leia, go to Be Like Han