MY ETSY SHOP

Friday, April 4, 2014

So as it is the 100th year Anniversary for WWI and the 70th for WWII I have made some poppies. 

The poppy has a long association with Remembrance Day. But how did the distinctive red flower become such a potent symbol of our remembrance of the sacrifices made in past wars?
Scarlet corn poppies (popaver rhoeas) grow naturally in conditions of disturbed earth throughout Western Europe. The destruction brought by the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th Century transformed bare land into fields of blood red poppies, growing around the bodies of the fallen soldiers.
In late 1914, the fields of Northern France and Flanders were once again ripped open as World War One raged through Europe's heart. Once the conflict was over the poppy was one of the only plants to grow on the otherwise barren battlefields.
The significance of the poppy as a lasting memorial symbol to the fallen was realised by the Canadian surgeon John McCrae in his poem In Flanders Fields. The poppy came to represent the immeasurable sacrifice made by his comrades and quickly became a lasting memorial to those who died in World War One and later conflicts. It was adopted by The Royal British Legion as the symbol for their Poppy Appeal, in aid of those serving in the British Armed Forces, after its formation in 1921.


My entire family is all ex-military and I wanted to support the fallen soldiers. I listed these on my Etsy site and will donate there dollars to the Legion for everyone I sell.



I made them from red satin, ready made green leaves, black seed beads and a gold plated stick pin. I am really pleased how well they turned out. 


Sunday, March 30, 2014

So here is my dress so far. I really do love the material for this dress. I pinned it to my manikin as I have to sew the side ready for snaps and sew the straps on. I am really glad I only pinned it as I realized I pinned the straps upside down..Note to oneself: watch the pattern when sewing straps on.. :)



Sunday, March 23, 2014

Well today I cut the pattern out. I for the first time did not use pins, I used my Wonder Weights. They are from the 1940's and are about 1 inch wide and have a good weight to them. You place them around your pattern, cut and remove. your done. No more long time spent on pinning then unpinning….It was so much faster and much easier. I will never pin another pattern again. I suggest buying and trying. Now to start sewing…




Saturday, March 22, 2014

Hello,

   Been too long since I posted anything. The new job does take a lot of my time but I am participating in the Sew for Victory that just started. Below is my project. Going to cut the material tomorrow. What do you think of the material?