I’m a day late, but I wanted to thank Dorothy for letting us know it was Best Friends Day yesterday. I think of all of us as best friends and somehow I think we are. We care for each other, treat each other with kindness and respect one another! I DO have the best ladies who read and contribute to my blog! Thanks so much!
One other thing… Joy did a little investigating about the Clark sisters and found out their names…She put them in her comments below, but I’ll add them here, so you can put a “name with a face!” (I TRIED everything to get this picture cropped, but because it’s a screenshot, I cannot get it smaller. sorry!)
So, yesterday after seeing the Clark sisters in their finery, I had to look them up. None of them were fraternal twins which I thought might be the case, and the one I thought the youngest turned out to be the oldest. Here are their names and dates, left to right in the photo:
Harriet Elizabeth Clark Allen 1818-1863, Ladonia Charlotte Clark Hoy b 1827, Joanette Clark Benjamin 1814-1880, Juliaette Alcesta Clark b 1820, Laura Miles Clark Palmer b 1822. 🙂
Thank you TOO for all your comments and suggestions and critique of the dress I showed you yesterday. There was nothing about it that I could salvage, as it was, so I took it all apart… Well, at least the ruffles…
Here’s why I made a new bodice… the old one didn’t fit against her chest in the front… see?
So I cut out and made a new one…
Then I studied the skirt trying to figure out how to make it pretty like I had in mind… and I came up with a paper pattern to follow to make it flared and each ruffle even.
I cut out a perfect circle and then cut that in half…
I cut a piece of white cotton from it and used it to pin (and then stitch) my ruffle to.
Then starting at the bottom, I kept the fringed part of the ruffle just even with the white fabric. I pinned it in place and then stitched that row on… Then the next row up, I lined up the fringe so it was evenly spaced from the bottom of the red fabric…
…and last, I stitched on the red and white check piece…
It was actually too thick to stitch it and then turn it under so I just laid my bodice on top of the edge of the ruffle and stitched it. I will have to cover up that edge with something… I’m thinking of a blue print… maybe with stars… we’ll see…
So this is what it looks like now…
Now for a review… yesterday’s version…
…and today’s revised version…
Shorter and better…
Well, that was my day… (at least for sewing!) :o)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Yes, yes, YES!!! That is “SEW” much better! The skirt looks balanced now. And the bodice fits much better, also. Lian looks happier, too!
To reply to Ingrid’s comment after my reply yesterday: I’m glad you are going to have the nurse write down the info about your eye problem. I know, sometimes researching medical stuff Can be scary, but it’s like the info that comes with your prescriptions: all those side effects, etc. are just things that Might happen, and are often worst case scenario-type things, and only occur a very small percent of the time. I have to keep that in mind when I’m reading medical stuff.
Thanks for the comment about my azalea. I love it. I’m so sorry about yours, Ingrid! Perhaps you can plant a new one–and surround it with a fence to keep the deer out?!
Dorothy, thanks for telling us about National Best Friends Day! My husband (and a few others) is just amazed when I tell him about the friendships we’ve forged on this list, how someone will ask “is so-and-so okay, anyone heard from her lately?” and some of us pray for each other, etc. It truly is a gift, to have such friends!
I do have a best friend; we met in first grade (1952) when our family moved to her town. Her mother was our 4-H leader and the one who taught me how to sew. June and I have many things in common–and we even ended up with last names that are one letter different! (She’s Troyer, I’m Trayer.) No kidding!! Of course, she sews, too, and we have been known to buy the same fabrics, 2000 miles apart!! She’s also the on who taught me how to smock.
There has been some excitement in this house, as a “Jeanne Marie” package arrived today. Looks like Gigi will be modeling again in the near future!
Dear Charlotte, you are welcome. It is wonderful to have this family of awesome, creative women with whom to chat every day. There is always something to share and always something to learn.
Just perfect, Jeanne! I can see that THAT was your vision all along, and you finally got it right, like you always do! And to think you did this without a pattern! The ruffles look so much better shortened, and the bodice fits better too! I still think some little ruffles along the armholes would be cute, but I’m leaving that for you! I see that the buttons are not there, and I like it better, since I thought they were too big. All in all, this is going to be a darling patriotic dress! Maybe you could make some cute flip flops with stars on the ribbon?
Yes, I do agree that we have a nice little group of ladies who care about each other!
Charlotte, we will be looking forward to seeing your Gigi in her new outfit! Lucky her!
Shorter is better — I wasn’t counting on fuller as well, but that’s better too. The fringed edges show up better as well — maybe because I wasn’t distracted by the Christmas tree shape of the old skirt. The fringe means that you could make another fringed flower to decorate a hat. I liked Ten Ping’s fringed flower. Do you have more of Lian’s dress buttons for the center? You may have something altogether different in mind. I’ll just have to wait until to find out.
What happened to the Christmas tree? Just kidding. I can see your mind whirling to devise a new pattern for the skirt. So, what happens to the ends of the tiers at the back closure of the dress since they are all different lengths? Will you hem each one on the end? I’m thinking a simple ribbon for the waist and not another fabric brought in, and three smaller buttons on the bodice. 🙂
So, yesterday after seeing the Clark sisters in their finery, I had to look them up. None of them were fraternal twins which I thought might be the case, and the one I thought the youngest turned out to be the oldest. Here are their names and dates, left to right in the photo:
Harriet Elizabeth Clark Allen 1818-1863, Ladonia Charlotte Clark Hoy b 1827, Joanette Clark Benjamin 1814-1880, Juliaette Alcesta Clark b 1820, Laura Miles Clark Palmer b 1822. 🙂
Thanks for your research, Joy!
Now, there are some interesting first names, is someone wants something unusual for a doll!! Ladonia? Joanette?
I read yesterday’s post and you did exactly what the dress needed. It is soooo cute now. Drafting that new pattern took lots of skill. She will be the cutest girl at the 4th of July parade🥰
Thanks for the follow up info on the Clark sisters. My hubby yesterday said he was sure they must all have lived at home and were spinsters. Can’t wait to tell him they were each married ladies☺️They must have all had the same hair stylist…or maybe one sister did all the different hair-dos? Just imagine making those dresses. They look like a heavier silk…or what do you think Charlotte?
Today my friends all meet for lunch…we formed what was called an “Extension Club” in 1971. It was state sponsored and each month had a lesson…kind of like 4-H for adults. We stuck with it and paid dues until after a few years we decided we all knew how to keep house and can food so went off on our own😳and still meet most every month. We used to go to each home but now mostly restaurants. I still do the meeting at my home but it takes way longer to get things things ready and cook. So thank you Dorothy for the Best Friends info…we will talk about that today😍
Kathie, my mother belonged to an Extension Club too! Yes, they met at a different home each month and learned something each month too. She really enjoyed it! Haven’t thought about it for years!
Yes, and our name was the “Ms Fits” we were all so different😍
Dear Kathie, you are welcome. I love celebrations, as you can probably tell.
How wonderful that you have an in person group. It reminds me of my tea club. I hope you had a lovely gathering.
Yes, Kathie, definitely silk, I would say, and possibly a heavier weight. The sheen of the fabrics is quite recognizable, and not something you could get on cottons or other fibers back then.
this dress is beautiful now
Thanks for the info on the Clark sisters, Joy. That was very interesting. Seems all were married except one.
Lia’s dress looks so much better now. Soon she’ be ready for the 4th of July parade.
I’m looking forward to seeing Gigi in her new outfit, Charlotte.
I see what you mean about the bodice. I didn’t notice that yesterday. I love what you did with the skirt. You kept some of the Boho look but made it absolutely charming. Can’t wait to see what you will make to go with it.
The Clark sisters are lovely and their dresses so beautiful. But I’m not terribly fond of their hairdos. But maybe it’s just me.
I took on a nightmare of a task that is interfering with my sewing big time. Both my kids wanted pictures from their childhood to show their children. I was looking for something for Jaiden’s doll the other day and took stuff out of the closet where they’re located. When I went to put it all back I decided that I might as well take all the pictures out and finally go through them and split them up. I usually had two sets made with the idea of keeping one and splitting the other between the two kids but Andrea wants hers “digitally”. Sean is okay with the actual pictures. But now I have to split them, date them and identify the people and event since I’ve never done that. Most are Easter, Christmas, first day of school, dance recitals, Halloween and gymnastic events. The pictures so far are of the children’s early years. The interesting thing is how I”m identifying the ages of the children. Since I made all the Easter, back to school, Christmas outfits and Halloween costumes, I’m using the clothes to identify the year. I may not know the ages of my children in the pictures but I sure do remember the sequence in which I made the clothes.
I’m so looking forward to my new driveway, but the construction to do it is really messy. Not to mention that I can’t get my car in the garage. We parked it in Jason’s driveway and we have to walk a ways to get it. I’m postponing my big grocery shopping until I can get my car closer to the house. And the poor guys are out in the horrible heat. It’s hotter this year than usual in June. They are taking breaks and sitting in the garage with fans on them and drinking tons of Gatorade, but I’ll be glad when it’s finished and I’m sure so will they. We had hoped to get this all taken care of in early spring before the heat set in, but Davd’s knees took a little longer to recover than anticipated. I suggested maybe Sean take off early tomorrow and go with me and the kids to the pool. We don’t go until three and he usually quits work at 4 p.m. After today he might take me up on it.
“What a difference a day makes”. The dress is lovely now. Like Joy I am interested in how you fasten the back.
The photo of the Clark sisters was interesting. There was certainly no doubt they were sisters they all look so alike.
Since it was Best Friends day yesterday I should have rung my friend who I met when we were 5. She was my mother’s employer’s daughter. I’m guessing that in conversation they found out that they had daughters the same age and arranged for us to meet. I sort of remember that first meeting though not very clearly (it was 72 years ago). We never went to the same school but stayed friends. Together with my family I left Grantham (where I was born) when I was 13 then joined the WRAC and left home altogether. She came to my wedding and even though she still lives in UK we have visited each other. She rings me occasionally (to my shame it is usually her who rings).
For winter, we are having great weather in Christchurch. It isn’t like that in the rest of the country. Even the stuff coming from the South Pole seems to go up the West Coast rather than the east and the stuff coming from Australia hits the North island then goes West as well! Not that they mind too much in Queenstown since the snow is one of their biggest attractions and they can finally welcome overseas tourists.
Sorry I haven’t been on lately, Our Patchwork and quilting Guild (CPQG) is having our bi-annual exhibition next month and I am trying desperately to finish the one I started in 2019. A very big hexagon quilt all hand pieced. Would have liked to hand quilt it but not going to have time now. It is taking too much time to finish the piecing.
Have a good day
Good to hear from you, Anne. I was wondering what was going on in your corner of the world!
My goodness, yes, hand piecing a large quilt is very time-consuming. I’m working on hand quilting a small wall quilt I started many years ago, and finding my hand quilting skills have gotten rusty! I also find my hands get sore and tired more easily now than they did when I started that piece 20 years ago!! Gee, I wonder how that happened?! LOL
Hope you will share pictures of your quilt when you are done!
Dear Jeanne, I knew you would figure things out. Liam looks very happy. I wonder what she will choose for an accessory.