Utility Sewing

It seems that I have been doing nothing but what I call “utility” sewing for the last little while.  My dear, sweet 89 year old Aunt Aileen has lost a good bit of weight in the past two years and asked me to do some alterations for her.   Robert’s favorite Transformer pajama bottoms needed mending.  My Aunt Rheeta’s son has just been called as  pastor of a church (his first head pastor position)  so she wanted a little design with the church name and “Pastor” embroidered below it.  Bob’s yard work shorts needed mending.  And there was more like this. 

Of course, I am happy to do my part for the family.  It makes me appreciate the time I spend on more challenging, creative projects.  I appreciate my wonderful sewing room, shelves of notions and sewing equipment.   I was pleased to finish the seams of my aunt’s linen dress and its lining with my Evolve Wave serger.  My PE-Design was pressed into service as I worked up the “Pastor.”  My ever faithful Pfaff 7570 did the mending and alterations. 

Tomorrow, Bob and I are heading to our cabin in the mountains of western North Carolina ( see www.fergusoncabins.com).  Our house sitter will tend to the dogs and water the plants and keep things under control here at home.   We hope to escape Florida’s heat and have a little down time. 

While we are there, I will begin work on a Jon-Jon for Alastair and a daygown to put aside. I am ready for some fun stuff and handwork is the only needlework that is practical to take along.  The Jon-Jon is red gingham with a white shirt.  I’m going to smock Ellen McCarn’s Farmland, an oldie but a goodie.  I haven’t decided what to smock on the daygowns, so I pulled out several plates and have an assortment of  floss ready for selection. 

There are some interesting sewing projects at the cabin that I hope to photograph and share with you. 

Meanwhile, what have you been sewing?  How do you feel about utility sewing?  I’d love to hear about it.