Thanks to Threads & Taunton Press for another great give-away and a wonderful gift for any one of us!

In de-cluttering my mother's home I found a very old Robinson's (department store) coat box hiding in a closet. Opening it I noted a plethora of light-weight fabric decoratively cut-out and sitting prettily in respective piles or pinned onto large muslin. After gently removing the contents of the box I realized there were three would-be quilts in this box and the hand-written notations were made by my grandmother; additionally, I found cardboard templets cut and drawn by her. Sadly, she pass-away in 1978; still, my detective work cyphered that these quilts were being made for my three daughters and have sat quietly in a closet for 35-years. I am not a quilter. One of my daughters offered to hire a quilter to finish the job. I immediately decided that it was my job—and hopeful delight—to finish my beloved grandmother's gift to those three little girls that she loved so dearly. To date I have yet to put needle to fabric; but I have learned of a place where kind women are willing to share their expertise. Clearly my greatest experience is in finding the box. Then committing to continue the projects my grandmother began.

Beautiful colors and lovely fabrics positively accentuated most red-carpet beauties and like most of you, I enjoy each red-carpet show. Stopping at the photo of Lucy Liu my immediate reaction was, "Yuck," and I moved on. Two photos later my mind went back Ms. Liu, "Wait a second," I said as I re-clicked on her photo. Immediately I saw what my brain so slowly noted, Ms. Liu looks like a perfectly shaped dinner bell. No, not belle. Even though she might certainly be one. The stunning silhouette made faultless by a divinely simple shape, in a lustrous blue and---ahem---rose bushes? Do I like this, I thought. Yes. Yes. I do. The sumptuous color, the simplicity, and the grand silhouette won me over any other design on this red-carpet this season. What a joy!

In the early 1990's I purchased a lovely ankle length black wool coat; which was gently worn throughout the years. Over the last decade I have envisioned this coat in a plethora of modern styles and a repurposing project seems inevitable. Still, I want the best style and drape for my body-type and I'm not sure how to achieve those goals.

We don't have a television so I'm out-of-the-loop on reality design television. Still, I do like the winning garment; however, another shoe might have offered a more elegant look for this model.

Nathan's garment was certainly not the worst design! Goodness...I could choose four others. The worst is Ven. These garments are completely unflattering to this model and it seems that he designed to her weaknesses and not her strengths. What a shame. The blouse appears to be the bodice side of a salon robe and the fabric screams...ouch! Why did this designer cut this woman in half instead of elongating her with one dark color sheath (and possibly a light tailored jacket)? Gosh, I would have cried to come on stage wearing that outfit and the enormous handbag at the largest part of my body. It seems to me this designer was acting out his hostility toward this woman, or those of us who are not shaped perfectly. Bah...humbug!

This lovely collection of insider techniques is just the ticket to assist this newbie sewer!

My holiday gift-making plan includes four sets of cozy slippers; one set for each of my three daughters and one set for myself. Three lined and stippled felt hats for the three granddaughters, and three beanie-styled felt hats for the three grandsons. We hope to all be warm and cozy for a winter sports trip to Northstar-at-Tahoe this Holiday Season. Additionally, we are hosting an HOA Wine Tasting just before Thanksgiving and I am now choosing the fabric for a festive table runner and complimenting dinner napkins. Wish me luck on the latter, as I've yet to tackle table linens; and the former as I almost always choose the right fabric for the wrong daughter. Could we have tried a bit more diligently in having three daughters with the same foot size. ;->
Best to each of you in accomplishing your holiday sewing goals and warm wishes for a festive Fall and Winter season!