Getting Notified?

...or...Facebook is being crabby.


It has come to my attention that most of our readers are not getting regular updates from the Facebook page. Considering that the point of that page IS notifications, we have an issue.  *gasp*

If you do not know that there are currently nine posts on the blog you are not getting your notifications. Tammie and Donna have provided coaching and screenshots to help correct this situation . Thanks, ladies!

1. Click/tap here. A new page will open.

2. Be sure that you have liked and are following us.





















3. When you click/tap Following this menu will come up. Choose 'get notifications'.

4. Choose Edit Notification Settings. By default, Facebook selects Highlights. If you choose Standard you should begin receiving notifications.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the posts, any suggestions you have, and to just keep in touch through it. Feel free to share this blog with anyone you know that would be interested. Thank you!!!

Yours,


 Phyllis aka Queen Sheet

The Three Brothers~

...or my second TG Love.

Zelda comes with a darling pair of pants named Zelda Bloomers. They are the same as the Plinka Pant and appear to be free using this link .

Regardless of what you call them they are absolutely delightful to wear.

I made my first pair too small so I put in a side panel and left the edges raw in the hopes of some fraying.  I love the tiny flowers in the fabric!

The orange ones are from a sheet and so far I have paired them with the green Zelda. They are a match in cute/comfort heaven.

I came across a luscious blue linen tablecloth with a curved lettuce edge that begged to become the bottom of a pair of pants. Plinka to the rescue. I have plans for a Bloom or other top made from equally luscious baby pink tablecloth to pair with these.















Currently there is a pair of bright Plinka bloomers on my sewing table. The second twin sheet in the set was miserable without the other so a remedy was necessary. Some of the elasticized part of the sheet will be made into the bottom ruffle on these bloomers. Once done there will be four brothers. Perhaps I shall name them after mine:  Scott, Alan, Donnie, and Dan. <3

Yours,

 Phyllis aka Queen Sheet

Three Sisters

...or My First TG Love.

When I was trying to decide what to make first STTGLABS had their first Sew Along. Because many of us were new to TG patterns a simple pattern was called for. Zelda it was!

Zelda is considered a slip but can be worn as a tunic, slip, or dress.  She is also a free patttern to TG Sewing Club Members.

I have now made three of her and learned something from each one. All are made from sheets and each is a joy to wear!

 

The pink with ruffles and flowers was my first. The shoulders needed to cut at a slant next time so they will lay better. This one was also a bit big on me.

The green one was made without ruffle because there was not enough fabric for it. I did, however, take advantage of the fact that she could be made longer. I learned that I could really mess up continuous bias binding and that I did not slant the shoulders enough.

The bright pink one is perfect in size and the shoulders. This time I decided to do the bottom with pieced straight pieces of fabric for added length and left the seams out raw on the bottom. I self-drafted facing for the neck and sleeves. I learned that sometimes just letting go and doing it is loads of fun.


This is todays' Zelda slipped between two dresses for a pop of color. (Puns always intended.)

So what's on your sewing table?

Yours,


 Phyllis aka Queen Sheet

OMST submissions

Or...You Show Me Yours and I'll Show You Mine.

On 4/14/18 Reader Tammie L. Powell submitted before and after pics of her awesome take on the OMST and had this to say,

This is striped handkerchief linen.  My process was to shorten the sleeves and only tacking down the sleeve cuff so it keeps a soft, relaxed look, remove the collar and bind the new neck opening with the excess sleeve fabric, refashion the bottom, add a few front pleats for fit and a few at the sleeve, just for texture.  I also added a few additional button holes/buttons for modesty swapped out the original white buttons for an assortment of old brown buttons I had on-hand.  I left the bottom edge raw but stay-stitched it twice.  I plan to wear this with either white slips or skirts.

The difference in color is due to lighting.

                                                                       

-Thank you, Tammie! I love the sleeves and the pleats!

Reader and dear friend Donna Kay Lacey made her own OMST and has this to say:  My twin Phyllis Lough-Williams inspired me to steal my son-in-laws shirt and create an OMS tunic. 😄 

Now I just need a TG sugar slip to go underneath. 

-no laws were broken to produce this garment as permission was granted before any cutting took place.

-Thank you, Donna! I love the lack of sleeves and collar on this. 

                               

Thanks to both of your for sharing your OMSTs. I look forward to sharing more of your beauties! Your creativity is inspiring.

                             

Wanna see how I did it? Click here and then join us in our Perpetual Sew Along! Who will be featured next? It could be YOU!

Before I go here is the action shot of my latest OMST as promised. Well, there are two. Sometimes I play around with my pieces to get an idea of what I have and what I need.

The outfit consists of my green OMST, a dark green knit dress, a wonderfully floral sundress, brown boots, my $2.00 Vera Bradley bag, and a beige skirt with great lace detail. The pink is a sheet. There WILL be pink Plinkas in my future.

I will be cutting out a gloriously pink Zelda this evening. What are you sewing today? Tell me in the comments!

My Bloom Bloomed With Many Blooms~

...or...When Your Self Image Is Distorted.

This is  the first sharing of one of the TG pieces I have done.  Over time more TG names will appear in the labels to the right and clicking on one will bring up all instances of that pattern.

I fell in love with the Bloom before I had even completed my first TG piece. The fact that she is a free pattern did not hurt my feelings.

A dear friend gave me some sheets and they were perfect for Bloom. I made her in the wrong size altogether so luckily there were four sheets and not just one!

Being able to gift her to a friend and send one of those beautiful sheets to another friend was great!

Here she is in all her glory. And yes, I will be making her again. In the right size. With a matching sheet. There is a rumor that bloomers may be made from the pillowcases.

I printed a body measurement chart and my daughter was kind enough to measure me so I could fill it out. This should prove invaluable next time I try a new pattern. Need one?  Search body measurement chart for sewing. Beware:  Pinterest is a rabbit hole. I have been known to be lost in there for hours.



Yours,


 Phyllis aka Queen Sheet

A Flamboyance of Flamingos~

...or...So This Happened This Weekend.


Other than my self-drafted OMST the clothing I have been making has been from Tina Givens patterns. This weekend club members got a 60% on patterns and I could no longer resist.

NOTE:  I have no affiliation with Tina Givens.

I got 4 patterns because I obviously do not already have more patterns than I will ever sew in my "Gotta Make This" queue. Here are the links so you can see if you gotta make these, too. The holiday sale item is actually the Cara whose pants I have wanted for some time.

1.  Tracey I bought this one solely because someone who has a style that I admire bought it. Peer pressure? I think not. I know style when I see it. Thanks, Meg!

2.  Cara. I need these pants in my life.

3.  Bella. Was looking for a dress with sleeves and I love the bottom on this.

4.  Norma Jean. I did not like this pattern until some of the gals at STTGLABS made it and now I am loving it. Thanks, Donna!

                                   

                                 

I make my first draft of any pattern (also called a muslin) from sheets that I get from the thrift store. It is hard to beat the amount of fabric in an old sheet, curtain, or tablecloth for the price. This way I can make the pattern truly mine by adjusting it to fit me perfectly and not waste expensive fabrics.

Because I only buy sheets that I love I will also be wearing my muslins. Initially I was only going to wear them as house clothes but I find that I love how they make me feel so much that I will be wearing them wherever I go.

I have specific plans for some linen curtains and tablecloths and so far have made Plinka in navy using the lettuce edges of the tablecloth as the bottom of the legs. Delightful!

Here is the fun waiting for me currently. The gold and floral are tablecloths are made of what I think is lightweight linen and the stripes are a sheet. In the comments tell me what you would make from this yummy-ness:

Have a glorious day and do something fun!



Yours,

 Phyllis aka Queen Sheet

On Pins And Needles~

...or will you join us for the OMST Sew-Along?

Due to the wonderful response to my OMS*  Tunics here is a general 'how-to' and an announcement.

It has been suggested by Tammie L Powell that the making of the Old* Man* Shirt* Tunic be a perpetual sew-along and I think that is an excellent idea.


Consider today (the day YOU read this) to be Day One of the OMST Sew-Along!!!



                               *****Without further ado I present "How I Did It".*****



 1. Find an old man. Steal his shirt. Or, should you prefer to not risk a night in county lock-up, procure a button-up shirt by more acceptable means. I buy mine from thrift stores. I try to buy the largest sizes in order to harvest the most fabric from them. This time, though, the perfect shirt to go with my knit top was a small. Although not shown in this how-to I used the sleeves from the OMS to give me the additional fabric needed.

2.  Choose a knit top that fits your shoulders, bust, and arms as this will be the top to your tunic.

 

3.  Remove the pocket from the OMS and then decide if you will keep the buttons and button holes or remove them. Then cut across the shirt just under the armpits. I save the pockets, sleeves, cuffs, and seams for use elsewhere.





















4.  Cut the knit top at the length you want it to be making sure to leave a seam allowance. I suggest stay-stitching around the bottom to prevent it from stretching as you work with it.





















5. Pin right sides together and stitch.





















6. If needed, sew side seams to your widest point plus a few inches.




7. Try on your creation.

8. SMILE.

9. Consider sending me a pic so I can post it here. You can find me on Facebook here or send your before and after pics through messenger here.

                                                                       

I wear mine over or under other layers depending on my outfit. I will post todays' make in action as soon as it runs through the washer and dryer.

In the meantime here are some of the others:

 

Thank you for coming by today. I look forward to seeing your interpretation of the OMST.

A special and sincere thank you goes to Tammie L. Powell!!!



Yours,


Phyllis aka Queen Sheet

Who Knew?

Or...What to expect here.

I will be sharing my makes, the outfits I put together, the challenges, and the wins of sewing ones own wardrobe. I am not one for small talk so things may run deep on occasion. What comes from the heart touches the heart.

I am quite excited about the first regular feature for us. Thanks to a suggestion by reader Tammie L. Powell we will be having a Perpetual Sew Along. Details coming soon!!!

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Like and follow our Facebook page to get updates when a new post happens here at the blog. Thanks Katie for the darling graphic!!!


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A few housekeeping notes:

1. The blog is still being tweaked so there may be many update notices until I get things going smoothly. I apologize in advance.
2.  I am currently looking for web hosting that is affordable and meets my needs. I own the domain whogivesasheet.org!
3.  In the meantime, I am looking for someone that does graphics and coding for  Google Blogger.
4.  I want to thank my muses...errrrr...partners in crime:  Alana & Donna & De. Much love and never ending giggles to all of you.



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*Five things about me*

1.  I love getting to know people. Hence this feature will pop up from time to time.

2.  I prefer bartering to selling and buying.

3. When I do buy I prefer it to be at a thrift store.

4. I have a quirky sense of humor and I am not afraid to use it.

5. It is my heartfelt belief that empowering other women is the single most important thing a woman can do because empowered a woman can do anything.

Help me build our very own virtual village by commenting with 5 (more or less) things about yourself so we can get to know you.


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Remember the glorious words of Dr. Seuss:

Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!

                                                                                                               
Yours,


Phyllis aka Queen Sheet

She Who Dies Wearing The Most Layers Wins~

All my life I have been different.

 I refused to wear jeans till I was 14. I wanted to mow the grass, take auto mechanics, and play the drums. While I would not have dared follow my heart very far growing up I am sure my father felt the strain of having to keep me "in my place."

I always felt like a rebel without a cause. Little did I know the cause I searched for was me.  I needed to champion myself. Save myself from the rat race. The mundane. The sameness. The cookie-cutter  life.

Over the years I have done many things, been many places, and met many people. I am happy to report to you that after many years of searching it is a glorious thing to be right here with myself.

I had loved the peasant/gypsy/boho look from a far for years. I had even played with some ideas of skirts and dresses I would love to make but it did not all come together until recently. I was lost in the rabbit hole that is Pintrest and stumbled across the Lagenlook style of dressing again. I decided to take my affection one step further and searched for Lagenlook groups on Facebook.

That is when I found Sewing the Tina Givens, Lagenlook and Boho Styles a group of wonderfully talented and supportive women who dress the way I wanted to. It was love! I read and drooled over the amazing items these gals were not only making but wearing. The most wonderful thing seemed to  happen in the photos where the sewist was wearing her clothes. The smiles seemed to come from their souls.  Little did I know that I had found my tribe. Some of us gals need community...a village.

I wanted the feelings behind those glorious smiles but needed the courage to wear the clothes. About this time a friend needed someone to keep her company while she cleaned out her closet. I came home that day with most of what she was letting go of.  There were so many dresses of various lengths and I was giddy with possibility.

For the next few days I tried piecing outfits together in my mind. Surely I could layer some of her gifts with some of my things and come up with something. Right? As usual, I over-thought it to the point of anxiety.

Finally there came a moment of truth. My niece asked me to a day of lunch and shopping. She would love me if I showed up wearing a burlap bag so I decided it was time to either embrace this new way of self expression or just let it go.

I went to my closet, picked a dress, put it on over a top. Then I looked for something to layer under. I had no bloomers at that point so I put on a pair of beige capris. And a brown skirt. By now I was giddy. I found my favorite brown boots and a necklace. For a final touch I pinned my skirt and dress up a little on the side with a piece from one of my favorite Old Man Shirts.

Something magical happened that day. I have never felt more me than I did right then. I walked with my head high. I felt light. Free. Happy. Delighted.

That was 6 weeks ago and since then I have been sewing clothing that will help me feel that same way. STTGLABS has had two sew-alongs thus far. The first was for the Tina Givens* Zelda. I made her from a pink sheet and love her dearly. Right now we are making the Marama Coat by Pearl Red Moon.

I made the TG* Bloom from a sheet but she did not fit me. I was able to give her to a friend and because I have more of the same sheet I will make another.

I have made the TG Plinka pants and love them. I have made a green Zelda from a sheet and she is glorious.

I have also worn more of the clothes my friend gave me. I love how I feel when I dress to who I am. I feel feminine and beautiful and strong and capable and giddy. What more could I ask for?

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Be encourged:  Do something today that scares you. Remember that fear of something is almost always worse than the reality.

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Yours,

Phyllis aka Queen Sheet

Coming Out Of The Linen Closet

Hello!

Let me introduce myself. I am a 58 year old woman who has been called many things but my favorite is Monna. My grandson named me that when he was two and the three girl grands that followed him call me that, too.

The glorious thing about being a 58 year old woman is that it is now more than ever MY time. I did my time, loved and lost, raised four kids, took care of my ailing mother, failed and succeeded, learned and taught, laughed and cried. Life is not a gentle teacher but I refused to give up.

Today I stand here in front of you planting my flag in the soil that is my life a flag is made of pieces from sheets and old man shirts. I am here to walk the trail of self expression that has been blazed by the strong, the courageous, the brave. The ones who realized that life is too short to do something a certain way just because that is how it has always been done.

My self expression will be through my clothes. I will sew them.  I will wear them; they will no longer wear me.

I am here to be me and encourage you to be you. Wholly, totally, completely, ever so wonderfully you!

I am so thrilled that you are here. Let's journey together.

Yours,

Phyllis