Tea and Toile

                                

                                            Magnificent  Rose by Ludwig Van Houtte 

                                     

It has been another glorious day, an answered prayer around here. We endured a terrible winter last year and are not hurrying autumn, so the 90 F (approx 30 C) temperature is not complained about. The sunny days  gives me the opportunity to do all the things that shorter summers do not afford.  I am going to use the good weather to launder all my linens and get them pinned on the line for that beautiful scent. 

        

This fabric I used for my tea table today is an all-cotton print from Walmart that comes in variations. There is one like this with a white background.  It is less than $3.00 a yard, so to make an adult dress, would cost $12.00.  It ranges from a heavier weight to a lightweight, and the heavy weight has a grainy look that resembles denim.  I have plans for this piece but will show it later.

       

The fabric reminded me of a toile fabric article in a 1990 Victoria magazine, so you can see hints of what I might make with this fabric.  It also comes in shades of green, purple, blue, red, and variables of prints.  In lieu of toile fabric, I am going to use this cotton fabric for some interesting sewing.

                                

                     There was an article in this issue about the history of toile fabrics. 

                               

The color of the toile wrap, below, is similar to the cotton print I used on my tea table and which I will be sewing into an article of clothing.

       

The skirt in the picture below is a quilted toile.  Wouldn't that be nice for winter wear?

                                   

                           These are a few other pictures I liked in the October 1990 issue.

       

       

       

 

 This is what it looks like all around me today; the type of scene that inspires a long walk, a picnic, the reading of a good book, sketching or writing a letter,  and of course  thoughts of pretty fabrics and things for the home.

        

Today I would like to address the problem of discouragement. What do you do when you lose your enthusiasm for homemaking due to discouragement, complaining or bad news?  It sounds simplistic to quote Philippians 4:8 again, but in it you have the answer: think on whatever you can that is lovely and good. Do not have a steady diet of bad news and gossipy people. Limit the complainers and those that cause trouble, whether it be from media or from people you know. Become skilled in pointing to greater, more productive things.

To keep a positive momentum, do what you would do if there were no hindrances.  Live as you would live if the setbacks had not occurred.  Rest awhile but keep a dream and a goal in your heart for which to strife. If you have lost time or posessions, keep working as though time was on your side and you had abundance.

God knew the effect of thinking good thoughts, because He is an expert in human behavior. He told us to think on whatever things are good and virtuous for a reason. It produces an uplifting feeling. It increases gratefulness and creativity, all things which are very good for your mental and physical health.

Php 4:4    Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Php 4:5    Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Php 4:6    Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Php 4:7    And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Php 4:8    Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Php 4:9    Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

As Sunday was filled up with all kinds of things, I did not get a chance to sew, but today I made a little progress on one of the daisy dresses.  I almost have the bodice finished except for the buttons. I have one more dress after this, a nautical type, and then I am going to try to move on to solid color suits that look more serious. What I am making now are things to wear at home when ladies want to be more dressy but still need to get their work done and do not want to wear anything too formal. For a garment to function in homemaking,nit cannot have a full, swirly skirt that will catch on things or get caught in doors, and yet it cannot be such a straight skirt that makes it hard to walk in or work in. So I have narrowed the skirts but left gathers at the waist for a roomier skirt.  Skirts cannot be so long that the hem might be stepped on, yet not too short.  I am trying to make them a just-right length for the tasks at hand in the home.

If this dry weather continues, I will be able to paint that wood railing on the porch.

These prints are also called toile, even though there is no scene on them.

Another page of Victoria October 1990 and the toile coat.