Gray Sky Style

This is our gray sky season, and I've created a special style just for that.  

I have a friend that sends me pictures of royalty in Europe out in the cold gray climates at various events, and if you are into that, you will notice the ladies are always dressed very well even in inclement weather. They might not wear that sort of thing at home, but what I have created here is gray sky fashion to wear at home. 

Why a gray sky fashion? Because I need something to wear with.

A few years ago someone got me this hat at an estate sale. How do you like the way that old gray teapot looks beside it? The hat looks like pearl-gray satin.

 I have never worn gray, but I am liking it a lot more and have put some gray cushions on my furniture. 

To go with that marvelous gray hat, which I like so much, here is an Emma and Mila cotton dress fabric from Walmart, which will be my next home dress.

Although I will be enjoying this as an at-home dress, I am showing the hat with it to share how it goes with, and how I can make the dress more formal. A gray jacket would work for going out.

This is an unusual color combination for me to wear, and never has been my favorite, but I'm trying new things and excited to see how this dress will look.

Today I would also like to share the new covers I made for Grandma's chair and the old couch.

This is called Minky; it is a fleece that looks like chenille, and the color is mint. It looks great with the gray cushions, 

 as you see below in the background.

I had to buy a whole bolt of this fabric (from you know where) and it only covered the couch and one chair, so now I'm on the hunt to get another bolt. Everyone that came to the Ladies Bible Class yesterday said they enjoyed it so much because it was so fresh, light and soft.

I will tell you something else about it: it is a no-sew furniture cover.  It doesn't ravel so you don't need to stitch the edges. It is washable.  It doesn't cling to your clothes and you can get out of the chair easily.  The fabric adheres well to the furniture and does not get messed up.  It does not get worn thin in certain areas.

This is one of the remaining home dresses from my "line of clothing" I did a few years ago where I hung them all on the laundry line outside.  It has gray in the print. I wore it today but was unable to get a picture (and I don't do selfies), as my photographer had appointments elsewhere.

There is a big pile of notes sitting by my computer, waiting for a chance to be spoken in a video about clothing. I'm sure I will go on to other subjects eventually, but I have not run out of things to say about home dressing. 

I wonder how many of us have ever realized the control of the fashion industry on our clothing choices.  It was when I discovered the style I liked best, that I went off on my own.

 I tell people its part of my home constitution, because it guarantees the right to dress pretty and inspiringly at home.

 We don't have to follow the prevailing culture, but we don't have to look dowdy, either, especially as we get older. Our children and grandchildren won't be inspired to admire color, style and beauty by seeing Mom and Grandma in jeans, leggings, shorts and dull worn out clothing all the time.

I met a lady many decades ago when I was about 18, and I was talking to her about sewing my own clothes. She was only in her 50's and she said, "I have clothes not yet worn out, so I'm not going to get any new ones for the rest of my life."

I felt sorry for her that she was not looking forward to new clothes.

So ladies if you are worried about these cotton dresses you make getting dirty or wearing out from house work and gardening, please don't. You will not want to be stuck with them for the rest of your life, anyway.  Ladies have always liked changes of clothing.  

I think back in the 1960's when that polyester fibre was invented, the clothing was indestructible, and not biodegradable, and women were not able to wear it out like we can wear out cottons and wovens and natural fabrics. So, they felt they couldn't buy anything new.  

I don't want to be like that, because each day and each season is so exciting and new. The trees change their leaves, so why can't we change our clothes.  

So many children grow up seeing their mothers and grandmothers in jeans and t-shirts, and big clunky brand name sports shoes. Why not let your little ones enjoy the colors and prints in fabrics of your skirts?

I recently enjoyed watching Princess Cut, a Christian movie about a young woman at home on a farm with her family who was admiring an engagement ring  that had  a stone cut in a special way called "princess cut". You can see this on Youtube or rent it on Amazon.

The movie had a beautiful message and I was heartened by the love in the family, the scenery, the house, and just about everything about it.  

I wish that the costume people would have let the ladies wear long skirts in more of the scenes, which would have been prettier, and more feminine,  and I think they could have managed it by using western style skirts. It was about a farming community, so of course I know they couldn't dress up, but a skirt would have worked really well in some of the beautiful scenery there.  

However I enormously enjoyed the story, and the men's clothing was great. There were so many plaid shirts and I love looking at plaid, although it doesn't look so great on yours truly. 

 I also liked the little brother in the movie; he was so cute.  The big brother was nice too.

 It looked like it was filmed in a historic farm house, or a bed and breakfast resort. I enjoyed the way it was furnished and decorated, as well as the kitchen scenes and the pies!

It has been a long time since I've watched a movie with so many home scenes and family members as the center of the story. I liked that one of the young men spoke favorably of his parents. There is not enough of that these days.

I live near farmland, and the ladies Bible class consists of farm ladies, so I loved watching this movie situated on farmland.

That's my lecture for the day. I am hopeful to get a few more things sewn to show you here.

Thanks for your visit.

Thanks for your sweet donations.

Thanks for your love.
Thanks for your prayers.
Thank you for your comments!!!

Lydia

Added:  Someone in comments suggested using this fabric in a jacket. I recently discovered a sale at HL for these New Look patterns, and thought it would go great with this fabric. There is a jacket in it featuring a printed fabric like this.  While the price on the pattern says $6.59,  it was reduced to $3.00.

         

                               

The pattern is another one which doesn't have wovens and cottons on the recommended list, but it does say linens, and this fabric is similar.