"Save the Ta-Ta's"

We raised over $500 for

"The Cure"!

Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama the Susan G. Komen "Race for the Cure" was held at Lynn Park. I have never participated in any organized charity walk or run beforem and words can not describe the elated emotions associated with this weekend's event. Through one of my daughter's friends on her cheerleading team, I have come to know a young mother who has battled and won with breast cancer. One day God will let her know what an inspiration and witness she has been to me. I have secretly watched her from the side lines after first learning of the dreaded news of having the disease; waving at her in the mornings as she dropped off her two children to school, sporting her pink cap because she lost all her hair, smiling and participating in both children's sports, all the way to growing her hair back! She never stopped! And she is cancer free today!

Our high school varsity cheerleading team, along with several mothers (my daughter, son, and I included!) participated in the walk/run. Last week before Saturday's event, the cheerleading team had a car wash and raised over $500 for "Team Tracy". At one point during our 3 mile walk my daughter took my hand and held it for a little while. I knew what she was thinking and feeling. I think everyone in that race was thinking and feeling the same thing. What a day I will never forget! I hope to do it again next year! Nearly everyone in this country is affected by cancer loss or battle through family or friends. October is cancer awareness month, so please support your favorite charity and donate or help raise money for this worthy cause!

Autumn Preview from Chigger Hill Cottage

I love making pillowcase dresses and swing tops!

They are versatile, comfortable, and adjustable.

A turtleneck, tee, leggings, or bicycle shorts

can be worn underneath

for the cooler Autumn weather.

This pillowcase dress has a Halloween scene
in beautiful vivid colors! Size 4T

School Bus Print Size 5

Autumn Kitty Kats-Size 6 (left) and Size 4T (right)

Every little girl loves kitty kats!

Brown and blue school print! Size 4T (also available in size 5)

Ideal for the Thanksgiving Holidays! Size 6

A great outfit for school wear or a trip to the library! Size 4T

Please visit my website At Chigger Hill Cottage for information

on purchasing these outfits or dresses!

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
"I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its trueYou're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God"
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids?Animals? Where do you see them? Please visit PamperingBeki for instructions on how to participate and link back for everyone to read!
_______________________________________________________

"And the sun's coming up, in the morning, every tear will be gone from my eyes..."
An old song I used to sing with a gospel quartet years ago. I looked out my window this morning as I was putting the coffee on, and knew I had to hurry and capture this scene. In a world of confusion, heartaches, and misery, we can always be reminded that there truly is a God in heaven. What a peace as I stood there amazed at His fingerprint.

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,.."
I Corinthians 14:33a

Trunk Show

I loved our trunk show! Especially on an Alabama game day! What a great day, and our team won! What an honor to be able to share with my daughter. If someone would have told me 10 years ago her and I would do this, I might not have believed them. Who knew she would share a love of sewing like her mother? Thank you Lord, it was a sweet and unexpected surprise! I guess it's true what they say, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree"!

Having a trunk show was a lot of work, but well worth it! Would I do it again? SURE! We're planning our Christmas show as I write! Please feel free to visit me on Etsy! And stay tuned to this blog site...I will be giving away something soon!

In The Eye and The Heart of The Consumer

Believe it or not, most of the retail repeat clothing designs you see in stores were first born of an individual sewer’s hands. Yes, a seamstress/sewer/sewist was hired to construct the first “sample garment” to insure a pattern would fit thousands and thousands of consumers who bought the designer’s line of clothing. The pattern is then sent to an assembly line where anywhere from 10 to 50 workers perform one to three steps in the construction of a single design line all day long. My grandmother was proud to say she used to sew the double line of the right side of the finished zipper in jeans. Later she was moved to pocket insertion. What a boring and not so creative part in the making of a garment she had!
Who makes the samples (the one original garment finished from beginning to end by usually a single sewer-and sometimes very expensive to purchase, if at all available) and why is a sample maker (seamstress/sewer/sewist) so important to the clothing industry? You will have to read someone else’s blog for the answer to that question, there are people more qualified than me to answer! I just wanted to get you thinking!
I am not writing this blog to debate the sample makers and their role in the garment industry, nor am I trying to discourage shopping from retail department clothing. I am trying to arouse your curiosity, even slightly, to better appreciate the quality and different values of handmade original designed clothing versus assembly line retail repeats. I can’t compete with the popular retail giants, and I don’t try. Sure, I buy from these companies, but if I am looking for an article of clothing that I would place real value, where would I consider shopping for that special dress or outfit? Bear in mind, this is not a question looking for competitive answers, nor am I hoping for dispute. When I say real value, it doesn’t necessarily mean it costs more, is made of the most expensive fabrics, or is embellished with diamonds or boasts gold buttons. Value, in this case and in retrospect to children’s clothing design and construction, would more or less be in the eye and in heart of the consumer. If you needed a special dress for a pageant, Confirmation, fancy birthday or tea party, Easter, Christmas, flower girl, or some other special occasion or event, what do you consider when making your choice? An outfit for a portrait, recital, church event, wedding, reunion, picnic, parties, etc…you understand what I’m getting at, right? Personally, I want an outfit or dress constructed in the best quality fabric affordable, unique, well made, and something no one else has; an original design. That is where I place real value. One of kind handmade designs are priceless, especially if you are a renowned designer who constructs the garment as well. Those kinds of designers ask thousands for a single garment! Have you seen the popular design show on TV where they compete for a clothing design challenge? I would rather choose a garment designed and sewn from beginning to end by a single experienced creative sewist, than to pick from thousands of patterns born of one design hanging in department stores, especially when shopping for that special outfit and for that special little girl in my life. My daughter makes nearly everything in my little granddaughter’s wardrobe simply because she enjoys the fact that her clothing is not duplicated!
Why is it that in today’s society we still view handmade as being less than valuable? And why do some still view the seamstress as the lowly little lady peddling the foot of an old fashioned treadle machine and making clothing for her babes out of flower sacks? If you commissioned an artist to paint a portrait and after it was completed which would you choose, the original or a copy? Which do you think would be more valuable, the original or the copy?
Personally, I believe the value is in the heart and in the eye of the consumer. I know what I would choose.

And the Winner Is...

The winner of the Back to School Giveaway is HippyChick (angeljoy). She is the now the owner of a Chigger Hill Cottage Pillowcase Dress! She chose the Balloons Print Pillowcase Dress because her little girl has a birthday coming up soon! Please visit her blog and congratulate her! This has been fun! Thank you for your participation. I appreciate your comments and thank all new members for joining my blog. Stay tuned, you never know what I might give away next!
Please visit my Etsy Shop at http://www.chiggerhillcottage.etsy.com/ !

Back to School Giveaway!

I am SO excited to announce ANOTHER GIVEAWAY

from Chigger Hill Cottage! And just in time for back to school!

I decided to make this giveaway just as easy as the previous, by using the same rules (used the word RULES here because this is a back to school giveaway and school is full of RULES, right?).
FIRST of all you must have a blog to enter, and upon receiving the "goods", write an essay...just kidding, trying to see if you are paying attention class! If you are the winner, I would love for you to BLOG about it! SECOND, should you choose to accept the assignment, is browse my virtual boutique and pick ONE item you would consider purchasing, then return to the classroom and be ready to COMMENT on WHAT you chose and WHY. And the THIRD rule? FOLLOW my blog! Only three things I ask! Is there a catch? Absolutely not! I’m even paying for the shipping! In today’s economy, that would get an A+ from me!
Now class, let's go over these instructions again: 1. COMMENT with what you chose and why, 2. FOLLOW my blog (this gets your name in the hat for a chance to win!), and if you're the winner, your homework assignment will be to 3. BLOG about it!

Winner receives a PILLOWCASE DRESS (in size choice 3T to 6X/7) from Chigger Hill Cottage! Contest ends at 5pm CT August 30th, and the winner will be announced that evening around 7pm CT (Sorry, US & Canadian participants only!).