Sewing Patterns & Supplies

sewing lace trim

Can I spray paint lace trims?

For a specific design that I had in mind, I have found that Venise Lace trim was the perfect choice for a sewing project. However I needed it to be a metallic gold. I haven't found any premade gold trims that were to my liking yet. I was wondering would it be safe/good idea to spray paint white/ivory lace trims with a metallic gold?

I don't know how you will use the item with the spray painted lace, so I'd just test the paint on a small swatch and see how you like the texture after it's painted. If you need to wash the item, that might also make a difference.

Here's a link to a company that specializes in a lot of different types of fabric inks and paints and you might want to take a look to see if you find a better option for you there:

http://www.dharmatrading.com/

Have fun with your project. :o)

KELLY GREEN BEADED MULTIPURPOSE LACE FRINGE TRIM 4 YARD $9.95

WIDE & PLUMP WHITE 4½" COTTON/CLUNY LACE TRIM/CROCHET $2.75

The Underwear Story

I took my daughters to buy bras at Victoria Secret yesterday. They begged me. Believe me, I didn't want to go. I don't approve of the whole pushup bra/thong scene, particularly for young girls. They insisted they have the best "I'll die if I don't have them bras" so I relented on the condition that they select from my preapproved choices. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they did indeed have a reasonable and tasteful assortment of styles and we had a really fun time shopping. Several hundred dollars later (I picked up a few too.) we headed over to Starbucks for a some lattes and some mother/daughter girl talk at which time I told them what has become known in my family as "The Underwear Story".

When I was about 15, my mom and I were shopping for back-to-school clothes. Since I went to parochial school and wore a uniform, my needs were limited to socks, shoes and underwear. While standing in line for the cashier and holding my packages of Fruit-of-the-Loom briefs, I spied a rack of satin slips and camisoles. There was one set in particular that really caught my attention. To this day I can still remember the color-- a peachy, pearlescent  pink with lace trim and mother-of-pearl buttons sewn down the front. I had never seen anything so dainty and elegant. All of my undergarments were plain cotton. This was so special. As one of five children to parents of very modest means, I knew better than to ask for something that we couldn't afford and that I certainly did not need. My mother saw me admiring it and  asked me, "Would you like to have that?"

"Could I ?, " I asked incredulously.

"Sure, I'll get that for you."

Mom paid for it and I left the store carrying my package that contained my first real taste of sophisticated femininity. It was during the ride home that my mother told me about an incident that happened to her when she was about my age. To understand the significance, first let me tell you a little bit of history about my mom.

My mother's father died when she was 12.  It was a story that I had grown up hearing. He was killed in an accident at work. My grandmother, Nana, was widowed with three children at the age of 33. The year was 1934, the height of the Depression and Roosevelt had not yet instituted social security. With no income, my grandmother lost her home. She and her children had to move in with relatives. To support her family, my grandmother held down two jobs. During the weekday she worked as a seamstress in a department store in Philadelphia and on nights and weekends she took in alterations for a tailor.  She was the sole supporter of her family  because she insisted that her children stay in school and not dropout to go to work like so many of the other kids in the neighborhood. At that time, only rich people could afford to keep their kids in school. Nana had come to this country from Italy at the age of 9 and had to quit school at age 10 to care for her younger siblings when her  mother died from pneumonia. (Her father eventually remarried and Nana was raised by a wonderful stepmother. More on that later.) She always regretted not getting an education and  was determined that her three children would finish high school. "When I look back, I don't know how we survived." Mom described terrible hardships no one should have to endure like coming home from school starving and there was nothing to eat except a sweet potato she had to share with her brother and sister. Or huddling in front of the kitchen stove because it was the only heat source in the house. Hunger and cold, two physical discomforts of poverty I could somehow imagine. There were days I went without eating at school because I had forgotten my lunch at home or I left my jacket on the bus and had to walk home in the cold. It wasn't until my mother told me "The Underwear Story" that I began to comprehend the demorilization and humiliation of poverty.

To stretch her dollars, my grandmother sewed all of their clothes including their underwear, which she made from the soft burlap sack cloth that sugar and flour were sold in. "In those days, we wore bloomers and camisoles." Mom recalled.  Since Mom wore a uniform, no one could really tell that she was poor until one day she was in the gym locker room changing out of her school uniform into her P.E. uniform when she heard some girls giggling. She wondered what they were laughing at and when she looked over at them she realized  they were pointing and snickering at her.  They were making fun of her underwear. All the girls were wearing beautiful silk and satin slips, camisoles and bloomers and they were mocking her. She was mortified. "I was so embarrassed I wanted to crawl into a hole." Mom remembered. Swearing never to be humilated again, my mother was determined to find a way to get the money to buy herself some really nice underwear. The only money Nana ever gave Mom was for carfare to take the trolley to school on the days it rained or snowed. Mom pocketed the money and instead walked to school  until she saved  up enough to buy her own satin underwear which she wore on gym day.

My mother was a softy when it came to good underwear and so am I. When I was in my late 20's and living in New York City I founded a lingerie company that targeted the high end market. The Underwear Story was my inspiration.

To read more about our blended family visit: www.shwanda.com

About the Author

Carol Shwanda, not her real name, is the newly remarried mom of two and step mom of three. Her blended family blog: www.shwanda.com chronicles their daily life with five kids, four cats, three dogs, two fish and a bird.

KELLY GREEN BEADED MULTIPURPOSE LACE FRINGE TRIM 4 YARD $9.95

WIDE & PLUMP WHITE 4½" COTTON/CLUNY LACE TRIM/CROCHET $2.75

14yds LACE TRIM Embroidered Mesh Net TR 1.85" Flower $13.61

BROWN BEADED MULTIPURPOSE COTTON LACE FRINGE TRIM 4 YRD $9.95

5 New Large 3" Polka Dots Lace 4D Brooch Flower-Red D007 $5.50

3 1/4" Scallop Edge STRETCH LACE Trim - GREY - 2 yd $3.99

14yds Cotton EYELET LACE TRIM 1.5" MW Ilchul white $10.98

VK46 Lace Venice Venise Applique Collar Neckline Yoke*2 $3.50

5 New Large 3" Polka Dots Lace 4D Brooch Flower-Purple D007 $5.50

14Yds Cotton EYELET LACE TRIM 1.1" MW #BZ001 White $11.42

14Yds Cotton EYELET LACE TRIM 1.1" MW #BZ002 Ivory $11.42

14yds Cotton EYELET LACE TRIM 1.2" MW #5HF001 White $8.78

14yds Cotton EYELET LACE TRIM 1.2" MW #5HF002 Ivory $8.78

4 Yd Green Pink Gold Fringe Beaded Trim Lace Ribbon $11.89

BRIDAL WHITE NECK APPLIQUE LACE TRIM $8.49

NEW 5 Yards 1 inches wide Lolita Trim Flower edging Lace white $1.04

NEW 3 yards 3cm wide Lolita Trim Flower edging Lace black $0.99

VK125 Classic Floral Flower Lace VeniseVenice Collar Neck Applique White 2pcs $3.50

5 yards x 1 inch crocheted lace Off white $2.50

5y Elastic Lace 1.1" trim For Headbands-White L020 $3.99

VT71 Mirror Pair Floral Tulip Flower Venice Venise Lace Applique White $2.75

1y / 3 yd Black / Red Mesh Lace Trim 2" / 5 cm width L196M $2.99

1y / 3 yd Black / Red Mesh Lace Trim 2" / 5 cm width L196M $5.99

1y / 3 yd Black / Red Mesh Lace Trim 2" / 5 cm width L196M $5.99

1y / 3 yd Black / Red Mesh Lace Trim 2" / 5 cm width L196M $2.99

Tailorform Shoulder Pads: Medium 1/2 Thick $14.99 ...

Cool Girl Fabric Stamp: Buterflies $9.99 ...

Glam Trimz fun fur fuchsia red eyelash fabric sewing trim $5.00 You are buying ONE new package of Glam Trimz fuchsia polyester accent fuzz fur trim. Each package contains 3 yards of trim, 3 inches wide. This trim is a fuzzy furry eyelash type trim that is great for trimming socks, mittens, sleeves, hats, craft items of every kind. Your imagination is the limit!...

Barbie SKIPPER Fashion Collectibles Dress w Lace Trim (1978 Mattel Hawthorne) $129.99 ...

99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special $10.00 Extraordinarily clever ways to transform any ordinary T-shirt. The pattern techniques are simple, and the supplies you’ll need are easy to find: T-shirts, scissors, sewing needle, and thread. The difficulty of each project is rated from 1 to 4, and none take more than 30 minutes to create. You’ll never look plain wearing a T-shirt and jeans again....

20 EDGING & INSERTION PATTERNS - CROCHET / TATTING - VINTAGE 1949 - Downloadable Ebook (ePattern) - AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD to Kindle DX, Kindle for PC, ... crocheted, crocheting, flower, floral, lace) $3.95 20 VINTAGE TATTING / CROCHET EDGING & INSERTION PATTERNSDownloadable vintage crochet patterns for your Kindle!These patterns were originally published in 1949 by Clark's O.N.T. J&P Coats. They have been edited and converted to digital format by NorthernLightsVintage for convenient viewing on the Kindle wireless handheld reader, PC, Mac, as well as other devices (see below). Text-to-Speech is also ...

101 embellishments: What you can do with threads, dyes, laces, trims, fabrics, paint, beads, buttons, sequins, jewels, ribbons, etc $10.00 ...