My Nursing Cape

Here is a picture of my nursing cape...you'll have to excuse the color as it was a test pattern for a nicer nursing cape. Unfortunately I have not yet done the nicer cape, but I plan to and when I do, I will provide pictures and instructions to all my readers.

Here I am nursing below...really nursing my baby! What I like about this cape is that you can't see anything! I have NEVER liked nursing in public, but after having seven children, I decided that I must find a better way, especially since I had babies that liked to nurse every 1 1/2 hours. I don't usually supplement formula to my babies mostly because it is to expensive to buy formula.

If you are afraid that you might show something under the cape OR that your baby may lift up the cape, you can tuck the cape under the baby's head assuring that NO part of your body will be exposed.

There you have it! I will try to follow up with instructions on how to make one of these capes. I just LOVE mine and I use it for church, in restaurants, at the park, and in the presence of company!

Tapes and CD's Concerning Modesty and Purity in Dress

Beth has asked a good question, "Regarding the purity in dress sermon..from where did it come from?" (her words, not mine).

My friend, whom I spoke of in the previous post "I've Been Tagged," passed along a tape to me on the purity in dress after she shared her convictions with me about dressing modestly. I remembered the speaker's name and did an online search for these sermon tapes. I am not sure that I found the exact one that I listened to, but I did find several tapes concerning this issue by the same ministry.

Here is the link for messages concerning modest dress: Charity Gospel Tape Ministries. I think the one I listened to was Purity in Clothing, but I am quite sure the one I listened to was by Denny Kenaston...this one is by Rick Leibee. Regardless, these messages will bless your heart!

There are now several messages dealing with modesty. As I was searching, I found several other messages concerning church and family as well. I believe that all tapes (and maybe CDs) are free to the public. All you do is request the tape, and they will send it to you free of charge, or you can listen to it via MP3.

Beth, thanks for asking!!!

Blessings!
Heather

Dressing Modestly

A few years back, six to be exact, I was convicted to do away with my shorts, my sleeveless tops, and pants. Instead, I planned to wear skirts, modest blouses & shirts, jumpers, and dresses.

I was brought up in a family that pretty much dressed for comfort. If it fit, you wore it. If it was hot outside you wore shorts, sandals, and a tank shirt or short sleeved shirt. If it was cold outside you wore a sweater or long sleeved shirt and jeans. You wore what was in style and what was comfortable (or so you thought it was because that was all you knew).

There were a few girls in the public school that I attended that wore skirts all the time and they never cut their hair. We all knew that they did this because of their family's religious beliefs, but we never even gave it a second thought that they were also teaching modesty in dress. Life went on, I continued to dress as I pleased, although I was careful of my choices by not choosing the low cut blouse or the very short skirt. Still, when I look back at those days I cringe at the thought of wearing those too tight jeans.

When I began going to church with my husband (then future husband), things were still the same. The church never questioned my choices of clothing, in fact they (all the women) wore jeans also. They, too, dressed for comfort and were oblivious to the way that jeans and slacks show almost every detail of a woman's shape.

It wasn't until I visited a dear family from the classical Christian school my husband taught at that my eyes were opened to the way I dress. We had moved 1100 miles away from the school my husband taught at (and my old stomping grounds) 3 years earlier and this was our first visit back "home". We were visiting friends and family on this trip and we were invited over to the home of a family that had attended the classical Christian school (the one that my husband taught at).

Upon arriving at the family's house, the lady of the house approached me and pulled me aside. She then said to me, "I am glad that my husband is not able to make it for your visit because you are wearing shorts. I would not feel comfortable with him here because he might be tempted to look where he ought not look (mostly at my legs for they were bare)." I then apologized and told her that I had planned on wearing a dress, but I wasn't able to change in time. (The comment hit me square in the eyes, I had never thought of it that way, and I wasn't offended, rather embarrassed of my clothing choices that day.)

As we ventured inside the house our conversation continued and I learned why she wore dresses. I also learned about the magazine Above Rubies and how they were in support of large families. She also gave me a sermon on The Purity in Clothing that I listened to on the way home from our trip. It spoke to the very depths of my heart. From there, I was convicted to no longer wear jeans and shorts. In fact, I began cutting all of my jeans and jean shorts into little squares for a patchwork quilt (that still has to be made). ;o)

Clothing has taken a whole new perspective for me. Now I dress to cover my body so that other husband's eyes are not tempted to look where they shouldn't. Now I don't wear shapeless bags of dresses that hide my feminine figure completely. That's no better than wearing a pair of baggy sweat pants and an over sized T-shirt! I wear long dresses that define the waist, but not the bust. They are modest in the neckline and are not too short (that is, between my mid-calf & ankles). I wear dresses that look feminine and provide adequate coverage in all areas that might attract attention. Some of my favorites have a pretty floral pattern on them and when I put them on they change my whole attitude for the day.

On one occasion, I was 8 months pregnant and feeling really down. A friend of mine at church had loaned me a few of her maternity dresses (since I had so few at the time). As I was trying on dresses, I got to this one that I wasn't sure about. It was very feminine and it had blue roses all over it. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but when I tried it on, I didn't want to take it off!!! I felt so pretty and feminine in it that I made a pattern off of it and made my own!!! My whole countenence changed by this one act of putting on a pretty and feminine dress.

Wearing dresses only is a conviction that has changed my life. I see things in a different light now. However, I don't go around telling other people who are NOT dressed as I am that they need to change. I simply tell them my story of why I wear dresses. If they don't change from my story, then so be it. I am not going to stop being their friend just because they don't have my same convictions. I may encourage them to consider wearing dresses, but if they don't change they will at least be more aware of how they have choosen to dress. If God wants them to change, then ONLY God can change them.

So, why did I choose to wear dresses only?
1) I was convicted to do so. God changed my heart on the matter of dress.
2) I view clothing now as a covering not a trend.
3) I don't want to tempt anybody else's husband to look where they shouldn't, as jeans define the figure showing every nook & cranny.
4) I want my husband, and him only, to see my shape, my whole shape.

There are many scriptures that support my convictions, but I will get to them in a later post.

May you have a Blessed and Fruitful Day!
Heather

Finally Sewing Again!!! Yeah!!!

I love to sew, but lately time hasn't allowed. However, this weekend I was finally able to get a new jumper done for my oldest daughter who is 6. This last summer I made her two dresses that she has already OUTGROWN! She has grown 4 or 5 inches since summer! Unbelievable!

Anyway, one of her only play dresses ripped leaving her with practically nothing to wear. So I found three A-line maternity jumpers that a friend had given me (she actually acquired them from someone else and they were too small for her, so she gave them to me). I had loaned these jumpers to two different friends and neither one of them used them either, so I decided that since I wasn't planning on using them myself I would make them into something that would be used. (Afterall, they were barely worn.)

Here is what I did:

1. I laid the jumper that had ripped out onto a large piece of paper (a paper sack works well) & traced the bodice making sure to include about 5/8" extra around the edges for the seam allowance.
   
2. I cut out the bodice "pattern" making sure to fold it in half to make sure both sides were even. I always cut the bodice out on the fold, so I only need half the pattern anyway.
3. I measured my daughter from her shoulder to her waist and transfered that info to the pattern.
4. I folded the maternity dress exactly in half and laid the back bodice pattern piece on the fold (the front and the back bodice are the same with the exception of the neckline) and cut out the front & back bodice at the same time. Since I used the back bodice piece, I then cut the neckline for the front piece & keeping the back piece the same. Remember, if you try this yourself, to put the bodice pattern piece as high up on the jumper as possible so you will have enough fabric for the skirt.
5. I measured my daughter for the skirt length, & cut the skirt piece out making sure to only cut the skirt at the top so I could use the hem that was already in place at the bottom of the skirt. The skirt was practically finished since the side seams were already sewn and it was already hemmed, all I had to do to it was gather it.
6. I then sewed the front and back bodice pieces together at the shoulder seams & side seams, pressed the seams open, created a keyhole in the back so the "new" jumper would fit over my daughter's head, rolled & sewed the edges to finish the bodice. You can also attach bias tape around the edges, which is much easier. I then pressed the finished edges.
7. After gathering the skirt, I attached it to the bodice with pins & sewed it. I then made a loop for the keyhole on the back bodice & attached it. Then I sewed on the button of my daughter's choice. Finished!

It took me less than two hours to do, since the hem was already done, and I have a ruffler foot to do my gathering (although I had to adjust it a few times to get it just right). I still have two more maternity jumpers to recreate into jumpers for my daughter, but that will have to wait.

If you try this yourself, looking at a jumper pattern may help to clarify any questions you may have.

Have a GREAT DAY!!!
Blessings!
Heather