Stone Soup

Did you think I'd ever get this posted?  I didn't either.  But here it is: my first inspiration of the Once Upon a Thread Series!

I know there are a lot of versions of this story, but I adore this particular version of Stone Soup, set in China with three monks and a quaint little village.  Just take a look at the cover, with the little girl peering into the huge pot.

I used a vintage pattern for the overalls, the Oliver + S Music Class blouse, and the bubble skirt [aka the pot] was my own pattern.

The story begins with the question "What makes one happy?" and the oldest monk goes on to show them where happiness is found...

I took out the seam allowances along the outer edges of the overalls and straps and just used bias to finish it instead of a facing...easy peasy without the added bulk, since it's a quilted, double sided fabric.  I placed the pocket too low, after reviewing these photos and think I'll remove and lift it because it's going to bother me every time she puts these on.

Back to the book: the villagers are all suspicious of the new comers and retreat into their homes and spy on the monks...

...all except for a little girl who decides to help them make their stone soup by fetching her mother's huge pot, whereupon the villagers' interest is piqued and they want to know how to make soup out of such lowly objects.

My large button love surfaced again on this project :)

The fabric for the overalls and the fabric I used for the bubble skirt lining came from fabric.com.

As the soup production progresses, one by one, the villagers bring offerings of herbs, spices, roots, vegetables, to make it tastier and tastier.

I am always on the lookout for simple white blouses for my baby dills to wear with skirts and sleeveless dresses on Sundays, and they seem like an endangered garment.  Why is that?  I found some luscious Italian woven cotton shirting at my most recent fabric outing [more on that later] and pulled it out for this sweet blouse.

Here are the detail photos of the buttonholes.  I did the top two button holes horizontal and the rest vertical, with the last one sewn with contrasting red thread and small, spherical milk glass buttons.  Very pleased with how it turned out.

In the end, the villagers bring their rice and steamed buns and gather for a village feast of stone soup.  Don't you love the lanterns all aglow?

Here's a peak at the lining of the bubble skirt: carrots!!

After supping on stone soup, the traditional entertainment of shadow puppets amuses the masses.

and the villagers learn that happiness comes from giving of themselves. 

And I had to incorporate the stones, right?  At first I attempted to drill my own buttons.  I bought my stone drill bit and had my stones ready, my goggles on...and I drilled and drilled and drilled all for a little dent.  I even called a friend whose husband is a stone expert, and then my dad just for a second opinion.  Slow and add water was the consensus.  As I exasperatedly put my drill down and walked out of the room, Ryan asked what I was going to do.  I told him I would find something on Etsy, you can find anything on Etsy, right?  And I did!  I fell in love with this set of drilled stones found at Allybean's shop.  She has some pretty amazing stones that she gathers and drills herself.  And! she sent an extra set with the ones I purchased for one of you!  I'll choose one of the comments left and even engrave some words of your choice.  What would you put on your three stones?

Some of you have asked if Once Upon a Thread will be an annual event.  I enjoyed it so much that, yes!  I think it will!  I'm even considering  do a bi-annual Once Upon a Thread for two weeks instead of the whole month.  It was suggested I even do a separate blog...which I have also mind mulled, but right now I'm leaning toward keeping it here, on no big dill.