Category Archives: girls

“Sewing Nana” Challenges

Posted on February 22, 2010 | 4 comments

In the eyes of the world, and especially those of your children, if you can sew, you can sew ANYTHING! So asking for a set of baby earmuffs to muffle the sound in a small airplane is pretty much the same as asking for an embroidered tee shirt. I guess that’s how my darling son thought of it.

He and his wife were flying to their North Carolina log cabin in his Piper Comanche twin engine plane. Headsets are worn by the pilot and the passengers to drown out the very loud engine sounds as well as to allow conversation between passengers and pilot. Laurel was just 3 months old so the adult headsets would fit her about as well as Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat. And yet, it seemed  she should have something to muffle the noise.

No problem! Her Nana can sew! Knowing that I would want to protect Laurel’s hearing and keep her as comfortable as possible, my son asked me to whip up some soundproofing earmuffs for her. Continue reading →

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Posted in baby accessories, embroidery blanks, girls, infant clothing, machine embroidery

Valentine Variety

Posted on February 13, 2010 | Leave a comment

Valentine L

 

My daughter-in-law, Shelly, is such a wonderful mother.  This week she hosted a little Valentine party for the neighborhood children.  They exchanged homemade cards, decorated heart cookies, dipped strawberries in chocolate, chased balloons and had a big time.  It was pouring down rain, so the other mothers were happy to have a fun indoor activity for the children.  These Florida kids are usually outside playing, so one rainy day gives them cabin fever.

 

elephants

 

There has been a lot of Valentine activity in my sewing room this past week.Laurel and I worked together to embroider a red tee shirt knit dress, a blank from my stash,  for her to wear to the party.  This is just one of the delightful designs from the Zundt Design Valentine collection.  We also stitched a few others on dishtowels because Laurel couldn’t choose just one.

 

Valentine Fabric

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Posted in embroidery blanks, girls, Holiday Projects, home dec, machine embroidery, Nana fun, turn tube hem

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Quick and Easy Swing Dress

Posted on February 10, 2010 | Leave a comment

Much as I love heirloom and English smocking, more and more frequently I find myself resorting to quick and easy styles with machine embroidery, or in this case, embroidery machine appliqué.  So often I find myself having to choose between sewing for my grandchildren and spending time with them.  Of course, I always choose the latter.

That description fits the back-to-school dress made from Bonnie Blue’s Lydia pattern which Laurel is wearing in this photo. It has an option for smocking in the center front but I haven’t tried that yet. I bought the pattern immediately after it was featured in Creative Needle magazine. The smocked area is just perfect for a single picture smocked design, like an apple or whatever. Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, machine embroidery

Angel Fish Dress

Posted on February 5, 2010 | 3 comments

angel fish dress

“Necessity, who is the mother of invention….” Plato

Often, I believe, it is also the mother of creativity.

It was a joy to sew this angel fish dress but the necessity of fixing a big mistake led me to a creative solution. The fabric is a gorgeous 26″ wide Swiss embroidery from Capitol Imports with the matching 5″ piece used for the shoulder ruffles.

The angel fish Swiss organdy insertion is a handloom and had been carefully tucked away with my most special sewing treasures for many years.

 

handloom

 

When it was purchased, the home embroidery machine was not even a figment of my imagination. Now, of course, angel fish could easily be embroidered on organdy to replicate this striking piece. Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, heirloom sewing, techniques, White Wednesday

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Butterfly Towel Sundress

Posted on January 18, 2010 | 2 comments
butterflysundressL

Children’s Corner Katina pattern

Using linen towels for sewing is not a new idea, but it is one which I think is worthy of repetition. The sundress Laurel is wearing is made from an Irish linen bath towel. Measuring 29″ wide by 42″ long, it is a generous size for a skirt front. These imported towels are such a bargain. Not only does the buyer get a lot of linen for a relatively small price, the extensive handwork is quite lovely.

The towel was cut in half, rendering two pieces each 29″ x 21″. Cut from Children’s Corner Sissy/Katina pattern, the size 4 sundress uses the embroidered half for the front and the plain half for the back. Scraps of linen from other projects were used to cut the narrow front and back yokes as well as the straps. Blue piping outlines the yokes.

 

butterflytowel

 

Continue reading →

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Posted in doll clothing and accessories, girls, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, home dec, linen blanks, Madeira applique

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Smocked Frannie Jumper

Posted on January 7, 2010 | Leave a comment

 

Judy Day's FRANNIE jumper

This is another darling creation made by my dear friend Judy Day.  Stitched for her granddaughter,  the Children’s Corner Frannie pattern was used with the addition of the smocking option. Frannie has a ribbon casing under each armhole which draws up a little extra fullness. As the child grows, the ribbon is loosened to allow more room across the chest.

The smocking is a simple tone on tone cable/wave combination with yellow flowerettes adding just touch of color.

The 100% cotton featherwale corduroy has such a nice hand and soft drape. It also pleats beautifully and is great for most smocking patterns. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, girls, smocking

Smocked Bishop Nightie~White Wednesday

Posted on January 6, 2010 | 7 comments

Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild. ~Welsh Proverb                                                                

 And this one is mine–the little bundle of joy who ignited the perfect love I could not have imagined until she was born.

When her brother Robert came along, I felt the same way. Wow!  This is amazing! Then her cousin Alastair was born and  I was carried away with that same overpowering love.  That’s when I realized that the well of love in a grandparent’s heart will never run dry.

I’m sorry to be so gooey and sentimental, but my emotions are pretty intense right now.  I will hold Alastair tomorrow night, I will see Robert Charles tomorrow afternoon and Laurel, who has been here since 9 a.m. for homeschooling and is spending the night, has charmed me since her arrival. The emotions of grandparenthood are deep and yet always close to the surface. Bob and I just shake our heads in amazement at the wonder of grandchildren. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, girls, heirloom sewing, ready-to-smock finished projects, smocking, White Wednesday

Kid Sew Scarf

Posted on December 31, 2009 | Leave a comment

 For some time now, 5 year old Laurel has been begging to sew.  Yesterday, with Christmas behind us, we finally had a little free time.

Next week she will be going to our family cabin in the mountains of North Carolina so we thought a polar fleece scarf would be useful. She serged the 8″ x 50″ edges with a three-thread wide stitch. This was her first experience with my fabulous Babylock Evolve serger and she took to it like a duck to water. She loved the speed and ease of control.

For many years, I taught sewing to children. There are so many things that I learned about teaching skills and generating enthusiasm. One of the most important considerations is selection of the project, which should be quick and easy, and, in my opinion, foolproof. An earnest junior sewist cannot be allowed to fail. So the scarf seemed to be a safe choice. Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, Kids Sew, machine embroidery, Nana fun, serger

At Last! Christmas ’09

Posted on December 27, 2009 | 1 comment

 

At last, it finally happened. I had all three of my grandchildren in the same place at the same time wearing their matching outfits. Getting a group shot that includes a 9 month-old baby is dicey at best, but the two older children were very cooperative and patient. Maybe that whole Elf Watch threat still hangs over their heads.

Alastair in Glenn suit with his paternal grandmother, Oma, after church

The details of each outfit are in previous posts, but in summary the plaid is Viyella, the button-on bibs are a linen blend, the pattern for the boys’ suit is Glenn by Children’s Corner and Laurel’s dress is an extended yoke pattern. The embroidery designs are all from Bernina’s Current Critters Continued collection. Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, clothing, girls, infant clothing, machine embroidery, smocking

Smocked Coat and Muff

Posted on December 18, 2009 | 6 comments
Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do.
Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust (and smocked clothing) over the lives of little children. ~Alex Haley 
 
C and K xx
 
Making a coat is not for the faint of heart, nor for those less than accomplished in the needlearts. Years ago, Judy Day made gorgeous smocked coats for her two daughters and now has made these beauties for her two granddaughters, using the same pattern.   Self piping, covered buttons and monograms are special details that make the coats fit for a princess or two.

Though they live hundreds of miles apart, the adorable, girly 5 year old cousins see one another often enough to be close friends and enjoy wearing the matching clothes that Judy makes for them. In the pictures, you can see their matching blue smocked bishop dresses peeking out at the top of their coats. Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, machine embroidery, smocking

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