Category Archives: infant clothing

Baby Bea’s Bumblebee Set

NOTE: I apologize for all the wrinkles. It was one of those aftenoons with on and off showers. As I began walked the yard for a site to take photos, the rain came up suddenly. I clutched the outfit and ran inside. Momentarily, it cleared and I did not have time to press it again. I was in and out of the rain multiple times.

Baby Beatrice, my youngest delight, is most often called “Bea.” Of course, all things “bee” are suitable for her. Her adoption story is long and complicated with many twists and turns. It is clear that the hand of God has chosen her to be Kyle and Joanne’s baby girl.

Like so many adoptions, the first 9 months of her life were very stressful for her parents as they awaited the finalization of her adoption. But now with the joy of new parents, they are about to celebrate her first birthday. Of course, as her officially appointed Nana, I was eager to make a new outfit to mark this important milestone in her life.

The bumblebee pique and the yellow polka dot fabric were purchased shortly after her birth, along with several other “bee” prints especially for her. One of those fabrics was sewn into a little sundress when she was 4 weeks old, for a party following her arrival home.

For this bumblebee garment, the pattern used won my heart the first time I saw it.

I love the curved lines of the back.

Back of Bea’s bumblebee set. I don’t know why didn’t I notice that the top was not centered on the hanger. Must have been the thunder that distracted me.

A special button treatment was used, with a tiny yellow button stacked on a larger black one, echoing the bee color. I enjoy adding little touches like that.

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Summer Yo-Yo Frock

This is my latest creation for Brother’s blog, Stitching Sewcial. I must say, this is one with which I am almost completely satisfied. That rarely happens!

Isn’t that back cute?

I do regret not noticing that Farmhouse Fabrics has gingham buttons. I would like to have used those instead of the MOP pink ones as shown. But then again, maybe not. I’d have to have them on hand to compare.

These are the bloomers.

The little garment, size 24 months, was inspired by Kari Mecca’s Yo-Yo and Buttonholes Bubble pattern https://karimeccasblog.typepad.com/my_weblog/yoyo-buttonholes-bubble-pattern.html which appeared on the cover of Sew Beautiful magazine summer, 2009. Continue reading

Back at Last!

First, let me wish you a happy Valentine’s Day! My latest post at Brother’s blog Stitching Sewcial is all about embroidered cards, specifically Valentines. I wish you all joy and happiness on this special day of love.

The tutorial gives all the ins and outs of embroidering cards, from choice of cardstock size and attaching embroidery. Check it out and please leave a comment at Stitching Sewcial if you find it helpful or inspiring. Here are a few of the other samples. Details of each are included at Stitching Sewcial:

The front embroidery is covered and inside text is Minnie’s quote. It reads:

This one is for our 6 yo granddaughter. The inside text reads, “Vivian Rose, you are our favorite princess.”

More are posted. I had a hard time stopping, since these are so much fun to make.

But much more has been going on since I last posted here at Janice Ferguson Sews. Of course, Christmas was pure joy, with both of our children joining us with all four of our precious grandchildren. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Many gifts were stitched. Mug rugs caught my attention and I made several for my daughter-in-law, but didn’t manage to get a photo. These are so much fun and make great gifts. She is our nature girl and really liked the apron I embroidered for her with this fabulous bear from Urban Threads. Continue reading

Christmas Fawn Daydress

Christmas is just around the calendar corner and it’s rush, rush, rush for me and many of you. I’ve just finished this Swiss batiste dress for Baby Beatrice.

I’ve written in earlier posts about Baby Bea, our new granddaughter via our church. Neither of her parents’ mothers is living, so months before she was born they asked me to serve as her official Nana. That was a happy day! And, of course, she is a doll, just now 4 months old, which for me has been at least 120 more happy days.

Her daddy is an avid hunter, especially for deer. Bea’s little daydress is a reminder NOT to shoot Bambi or his antlered father.

But back to the dress……the pattern is Old Fashioned Baby‘s Baby Daydress.

Like all of Jeannie B’s patterns, this one is a delight to sew and offers several design options. I love the Scriptures and embroidery designs she places in the blank space around the pattern pieces.

The shadow work fawn is from Joy Welsh’s Applique for Kids. It stitches just beautifully with her instructions. The greenery beneath the fawn was extracted from another design which I cannot recall right now.

The holly at the neckline is another design whose origin I cannot recall. I need to keep better records of what I embroider.

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Lacey Heirloom Bonnet

When I did my stitch rehearsal for the flowers, I couldn’t decide if I preferred the lighter or darker pink. So I alternated them and was pleased with the result.

Who can resist gazing at a baby in a bonnet? The site warms the heart of every mother, grandmother, auntie or friend.

The pattern for this linen confection was included in Simplicity 8024, though it was modified greatly. The addition of lace, embroidery, hemstitching, and sculpted antique pearl buttons on the ties removes this from the realm of boy caps. Embroidery floss was woven through the hemstitching holes to add a little more color.

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Bees for Bea

This is longed for and long-awaited baby Beatrice, whose name means “she brings happiness.”And she surely has! Our church, family and friends prayed long and fervently for her safe arrival into the loving arms of her adoptive parents.

The afternoon of her baptism a few Sundays ago, friends hosted a barbeque for the entire church and other family friends in Beatrice’s spacious country back yard.

This sign greeted guests.

Did I mention that the theme of Bea’s nursery is Winnie the Pooh? Can you tell?

Of course, it was HOT!

I made the smocked bee sundress for Bea, complete with bloomers and a hat. She is tiny, born 2 weeks early at just 6 lbs. Even the newborn size is huge on her. But babies grow and there is still plenty of steamy summer weather left here in central Florida. It should fit her soon.

Using black on such a tiny baby gave me pause. But there is no way around it when you are dealing with bees. The picot edged bias softened it a little but I much prefer white or pastels for newborns.

At the top of her hat sits an adorable little bee which I found on the facebook Smocking DeStash site. I bought 20 because I knew there would be many opportunities to use them for Baby Bea.

This country barbeque in a huge yard with pet goats and chickens was just the sort of fun children love. Still, they needed a few special activities. So while they were eating I discreetly hid bees all around. Continue reading

Church Dress for Beatrice

OFB Smocked layette dress pattern on white Imperial batiste.

At last Baby Bea’s church dress is finished. So many things I wish I had done differently, but it is done. The pattern is OFB Smocked Layette, made from white Imperial batiste.

I used this pattern with the little bit of smocking because I wanted to focus on the cross embroidered trim at the hemline. It would have looked better, I think, with short sleeves.

Because the cross embroidery is Swiss, I felt compelled to use Swiss for the other trims. Do you ever mix heirloom laces with Swiss on the same garment? I’d like to know your opinion on that.

The tiny Swiss trim at the neckline and smocked sleeves should be short enough to avoid irritating her delicate newborn skin. It has a built in entredeux stitch so I wove that with floss to add a little color higher on the daygown.

The cross trim at the hem was 6″ wide.After attaching it to the entredeux beading there just seemed to be too much blank space. So I removed it, trimmed the cross piece to 4″ and rejoined it to a new piece of entredeux beading, threaded with pink ribbon.

It still looked to plain so I added twin needle “shadow work” in pink on either side of the beading.

This is the first bonnet I have ever made with the ruffle behind the smocking. I’m not sure I like it, but Bea is so tiny, just now 7 lbs. that I thought the ruffle might obscure too much of her precious face.

The twin needle work was repeated on the back of the bonnet near the drawstring ribbon.

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Duckling Preemie Isolette Shirt

Another preemie isolette shirt is finished and delivered for soon-to-arrive Baby Beatrice. Her adoptive parents are now 5 states away from home awaiting the birth. It was planned for her to be delivered via C-section at 30 weeks, due to the birth mom’s earlier pregnancy complications.

The good news is that Baby might not need this or the other diaper shirt I made for her! At almost 36 weeks in utero, she may be bigger than the 4-5 lb. size of these garments. That’s something to celebrate! Our church has been praying and eagerly waiting for this lucky baby to be delivered into the arms of her fabulous parents. We can’t wait to see her.

I really, really like this pattern by Nancy Coburn of Ginger Snaps Designs.

It come in several sizes from micro-preemies all the way up to regular size newborn. Recommendations are included from NICU nurses for this sweet, specialized sewing. Variations of the single fabric design are included, such as this one made from two tiny scraps of pique’ and gingham.

The darling vintage duckling embroidery designs are from MommysApronStrings Etsy shop.They stitch out beautifully and are perfectly digitized and proportioned for this little diaper shirt as well as other children’s projects. There are several other charming designs that I will be using for future projects. The “buttons” were also machine embroidered before the soft velco was sewn to the shirt at the front and shoulders. Continue reading

Preemie Isolette Shirt

In an earlier post I wrote about a special baby soon to be adopted into our church family. Due to the birth mother’s previous pregnancy complications, little Beatrice (adoptive parents have already named her) was scheduled to be delivered at 30 weeks the first week in July. That would make her what is called a micro preemie. Sooo early!

The good news is that the pregnancy is going well enough that this delivery date may be postponed until either mother or baby is in distress! I read somewhere that every day Baby is in the womb translates to one less week in the NICU. Since it seems very likely that Beatrice will spend some time in that unit, I felt the need to make something for her during intensive care. As my sewing friend Catherine said, “This is probably the first garment you have ever made that you hope will never be worn.”That was my almost constant prayer as I stitched this.

Ginger Snaps Preemie Isolette Shirts I (I hope she will design another pattern II) is lined and comes in 4 sizes. It’s a great pattern.

Using Nancy Coburn’s Ginger Snaps Preemie Isolette Shirt I pattern, I’ve made this one in the 4-5 lb. size as opposed to the smaller pattern sizes included. That’s my personal positive attitude at work, knowing that a 4-5 lb. Baby Beatrice will be home sooner than if she needs a smaller size.  Truthfully, I hope she never wears this and comes home as a bouncing baby girl of average size. But just in case…… And if she does not need it, the diaper shirt can be donated to the hospital for another NICU baby.

So much fiddling was done with this tiny lined shirt. It has been said that you can make one in an hour, but I surely cannot. By the time I selected the fashion and lining fabric and adding finishing touches it took me much longer. Continue reading

Quick Baby Gift Personalization

Balloons seem to say happy.

I just love being able personalize items for special friends. With two ready to wear onesies, two caps and a white tee for cover up, machine embroidery turned turn plain Jane into special so quickly.

Pooh with balloons is a built in Brother machine design from. The balloons on the shirt and inserted into Johnathan’s name on the cap are from a discontinued Dakota Collectibles Toddler Trio collection, of which I found only one copy available on-line. The designs are tiny, arranged in groups of three and are  wonderful to extract when you need a small design. I often wonder why such collections are discontinued when they could be made available individually by digital download. I’m just glad I have this one in my design library. Continue reading