Category Archives: infant clothing

Pink Petal Daygown

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Janice| 4 Comments

Vivian Rose, 5 days old, in vintage pink petal daygown.  Her gorgeous blanket was knit by her paternal grandmother, Oma.

 

Vivian Rose is wearing a vintage Swiss batiste daygown from my little collection of antique and vintage baby garments.  Unlike everything I have made her, it fits  perfectly.

Some time ago, the gown was featured in an earlier blog post.  In case you missed or forgot all about it, here are the details of this pretty little dress.

 

 

This sweet antique daygown hangs with its age-appropriate companions on one of the two the twig swags in my upstairs grandbaby nursery. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, infant clothing

Sweet Bunny Knit Nightie

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Janice| 9 Comments

Vivian Rose 6 days old

 

This hand-me-down sleeper/nightie was made for Alastair almost 4 years ago.  Because of the soft Sea Island cotton knit fabric, the comfortable fit and ease when dressing or diapering Baby it is a favorite outfit. The nightie still looks like new on Vivian Rose, even after the heavy laundering in Alastair’s infant era.

 

Pattern cover for Bunny Knit Nightie and Accessories by Children’s Corner

Continue reading →

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Posted in infant clothing, serger

Smocked Polka Dot Gown~My Attempt at “Contemporary”

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Janice| 11 Comments


As I began planning Vivian Rose’s layette,  I pulled out my favorite baby patterns, including this Baby’s Smocked Layette.    Making it was just a pleasure.

I love this pattern.   Because of the simple design an excellent directions, the gown practically falls together.  I especially like the illustration of the drawn up neckline in preparation for binding.  It includes precise measurements for the width of the front and sleeves at the neckline.  The back opening buttons all the way down to the hem, making it easy to dress Baby. Continue reading →

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Posted in infant clothing, serger, smocking

Baby Comes Home

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Janice| 13 Comments

3-day old Vivian Rose at home, sleeping sweetly, in spite of her jaundice.

Vivian Rose is home with her family and I am here helping, but mostly enjoying this precious baby. Of course, she is beautiful and strong, and we are pretty sure she can talk and read. She just chooses not to.

This polycotton daygown, which was intended as an everyday, utility frock, was promoted to Coming Home Outfit  because the other garments– of   Swiss batiste, Swiss flannel, dotted Swiss stripe, and Liberty  were much too large.  Even this newborn-3 month size enveloped her like a gunny sack. Frankly,  I think the yellow Old Fashioned Baby gown would have been the best fit.  But yellow is not a good color for a baby with significant jaundice. Continue reading →

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Posted in heirloom sewing, infant clothing, ready-to-smock, smocking

OFB Daygown with Petit Point Handloom

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Janice| 6 Comments

Baby’s First Daygowns pattern by Old Fashioned Baby

I absolutely love this pattern.

 

It is versatile, with three distinctly different views.  All the hand embroidery designs are included.   The directions are clear and specific.  Scattered between the pattern pieces on the blank tissue are sweet notes and Scripture. Continue reading →

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Posted in heirloom sewing, infant clothing

NEW..Year, Beginnings, & OFB Daygown

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Janice| 8 Comments

“Whether we want them or not, the New Year will bring new challenges; whether we seize them or not, the New Year will bring new opportunities.  ~Michael Josephson

January, 2013,  a time of beginnings.  We awaited the drop of the big ball with a  a fabulous, fun-filled New Year’s Eve with our son and his family.  They brought along Apollo, their 100 lb.  German Shepherd and it was a time of happy chaos here at our house.

We watched football, ate goodies, had a bonfire with s’mores, then fireworks.  Robert and Laurel found a farewell letter from Peter Elf and said their goodbyes to him.  Laurel, the little businesswoman, had bags to embroider so she got that done.  New Year’s Day was more of the same, except for the bonfire and fireworks.

As the above quote states, the new year brings new opportunities.  Our overdue granddaughter has still not made her appearance and I’m seizing this nail biting opportunity to sew more baby clothes.  The challenges he predicts will come in their own good time.

Ready to begin!  Yellow Imperial broadcloth, Vintage Swiss petit point handloom, French lace, entredeux and OFB Baby’s First Daygown pattern.

Thank goodness, I’m finally well and healthy enough to hold a newborn any day now.  I don’t know if it was all hot tea or the fresh-off-the-tree citrus I consumed, or maybe all  the naps.  But thankfully, I’m back in the sewing room. Continue reading →

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Posted in antique/vintage textiles, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, Nana fun

Bonnet, Monograms and Chicken Soup

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Janice| 10 Comments

What does this baby bonnet

have in common with chicken soup? Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, baby accessories, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, machine embroidery, Nana fun

Sweet Baby Duds

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Janice| 2 Comments

The scallops and embroidery are a very soft pastel yellow, not nearly like the bright color that shows up on my monitor.

I’m approaching the panic mode as my new granddaughter concludes her cozy stay in utero.  So few items have been sewn for her!  A few smocked daygowns (Liberty of London, striped Swiss dot), a smocked white pique diaper shirt, a Swiss flannel slip, the ho-hum bassinette sheets, and the bassinette skirt.

On my cutting table sits a tall, tottering stack of fabric and patterns which I expected by now would have been stitched into an even taller stack of sweet baby garments.

So now, with less than a month to go, I have launched Plan B. rather than begin the elaborate beauties I long to stitch.  This plan consists of making ruffled diaper covers to match the precious embroidered diaper shirts I bought in Puerto Rico.  On one of my  teaching trips to San Juan, almost 9 years ago, these shirts were purchased a few months before the arrival of my first granddaughter, Laurel. Continue reading →

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Posted in baby accessories, infant clothing, serger

Swiss Dot Daygown and Thankfullness

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Janice| 20 Comments

Thanksgiving Day sewing

I hope you all had a joyful and happy Thanksgiving.  This is the first turkey day celebration in several years that both of our children and  their families were gathered around the harvest table. In order for that to happen, we scheduled our festivities for Wednesday.  That allowed for dinner with their in-laws.

It’s been a lonnnnnnng time since I’ve posted, for no other reason than busy, busy, busy-ness.  A lot of time has been spent with dear friends who are dealing with heartbreaking and life-threatening health hardships.  These continue even now.  High on our Thankful-For List is good health.  I am reminded yet again that sewing is not the most important task on my daily to-do list.  But it’s still near the top.

I have sewn a little and finally finished smocking the striped Swiss dot daygown which was started some time ago.  Just last night, I pleated up a matching bonnet so that and a pair of pink knitted booties will complete  this little outfit.

I have to say again that this is some of the most luscious fabric I have ever handled.  And now I’m beginning to wonder about the fiber content, as it seems to be nearly wrinkle free.  That would be a real bonus.

These photos have given me fits as I’ve tried to adjust them to reflect the true colors.  Trust me, the pink is as soft as baby’s cheeks and the smocking is slightly darker. Continue reading →

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Posted in infant clothing, smocking

Daygown~Lessons Learned

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Janice| 16 Comments


LESSON:  Haste makes waste…or dissatisfaction with a rushed project.

After my idle hospital stay, I was desperate to stitch.  But I was restricted for another week from driving or using my sewing machine, specifically from using the foot pedal.   As soon as I was home, I grabbed up the supplies for the daygown that I had planned while hospitalized and rushed to cut it out and begin smocking.

Pleater use was allowed, but I could not sew up the shoulder seams.  Ah, but I had heard about seamless pleating.  That should work. Continue reading →

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Posted in infant clothing, smocking