Category Archives: infant clothing

Modeling their New Clothes

Posted on July 5, 2013 by | 8 comments

 

modeling their July 4th outfits

modeling their July 4th outfits

I simply must show you the pictures that Rebecca just sent of Alastair and Vivian Rose wearing the outfits I made recently.  You’ve probably already seen these clothes and I know I am Pitiful Nana to HAVE to show these off.  I’m like the grandmothers who pull out the 11 x 17″ g’baby photo albums at every opportunity.  But I am what I am.

 

V-stands

 

 

Six month old Vivian Rose, our own four-tooth “Chubbalicious,” is finally getting hair in a reversed sequence of her mother’s development.  Rebecca was born with thick, dark hair that nearly covered her ears but it all fell out and at her first birthday she had about as much as does Vivian Rose now.  Vivian also has 2 teeth now while her mother didn’t cut her first almost until her first birthday.  I thought I might have to send her to  kindergarten with pureed baby food in her lunch box.  FYI, this Children’s Corner Bobbie bubble is a size 18 months!

Continue reading →

8 Comments

Posted in boys, Holiday Projects, infant clothing, machine embroidery

July 4th Outfits and At Home Celebrations

Posted on July 2, 2013 by | 9 comments

both

I love the 4th of July and everything that goes with it.  I love the picnics, the parades, the fireworks, the flag waving, the declarations of patriotism, the television broadcast of A Capitol Fourth, all that and more.  But what I love most is the blessings and freedoms we celebrate on Independence Day.  Oh–that and the children’s clothes, too!

When our children were still at home, we hosted a huge picnic with as many as 175 guests.  I wrote an article about it for the 1988 summer issue of Sew Beautiful.  For any who would like to stroll down Memory Lane with me, the  article is reprinted at the end of this post. Continue reading →

9 Comments

Posted in boys, brother-sister, Holiday Projects, infant clothing, machine embroidery

Desperation Bubble

Posted on June 23, 2013 by | 35 comments

bubble front all

 

Have you ever been  desperate to smock and thwarted in the effort?  Desperate to stitch hand embroidery and been hampered? Desperate to sew in a power outage?  I bet the answer is yes.

It reminds me of my crazy friend Catherine who, 25 years ago, had taken her boys to the beach.  Settled down in the sand on an old quilt, under her beach umbrella, she pulled out her smocking only to discover that she had everything but a needle!  Desperate, like me, she walked up and down Daytona Beach asking each sunbather if she might have a #7 crewel needle that Catherine could borrow or buy.  That, my friends, is desperation.  To no one’s surprise but Catherine’s, she came up empty handed.

How this bubble came to be is a result of such desperation.  It didn’t turn out as planned, it didn’t turn out great,  it didn’t really please me.  But it did scratch my itch  for some form–any form!– of needlework. Continue reading →

35 Comments

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

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Smocked Pini-4 for Vivian Rose

Posted on June 20, 2013 by | 19 comments

Coming soon! Grandbaby Closet Sale–All those special items too small too soon or just plain outgrown need to go to a new closet  At least one of Vivian Rose’s daygowns has never been worn.  Also coming soon (we hope), hair on her pretty head!

VR close

Rebecca, baby Vivian Rose and I are quite pleased with this little Pini-4.   The smocked skirt is Liberty of London and the machine monogrammed, self-lined bodice is hot pink microcheck.

pini4 front all3

There are no buttons or buttonholes, only ties at the neck, center back and underarms.   With a little careful planning or by following the pattern exactly (I just can’t do it!), this super quick and easy pattern COULD be a joy to stitch.   So I neeeeeeded to add piping, sure and how about some  tatting–oh yeah!  And I wanted to line it with my preferred method rather than as directed. Continue reading →

19 Comments

Posted in heirloom sewing, infant clothing, machine embroidery, smocking

Another Contemporary Heirloom?

Posted on May 24, 2013 by | 12 comments

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Four-month old Vivian Rose is growing like the national debt, so I am busy, busy, busy sewing for her.   The pink Imperial broadcloth “apron” is paired with bloomers of black floral lawn, which was a stretch for traditional me.  Black for a baby???  I keep reminding myself  that this blog’s subtitle is “modern projects for old fashioned Nanas.”  But can an Old Fashioned Baby pattern be  a modern project?

 

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Coming soon–black buttons and buttonholes.

 

The pattern is Baby’s Summer Clothes by Old Fashioned Baby, the largest size of which is 6-12 months.  The sleeveless apron with the scalloped hemline is the version I chose. Surely, I thought, it would fit a 4 month old baby for a few months.  But not this queen-sized baby girl. Continue reading →

12 Comments

Posted in hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, infant clothing

Sew Lucky, Sew Beautiful and Sew Much More

Posted on April 25, 2013 by | 2 comments
Vivian Rose, 3 months in her Farmhouse Fabrics bubble.

Vivian Rose, 3 months in her Farmhouse Fabrics bubble.

Farmhouse Fabrics Bubble Sample

This adorable bubble was a sample at Farmhouse Fabrics.  Did you know they are made available for sale periodically, for very reasonable prices?  As luck would have it, this little beauty was a 9 month size, nearly a perfect fit for”chubbalicious” 16 pound Vivian Rose.  She is one well-nourished nursing baby!  I was lucky to snatch up this bubble shortly after it was posted for sale.

The body fabric of the bubble is cotton sateen trimmed with what feels like pima cotton.  It is very well-made and nicely understated.  Vivian Rose’s mother thinks  this will be Baby’s 4th of July outfit, along with a big red headband.  She might even have a little more hair by then!

Sew Beautiful

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The current issue of Sew Beautiful includes a blurb about  this blog, Janice Ferguson Sews.

My Sew Beautiful magazine has not yet arrived, but others who have theirs in hand have let me know that  Janice Ferguson Sews  has been included in a blog list!  The picture, however, is of a dress I have never seen.  Oh well, it’s a pretty dress.  I welcome all you new readers visiting my blog and hope you will stop by often. Continue reading →

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Posted in infant clothing, uncategorized

Ruffled Smockable Bubble

Posted on April 16, 2013 by | 14 comments
V bubble front

The six month size fits her perfectly with a crotch extension.

This past week with our grandchildren has been delightful—and exhausting!  Laurel wants to teach two of her friends to sew, so she did a practice lesson.   Robert spent an entire afternoon with his grandfather assembling a free standing basketball hoop.  Alastair spent time with his cousins handling and socializing the feral kittens we have housed in the old chicken house.

A orange kitten 1

Alastair with one of his favorite kittens and one of his favorite bandaids.

Each day, I thought surely tomorrow this bubble would be completed!  Finally it is, after this special time with Robert, Laurel, Alastair and baby Vivian Rose. Continue reading →

14 Comments

Posted in hand embroidery, infant clothing, ready-to-smock finished projects, smocking

Baby Bishop Bubble

Posted on April 4, 2013 by | 5 comments

baby bishop bubble all

Psst!!! Ready-to-smock Smockables, have I told you lately that I love you?  As Elvis sang, could I tell you once again somehow?  Well, I am going to.

Two weeks ago (yes, 10 days before finish-the-Easter-clothes rush) I was asked by an extremely devoted member of our church to smock something for a fundraiser April 5.  Yikes!

Maria is at the church every day, working on one thing or another.  I Just couldn’t tell her no and I knew couldn’t possibly start until after Easter.  Smockables to the rescue!  I finished in just 3 days of “free” time (humphh!) between laundry, cooking, etc.

Having a few of these beauties in my stash makes me feel like SuperSmocker.  I may not wear a cape, but with these little treasures handy, I feel like I can do almost anything! Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in infant clothing, ready-to-smock finished projects, smocking

Happy Easter 2013

Posted on March 31, 2013 by | 5 comments

lily

Robert and Laurel brought me this lovely, fragrant Easter lily. There are three more buds, so it will bloom for quite a while.

What fun family time we enjoyed this year as we celebrated Easter.  Our daughter, Rebecca, and her family arrived mid-week and our son, Ryan, and his family were with us all day Saturday, when we had our Easter dinner.

 

VnA lying down

Alastair adores his baby sister. She looks like the feeling is mutual.

Saturday began with the Bunny Lunch at church, always a big hit with our grandchildren.  Approximately 75 children along with their parents or grandparents participated. The event began with an Easter craft followed by lunch. Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in boys, Holiday Projects, infant clothing, recipes, smocking

“Found” Clothes for Vivian Rose

Posted on March 3, 2013 by | 5 comments

I’ve just returned from a visit with 7 week old Vivian Rose and her family.  She is smiling and holding her head up now, so it was exciting to see the changes in just a few weeks.

While I was there, my Rebecca rediscovered these baby clothes buried deep in her cedar chest.

The pink daygown above and the white one below with fagoted lace were made shortly after Rebecca discovered that she was pregnant the first time.  We expected a girl but got precious little Alastair instead.  So these gowns with their matching bonnets were packed away.

After Vivian Rose arrived, the gowns could not be found.  Rebecca thought I had them and I thought she did.  Finally, she checked her cedar chest and there they were, along with several other sweet things that we both had forgotten about.

Now, Baby Girl has a greatly expanded wardrobe, with no more effort from her old fashioned Nana!  Here are some of the finds……

Alastair_Lambs

Alastair wearing his little lamb daygown

The lamb daygown was made for and worn by Big Brother Alastair, but I think it will be just fine for a little girl.  It will give her mother a break from all the pink she requested and received! Continue reading →

5 Comments

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