Category Archives: clothing

Under the Sea

Posted on July 2, 2010 | 1 comment

undertheseaKennedyBrite

 

This dress is just breathtaking.  Judy Day has been working on it for more than six months–well, on and off for six months, as she dealt with other must-do’s that popped up.  This is her granddaughter’s 6th birthday dress and Kennedy is just as lovely as the dress!

I’ll let Judy tell you about it.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I made this dress for Kennedy’s birthday.  She has been crazy about fish from day one.  When I saw a picture of a similar dress on Martha Pullen’s weekly e-letter last year, after her event in Arlington, I just knew Kennedy would love it.

The planning took more time than the actual embroidery.  I tried several different fabrics for the dress overlay.  Of course, Swiss batiste would have been perfect if it did not require a lot of starch and pressing.  So I decided on a sheer poly fabric for the easy care.  I ordered several different ones from www.fabric.com

I knew the underdress would be Imperial broadcloth.  I searched my stash and did not find a blue that would work.  When an overlay is put over a color fabric, the color must be a bright, clear color or it looks muddy.  I ordered 4 yds.of 4 different bue fabrics from Baltazor Fabric Boutique www.baltazor.com ….one can never have too many blues in their stash!

 

under the sea overlay

 

Baltazor’s has wonderful customer service.  They only had 3 of the blues, so they picked another and then included a 5th at no charge!  It was one of the fabrics they chose that was perfect.  The color was clear and bright even with the overlay.  The overlay gives the dress depth so that some of  the fish look as if they are swimming in the distance. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, girls, heirloom sewing, Judy Day's creations, machine embroidery, techniques

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Biscuit Lace Bonnet

Posted on June 30, 2010 | 2 comments

This brownish pink “biscuit” colored lace has always appealed to me.  I know nothing about the history of biscuit lace, but I want to believe that it was popular in the Victorian era, a time of lavish display, a time when “too much is seldom enough.”  NOTE:  This was labelled as the decorating style of a woman whose home was featured in one of my favorite  books,  Make Room for Quilts by Nancy J. Martin.

With as little as 20″ of lace 5″ wide, you can make a similar newborn size bonnet using the technique of ruching.   Given that a newborn measures approximately 12″ from ear lobe to ear lobe,  any length beyond that can be ruched (gathered) for some fullness and transformed to a bonnet.

For the horseshoe crown, another 5″ of lace is needed.  It is customarily lined, enclosing the gathers of the body of the bonnet between the lining and the back.  But if there is a shortage of lace, the lining could be made of cotton netting.

Two pieces if lace have been used to create this luscious bonnet.  The bonnet body is a very intricate 5″ wide lace galoon,   27″ long.  A second lace, a 2″ edging, was machine stitched to the wrong side of the galoon, leaving 1″ of  the edging exposed. After the two straight pieces of lace were joined together, three rows of gathering threads were stitched, a scant 1/2″ apart, beginning at the stitching that joined the two laces together.  The gathering threads were then drawn up to 12″ and tied off. Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, baby accessories, clothing, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, techniques

Classic Baby Kimono

Posted on June 27, 2010 | 2 comments

Cotton flannel kimono is cut from Sarah Howard Stone’s pattern.

Baby kimonos have been around forever but have been eclipsed in popularity by the one-piece sleeper.  But when Laurel was born, those knit sleepers were always second choice.  This kimono was in use every night that it was laundered and available.

 The night time routine was for her father to get up, change her diaper, and then carry his baby girl to her mother to be nursed.  After one frustrating night spent trying to line up the snaps on the sleeper, my son discovered the 2-tie kimono and certified it as daddy-friendly baby nightwear.

Feather stitch is worked with floche.

This kimono and Lezette Thomason’s Bunny’s Knit Nightie (Children’s Corner patterns) were his bedtime garments of choice for Laurel.  Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, lace tape, techniques

Blue Flowers Daygown

Posted on June 24, 2010 | Leave a comment

Few projects are as satisfying as a baby daygown.  Even lavished with time consuming details and handwork, they are relatively quick.  You can use fine fabrics and short lengths of special trims from your stash that might be too small or too expensive for a larger garment.  And you can use things you have put away for something special and not feel guilty, because daygowns are special.

This smocked daygown was made for Laurel, before her May birth. The angel wing sleeve seemed to be appropriate for the summer heat that would blanket her infancy. The fabric is easy care Imperial batiste, chosen because of the non-stop demands on a new mother’s time and the fact that my daughter-in-law hates to iron.

The trim is a Swiss embroidery from Capitol Imports that I had put away many years ago.  The blue floral insertion was used on the front opening and the matching edge finishes the angel sleeve.

The edge is 1″ wide, too wide, I decided, to be joined to either side of the insertion down the front.  It seemed as if  that much width and that many blue flowers it would just overwhelm the smocking and the dress and the baby.  Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, smocking, techniques

Antique Pink Daygown

Posted on June 22, 2010 | 5 comments

notice misplacement of bottom button

This sweet little pale pink daygown carries a Lilliputian label that simply says, “Made in the Philippines.” It is so tiny that it can be read only by eyes younger than 40 or with reading glasses. The label size is in perfect proportion to the wee dress which has so many intricate details.

single layer collar with cutwork edge and very fine embroidery

Made of pink cotton batiste and constructed with tiny 1/8″ French seams, the entire garment is hand stitched.

The cutwork edge and tiny, fine embroidery on the collar and dress front showcase the expertise —and good eye sight–of the dressmaker.

 

Three sections of appliqué cord on either side of the front opening make the perfect finishing touch to the embroidery. Learning appliqué cord has been on my to-do list for several years. The cuffs are scalloped with a simple buttonhole stitch. Continue reading →

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

Therapy Outfit #2

Posted on June 20, 2010 | 1 comment

 

NOTE:  This was written prior to surgery.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I will be going to rehab after my knee replacement surgery. At this facility, ortho patients are required to wear shorts for all therapy sessions. SHORTS!!! Good grief! I haven’t worn shorts in public, except for yard work, since 1986.   Certainly, something would be needed to draw the eye up from the legs.

Embroidery to the rescue! Several designs from Loralie’s Have A Fit collection work well on the shirts I have embroidered to wear with the mandated shorts.

“The incision was my own little touch. Loralie is not into scars.

This design is called Torture, precisely what I will be groaning as Susan, my therapist, pushes me to my limits. She and her family were our back door neighbors when she was growing up. Now she is the recognized as the best therapist in the rehab business.  When I’m not moaning, we will be having a good time chatting about the neighborhood. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, ladies, machine embroidery

Matching Mismatches

Posted on June 18, 2010 | Leave a comment

 

Laurel in her matching mismatched outfit.

Laurel in her matching mismatched outfit.

Some time ago, there was an article in Sew Beautiful magazine that caught my attention. After buying children’s separates from the clearance rack, the author coordinated them with other separates by using embroidery or appliqué designs. The little outfits looked like matched sets from an upscale department store.

I couldn’t help but think of on-line dating services, like Harmony or Match.com. Previously unknown individuals meet up and match up and sometimes even marry up. Ask me how I know—but  then again, I took an oath of secrecy so never mind.  Don’t bother. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, embroidery blanks, girls, machine embroidery

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Embroidered Lace Bonnet

Posted on June 14, 2010 | Leave a comment

emb lace bonnet xx

 

This gorgeous piece of antique lace edging had languished in my stash/resource center for some time.   Only 21″ long,  its possible uses  were somewhat limited.  I had considered a yoke overlay, but rejected that idea.

 

organdy 3 xx

The mint organdy is the one in the middle. It is really a stronger color than it seems to be on this computer. It is available for $8 py….vintage Swiss organdy, 36″ wide.

 

After  finally deciding on a newborn horseshoe bonnet (so named for the shape of the back crown), I realized that there was not enough lace for the crown lining, a necessary component to cover the gathered back edge of the bonnet.

Meanwhile, like a fine wine, the vintage mint green Swiss organdy (available  at the Janice Ferguson Sews “store”) had been aging in the sewing room armoire, in the same era as the lace.  I took it as a sign.    Lining the bonnet with a colored fabric would show off the lovely pattern of the lace while also making up for my short yardage. Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, baby accessories, clothing, hand embroidery, infant clothing, techniques

Therapy Duds

Posted on June 10, 2010 | 2 comments

The preparations for my upcoming knee replacement surgery remind me of packing to go to our cabin in the mountains of North Carolina. There are appointments for this and that, lab work, X-rays, haircut, which is scheduled for two days before surgery. It’s bad enough to look like you’re suffering from a bad case of the flu, but at least my hair will be clean and all the same color.

I’m busy preparing smocking and embroidery, lest my idle hands become the devil’s playground. Today, I suppose that old adage could only be caution against mindlessly surfing the net or playing endless games of computer solitaire. Heaven knows I won’t be playing poker in the lobby of the rehab center.

Like going to NC, the packing for this 3-week “getaway” requires some special clothing.

Two years ago, I had my right knee replaced. Given that this time I have the same orthopod, same hospital, same rehab facility, I pretty much know what to expect. And I expect pain, blood, sweat and a few tears. But I can handle that. I’m tough. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, embroidery blanks, ladies, machine embroidery

Another Recycled Heirloom

Posted on June 7, 2010 | 5 comments

 

Alastair, 13 months 2010

This Madeira appliquéd outfit, a gift for my son’s first birthday in 1975, is one of the first heirloom garments I had ever seen. Nilda, a dear friend of Cuban and Puerto Rican ancestry, had purchased it in Miami, where clothing of this sort was readily available.

I was instantly smitten by the classic design and detailed embroidery,  as well as the absence of Sesame Street characters. On either side of the tiny red teddy bears are clusters of greenery and French knot flowers. The collar is embellished with a row of red cross stitches. Side tabs allow for a custom fit.  It is just sweet as pie.

Ryan, 21 months, 1976

Ryan wore the suit at every appropriate occasion.  With his little white high top shoes, he was adorable. Nilda told me that all of her aunts spent their days embroidering similar clothing for the babies in their family. I desperately wanted a Cuban/Puerto Rican auntie for my son! Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, clothing, hand embroidery, infant clothing, Madeira applique