Category Archives: clothing

Valentine Variety

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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New Daddy Shirt

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When a new grandchild is on the way, a lot of sewing goes on for the baby, the nursery and often the mother-to-be. But rarely are we  moved or inspired to make anything for the new father.

When my son was to become a father for the first time, I found inspiration in the waiting room on the hospital maternity floor. Laurel was not born until our third visit there,  so I had plenty of  time to make observations. Continue reading

Quick and Easy Swing Dress

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

Angel Fish Dress

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

Butterfly Towel Sundress

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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

 

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Daygown Challenge

Being asked to break out of your comfort zone, in terms of needlework, is usually an unwelcome challenge. But often accepting that  challenge can make your zone a bit larger while stretching your creative ability.

When my first grandchild was on her way, my daughter-in-law respectfully requested that I make  nothing in pink. She preferred browns and greens and the colors of nature, but not necessarily flower colors.

And she wasn’t crazy about lace, either—too scratchy, she thought. When I assured her that the imported laces were cotton and would not irritate the skin of a newborn, she reluctantly acquiesced. But I knew full well that lace would not be her trim of choice.

OUCH! I had a cupboard full of imported laces and drawers of pastel Imperial and Swiss batiste that for years had lain in wait for this grandchild. And now I needed browns and greens for a baby girl.

I managed to make Laurel’s coming home smocked daygown and bonnet from yellow Imperial batiste and trimmed it with tatting (see post Coming Home Daygown and Bonnet in smocking category), but after that I had to find a way to reconcile my creative needs with my daughter-in-law’s personal taste.

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Smocked Frannie Jumper

 

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

Smocked Bishop Nightie~White Wednesday

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

Lady’s Grape Sweater

Just like everyone else, I love a bargain.  I found this great sweater, without embroidery, marked down from $48 to $9.   I knew the addition of an embroidery design would take it from plain to pretty.

The lacy knit sleeves make it cool enough for Florida weather and yet, with a green or purple shirt under it, it is warm enough for our few cool days. Continue reading

Coming Home Cap

…a little child, born yesterday,
A thing on mother’s milk and kisses fed…
~”Hymn to Mercury”
  (one of the Homeric Hymns), translated from Greek by Percy Bysshe Shelley

 

Swiss flannel cap with antique silk grosgrain ribbon and it’s-gotta-get-better featherstitching.

This little guy was not born yesterday, but he certainly has thrived on mother’s milk and kisses.  In fact, if the amount of  milk and kisses he has received were accurately reflected in his size, he would be bigger than a four year-old.  But he is a good sized boy at 10 months and has already worn his last heirloom daygown and bonnet.

cominghomeAincap

Alastair, 2 1/2 months old

 

I think few things are sweeter than a baby wearing a bonnet.  This cap is part of my grandson’s coming home outfit and coordinates with the blanket and daygown shown in earlier posts.  Continue reading