Category Archives: clothing

Gobble

Posted on November 25, 2009 | 4 comments

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare.  They are consumed in twelve minutes.  Half-times take twelve minutes.  This is not coincidence.  ~Erma Bombeck

Judy Day, my very dear and extremely talented friend,  made this Thanksgiving shirt for her beautiful granddaughter. Judy has been sewing almost forever–30+ years–and teaches computer, sergers, machine embroidery and heirloom sewing at one of the largest Babylock dealers in the country.  She smocked and sewed heirloom clothes for each of her three children.  I think she said her daughters refused to wear smocked dresses when they turned 15, but I could be wrong about that.Correction:  This shirt was made by Judy’s daughter, Amy Spriggs.  The turkey design was a freebie from Embroidery Library.  Amy added the text.  Wait until you see some more of Amy’s projects!

Cute as this shirt is, it isn’t even the tip of the tip of the iceberg of Judy’s creativity and skill.  She has graciously agreed to let me post some of her things from time to time.  Everything Judy does is pure perfection, from design to execution.  I love getting an e-mail from her with a photo attachment of her latest creations.  I know you will enjoy them as much as I do.  Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

Lemonade

Posted on November 25, 2009 | 5 comments

lemonade whole

It’s very rewarding to face a design challenge and come away satisfied. I had almost completed three matching Thanksgiving outfits for my grandchildren using this brown plaid Viyella.  They were to be worn at a huge gathering of extended family.

Then my son’s plans changed. He and his family, including two of the three grandchildren, would not be joining us for dinner. Even  though I knew this was far short of a disaster, I was, nonetheless, disappointed. As mentioned in the previous post, since I had lemons I would make lemonade.

Our daughter’s family would be there with 8 month old Alastair. He, at least, would be decked out in his brown plaid Jon-Jon and button-on turkey bib. But his cousin Robert’s matching set and cousin Laurel’s dress needed another purpose for another day. Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

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Pilgrim Bears

Posted on November 24, 2009 | Leave a comment

Today, great progress was made on the three matching Thanksgiving outfits for my grandchildren. Both boys’ suits are pressed and hanging up, ready to wear. Just as I was cutting out Laurel’s dress, we got the bad news that our son and his family will not be joining us on Thursday. Charter pilots can never count on being home for holidays. That put an end to my big plans for a group photo of the three cousins.

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Posted in boys, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

Hurrah!

Posted on November 23, 2009 | 2 comments

Hurrah! I have finished Alastair’s Children’s Corner Glenn, the first of three Thanksgiving outfitsfor my grandchildren.  A very simple, lined Jon-Jon with a button-on bib, the suit fabric is  Viyella plaid and the bib is twill.

The embroidery design is from Sew Many Designs We Give Thanks collection. The suit is still drying from having the blue marks washed out. I will post a picture of the complete outfit tomorrow.

I thought I would never get started on these but really got into it just after lunch today. In the past several days, I did manage to alter patterns, select fabric for the appliqués and get two garments cut out. But that was all. I was kept from sewing by one thing and  then another–unexpected but very welcome house guests, unexpected but very happy 14 hours of babysitting on Saturday and, as the King was wont to say in The King and I, “et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.” Continue reading →

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Posted in Holiday Projects, infant clothing, machine embroidery

Mayflower Dress

Posted on November 21, 2009 | Leave a comment
zMayflowerdressBrite

The dress fabric is a very pale peachy pink, but it just doesn’t show up in the photo.

Everyone wants their sewing efforts to be put to good use. Holiday sewing poses a problem because the garment may be appropriate for a very short time.

The Swiss embroidered edging appealed to me because when I first looked at it, I saw Columbus Day, 1492, with the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria all sailing toward the New World. When I looked again, I saw the Mayflower with pilgrims sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in 1620. The next time I looked, I saw the pirate ship at Sea World. Hmmmmm….. a dress with this trim could be worn almost year round here in Florida.

The color is enhanced to show detail.

The color is enhanced to show detail.

 

In fact, when my granddaughter, Laurel, was two, she wore this dress to Sea World, later for Columbus Day and then again for Thanksgiving.  It was a particularly warm fall so the sleeveless cotton dress was comfortable.  To me, that was enough bang for my sewing buck.

I thought about using it for July 4th, alluding to the Boston Tea Party, but without red, white and blue, it seemed like too much of a stretch. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, girls, Madeira applique

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Two Turkeys

Posted on November 16, 2009 | 2 comments

Last year was  the second time I had made  Robert and Laurel matching Thanksgiving outfits. Now,  it seems I have unwittingly established a tradition as they now are eagerly awaiting their 2009 turkey clothes. 

Using the ever popular jumper and Jon-Jon suit patterns from the book Martha’s Favorite Applique’s, by Martha Pullen, they made up quickly.

The appliqué design is from the Autumn Harvest collection, Designs by JuJu,  www.designsbyjuju.com  There is an amazing variety of designs on this site, but my favorites are always applique’.  The grass below the turkeys was added and not a part of the collection. But I don’t like poultry or any other animals just hanging free on the front of their clothes.

Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, brother-sister, girls, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

Gator Girl

Posted on November 15, 2009 | Leave a comment

 

Saturday, our family gathered to watch and then celebrate the Florida Gators victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks, 24-14. This game extended the winning streak to 20. Two of our grandchildren, Laurel and Robert, were here for the festivities, dressed for the occasion.GatorGirlscan

The design on Laurel’s shirt is one I have used before. A cheerleader skirt, braided pony tail and ball cap have been added to the baby alligator design from Brother’sMoskowitz card #6, with the help of BuzzEdit 2.

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Posted in boys, embroidery blanks, girls, machine embroidery, recipes, sporting gear

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Sleepy Mooncat

Posted on November 14, 2009 | Leave a comment

Just today I sent this sleeper off for Alastair. It’s really nothing special, but the truth of the matter is, not everything we sew is. Sometimes, it’s just  what I call utility sewing, a mere notch above mending on the sewing fun chart. But even utility sewing is always done with love.

Alastair has outgrown most of his sleepers and I had this blank one in my overflowing drawer of Things to Embroider Someday. So yesterday seemed to be the day. Continue reading →

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Posted in embroidery blanks, infant clothing, machine embroidery

Coming Home Teddy Bear

Posted on November 12, 2009 | Leave a comment

When a new baby comes home from the hospital, special clothing is in order. In this day and age, knowing the baby’s gender well in advance of birth gives plenty of time to sew this outfit.

Because our first grandchild was a baby girl, the impending arrival of a grandson was very exciting. My mother had sewn very little in the years before his birth, but did have a lovely, perfectly plain white outfit she had made for a porcelain doll some years earlier. She had always meant to embellish it with hand embroidery, but dolls are patient and she just never got around to it. Would this be appropriate, she asked, for bringing her first great-grandson home? If so, would I complete the outfit with some embroidery? Continue reading →

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Posted in infant clothing, machine embroidery, shadow work by machine

Jeweled Jeans and Shirt

Posted on November 8, 2009 | Leave a comment

My first grandbaby is 5 ½ now, with absolutely no baby left in her. She still loves her smocked dresses, but she also loves all that is fashionable for the 4-7 year old age group.

Have any of you heirloom fans found yourself smitten with garments 180 degrees from your comfort zone?  When I found these jeans, I had to admit they were pretty cute. With the embroidered, hot-fix jeweled back pockets and the neon pink belt, those pants are about as hip as a 5 year old needs to be.  They are not exactly this old fashioned Nana’s first choice, but I do think she looks darling in these jeans.

Laurel loves them.  She has never had a belt and cannot believe her good fortune in getting not only a belt but one in her favorite color.  Continue reading →

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Posted in embroidery blanks, girls, machine embroidery