Category Archives: machine embroidery

Down the Mountain~Sewing Store

At the last minute, I decided to join my darling daughter Rebecca on her trip to our family cabin in the mountains of North Carolina.   We loaded the car with her  four year-old Alastair, 9 month old Vivian Rose and the children’s  great Auntie Jeannette who is younger-than- springtime even though she is almost my age.   We  drove through the night while the children slept.

Amid the glorious fall colors, we are enjoying fabulous fun and quality family time.

When we arrived, I was pleased to see this  fall pumpkin pillow nestled on the couch,  announcing the season.

fall pumpkin pillowLW

I’ve managed to get a little smocking done but will share that project with you later.  Meanwhile,  I came across this post draft  written earlier in the summer and want to share it with you.  This shop might have something you’ve been looking for.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After several days of quiet at the cabin, we drove down the mountain and into Boone, about 10 miles away.  I always like to stop at the only sewing spot in the area, a great shop called   Sew Original.

Quilting seems to be their main focus, but they also have have lovely heirloom fabrics and smocking supplies.  There were racks of new patterns but also some old classics that I rarely see in other stores, like Sarah Hoard Stone’s Basic Yoke in every size.  This is one which I have used very frequently, for Rebecca years ago and recently for granddaughter Laurel Cade.

Sew Original also has the optional pattern packages for her second book, French Handsewing for Infants.

I treasure these patterns.

Continue reading

Halloween for Baby

Candy Corn all

 

I’m packing for a trip to our cabin in North Carolina for some quality time with daughter Rebecca and her two children, 4 year old Alastair,  9 month old Vivian Rose and  Auntie Jeannette (Alastair’s NanNan).  We’re looking forward to a week of fall color and relaxation.  Actually, I’m not sure any  relaxation is possible with two little ones running around all day and Vivian Rose nursing 2-3 time through the night.  But with three adults, at least one of us should be relatively free at any given moment.

Post Trip UPDATE:  WRONG!!!!  It required one adult per child and one to cook meals and prepare Alastair’s non-stop snacks.  He must be having a growth spurt.

Our Florida baby girl would need some warm clothes, so I teamed up off-the-rack fleece pants and leggings with a few tops.  One, of course, had to have a Halloween theme. Continue reading

New Little Sewing Enthusiast and Free ME Design

aurel encouraged Alyssa. The girls sewed in their pajamas until long past bedtime.

Laurel encouraged Alyssa. The girls sewed in their pajamas until long past bedtime.

 

What a fabulous weekend we had!   Two grandchildren are a bundle of fun, but including a third child added so much to the equation.

Additionally,  I had that pleasure of introducing that child to the wonders of sewing!

When my granddaughter learned that her good friend Alyssa had been asking  for sewing lessons,  Laurel asked if she could invite her to spend the weekend with us. We all had a grand  time.

 

A N finished emb

If you would like this Scripture, post your request as a comment. The design will be e-mailed to you.

 

We started with embroidery because she had a specific project in mind for her pastor father.  He recently answered a call to another church and she wanted to embroider one of his favorite Scripture verses to hang in the new office.

Psalm 19:14 was not in my now very extensive collection of Bible verse designs—thank you Designs by JuJu and Sew Bird’s Stitches–so I worked up the text quickly and easily with my Brother PE-Design.   It certainly is appropriate for a preacher. Continue reading

UPDATE: Game Day Shirts and Tailgating

UPDATE: Robert’s spiral bound book, Football Frenzy, is now available.

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Robert wrote every word, did the research and even typed this himself.  Finished before his 8th birthday, it includes a 7 year old’s experience and appreciation for the game, as well as interesting quotes and statistics along with Robert’s comments. It’s a bargain for $5 + $2 shipping. Get your copy now before Amazon picks it up and raises the price!!

 

first time tailGators

First time tailGators, Laurel in a new shirt and Robert in one of his VBS tie shirts.

 

What a great time we had Saturday at the Florida/Arkansas football game in Gainesville!  Robert and Laurel’s first tailgating experience was just about perfect.  A good win for our beloved Gators, good food, good family time, and good weather.  Okay, so it was a sunny 90 degrees, but there was a nice breeze and it didn’t rain.  In Florida, that’s considered good weather, but not great.

 

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Sewing always seems to play a role in all the major occasions of my life.  I’m sure it’s the same for you, whether it’s party favors or decorations or gifts. Continue reading

Signs and Free Designs

“I believe in signs….what we need to learn is always there before us, we just have to look around us with respect & attention to discover where God is leading us and which step we should take….”
― Paulo Coelho, The Zahir

 

All ScriptureCR

There are all kinds of signs–signs of spring, signs of aging, signs of indigestion.   I especially like real, tangible signs that give directions, advice, entertainment or important information.  It’s funny how sermons, a box in the garage, and free embroidery designs set me off on a binge of sign-making for our church.

Within two weeks,  I  (1) heard our pastor preach on the importance of daily scripture reading, ( 2) found a box of picture frames in the garage, and (3) discovered more than 40 FREE scriptural machine embroidery designs at  Designs by JuJu .  Hmm…..

 

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Always eager to make my husband happy by using up and moving out stuff stored in the garage, I downloaded the free verses from JuJu, gathered up the frames, matched them size-wise to the designs I had in mind, and pulled out neutral colored fabric scraps.  I was on a mission. Continue reading

Celebration

NOTE:  Several antique baby dresses and other items will be posted for sale Wednesday morning. 

“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.” Leviticus 19:32

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All set up and waiting for the 11:00 service to be over (faces obscured because I for got to ask permission to post).  Gold  table toppers and table numbers were left over from our daughter’s wedding.

Today at our church there was a gala luncheon celebration for members of our congregation who are over 90 years old.  Sponsored by the deacons, this was an especially lovely event!  Twenty-two of the 46 eligible members were in attendance with their family and friends as guests. Almost 125 dinners were served.

Bob and I were both busy serving, so this is the only photo that we took.   After our church photographer posts photos, I will include more.  Fellowship Hall really did look very festive.  The theme was “fall,” though I thought for an event with so many elderly guests, “Don’t fall” would have been a better choice.

As each honoree entered Fellowship Hall, a boutonniere or corsage was pinned on and a photo taken.

The lady on the left, above, decided the honorees should have a goody bag as a sort of party favor.  On her own and with the help of her 11 yo granddaughter, she filled gaily wrapped bags with a word search booklet, a Bible scripture bookmark, a picture frame for the photo that was taken today, some hard candy, and a daily devotional booklet.  Each honoree was also give a souvenir booklet with a bio of each of the over 90 members.

I was in charge of decorations and was pleased to be able to reuse many things made for our daughter’s wedding and– much to my dear husband’s dismay– still stored in our garage.   Twenty gold table toppers, some sheer and some tapestry weight, were placed over the green cloths and the embroidered table numbers were once again put into use.

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at Rebecca’s wedding— same tapestry table cloth, same gold chargers, same embroidered table numbers, same linen napkins

When the table numbers were made, I knew it was a lot of time spent on a small detail, but Rebecca and I both liked the idea.  Since the wedding, these same numbers were used for four Mother’s Day teas at the church of my daughter’s mother-in-law and then for the wedding of a sweet family friend.  And in the next year, they will be used again for the wedding of another family friend.  So the numbers have been put to good use. Continue reading

End of Summer Dress

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The coral rose and passion vine tangle up and cover this bench trellis. It’s a pretty spot to sit—or hang a dress.

 

Have you ever had a project that made you wonder if you would ever finish it?  That’s the story for this summer dress that I started in June.  Finally today,  Sept. 2, it is ready to wear.

Yes, it’s a little late for summer, but in central Florida, summer lasts until late Oct.   There are still plenty of 90 degree days ahead for Laurel, my 9 year old granddaughter, to wear this cotton sundress.  Add  to that the fact that it is a little big, so she will be cool and cute next summer.

The pattern is Summer Separates from the Sew Beautiful collection.

summer separates Continue reading

A Sweet Story about a Child, Kindness and Hope

Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the blossoms,
Kind deeds are the fruits.
~19th century rhyme used in primary schools

Robert finishing up a dishtowel for his mother.

Robert finishing up a dishtowel for his mother.

Like every grandchild, our 8 year old grandson Robert is beautiful, brilliant and extraordinary in every way. Let me share a story about this little guy, his kindness and his hope.  Never fear, as you can see from  this photo, there is a sewing connection.

Some time ago in Sunday School the children filled clay pots with paper flowers made with their own little hands.  Additionally, each child made a card to accompany his floral arrangement. The next Sunday, these were delivered next door to residents of the senior apartment complex, which is a mission of our church.  Robert and his sister Laurel were not in town with us that weekend, so they did not participate in the delivery or meet the recipients.

A week later, a thank you note for Robert was received at the church office.  An office volunteer reported that “a little old lady shuffled all the way over here with her walker” to deliver the note.  The carefully printed card expressed thanks for the flowers and especially for the message which Robert had chosen,  “God is always with you.”  Each child had selected his own greeting without suggestion. Most said “Have a nice day,” or “God bless you,”  but Robert had another thought.

He was absolutely delighted with the note which was signed “Miss Charleine, #752.”

The next week he decided to bring Miss Charleine a bouquet of real flowers after church. He was excited about meeting his new friend.  I did not call ahead for fear Miss Charleine would feel obliged to offer cookies or whatever.  We would just stop briefly. Continue reading

Thanks for Fun and Sun

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hostess gift part 1

 

Our family has just enjoyed a fabulous week of fun and sun at the beach.

 

perpetual motion beach babies playing with their new friends

perpetual motion beach babies playing with their new friends

 

With friends at church we traded a week at their oceanfront condo for a week at our cabin in the mountains.  Just 30 miles from home, the condo was conveniently located and the perfect place for a family gathering.

One reason it is so relaxing was that cars are not allowed on this section of the waterfront,  unlike most of Daytona Beach.   The children were able to run around and dig anywhere that seemed deserving of a deep hole.  Meanwhile, I sat under the beach umbrella with my daughter Rebecca and baby Vivian Rose who was mesmerized by the waves and  the pelicans.

 

 

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The designs are from Dakota Collectibles Shell collection.

 

As a thank you/hostess gift, I embroidered some kitchen and fingertip towels for the condo. Continue reading

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days

Nat King Cole sang, “Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer…”

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I haven’t seen much lazy this summer, and I have never  seen hazy Florida humidity as visible as in these photos.  It was steamy out at the clothesline today!  I have seen plenty of “crazy,” but I’m not even going to start on that.

In earlier posts, there has been discussion about the utility end of sewing.  Not everything we stitch is beautiful or creative or unique.  Sometimes it is just what is needed.  And according to my daughter, her children needed laundry bags.  So that’s what I sewed. Continue reading