Category Archives: machine embroidery

Valentine Pettiskirt Ensemble

Posted on January 26, 2012 | 3 comments

Judy Day made these darling Valentine outfits for her granddaughters. As my granddaughter, Laurel, would say, these are “cool!” Judy has a knack for seeing one thing and envisioning another. The Valentine ensembles clearly demonstrate that ability.  Here are the details from Judy.~~~~~~

I typically don’t make Valentine specific outfits, as I want my granddaughters to wear the things I sew for them longer than this short season.

Purchased “blank” items can be transformed into personal outfits with just a little embellishment here and there, as these outfits attest. Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, hairbows, Holiday Projects, Judy Day's creations, machine embroidery

American Girls Doll Sundress

Posted on January 24, 2012 | 12 comments

This is my post for Freckled Laundry’s Air Your Laundry and Elizabeth & Co.’s Be Inspired Linky Party.  Take a look at all the great ideas.

Marie Grace is getting ready to sew. She has Mildred Turner’s book, Mimi’s Machine Magic for reference, patterns to study, fabric and lace swatches to audition and her dress form ready for fitting. She’ll soon need a cup of tea.

Marie Grace is getting ready to sew. She has Mildred Turner’s book, Mimi’s Machine Magic for reference, patterns to study, fabric and lace swatches to audition and her dress form ready for fitting. She’ll soon need a cup of tea.

The Custom Keepsakes Sweet Dreams sundress that I finished this weekend made my 7 year-old granddaughter very happy. The skirt is made of Liberty of London tana lawn and, like her Nana, Laurel looooooves Liberty. She can’t wait for her matching dress to be finished.

I selected a Liberty print that was small enough to be proportional to the doll. As Laurel browsed pictures of some of the other dresses/nightgowns in the collection, she declared that she would like one of each, please. As quickly as these are to sew, I might just stitch all six.

American Girls doll Marie Grace wore the dress to 6 year-old Robert’s football game and received a lot of attention from the sisters of several players.

sweet-dreams-yoke

This garment was a real pleasure to make. Of course, because the bodice and pockets are made in the hoop with heavy water soluble stabilizer, it was quick and easy. Kathy recommends Vilene WSS but I didn’t have any on hand and used Sulky’s Super Solvy with very good results. Continue reading →

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Posted in doll clothing and accessories, machine embroidery

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It’s Over

Posted on January 8, 2012 | 4 comments
ItsOver F throw

monogrammed fleece throw for sweet daughter-in-law

 

Christmas 2011 is finally over.  I know, I know—-you probably put all your ornaments away before the pumpkin pie was gone and already have your Valentine’s decorations up.  I bet you are set to bake red, white and blue  cupcakes for Presidents’ Day and have a bunting ready to hang on the front porch.

Not me.  Our at-home celebration with our children and grandchildren began Dec. 27th and ended Jan. 3 when they had all left.  So we are a little  lot slower wrapping things up.

The pre-Christmas bug that kept me in bed and, more importantly, out of the sewing room,  is the reason I am still finishing up a few gifts.  The microfleece throw for my sweet daughter-in-law was embroidered with one of my favorite machine embroidery collections, Sandy Jenkins‘ Paisley Alphabet  from Martha Pullen.

 

I especially like to create an applique’ for the solid portion of the design (gold show above).For this projects, a silver gray ultrasuede was substituted for the fill embroidery.  Shelly loves deep, rich colors so I hope she will enjoy this throw.

Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, machine embroidery, Nana fun

Blossom Basket Blouse

Posted on January 4, 2012 | Leave a comment

blossom basket blouse

 

I hope 2012 is off to a good start for all of you.  For us, the new year was kicked off in the midst of chaos rather than the cozy family gathering we had planned for our Christmas #2 celebration.

First our pilot son was called away for a last minute flight to Denver. Then after the bonfire and s’mores, the grandchildren’s plans for a loud welcome to the new year were foiled by 6 year-old Robert’s battle with croup and Laurel’s virus.

Finally, after unsuccessfully trying to soothe his cough with the cold air humidifier, my son-in-law and I left at 2 a.m. and drove 40 minutes each way to Robert’s home to retrieve his croup medicine.   The remaining adults tended to Robert and Laurel. Being on the roads at that time was a little worrisome, but we arrived home safely.

The best part of the new year was that our daughter and her family were here for a whole week.  However, this left me not a free moment as 2 year-old Alastair claimed my undivided attention. I loved every minute of it, but there was no time for blog writing, sewing or picture taking. Consequently…

For Faded Charm’s  White Wednesday, this is a rerun of an earlier post. I hope you find a tidbit or two that interest you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, heirloom sewing, lace tape, ladies, machine embroidery, Madeira applique, techniques, White Wednesday

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Christmas Celebration #2 Projects

Posted on December 31, 2011 | 4 comments

After a joyous Christmas Eve and Day on the other side of the state, we’re gearing up for Christmas celebration #2.   At our home this weekend, both of our children and their families will be here.

Things are not going according to plan though.  I had scheduled a 3-day, uninterrupted solitary sew-in this week while Bob was out of town on business.  But my little Christmas gift to me was stolen by a powerful Grinch virus which moved in about an hour after DH moved out for the airport.  Instead of stitching, I was twitching and groaning in misery.

Three days later and 20 minutes after I moved from black suffering to the light of almost normal , our daughter and her little family arrived.  Now, I’m scrambling to sew up a few of the projects I had planned for my abandoned sewing retreat.  Of course, I wanted to enjoy time with Alastair, so most of these were sewn with his…assistance?  supervision? Whatever… We had fun.

In the interim, Laurel joined us for an unplanned overnight, so I threw this outfit together for her to have something clean to wear to her Odyssey of the Mind practice this morning.  I knew I was a desperate woman when I passed it off as an early Christmas present. Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, girls, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

Christmas ’11~First Celebration

Posted on December 27, 2011 | 1 comment

I hope you all had a happy, merry Christmas day, filled with family, friends and love.  We’ve just had another joyous celebration with our daughter, Rebecca, Harvey and 2-1/2 year old Alastair.    Regrettably,  I took very few pictures the entire two days.

Christmas Eve was spent with Harvey’s family, who seem like our very own.  At Carol and Alan’s absolutely gorgeous, huge, decorated-to-the-nines country home, we enjoyed a delicious supper of gumbo, homemade slaw, special bakery bread, fresh strawberry pie and bread pudding.  Our son-in-law Harvey grew up just outside New Orleans so it’s no surprise that his mother has significant expertise in Cajun cuisine, not to mention everything else edible.  The company was as good as the food.

 

A-Xmas-suit1

 

Alastair wore his Christmas suit and was, of course, the star of the evening, shining for his adoring grandparents,  89 year-old great-grandmother Ruby, aunts and uncles.   Why didn’t I snap a shot of him charming Ruby or showing everyone how high he can jump?  Why didn’t I take a picture of him alone in the music room playing (well, hitting the keys) on his grandmother’s baby grand piano? Or pulling back the curtains to examine the electric candles and the outdoor lights?  I missed so many photo ops. Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, embroidery blanks, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

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Last Minute Flights and Late Night Projects

Posted on December 24, 2011 | 5 comments

UPDATE: Alastair was precious in his Christmas suit and loved the design! None my fears were realized.   I shouldn’t have worried about him not liking it.

burgundy velveteen shorts, ivory linen shirt

I knew I was cutting it very close this year.  One thing and another kept coming up, thwarting my plans to finish up Christmas gifts.  Yesterday, I had the entire day free to finish up.  But then…

 

My pilot son invited us to join him on a shake down flight on his new jet.  Well, it’s not his to own, but his as the captain to fly and schedule. So we were off to Ft. Lauderdale for lunch, except that there were some technical glitches and we had a late supper there.  It really was delightful, but the whole day was used up.

my handsome pilot son and his family

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Posted in boys, embroidery blanks, heirloom sewing, Holiday Projects, linen blanks, machine embroidery

Overtime in Santa’s Workshop

Posted on December 20, 2011 | 7 comments

I’m not sure if my Christmas workshop effort should be labeled overtime or overdrive, but I can tell you that I am working hard!  There is still so much that I want to make, but I have gotten some gifts sewn up.

Molly and her American Girl  sisters will have a new hand knit sweater.  I’d like to make more pants for the dolls, but that might have to wait until after Christmas.  The colors in the sweater embroidery will coordinate just about any fabric.The letters are the small Diva Dots from Five Star Font and the spray was taken from Amazing Designs Buttonholes 1 collection. Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, doll clothing and accessories, machine embroidery

Tea for Two on a Busy Day

Posted on December 18, 2011 | 4 comments

“What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance,.  They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life.  And , most importantly, cookies.”  Rudolph Guiliani

Today was one of those days when I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for the joys in my life. In case you didn’t know, grandchildren are just the most wonderful gifts in the world.  Six year-old Robert and seven year-old Laurel, had arrived yesterday for a weekend visit and the day has been as much fun as ever.

Even though it was Saturday, we did a few hours of homeschool, dedicated mostly to Latin, one of their favorite subjects.  Keeping in the Christmas spirit, they practiced Oh Come, All Ye Faithful in that ancient language.  That made the old schoolteacher in me very happy.  Yesterday, their homeschool group sang carols at a nearby retirement home.  I wish they had learned this song earlier.

After they had completed their school work and taken  a bike ride, Bob took Robert to a basketball game, leaving Laurel and me to enjoy girlie activities.  First thing this morning, she had asked if we could have tea today.  So that was added to our lengthy list of things to do.

Continue reading →

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Posted in machine embroidery, Nana fun

Boy’s Christmas Vest

Posted on December 16, 2011 | 1 comment

Six year-old Robert’s Christmas vest is finally ready.  With dress pants and shoes, he will look very grown up.  Initially,  a vest was not what I wanted for the little guy I have dressed in smocked rompers and Jon-Jons for Christmases past.  Sadly, there will be no more button-on suits for my towheaded boy.

Anyway, his skinny little bird legs don’t look as good in short pants as they did when he was a toddler.  That boy needs to eat more gingerbread and pumpkin pie, which he would do happily if he didn’t have to eat his vegetables first.

Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, machine embroidery