Category Archives: machine embroidery

Christmas Kid Towels

Pillowcases have always been my extra touch for my grandchildrens’ holidays.  Judy Day goes a step further and makes seasonal towels for hers.

She doesn’t spend a lot of time on these.  Judy simply personalizes the towels with their names and adds a little holiday motif to the letters.  These motifs might be extracted from other designs or they might be independent miniature designs.

The children, of course, enjoy having some holiday decoration in their bathroom.  And Judy, of course, enjoys knowing they think of their grandmother “Mimi” every time they wash their hands.

I could do this!  On my computer, I maintain a folder of miniature design sets as well as designs from which I could extract elements for such uses as this.  Brother, Babylock, Viking, Martha Pullen, Amazing Designs, Cactus Punch, OESD and Embroidery Library all have miniature collections.   And they are not the only ones.  Continue reading

Mouse King Shirt

Alastair’s Christmas outfit is almost finished.  The pattern is Ginger Snaps Hudson’s Sundy Suit,  with side vents. Few little guys can keep their shirts tucked in so this pattern offers a nice solution to that problem.

Paired with the shirt are black velveteen short pants with straps that should hold the ruthless Mouse King securely in place. But if the shirt still fits Alastair next year, it’s nice to give him the option of wearing it without tucking.  

Like Cousin Robert’s shirt  the fabric is Martha’s Favorite Linen.  This is not my favorite linen, but it is just right for the boys’ shirts.  Continue reading

Generic Gifts

In addition to all the gift giving for family and friends, the Christmas season always brings occasions where a small gift is needed for teachers, the office party, club or other group gift exchange.  I’ve finally come up with a few generic gifts, appropriate for just about anyone.

My stash includes a stack of linen guest towels, ready and waiting for holiday embellishment.  I’ve just begun working on a few, two for specific gatherings and a few more to have on hand for a last minute need.

Usually, my  time saving goal is to embroider the same design on all  towels.  But there are so many gorgeous Christmas designs that I cannot help but sample from several collections.  I’ve started out this year with a holly wreath from Sparkling Christmas by one of my favorite designers, Sue Box www.suebox.com.  As expected, it stitched out perfectly with almost no jump stitches.

Bob will take this to his office party next week.  I feel rather smug to have this done in advance.  Now, I’d better get back to Alastair’s almost-done Christmas outfit.

Robert’s Christmas Shirt

RobertsChristmasShirtwhole

 

Finally, 5 year-old Robert’s Christmas shirt is done.  His long black pants are pressed and ready to wear as soon as I buy a belt to keep them up.  Then he will be ready for The Nutcracker.

After all the interruptions and delays, I am glad to have this project finished.  The fabric is Martha’s Favorite Linen from Martha Pullen and  shirt pattern Hudson’s Sunday Suit  is from Ginger Snaps.  Like all Nancy Coburn’s Ginger Snaps patterns, the directions are very clear with great photo illustrations and many design options.

 

emb close

That crooked embroidery design drove me crazy. But it was too late to redo it.

 

The nutcracker design from A Bit of Stitch  is surrounded by a candy cane frame from Adorable Ideas, narrowed in my heavily used BuzzEdit2 program.

Black lace tape, run vertically on either side of the embroidery, is embellished with a decorative stitch from my Brother Duetta 6500D.  The same stitch is worked on the back , around the collar and on the mock sleeve cuffs. Continue reading

Gingerbread House Party 2010

Rebecca, Alastair and the house he wants to get his little hands on!

The day after Thanksgiving, my precious daughter hosted her annual family gingerbread house party and what a party it was!

Rebecca was especially excited about Cousin Robert’s hand-me-down John-John.  Smocked with gingerbread boys and candy canes, it  looked just as good on Alastair as it did two years ago on Robert.

Like so many of the brother-sister outfits I have made for them, these garments were both ready-to-smock.  It’s very rewarding to see this outfit have a second life with my second grandson. Of course, Robert and Laurel have been raised in our family’s gingerbread tradition and made their first  houses that year.

Laurel and Robert, wearing the gingerbread John-John now worn by his little cousin Alastair

Since my children were little, we’ve always made gingerbread houses for Christmas.  For several years, the PlayGroup Mamas gathered to make houses for the children, before they all left home. But that was before the handy kits with pre-baked walls and  roof panels, frosting mix and a generous supply of candies.  Continue reading

Thanksgiving ’10

Alastair at home after dinner

We had a beautiful Thanksgiving day with our daughter and her husband’s family.  In addition to the tenderest pork roast this side of the Mason-Dixie line,  standard Thanksgiving fare was offered, including turkey and all the trimmings.

89 year-old Ruby again delighted but did not surprise us with her dee-vine Florida pear cobbler, chocolate pecan pie and blackberry cobbler.  Everything was delicious beyond words, except for the pumpkin cheese cake I made.  The gingersnap pecan crust was burned and I don’t know why.

But with a few of my ordinary but satisfactory pumpkin pies and Ruby’s contributions, there was no shortage of desserts.

In his turkey suit, Alastair, of course, stole the show from the roasted bird.  With his good looks and sweet nature, this little boy does not need cute clothing to win everyone’s attention. But he was precious in his black and white houndstooth check suit, made up from the John-John pattern in Martha’s Favorite Applique’s book by Martha Pullen.

The turkey design from the Autumn Harvest collection by Designs by JuJu was added to the front, enabling the John-John to be worn beyond Thanksgiving day.  I hope to get another button-on embroidered for other occasions. Continue reading

Early Thanksgiving

Saturday was a day of treasured memories.  Norman Rockwell himself never had it so good.  With their families, both of our children  gathered around the dining room table in the home where they grew up.  Bob and I were again grateful beyond words for all of our blessings.

The menu was traditional, with turkey, dressing, pumpkin and mincemeat pies and all the trimmings. A few years ago, we added a new item to the table and due to popular demand, it has become a regular.  Cranberry-orange relish is easy-peasy, can be made in advance and keeps for one week. The recipe is posted below.

 

The day began with everyone watching football as our beloved Gators tried to improve their performance in a disappointing season. At half time, the crowd moved outside for some action in the front yard.  Alastair surprised us with his strong 20 month old arm and both Robert and Laurel ran some pretty good routes.

 

our own sweet Sugar Plum Fairy

Half time also gave me the opportunity to pin up the hem in Laurel’s Christmas dress.  I think she will be prettier than the Sugar Plum Fairy herself when we attend The Nutcracker next month.

All three children clowned around, but as always, Alastair dodged the camera like a wide receiver outrunning a tackle.  Continue reading

Gobble Monogram Shirts

UPDATE:  Some new photos of all three in their turkey shirts…….

My grandsons’ Christmas outfits are on the back burner. This past week, I was tied up taking care of Alastair across the state.  His mother has been called into work at her job as a computer engineer for a full week, rather than her regularly scheduled two days, so I did daycare instead of holiday outfits.

I returned home Thurs. night, fully intending to plow full steam ahead on Christmas clothes, but now we are having an impromptu early Thanksgiving Saturday.

Ryan and Shelly were already on board because it is a regular football Saturday. We called Rebecca and Harvey Friday at dinner time to ask them to come.  They piled into the car and arrived late that evening with sweet Alastair sound asleep.  Having a baby tucked in the nursery crib is just one more thing to be thankful for.

It will be just like the real thing, though on a slightly smaller scale, as I have just begun cooking.  But with turkey, dressing, lots of trimmings, pumpkin and mincemeat pies and a day rife with college football games, the only difference will be that we are not celebrating on the 4th Thursday of November. Continue reading

Christmas Dress ’10

black velveteen

Laurel’s black velveteen dress and pinafore bib are finished, complete except for the hem. It was such a pleasure to plan and stitch this holiday outfit for her. Handling and stitching the goods for heirloom sewing just makes me say ahhhhhh.

Christmas outfits for Laurel and her brother need to be finished in time for family Christmas card photos. Then, they will be worn to The Nutcracker performance in early December. So the rush is on to complete Robert’s clothing. His shirt will be embroidered with a nutcracker.

pinafore bib

The champagne Swiss batiste pinafore bib features the Sugar Plum Fairy design from A Bit of Stitch’s Mini Nutcracker Motifs collection. This is a really lovely design, very delicate. The motif below the dancer is stitched with 80 wt. Madeira Cotona, which makes the design very light.

I was almost finished with the bib when I noticed that the ballerina was not centered. How did that happen? I measured ever so carefully, I thought. But I’ll have to live with it now.

Ecru beading threaded with pink satin ribbon runs on either side of a delicate antique lace insertion. Wide pink satin ribbon ties the bib front and back at the side. Continue reading

Buttonholes

my buttonhole sampler

After years of frustration, I can now make perfectly formed  and perfectly placed buttonholes.  Thanks to Embroidery Library www.emblibrary.com one of my favorite sites, I no longer grow apprehensive when it comes time for the garment closure.

 Buttonholes have always caused me  trouble.  My quest for success with this necessary garment construction component began with the buttonhole attachment for my 1968 Kenmore machine and progressed to the 4-step program on my Bernina 930. I hated every one I made. Continue reading