Category Archives: smocking

Smocked Pocket Pattern

smocked-pocket-finished

Life certainly has gotten in the way of the Liberty sundress I am making for Laurel. (UPDATE: But it is finally finished! Click here.) Fortunately, with all of our Florida sunshine, the dress is likely to be worn 9 months of the year. But my 89 year-old aunt seems to be failing at an alarming rate and has needed more attention than usual. Then I discovered that all but two of my SAGA magazines are missing, either lost in the hurricanes or lost in the garage. Fortunately, I remembered that I had copied the pattern and was able to retrieve it. So finally, progress is being made.

The smocked pockets were just the touch this little dress needed. The Florence Roberson pattern, published in The Smocking Arts, date unknown, is unlike anything else I’ve seen and makes up so sweetly. Though the no-show attachment to the dress is a little tedious, the puffy pocket is worth the effort.

The pattern is included below.

SmockedPocketpatt

Because of the filet crochet yoke I am using, I decided to crochet a little edge on the top of the pockets. But I have no proficiency at this needleart, so it took me a while and the results are hardly worthy to be included on a garment with the beautiful yoke. Still, as Martha Pullen once said, “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly until you get good at it.” I like that—and hope to be good at it some day. Continue reading

Liberty Tana Lawn Sundress

 

This is my handwork project for our “vacation” time here in the mountains.  I have two antique, crocheted child sized yokes, one of which will be joined to the smocked Liberty of London skirt.  When Laurel arrives in a few days, she will try them on to see which fits best.

I’m considering adding two little smocked pouch pockets and edging them with bits of crochet I have at home.  Many, many years ago, in the SAGA newsletters, Florence Roberson’s pattern for such a pocket was published.  I will pull that out if I decide to include the pockets. Continue reading

Brother Bishop & ME Design

BroBishall1

Do you have a favorite project with which you are completely satisfied?  This  size 3 bishop dress is one of only a  few that fall in that category for me.    It was a pleasure to make and if I were to do it again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

 

 

BroBishsmock

 

Made of cotton batiste, the dress and shoulder ruffle are blue while the neck binding, sleeves and Madeira applique’ hem are champagne colored. The smocked sleeves and shoulder ruffle are trimmed with champagne French  lace.

 

BroBishsleeveB

 

Pin stitch, feather stitch, and machine embroidered flowerettes further embellish the sleeves, shoulder ruffle and hem.

 

Continue reading

Smocking Design for You

Note:  Heirloom lace edgings and insertions are shown in following posts.  All For Sale items can be found by clicking on the “A Store” category rather than scrolling through old posts.

 

PeachBishoptopX

 

When this peach bishop dress was first posted,   I offered to post my original smocking design for readers.  At last, here it is.   In order for it to be accessible, you may do a screen capture and save to your computer or leave a comment requesting the design and I will e-mail the  .jpg file to you.

My goal was to mimic the Swiss embroidery and French lace on the sleeve caps., to visually continue the pattern into the smocking.  It was a fun and interesting design challenge which I enjoyed.  I was generally pleased with the results.

Note that the graphed design shows bullion tulips while the smocked peach bishop shows 6 cable flowerettes.  Of course, use whichever you like. But you didn’t need me to tell you that.

 

Freelaceedge

Continue reading

1st Communion Accessories

CourtneyreadeyBible

 

This is a continuation of the previous post about the exquisite First Communion dress Judy Day made for her granddaughter Courtney. Details of the dress, slip and veil were included  there while this post focuses on the extensive accessories–Bible cover, garment bag, hanger and purse–that make the ensemble  all the more special.  In Judy’s  words:

 

bible

 

My parents, Courtney’s paternal  great grandparents, gave her the First Communion Bible. It was smocked and beaded by my mother, Wanda Stewart,  in  the same diamond pattern as the dress.  The beaded cross on the Bible was formed by sewing the pearl glass beads  in place  after the smocking was completed.  The instructions for the Bible cover can be found in the April, 2007 issue of Creative Needle  magazine.  Continue reading

Courtney’s First Communion Dress

Courtneyporchcrop

 

Sewing for children and grandchildren is a true labor of love.  But like birthing a baby, some labors are longer and harder than others.  Always though, the resulting product is worth the effort.

 

CStairscrop

 

 

First communion dresses rank right up there with christening gowns in the expenditure  of labor and love. With the able assistance of her mother, Wanda Stewart, the ensemble that Judy Day created  for her granddaughter Courtney is the result of months of stitching as well as proof positive of  immeasurable grandmotherly love.

The set grew to include so many items—dress, slip, purse, garment bag, hanger, headpiece and Bible cover.  The many interesting and intricate details will require more than one post, so please come back for the final installment.  Each piece is exquisite, so you won’t want to miss any of it.  Continue reading

Antique Needlework Catalogue

Needlework catalogue resting on hand embroidered placemats and napkins, circa 1940.

Needlework catalogue resting on hand embroidered placemats and napkins, circa 1940.

Have you ever looked through antique or vintage needlework catalogues?  I highly recommend it–they are a treasure trove of information and inspiration.ModernMiss

The Simplicity Needlework Catalogue from 1947, shown above, is one of my favorites.  Stitchers of that time were not so different from those of today.

The subject tabs  show the topics to be very similar to the topics included in contemporary needlework magazines and pattern books.

ideas

“…Pick a basket full of colorful flowers to add a dainty touch to your trousseau linens–they’re just the thing to give as gifts…”

 

Children

Aside from the value of dating a pattern or style of embroidery, the catalogues are a rich source of designs applicable to machine or hand embroidery today.    Continue reading

Bishop Neckline Treatment

L gown

 

Often when talking with students, I find the discussion turns to frustration with applying bias binding to a bishop neckline.  I think the secret to success is practice, but I have experimented with an alternate finish that might be helpful to some.

I’ve always been partial to nightgowns for girls’ sleepwear and the bishop is my personal style of choice. Rebecca wore smocked bishop nighties until she went to college, so I had already come up with some time saving techniques.  By employing  them occasionally, I was able to keep Rebecca’s nightgown drawer well stocked.   Of course, some of the classic styling is lost, but still, a smocked nightgown is a smocked nightgown.  Continue reading

Connections

“Irby” by Ruffle Bunnies, made by Suzanne Sawko

Do you have a really good sewing friend?  Someone who knows what you are all about?  If sewing is your passion and not just an occasional hobby activity, you need someone who understands that part of you, like few husbands or neighbors can.

If you don’t have a sewing pal, I urge you to find one—and be one.  SAGA guilds, EGA, sewing groups and even workshops are fertile ground for developing meaningful friendships with like minded sewists.

I have been blessed with several needlework soul mates, each one a true treasure of the heart. These past few days, I have been reminded in so many ways just how vital these connections are.  Continue reading

Smocked Sister Easter Dresses

 

What a tender pose!

What a tender pose!

 

A few weeks ago as I worked feverishly on Laurel’s Tea Dress, I asked readers to share pictures of their Easter creations.  Jenny Jo, who lives on the prairies of Nebraska, graciously shared these photos.  I was enchanted. 

Her daughters look like Celtic lasses just returned from strolling in the highland heather and the dresses perpetuate the image.  As a matter of fact, I think I heard bagpipe music as I viewed the photos!

I’ve been reading a lot of Scottish historical novels and these little darlings, with their porcelain skin and tumbling auburn curls, look just like the well loved “bairns” (babies or children) described in these books.  Continue reading