Kid $ewing

Posted on January 14, 2014 | 16 comments

 

My 9 year old granddaughter continues to expand the product line for her little business, Laurel’s Specialty Sewing.  After introducing monogrammed tote bags, she added the service of sewing Girl Scout patches on the vests of her fellow Scouts ($ .50 per patch, monofilament thread, free motion sewing).  This product and service has proven to be very profitable.  She recently bought an American Girl doll with money she earned.

Now Laurel is promoting a new item in her line.  The simple felt hangings are destined for the upcoming Girl Scout Camporee.  The girls bring little items to trade, momentos of the event or trinkets, such as  these for an event they call SWAPS–Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere.

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Posted in Kids Sew, machine embroidery, Nana fun

Christmas Baby Doll for Baby

Posted on January 10, 2014 | 23 comments

 

4 1/2" baby doll

4 1/2″ baby doll

 

For Christmas, one of 11 month old Vivian Rose’s gifts was this porcelain baby doll.  Nestled in a tiny wicker Moses-in-the-bulrushes style basket, the Dream Baby doll antique reproduction was tucked in looking like a classic heirloom clothed infant.

Just 4 1/2″ long, she seemed to be just the right start for our grandbaby’s doll collection.  Of course, it will be some time before she is allowed to handle this tiny treasure.  But it’s not too early to begin collecting. Continue reading →

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Posted in doll clothing and accessories, heirloom sewing, smocking

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1st Birthday Dress

Posted on January 3, 2014 | 11 comments

goods VR 1 dress

It’s hard to believe grandbaby Vivian Rose will celebrate her first birthday in a few weeks.  Time does fly!  Her mother requested a Minnie Mouse dress for the upcoming Minnie birthday party.  Baby’s entire family is made up of enthusiastic Disney fans, so I am lucky to own Brother embroidery machines with built in Disney designs.

I have to admit it took a while to adapt my heirloom taste to a cartoon character dress.  But now, I think I am ready to begin.

Here’s what I have assembled.

  • Pattern:  Baby Butterflies by Petite Poche
  • Fabric: pink Pimatex from Farmhouse Fabrics,  white Swiss pique and black pima gingham from stash
  • Trims:  Swiss black entredeux and black scallop edging from stash
  • Designs:  small Minnie designs on my Brother ULT 2003D.
  • Buttons:  ooops-forgot to include those in the picture, but they are 3/8″  round, black with shanks

NOTE:  At first glance, reader Donna thought the entredeux looked like a zipper.  She’s right!  It does.  But it is NOT a zipper.

It took a while to get my mind right, but now I am excited about this project.  It won’t be traditional heirloom, but it includes enough heirloom goods and  techniques to make me comfortable.

I’m off to the sewing room to cut it out.  Yeah!  What a great project to start 2014.

What are you working on?

11 Comments

Posted in Disney, infant clothing

Bag Bargain Bonanza

Posted on January 1, 2014 | 6 comments

bags bags

Look at these!  What a steal they were!  These zippered, sturdy, lined totes are really very, very nice, featuring an inside pocket and leather handles.  At JC Penny they were originally over priced at $100, not a cost I would have been willing to pay. From the quantity available at the final clearance price, most shoppers were of the same opinion.  I did, however, do a google search for the bag name and found it listed on more than one site for $60-$65.

While Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving, my daughter came across a table loaded with these bags.  They had been marked down repeatedly.

After a quick call for a Mama consultation, sale-savvy Rebecca marched full steam ahead to the cash register loaded down with every one of  the bargains.  Well, no doubt she had to march more than once but clearly this girl grew up under the influence of her mother’s  Buy Bargains in Bulk!!! philosophy.

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Posted in machine embroidery

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Quick and Easy Gifts

Posted on December 27, 2013 | 6 comments

Nana Fun:  This is 9 yo Laurel’s note to Santa. With grandchildren, there is always something to smile about.  Like the fact that her house does have a fireplace and a chimney.  Was she messing with ol’ Santa?

L santa note~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3 towels jars

recipe designs from Embroidery Library, raspberries from Ace Points Raspberries, strawberries from Ace Points Strawberry Delight

Many of you know this blog was down for almost two weeks before Christmas.  Because of that, there is a backlog of sewing projects waiting to be shared.

With a long list of recipients and a month-long variety of unexpected demands on my time, it was apparent that the gifts must be quick and easy.  Nothing is faster than machine embroidery on a  ready made item so most of my gifts were of that kind.  Many were towels from All About Blanks.

 

gingerbread towel

gingerbread recipe design from Hatched in Africa’s Winter Recipes

Continue reading →

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Posted in embroidery blanks, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery, Nana fun, recipes

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Christmas Greeting

Posted on December 26, 2013 | Leave a comment

gingerbread 12~13

 

This holy day is almost over, but I want to wish you the joy of the season, which my family certainly has enjoyed.  While their mother was at home preparing for a big Christmas day, Robert and Laurel spent Christmas Eve day at our house decorating gingerbread houses.   They  absolutely love this activity.

 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve, Laurel bottom left and Robert (blond) far right, littlest one, Caroline, front row with white hair bow

 

<< In keeping with the sewing theme of this blog, I will mention that I altered several of these robes, hemming up two, adding 6 inches to another and altering one from a child’s size 12 to a lady’s 14.  Then they were all pressed.  Does that make this a legitimate post?>> Continue reading →

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Gingerbread Christmas Dress

Posted on December 22, 2013 | 6 comments

front all

 

Vivian Rose’s first Christmas dress has a gingerbread theme.   With a long standing family tradition of making holiday gingerbread houses, I knew her mother would like it.  Her brother sported gingerbread in his first Christmas outfit.  This is important because Baby Girl doesn’t care one way or another.

 

IMG_1071

trying to climb down off her father’s lap at her brother’s Christmas program

 

It was first worn for Big Brother Alastair’s Christmas program.  She would have looked better with her long sleeve white shirt with a lettuce leaf finish at the cuffs and collar, but it was a very warm day, too warm for long sleeves.  Ahhh,  the joy of winter in Florida! Continue reading →

6 Comments

Posted in girls, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

Christmas Dress Embossed

Posted on December 19, 2013 | 13 comments
Laurel, fighting off the passion vine

Laurel, fighting off the passion vine which is tumbling down the arbor

 

Hurrah!  The problems with my server seem to be resolved so Janice Ferguson Sews is back!  After all this time, I hope there are still a few readers left.  There are so many things lined up that I want to share with you.  This is the first.

Granddaughter Laurel’s dress was meant to be just a church frock.  But when time got away from me, it was upgraded to her Christmas dress.  Nonetheless, she wore it to church the first Sunday of Dec. because I had nothing else made up for her.

These pitiful pictures were taken in a rush after church and before Laurel had to hurry off to another event.  And if you think this photo is bad, wait until you see the others!  But they do show you the details of the dress.  I should have taken a minute or two to press her dress and sweep the walk.

 

L gate top

bodice embossed with Embossed Frame Monogram Alphabet from Designs by JuJu

The bodice is burgundy cotton velveteen, the skirt a heavy poly silk.  The sleeves and neckline are bound with poly silk bias.  Since I first saw the embossed designs, I’ve been wanting to stitch one.  When planning this dress,  I realized the velveteen was a perfect fabric for this  technique. Continue reading →

13 Comments

Posted in girls, hairbows, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

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Precious Boy Child Blanket

Posted on December 13, 2013 | 8 comments
cotton flannel blanket with machine embroidery

cotton flannel blanket with machine embroidery

This blanket was made for the newest, cutest addition to our church family.  Much as I have always wanted to make a Precious Child of God pillow or blanket, I couldn’t resist emphasizing that this baby is a boy child.  Born to a family with adorable two daughters, I would guess that they are extremely  pleased to welcome a baby made of  “snips and snails and puppy dog tails.”

The blanket is a lovely, soft, 36″ x 50″ plush 100% cotton flannel, one of several I bought on clearance a long time ago (does that surprise any of you?).   The border hemline is embellished with the zig zag feather stitch I created in the My Custom Stitch feature on my Brother embroidery machine.   For those of you who have this capability, I would be happy to send the stitch.  But it can not be opened or read by anything but a Brother machine with this feature. Continue reading →

8 Comments

Posted in baby accessories, machine embroidery

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Stocking Gallery

Posted on December 11, 2013 | 5 comments

stocking gina all

a quick charity fundraiser project

Where’s Waldo?  Where has www.janicefergusonsews.com  been?  According to my savvy son-in-law, the problem was with my server. Humphhhh, no tip for this server. But this blog is back and so am I and I have so much to share with you.

While the blog was down, I have been doing a lot of sewing.  Many of the Christmas projects are finally finished and ready for the big day. 

Do you all make a lot of stockings?  Have you made one for each member of the family?  Do you enjoy stitching these?  It seems everywhere I look in the sewing world, stockings are being cranked out in great numbers.  It seems some families like to purchase or make new stockings each year. 

It’s a one-time shot for the Fergusons.  In this family, you get one stocking and you darn well better like it.  Or you can get your own from Cracker Barrel or WalMart. No do-overs from me.

Alastairstocking

Because I make just one, well except for grandson  Alastair’s temporary stocking.  But that was a special situation.

AlChristmastockingwhole Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in Holiday Projects, machine embroidery, Nana fun, serger

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