Sunday we worshiped at the historic, beautiful Banner Elk (North Carolina) Presbyterian church, built in 1893.
The original structure was all stone. The interior has since been modernized but retains the unusual, stone pulpit with such an interesting history.
Posted in uncategorized
My dear husband and I are enjoying some quiet time here at our cabin in North Carolina.
Mountainside Cabin on Seven Devils Mountain
Now, the mountains are covered with these flowers that look like yellow black-eyed Susans. But I don’t know what they are called. Continue reading
Posted in heirloom sewing, infant clothing, smocking, uncategorized
Gorgeous little girl, gorgeous dress, gorgeous photo!
Preparations for the Christmas arrival of Grandbaby Girl #2 has me up to my neck in stacks and scraps of fabric, patterns and trims. Pink microcheck, white baby wale Swiss pique, Swiss flannel and the pretty floral that arrived from Chadwick Heirlooms are all in various stages of readiness. So right now, there is nothing to show you from my sewing room.
But as always, Judy Day is cranking out beautiful projects at breakneck speed and she is willing to share.
Remember the pretty white beach portrait dress that she made in a workshop with Lezette Thomason? That beauty now hangs in the closet granddaughter Courtney.  Now, Judy has finished a second one in soft mint green for granddaughter Kennedy, shown above.
Made of white Swiss batiste or easy care mint green Imperial, this is a classic dress, especially suitable for older girls. Continue reading
Posted in girls, heirloom sewing, Judy Day's creations
Tagged beach portrait dress, Children's Corner Louise, Judy Day
Swiss flannel Old Fashioned Baby slip with hand embroidery—yes, I embroidered this by hand! Here at the cabin, this quilt was the only thing I could find to use as a background.
While we at here our cabin in North Carolina, I am enjoying some uninterrupted sewing time. This is the first project I have finished (except for buttons and buttonholes) for Grandbaby Girl #2, due around Christmas.  December weather in Florida could be 28 or 90 degrees.  So for a start, I am planning several daygowns and at least one Swiss flannel slip for cool days.
This should have been a quick and easy project, but it has taken me several days. Once again I am actively pursing the achievement of an acceptable feather stitch. I think I just barely made the grade this time, but it took me FOREVER!!!! First, I had to study all my embroidery books and then go to on-line tutorials and finally YouTube demonstrations. Continue reading
Jo creates the most adorable clothes, like this dress, for her girls. She also takes fabulous pictures! Photography is another of her passions.
Often, Jo chooses contemporary patterns, always adding her own classic touches, like the hand embroidery on the apron.
On this dress, she added an especially unique and clever detail, a label made from the fabric selvage. This is an idea she gleaned from Pinterest. CORRECTION: Jo says it was a Flickr idea.
How cute is this?
FABRIC FOUND!!! Emergency #1 resolved.
What wonderful, helpful people you all are! Merry Gay (Merry Gay in Stitches) and Heather (handcrafts by Heather) both responded to my plea for fabric and I should have a yard of it by the middle of the week. THANKS!!!! I suspect you all know how frustrating it is to need something so badly and not be able to find it. If so, you know how grateful I am to them.
You all should check out Chadwick Heirlooms. They are shipping the fabric on today, Monday, so I should be cutting it by Thursday. Hurrah!!!!! Their fine fabric selection is extensive and beautiful. In the “lawn” department I found lots of Liberty and many, many other fabrics I would like to sew up.
Thank you, also, for all the warm congratulatory comments about our Christmas grandbaby girl. How kind of you all to share our joy!
CATERPILLAR IDENTIFICATION
EMERGENCY #2 resolved. The caterpillars on my passion vine will soon be Gulf Fritillaries! ( picture from Wikipedi). Click here for more information about the Gulf Fritillary.
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I need some of the lining fabric used on this bonnet.
Most of my last week was spent across the state with my pregnant daughter, Rebecca, and 3 year old grandson, Alastair. Son-in-law Harvey was among the 10,000!!!!! bikers riding in the RAGBRAI 500 mile safari through Iowa. On purpose. In July. With no pressure from family or friends. And he loved it! Go figure.
Meanwhile, in those hectic days, Rebecca had a sonogram which gave us the wonderful news–it’s a girl! This little bundle of joy is due to arrive sometime around Christmas.
I am beside myself, whirling around here in high gear. Laurel, our only other granddaughter, is 8 years old now, so my kind of smocking and little girl sewing is slowing down, being replaced (as per her request) by more contemporary, young lady projects.
But now a baby girl–oh my!!!!! I’m pulling out all my Creative Needle Baby Issues, Sew Beautiful mags, baby daygown and accessory patterns and reveling in the options. Precious handlooms, antique laces and unique Swiss embroideries are scattered around the sewing room in stacks for careful review.
There are two minor emergencies, though, with which I hope one of you readers might be able to help me. Continue reading
Posted in baby accessories, heirloom sewing, machine embroidery
for you–design from Fil Tire’ and Fancywork Frames and Phrases, shown on a greeting card
For some time now, I have been awed by the inherent kindness and generosity of stitchers. There might be one bad apple in a basket, but the rest of the needleworker bushel is all sweet Honeygold. The “Sisterhood of the Needle” spreads goodness indiscriminately to friends, loved ones and strangers.
I bet YOU are a good apple, a sweet Honeygold.
Lately, examples of this goodness keep popping up in front of me. Let me tell you about a few…… Continue reading
Posted in free patterns and designs, patterns, uncategorized
Tagged charity sewing, free embroidery design, sewing kindness
Robert and his bag, after swimming at camp in the hot sun
This little project made me very happy. It’s always so hard to find sewing projects that boys will like but this one was a hit.
Robert, 6, has a passion for sports. He has played flag football for several seasons and just finished a week at basketball camp. Knowing that every day he had to tote his lunch, bathing suit, towel, etc. I decided to find an athletic bag that could be easily embroidered. Continue reading
Posted in machine embroidery, sporting gear
Tagged boy gift, embroidered sports bag, monogrammed sports bag, sports bag
as shown in Sew Beautiful issue #118
NOTE: The link for the free pattern from Southern Stitches has been updated. If you were unsuccessful before, try again. It works now.
I was just delighted to find free patterns for preemies from Laurie Anderson of  Southern Stitches. The patterns are included in issue #118 of Sew Beautiful magazine but are also available here at Laurie’s Southern Stitches web site.
More preemie garments from Laurie Anderson’s free patterns, as shown in Sew Beautiful issue #118.
At that web site you will find her lovely machine embroidered shadow work designs and lots of other goodies. By clicking on Sew Beautiful Published Freebies you will find the free downloads of the preemie patterns, as well as free hand embroidery bullion knot designs for bunnies. Laurie even offers free machine embroidery designs. Continue reading
Posted in free patterns and designs, infant clothing
