Ahhh…completed Easter dress

Posted on April 12, 2011 | 8 comments

It’s always a nice feeling to have a finished project.  The completion of this one is particularly satisfying for me, as I have wanted to make Judith Dobson’s Tea Dress for 22 years!  That’s a long time to wait, though I was hardly idle as the years passed.

When this dress appeared on the back cover of the Jan. 1989 issue of Sew Beautiful magazine, I knew that someday I would have the pleasure of making it. My daughter was already too old for the pattern, so I’ve waited for the sweet blessing of  a granddaughter.

“Someday” is now and it will be 6 year-old Laurel’s Easter dress. Now I am so eager to see it with the blue slip which is almost finished.

The dress is finished but I am still thinking about it, evaluating the finished product, the pattern, the choices I made with regard to notions, embroidery designs, thread fibers and colors,  etc.  Do you do this?

The champagne colored lace, matching entredeux and pinstitching is a choice that I knew would cause no regrets.  I love the combination of white and ivory.  The 80 wt. Madeira Cotona thread used for the wing needle pinstitch blends nicely with the champagne color.   The ecru mother-of-pearl buttons seem to accent the contrast of white and champagne. Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, machine embroidery

Easter Good Fortune

Posted on April 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

 

Don’t you just love a good sewing day?  Every now and again, everything seems to go just right.  This was such a day.  I should have bought a lottery ticket.

Of course, I am hard at work on Laurel’s Easter frock, Judith Dobson’s Heirloom Tea Dress (see three previous posts). The flip flop lace above the puffing was a new experience for me.  Sometimes, new methods can go bad when you are facing a deadline and working on an important project.  But flip flopping was quick and easy. It made me feel a little political.

I have always hesitated to flip flop.  The name is a little wacky and it reminds  me of election campaigns.  Additionally,  I don’t like to see the back side of lace on the front side of my garment.   But the lace I selected has a very intricate pattern, making it hard to tell the right side from wrong.   It seemed like a good choice for this technique.  

So I marched on and was happy  that I didn’t cut the lace when trimming away the base fabric from underneath.   All the pinstitch pivots turned nicely and the puffing band joined to the skirt without incident. 

 Not only that— my bobbins didn’t give out before the seam or pass ended. Life is good.  And it wasn’t even dinner time  yet. 

After rinsing out the blue marker lines and waiting for the skirt to dry, I even got started on the petticoat.  I hadn’t really thought much about the blue slip until I was ready to cut it out.  Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, heirloom sewing, techniques

Easter ’11 progress…slow

Posted on April 8, 2011 | 3 comments

 

The antique Tausendchon rose climber was grown from a cutting I rooted four years ago.

This has been a spectacular Florida spring.  The weather has been perfect for gardening and I can hardly keep myself inside.  All 50  rose bushes are in full bloom and I feel compelled to deadhead spent blossoms, snip here and  there and cut bouquets for in the house.  I really enjoy tending my roses.

After a little gardening, I spent the better part of the day doing Aunt Aileen’s laundry and ironing, visiting her and taking care of some administrative matters with the nursing home.  The previous two fun filled, but exhausting, days with Alastair left me chomping at the bit to get back to Laurel’s Easter dress.  But that had to wait until after dinner and progress is slow.

The sleeves are inserted with entredeux, a detail I have always liked to include on heirloom garments.  And the buttonholes are stitched, separated with tiny floral sprigs of embroidery.   They were done in the hoop on my Brother Innovis 4500D.  Embroidery machines make buttonholes so quick and easy. 

The puffing band needs one more pass of scotch tape stitch on the right side--my to-do for tomorrow.

Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, heirloom sewing, machine embroidery

They have taught me so much…….

Posted on April 6, 2011 | 2 comments

 

Alastair, a 2 year-old doing yard work.  Is  this legal?

Two year-old Alastair is here for a few days.  I’m busy making sure the little guy does not fall in the pool or get himself into the dangerous trouble that toddlers are likely to find.  But last night, after he was asleep, the mindless  task of  pulling threads for the puffing strip fancyband on Laurel’s Easer dress allowed me the rare luxury of contemplation.

Of course, I  thought about Laurel and the joy she has given me.   I thought about sewing and all the joy it has given me for the 31 years since I fell in love with heirloom sewing.  I thought about all the dear friends I have made and all the wonderful people I have met, and all the joy they have given me.   I thought about all I have learned and all of the fine ladies who taught me and what joy this knowledge has given me.

Sewing is all about sharing–sharing your knowledge, sharing your projects as gifts, sharing your sewing supplies with others.  I have been blessed beyond my merit on all counts.

Tonight, I thought I would share some of the most useful sewing tips I have learned through the years from women I will never forget. It would be sad to think I could include all I have learned in one post. So I’ve limited myself to only those  techniques used on this dress!

The blue floss is has been repeated in French knots, lazy daisy flowers and the surround of the pinwheel roses.

embroidery colors–At one of our weekly luncheon dates, Suzanne Sawko once said that to her eye, too many colors made an embroidery look cluttered. She prefers to use only as many as is necessary for the integrity of the design.  I hadn’t really  thought about it in that light, as often I tried to emulate nature’s unlimited palette.  With at least 42 shades of green embroidery thread at hand, I was tempted to use them all or at least many, in order to emulate nature’s palette.  Of course, shading is desirable and pleasing to the eye.  But I reuse colors when possible and avoid a riot of color in embroidery designs.  Continue reading →

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Posted in heirloom sewing, machine embroidery, techniques

Easter ’11 ~Laurel’s Dress

Posted on April 4, 2011 | 4 comments

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In desperation, I’ve tabled all my to-do’s and should-do’s then surrendered to MUST-do, which is sewing. Not only is Easter just around the corner, but also I am in serious need of  a powerful sewing fix.   So I’ve retreated to my textile cave, AKA Sewing Machine Garage and Stash Storage Facility,  for needle and thread therapy.  If ever I were to fall seriously ill, I’m pretty sure an heirloom sewing session would cure me.

Laurel is first in line for Easter finery.  Handling Swiss batiste, heirloom laces and stitching embroidery does for me what baby cord and Imperial broadcloth cannot.   Those items, by the way, are the components of the grandsons’ outfits that I have planned.

 

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Since Judith Dobson’s Tea Dress appeared on the back cover of Sew Beautiful in the January 1989 issue,  I’ve wanted to make this beauty.  At the time, my Rebecca was already 14 years old so I knew that making the Tea Dress was not a project I would take on  in the foreseeable future.

Now that my precious granddaughter Laurel is nearly 7, the Tea Dress seems like a perfect transition between little girl high yokes and big girl waisted frocks.  The design and lines just seem a little more sophisticated to me.  Nonetheless, this confection would sweet on girls of any age–but not 14. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, girls, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, machine embroidery

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Miss Alice’s Tatted Yoke~Another Re-run

Posted on April 2, 2011 | 4 comments

“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.”  Leviticus 19:32 

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This verse is beautifully scripted above a peaceful scene painted on a wall in the lobby of the nursing home where my 89 year old Aunt Aileen is settling in.   A few days ago, we had a family picnic on the lovely screened porch, overlooking azaleas and newly leafed oak trees.   We dined on fried chicken, biscuits, baked beans, potato salad, fresh strawberries, cherry cheesecake and a raspberry-brownie cheesecake.  All that cooking reminded me of  tailgating at Norman Field in Gainesville for Gator football games.

Attended by her robust and sharp witted brother Richard (91), her wheelchair bound sister Dollie (83)  and her very fit and active “baby” sister Rheeta (76),  Aunt Aileen enjoyed the rare gathering of the four remaining siblings (of the nine children).  Added to the mix were my energetic,  entertaining and well-behaved grandchildren, Laurel  (6) and Robert (5), their mother, my husband and I.  The full circle of life was represented.

At every visit with her, this scripture serves as a gentle reminder of the treatment and respect this age group deserves.   I think of it so often, as I continue to deal with the details of her relocation.  And it reminds me of another elderly lady whom I loved so well, Miss Alice Van Cleef.

Again, I have to resort to a re-run for lack of time.  This is one of my favorites.  I hope you enjoy a little historical insight into my tiny hometown, Glenwood, and an introduction to Miss Alice, one in whose presence the entire community rose.

 

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BACKGROUND: The tatted yoke on this camisole is at least 90 years old.  What a testimony to the sturdy fruit of the shuttle!  I had sentimental reasons for my appreciation of this yoke (detailed below in HISTORY) and made a camisole for my daughter.  Miss Alice, the previous owner, was especially fond of my children and they grew up knowing her as an exemplary model of Christian womanhood.  In 1996, this garment was featured in my series entitled  Antique Textiles in Creative Needle magazine. Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, clothing, heirloom sewing, ladies, techniques

Lots of Dots Bed and Bath

Posted on March 28, 2011 | 2 comments

There are so many great ideas and techniques used in this well coordinated bedroom and bath.  Judy Day collaborated with her daughter, Beth, to create all the components, each of which included lots of dots. 

Inspiration was provided by a pricey piece of silky brown fabric with blue three dimensional fringed circles.   Beth asked her mother, Judy Day, to reproduce these circles for accents on the bedroom curtains she planned to make.

The fringed motif on the left is part of the decorator fabric.  The blue circle on the right was created by Judy using Babylock’s MasterWorks 2.  The photo is not very sharp, but even so it is clear that Judy’s smaller blue circle is nearly identical to the other.

Judy studied the fringed circles and recognized that they were no more than zig zag stitches radiating from a  center circle.  She digitized the design in Babylock’s MasterWorks 2, clipped the bobbin thread behind the zig zags, clipped the loose loops to make fringe and then used the fringed fabric circles to cover buttons.

Beth made the curtains, using a simplicity pattern for the valance.

Shortly after deciding on the blue dots/brown silky fabric theme Beth happened upon the brown towels with blue dots, along with a matching bath mat at a department store.  Continue reading →

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Posted in home dec, Judy Day's creations, machine embroidery, techniques

Latin Shirts

Posted on March 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

 

Translation: I am fine. How are you?

Though sometimes called a dead language, Latin is very much alive in our homeschool classroom. Five year old Robert and 6 year old Laurel are literally singing their way through Song School Latin, a simple,  entertaining, age-appropriate curriculum, and loving every minute of it. In fact, it is Robert’s favorite subject and very close to the top of Laurel’s list.

Robert's shirt. Translation: Hello. What is your name?

Some people have commented that Latin is too difficult for children.  But it is a foreign language, much like Spanish which is taught routinely in Florida schools.  Roman children mastered Latin.  Why shouldn’t my grandchildren?

Recently, the children had to make a presentation at the weekly gathering of homeschoolers which they attend. They chose to report on their study of Latin. Of course, I wanted them to have something wear other than a toga so I made these shirts for that event.

The children wore their show-and-tell clothing proudly.  The Latin shirts were a big hit with the other students, most of whom were older.

The text for the shirt designs was created in PE-Design using the Gothic looking font #9. At Embroidery Library, one of my favorite sites, I found a design of the coliseum.

Making a volcano.

It included a tourist riding a bike which I deleted in order to make room for the text. The stepping stones had to be rearranged in BuzzEdit2 www.buzztools.com for the same reason.

I know, I know—I have gone on ad nauseum (see? You probably know Latin already!) about my love affair with machine embroidery, most especially about the ability to personalize items so specifically. Where, I ask, could you find Latin text children’s shirts in sizes 5 and 6 except in your own sewing room? Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, brother-sister, embroidery blanks, girls, machine embroidery, school accessories

Old Fashioned Baby Bubble–Re-run

Posted on March 22, 2011 | 2 comments

I’m still up to my eyeballs cleaning out Aunt Aileen’s apartment and sorting through all her paperwork.  Now she is settled in a nursing home and seems to be content.  We are so grateful. 

Aunt Rheeta is staying a while longer to help me sort and was thrilled to find old photos of her parents, grandparents and siblings that somehow ended up in Aunt Aileen’s custody.  We have another week to vacate the apartment and it is going to take every minute of that to get the job done.  So this is another re-run. 

Now that Alastair’s 2nd birthday has passed, I am enjoying these pictures of him as an infant. 

This is a delightful little garment, old fashioned in appearance but with all the convenience of a modern garment.   It looks soooooo much better on  Baby than on the hanger.  When I showed this to Rebecca, she paused a moment before saying, “….uh..thanks.”

 But after she saw it on 5-month old Alastair, she really liked it. 

It is still a quite large on him and will look better still when he is a little taller.  But hey, Florida summers last until November so I’m sure he will have plenty of warm days to wear it.

The pattern is  from the Old Fashioned Baby Embroidered Baby Clothes pattern www.oldfashionedbaby.com .    The beauty of the one-piece pattern  is that there are no buttonholes, no shoulder seams, no side seams and no set in sleeves.

  Two tiny optional pockets,  a small crotch extension and a one piece facing for the back opening are the only other pieces. 

Pique’ is one of my favorite fabrics for children’s wear, but then there is the ironing factor.  And I am putting a great deal of thought into creating “modern projects for old fashioned Nanas.” Continue reading →

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Posted in heirloom sewing, infant clothing, techniques

Party Sewing

Posted on March 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

Note the ever popular Happy Birthday tablecloth. Several years ago I made 3 or 4 of these. They have been through more parties than Thomas has been through tunnels.

The birthday boy chugs a cold one as he admires his birthday balloons.

Alastair’s Two-toot birthday party was a big hit with the children and as well as the adults.  The cupcake train delighted everyone and was so easy to make.  Typical of Florida spring, the sun shone brightly and a gulf coast breeze kept everyone comfortable.

 

My daughter Rebecca and I made the cupcakes and built the train cars the night before the party.  A Thomas train engine  pulled flatbed cars loaded with cupcakes.

The train cars were  built with a stack of two graham crackers with buttercream frosting holding them firmly together. 

Other graham crackers were  broken into “sticks” and stacked three high for the axels, with mini Oreo wheels.  Gum drops served as hitches between the cars.

We all enjoyed watching 2 1/2 year old Ethan surreptitiously pull an Oreo wheel from the train and pop it into his mouth.  His mother scolded, but  Rebecca assured her that the flatbed cars were there for the children to enjoy, just like  the cupcakes and their teepee train bags.  Continue reading →

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Posted in bags, boys, clothing, hairbows, home dec, machine embroidery, Nana fun, party accessories and ideas