Tag Archives: tatting

Easter ’18 Week

Vivian Rose at Oma’s house, decked out in her mother’s Rebecca’s Bow Dress.

I hope you all had a joyous Easter. The Ferguson family had a fabulous week of Easter celebrations! We saw both of our children with all four of our grandchildren, but not at the same time. A good bit of sewing was done before and after their arrival.

Saturday we joined our son-in-law’s family for Easter dinner.  5 yo Vivian Rose was resplendent in her mother’s 35 yo Rebecca’s Bow Dress, with her curls confined to elaborate, elegant French braids.

The original slip has been lost through the years so this white Imperial batiste slip was made.  Because it really can be worn as a dress, a bow was embroidered on the yoke. To avoid it shadowing through the dress, it was stitched in a very pale pink and white.

The same yoke pattern was used with 1/2″ removed from the top half of the armscye.

Ever obliging 9 yo Alastair wore his bow tie made from the Little Boy Bowtie:the Quick and Easy Version pattern which I have used so often.

The color matched the green leaves in his sister’s fancyband.

The bows alternated with 3 vertical strips of lace.

I love this picture taken as Vivian was ready to put on her heirloom dress. Alastair was proud that he was already dressed and ready for the egg hunt.

The bunny was tied at the top with a bow, but Vivian HAD to open it.

See the felt candy-filled bunny in Vivi’s hand? That was such a fun little project. I made 20 of these for the children at church, as well as for these two. Vivian had a bunny filled basket and loved handing them out. I so regret that I did not get a photo that or of all the pink, blue, yellow and white bunnies together. They were a big hit with all the children. Continue reading

Christmas Baby Doll for Baby

 

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

One More Pillowcase Monogram

Nicky pc

It’s no secret that pima cotton pillowcases are one of my favorite wedding and shower gifts. The king size pillowslip shown is one of a set of six made for a wedding shower gift.

There is nothing very remarkable about them, except that the bride-to-be is a rather tailored young lady whose personal taste does not gravitate to flowery designs or frilly housewares, which is exactly where my preferences lie.

So when I opened my BuzzXplore program and pulled up this monogram alphabet from Martha Pullen’s 2002 Embroidery Club, I was satisfied that it would fill the bill. Continue reading

Christmas Critters III

ChristmasCrittersIIILaurelbrite

 

Laurel’s Christmas dress was finished just in time for her brother Robert’s preschool Christmas program. In fact, her father had taken her for an afternoon outing and managed to get her to the program wearing jeans and a tee shirt only a few minutes ahead of me carrying her holiday clothes.

She was absolutely taken with the dress, mostly because of the fullness of the 90″ skirt.   This motivated her to twirl, perform some of her ballet moves and smile at everyone, entertaining the waiting parents, grandparents and friends. Laurel loves an audience, even if, technically, it’s her brother’s audience.

 

 

critter bib

 

The bib, collar and sleeves are all trimmed with ecru tatted edging. The design on the embroidered button on bib is yet another from Bernina’s Current Critters Continued. Laurel’s mother has decided that the “critter” nestled in the big bow is a baby squirrel and she should know. As a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, she has hand fed hundreds of them. I always thought it was a mouse, but I defer to her expertise. Continue reading

Silk Dupioni Quilt

 

quilt pattern is a variation of Grandmother's Fan

quilt pattern is a variation of Grandmother’s Fan

Have you ever quilted with silk dupioni? It really is a wonderful fabric for a special use quilt.

Occasionally, you will see an heirloom style dupioni quilt in Sew Beautiful magazine and this one was featured in Creative Needle magazine a few years ago. The only person I have ever known to actually make one was Rebecca Kemp Brent, a frequent and fabulous contributor to machine embroidery magazines. It was a great compliment for her to reproduce this one.

silkGrandmotherfancornerclosebrite

 

The reinterpretation of traditional quilt designs by using heirloom fabrics and techniques gives a refreshing and elegant twist to favorite old patterns. Testimony to the popularity of the Grandmother’s Fan pattern is the ready availability of vintage quilts of this design. Continue reading

T-Bonnet

T-Bonnet-MCSAll-BR

Just before Laurel was born, I made this T bonnet for her.  Is there any sweeter sight than a baby in a bonnet?  And she did look absolutely precious in it.  Why I have no picture of her wearing it,  I don’t know.  I suppose I was so overcome with the emotion of holding my first grandchild that I missed many photo opportunities.

Like so many of my projects, this T-bonnet incorporates two of  my favorite techniques, heirloom sewing and machine embroidery.  Continue reading