Dainty Light Blue

Another project finished!

I just love light blue on baby girls.

This dress was made of Imperial batiste.

The pattern is Chery Williams bishop.

The sleeve...

I embroidered little bullion roses along them hemline.

The plate I used is called Lullaby, from Austrailian Smocking and Embroidery #76.

I just changed the flowers, but the waves are the same.

Don't you miss that magazine? I do!

We went for my daughter's 20 week (21 weeks and 2 days!) ultrasound

today, and we got to see the baby waving at us.

Aren't babies just such miracles? Every single one of them!

I wonder if the baby is a girl that will wear this dress?

If the baby is a boy, the dress will wait

for another grandchild or special friend.

I will be equally excited either way!

Happy Sewing!

Ducks in a Row

Ta Daa!

Reid's Easter outfit is done!

I used Creations by Michie', Pattern #114, the Smocked Romper.

The fabric is blue gingham, 1/16th inch checks.

The plate I used is Ellen McCarn's, Ducks in a Row.

Quack Quack!

I have this week off for spring break, so I'm busy finishing a couple of things.

My posts and finished projects seem to coincide with the school calendar! :/

Happy Sewing!

Baby Blankets

It seems like I'm going to lots of baby showers these days.

My daughters are 27 and 29, so lots of their friends are having babies,

and lots of my friends' children are having babies.

One of my favorite gifts to give is a baby blanket, like the one I'm going to show you.

Each blanket takes 2 yards of fabric. I use Imperial broadcloth.

If you are making your own piping, you may need extra fabric.

The Imperial broadcloth is 60 " wide so you will have some big scraps.

I am lazy about the piping, and I usually buy it.

My daughter's friend, Amanda, is having twins,

and I'm giving her these blankets tomorrow at her shower...

One for Clara Lane, and one for Colby Wayne!

First, I cut two 1 yard squares of fabric, and use a cup,

or whatever is handy, to round the corners.

Then I take one of the squares and add the piping.

I bought an embroidery machine a couple of years ago,

 and I honestly have not been happy with it. It gives me a hard time.

I've had it worked on and I'm still having trouble,

but I did get these blankets monogrammed

after fighting with my machine for a couple of days. Ugh!

Of course, you could take the fabric somewhere to have it monogrammed,

or leave the fabric plain.

I monogram the square that is not piped, then sew the two squares together,

right sides together. Turn and press.

Last, I topstitch about 1/4 inch from the edge, around the blanket.

And here they are!

They are perfect for our climate,

and nice and big  to lay a baby on!

Happy Sewing!

The Liebster Award

I was nominated for the Liebster Blog Award by Lisa, who blogs on Mommy's Apron Strings. www.mommysapronstrings.blogspot.com
Even though it says Liebster "Award", I don't think it is really an award. It's just for fun!
I'm not real sure how this works, but I am copying and pasting this next part from her!
The Liebster Blog Award is an award given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers, most of whom have less than 200 followers (or have been blogging for less than 6 months). It is to show newer bloggers that they are appreciated, and to help spread the word about new blogs. It was created to promote appreciation and recognition among the blog world. Liebster translates to “dearest” (or favorite/best) in German. It is also known as the Love Blog Award." It's been fun to get to know some bloggers better and a great way to pass on the love.
Here are the rules:
1. You must post 11 random things about yourself
2. Answer the 11 questions given by the nominator.
3. Create 11 new questions for those you nominate.
4. Choose 11 new blogs and link to them in your post.

So here goes!

11 random things about myself:
1. I only like happy movies and happy books. I want to be relaxed and entertained when I 
    read or watch a movie. I do NOT want to be scared, tense or sad!!!
2. I hate flying.
3. When I go over high overpasses I have to put my hand up next to my face to block the    
    view so that I don't feel like I'm falling.
4. I'm a poodle person. We had a black poodle when I was growing up named Alfie. When I
    married my husband he thought poodles were girlie, so we tried some other dogs that
    didn't work out too well. We finally got a brown male poodle that we named Raisin, and a
    couple of years later we got a cream colored female named Lacie. They lived to be 18 and
    17 years old. My husband now loves poodles too. Our current pet is Jack, a black poodle
    who is 2 years old. He is my husband's shadow. :)
5. Cats are not my favorite. I am very allergic.
6. I am a 4th generation native Texan on my mom's side, but my dad's dad was born in
    Italy.
7. My husband and I were high school sweethearts and have been together since we were 17
    years old.
8. My son-in-law was born on my 25th birthday when I was expecting my daughter, now his
    wife.  
9. My mother and her mother were both wonderful seamstresses. My interest in sewing   
    came from them, though I love needlework more than sewing.
10. My bucket list includes going to some of the beautiful fabric and smocking supply
    stores that I see advertised in my sewing magazines. Ahhh...someday...
11. I am extraordinarily blessed with my average and ordinary life!


My answers to Lisa's questions:

1. Why did you start your blog?   
    I started my blog because I wanted to connect with other
    people who love the art of smocking.
2. What are your hobbies?
    I love to read and I love to smock. I also enjoy embroidery and shadow embroidery. Now  
    that I have a grandson another hobby is looking for cute boy clothes to buy for him. They
    are hard to find!
3. Your favorite place on earth?
    If I could pick just one place to be it would be home! There's no place like home. I do love
    to visit Florida...the Rosemary Beach and Seaside area of the Florida panhandle. I also
    love to go to Gruene, Texas for weekend trips. We don't travel much. 
4. What year would you like to visit for a week as a time-traveler?
    1986, when my mother was still alive and healthy.
5. If you didn't have the job you have, what would you want to do instead?
    My dream is to open a small children's clothing and fabric and smocking supply store. It  
    has been a dream of mine for 30 years. I am hoping to make that dream come true when I
    retire from teaching, but it will be a while.
6. What is your favorite food?
    My mother's chocolate pie!
7. What is your favorite period in fashion?
    I'm not much of a fashionista. Love me some capris though. I guess those are still in 
    style...so maybe now is fine.
8. What is your favorite novel or series?
    LOVE Dorthea Benton Frank books. They are just entertaining stories. The setting is
    always one of the South Carolina beaches.
9. What famous person do you most admire?
    That would probably be George Bush. He is just a good, solid family guy with good old
    fashioned family values.
10. What is your favorite restaurant?
    Hmmm...I guess I don't have a favorite! I do like a local Italian Restaurant, Hasta la Pasta.
    Yummy cheese ravioli!
11. If you are a crafter, what is your favorite thing you've ever made?
    Probably the going home outfits I made in anticipation of my first grandchild's arrival.   
    We didn't know if the baby was a boy or a girl, so I made a boy outfit and a girl outfit. The
    boy outfit is on my blog, but the girl outfit has not been revealed, and won't be until I      
    have a little granddaughter to wear it home!

11 questions for my tagged bloggers:
1. Are you a dog person or a cat person?
2. What is something that you do not know how to do that you would like to learn to do?
3. Name 3 movies that you like so much that you have watched them more than once.
4. What is your favorite current TV show, and favorite old TV show?
5. What is your daily beverage of choice? (mine is Diet Cherry 7-Up)
6. What is your idea of a perfect cold and rainy day?
7. Name a place you would really love to visit and why.
8. What would your first grade teacher tell us about you?
9. If you had an extra $200 right now to spend on anything you wanted, what fun thing
    would you buy?
10. If you could redecorate one room in your house right now, which one would it be, and  
    what color scheme would you use?
11. If you were going to give lessons or a workshop on something, what might that be?


Blogs I'm tagging for the Leibster Award:

http://dandelionavenue.blogspot.com/
http://luluandannies.blogspot.com/
http://exclusivesmockingforyou.blogspot.com/
http://www.mariegracedesigns.com
http://texassmockingcompany.blogspot.com/
http://timesaflying.blogspot.com/
http://amberlanemarquis.blogspot.com
http://frogsinabucket.blogspot.com/
http://www.mygrandmaknows.com/

And if you would like me to link your blog, let me know! I'm not sure who has participated!

Yellow Yoke Dress

I started this little dress about a year ago!

I finished the smocking back then, and started the embroidery, and got sidetracked!

So...over the holidays, this is the last project I finished.

Now my half-finished drawer is empty. I think. :)

I love light yellow on little ones. I just think it's such a sweet color.

The pattern I used is Creations by Michie', Classic Dress, #131.

http://www.creationsbymichie.com/classicdress.htm

The first time I use any pattern, it seems like I make a few mistakes.

If I had a do-over, I would raise up the smocked part when sewing it to the yoke

so that the yoke met the trellis stitches, AND I might smock one less row.

I made a 6 month size, so it could use a little less smocking

since the yoke is embroidered. It's fine though. :) Next time I'll know!

 

The embroidery design on the yoke is in Jeanie B's Book of Heirloom Embroidery.

http://www.oldfashionedbaby.com/shop/

Have a wonderful week,

and

Happy Sewing!

Christmas Eve Surprise!

We always open our gifts on Christmas Eve after church.

This year, Brittany suggested that we open one gift each before church.

She handed me a "together" gift for Wayne and I to open.

I had been wishing for a calendar made of pictures of Reid,

but didn't ask her to make me one.

I thought it was something she might have thought of,

and didn't want to spoil her surprise if she had.

I was so excited when I opened the completely adorable calendar!

Here is the front. :)

This is March...

I was just loving every page of the precious pictures...

Then I came to July...

What was I so surprised about???

We had no idea! Brittany and Chris had known for 5 weeks
and kept it a secret so that they could surprise us at Christmas!
Isn't that FUN?!?!

Reid was surprised when he found out too!

He will make the most wonderful big brother to whoever this little baby is!

We won't know until July, because once again the

baby's mommy and daddy want to be surprised!

They are just full of surprises!!!

I hope you have some happy surprises

coming your way soon!

Blue Daygown for a Baby Girl

Anyone else having trouble uploading pictures to your blog?
I've had this ready to post for a few days and blogger is having some issues.
Wayne helped me figure out a round about way to get these pictures loaded.
I hope they fix the problem soon!

I already SO miss all the time I spent in my sewing room over the holidays.
I had to go back to school (work) yesterday,
but I'm trying to be thankful I have a good job and work with nice people.

I'd rather be sewing!!!

Here is another half finished project that is now finished!

I used my usual baby gown pattern for this one,

which is an old (28 years old!)Yvonne Denise pattern.

The gown is made of Imperial batiste.

I know y'all probably hate it when I do this, but I don't know what plate I used! :/

Probably something from an Austrailian Smocking and Embroidery magazine?

You could follow it pretty easily by looking at the close up picture though.

It's not a fancy design.

This is the back of the gown. I use clear plastic snaps to close the back of my gowns,

then add a button and a button loop made of embroidery thread.

The sleeve...

The hem...

This gown will hang in the closet of my sewing room

until I decide there is a little baby who needs it!

I've noticed my closet is filling up with girl clothes!!!

I guess that's because every single boy thing is now in Reid's closet!

Guess I should make a few boy things...

I am more reluctant to give smocked things at baby showers to those having boys.

I have given a few baby boy gowns away, and I'm not sure the babies never wore them.

I love these gowns far too much to give them

to someone who doesn't want to put them on their baby boy!

I know some people just don't dress their boys that way...

Poor them! :)

Happy Sewing!

A little white and pink bishop

I've just loved the last few days.

I've spent lots of time doing exactly what I want to do.

Some of what I want to do it nothing!

And I've spent lots of time in my sewing room

finishing up some half finished projects.

One of them is this little bishop.

I used Chery Williams' bishop pattern,

and the plate is April, by Ellen McCarn.

I think the fabric is such a sweet little print...isn't it?

Happy Sewing!