Sydney's Blue Birds

 Isn't that outfit just adorable?  It was not made by me.  It was made by Kathy Berry, a dear friend of my dear friend Jana, for her only granddaughter.  The whole ensemble is just beautiful!  The sun bonnet ties with fabric ties under the chin and has ribbon in a casing in the back to draw it to size.  There are hand embroidered flowers all along the outside of the brim.  Please notice the little matching beach pail.  Yes!  Kathy made that to match the ensemble, too!

 Kathy used a floral cotton print with lots of flowers and butterflies and then coordinated the embroidery of the sunsuit bodice to match.  The floral spray is her own design.  I tried to enlarge the photo I have in the next picture.  It is not as clear as I would like.  The embroidery is really stunning.  Check out the wooden hanger.  You guessed it!  Kathy made that, too!

 The vintage pattern in the next picture is the one Kathy used for the sunsuit and bonnet.    It's charming and quite old.  It was published in the earlier 1940's and sold for .25 cents.   When people were making only an average of  $16-30 dollars a week, the $.25 wasn't the deal we would think it was.  Minimum wage in 1945 was just .40 cents per hour!  A forty hour week would bring in just $16!  ( When my dad proposed to my mother in 1950, she said that they had to wait until he made $50 a week to get married!  They were married in 1951.)

 The following pattern is one you can purchase today from Wendy Schoen Design and from many online heirloom sewing shops.  It is obviously a remake of the pattern above with lovely added heirloom techniques (lace work, applique, embroidery).  It comes with  sizes 1-6.  I have this pattern and plan on making some cute little sunsuits to add to my grandmother's hope chest!

I hope you enjoyed seeing Kathy's lovely little beach ensemble!