Karen's Butterflies and Faeries

Miss Cindy's Baby Doll Part 3

2010-08-22T06:32:00.000-07:00

Yippee! The dress is finished and I will be able to deliver it to Cindy tomorrow! Life got in the way of this little project. I had a baby shower to go to that required a handmade gift and school started for me last Monday. There were lots of meetings and the classroom to arrange and organize. I didn't stitch anything when I got home! Too tired!

I had to adjust the vintage pattern bodice pieces to fit this doll and I made the dress a little longer than her original dress. (See here.) I changed the shape of the sleeves to accomodate smocking. I wanted to eliminate elastic from this outfit and the smocking pleats and stitches provide the ruffled gathers perfectly without elastic. I really liked the embroidered panel that goes down the center front of the original dress with ribbon waist ties beneath the panel so I duplicated that look with embroidered ribbon.

The dress is made of fine cotton batiste and French cotton lace. I love working with such nice materials. Everything came from my stash, even the little antique mother of pearl buttons, the ribbon, and the entredeux (veining at the neckline).

The dress is open down the back and closes with two little buttons. I just realized when looking at the photo of the dress back that I hadn't adjusted the skirt pieces with the right side overlapping the left. You'll just have to believe me when I tell you that it really does overlap properly. (It is too hot to go outside to take more photographs!)

"Baby" looks pretty in her new dress and pan*ties (see last post), doesn't she? Ten (or even 50) years from now her outfit will still fit her arms and legs. With minimal care the materials in the dress should last a very long time. Perhaps Cindy's future granddaughters will play with her!

PS: Rett asked what type of floss I used in the smocking. I used three strands of DMC cotton floss.

Miss Cindy's Baby Doll Part 2

2010-08-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Two little sleeves and two little pan*ty legs all pleated up, cut out, and ready to smock for Miss Cindy's baby doll. The pleating threads have been pulled out from the seam allowance, drawn up, and tied off.

Doesn't the lace look pretty all 'squished up'?

The next picture shows the simple pink smocking design for the sleeves and the white smocked sections for the pan*ties.

The pleating threads have been pulled out and the hand smocking is holding the pleats nicely all by itself.

The white smocking on the legs will have white ribbon woven under the smocking and tied into a bow to tighten on the legs of the doll.

Here is the finished pair of pan*ties on the baby doll. There is a tiny button hole in the center of the casing at the waist with ribbon inserted to draw in the pan*ties at the waistline. You can clearly see the ribbon under the smocking at the legs in the last photo. Now to work on the dress! Part 3 will be up in a day or two!

Miss Cindy's Baby Doll Part 1

2010-08-08T13:52:00.001-07:00

"Miss" Cindy and I have a long history. Her son Donnie was in my kindergarten class 18 years ago and her daughter Christa was in my kindergarten 12 years ago. "Miss" Cindy had a licenced daycare in her home when her children were very young. When my children came along, Cindy took care of them when they were toddlers and preschoolers. My son called her "Miss Cinny" for years! The children were clean, fed, and well taken care of when I would pick them up after teaching but most importantly, my children were loved all day long. There were NEVER any tears about being left at "Miss Cinny's" house! What a blessing!

Mine were the last two little ones that Cindy took care of in her home. She then started working as a teacher aid at my school. Last year was the first time I had the pleasure of working with her directly because she was assigned to help with the little boy with Down's Syndrome who was in my class. Such a blessing! Again!

This is Cindy's baby doll that was given to her shortly after she was born. The doll itself is in great condition but the clothes have deteriorated. The elastic has 'given out' in the waist, legs, and sleeves of the outfit and the fabric of the little dress tears with the least pressure. I have draped the dress over the doll because I don't want to damage it any further just to dress her for photos. I offered to make her 'baby' a new set of clothes as a 'thank you' for all her help.

The picture above shows the inside of the dress and the one below shows the outside. I love the panel down the front with the gathered lace edging and the lace around the neck. The little ribbon ties are attached under the panel. I want to incorporate these details in the new outfit.

I am using this vintage pattern for a 16" doll that I am redrafting to fit Cindy's doll who is smaller and a bit thiner than the dolls this pattern was designed for but it is the closest that I can come in my pattern stash. I have redrafted the sleeve to accomodate smocking. In this way I will eliminate the need for elastic that will loose its 'oomph' over the years. I am also making pan*ties that will have smocking at the legs and a ribbon drawstring at the waist...again to eliminate elastic.

The dress will be a lovely white cotton batiste with French cotton lace edging. I had a length of a pretty embroidered pink ribbon in my stash that I will use as the panel and ties.

This next picture shows the lace machine rolled and whipped to the batiste and then zig-zagged again from the right side for the sleeves and panties. I often attach the lace before rolling into the pleater. (A pleater is a hand cranked machine that you feed the fabric into that pleats the material for hand smocking. The rollers remind me of those really old washing machines with rolling 'wringers' on the top. The rollers push the fabric onto threaded needles that hold the pleats. The pleating threads are removed after the smocking is complete.)

Right side.

Wrong side.

I usually add lace and pleat the sleeves together and the pan*ty legs together before completely cutting them out. It saves some time both at the sewing machine and the pleater.

These are now ready for the pleater! Tomorrow I'll show you the pleated sections and then the pieces smocked.

Beautiful Gracie in Her Petal Knot Dress

2010-07-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

What can I say? Gracie would make a paper sack look good! Gracie's grandmother, my friend Karen, took these gorgeous shots of Gracie in the dress I made (details here).

These next shots were extras that Karen sent my way. Gracie's big brother Allister is towing her around in their wagon. Don't these photos look like they could have been taken 30-40-50-60 years ago? Timeless childhood fun!

This last one is my favorite! Gracie is just about to kiss Chloe, one of Grandma's dogs. Charming! Thank you, Karen for sending me these photos. I love them!

Chloe's Vintage Pillowcase Ensemble from 'Hazel's' Pillowcase

2010-07-24T06:17:00.001-07:00

This little 12-18 month ensemble was one of the three sets I made to sell just before school let out for the summer. I was thrilled when one of my co-workers purchased it to give to Kaye (the expecting Pre-K teacher) for baby Chloe (due next month). I used one of a set of pillowcases that I found in an Antique Mall in downtown St. Petersburg several years ago. The cases were snowy white and I don't think they had ever been used!

Just look at that beautiful crochet work and the hemstitching in purple! The crochet work extends all the way around to the back of the case. The fabric is a great cotton. Some wonderful needle artist did that gorgeous work years ago and no one used it! What a waste! As I worked on turning this into a little outfit that will be used and enjoyed, I thought about this unknown woman and blessed her for having made something so beautiful. I also thought of my maternal grandmother who knit, crocheted and tatted the most fantastic things. I decided to give this lady a name: Hazel, after my grandmother's original name. (My grandmother changed her name in the 1920's to Elizabeth!)

So here's my made-up story about Hazel and the pillowcases:

Hazel was born in 1915 and loved to do the hand work that her mother and grandmother taught her. She even enjoyed sewing the hems in her five brothers work pants and embroidering the monograms on their vests and large handkerchiefs. When the necessary work was complete, she would work on the items for her hope chest. She made lovely edged pillowcases, sheets, table runners, and even embroidered tablecloths and napkins!

Hazel fell in love with Tom, the boy next door, when she was 16 but had to wait until she was 26 (gasp!) to marry because times were so hard and work was scarce. As the eldest child in his family, Tom quit high school to do odd jobs so that he could help his family out. He eventually went to work for a carpenter who trained him to do fine cabinetry work. They were married in 1941 and Hazel happily used everything she had been making for years to beautify her home.

Hazel and Tom were were very happy together and eventually had three strong handsome sons. Hazel's only regret was that she didn't have a daughter to share her love of needlework with. When the boys finished school they went into their dad's business. They married well and Hazel loved all her daughters-in-law. Unfortunately, they were all too modern for Hazel's old-fashioned needlework and she knew better than to make such things for them. She continued to make lovely things, however, with the idea that maybe a granddaughter would like the 'old' things. When variegated threads became available she had the best time making crocheted edgings like these lavender/purple edged pillowcases. You guessed it....Hazel was the proud grandmother of 7 grandsons! When she died the chest of lovely linens was sold for a song to an antique dealer who knew the value of the pretty things.

This is where I come in and the story is no longer fiction! I bought 7 of these lovely cases from the dealer who didn't even remember where he had gotten them! Just that he had gotten them all from one estate.

I cut the seamed bottom of the case off and used it to make the bodice of the little sundress. I used a hand embroidery design that I found in an Australian magazine called "Handmade" that I found in JoAnn's. I used a favorite pattern to make pant*ies to match the ties on the bodice top and a 1952 pattern to make the sun bonnet.

I like to think that Hazel was smiling in heaven when she saw me embroidering the bodice. I am sure she gasped when I cut into the pillowcase but I hope that she relaxed and smiled when she saw the finished product, knowing that a little girl will finally be enjoying the lovely case she made so long ago.

Gracie's Petal Knot Dress

2010-07-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

This little dress was made because I fell in love with a fat quarters bundle! Yes, I know. I shouldn't even look in that section! I just loved the pretty pastel colors and the prints. The little ballerina girls were so darling in their colorful outfits that I just HAD to buy the one and only bundle they had of these prints. (Not like I don't have any fabric in my closets, right?) As soon as I got home I had to see what went with it in my stash and I found the pretty mottled blue and yellow mini print pieces in my fat quarter stash.

I knew immediately that I wanted to make another Petal Knot Dress (pattern "Claire" by Portabellopixie). I love the planning process. I love deciding what pattern to use, what fabric to use for what piece, what trims, etc. The size of the fabric quarters pretty much determined that this would be a small size dress so I went with size 2. I sketched what I wanted the dress to look like with the sections labeled with the fabric names, washed the fabric, and placed everything in a plastic bag to 'cure'....lol. Really, I had so many more things to do and this wasn't earmarked for anyone special that it was just put away on the back burner.

Just before school let out for the summer I made a couple of things just because I wanted to and to see if I could sell them. I brought them in to school and all three items sold within 15 minutes! I was thrilled! My friend Karen bought this dress set for her youngest grandchild. Gracie is little Emma's younger cousin. (See Emma Models here.) Photos are coming of beautiful Gracie modeling her new dress. Karen takes wonderful photographs!

Aren't the little ballerinas cute?

This knot is what sold me on this pattern! I love the petal shape!

Skirted Diaper Sets for Charm and Chloe

2010-07-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

In my quest to make sweet Charm some more modern, less fancy clothing I went to youcanmakethis.com to check out the baby epatterns posted there. I was delighted when I came across a darling skirted diaper cover in multiple sizes. It is by Tie Dye Diva Designs & Monkeysbug Tees and is titled "How to Sew Skirted Diaper Covers". The directions are clear with great photos and the little skirted covers come out just as cute as can be. The only thing that I changed when making my versions was to apply the bias seam binding the way I am familiar with: trim 1/4 inch off leg openings, open seam binding, place atop the leg opening right sides together, stitch in the crease of the seam, turn, press, and stitch close to edge of the binding. (Leaving an opening at the seam of the crotch for the elastic.)

This time I took a onesie and tiny socks and just added bows and a button (very securely fastened!). The pink polycotton gingham, lace and ribbons were all in my stash. I washed all the clothing and fabrics first to preshrink and to remove any chemicals that might harm a baby's sensitive skin.

The shaped and lined bidie pattern (burp cloth) was another 'find' on youcanmakethis.com. I liked the idea of shaping a cloth diaper and lining it in the outfit fabric. This pattern will definitely be made many, many times again!

Can't you just see this covering a sweet little diapered tu*shie? It's frilly and feminine but easy to put on, wear, remove for changes, and completely washer and dryer friendly! Using polycotton makes ironing unnecessary, too!

When Charm goes to preschool at our school she will have already made a great friend. Baby Chloe is due to another one of our teachers next month. She will have a 10 year old sister who is a friend of Charm's oldest sister Ashlyn and a 15 year old brother who is one of my son's best friends. The little girls will know each other well by the time they get to school! I made a few outfits for Choe's baby shower. This little yellow gingham and lavender set is made using the same patterns I used for Charm's ensemble.

You can see the underside of the skirt section and the bias binding inside the leg openings in this photo.

I think that I am rather liking this modern sewing for little babies! The outfits are uncomplicated and faster to finish. Nice for a change but I still love the more traditional clothing best. I do love hand work like smocking and embroidering! I even like to hand stitch hems (when there are no time constraints)! Check out the You Can Make This website and have fun sewing!

Charm's Everyday Baby Clothes

2010-07-18T04:14:00.000-07:00

I just love ruffles on cute little baby tu*shies! I can't tell you how many pairs of pant*ies had ruffles, ribbons, lace, and rosettes added to them for my daughter when she was a baby! Her play clothes were 'dressier' than most babies wear for everyday. Well, when Charm's mommy said that she wanted 'less fancy' clothing for Charm (my newest godchild) I was a little stumped about what to make. My typical frilly, smocked, lace-dripping things weren't going to 'fit the bill'. I finally came up with some casual sets that I think Lauri will use for sweet Charm.

This is the first of a few sets I made and gave Lauri at her baby shower. I took a pink baby undershirt and added a little hand embroidery. Then found some easy-care plisse in my stash and made a diaper cover and a decorated 'bidie'. (A bidie is what my family calls a 'burp cloth'.) I think that the set came out cute. I've embroidered und*ies before but they were worn by my daughter under her other clothing. :)

The embroidery stitches were those I learned from my own godmother, Janet Hughes (my mother's sister) when I was a little girl and she would come to Florida to visit us in the wintertime. These are simple stitches you can find in any embroidery book: blanket stitch on the sleeves, feather stitch on the neckline, lazy daisy leaves and flowers, French knots, and pinwheel flowers.

The ruffles were a long strip of fabric gathered down the middle and applied to the back of a pair of bloomers from a favorite pattern. The fabric edges were just folded over and pressed, then rolled and whipped with a zig-zag on my trusty old Elna Diva.

More sets to come! Maybe this will be the catalyst for some ideas for other casual sets for the modern mamas. Let me know if you come up with others. I will be happily sewing for sweet Charm for lots of years!

Kaitlyn Models the Piano Recital Dress

2010-07-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I are working on the blog banner. It isn't finished yet! It suits her 16 year old sense of design and style but not quite mine. A little more fine tuning will suit my style. Love the little drawing of the faery, though!

Kaitlyn's mommy sent me the photo of Kaitlyn at the piano at her church. She played during the service! Doesn't she look angelic? I am so pleased that she has had so many opportunities to wear the dress I made earlier this year. Besides this performance, she was in two recitals and also wore the dress for her first grade portraits.

I took the photos below when she wore the dress to school for picture day. It made me smile every time I caught a glimpse of her.

100 Days of Positive Prayer

2010-07-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

The photo above and those below were taken at sunset one evening during the summer of 2008 on St. Petersburg Beach, Florida. The water was clear and beautiful and my family enjoyed a picnic dinner on the sand and watched the sunset before we went home. We live 15 minutes from this spot. My heart aches for all the creatures who depend on this habitat and for the people who use, need, and enjoy it.

The members and friends of Unity churches throughout Florida are praying the following prayer for the Gulf for 100 days . Won't you join us?

(Invocation by Charles Fillmore)

I am now in the presence of pure Being, and immersed in the Holy Spirit of life, love, and wisdom. I acknowledge Thy presence and Thy power O blessed Spirit, and from Thy pure substance of love bring into manifestation my world according to Thy perfect law.

Prayer

In a state of divine union with God, I open my heart to allow the energy of pure love and appreciation to flow from me to everyone and everything.

In the pure love of God, I am one with the earth, the air, the water, the soil, the trees, the plants and all their life-giving organisms. I am one with all beings on the earth. I honor, respect and cherish all living things.

In the pure love of God, I release all thoughts, behaviors, beliefs and ideas that are not in harmony with the highest and best good for all.

In the pure love of God, I make wise choices and take right actions to preserve our planet for ourselves and all future generations.

In the pure love of God, I hold all countries, corporations, businesses, organizations, institutions, and their leaders in prayer for harmony, peace, collaboration, wisdom and smart decisions for the highest and best good of our planet and its peoples.

In the pure love of God, I am united with all spiritually conscious beings. Together we hold the high watch for positive change for our world. In the name of all that is sacred, we daily lift our world family in prayer for health, peace, love, joy, wisdom, prosperity and safety. AMEN.

To the Gulf: I am sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.

Sweet Baby "Charm"

2010-07-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

This is sweet Delaney Kate at one day old. Isn't she just gorgeous?!

Here I am holding this darling bundle. I was privileged to spend several hours with Charm and her mommy Lauri at the hospital the day after she was born. What a delight!

The next photo is of Charm and her mommy seven days later in her pretty nursery. I put the 'cap' I made her on for the photo. (It may be the only time she wears it!) That was a yawn, by the way. She wasn't crying. Lauri had just fed her and she was worn out!

Charm and her sister Cassidy, age 6 1/2.

Charm with sisters Cassidy and Ashlyn (almost 10 yrs.).

I am looking forward to seeing my girls next weekend!

Charm's First Nightie Part 3: The Bonnet

2010-06-05T04:43:00.000-07:00

I am in baby heaven! Little Charm was born this past week. She is just beautiful! She weighed 9 pounds and is 21 inches long. That is a really big baby for her tiny, less than 5 feet tall, mommy! Her given name is Delaney Kate but I've been calling her Charm for so long that changing over is going to be tough for me. She is a charmer to be sure with her beautiful pink plump cheeks and perfect little round head! Her sweet mommy had a rough time but all is well in the end. God is so good....all the time!

I just had to make a little bonnet to go with the drawstring nightie I made her. Her mommy had said 'no bonnets' but I called this a 'cap' because it is the plainest little bonnet I've ever made! I don't think it counts as a bonnet so I didn't really break the 'rules'. Right?
I just drew a swirly line on the brim section and embroidered flowers in the colors I used for the smocking and embroidered roses on the nightie.

I used the same silk satin ribbon to adorn the sides of the 'cap' as I used to closed the bottom of the nightie.

I have a feeling that this cap won't fit for long, although it is supposed to go up to size 13 pounds. I hope Lauri uses it! More to come!

Charm's First Nightie Part 2

2010-05-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

This is the little nightgown I made for my dear friend Lauri's new baby girl. It is not as elaborate or fancy as I like to do but I think it has a sweetness about it, a 'charm' all its own. The baby's name is still a secret and I have been calling her by her nickname for months: Charm. It is just perfect for the third girl in a family! Her sisters, Ashlyn and Cassidy, have nicknames, too. They are Chief and Champ and their names suit them, too.

I love babies in white clothing but Lauri had asked for 'no white, no ironing, and no lace'. Well, there is the tiniest bit of French cotton lace on the sleeves but it is so small that I don't think it counts as lace! Blue Imperial batiste was chosen for its easy care and softness. I used Grace Knott's nightie pattern and lengthened it just a bit before adding the casing at the bottom for the blue silk ribbon to travel through to close the gown at the toes.

The smocking design is one by Peanutbutter and Jelly Kids. I restrained myself and only embroidered three roses. I do so love to embroider roses! (My favorite flower!)

Tiny French lace at the wrists of the smocked sleeves.

Tiny antique mother of pearl buttons to close the back.

The gown with the ribbon untied.

Lauri did love the gown when she first saw it at the shower the first Friday in May. I hope it is used to bring Charm home from the hospital. (I hope her eyes are blue like her mommy's, too!) Just a couple more weeks and she will be with us! More 'charming' clothes to share soon!

Piano Recital Dress for Kaitlyn

2010-05-15T04:44:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn's Recital Dress

What fun I had making this dress! Kaitlyn's mommy came to me early this year with several pieces of musical note fabric that she had purchased and a request for me to make a recital dress in the spring. Kaitlyn is in the first grade and would be in two recitals (at two different places). She started playing the piano a little more than a year ago and is in my Piano Club at school.

I knew immediately that I would only use two of the fabrics that she gave me and that I would add solid black as an accent. Kaitlyn's mommy wanted a full skirt for twirling and a big sash. As she talked I started sketching and the finished dress is almost exactly like the sketch. There was a beautiful piece of Venice lace in the bag with the fabrics that her mommy hoped that I would use. I added it to the first pair of sleeves and just felt that it was too much so I made a second set of sleeves and finished them with a bias binding.

The black border hem, sash, piping and the bias binding is a beautiful piece of cotton satin batiste from Farmhouse Fabrics. It is a lighter weight than the quilting cottons used in the dress so I doubled it everywhere. I purchased 1 1/2 yards and used every scrap! By the way, I wash and dry all cotton and silk fabrics that I use before cutting so that there will be no surprise shrinking when the garment is laundered.

The pattern I chose for the dress is Kari Mecca's Sweetheart dress. I love this pattern. The neckline is so lovely. The dress was finished with a purchased red satin bow that is attached with a jewelry pin back.

There will be pictures of Kaitlyn wearing the dress to share soon! As always, the photos are clickable to enlarge if you wish to see more detail. I really liked the way this came out and hope you do, too!

2010-05-14T03:22:00.000-07:00

Mothers' Day 2010

I have been so neglectful of this blog! I feel guilty and I hate that. (Wish we could just banish the 'G' word!!!) Mothers' Day was delightful with my mother and my sister and her family here for dinner. What a blessing! My mother had a procedure performed on her leg to get better blood flow to her foot at the end of April that didn't work that led to bypass surgery that did. She did so well in the hospital this time! What a relief! What a blessing to share another Mothers' Day with her!

Aren't my children beautiful? I can't believe that they aren't babies anymore. Victoria-Rose is 16 and Logan is 15. I stand at 5' 7" and I am wearing 2 inch heels in the above picture and my son towers over me! How did this happen?! He was such a tiny thing when he was born, wearing preemie clothing for more than 2 months! I am blessed beyond measure with these two. God is so good to me!

More things to share. I have been sewing, etc.

Have a wonderful day!

More for the Portrait Gallery

2010-04-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am adding a few more pictures to the Portrait Gallery (see side bar of my blog). The picture above is of darling Natalie and her grandmother's dog. The dress is one of my favorites and is smocked with a Pat Garretson design. Her beautiful smocking designs can be found at http://patgarretsonheirlooms.com/index.html.
Here Natalie is wearing an adorable bonnet with a scalloped brim and a lace trimmed frill framing her beautiful little face.

This is the lovely Catherine in an eyelet dress nearly identical to Natalie's with the same smocking design stitched in shades of pink. I really think these eyelet dresses make lovely special portrait clothing. They are classically pretty and so very feminine.

If you have the time, check out the other sweeties in special outfits made by me.

Emma Models!

2010-04-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

I love this shot! Emma had so many 'poses'. So cute!
Emma looks so much like her mommy in this picture! I remember her in elementary school!

The dress fit her perfectly and she loved it.

Cassidy's Bunny Dress

2010-04-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my all time favorite creations. I made it three years ago for my godchild Cassidy's third birthday. My inspiration was the "Teddy Bear's Picnic" dress in AS&E # 75. She adores that stuffed gray bunny and has since very shortly after her birth. 'Bunny' appears in many pictures of Cassidy over the years. He really bears no resemblance to the bunny he once was but like the Velveteen Rabbit, he has become 'real'. He is so precious that he no longer leaves the house for fear that he might get lost.

I used another pattern in the same AS&E issue to make the size 3 dress and based the flowers and bees on the ones in the floral cotton print. As I had hoped, the dress was beloved and will be a keepsake to be saved along with 'Bunny'. I hope that I will be able to create a similar dress with an embroidered 'lovey' for her baby sister (due in May) someday!

Emma's Flights of Fancies

2010-04-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! Happy Spring! I hope that you are having a lovely day with your families or friends. My sweet daughter sang in the church choir this morning. Lovely! Later this afternoon we will be going to my wonderful sister's home for dinner. She is having more than 22 people! My only job is the deserts. My husband's job is to bring extra chairs and tables. We sure are getting off easy! Thank you, Kathleen!

What can be more evocative of Spring than butterflies? (Especially PINK ones!) This little size 2 outfit was made for the cutest little blonde blue-eyed charmer. This is the sixth special outift I have made for her. I finished it last Sunday and I believe Emma wore it to see the Easter Bunny this past week.

I used a pattern from one of the Big Four companies but altered it a bit to make it more heirloom in appeal. The original pattern called for a single layer bodice, bias binding at the neck, and a back zipper. I completely lined the bodice and changed the closure to a button back style. The little buttons in the back are mother-of-pearl flowers.

Back View

The sleeves are cute with the little inverted pleat at the bottom.

I will post pictures of this one modeled by Miss Emma soon.

Aurora's Eyelet Easter Ensemble

2010-04-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, I really love white eyelet dresses! I love pink and green, too, and roses are my favorite flower. Can you tell that I enjoyed making this three-piece ensemble?

Sweet Aurora is 9 months old and is visiting her grandparents here in Florida for Easter. Her grandmother's reaction when she first saw the dress really made my day. She cried! Unfortunately, my photos aren't good. I took them at 6:30 AM in a big hurry and the bonnet pictures were the worst. Please take my word for it: The bonnet was just darling (even if I do say so myself!). The bonnet ribbons are silk satin and I embroidered the same rose on each bonnet loop as the roses on the smocking. The back closes with button loops and mother-of-pearl buttons in which I embroidered more roses.

The dress is one that I have made before but with a different smocking plate. This time I used a 1987 plate by Ellen McCarn called 'Katherine'.

Charm's First Nightie Part 1

2010-04-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

This is the little daygown front and sleeves that I started a few weeks ago. The smocking and bullion embriodery are complete and this is awaiting construction. Charm is due at the end of May and the baby shower will be at the end of April. Charm will be her nickname and her given name is still undecided. (Third sweet daughter for my dear friend: "Three times the charm!")

The smocking plate is "Taylor Rae" by Peanut Butter-n-Jelly Kid's Designs. The roses are more full-blown than those on the plate. Since there would be only three of them I wanted them to really make a statement. Charm's mommy asked that I not make anything white (my favorite for babies) and really limit the lace. She also wants things that are easy-care so this is Imperial Batiste with the tiniest French lace I have in my stash.

This little trailing vine of flowers will go on the little bonnet brim. This will be it's only adornment (I am trying to make 'plain' but it is so hard for me!!!)

I have had to put this aside to make two outfits for customers but I hope to get back to it next week.

Portrait Gallery and a Little Inspiration

2010-03-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

Since I have been in a little bit of a sewing slump the past couple of weeks, I thought I would share one of my favorite Easter dresses. I made this for my sweet baby girl 14 years ago when she was almost 2 and a half. The dress is smocked from the shoulder. I combined two old Australian Smocking and Embroidery designs and added my own embroidery around the neck and the bottom of the smocking. I hand feather stitched the hem up. (Goodness, that took a LONG time around 90 inches of skirt!). The dress was roomy enough and long enough that she was able to wear it through two springs and summers. I loved it on her! My godchild, Jordan Leigh also wore the dress for two years a few years later. It is now packed in acid-free paper awaiting Victoria-Rose's little girl. (I sure hope she has at least one daughter with all that has been saved for her!!!)

This is a picture of my mother with Victoria-Rose. I have added another shot with the two of them and Logan in a pleated and feather stitched shirt and blue gingham short-all in a new section of my blog: Portrait Gallery. There are three posts there already showing some of the cuties in things that I have made. Please check it out! It is under the section to the right called My Other Creations. I will be adding to that section from time to time.

I am very happy to report that I am officially out of my 'sewing slump'! Hooray! All it took was giving myself permission to put aside the things that I had been working on to begin the special baby things for my dear friend Lauri's baby girl due in May. Oooooo how I love to make baby clothes! I have the smocking begun on a little daygown that I hope Lauri will use to take the baby home from the hospital. I'll give a sneak peak soon!

Old-Fashioned Valentines

2010-02-15T15:00:00.000-08:00

I had such fun making these old timey valentines for my family this year! I used my scrapbooking supplies, old Mary Englebreit (love her work!) desk calendar pages, and some heart doilies. Each one is different and made for a special person in my family. They remind me of the valentines my third grade teacher (in the 60's) had us make for our parents. It was the first time I had ever seen a heart shaped doily! I made some for all my small godchildren and their moms, too, but I forgot to photograph them.

This one is for my Tim. (All are clickable if you want to enlarge them to see any details.)

This one is for my beautiful daughter.

This one is for my handsome 15 year old son.

This one is for my mother.

Perhaps next year you would like to make some old timey valentines! Just give yourself enough time. I didn't and I was working until late Saturday night finishing up!

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T14:17:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day! I hope you have had as nice a day as I have had. My sweetie gave me a lovely card that made me cry, a box of chocolate that had a recordable button that told me he loves me in his own voice, and a teddy bear with an 'I love you' banner'. I made old fashioned Valentines and a lovely brunch for my family. We plan on going to the movies after dinner tonight to see Percy Jackson and the Olypians.

It has been a month to the day since I have blogged. (Shame on me!) I have done precious little sewing but lots of Mom's Taxi Service and cooking. Both my teens have been very busy with performances (piano and theater) and my time has been so limited.

Since I have no sewing to share I thought I'd show you the little tree that stays up all year and is decorated according to the season. (I showed you the Autumn 'look' here:)

This is the little Valentine Faery tree topper that I purchased last month at Home Goods.

I made the doves for our first Christmas in this house 18 years ago. The butterfly faery ornament was just given to me by my heart sister, Jana. If you look closely you can see the little silver heart frame with the photo of our family when Rosebud was just 1 and I was pregnant with Logan. He was due on Valentines Day but was born almost three weeks early. The pink Ann Estelle valentine was made by Jana for me a few years ago. The cloisonne' heart in the background is one of two very similar ones that I received for Christmas in 1999. One from my mother and one from my Mickey (stepmother). I found it delightful and a little spooky that they both gave me the same gift without consulting each other!

This is another of Jana's valentines to me. Isn't she creative?

A companion boy faery purchased at Home Goods. I love his little smirky face! The crystal heart under his left hand was an ornament we bought to celebrate our first married Christmas in 1991.

Thank you for stopping by! I promise to do better with my blogging this month! Come again!

"Honey Bear" Sewing Progress

2010-01-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

The hand embroidery is complete on this project! I so enjoyed every stitch I made! (Except maybe for all the tiny French knots needed for the honey dripping over the pot. There were so many!) You may click on the photos to enlarge them, if you wish. To the left in the above photo you see the sleeve cuffs. In the center is the embroidery for the bodice of the dress. To the right is the floral spray for the bonnet brim. Do you like it so far?

Sadly, I need to put this project aside for a little while to work on two of the others that I need to finish first. I do love hand work in the evening, though, and may have to begin one of the embroidered sections of another project just to have on hand when I am really too tired for the sewing room.

Simple Abundance

2010-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

My Heart Sister Jana gave this book to me as a gift a few months ago. What a treasure it is! This is a day book of inspiration unlike any I have read before. Each day has given me something to think about and is helping to see things in a different light. Sarah Ban Brethnach has amazing insight!

The message for January 11 really resonated with me. I want to share parts of it with you. I hope it touches something in you.

"It's time we put thoughts of lack behind us. It's time for us to discover the secrets of the stars, to sail to an uncharted land, to open up a new heaven where our spirits can soar. But first we'll have to make changes. And lasting change does not happen overnight. Lasting change happens in infinitesimal increments: a day, an hour, a minute, a heartbeat at a time. And the change I'm encouraging you to make with me is fundamental. Take a deep breath. We're going to learn to become optimists.

"Now be reassured. Optimism, like the happiness habit, can be learned. Start today with a little experiment. Smile at everyone you meet. Today expect something good to happen to you no matter what occurred yesterday. Realize the past no longer holds you captive.....A simply abundant world awaits." (The emphasis is mine.) Isn't Sarah wonderful? I more than highly recommend this book. It can be life changing!!!

Hannah Rose Models the Nightgown!

2010-01-11T19:18:00.000-08:00

Hannah Rose's mother emailed me these photos of Hannah on Christmas Eve. Doesn't she look lovely in her special nightgown? She plays the piano beautifully, by the way. She loves it and it shows in the way she plays. She has only been taking lessons for about a year but she has progressed through several years of material already.

Love those slippers! Doesn't her face capture the excitement of waiting for Santa ?

Christmas morning brings a happy Hannah with her new Molly doll dressed in the matching nightgown.

January and February Sewing Plans

2010-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

I have a very hard time doing just one thing at a time! I bet most of you are much more orderly than I am. My mind starts going in so many directions that I feel like I have to begin at once before I forget what I was thinking about doing!

These are the five projects I want to complete before the end of February. By blogging about these plans, I hope to make myself complete them on time! This first one was actually designed in November and will probably go into my Grandmother's Hope Chest. (Do you have one of those, too?) The floral is a lovely piece I bought on sale a couple of years ago. It has a lovely 'hand' and washed and ironed beautifully. The little bodice will be hand embroidered on butter yellow cotton with designs from an AS&E magazine. The dress is not cut out but the bonnet piece has been pleated for smocking and the embroidery for the dress is 75% complete.

Project #2 is for a size two sundress/hat/and panties. The tiny bodice will be hand embroidered and the skirt smocked. This set has been cut out.

Project #3 will be a sundress and panties. The dress will be made using a vintage pillowcase. Isn't the crochet work lovely? This tiny bodice will also be embroidered. Nothing has been done on this project except for picking out flosses for the embroidery that coordinate with the vintage hand work on the pillowcase.

Project #4 is a commissioned piece for a 6 year old's recital dress. The fabric has been washed but I still need to order some black polished cotton for this one. Maybe tomorrow?

Project #5: "Butterflies for Emma". This is a two piece outfit for a little cutie's second birthday. Emma's grandmother babysat for my furbabies in exchange for this set. I love this arrangement! I get to make special things for a beautiful little girl in exchange for having my dogs taken care of by the most loving and caring woman. The fabric is washed and ironed and the pattern has been traced (but not cut out).

Okay, now I have to show you some progress by the end of the week, right? I better get busy! Have a great day!

Smocked Nighties for Hannah Rose and Her Doll

2010-01-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

Doll's nightgown modeled by my daughter's doll.

I was very pleased with the way these matching nighties came out! The blue was lovely (more like this first picture) and the white lace, smocking, and hand embroidery contrasted nicely. Most importantly, Hannah loved the nightgowns and kept talking about how nice the fabric felt (Imperial batiste) against her skin. She was given the nightgown on Christmas Eve and awoke to discover her new AG doll, Molly, dressed in the matching gown.

The doll's dress was made using a pattern from Martha Pullen's book Martha's Attic.

This was the last set I made in 2009 and one of the sets I most enjoyed making! Thank you, Pam, for allowing me to be a part of your vision for Hannah this Christmas.

New Year Hopes and Dreams

2010-01-01T12:32:00.000-08:00

"This year I allow myself the gift of reflection."

Daily Word January 1, 2010

I hope you all had a blessed and happy holiday (Chanukah/Christmas/ Kwanza) with your families. Ours was delightful with visits with family and friends, wonderful church services, good food, and laughter. Several highlights stand out: Victoria-Rose singing duets at the Christmas Eve service and a solo for the Kwanza celebration at our church on the 27th, my Heart Sister Jana's four day (too short) visit, both Logan and Victoria-Rose playing the piano so beautifully for guests, playing Apples to Apples with the family, and watching my Tim's favorite movie with him (It's a Wonderful Life). What blessings!

Like so many, I am glad to see 2009 depart and I am looking forward to all the wonderful times we will share in 2010. I will be reading Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach. In today's reading Sarah says, "This year, instead of resolutions, write down your most private aspirations. Those longings you have kept tucked away until the time seems right. Trust that now is the time." I actually did that this morning for the very first time in my life. I wrote down more than a dozen hopes/dreams/ aspirations that I will try to make happen in 2010. This will be an amazing year!

I must quote Sarah's last paragraph for today because I could never say this any better than she has: "Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing. Believe in yourself. And believe that there is a loving Source--a Sower of Dreams--just waiting to be asked to help you make your dreams come true."

Emma's Holiday Dress

2009-12-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Isn't she adorable? Emma will be two in January and is already talking up a storm. Her grandmother (another Karen) is a friend of mine and I made this little dress as a "thank you" for grooming my fur-babies the last time she took care of them for me. The pattern is my all-time favorite "Annie's Sundress and Jumper" by Beth Dix of Primrose Lane.

Emma's mommy sent these pictures taken at a Cookie Exchange. I love seeing the things I make modeled!

Hannah Rose's Nightie Part 2

2009-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Smocking on the gown for Hannah is complete, as is the embroidery for the bodice. The dollie's gown is smocked but the embroidery is just traced at this time. The gown is smocked using an adapted portion of an old smocking plate by Terry Collins: "Angela" 1983. I made up the smaller doll's smocking plate to match. The embroidery is from a design by Sarah Howard Stone in her book Hand Sewing For Infants, a gift from my Heart Sister Jana. (Thank you again, Sweetie!)

Dolly's Holiday Dress

2009-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

I was delighted to receive this commission for a holiday outfit for a friend to give as part of her gift for a special young lady. Her only requirement was to make it festive. (I love it when a request is so simple. It gives me a chance to really do something special.) The dress was made using a pattern I haven't used before: Primrose Lane's "The Princess Dress". Beth Dix has long been one of my favorite designer's and I was itching to get the chance to make this one. The panties were from Pat Garretson's smocked doll dress pattern and the slip was made w/o a pattern. The slip and panties puffed the dress out nicely!

Tiny English cotton edging and Imperial Batiste.

The only thing I would change about the pattern is to make the sashes longer. I like them to hang down the dress more. Beth gives the option to use velcro to close the dress but I like using the buttons. I say a prayer before making the tiny buttonholes, though!

I made up a simple smocking design using the red and green and gold of the dress fabric. I must say that I hated smocking with the gold floss. It was a pain! There are little gold glass beads in the smocking in two sizes. The sleeves are smocked in a cable stitch in the green floss.

Hannah Rose's Nightie Part 1

2009-12-19T06:28:00.000-08:00

A sweet friend has commissioned me to make a nightgown for her 9 year old and her new doll for Christmas Eve. I was delighted to be asked. I have known Hannah Rose since she was almost 2 years old and I was proud to be her kindergarten teacher. Hannah Rose is like my own Victoria-Rose was in body type and purchasing or making age appropriate clothing that fits is a challenge. In all the hundred's (no exaggeration) of patterns I have, none would fit Hannah that matched what Pam (mommy) and I had in mind. Soooooo I set out to make my own pattern. Since this nightgown will be given to her on Christmas Eve, I cannot fit the pattern to her and am hoping for the best. We chose a sleeveless style because it is warm here in Florida most of the year and Hannah Rose really dislikes the feel of sleeves when she is sleeping.

Blue batiste to go with her pretty eyes and lovely English lace.

I have already begun the smocking and embroidery since these photos were taken. I will post the progress made soon.

Holiday Raffle For the P.T.A.

2009-12-13T07:16:00.000-08:00

On the last Friday in October my school had a Fall Festival that was well attended. There are all sorts of games, food, and fun for the families at a very low cost. Last year I started my own personal tradition of making some things for our PTA to raffle to help defray some of their costs. It proved very successful. This year I made an outfit for 18 inch dolls like the American Girl Doll and a size 6-7 Christmas outfit for a little girl. I took photos of the doll outfit and blogged about it in November but realized that I hadn't taken any photos of the child's outfit! (I still can't believe it!) Fortunately, a friend at school took these photos and emailed them to me. The outfits were displayed on the counter of the office for a week before the festival.

This little cape was lined in red and appliqued with a couple of the motifs from the dress fabric.

The dress is the Petal Knot Dress from Portabellopixie and was made with two companion holiday novelty prints and a piece of white eyelet.

The little peasant blouse was made from the eyelet fabric with some pretty cluny lace on the sleeves.

Yes, that is me in our cafeteria selling the raffle tickets. I love that pumpkin hat and have worn it every Fall Festival for at least 8 years! My daughter just laughs amd my son winces! I am proud to say that we sold over 130 tickets for these outfits!

Newborn Christmas Ensemble

2009-12-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I was actually sorry to wrap this project up. I enjoyed this one from start to finish. It is all wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a cloth covered keepsake box ready to be delivered to a very special baby girl.

I used the "Adore'e" pattern by Kay Treble in Australian Smocking & Embroidery #78 for the patterns for the dress, diaper cover (panties), and booties. The bonnet pattern is adapted for a newborn from a Grace Knott pattern.

I added about 8 and one half inches to the length of the dress to make it a daygown and replaced the machine scalloped edging with French lace. I also used a different smocking plate for the dress and bonnet. I used Ellen McCarn's 1981 "First Christmas" plate. I adapted the second design (Holly) for the bonnet. This plate is still available at many online shops. I checked one of my favorites before posting (farmhousefabrics.com) and they have it and many other great Ellen McCarn plates.

I hope you enjoyed looking at my new creation as much as I did making it!

Booties for Baby

2009-12-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

Aren't they the sweetest little things?! I have been sewing and smocking for years and yet these are my first booties. I love them! I used the pattern by Kay Treble of Queensland in Australian Smocking and Embroidery #78. These are part of the baby ensemble I am making as a gift for a new little sweetheart born to friends last week.

It is hard to believe that this small pleated and partially smocked scrap of fabric will turn into a little covering for tiny pink toes, isn't it? The only changes I made to the original design is the addition of the French lace and the embroidered berries and leaves. The original had a machine scalloped edging and an embroidered rose to match the smocking in the rest of the ensemble. Although the construction was a little 'fiddly' due to the tininess of the bootie, I will definitely be making these again. A pair will need to go into my Grandmother's Hope Chest because Victoria-Rose squealed with delight when she saw these!

What an Honor!

2009-12-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

AS&E Issues #39 and #89

One of my favorite magazines of all time is Australian Smocking and Embroidery. I have every issue from #21 through #89 with a few of the even earlier editions. The beautiful photography, gorgeous children, clear patterns, and lovely projects have inspired many of my own projects. I was thrilled in 1997 to have a photo of my sweet Victoria-Rose published in the Reader's Gallery of issue #39. Her's is the center photo on the bottom in the next photo.
Yesterday the latest issue (#89) was in my mailbox and it is a beauty! Now I need to tell you that I savor this magazine like fine Hagen Daz ice cream. No quick gobbling for me. I take my time. I turn the pages slowly and read every word and look at every advertizement. Imagine my surprise and delight to read that my blog is mentioned in a new feature called Things We Love! At first my thoughts were, "I can't believe that there is another blog with my title". Then it hit me! That is MY BLOG that they are talking about! To say that I am thrilled is a tremendous understatement!

There is something for everyone in this issue and five of the items were designed by American needle artists! There are 9 stunning projects that range from a T-yoke infant dress with lovely embroidery to a smocked and beaded notebook cover. One little girl's top features smocking over the ribs in a sweater! The patterns range in size from infant to 10 years. Wonderful!

Pink and Mint Sneak Peek

2009-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Aren't these sweet colors? I just love white on babies and this set is a gift for a precious little girl born a couple of days ago. I have three of the five pieces in the set complete and the other pieces just need a few more hours. I didn't use the traditional red/bright green for two reasons. I think newborns look best in paler shades and I wanted to see if I could make a holiday set in pastels. I think that it is coming along nicely! I hope that you do, too!

Sweet Sixteen

2009-11-29T23:59:00.000-08:00

My baby girl was sixteen last week. Where has the time gone?! I have loved every moment of being this child's mother. She is the sweetest, most thoughtful, caring, and loving young woman you could ever hope to meet. What a blessing she is to all who know her!

Victoria-Rose wanted to go to Disney World for her birthday. We live about two hours away from the Magic Kingdom but we don't go very often. This was a big treat for all of us. The picture below was taken the day before at Downtown Disney. That tall young man is my son, Logan. He will be 15 in two months. How did he get to be taller than his mother?! The handsome silver fox is my sweet husband, Tim.

Victoria-Rose's current favorite princess is Aurora. She is currently singing in a group that sings only Disney songs (non-profit) and she plays the part of Aurora in one of the medleys.

Well, this wasn't a Sweet Sixteen event like those you can watch on those 'reality' T.V. shows but my Rosebud is in a league all her own. She was delighted with her weekend and we are delighted with her!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

2009-11-29T18:13:00.000-08:00

It was time to take down the little Autumn Tree in my kitchen annex today. I loved the little faery in the branches that I found in Home Goods in September. Faeries make me smile! Next weekend I hope to have this tree all decked out in angels for the Winter holidays.

As I put the flowers and bows back in the boxes used to store all the Autumn decorations I had time to reflect on how very lucky I am. I have a wonderful life! I am married to a truly GOOD man whom I love and who loves me. I have two miracle babies that have grown into remarkable teenagers. My mother is getting close to her 81st birthday and is able to spend time every week with us. I have a sweet and caring sister who had us all over for Thanksgiving. I have dear, dear friends, a church I feel at home in, a job I love, sewing internet friends, and great neighbors. All my needs are being met. God is good....ALL the time! Thank you. Thank you, God!

Holiday Ensemble for 18" Dolls

2009-11-12T18:00:00.000-08:00

I made this ensemble for our PTA to raffle at our Fall Festival. I also made a little girl's outfit for a second raffle. I'll post those pictures another day. I was delighted by the response to the outfits and thrilled to be able to help out in this way. I was so pleased that this raffle was won by one of my former students who just loves her American Girl Dolls. I wonder which one of Hannah's dolls will wear this on Christmas Day?

The dress fabric is a late 1990's Daisy Kingdom print that was sent to me by one of my sewing friends on a sewing forum that brings me much inspiration and joy. Thank you, Marilyn! The French lace around the neck was tea-dyed to match the cream color in the print and the tiny red buttons were left from a dress I made my daughter 13 years ago.

The ivory eyelet was given to me by another dear friend who inherited it from a sewing angel named Julie. Thank you, Audra! It was exactly enough for the panties and petticoat. I know Julie is smiling in heaven knowing that a little girl was made so happy by her gift.

Yummy Cake

2009-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was so pleased to be asked to make my godchild Jordan's 11 birthday cake recently. She asked for a white cake with cream cheese icing and fruit. I used vanilla and almond flavorings in the batter for the cake and a jar of seedless raspberry spreadable fruit as the filling. I made a large batch of cream cheese frosting flavored with more vanilla and almond extracts. The frosting is easy and delicious.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 whole 8 oz. pkg. reg. cream cheese, softened

1 and 3/4 boxes 10X confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)

small amount of milk

1 teaspoon each vanilla and almond extracts

Beat sugar into softened cheese, adding a little milk (1 teaspoon at a time) until just shy of desired consistency. Beat in extracts and more milk (if needed) for spreading.

My mother requested an orange and strawberry cake for her 80th birthday. I substitued the grated peel of a navel orange for the almond flavoring (but left in the vanilla). It tasted like a Dreamcicle (orange/vanilla popcicle). It made me happy to make my mother happy!

Autumn Is In the Air For Dolls, Too

2009-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

I just love sewing for dolls! There is never a fitting problem and they smile at everything I make! Some of the very first things that I sewed as a child were clothes for my Chatty Cathy. (Do you remember her?) I was quite brave as a little girl and tackled dressmaking without a pattern and sewed the little dresses all by hand. I wish I still had those early creative attempts!

This little 4-piece set was purchased with several other sets as a special birthday present for a special little girl. The applique on the front of the tunic top is taken from a larger Halloween print. The smokey pearl buttons match the charcoal stripe in the plaid. The white linen peasant blouse is trimmed with grosgrain ribbon to coordinate with the applique thread and can be worn with the shorts without the tunic. I had fun decorating the tiny autumn shopping/gift bag with little Mary Englebrite calendar pictures. Aren't those little brown suede maryjane's cute?

My Homecoming Sweetie

2009-11-08T05:36:00.000-08:00

My lovely daughter, Victoria-Rose went to the Homecoming Dance last night with her friends. Isn't she beautiful? It is hard for me to believe that we were waiting for her almost 16 years ago. It feels like yesterday! She was a wonderful baby, toddler, little girl, and tween and now she is an amazing young woman. My angel-baby is almost grown-up. I keep saying that I wish I could freeze time just a little so that I could have more time with my children. I am so very blessed!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day

2009-11-08T04:26:00.000-08:00

The Big Day

Update: We had a wonderful day on Jumpstart's Read For the Record: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day! It was such fun to see my creations enjoyed. Maddie's mom purchased the skort from me and Cassidy wore the dress I made for her birthday.

I didn't have time to make myself a Very Hungry Caterpillar outfit but I pinned some paper copies of the famous caterpillar to my green straw hat and wore a butterfly blouse. My daughter (age 15) and I loved it and I wore it all day. My husband laughed (he's used to me) and my son (age 14) just shook his head and made sure I wasn't picking him up from high school that day!

A simply delightful mom of one of my students went all out for the day, too. She pinned a purchased set of felt story telling props made by Eric Carle onto a green shirt for her son and dressed up her baby daughter as the butterfly! Soooooo cute!

We did lots of special things with the class. The favorite was coloring sequence pictures of the story and cutting them out and gluing them to a large green leaf. Then every child had a story telling aide to use when retelling the story to their parents that night.

Happy children + a great theme = a happy teacher!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

2009-10-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

Jumpstart's Read For the Record has asked everyone to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle on October 8th (For more information go to http://www.ericcarleblog.blogspot.com/ .) I love Eric Carle's books with their bright colorful illustrations and was delighted last July when I saw on his museum page that he has fabric lines based on two of his books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? I quickly purchased several lengths of fabric from both lines with visions of caterpillars dancing in my head! If you wish to see the full lines go to Mr. Carle's museum page at http://www.eric-carle.com/museum.html.

Three of the four Eric Carle inspired outfits are for my sweet godchild Cassidy who turned 6 in mid September.

First in the line up is a shorts set for Cassidy made using a retro Simplicity pattern from 1970 and the Brown Bear fabrics. It tickled me to use this pattern that was designed and printed a few years before Cassidy's mommy was even born! I needed to add a little length to the shorts, though. We were really wearing things SHORT back then!

Back View

This capris set was made using three of the fabrics from the Caterpillar fabric line. There are little caterpillars and the book title all over the white fabric

Back View

This is a little skort I made using one of the sections of the panel fabric.

Back View

I saved my favorite for last. In the following photo Cassidy watches as her father holds up her birthday gift from me. I really had fun with this one! I used five of the fabrics in the Caterpillar line and lots of trims. The white cotton peasant blouse that I made for this dress looks so pretty with it. The dress can be worn without it, too! I am looking forward to October 8th to see this on her!

Back View

I hope that you like these Eric Carle inpired designs. I had such fun making them!

Baby Clothes

2009-10-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

I just LOVE to make baby clothes! I have a friend who will be having a little girl in November and I have just started a sweet white smocked infant ensemble for her. While working on this project (and some others) I began reminiscing. I've made LOTS of sweet baby things starting with the christening dress I made my niece 23 years ago. It was pretty but I have come a long way since then! Here are some of the outfits that I have made for little ones in recent years. If you want to see some others, just press on the link to Past Projects.

This one was hand embroidered using a vintage reproduction of a Martha White embroidery pattern and a vintage style Kari Me Away jacket pattern.

The bubble is made using a coordinating embroidery design and a bubble pattern from Children's Corner.

This was my own adaptation of a square joked pattern. I added the smocking.

I just love this little hat! It looks like a baby fairy would wear it while sitting in the middle of a pink chrysanthemum!

This set was made for a baby boy. The sheep on the blanket was appliqued and then hand embroidered. The onsie and socks were smocked over the ribs of the fabric and then hand embroidered. The blanket was lined with cotton flannel and piped all the way around. The jacket is made from the same pattern as the little yellow checked one and is also appliqued and hand embroidered.

I love smocked bishop style dresses on babies! The smocking around the neckline brings attention to their sweet little faces and they are so comfortable for them to wear with the raglan sleeves. They are able to wear them for a longer time, too. This is one I called Ladybug Surprise because I put tiny ladybird beetle buttons down the back, on the smocking, and on the bonnet ribbon ties.

This next bishop has a shaddow worked bow and more hand embroidery at the hemline. It is daygown length (to the ankles) and has a matching bonnet. (Please excuse the white mark on the photo. I removed the baby's name.)

Another bishop set that I loved making was this short one. It is hard to see in this photo (scanned into my computer) but the smocking on the pink diaper shirt and bonnet is lavender. The French lace is gorgeous in person, too!

This is Megan in her pale blue bishop daygown and bonnet. There is embroidery at the hemline of this one, too, but you can't see it in the photo.

This little floral number was made from such a soft fabric!

This eyelet set is smocked in lavenders and embroidered with pink flowers. I even smocked the legs of the bloomers so that elastic would not hurt the baby's legs! Silk ribbon ties with hand embroidered flowers adorn the simple bonnet made from the cotton eyelet.

The outfit above modeled by beautiful Emma.

This next outfit was made using a 1951 pattern for the little dress. It is embroidered in pinks, greens, and baby blue and edged in French Lace. The bloomers are smocked in blue at the leg openings.

The bonnet I made to match the above dress is one of my absolute favorite bonnets I have ever made!

I hope you enjoyed my stroll down Memory Lane as much as I have! Did you like my baby clothes?

Thank You Sundresses

2009-09-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

Classroom Volunteer Gifts

I am a kindergarten teacher who is blessed to work in a school that I love. The families are involved in their children's education and many of them volunteer countless hours at the school in various capacities. I have been so fortunate to have had wonderful volunteers in my classroom over the years. Many of these lovely ladies have become my friends. How lucky is that?! A couple of years ago I wondered what I could do to say a proper 'thank you' at the end of the school year. I came up with a gift from the heart: sewing. I made sundresses for their daughters and I have recently started making coloring totes for their sons. Here are a few of the dresses I've made. More are posted under the title Sundresses under Past Creations (look on the right hand side for the clickable section). These were fun to do and each was made with love!

Camila's Dress

Amber's Dress

Jaedyn's Dress

Another for Camila

Isabela's Dress

Backless Halter Style

This backless halter style is hard to check out without a model but it is gathered with elastic in the back at the waistline.

Kaitlyn's Dress

Back to School!

2009-08-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sewing For the First Day

Tomorrow will be the first day back to school for many of the country's children. Mommies and grammies everywhere are putting the finishing touches on their little darlings First Day outfits, making special lunches for the brand new lunch boxes (and writing love notes), and packing up the school supplies for the big event. Some have even arranged a bouquet and/or polished an apple or two for the new teacher. Here in Florida, our first day was August 25th and I had the privilege of making my godchild's First Day of Kindergarten dress. I also have the pleasure of being her teacher! The photo at the top of this post is of my godchild, Cassidy, and me before school started on the 25th.

Making her dress brought back sweet memories of making my own daughter's school wardrobe. I not only made her First Day outfits, I made her a special dress for every day of the first week of school! My sweet Victoria-Rose is now a sophomore in high school and she has long outgrown the desire to wear themed school clothing. Luckily, I still get to make these special outfits for other special little girls!

I have selected some of my favorite First (or Second) Day outfits
to share with you:

Appliqued Apples (For V-Rose)

First Day of First Grade (V-R)

Swiss embroidered collar and appliqued pinafore bib that tied under the arms

with red satin ribbons.

The dress could be worn without the over bib, too.

First Day of Pre-K (Cassidy)

A dress of many pockets a la Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes.

Appliqued Apples Dress and Shorts (Abbey)

Cassidy's First Day of Kindergarten

Paper-Pieced Apple for Ashlyn's First Day of Kindergarten

Back View of Victoria-Rose's First Day of Kindergarten Dress

Front View

This is one of my favorite dresses!

Counterchange Smocking For Ashlyn

I loved making this dress. The colors were so pretty on Ashlyn!

Love and Kisses For Natalie

2009-08-09T08:12:00.001-07:00

From Vintage Pillowcase to Smocked Sundress

I adore vintage linens and can't seem to stop collecting them. I can do most any kind of embroidery and I know the untold hours spent in making these textile works of art. I think about the ladies making these treasures and wonder if they were made for their hopechests or as gifts for someone they love. I both hate and love when I find something this lovely in the bottom of a bin in an antique store or an estate sale. I hate that the owners had no respect for the work and have discarded it and love that I have now found a new treasure for my collection. Some things are in excellent condition and can be used as is, others need to be repaired or cut up to make a new treasure.

Many people make pillowcase style dresses using fabric yardage. They are very cute and comfy. They are quick and easy to make and sizing is rarely a problem. Lately my collection of vintage pillowcases have been 'calling to me and requesting' that they be used in some way. I decided to make pillowcase dresses and blouses out of pillowcases! This beauty is named for the sweet little one whose grandmother bought it and for the French knot O's and little cross stitched X's in the original embroidery.

I smocked the top of the pillowcase with an adaptation of Ellen McCarn's smocking plate "Jennifer". I did a less fancy version on the back and the front smocking was adorned with bullion flowers that resembled the flowers in the original embroidery. I used flosses that came close to matching the embroidery on the bottom but we have to remember that this is a vintage case that has been laundered countless times. A perfect match wasn't possible. I used the cut off section from the seamed end of the case to make a pair of panties to cover a diaper. (Using new cloth would not have matched at all!) I embroidered some flowers like those the original needle artist made on the seat of the panties for a little whimsy. This little set is one of the things that I have enjoyed working on the most. I hope you like this creation as much as I do!

The original vintage pillowcase.

The 'love and kisses' and flower hearts on the bottom.

The smocked back before blocking and finishing.

The smocking and embroidery on the panties before construction.

Close-up of the smocking.

The completed sundress and panties.

Lemonade: A Peasant Blouse

2009-08-09T07:23:00.000-07:00

Making Lemonade From Lemons

Did you ever have a time when you were sure something you were going to make would take just a couple of hours that took far longer? This sweet little peasant blouse did just that to me! It was made to go under the "Love and Kisses For Natalie" smocked sundress.

Finding the right shade of yellow gingham was the first hurdle. I wanted something soft that would meld well with the soft white of the pillowcase and the pastels of the smocking and embroidery. I went to all the stores near me with no luck. Would you believe that I found a small length of this pale yellow in my own stash? It was left from a past project and there was just enough to make the blouse and a pair of bonus bloomers. Yea! Now to cut out the pattern and begin.

Well, I now had the second hurdle to overcome: no pattern for a blouse in Natalie's size. I had a dress pattern, though, and could make my own pattern from it. Unfortunately......I didn't do such a great job drafting the pattern and the little blouse didn't have enough ease at the bottom. It needed more so that it could skim over a bulky diaper and panties. Of course, I didn't have any pieces left that were big enough to start over. Soooooooo......

I sat and stared at that little blouse and kept telling myself that there had to be a way to fix the problem! When given lemons, make lemonade!!! I remembered something that I had read about how dresses passed down in one family got prettier over time because the mother had to be creative in letting out and taking in so that it would fit her different sized daughters. She added bands of lace and insertion, ribbons, etc. I had it! I got out my hoarded stash of Swiss insertions and began playing with different designs. I cut the whole top off the blouse and added insertion all the way around, then I carefully measured and cut the bottom front vertically three times and added the insertion into each opening. I added a band of the edging used on the sleeves to the bottom and voila! It was much prettier than it had been and the necessary ease was where it needed to be. Now it could even be worn with the bonus panties without the sundress as a casual play set. Lemons to Lemonade!

The dark spot in the next picture under the insertion at the center front is the clamp holding the panties on the stand.

Pink/ Red/ White Mix & Match Doll Clothes

2009-08-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

Special Doll Clothes for a Special Little Girl

I loved making this set because I just love the little girl for whom it was made. Nadia was never in my kindergarten class but I have known her since her kindergarten days. Our meeting was momentus. Her mother was volunteering in our school cafeteria when my then 8 year old son choked on a large piece of hot dog. Logan tried to get the adult cafeteria assistant's attention but she thought he was fooling around. Nadia's mother saw him from across the room and knew something was very wrong. She saved his life by using the Heimlich Maneuver. We became good friends on that day!!! The next year Nadia joined my after school Piano Club and I have gotten to know her well. She is a talented musician and one of the sweetest young ladies I have ever met. (She is just like her mother!) Although Nadia will be starting middle school this year she still loves her 18 inch doll. This is a set I made for her this past January. To see the rest of this set and some of the other doll clothes I have made, click on the Creations for Dolls section to the right under the section My Other Creations. Enjoy!

This little outfit needed the little sweetheart necklace made of tiny glass beads and a golden charm. The skirt is reversible.

Old Fashioned Sundress Completed

2009-08-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

Great Grandmother's Rose Garden

The Dress

I am so pleased with how the dress came out! I added a couple more of the flower buttons on the skirt and embroidered some leaves around them. The skirt is quite full (80 inches). Perfect for twirling! I had enough of the large floral to make a pair of matching panties. I can just imagine a little princess twirling about in her garden wearing this pretty dress. I bet the faeries will be jealous of this one! I hope you like it as much as I do!

Auditions For an Old Fashioned Sundress

2009-08-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

Great Grandmother's Rose Garden

The Auditions

How do you start a project? Do you sketch out an idea first? Get fabrics out? Look through magazines or other people's blogs? See something in a dress shop? For me the process varies. This time I was asked to make some sundresses for a sweet little princess and I went to my fabric stash and looked for inspiration. I came up with some fat quarter bundles that I had fallen in love with last winter. I played around with them for a while and then ideas started to form. Out came the paper and pen to start sketching. Next, I went looking for some trimmings and found a vintage handkerchief, some sweet flower buttons and some pastel cluny edgings. So far, the auditons were going very well! The fabric was already washed and ironed and my favorite sundress pattern was traced....It was time to begin to sew!

I'll post the completed dress and panty set in a day or so. I can't wait to show you!

Fit for the Faeries!

2009-08-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

Fit for the Faeries
Flower Petal Dress and Tulip Hat

Thank you for stopping by! What could be more perfect for a blog with the name Butterflies & Faeries than to open it with a little ensemble that would be fit for a little faerie princess?! This was made for a little 18 month old beauty named Natalie. Her grandmother ordered a ‘petal sundress’ and this is what I came up with. I combined several patterns and designed the removable floral trims with some lovely fabrics I had in my stash.

Don’t you just love it when it all comes together? I hope you will join me again soon!