sadie's house

Fresh Lemons Giveaway

2010-08-05T17:16:00.006-04:00

I have become addicted to blogs featuring quilting with a fresh, modern look. Fresh Lemons is a great example. I have been inspired by Faith's artistry, in fact she's on my blog roll to the right! To celebrate her new blog-home, she's giving away some Amy Butler yardage -- WOW and *swoon*!
Thanks for such a great opportunity Faith! :)

Check out this great giveaway!

2010-07-28T21:11:00.003-04:00

I'll be back soon with another report of recent sewing, but I wanted to share a fabulous giveaway opportunity. If you haven't had the chance to experience Stella & Dot jewelry, this is a great time for an introduction. My friend Kat is hosting a giveaway at her clever gifting blog, Penguin's Gift. You have the chance to enter to win a great little girl's bracelet. Head on over and take a look--I know I have my eye on one for Sadie!

Blake's Vintage Jungle quilt

2010-07-20T13:57:00.007-04:00

When I attended the baby shower where I gave the Knot Dress, another friend had made the lucky baby a quilt using this pattern: Vintage Baby quilt by Kati Cupcake. I had another baby gift to make and knew I wanted to try it.This gift would be for my cousin James' baby boy-to-be. I knew the nursury was mostly blue and brown with jungle animals. I ordered a fat quarter bundle called Nutty Acorn by Timeless Treasures: I added a cute jungle animal scatter print that used the same colors. I was soooo tempted to add that cute ruffle as per the pattern, but left it off to save fabric and to "preserve" the masculinity of the quilt. I'm definitely going to go for it next time.
The other big news with this quilt is that I free-motion quilted for the first time. I was thrilled to learn that my basic but trusty Kenmore machine actually COULD be fitted with a open-toe darning foot. I was so nervous--and probably ripped out half a spool's worth of thread. The stippling is far from perfect (lots of sharp angles and crossovers), but the overall effect was still achieved--YAY!!!
I was terribly slow, and boy was it strenuous! I had chest pains for a week after I finished it, LOL. Half of the strain of quilting it came from the stress of the free-form design. Not having a set pattern to follow is WAY out of my comfort zone. I had to stare at each little section sitting on my machine, imagining the flow and direction I would take before I could even take a stitch. I hope I can improve, because I just adore the crinkly finished look.

One of the things I admire most about the quilters whose blogs I haunt (see the list at the right) are their innovative pieced backs. I made sure to add some interesting blocks from the front and a strip of that stripe that ties in all the colors. I like that the back isn't just solid (though I love that color green that I was able to match from my local quilt shop!). It is bound in a great brown dot.
The strip on the back even lines up with the thin strip on the front!

I'm super happy with the end result. The finished size of the top was 36.5x 42.5, and it lost a couple of inches each way once it was quilted. It didn't shrink much more after being washed and dried, but did soften up quite a bit. I used that yummy soft bamboo batting. I hope Baby Blake will enjoy it!

Knot Dress by Sandi Henderson

2010-07-14T23:35:00.006-04:00

I made this cute, cute knot/apron dress for another baby gift. The pattern is Claire by Sandi Henderson. This is a wonderful collection that includes 4 different patterns. The first dress I made is a size 1, made with a couple of different Moda fabrics from the Eden and Santorini lines. Also Henry Glass, Red Rooster. There are some nice construction details: the apron is two-sided, with the border being sewn between two pieces. There is also a lot of topstitiching which adds to the overall effect. The bodice is Moda Hushabye Droplets with blue/green/pink on brown. They have this on pink and brown too, you'll see the brown in another project soon. I love this--it is so versatile!
Here is the back:
I bought enough fabric to make a second one for Sadie in a size 3. This time, I added applique embellishments to the apron as suggested by the pattern. I cut out circles from the fabric, ironed it to fusible interfacing and machine stitched close to the edge. There are also ric rac stems and button accents. I was nervous about doing this, but so glad I did. I love how Sadie's dress turned out!

Amy Butler Quilt for Joshua

2010-07-13T23:36:00.002-04:00

In January I made a quilt for a coworker's baby boy. Technically this was my second quilt but the first to be machine-stitched through all layers and a hand-sewn double-fold binding. My first quilt made from Sadie's baby clothes, was stitched-in-the-ditch to the batting only, and then tied to the back. The binding was an insertion edging.

This quilt was made using the patchwork crib/playtime quilt pattern from Amy Butler's Stitches for Little Ones book.

I made it using these fabrics from Jo-Ann's despite the fact I was already becoming somewhat of a fabric snob.

I folded and rolled and posed this thing in a million configurations, and I can't believe this is the only picture I managed to get of the finished product. I used bias binding, thinking this was the most proper method, but it would have looked much better on straight grain. The pattern calls for high-loft batting for playmat purposes, and I think I used a medium loft. It is quilted using stitch-in-the ditch method.

It was a pretty simple and successful beginning quilter's project. And it's owner, Joshua, apparently uses it all the time as a playmat. Yay!!

Hello Again, and Fickle Me

2010-07-13T02:01:00.004-04:00

Long time, no post.
I am mom to 7 year-old Mason and 3 year-old Sadie as well as a Middle School Science teacher, so my sewing time is precious. (And I have discovered that I am no multi-tasker when it comes to sewing. Housework and parenting seem to take a back seat when I am working on a project.) Nevertheless, some sewing has been accomplished in the last year. I will be documenting my projects in the last year in a series of new posts.
I've described myself as a Jack-of-all-fiber-arts, Master of none. I guess this is because I seem to grow tired of techniques just as I get close to becoming proficient. I guess I really am fickle when it comes to crafting. Or at least attention deficient. This blog previously concentrated on heirloom sewing and smocking. I guess the closest I have come to heirloom-quality sewing is mastering French seams. Since I can't seem to sew a decent sleeve, I'm having trouble mustering the desire to go much further. I don't even enjoy smocking as much as I used to--though that will not stop me from sewing at least one smocked garment (hopefully) each year for Sadie. And, it is a good trick to have up one's sleeve for unique baby gifts.
Which brings me to my newest diversion: Quilting. This will be the subject of many future posts, and I've found a wealth of breathtaking modern quilting blogs from which to draw inspiration. For now.
Stay tuned!

Grummie's Pillow

2009-06-30T21:33:00.004-04:00

My grandmother is 84 today. There isn't much in the way of new and exciting gifts to give her, so I decided I would make her something. Since my latest crafting involves sewing and smocking, I made her a little pillow. It measures about 10'x15' without the ruffle.

I used leftover fabric from Brooke's Dress, which are colors that remind me of Grummie anyway :). The plate is an Ellen McCarn pattern I used for Sadie's first bubble, and also the smocked insert for Jackson's bubble.

I actually had everything on hand, even the blank pleated insert! I literally used every scrap of fabric, because I was intent on putting a ruffle on the pillow. It is made of many smaller strips, and barely was enough to go around, but I like the end result.

Stuffing the pillow was a little tricky. Even though I didn't overstuff, it is difficult to keep the stuffing from lumping up behind the elastic smocked insert. And while I pieced the front quite evenly, I guess the smocking still wasn't perfectly blocked because it seems to be a little wonky still. And the side pieces curve for some reason.

Even so, it was a good learning project--I've never done pillow before. (Well, unless you count the snail!) Also, I've never actually sewn a smocked insert into anything, those baby bubbles were made for me. The other garments I've smocked directly on.

Meet My Friend Sara

2009-06-16T23:57:00.003-04:00

My friend Sara has been blogging about her shopping skillz. She, like me, prefers not to pay full price--for anything! I'm learning a lot about CVS from her reports, too. She is doing a giveaway sponsored by a great web business, Girly Girl Bowtique. Look at these great bows to go with sweet Little Dresses!

I finally made the pillowcase dress.

2009-05-21T19:35:00.004-04:00

This is the pillowcase I mentioned here last July. I finally made the dress! Excuse this view, which Blogger has once again rotated. This was a simple project--I just trimmed off the top, abd cut out sleeves. There are a couple of versions out there, but I decided to do the one in which the front and back casings are gathered with elastic, and the sleeves are bound with bias tape. I just made 1/2" double fold bias binding from the top of the pillowcase for the binding. Older versions are tied only with ribbon strung through the casings.

I think the elastic gives it a neater finish.

Cute trim, huh? I ordered these from eBay. Probably a craft project from long ago...

This was a fun, easy project. I'll have to be on the lookout for more pillowcases!!

Amy Butler's Sleepy Snail

2009-05-03T22:03:00.005-04:00

Meet Amy Butler's design, Sleepy Snail. Isn't it cute?? It is from this book I got for Christmas: The book has oodles of cute things in it. Unfortunately, most of them are too young for my just-turned-two-year Sadie, so I hope to get some good baby gifts out of it. The Sleepy Snail caught my eye immediately, and I just happen to have a good friend due to give birth to her third child in July!

Here is my version:

Look at these great Moda fabrics used on the stripes and the dotted pillow base.

The little cusions are removeable for napping :)

The ruffle part of the pillow is Amy Butler, and is actually the same fabric used on the model in the book. It is a pretty large critter, and will definitely make a statement in the nursery!

I have some great scraps left over, and they are begging to be made into a little kitty (also from this book) for Miss Sadie. Annnd, as long as she's still in diapers, I should probably make the cute diaper bag for myself, right??

The Quilt

2009-03-27T16:13:00.011-04:00

Yay! Sadie's memory quilt is finally finished!
This was the inspiration: from Martha Stewart Baby:

First came the cutting. My version is made of 130 4x4" squares of fabric from favorite baby clothes. I was shooting for a 12 square by 15 square quilt, but ran out of fabric and oomph at 10x13, which coincidentally is my birthday :) Then, some obsessive placing and positioning.

I was going for a watercolor effect, with a gradation of bright colors from upper left corner down to lower right. I don't know that anyone else will notice, but at least it gave me some direction!

I got it all pieced together last August, but I wanted the perfect piece of matelasse for the back. That took the better part of a year to find. Thanks fabric.com for finally getting some in stock! It isn't perfectly white, but that's ok.

I did find a wonderful raspberry crochet yarn to tie the quilt together, but could never find the right color binding. Finally, I just made my own:
I even did the nifty continuous binding strip trick, by cutting a square into a parallelagram and sewing it into a tube, then you cut along your measured line, and you have a continuous strip of fabric! And since my nifty bias tape maker is for 1/2" SINGLE fold, I had to use another trick for making 1/2" double fold as seen here: Gotta love sewing blogs for all these neat tricks. It isn't really true quilt binding, but sewn in between the quilt top and backing like large piping.

This is the finished product:

(Ugh--why is it such a pain to load pictures onto Blogger? I must be doing something wrong. And why did it turn all my pictures around?

It was fun to do, and turned out pretty much like I wanted it to. Sadie seems to like it: she tried to go "nigh-nigh" while I was ironing it!

Dragonfly progress

2009-01-25T21:24:00.008-05:00

I made some progress on the Butterick baby dress this weekend. Here is Sadie modeling the bodice. This is my first attempt at sewing sleeves, and well, it wasn't so easy. The baby shoe curves I've sewn before are much more forgiving.

I did find some cute dragonfly buttons at Joanns! They are difficult to see, but Sadie and I know they're there--that's what matters :) Pay very little attention to the uneven edgestitching on these pockets...

Here is the work-in-progress. I don't love the bodice--the cut is a little bland and blocky, and somehow it just looks homemade. And that's not completely my fault--it is the cut of the garment. The placket instructions are a little difficult to understand, and I'm left with a very crude blending of the bias and the facing at the back of the neck. Fortunately, it will be hard to see.

Speaking of bias trim, it's my first attempt at that too! Not as difficult as I thought, and I got to use my new bias tape maker that I bought for Sadie's quilt.

The hem and neck are just basted--still need to be topstitched. And of course I lack all of the back buttons. I contemplated using self-cording between the bodice and skirt. I think it might have looked better, although it looks pretty good up close and in person now that it's pressed.
I didn't get any pictures of Sadie running and jumping in the skirted dress. She loves it! It will at least make a very good dress for school and play. Her smocked garments don't get worn nearly enough because they're too dressy.

ETA: I don't know why my pictures don't enlarge when you click on them. They do in my earlier posts, but I'm not uploading pictures any differently. ??

Edit II: Ok, so Sadie's picture enlarges. Wow, what a dirty little face! Pay no attention to that, either ;)

Ok, so I lied.

2009-01-21T17:55:00.007-05:00

I can't finish the quilt, so I am starting something new.

I've had this pattern since the summer, but even my tiny Sadie has (presumably) grown out of the NB/S/M size. I should have made something from it by now, but--I haven't. It was pretty easy to extrapolate a 1/4 inch here, 1/8 inch there, to the next size up. So--hopefully it will work out--we shall see.

I've cut out the View A--sleeved dress. My first sleeves--believe it or not! I had this fabric that MIL gave me, and a coworker gave the scraps to her. Fun free stuff! It is a little more teal than the picture shows.

And, cutting is as far as I've gotten because it requires interfacing at the placket (another first), and I don't have any left. Why did Walmart discontinue its sewing department right as I developed this hobby??

I do have this book, and it makes me feel as though I can accomplish anything, even sleeves and plackets.

As for the quilt, I have a backing delimma. I really want a piece of white matelasse. It is harder to find than one might expect, I can only find a couple of online sources. And they are poly/cotton blend. I ordered an inexpensive matelasse bedspread from Walmart and well, you get what you pay for. It is 100% polyester, and you can sure tell it! Ick! It doesn't feel good at all, and doesn't belong with all my beloved cotton baby cloth squares. That makes me a little wary of the blends too. I really don't want to pay more than $20-30, but I may have to break down and buy a coverlet from my department store. Or wait till it goes on sale :(

Any fabric selection suggestions are appreciated!

I'm going to finish this before I start anything else.

2009-01-11T20:53:00.004-05:00

This is my first quilt. It is made of 4x4 (finished) squares of Sadie's clothing. Favorites from her first year :). There are some special pieces--her coming home outfit is in the upper left square, her 1st birthday monogrammed bib is in the lower right. In between are lots of squares of her birthday dress fabric. I used lots of pockets, and other details. I also did a no-no and used some knit garments that I just couldn't leave out. And no, I didn't treat them at all, so there is a little pulling and non-matching of seams :(.

I tried to go for a bit of a "watercolor" affect with some gradation from left to right and top to bottom.

This top was completed in August (!) And here it sits, waiting to be sewn to the batting and backed. I first wanted a paisley minky for the back, but it just doesn't have enough structure. Yes it is cuddly soft, but just puddles in your hand. And, it is of course knit, which this quilt has far enough of! This will only be a tied quilt, at each square corner. [My very basic sewing machine and I are a long way from machine quilting. And I'm the mother of a 5 and a 2 year old, so NO to hand quilting as well.] So, I'm going to go with Martha's suggestion of matelasse. I've ordered an inexpensive coverlet, and as soon as it arrives I hope to finish.

I've posted about the inspiration before.

As you can see, mine is very much like the model, in mostly pinks and whites. And I've picked out the best raspberry yarn to tie it with, but every binding tape I've found is a shade or two off. So I guess I'll be making my own.

A new dress

2008-12-15T23:04:00.011-05:00

I have made a new dress for a dear friend. Yes, it is another Mary De. One of these days I'll venture out to another pattern, but for a Christmas gift I'm sticking with what I know. I did use a new plate, designed by my cyber smocking friend, Shannon. Here are her instructions. I absolutely love this design!! I am so pleased with how it turned out:
I didn't have room to finish with additional 1/2 step waves in gold and green as per the plate.

Look at these great buttons!

Overall, I am quite pleased with this--it may be my favorite one yet. Sadie's birthday dress is the most sentimental, but it certainly wasn't made quite as well as this one. Practice makes perfect, though this is far from perfect. I did however, get some French seams in this. I also had to contend with an idiotic 3/4 inch selvage, on a fabric that wasn't a full 45" width to begin with. Fortunately, in this toddler size, that doesn't matter much.

Here is a shot of the inside: hand-hemmed lining and the french seam.

Sadie's Dollhouse

2008-12-15T22:45:00.007-05:00

My first holiday gift project, completed in November, is a little fabric dollhouse for Sadie. This great pattern is from this tutorial. I just love this little house! And I'm not ashamed to admit that mine is almost piece for piece like UK Lass'. I thought hers was so perfect, mine is almost identical except for an extra window inside.

It is quite small, only 6 inches wide. I've had some trouble finding a little doll and furniture to go in it, but finally scored with a Fisher Price My First Dollhouse bed and chair. I'll post more pictures with the gift recipient after Christmas!

Yes, I'm here :)

2008-12-15T22:40:00.003-05:00

I haven't reported in lately, but I have been doing a little sewing. This summer, I completed a quilt top for Sadie. It is based on a memory quilt from an old issue of Martha Stewart Kids.

This is the inspiration photo:

The blocks are made of our favorite clothes from her first year. I still have to back it, but that will wait until the first of the new year. I've been working on a couple of Christmas presents lately...

Pillowcase

2008-07-27T20:43:00.009-04:00

Some friends and I are going to try our hands at pillowcase dresses.

And, I just won these from eBay! $10.54 shipped. I don't know that I would have paid that in a store, but you know how it is: Win Victoriously. You sort of get carried away.

Not only that, but I am contemplating some "S" monogrammed pillowcases that will probably be closer to $15. They'd make a cute dress too, but they might just stay on a bed for Sadie. Does that price justify buying a machine that can do embroidery??

Which reminds me, I once embroidered a monogram by hand. It is the lace handkerchief I carried at my wedding. My "something blue". Not bad, but I like crisp, clean machine monograms better.

Stuff for Jackson

2008-07-09T13:57:00.006-04:00

Jackson is my little second cousin and will turn one in September. This is an Ellen McCarn panel I smocked for him:

Like the one for Sadie, I was afraid to attempt the bubble, so I gave the panel and fabric and notions to my aunt who had the outfit completed. It was given before he was born and completed shortly thereafter.

And here is a pair of cute little shoes for Jackson. He and his mommy and daddy like dogs!

Reversible Jumper II

2008-07-09T13:32:00.006-04:00

My cousin asked me to make another reversible dress like Sadie's for a gift. I bought more of the same cute floral fabric, but backed this one in pink--here it is hanging with Sadie's green version. It is amazing how the floral looks different with the two different underlays, though it is hard to tell in these pictures.

This is the finished product, with the little bloomers:

It is a little cleaner than the first version (I guess most second versions are), though the ric rac isn't any more even than the first try--maybe less so even though I tried to re-sew it in several spots. Oh well--the effect is still there.

Check out this cute variegated ric-rac! I love it with this. The reverse is white which looks cute with the pink dot.

And, since I had some fabric left over, here is another pair of shoes for the lucky owner of the dress. Sadie got a pair too :)

I'm still here

2008-07-09T13:24:00.002-04:00

I'm still here, and now that I'm on summer break I hope I can get back to some sewing. As simple as Sadie's dedication dress seems to be, I've hit quite a stumbling block. The pretty scalloped sleeves and hem don't lend themselves very well to tatted edging. Plus, I'll never be able to tat enough to trim the hem--I've already missed my June window. Maybe I can get it done by October.

Meanwhile, I've decided to go ahead with other things--If I wait for the dedication dress I may never get anything else done! The next thing I want to do is this memory quilt made with some of Sadie's clothes from her first year. I'm trying to go through our closets anyway. Maybe a soft t-shirt quilt for me, too.

I've Been Tagged.

2008-05-07T14:52:00.006-04:00

I feel like I have officially arrived in Blogdom! I've been tagged by Shannon. More about her later.

I'm supposed to pick up the nearest book, turn to page 123, and post the 6th, 7th, and 8th sentences.

LOL, the nearest book to me happens to be my 7th Grade Science Book--Teacher Edition. The 123rd page contains the most dull and irrelevant material in the whole book. There is some pretty good stuff about genetics, human physiology, Newton's laws of Motion, etc. but this page happens to be about Floods as part of the precipitation section in the Atmosphere Unit.

"High water is not the only hazard in a flood. Floods can knock
down electrical poles and wires. Downed electical poles can leave
dangerous live wires hanging loose and cause power outages."

Had I been in another room, the material would have been out of a L.M. Montgomery book or a Frances book, or some such.

Nevertheless, this is the cutest tag I've seen, and thanks to Shannon for thinking of me. Anyone who has made it to my little blog probably knows all about her already. She is one of the most talented sewers I've seen, and I've been greatly inspired by the clothing she makes, especially those for her daughter. And her smocking?? Perfection!

So, I hope the following people don't mind if I tag them because that's one of the rules of this game--tag 5 people and acknowledge your tagger (and I'm cheating a bit because I already have links to them):

Dana Great smocking ideas, and great taste in books and movies.
Michelle She posted a great shoe tutorial that I'm thankful for
Amie A kindred spirit, sewer and smocker with a daughter named Sadie!
Andria Should win a blogging Pulitzer. I wish we could be IRL friends!
Joanna There is nothing she can't do--such quality work!!

My posting has been slow, because I won't allow myself to start any new projects until Sadie's dedication dress is done. I've hit a bit of a snag, because while I thought the dress was super simple, the sweet scallops won't work well with the tatted edging I'm working on. Which by the way I've completed all of about 6 inches. Too many birthdays to plan for and celebrate lately.

Sadie's Birthday

2008-04-23T08:48:00.004-04:00

Sadie turned ONE on Monday, April 21st!! As you can see, she really enjoyed her cake :)

Here she is, showing some love to her Birthday Presents.

And of course, she wore her Handsmocked/sewn by Mommy Birthday Dress. She was the perfect little hostess and charmed all of her party guests, as she has charmed us every day of the last year. What a Little Blessing!

My very first smocking project

2008-04-13T13:33:00.010-04:00

I thought I would show you my first smocking project.

I took a smocking class when Mason was 3, I was not yet pregnant with #2. Even though Mason was just about too old for smocked clothing, I had high hopes for a second child--never dreaming it would be a girl.

For my class project, I began smocking an insert. I used the unisex ecru thread. This was in the spring, and I didn't complete my project until I became pregnant later that summer. Even then, the insert didn't get completed until after Sadie was born the following spring. (In my defense, she was 3 weeks early) I did find out very early on that she was a girl, and added just the palest pink 6 cable flowers to the pattern. It is by Ellen McCarn.

Unfortunately, the baby bubble it went into was way beyond my sewing skills, so my mother-in-law had it sewn for us. That bubble pattern is STILL beyond my skill-level, but I'm getting closer!!

It was completed shortly after Sadie was born last year, and she wore it for her 3 month portrait.

Mary Grace

2008-04-07T18:18:00.002-04:00

I have a new project! With the help of the fine ladies at Elegant Stitches, my local shop, I found this pretty pattern for Sadie's dedication dress. "Mary Grace" by Bonnie Blue Designs. It is just what I wanted--simple construction with embellishment options. I'll start tatting tonight!

Tatting

2008-04-06T16:02:00.005-04:00

I can tat.

I've always been pretty proud of this--I treated myself to lessons one year for my birthday shortly after I got married. It was the one craft I couldn't "get" just by reading instructions out of a book. I never did anything more ambitious than a handful of bookmarks and ornaments for relatives. I haven't tatted since before my kids were born, so I didn't get those tatted booties made for them like I intended. And the baby is almost one, so she won't get them either. :(

So, I'm determined to include some tatted edging in a dress or two for Sadie.

I would gladly take any suggestions from any of you dear readers who occasionally drive-by this blog. Do any good projects come to mind? Particular dress patterns? Edging pictures or patterns that you have seen?

A couple of things I'm thinking of: an Angel-sleeve Bishop, and a Dedication gown. The Dedication Dress presents a couple of challenges: It doesn't have to be a formal gown, because Sadie will be over a year old. But it does have to be completed in a couple of months, because the church where we were married and where my son was dedicated will be closing at the end of June. I'd like to do something with some tatted edging and some embroidery. Ecru on white? White on white? Some pink? (remember, it doesn't have to be formal) Insertion or just edging? Oh, and keep in mind I still haven't sewn anything with a sleeve!!

More on the Jumper

2008-03-27T20:38:00.009-04:00

So the bloomers still aren't sewn--I've got to buy more thread. But just look how cute this is in Moda fabric from my local shop:
The floral is on a yellow background, and the dot is a lime green.

Reversible Jumper

2008-03-27T08:06:00.004-04:00

I just finished this:

I just have to sew the bloomers and then I'll post a picture. It is such a cute pattern! The entire jumper is one piece, and you can line it with a coordinating fabric to make it reversible. It was very easy to do. I even added ric rac trim. It is a tad bit uneven in places, but overall it was a worthy addition.

It was a very quick project, except for the buttonholes which took as long as the rest of it put together. For me, buttonholes are like crepes: the first one always goes to the dogs. Last night was especially difficult because my automatic buttonhole foot kept throwing tantrums like a 3 year-old. We eventually worked through our issues, but not before running out of thread. (Gah!!)

AND, the pattern goes from 6mo to 4T! We will be making quite a few of these dresses in the future I think. And of course, there are plenty of scraps left over for matching shoes! Though I'm not sure how much longer Sadie will be in soft shoes, especially outdoors.

More Little Shoes

2008-03-25T21:18:00.003-04:00

More Little Shoes! I really like these--Audrey and Sadie will probably both get a pair!

I used Michelle's pattern at On Pins and Needles. One of her completed pairs inspired this look. I sewed button holes through both top layers and tied with a sweet organdy ribbon.

Finished!

2008-03-23T19:35:00.004-04:00

It's finished!

It's different...
`

I'm not loving how the three floss colors appear olive-y from a distance. But, I guess that's true of all smocking. The detail and color of the stitches can only be appreciated close-up. If I had it to do over, I would probably choose different floss colors. Though I don't know what they would be...

Though the fabric is not quite the quality of my first one, it came together a little better. Practice makes perfect, right? Every sewing project gets a little better I guess. There are even lovely french seams on the side. This actually made the side seam construction a little easier for a couple of reasons. One, the selvage is unattractively white and spans 1/2 inch. The seam allowance is only 1/4". Also, the bodice under the arm holes is at this point already finished, and is 1/4" shorter than the rest of the side fabric. (Yes, I read the instructions and let the bodice extend 1/4 " past the back skirt pieces, but that is on the side of the facing.) So it was very easy to take a 1/4 wide pass with wrong sides together along the sides of the skirt stopping at the bodice. Then I trimmed a bit and made a second pass with right sides together all the way up the skirt and the bodice, and it all matched up perfectly. And the selvage was hidden. There is plenty of fabric to increase the total side seam allowance to 1/2 inch. None of that probably makes sense without pictures. I'll get better at this blogging thing too, with more practice ! :-D

Smocking Done!

2008-03-22T00:30:00.006-04:00

Smocking is Done! I hope I can finish construction of this Mary De this weekend. I keep going back and forth about how I like it. I really like this Flamingo Smocking plate, but this might not have been the best fabric for it. And the thread colors are perfect, but I worry they are a little drab for a baby dress. We'll see what the finished product brings.

The Owner of the Closet

2008-03-21T16:30:00.002-04:00

Here she is, Sweet Sadie. She is 11 months old today. It is hard to believe the time has already passed, but it is also difficult to remember life without her. She is a true delight! She charms everyone who meets her, and has Mommy, Daddy, and even Big Brother Mason wrapped tightly around her little fingers.

Here she is, doggedly determined to chase down the cat.

Baby Needs A New Pair of Shoes

2008-03-17T17:07:00.007-04:00

Audrey's Dress is on its 5th green floss. I like it better, and will post pictures when I'm finished smocking. The reworked green is straighter this time too, and that makes me happy.

In the meantime, I'm showing you what will surely be a rival to Little Dresses: Little Shoes. This pattern from Stardust Shoes is so cute I can't even stand it. Sadie will surely have many pairs. Especially since every little garment has just the right-sized little scraps left over. For the soles, I used the dotted grippy fabric from JoAnns because I can't find the bonded fleece. Maybe in the fall. I may even use suede next time.

Some smocking done

2008-03-15T16:29:00.002-04:00

Okay, here is some smocking on Audrey's Dress. Childrens Corner Flamingo smocking plate. This is my 4th green floss, and I'm still trying to decide if I like it. It is a tad yellow, but the others faded right into the fabric.

Little Dress 2

2008-03-15T16:20:00.002-04:00

This will be Little Dress 2. Also a Mary De, but it will hang in Audrey's closet, a very special cousin-to-be. The pattern pieces are cut and smocking has begun. I'll post a picture soon.

These light and dark aqua/teal colors are actually the colors of her nursery. Hopefully she will like the trendy circle fabric!

Hi from Me.

2008-03-15T13:45:00.002-04:00

Here is my first whole-garment smocking project. Little Dress 1, the Birthday Dress. For Sadie's 1st Birthday. The dress was completed 6 weeks ahead of schedule. I'm really pleased with it. The pattern is Mary De from Children's Corner. And look, my first piping! It really looked perfect when I sewed it onto the bodice pieces, a little less so when I sewed the skirts to the bodices.

The smocking is an adaptation of Aimee Catherine by Gwen Milner. The hearts are pretty subtle in this color but that's ok.

Overall, the construction was pretty easy. The pattern instructions were very good, and there are some very good photos of construction here:

(Thanks Juliane!) Just don't go looking at the seams. The zig zag stitch and I are not friends, so I haven't done the edges. Also, I had already finished the dress when I stumbled on some blogged instructions for French Seams. [I heart blogs!] All the instructions I have ever seen tout them as "advanced", and the diagrams look incredibly complicated. Now, I know that it is a fairly simple matter of taking one pass with right sides together, and then finishing the seam on the second pass with the wrong sides together. Voila, the raw edges are enlosed. Not exactly rocket science. The only trick is to subtract the first pass from your overall seam allowance, and maybe do a little trimming. However, working with 1/4" seams might be easier said than done. We'll see on the next Little Dress.