Crabby Short Set

I had the privilege of taking 2 days of excellent classes with Joy Welsh of Applique for Kids. She came to my Smocking Guild to teach 2 machine embroidery classes. The first day was a shadow work Wee size daygown which I will share soon. The second day was this adorable crab outfit!

The collars, cuffs, and pocket were stitched "in the hoop" of our embroidery machines. This is something I am very familiar with, but I have never done a whole outfit this way!

Here's a look at the collar and cuffs. They were stitched one-at-a-time and due to the size of the cuffs, Joy stitched those for me on her giant 7x11 hoops. The collars and pocket I did.

The pocket. All of the designs co-ordinate with the Fabric Finders' fabric we had for our shorts. Joy provided kits that were complete down to all the threads, buttons, and size label! Her written directions were amazing!! She gave us a huge packet with all the info we needed!

Here'e one of my collars stitching out...

and here are my pieces laid out as I made them.

I did something a little different for my shorts. I made a size 1 top and decided to do cuffed bubble shorts from my crab fabric. I also love the scalloped shorts that came with the design, but I love bloomers on little ones, so I made these.

This blue is a better picture than the one above it. Here is the finished outfit showing both pieces. I am thinking about making an additional top from red gingham with some smocking to make a mix-and-match set.
I had so much fun in the classes and it was a "joy" to meet Joy!!

Goose Girl Smocked Dress

I recently "organized" my smocking UFOs (unfinished objects) into zip lock bags in a basket on my sewing desk (also my computer desk/writing desk/kitchen desk). I have at least 12 garments in various stages of completion, from smocked bits to completed garments that need to be smocked. This dress was someone else's UFO- bits of fabric and the smocked dress front. I  was limited in what I could do by how much fabric I had.

I didn't have collars or sleeve bindings, so I did a Swiss eyelet edge on the sleeves with elastic and a ruffle at the neckline. I like it- it's something different. The pattern is Chery Williams' Baby Square Yokes, size 24 mos. It still needs to be hemmed.

It is fun to see how changing the colors makes it look:

Border Eyelet Bishop with Pink Underlay

My Smocking  Guild ran a program to teach people  how to make a smocked bishop dress. Since I have made many, I tried to do something new. I used border eyelet (a poly/cotton blend) with one seam in the back AND I pleated it with an underlayer of pink batiste. I stitched the 2 together before pleating and treated them as one. It worked perfectly!

This is Children's Corner "Bishops" pattern, size 18 months. I really like the puffed sleeves on this pattern. I think they are just right. I can't remember what smocking plate I used on this- I have to try to figure that out. I do know I am supposed to add a little 1/8" ribbon woven through the smocking to match the pink ribbon along them hem.

I have more of this fabric left. I would like to make a matching bonnet and/or panties.