Cute Cat Coordinates

I have a friend whose grand-daughter loves cats and clothes with cats. When I found some cute cat fabric, I thought I'd make something fun.

I found 2 coordinating fabrics in my stash: green dot pique and turquoise pique. I bought some yellow rick rack and ribbon too.

The swing top is Pickle Toes Tulip Tie Top. I turned the facing to the outside to give it some interest and I faced the ties with the green also. The rick rack was tucked into the facing seam and used at the hem. The rick rack gives the hem some body.

This is a closer view of the rick rack peeking out. The cats are enjoying a rainy, windy day, but the colors of this print are all sunshine!

The shorts pattern is Cole's Corner Ruched Shorts. Both top and shorts are size 5. These shorts are very easy to make and the way the ribbon casing is stitched leaves very nicely finished seams inside. I added a loop of ribbon to the back of the waistband for easier dressing. I would recommend both these patterns for quick, easy, and fun sewing!

The word on the street is that the little girl receiving this will love it!! I hope so. I had a great time making it and now I can add 2 more pattern to my "completed" list!

Wee Chicklet Gown

Caught you there, right? You're thinking the gum, but I'm talking about the baby animals. I call them that because my little boy has named out latest batch of pets: chicklets and ducklings. I will share them soon!!
I have so many things to share, but I need to take the photos. We were sort of stuck in winter here until about 3 weeks ago, so now I am motivated to get some great pictures.

This preemie gown and bonnet was the first of a 2-day class my Guild held with Joy Welsh. We had a great time- she is a lovely lady and a super talented teacher, too. I wish she lived closer!

The gown is from her multi-sized preemie/baby gown and this class showed us how to make the front and back hems, sleeves, and bonnet in-the-hoop on the embroidery machine. Then we added the machine shadow-work chicklets.

I have used her shadow-work designs before and the technique is much easier than you would think. All of the embroidery on this set is stitched with DMC 50wt cotton thread.

The front hem was too large for my biggest (6x10) hoop, so I did a re-hooping for the first time. It went smoothly and I don't think you can tell where the design was matched up.

You probably can't tell from the photos how tiny this set is. I think it would fit about a 3 lb baby. The model is one of the first reborn dolls my daughter painted. She does an amazing job!!

Joy designed this set to have a liner, sort of like a built-in slip, under the front and inside the bonnet. These pieces were trimmed with narrow lace and peek out. I absolutely love the way it looks and it's a great treatment for hemlines especially if you want a built in slip/liner to cover the back of embroidery.

The lace looks like it's stitched behind the embroidery, but it's actually a full/separate panel.

The bonnet is also fully lined and the ties are silk ribbon.

I love this little set and had so much fun making it, too! Thank you, JOY!

Here's a sneak preview of one of our new chicklets in my azalea. Her name is Henny Penny!

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.

Superbowl Sewing & Snacking

Andy had a Superbowl Party at school to celebrate the fact that our "Home Team" made it AGAIN. I found "Patriots" fleece at Joann's and thought it would be perfect for a pattern I'd wanted to try.

The pattern is "Fernando's" by Create Kids Couture. I love the shawl collar, which looks nice and is so cozy. In fact, I'd like one in my size. Andy was so excited about this- nevermind all the outfits I've made over the years that were hours and hours of work. He just loved this top!! It looks cute and is so warm, too! The pattern was quick and easy- I definitely recommend it.

We are "fair weather" sports fans- we only get excited for Super Bowls and World Series, but we're always up for a good nosh. I found this cool Food Stadium at a discount store and it made a fun place for party food!

The "UGLY??" Christmas Suit!

Every year, I have special pictures done for Christmas. Originally, I was going to do a glittery-retro-turquoise/pink/purple theme. I had a hard time finding anything that fit that bill. Some years, I have made special shirts- the "M-E-R-R-Y" theme and the "Greetings from Around the World (and Star Trek)" theme. 

Then inspiration struck. I found this "Ugly Christmas Suit" on Amazon!!

Perfect for Hubby and the 3 sons!! They didn't want to do it, but I was determined. I ordered them in November (and it's a good thing because they are a lot more $$ now). They arrived and are actually really nice quality- if you don't mind the slick polyester fabric. I don't mean slick as in smooth, I mean "slick" baby, with attitude.

Then, a new dilemma- what will the 2 daughters and I wear?  A seach for the "tacky Christmas dress" ensued. I ordered some shiny vintage Christmas scene dresses on Amazon, but they weren't right. (aka truly ugly). I was now calling my theme "1950s Kitsch"- it sounds so much better than "ugly Christmas." I felt I must remain true to the elegance of the men's suit and tie. Younger daughter wanted to go full-on knit Santa dresses or elf suits, but it just wasn't right. 

Internet searches and sleepless nights

Good thing I started hunting at the beginning of  November, because Prime Shipping wasn't going to save me this time!

Enter "Rose Gal" The totally elegant, "kitschy" skirts were perfect! And cheap!!

  

What to do for my little boy Andy who is 7? Still plenty of time to make a suit!! I bought "Logan's Suit Jacket" on Create Kids Couture and 5 1/2 yards of Santa and Rudolph fabric at Joann's.

I literally finished it the morning of the pictures. What else is new? I work well under deadlines!

It turned out we had a blast doing these pictures. The entire studio (in the mall) loved them! People were asking where we got them, what a great idea, awesome!!

We were all laughing so hard doing this and the silliest one of all was my Hubby! He is usually a quiet, straight-laced kind of guy, but he was cracking up, joking around, and had us laughing too! My kids dubbed it the "Magic Christmas Suit" and isn't that what Christmas is really all about? The Magic!!

These outfits may have been tacky, kitschy, whatever but we made some really "Magical" Memories!! And I have photos to prove it!! (Maybe I'll share the family ones soon!)m

Fingertip Towels

I don't know where October went, but here we are quickly heading for Thanksgiving. I embroidered several items to sell for extra Christmas money. If they don't sell, they will become gifts eventually! Today I'll share some fingertip towels I did.
The first one has a cute, colorful snowman.

I did 2 of this one with an elf clothesline.

This one is pretty with a wintry snowman design.

Finally, this one has lanterns stitched in gold thread.

My Mom loves fingertip towels to put in the bathroom for guests. They are a festive touch at this time of year and I love how easy they are to stitch.

Knit Rosebud Bishop Dress and Fancy Diaper Cover

I was invited to a baby shower this weekend for my friend's sister. She is having her fifth child (yeah for Moms of 5!) and it is a little girl. Since my last 2 children are boys, it was fun to plan some pink sewing. My daughter suggested a knit fabric for the "modern" Mom.

I thought that was a good idea and had only smocked on knit fabric once before. I had made my little guy a romper from AS&E, but I used a very lush Sea Island Cotton, which was a disaster to pleat. Many broken needles were the result. This fabric was purchased from Hancock online before they went out of business and I have plenty, so I thought I'd give it a try. It is a lovely quality and very soft, but not as thick as the Sea Island knits.

It went through the pleater beautifully. I smocked a very simple design in 2 shades of a purply-pink to match the rosebuds. I used a free Wee Care Bishop pattern from AS&E in newborn size. I don't know if it's still available, but it was in one of their old issues, too. I think it will be more of a 3 months size, which doesn't surprise me as I find their patterns run large.

I did take some fullness out of the front and back pieces, to accomodate the heavier fabric. I removed 2" on the front and 2" on the back. I originally took 1" from the sleeves, but they were too skimpy, so they are the original pattern. I still think they look skimpy and would have liked them a little fuller.

I thought about using a woven fabric for the neckband and sleevebands, but I ended up using the same knit. I used some german interfacing on the bands and they were a delight! The knit folded over (as usual) and was hand-stitched to the back. The bit of stretch made it so smooth with none of that ugly "twisted" look you sometimes get on neckbands. Of course, they were cut across the grain, not on the bias.

The little diaper cover was purchased in a destash group for $3. It has a double-seat and eyelet, elastic legs. Worth every penny to save the time! It is a truly little size- probably 0-3 mos and I think it will go well with the dress or would be so cute for those "diaper-only" newborn photos.

The monogram is done by machine. The design is from Attic Treasures. I've had this set for awhile and finally got to use it! I love, love, love it! Definitely I will use this one again.
The new Mom really liked the set- I hope I will see pictures of "Baby K" in it soon!!