Thanks for being part of this blog tour. What a neat idea. My most involved heirloom project was a dress I started for my daughter at a Martha Pullen school. Even though we got a nice start on the dress at the school, I had to take a whole week off of work to finish it. I believe I invested a full 40 hours in the dress, but it turned out beautifully and I finished it before my daughter outgrew it. :)
Congratulations Becky, please contact me within the next 48 hours through my profile. I will make sure your awesome giveaway package is on its way.
I hope everyone enjoyed the blog tour and learned something new along the way. Now back to my chair and the stitching on the christening gown.
All aboard, we are taking a trip. A trip on the blog tour with Sew Beautiful magazine. Back in March, when life was lazy, I was asked if I would be interested in bringing a new dimension of learning to heirloom sewing enthusiasts and Sew Beautiful readers. I immediately said yes! I want to help spread the word that heirloom sewing still has a place in today's world.
Many of you have "heard" me say, "You can do it!" I am still saying it. Many new to heirloom sewing often feel that lace work is too difficult or that you have to have a new whiz bang computerized sewing machine to achieve acceptable results. Not true! If you have a sewing machine that will do a straight stitch and a zig zag stitch, you can do heirloom lace work. You can achieve the most elaborate of christening gowns, beautiful lingerie or even a simple baby slip. And everything in between.
I am excited to bring the blog world to new readers as well as helping others learn what I love so much. So sit back, grab a cuppa and come along with me.
First step, visit Sew Beautiful Magazine's website and learn more about this fun tour here. There are six stops on the tour including info shown on Sew Beautiful's blog. Each stop on the tour will each feature an aspect of constructing a gorgeous camisole featured in the new September/October Issue #132. The techniques are taught using video classes at each stop. Remember, you can do this!
The first stop at http://www.marthapullen.com/sb/blog/tour.html also lists links to the other blogs featured on the tour. So come along and stitch this lovely camisole for yourself or a gift.
This beautiful camisole can be worn as lingerie, under a sweater/jacket or worn with a pair of jeans for a casual look. You are limited only by your imagination and your choice of fabrics.
The base pattern used for the camisole is featured in Sleepwear Especially For You, published by Martha Pullen Company and Sew Beautiful.
All materials/supplies used are available from Martha Pullen Company. And you faithful reader will get a 25% discount through October 31, by using the coupon code BLOGTOUR. (ONE use only per person. Discount applies only to full price items. Pleaters excluded.)
Southern Matriarch is sponsoring the Lace Shaping/Mitering portion of constructing the camisole. This class is divided into 5 segments. Don't be deterred by the number of "parts." Just take it one step at a time. And as I have told readers I have helped before, don't get ahead of yourself. Just follow each step methodically without worrying about future steps and you will get there.
See how easy that is? Here are the links for each of the following parts of the lace shaping class. Click on each "part" to view the corresponding video. Come back after class for some more exciting news.
I hope you are well on your way to learning lace shaping and constructing your camisole. I can see adapting this with smaller laces and using it as part of a bodice or on a skirt front for a dress for our baby. I think she is a little young for a camisole just yet.
Sew Beautiful has graciously offered a wonderful giveaway for you faithful reader. Included in the giveaway is:
• a complete kit needed to make the Vintage Inspiration camisole, from sizes XS (2-4) to 3X (26-28)
• a copy of Sleepwear Especially for You (contains the basic tank top pattern suggested in the instructions) (retail $24.95)
• a copy of the new issue of Sew Beautiful (contains the Vintage Inspiration article and embroidery and lace shaping templates) (retail $5.99)
• a June Tailor Heirloom Stitcher's Shape 'N Press board (retail $42.00)
Total value, $160. I am jealous of all of you having an opportunity to receive this awesome giveaway. I am not usually a fan of long drawn out giveaways, but to give everyone a chance to enter, the entry deadline will run until Septermber 15th.
How to enter? You know I love to hear about your projects and what you have learned. So leave a comment on this post only, (no emails entries) telling us about the most difficult project you have attempted to date and how you prevailed.
If you are new to Southern Matriarch, welcome. I hope you will come back often. To my returning readers, glad to see you back. I promise to be a better blogger in weeks to come, now that baby is here and mommy is well.
"I love your blog! My favorite pink project was the first daygown I made for my little girl. I started sewing while pregnant and it was so wonderful to see her wearing something that I made her and that we will both be able to treasure always!"
I think that about sums up why most of us sew to begin with, isn't it? There is a sense if pride and self satisfaction seeing our creations on those we love. Nicole, my email address is in my profile. if you will send me your snail mail address your treasure trove of pinkness along with a superb sewing reference will be on its way to you.
Thank you to all who left comments, I can't tell you how fun it was to hear about everyone's favorite pink projects. How delighted I was to see comments from new sewists, young sewists and experienced sewists as well. I so wish I had a pink box to send to everyone. A box for everyone so we could all share in the fun of working with wonderful materials as we enhance our skills or try new ones. That is the goal of this blog, to share what I love so that others may come to love it as well.
If you are a new follower or found us surfing through other blogs, I hope you will continue to come back and share what you are working on.
I leave you with a taste of Ireland on this St. Patrick's Day,
As promised a giveaway. A giveaway to say "thank you," faithful followers. To celebrate 100 followers I thought a giveaway was in order. Since it took me a few days to get it together there are now 112 followers. So I have included 12 things. I need to hurry and post this before there is 113. Things around here are coming up pink, so I decided to pay homage to that and offer a pink giveaway.
Included in this bonanza of pink is:
Three skeins of soft pink floss.
Two colors of silk ribbon
One card of antique, mother of pearl buttons.
Two and half yards of luscious silk satin ribbon. Warning, Warning: The keeper of your check book will not be happy that you discovered this awesome stuff. You will be reluctant to return to the old stand by Offray.
Two yards of whipstitch piping in a soft baby pink.
One spool each of DMC 50 weight sewing thread and Madeira Cotona 80 weight thread.
Five yards of eye popping hot pink polka dot grosgrain ribbon. So fun for hairbows.
And my favorite construction book, Precise and Professional by Lyn Weeks. My copy has dozens of post it page flags. It is my go to book. I must confess that there is some water damage to this book. I originally bought this copy as a gift for my daughter while I was in Lafayette. On the trip home, I misguidedly thought; "I will keep this in my carry on so nothing happens to it." Well duh, don't carry a drink in your bag with the book when you are trying to board. Her sister was dispatched post haste to buy the last copy available at this shop so I could give it to her for Christmas. You will benefit from my lack of brain power that day.
This book is still very usable and is out of print, so it is very difficult to find. I LOVE this book. I hope you don't mind some crinkly pages, but all of the pages are still clear and none of the print or diagrams were harmed. The technique I use for tee tiny French seams is in here, for piping, tucks and many other techniques.
This giveaway has a total value of $65+. Here are the requirements to be entered into this giveaway.
You must be a follower.
Post a comment on this post only. No emails, or commenting on other posts will be considered.
Tell me what your favorite pink project has been and for what occasion it was made.
To be entered more than once, post about it on your blog and leave me a link under comments that you did so.
