Let's Get Cookin!

My daughter had a project recently that she conscripted her mother's help. It was a kids nutrition program. So for door prizes we machine embroidered some ready made aprons and made chef hats to match. It didn't take near as long as we feared and the results were well worth it.

 

First posted at Making It Fun

For the chef hat we used a tutorial on the blog for Michael Miller fabrics called Making It Fun.

The only changes I would make to the directions are it takes more than 35 pins to form the pleat/gathers. Not sure where that arbitrary number came from. The other change would be where the directions tell you not to press the creases out of the circle that becomes the top, I would press them out except for the creases at the very edges to mark the quarter marks of the circle. It is really too difficult to press the top once the hat is constructed. Our chef hats are made from a twill. If using a heavier fabric like that, make sure you have at least a size 90 needle in the machine. Otherwise your needle will not get through all of the layers.

Just something fun and quick without a whole big bunch of time or cost. The aprons were half price at Hobby Lobby, so three of them for $5.

Hope you have something fun to work on. I have the baby's Easter bishop finished and will post pictures tomorrow. Actually it has been finished for several days. A record for me.

Baby Toes

When you doubt that time is flying by too fast. This will snap it into focus for you. I am not quite sure how this happened when we weren't looking. She is so much fun now but I already miss those sweet newborn toes gone by.

A Royal Peek

In honour (see how I got all English on you?) of the upcoming royal fever being showcased next week, a little peek into other things royal. Thank you to Mary Corbet over at Needle N Thread for posting about this little jewel this morning. As you watch, pay close attention at times 1:51, 2:36 and 5:11. Precious christening gowns in the background. I almost have a one track mind, I know.

Watch here a snippet of CBS News coverage of the Royal School of Needlework.

Oh how I would love to take courses there. Perhaps the next trip to London will afford the time for that.

Palm Sunday

This post was intended for this morning. Alas, it did not happen, but since the day is not completely over yet, it is still Palm Sunday. A day that marks the beginning of the most important week in the church of believers. What an up and down ride Holy Week is. Don't you think some of the apostles had to ask themselves on that Thursday night; "How did we get here? The week started on such a high note. We arrived with Jesus through the gates to the sounds of cheering and jubilation only to end up with things having gone so terribly wrong. How did we get here?" 

Unlike those first apostles, we know how the story ends. What a gift we have. As we remember and pray with the early church, in the darkest hour, we know the dawn is a short wait away. As in all things; stay, watch, pray, resurrection is coming.

Blessings to you, faithful reader

Elephant Parade

There hasn't been any fancy sewing around here for a bit. That doesn't mean that it hasn't been cute! This little baby elephant is so sweet. He is a machine applique from Planet Applique. I used him before when making burp cloths for our princess.

I had another baby gift that needed to be done. I used pinfeather cord in a mint green purchased locally. It is a poly cotton fabric by Spechler-Vogel. It is lined with light blue S-V Imperial Microcheck. I love the cool combination of colors. Looks cool and breezy for summer.

The pattern is "Taylor" by Children's Corner. It is quickly becoming a favorite. I think this is the third or fourth one I have done and I am sure it is not the last.

I left the back plain since this is for a little gentleman. I don't think his mother would have appreciated a "ruffle butt."

 

None of the buttons I had matched the blue perfectly, so I decided to go with covered buttons. I like it with the piping, I think it looks very tailored. I did interface the strap ends for extra body. The crotch is closed with Snap Source snaps.

I hope your days are filled with something cute and sweet.  Mine sure are.

Aged Like Fine Wine

That is what this romper is. Our princess is wearing Old Fashioned Baby's "Baby's Summer Clothes." This is a class project from when Jeannie came to teach at our SAGA chapter probably 13 or 14 years ago. It has been hanging in a closet waiting for a recipient ever since. I did have to replace the elastic in the legs. (Remember, elastic dies when hidden in a closet.)

It is a sweet simple little sleeveless romper perfect for summer. It is made from Swiss batitste and closed with tiny mother of pearl buttons. (Pardon the wrinkles, I plucked it right out of the laundry.) This is the same romper that I made to go with the little diaper shirt featured here and here. I love this pattern.

 

Check out that shell hem. Not sure what I was going for beside micrometer sized shells. I've loosened up some since then. The embroidery is very simple. The motif is provided in the pattern.

Daddy isn't going to like those buttons. Daddies don't like teeny, tiny buttons. They want honkerin' big buttons or snaps.

 

More of our days are warm so she will get several weeks of wear from this simple little romper. As I mentioned it is the size large or 12 months. (I'm not sure how it is listed in the pattern.) She weighs 21# now is around 28" tall for those wondering about the fit.

I hope you are stitching something fun right now. I am feverishly trying to get an Easter Bunny bishop finished before this weekend. We will see if I make the deadline.

Cheery Cherries

 

It is official, I love cherries. I love cherry blossoms, I love cherry fabrics, I even love fresh cherries. I'm not a fan of cherry pie though. Springtime abounds with cherries.

 

The cover of the newest issue of Sew Beautiful features cherries. Very cute Kathy D!

Fabric Finders Cherry Print available in several colorways.

There are lots of fabrics that feature cherries.

June Bug Designs 

 

There are smocking plates with appliques to match.

 

 Available at Bessie Mary

There are also iron on and stitch appliques if you don't have an embroidery machine.

 

How cute are these? Perhaps I might weed with a happier heart if I had these. Too cute. My girls won't think so.

Every cherry lover has to be a Mary Englebreit fan as well.

 St. Louis Women's Exchange

I posted about The Cherry Dress here. I had the opportunity to visit the St. Louis Women's Exchange yesterday. Believe me, the Cherry Dress is alive and well! In almost every imaginable color combination. Pink/white, white/pink, white/red, red polka dots, smocked appliqued or button cherries were everywhere. They were also flying out of there as fast as you could blink. My favorite was navy blue, with white collar and cuffs, piped with red. Of course the cherries were red. Too adorable. Our baby may have to have one of those.

One of my favorite cherry lovies is this vintage hankie. I love the three dimensional cherries and the buttonhole edging is perfect. A real treasure of Madiera work from Portugal. How I came to possess this treasure is not quite as pretty a story.

The hankie came up for auction on ebay several years ago. I diligently and with caution to the wind, bid again, again and again. And again. Only to be beat out at the last moment. I was a very unhappy camper. Well..... as you could at that time, I snooped through the winning bidder's history. Imagine my surprise to discover it was a local stitching friend who had ruthlessly outbid me. Ruthless I tell ya! As karma often happens, she called me soon after this for a completely different reason. I asked if her screenname was ----------; who had yanked happiness in the form of a vintage hankie from my grip. She tried to deny it several times but finally 'fessed up. I will freely admit that I pouted. Badly.

Imagine my surprise when at our monthly chapter meeting a few months later she presented me with a tissue wrapped gift. Inside was my lusted after hankie. We went through the expected "Oh no, you don't have to/No, no I want you to have it" a few times. I relented and accepted her gracious gift. Although I knew I certainly didn't deserve it after my sore loser routine. Every time I see it in my sewing room I think of her though and chuckle at how I came to have it.

Have a cherry on top day!

"You get a line, I'll get a pole..."

You get a line, I'll get a pole. Remember that song? That is what I think of when I see this friendly worm hanging out on his hook. This little romper is a baby gift. Made from red Imperial broadcloth from my stash. Trimmed with whip stitch piping and a machine applique.

I did line the bib front in white, so that the red wouldn't peek through and look pink. Doesn't he look friendly?

First posted at Creations by Michie

The pattern I used is Creations by Michie' "Baby's Playsuit" It goes together quickly and looks so summery.

First posted at Applique Cafe

The applique came from Applique Cafe. It stitches up quick and easy. I like the colors they used as well in their sample. I may make one up in green and aqua next time.

For the back closure I used a Gail Doane trick, I stacked two buttons for a whimsical look. The red buttons are 4 hole craft buttons. The green buttons are from BessieMary. Line up the holes and stitch on with red thread for cute interest on the back.

A cute, fun and easy gift for a cute baby boy.

For your listening enjoyment. I love bluegrass. Of course this song has to be OLDDDDD, you can no more buy three crawfish for a dime anymore than there's a man in the moon. My part Cajun blooded children would have stuck their fingers down a crawfish hole at nine days old too, if given the chance!