Time to Take a Tour

No need to find your passport, wear a name tag, put your luggage outside your room or board a bus, but it is time for a tour.

You may have noticed that things are looking a little different around here. It was time for a change. Not a lot has changed, mostly just the look of the place.

First I want to thank Erika over at Designer Blogs.  Her patience and creativity are much appreciated. I would recommend both Designer Blogs and Erika.

I lurve my new header/logo. So fresh and girly looking. And let me tell you, watercolor clip art is a whole 'nother obsession where you can find yourself losing your way down a rabbit hole. What fun though.  A great starting point is Etsy. Just search "watercolor clip art". Wow!

I also love my new signature. Thanks Erika!

The biggest change is that the whole place is cleaner and less cluttered. To that end a few familiar things have moved.

Moving the lists off of the side bar meant they had to go somewhere. I love visiting other blogs and I was certainly not going to take the tutorials away. They have gone to "pages" that you will find at the top of the screen below the logo.

Here is where you will find the blog lists that used to be to your right. Now there is a change that happens in blogger when you place those links on a page as opposed to as a widget along the side of the home screen. In the widget it automatically places the blog with the most recent update at the top of the list and as each blogs posts the links become listed in order of last post. Not so on a page. So the links are all there, with a photo/logo above each link. Those links will not relist in order of most recent posts though. Sorry. There are a few links that there was not a title/photo/logo associated with that blog. The title is still linked but it appears to be just a line of text. No they aren't step children, they just didn't have an associated logo I could place there.

Way down the side bar previously was a short list that was titled "FYI". I have renamed that Resources and as I find new sites that I think would be useful, they will be listed here. If you know of one I have missed, let me know.

And most importantly, the Tutorials are list on their own page as well. It was kind of amazing to realize how awful some of those early photos were and several were not watermarked. In the coming months I will try to upgrade some of those photos. The early ones were take with an Olympus point and shoot camera with terrible light and color balance.

The about me page doesn't contain anything new but you will find pics of a few of my favorite treasures.

I hope this answers your questions. Don't forget to come back often and I hope you keep stitching, faithful reader.

Achoo!

Lest anyone should think that the baseball curse of 2015 has occurred again, no the pollen curse of 2016 is upon me. I am a long time sufferer of epic hay-fever.  Ever since grade school, spring with all its colors, song birds and breezes are torture. And it is better than it used to be due to a two year course of wicked shots a few years ago.  At least now I don't end up on steroids every year.

While spring may evoke images of rolling in the grassy meadow for some, (please God, no!)

This is me instead. While my neighbors are throwing open their windows to the warm spring breezes we have enjoyed, this place is battened down like Fort Knox for fear one tiny molecule of pollen might wiggle through the cracks around the windows. We go straight from furnace to a/c around here.

This is pretty much how you will find me. I never know how long the "season" will last each year. It varies.  I will try to rise up and sew in the coming days but I am making no promises.

Opening Day!

Just so my "friends" won't be disappointed.  It is time to play ball in St. Louis!

Rain has stopped and the sun is shining.

And the Clydesdales have just circled the stadium for this year's opening day.

Enjoy the view.

And my favorite part:

A New Girl in Town - Classic Sewing Magazine

Premier Issue Spring 2016

In case you missed it, there is a new sewing magazine in town.  Classic Sewing Magazine. It is Published by Hoffman Media, producers of Victoria Magazine, Southern Home, Cooking with Paula and several others.

Summer Issue 2016

So far, I have been very impressed.  Phyllis Hoffman Depiano and Kathy McMakin are the editors. You can tell they are having a ball putting together this new magazine.  Some of your favorite designers have been featured so far,

Gail Doane

Lezette Thomason

Kathy Dykstra

Debbie Glenn

Missy Billingsley

Sonia Showalter

Connie Palmer 

and more. I'm sure I am leaving someone out, but don't take my word for it. Subscribe!

Each issue not only comes with lots of inspiration but there are also full size patterns included in a separate pattern envelope. Hint: Children's Corner has even released some favorite discontinued patterns in both issues so far. Each Issue also has exclusive downloads that can be accessed by subscribers.

Classic Sewing Facebook Group

There is also a Facebook page where even more inspiration is shared. I encourage you to subscribe.  I can't wait to hear about how much you love it.

What's on the Machine Today

Working on something for Princess today. Sometimes simple is more work than you bargained for. I am anxious to see if my idea works out the same in reality as it has in my head. 

Thanks to those faithful readers who have contacted me looking for elements on the page that appear to missing. Hang tight, they will return. As you can see the look of things are changing.  It was looking kind of drab and tired I thought. No different than when you are painting and hanging new curtains, you have to make a mess in order to get there. Hope you are liking the new look so far. With any luck it will be back up to speed over the weekend.

More Birthday

You might remember, faithful reader, that Little Girl's nursery was done in flamingoes. So Momma has had a penchant for flamingoes ever since. So what better to do a casual birthday dress as well. Why not? So I found this cute baby flamingo at Just Peachy The number appliqué is from DigiStitches.

If you have been a reader for very long you should be able to recognize the pattern right off. A favorite, Children's Corner Lucy. I have lost count of the number of these I have made. Fabric is Dakota Pique from Spechler Vogel.  A dream to sew and care for. Poly/cotton.

And why make it just one dress? I made it reversible. This side is monogrammed and made from an Heirloom Imports (sadly no longer in business) pique.

I can not remember where the monogram came from. Both this sweet white broadcloth blouse and the one from the matching pique under the flamingo side, are both an out of print pattern by Children's Corner called "Meg". It comes up for sale on Etsy and eBay pretty often. It is definitely a keeper. As a matter of fact LG needs more of them now.

It all makes it worth it when you see it on this sweet thing. By this time in the party, the bow was gone, the party dress had been annihilated and the shoes had been ditched. She has now turned into a "NO!" screaming 18 month old. Momma threatens to sell her to the gypsies. I just need to send her this photo to remind her what a sweet baby girl she is.

A Long Time Coming

There is a sense of accomplishment that comes when you finish a U.F.O. that has been lanquishing in the pile for quite some time, also known as FOUR years. I first started this sweet bishop to have some handwork when I went on my trip to Israel four years ago.

I was drawn to this plate because of one the few sewing regrets that I have. When my #2 daughter was a preschooler, I made her a sweet floral bishop. I was married to a 2nd Lt in the Air Force, that translates to not having two nickles to rub together. My mother sent me a piece of calico that had been aging in her stash for many years. I had never made a bishop nor had I been smocking for very long. I was determined to conquer it. I found this plate from my favorite heirloom shop for about $2.50, bought $.50 worth of floss and $1.50 worth of buttons. So I was into this dress for $4.50. In 1985 that was a lot of money for us. I finished it and my daughter LOVED it. Loved it so much that she would cry in front of the dryer until it was dry. She wore it 3-4 times a week. By the time she outgrew I was so. sick. of. that. dress! I threw it away. I know, what was I thinking? Oh how I wish I had kept that dress for Princess. So I pulled out the plate, found this piece of cherry print lawn in the closet and got ready to recreate the bishop.

I had a wonderful time, got the bishop smocked on the plane over and while I was there. Just had a few stitches to finish on the way home. When the worst stomach flu known to man struck. The flight between Tel-Aviv and Philadelphia was 15 hours that felt like 300. That dress had sat on the seat next to me all the way back as I got up and down between the airplane bathroom and my seat. All. Night. Long. It is understandable that I never wanted to see that dress again when I got home. So the bottom of the pile it lived for four long years. 

It now fits Little Girl. So I soldiered on to finish it. 

As I so often like to do, I used gingham for the neck binding, piping and cuffs. I have no idea what pattern I used. Looking at the sleeves I wonder if I used Gail Doane's Sew Cute Couture bishop.

And red buttons down the back.

It looks so sweet with her red shoes and great big red bow. She also has some grow room. I'm sure she is singing in this photo momma snapped with her phone. So get those UFO's out of the pile. You will be glad you did.

"B" is for Birthdays

There are decided advantages to being way behind on your blog. You have a TON of projects to share to catch up! So here is one of those projects.

To say that First Birthdays have taken on a life of their own is an understatement of mammoth proportions. At least around here. Little Girl's first birthday was in the fall. She really couldn't have chosen a better time to be born because the weather here in October is delightful.  Momma decided to celebrate her birthday here instead of NOLA. This Mimi was only too happy to oblige.

Her cake came from Sarah's Cake Shop. I have ordered a few birthday cakes in my time, and they were one of the easiest to deal with by far. And sooooo nice.

White: as defined by Webster's Dictionary is "free from color." Don't anyone tell LG's Momma. It is her favorite color! And don't go trying to spruce up her white either. I have a stash closet full of some realllllllly nice fabric. Some tone on tone, some white dimity, some Swiss leno windowpane, and some quite expensive too. No, Momma wanted plain white. She did agree to Swiss Flannel. SO that is what we went with.

I love how it turned out but still, I could have used a little lee-way.  I inserted more color with the Swiss eyelet insertion and edging at the sleeve. This dress is a pretty close copy of one a friend did several years ago for her daughter. I loved it so much, I filed the idea away for later. I hate that the dress doesn't have a slip under it in this picture. It looks much better with the slip under it.

It is smocked in different shades of pink. I used "Baby Blue" as my smocking plate from Australian Smocking and Embroidery and the neckline is piped with pale pink pique, I think.  The pattern I used is from Gail Doane's book Sew Cute Couture. The Swiss flannel came from Farmhouse Fabrics.

It buttons all the way down the back and is closed with more antique mother of pearl buttons. At the time the buttons didn't look too big, but now they look huge to me. Oh well, she was adorable in it with her pink t-strap shoes.

By Bentz Photography

For her portraits Momma had her go barefoot. Which I love. Happy Girl.

By Bentz Photography

I love those tooties covered in grass. If only they would stay this little.

I have more birthday sewing (of course I do) in a day or so. Until then, keep stitching.

Easter Parade

Happy Easter Sunday. Many blessings to you and yours. Easter Sunday is kind of quiet for us. No one but my husband and I home and no plans on deck. I'm okay with it. Would love to have all the kids home but sometimes quiet is good too.

Big changes will appear here in the next few days. New design coming your way. I'm really excited about it.

Ok, on to what you came here for. Don't these pastels just scream Easter Parade?

Swiss Voile from Farmhouse Fabrics

I found this Swiss Voile windowpane check when I was at Sewing At the Beach in January.  Farmhouse Fabrics had a booth there. I spotted this fabric and loved it. I had to tote it around, put it back, come back to it and finally took the plunge. I love the color, the windowpane check, love everything about it. I will admit it was pricey. But once again, for these little ones it only takes a tad over a yard. I wasn't making a prom dress with five yards. All that aside, I love it.  Brother's is from Imperial broadcloth and pique also from Farmhouse. The color isn't an exact match but a nice compliment.

Brother's is made from Imperial broadcloth and pique also from Farmhouse. The color isn't an exact match but a nice compliment. Nugget is almost three so it was time for a sailor outfit.

For the shirt, I used Children's Corner Basics for Boys I. Since it wasn't going to be a button on I lengthened the shirt. The shorts are once again Children's Corner Parker's Pants. If you do not have this pattern I suggest you get it. I have used it to death and while my daughter was home she cut out 8 pairs of shorts for her two kids.

I love the pique stripes on the shirt. I may have to do a tutorial on how I did that.

I used one of these and lots of starch. I recently told a friend that I use almost as much starch as I do thread.

Little Girl's dress from the Swiss voile, with a satin batiste collar. That pink shadow underneath is the slip.

Grammie's Attic

The slip is a happy accident. I had purchased a pink and a white slip from Grammie's Attic to go under LG's birthday dress. Momma didn't like the petticoat slip under the bishop. I felt this dress just had to have it or it would hang kind of limply from so much fullness. I had intended to use the white one but could not lay my hands on it. That left the pink. Slipped it under there and loved it. I love that little shadow of pink that shows through the aqualine colored voile. It is a very sheer fabric and has to have a slip under it.

Children's Corner

I used Children's Corner Bessie for her dress. A first time for me. Love it.

The satin batiste collar is trimmed with entredeux and tatting. I smocked the dress with rayon floss. Must have had a weak moment of madness there. I love the little bit of shine again the texture of the fabric, so I used the same floss for the collar embroidery. In retrospect I should have shifted those side bouguets forward a smidge. Something I didn't realize until the collar was on.

More antique mother of pearl buttons from The Old Fashioned Baby. In this photo they look more yellow than they are in person.

Doesn't this sleeve just make you want to squee? I love tiny puffed sleeves on little ones. I had intended to pipe the sleeve band but forgot. Either way, I love this tiny sleeve.

They will be just as sweet from behind as they walk sweetly into church. (I know, who are we kidding?) I don't often smock the back of a garment but just felt compelled this time.

Momma sent quick phone pics from this morning. Too sweet.

I truly hope you and your loved ones had a blessed Easter holiday. Have a bite of a chocolate bunny to celebrate.