Monday, August 31, 2009

to a sweet boy


Monday, August 24, 2009

Going to the fair.....



Well yesterday was the day to drive to the fair and pick up our chapter member's entries. Thank heaven the weather was kind this year. There are some years that it is broiling hot in the dusty rural area of Missouri. But this year the weather was delightful. High 70's, sunny skies and a nice breeze. That doesn't mean that the horse barns didn't still have an "aroma." As is always the case, we made our way to the home ec building first. That is what I came for after all. Not a bad showing. I had four entries this year and came away with four ribbons. Three blues and one white. Two of my blues were best of show for their division. Not too shabby.

I will be real honest and say that the fact that both of my best of shows look as if someone slept in them. Aghhhh. I guess they had to be handled quite a bit for judging. It is just a killer when you spend so much time ironing it. I wanted them to be presentable when they arrived. I laughed out loud when I saw the ribbon looped over the bonnet of the pink linen set. I guess someone thought that was the way it was supposed to be. Could be a trend I guess.



In the top picture you can see a portion of the quilt that got the gold award for the home ec building. It was spectacular. It is a whole cloth quilt w ith millions of the tiniest hand stitches. If I had been thinking I would have gotten a picture of the whole quilt but here is a teeny portion.


On to the next thing. What you are you sewing these days?


Saturday, August 22, 2009

Life is a zoo!



No, really it is just Baby Giraffes. I was telling a friend that I wasn't sure about this insert. I was concerned that the colors were too muted. So I took a picture of it. The colors are more muted than I would like but I think I am going to go with it, not changing it now. I am using Primrose Lane "Daniel" for a bubble.



I have to take a break first and insert a zipper into a dress youngest daughter is making, then pleat some inserts for #2 daughter and last finish another quilt block dress.

I have a few days to get this constructed, the baby shower isn't until Friday.

TIP: At first I was going to do the plate as shown except do only two giraffes because this bubble has a more narrow insert than many. I had an "ah ha" moment yesterday. (I Know they are few and far between.) I had the thought that I should just turn one of them around so they face each other. Originally I was going to try and wing the graph by "reading" it backwards. Thank heaven I know my limitations. So finally it dawns on me to scan it and flip the image. Worked like a charm. That is what the graph on the right hand side of the picture is. Now I will say it will mess with your brain to look at the graph and see all of the other text backwards. Since I wasn't going to use the text directions, I just folded the paper in half. Much easier visually on my brain.

Later faithful reader!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

The tiniest smocked bishop

No I have not forgotten you, just have been uber busy. All of my kids were home for a whirlwind visit. We celebrated youngest daughter's birthday while they were home. I don't the last time all of them were home to cut birthday cake. My husband always smiles when they are all around the dinner table again. Of course, that meant I had to cook as well. Something I am way out of practice on. It is amazing how easily you can not cook. It was fun to have them home but boy was I pooped when they left.

Another reason for my absence is I have had limited internet access. That is the reason I have not been able to post as I would like. Hopefully the cable monopoly in our area will be able to work out our connectedness by this weekend. I will then be back on my mac computer that I miss very much.

I haven't had a chance to get back to my drawn threadwork but I have done some quick stitching. Our SAGA chapter is working on a quilt of smocked dresses. This is my block.

I am convinced that if you really want to see how your stitching looks, take a picture of it. I had no idea that the left side of my "dress" was cock eyed until I posted this picture. Oh well it is done now. The little dress is out of a precious lawn smocked with another overdyed floss in a soft green/blue color. I tucked a teeny bit of tulle in the sleeves so they would hold their puff.
I am working on a baby gift for next week so I will have pics of that soon. Picture smocking here I come.

Monday, August 10, 2009

The finished Wee Care...going to the fair



Here is the Wee Care gown finished and ready to ride to the fair. I delivered it yesterday. It is made from silky voile. I had just barely enough scraps left from the last christening gown to squeeze this out. It is my new favorite fabric. The gown pattern itself is another favorite. It is Mother of Pearl/Oyster from Australian Smocking and Embroidery Issue #29 by Robyn Beaver. I have used it for not only Wee Care but for many newborn baby gifts. It is a tried and true.

The smocking design itself is from an ancient, out of print Sew Beautiful, Special Occasion 1992. It is Watercolors by Wendy Ragan



The original smocking design is done on linen. I have always wanted to do this gown so I chose it for the gown I planned to enter in the fair. It would be a beautiful design to use for a christening gown.



I really like the Madeira applique hem. The original calls for the embroidery all the way around the hem. Not enough time for that this time. I used a cheater method to pin stitch the hem. (I'll try to show that in the next few days, but my kids are coming home so I have to shovel a path through this house first.)



The smocking is stitched with overdyed floss by Needle Necessities. That company has sadly gone out of business but there are overdyed flosses available from other sources now. Cross stitch and needlepoint shops are a good place to look for it. The colors I used were very pale so it gives a very subtle yet colorful effect.

Now lets see if it bring home a ribbon. The Wee Care gowns entered into the fair are donated to the university hospital. I hope it brings comfort to a hurting family.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Wee Care smocking



It is time for the fair again. I am sad that the two big projects I wanted to get finished have not happened. I am even more sad because I hear that submissions to the fair's smocking category are down this year. :::Sigh::: So, I have been furiously trying to get a Wee Care gown smocked this week. I am headed to the sewing room now to apply the bias binding on the neck and sleeves. I may re-do some of the embroidery on the hem if I have time.



If you ever want to get a good look at your stitching, take a picture of it. When you upload it, you will see every lump, bump and bruise. Oh well, don't have time to re do it all.

Back later with more.

Have you been following Needle N Thread's thread painting lessons? I have to catch up. Eeek! All of my kids will be home next week so don't know how much stitching I will get done. Peaches are almost done too, need to get some jelly made.
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