Southern Matriarch

All Because a Girl Loved a Boy...the tale of two gowns

2012-01-22T21:08:00.000-06:00

I was struck by the two ends of a spectrum this weekend represented. Both brought about because a girl loved a boy. And he loved her back. I have seen so much evidence of that this weekend.

I had the thrill of seeing my daughter try on wedding gowns. I saw the tears come when she found the gown of her dreams. I felt my own throat tighten at how beautiful she was in that gown. (and no this is not THE gown)

I also had the thrill of seeing another gown, placed on this handsome baby boy. Today he was baptized into the family of faith in a gown just as beautiful. As my daughter said to me this morning, "Now it really is a family gown." The same gown his sister wore when she was baptized. It too brought tears of joy.

The tale of two gowns, each one because a girl loved a boy...

Making Dreams Come True

2012-01-20T08:26:00.000-06:00

God is so good to me. Today I have the privilege of taking my baby girl, my youngest child, shopping for the dress of her dreams. How did we get here? Where have the years gone? How did she grow up when I wasn't looking? Where is the little girl who told me she could never be a mommy because she didn't know how to drive? The perfect question for a child whose formative years were spent in the car car-pooling her older siblings to and fro.

What happened to this little girl who was so excited for her "very special day"?

She has grown into this beautiful young woman who is very nervous this morning. And we will begin this journey that every mother dreams of and dreads all at once.

This is how I am feeling today, faithful reader....

Time to Get Started

2012-01-07T16:41:00.000-06:00

You could practically sweep the dust bunnies out of here; it has been too quiet in this blog space. I know everyone is busy and life is crazy for many, but................. life around here feels like it is flying by at warp speed. I seem to say that a lot don't I? A friend and I often make snarky remarks about people who post the SAME THING on Facebook every.day.of.their.life! I seem to be of the same ilk, I complain about the busyness around here all the time it seems. Must get a handle on that. Or hush about it. Which ever comes first. I am stitching, I just don't have something to show for it yet.

So on to a new year. As promised, when I posted the kids Christmas outfits here, I will address the piped back yoke on Master Hank's romper.

Have you ever tripped in the parking lot in front of all your friends or co-workers? You quickly look around to see if anyone saw you and then try to nonchalantly stroll to the car. Never mind that your face is burning bright after you tried your Dick Van Dyke trick of tripping over your own feet. Well that is what this is all about.

As I had shared with you, I had reduced the number of smocked rows I used from the original smocking design. This caused a needed change in the depth of the front yoke. I don't know about you, but I stink at math! I am a visual person, so the math part stumps me every time. After much "cipherin" I altered the depth of the front yoke successfully. I KNEW that it meant I would have to change the depth of the back yokes as well. I lined them up several times before I cut it out. Several. I was positive I had it right this time.

WRONG! The back yoke was an inch and a half too short. It couldn't have been too long. That would have been too easy. Add to that, we are talking about $26 a yard fabric, two weeks before Christmas. This couldn't be scrapped and started over. Nor did I have enough fabric to re-do. We won't even discuss the fact that the collar was already on it when I discovered the glitch. I wasn't re-doing that either. What is that saying about necessity and invention? Well it came to my rescue.

I thought there has to be some way to add to this back yoke that would be acceptable. Finally after much swearing and fretting it came to me. Piping!

I decided to pipe the section I added to make it look intentional. And as the angels would have it, it was just the right width to put the button on to make it look like a little faux belt. Whew! Saved from myself.

Here is the inside of the yoke. I just cut a strip on the fold the width of the yoke bottom, piped both the top and bottom edges and then attached the romper bottom as usual.

I have to say, after all was said and done, I really like the way the back looks. It gives more visual interest to the back besides just the red buttons. I may do this again, on purpose this time.

Moral of the story: check your pieces before you try to sew them together and know that there is always a way out of almost every predicament.

2011-The Year in Review

2011-12-31T14:35:00.000-06:00

Well faithful reader, it is that time again. Time to assess where you've been so you can see where you are going. This past year has flown by for me as I am sure it has for so many of you. There have been the highest of highs and some low, low, lows. All in all it has been a very good year. So this is what I have done this year:

As always, I say to myself time and time again; "I don't get enough done." I am not sure what the word "enough" is all about. I sure did a whole bunch more than I thought. Sure there are countless projects up in that sewing room that I didn't get to and they are waiting for me with a mocking sneer. At the same time I have more to show for the year than I anticipated. Why do we tend to focus on the negative space of accomplishments instead of the positive?

Here is the rundown:

23 pincushions
20 snip bags
7 Silk Ribbon Embroidered Pencil Holders
5 bishops
3 Children's Corner Lucy jumpers
3 Blouses
3 Rompers
3 Aprons
3 Chef hats
2 Daygowns
2 Slips
2 Wee Care gowns
1 Basic Yoke Dress
1 Smocked Full Bodice Dress
1 Embroidered Summer Dress
1 Christening Gown
1 Coming Home Gown
1 Overalls
1 Doll Dress
1 Jacket

For a total of 84 items. Not bad. In addition to that

1 Sewing School
1 SAGA Convention
2 Bathroom remodels
2 Chapter Programs
3 Tutorials
1 extra trip to Louisiana
3.5 kids of varying ages moving in
Same kids moving out
Birthday party of the decade
1 Family Portrait with grown children from all over (Try it and see if you don't consider it a big accomplishment)

and

1 design being published in Australian Smocking and Embroidery!!!!! Go me!

Once again it doesn't compare to the time spent with this Princess

and just as wonderful

welcoming baby brother right before Thanksgiving. What a gift to be thankful for.

So all of those hours snuggling, tickling, reading or sweet neck kisses from last year, are double this year. The most difficult thing has been finding time to take enough pictures. Thank goodness Oldest Auntie was home at Christmas and made up for my woeful lack of pictures. Even if I did develop a bad case of camera envy. I don't think a new camera will give me more hours in the day.

As if all of that wasn't enough....

He asked

and she said, "Yes!" Their excitement knocked my angel right off the top of the tree evidently. Exciting day for all, Santa brought dollies, books and BLING! (Say a prayer for me because trust me, I live with George Banks!)

The coming year promises to be just as eventful as the last. My wish for you faithful reader, is that with each day of the new year, a blessing is realized.

Thirty Four Years

2011-12-30T12:06:00.000-06:00

Happy Anniversary to my fabulous husband of thirty four years. To a wonderful husband, a great dad and now an awesome grandfather. Here is to thirty four more wonderful years together.

Hurry!

2011-12-22T12:23:00.000-06:00

Is Santa chasing you? He is sure chasing me. No gifts are wrapped, groceries aren't bought, some shopping still needs to happen. As of last night, offspring have descended, so time is at even more of a premium.

There have been a few moments like these that make all the rushing around worth it. I hope your holiday preparations are coming together.

Be back soon, faithful reader. And bringing back an all time favorite to remind us all of the peace to had this wondrous season....

Do Not Be Afraid

2011-12-18T08:00:00.003-06:00

In today's Gospel, the angel Gabriel appears to a young girl. A young girl engaged to be married. On the threshold of her life, she had it all planned out. Or so she thought. In her quiet solitude, an angel appears with news that would rock anyone to their core. Can you even imagine her confusion? Her fear? Fear of not only the unknown but the known. This was going to uproot all she had thought her life would be, what would her family say? How would she ever explain this to Joseph? Would he love her enough to trust her? The angel tells her,

"Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favor."

After some consideration, she places her trust in God. Wow, I can't even imagine. I would have had a whole lot more questions!

Do not be afraid. It resonates within me. A very timely message for me, for us all. Set your fears aside as we wait for the coming of our Lord, at Christmas and at the end of time.

Do not be afraid.

A Tale of Santa

2011-12-16T20:40:00.000-06:00

We decided to try the Santa thing again. Here is how it went.

First I met some new friends that were also waiting to meet Santa. They seemed to be much more excited than I.

The stage was set. There were lots and lots of other kids there. I was taking it all in; the music, the trees, the kids, the chair, that man.

I am not so sure. Our turn is next, I am getting a little nervous.

Nope, I don't like him! Did you know that Mommies go to see Santa too?

I would rather just go to lunch! I think Mommy agrees.

That new kid they brought to live at our house is a traitor if you ask me. Not one peep of protest from him. He even seemed to enjoy it.

I am pooped! This Christmas thing will wear a girl out. Has anyone seen my shoe? Rumor has it, I was snoring. I think they are mistaken, Princesses don't snore.

2011-12-11T12:22:00.001-06:00

Prepare our hearts
and remove the sadness
that hinders us from feeling
the joy and hope
which his presence
will bestow.

Ho Ho Ho

2011-12-10T21:40:00.001-06:00

Ho Ho Ho! Time for Christmas finery. Just in the nick of time, Breakfast with Santa was this morning. Princess and her baby brother were decked out and ready to go! Mommy and Mimi are a little ragged around the edges but they had a great time. For someone who has only been walking a week, Princess has turned into a modern day Road Runner. Good thing the dress is cute from the back, that is all we saw as she dashed here, there and everywhere!

There was one thing that stopped her dead in her tracks, that tall man in the red suit! I don't think it is possible for two little feet to be more firmly planted to the floor.

She was having none of it.

She may not have been willing to visit with Santa, but sitting in his chair with Mommy was okay. Master Hank didn't have much of an opinion.

On to the sewing! Both garments are made from Swiss flannel, love that stuff, trimmed with Susie's Ready to Smock red microcheck piping.The romper again is Chery Williams "Baby Bubbles" smocked with Ellen McCarn's "Candy-liscious". Since Master Hank is only a month old, I reduced the size of the insert by almost half. Much more in proportion for him. I pictured smocked the candy canes on his with three strands instead of four, that reduced the size of the candy canes. Then I squished (very technical term) the borders in close to the candy canes. I was happy with how the insert turned out.

The back view. We will address that faux belt another day. Ignore the fact that I took the picture before I stitched on the snap at the neck.

Like baby brother's, I reduced the depth of the original smocking design for the bishop as well. On a size 2 bishop, I did use four strands to picture smock, but repeated that "squishing" technique with the borders. As you can see above, it was the perfect depth. Normally I would have fretted about "bishopizing" (another technical term) the bottom border. For some reason, smockers have been led to believe that you HAVE to have use trellis and wave stitches at the bottom of a bishop design in order for it to drape properly. I took on the "They are not the boss of me!" attitude and decided to go against that philosophy. It worked great. You do have to smock more loosely along the bottom but it worked great.

I didn't get the slip made yet, have to do that in the next couple of days because "baby, it is cold outside!"

Onto the next projects after I clear a path in that tornado of a sewing room.

Parting Shot:
Just a kiss....

For you

2011-12-07T22:57:00.001-06:00

Aren't DVRs great? Just one of those many things we wondered how we did without in a former life. While sewing this evening I was catching up on the last episode from Glee. My daughter had mentioned that it was a good episode. Not that there are many episodes that I don't enjoy. This one was a keeper. The below video is one reason.

Smocking-Check!

2011-12-06T15:39:00.001-06:00

Smocking is complete, now on to construction. I love the lime green with it. As on the insert, I compressed the smocking design on the bishop as well. Princess might be a tall drink of water but she is still just a baby. She doesn't need smocking down her shoulders. I am off to block it and clear the sewing room so I can start constructing them both.

I think I need to start Christmas shopping. You don't think it is too early?

Parting Shots:

Baby Boy is almost 4 weeks old. Wow, how did that happen? He is looking more and more like his sister every day.

And Princess has decided to enter the realm of toddler. Last Friday she decided it was time to stop the knee thing walking we called stumpin'. We think she had to be practicing behind closed doors and no one knew. She just got up Friday and took off. She had never gotten up by herself before this. Now she does this for long periods of time, running laps.

Wait in Joyful Hope

2011-12-04T00:57:00.001-06:00

Hope, deep abiding hope.

"Hope is the thing with feathers,

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all."

Emily Dickinson's definition of hope captures what many of us have a hard time defining. Hope is not blind optimism, nor arrogant certainty, nor wishful thinking. Hope, the theme of today's Gospel, is the knowledge that God would not desert us, that we will endure difficult times to see a better day. Hope gives us the strength to seek peace and demand justice, and to envision the world as God intended it to be.

(Excerpted from AmericanCatholic.org)

Candy Cane Lane

2011-11-28T12:15:00.001-06:00

Candy canes are coming along. Baby Hank's insert is almost complete. It still needs some holly. I did reduce his quite a bit. The original plate as well as the pattern, call for a 3" insert of 8 rows. No newborn needs 3" of pleating on his chest. I squeezed it much narrower and it looks like it will be much more in proportion for a little guy. I'm not real happy with the borders on the insert. I haven't decided if it bothers me enough to re-do. I did space the canes farther apart on the bishop. I think they will be cute. Have to hurry, Breakfast with Santa is soon!

I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was wonderful. Around here all of the leftovers have been eaten, the last pie plate put away, children have returned from whence they came and the season of Advent is upon us. As I sat smocking last night in a quiet house I stumbled upon Andrea Bocelli's Christmas special on PBS. It is from a couple of years ago. Just delightful and peaceful as I stitched along. Below is one of my favorites from the show.

What are you stitching in preparation for Christmas? I hope you take a quiet moment for yourself in this busy season.

The Flickering Light of Advent

2011-11-27T22:17:00.001-06:00

As we begin Advent, we light one candle in the midst of all the darkness in our lives and in the world. It symbolizes our longing, our desire, our hope. Three “advents” or “comings” shape our desire. We want to be renewed in a sense that Jesus came to save us from our sin and death. We want to experience his coming to us now, in our everyday lives, to help us live our lives with meaning and purpose. And we want to prepare for his coming to meet us at the end of our lives on this earth... (excerpted from Creighton Univ. Online Ministries)

“Lord, the light I choose to let into my life today is based on my trust in you. It is a weak flame, but I so much desire that it dispel a bit more darkness today. Today, I just want to taste the longing I have for you as I go to the meeting this morning, carry out the responsibilities of my work, face the frustration of some difficult relationships. Let this candle be my reminder today of my hope in your coming.”

How will you "prepare" for Christmas? Will you choose to prepare in a way that doesn't include only gifts, cards, menus and lines at the post office. All of those are worthwhile and bring great joy, but they tell only a small part of the story. Take a few moments each day as we prepare for Christmas, either by visiting one of the many online devotionals such as this one on Creighton's site or by practicing this time of quiet preparation in a way that best speaks to your heart.

Come, Lord Jesus! Come and visit your people.

We await your coming. Come, O Lord.

2011-11-24T01:02:00.001-06:00

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant,
to enact gratitude is generous and noble,

but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.

~Johannes A. Gaertner

May the blessings of this bounteous season be yours, faithful reader.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot...

2011-11-17T16:55:00.001-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! At least in the sewing room. Fabric is washed, cut out and pleated. Ready to start stitching.

Fabric is Swiss flannel, again. Smocked with Ellen McCarn's Candy-liscious. I did decide to switch up the colors and go with a more contemporary lime green for the holly as opposed to the traditional green. For the patterns, my stand-by Children's Corner bishop and Chery Williams, "Baby Bubbles" for baby brother. Fabric and buttons from BessieMary. Piping will be red microcheck. Have to get busy.

Parting Shot:

Somebody wanted Mimi to take them with her. Next time I will sneak out when she isn't looking. Daddy is trying to distract her with socks.

Bringing Baby Home

2011-11-13T18:27:00.001-06:00

Friday was a good day, Baby Hank came home. Here he is resting up before his Mommy dressed him for the ride home.

Big Sister, Princess, was busy digging in Mimi's wallet while this was going on. She was oblivious to the momentous occasion.

Here he is in his coming home gown featured here. He is just too precious. One of the nurses asked if Mommy always went to this much trouble to dress her children. Princess was wearing her Big Sister jumper again. Mommy chuckled and told her yes, yes she did.

Here is a shot with his beautiful Mommy.

Ready to roll! With his hat from Jan, she was worried about his head being cold since there was no bonnet to match his gown.

This is after he has made it home and been removed from the car seat. I told you, Swiss flannel travels well. It is a delightfully yummy and snugly fabric. If you have never tried it, I highly recommend it.

Life is good and full of many, many blessings. Thank you, faithful reader for all of the comments and emails of well wishes on Master Hank's arrival. They are very appreciated.

Love Grows

2011-11-10T15:25:00.001-06:00

Master Henry James L. (Hank) was born yesterday evening. 8# 8 oz and is a doll baby! We are in love. Well most of us, Big Sister is reserving judgement for a few more days. Mommy and Baby Hank are both doing well. So excuse me for a few days while I stock up on some new baby snuggles and some big girl hugs too.

Last of the Daygown Parade

2011-11-06T21:12:00.001-06:00

Excuse the poor pic, I was in a hurry today before I rushed out the door. This is the last of the daygowns for Master Hank. It is a simple daygown made from Imperial batiste. I had preconstructed it several weeks ago. It has since traveled all over the country waiting for a wee bit of embroidery. I put it together at the same time I did the one featured here. It also is made using Priscilla's Layette from the Old Fashioned Baby.

This is the same pattern used when getting ready for the Princess. It is a super simple and super quick gown to work up. We won't make Hank wear the pink one, but the blue one is laundered and ready to go.

It has a simple shadow work design featured in Shadowwork Fun and Fancy. Just a quick, sweet embellishment. Don't be afraid to stitch something small and sweet on a simple gown. It only took a couple of hours to stitch this slumbering moon while watching TV in my sewing room. The matching blue buttons are from Bessie Mary. Not sure why the placket is buckled in this picture. It is not in real life.

On to Christmas it is!!!! Can you say Swiss flannel and candy canes?

Ready for Baby Brother

2011-11-04T14:23:00.000-05:00

Been looking for me? I know many have, my email box tells me so. Here I am. Today is the first time I have had to sit in this chair and post. I came home from SAGA convention to a whirlwind. Our chapter hosted Susan O'Connor for a workshop the weekend following convention and then I hosted the class attendees for dinner Saturday night. Since then I have been feverishly trying to catch up as well as finish baby brother's coming home gown. Success, for the gown not the catching up part!

I promise I will revisit and post pictures from convention as well as Susan O's visit to our chapter. But first of all, Baby Hank's Coming Home gown.

The gown marries two different designs.

The gown itself is the Summer Nighty pattern from Baby's Summer Clothes, from The Old Fashioned Baby. I have used this pattern many times before. It is a favorite of mine.

(Note: This pattern is out of print but it is well worth hunting up on ebay etc. I have used it so many times. I may need to scout a new pattern for myself. The one I have is in tatters. Most of the pieces are taped and scribbled on. I had to take the guts of the pattern out to get a picture of the pattern front.)

I lengthened the sleeve and pleated it according to the pattern directions in the Embroidered Raglan Daygowns pattern, also by the Old Fashioned Baby. I stitched a tiny buttonhole in the sleeve band to thread the ribbon through. I was forbidden to use any lace or tatting, but I wanted to be able to draw the sleeves up to fit, so this was my solution. I also pleated the sleeve header instead of gathering. A more tailored look for a little man.

The embroidery and madeira hem comes from Wendy Schoen's Madeira Baby Layette. It was an Embroidery Club selection. She no longer offers the EC but you can purchase the pattern and kit. This is what Mommy chose and we tweaked the final project.

She chose which animal toys she wanted most. So these are the four we went with. They are all stitched in shadowwork. The scallops above the hem, are done in stem stitch.

I dallied with the idea of choosing a fifth for the center, which isn't really the center for this gown. Something about it didn't look right so I rinsed it back off.

The fabric I used is Swiss flannel. Absolutely yummy. We don't have feelavision anymore than we have smellavision, I wish we did, so you could feel the yummy softness of this fabric. The hem is also Swiss flannel. The fabric in the kit is Swiss batiste for both the gown and the hem. Mommy wanted flannel for this November baby. My initial plan was to use the flannel for the gown and the batiste provided for the hem. Well because I didn't think through the fact that I changed patterns, I cut the strips for the hem straight without realizing, with an A-line gown you need to shape the bottom to mimic the shape of the gown hem. My strips weren't going to fit. All is okay, I love the flannel at the hem and it works.

I used the method of water soluble thread to get my pin stitching at the hem even. Stitching first by machine with the water soluble thread then coming back and stitching by hand with fine weight sewing thread. Gives a hand look that is very even and easy to achieve. Be careful when you stitch something like this. If you want your stitches TIGHT like mine, stitch under stressful conditions such as Game 6 of the World Series. I am amazed I didn't snap my thread more often than I did!

I have been trying to talk Mommy into the matching ~~bonnet~~ hat but so far it is a no go. His little head is going to be cold. That aside he will be a very welcome and precious star in his sweet gown. Whew, he can come on anytime now, gown is finished.

SAGA Convention Day 4

2011-10-15T10:58:00.001-05:00

Day 4, I'm trying to pace my feeble brain. Yesterday's class was good, my eyelets seemed to improve. A trend I hope will continue. After a quick lunch it was time to get ready for the retail market. Always fun. A few Liberty prints MAY have jumped into my bag. I was somehow overcome with a fever. They are beautiful and will be a beautiful addition to my stash. After a few more purchases of fabrics and a sweet thread painting kit, it was back to our room for early evening of pajamas, room service and stitching. We all compared our purchases, relaxed and stitched. We actually were able to get to bed at a fairly decent hour for us.Today's class is beading with Susie Gay. Should be fun. The raffle baskets in the hospitality room are flowing over with goodies. I have spread out my "donation" among many baskets. Tonight is the banquet where the new officers will be installed, artisan achievers will be recognized and those awesome baskets will be given away. Wish me luck!

SAGA Convention Day 3

2011-10-14T11:19:00.001-05:00

Well here we are at Friday. Yesterday's day 2 with Jeannie was delightful as always. Tucks, bullions and a new way to attach lace to a hem. Design Show was inspiring as always. A smocked fascinator, a gorgeous embroidered lap desk and an intriguing smocked lampshade. Show and Share featured many beautiful items as well but my favorite was a showstopping Madeira appliquéd and embroidered tea cloth. The stitcher who made it told me it took TEN years to stitch. That is dedication! There was also a Teacher's Showcase featuring class samples from many different teachers. Again always inspiring and exciting.After a quick dinner it was more visiting, stitching and laughing. Today's class is again with Jeannie Baumeister. Eyelet embroidery. I have been happy with my eyelets but not my shaded eyelets. That is my goal for this class, to improve those. This afternoon is market. An opportunity to shop for fabrics, patterns and tools. Always fun. Otherwise it is a much needed afternoon "off". I have raffle basket tickets to deposit in some wonderful looking baskets. Scissors seem to be the theme this year. I am okay with that!!!Back later, faithful reader.

Day 2 at SAGA Convention

2011-10-13T11:51:00.001-05:00

Well faithful reader, here we are at day 2. First day of class went well. We pulled threads, hemstitched, wore tiaras, went to our region meetings, had great fun and laughter. In the evening there was a crochet-in for those who wanted to learn how to add crochet edgings to Wee Care gowns, blankets and bonnets. There was a huge turnout for that event. The hospitality room (SAGA central) was overflowing with crochet hopefuls. The region meetings were held during lunch, which was a great idea. It is always good to connect with others from your region and hear ideas from other chapters. Raffle baskets are rolling in and there are some awesome ones. I have to get my tickets ready.We had a relaxed dinner and even got to bed way earlier than normal. I did work on baby boy's coming home gown. I have the pattern lengthened and traces. The fabric is prepared and ready to trace. Today is my second day of a two-day class from Jeannie Baumeister. We are cutting out the dress front and stitch tucks and add lace. Tonight is also Design Show and Show and Share. That's always inspiring.Later faithful reader.

Stitching Time

2011-10-12T10:40:00.001-05:00

And we are off, getting ready to start class with Jeannie Baumeister. First night went too fast, too much laughing, story telling, photo sharing etc. Early day. I will report back later. If only I could figure out how to upload pictures to blogger on my phone.

Dressing Baby Brother

2011-10-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Baby brother doesn't need a whole lot, but that doesn't stop Mimi's need to sew. This is just a simple Imperial Batiste daygown. Embroidered with a manly little alligator.

It is from Shadowwork Fun and Fancy by Martha Pullen/Sew Beautiful. I only shadowworked his scales, the rest of him is done in backstitch.

For the pattern I used "Priscilla's Layette" pattern by The Old Fashioned Baby. It is another out of print pattern but can often be found at some heirloom retailers or online auction sites. If not, you could use OFB Embroidered Raglan Daygown and switch it to a front placket.

The arms and neck are bound with green gingham. You know how I love gingham trim. I also set the sleeves in in the round. With a raglan sleeve that can be a bit trickier but it was worth it. Between the buttons are just some simple granitos. I was going to use green floss to attach the buttons, but it was too much.

The pattern calls for a three inch hem. Since the gown is A-line, that causes some fullness in the hem that has to be either gathered or pinched in. I'm not a fan, so I reduced the hem to one inch. It is sewn with a running stitch using one strand of floss. And as always trial and error, I was determined to use the three inch hem and the first go around I used two strands of floss. Looked nasty to me. Took it out, cut down the hem and used one strand instead.

Back to the grind. I leave EARLY tomorrow for Anaheim.

Parting Shot:

The Lucy I posted here on Princess.

Its Not What You Do...

2011-10-09T09:02:00.000-05:00

..but HOW you do it that makes a difference.

In All People

Finding God in all things means finding God in all people. St. Alphonsus Rodriguez (1532-1617) was a Jesuit brother who for forty-six years served at the Jesuit college in Majorca. Spain, in the humble job of porter, or doorkeeper. Joseph Tylenda, S.J., writes in his book Jesuit Saints and Martyrs: "His duty was to receive the visitors who came to the college, search out the fathers or students who were wanted in the parlors, deliver messages, run errands, console the sick at heart who, having no one to turn to, came to him, give advice to the troubled, and distribute alms to the needy." St. Alphonsus was devoted to finding God in the present moment. "Lord, let me know you. And let me know myself," he would pray. Each time the bell rang, he looked at the door and envisioned that it was God himself who was standing outside seeking entrance. On his way, he would say, "I'm coming, Lord!"

excerpted from The Jesuit Guide to "Almost" Everything by James Martin, S.J.

It is not what you do in life, it is how you approach what you do. A reminder I need everyday.

Great Concept

2011-10-08T17:48:00.000-05:00

One of my girls works for Living Social. An online "electronics commerce" or "deals" site. Like any good mother, I like to check in on the deals for her region to see how well they sell. I worry about her keeping a roof over her head you know. In reality, I should worry about her ability to support her designer shoe and purse habit but that is a story for another day. Well in my pursuit of helicopter mothering, I looked at today's deal for her region. Imagine my surprise when it was for sewing classes.

It is for a sewing studio in the New Orleans area, called Sew Sew Darling. I have NO affiliation with this shop, and it wasn't even a deal that my daughter sold, another account rep did. So if you see this in time and purchase it, thank you; but it will be of no monetary benefit to my girl. Just so you know I am not out here hawking her sales in the name of nepotism. Not that I am above that. I'm just innocent this time.

Back to my thought that started this post. This studio features sewing classes in a way that a real beginner can come and sew without investing in a sewing machine first. That can be a real stumbling block to a person who wants to learn to sew but doesn't have a machine. Doesn't know if they will like it. Doesn't want to plop down big bucks purchasing a piece of equipment they know nothing about. The studio provides machines, serger and ironing and cutting areas as well. In looking over the classes they appear to be beginner and intermediate classes aimed at getting the beginning sew-ist in the door and on their way. A Great Idea if you ask me.

The do parties as well. Birthday Parties, Bridal Showers, Bachlorette Parties. There is even a Champagne Sewing Party,

Champagne Sewing Party
Start with our Basic Sewing Party and add champagne, decadent cupcakes, and an abundance of girl time. Each party attendee receives a $20 gift certificate for a sewing class plus their own take-away sewing kit. Don’t worry, we’ll help you choose an ultra stylish project that’s perfect for fashion mavens and sewing newbies. $60/person (min. 4 ppl), 3 hours.

Sign Me Up! How can you go wrong with sewing with girlfriends that is mixed with champagne?

I know a lot of fabric stores that also sell machines have classes as well, but they haven't seemed to be marketed in the same way. In order to appeal to young adults, you have to market things in a whole new way than what us old ladies are used to. This particular studio seems to be doing that.

I don't know how new the studio is but by the looks of how many of these deals have sold; they are going to be very, very busy. I wish them luck and hope that this idea catches on.

Same Song-Second Verse

2011-10-07T23:42:00.002-05:00

I am on a roll trying to clear this cutting table before I leave for convention on Tuesday. I finished the floral blouse to go with yesterday's jumper. This is a floral remnant that I got from BessieMary when I bought both the orange dot and the green ghost fabrics. Thanks Jan, I would never have thought to put these together, but I love it.

Blouse pattern is the same as yesterday and the brother/sister outfits. I knew I was short on time so I just cut them all out at the same time. As stated before, the blouse is CC "Meg" which is out of print. It has a sweet sleeve, though I did lengthen the sleeve by about a three quarters of an inch. For this blouse, I added a sweet ruffle to the collar for something different.

The collars are all drafted using Gail Doane's instructions from her Peter Pan Collar class. If you ever get a chance to take that class, I highly recommend it. To add the ruffle, I trimmed away ~~3/8"~~ 1/4" away from the collar pieces.(Correction: Since the collar was already designed for a 1/8" piping, to add space for the 3/8" ruffle, I only needed to remove an additional 1/4") Since this is a pretty firm cotton, I only gathered the ruffle for the collar about 1.5x the distance around the collar. My goal was just a sweet little frill, not loud "gathers."

This is a size 2 "Lucy" with a size 1 armhole cut on it. Princess is a tall young lady and a bit on the "stocky" side these days. She needed the width and length of the 2, but her armsyce length is a size 1. Instead of all that figuring about how to enlarge a size 1, I had a light bulb moment of just using the armhole and making the rest the next size up. It worked great. She is 32" tall and 28# at 14.5 months. I hope that helps for those trying to decide what size to make.

Parting Shots:

Great baseball! Great win! Our prayers go out to hometown boy, Phillies player Ryan Howard, and hope that his injuries heal quickly.

Boo-Quick

2011-10-06T17:47:00.000-05:00

Time is speeding by around here, so anything sewn has to be quick, quick, quick. I am also not a big Halloween person, but I saw this cute fabric and had to have it. It is a Riley Blake design that I purchased from Bessie Mary. I thought it was so cute, the little ghosts look so friendly. As I said before, I am not a huge "sew-for-Halloween" person, so whatever I made I wanted it to be versatile. I decided on a blouse she could wear with either a jumper as shown or over a pair of jeans. She can wear jeans now.:) I used an OOP Children's Corner pattern, "Meg", for the blouse.

The jumper is my current go-to, Children's Corner "Lucy" out of a Fabric Finders twill, also purchased from Bessie Mary.

I have to tell on myself. I tried really hard, to NOT pipe this jumper. I had the lining pinned to the twill and was ready to sew. I couldn't do it. I had to pipe it. In the interest of time, I did concede to whip stitch piping instead of making piping. I wanted this done TODAY! Part of my problem is, I can't stand seeing the lining peek out. Piping really guards against that. I even shorten the lining on the jumper by 1/4" to pull the twill to the inside so you won't see the lining at the hem. My house may be a wreck, but by jingy you aren't going to see my linings!

I love this ghost print a lot but its life expectancy is short so I have another blouse from a floral remnant almost finished. That will take this cute little jumper through Thanksgiving. I wonder if there is any orange Christmas fabric anywhere? Don't tell me if you find it. There are way too many projects on the cutting table as it is.

Brothers and Sisters

2011-09-27T20:59:00.003-05:00

Baby brother is only a few short weeks from arriving. There has been one thing after another keeping from my sewing room. Consequently, his layette is woefully bare right now. I am trying to squeeze a few more hours in my day. I'll let you know how that works out. I am fearful it won't be as successful as I hope. All that aside, here is his first completed outfit. Mommy wanted outfits for when "Big Sisser" comes to see baby in the hospital. Looking for some of those Kodak moments. We went stash diving and this is what we came up with.

The jumper is Children's Corner "Lucy" paired with an out of print pattern, Children's Corner "Meg" for the blouse.

Both outfits are made from Spechler Vogel Dakota pique, and lined with Fabric Finders green tri-check. Since Princess is a tall drink of water, the jumper is a size 2, but with a size 1 armhole. It fits great, it is a teeny, teeny bit long but won't be for long. At 14 months she is 32" tall.

It is piped in the tri-check. You know I love piping. It gives such a nice finish. The blouse is a Fabric Finders floral cotton. It also comes in a sweet blue colorway, but that wasn't in my closet. Mommy wanted the sleeves piped as well. The buttons are 1/2" covered buttons. I did interface the fabric to cover the buttons with, with German interfacing to give the fabric covering a bit more stability.

Baby brother's outfit is made from Jackie Clark's "Baby Overalls". As I said, also from the Dakota pique lined with the tri-color check. I used Snap Source snaps at the inseams.

I couldn't leave off the piping love from baby brother, so it too is piped with the green. Initially I was going to do the machine embroidery on the romper front without the pocket. I decided to line and pipe the pocket to frame the embroidery instead. This pattern called for a rounded strap so I used one larger covered button instead of the two smaller ones.

The Big Sister design was purchased from swak embroidery while the Lil Brother design was a free download from the same site.

All in all I call this duo almost "free." I had the fabrics and the patterns, the only thing I purchased was the buttons for the blouse and the Big Sister embroidery design. Score!

I do have a couple of gowns about finished then onto his coming home gown. It will be an Old Fashioned Baby/Wendy Schoen combo. Replete with shadow work all along the hem. About those few short weeks.....

Parting shot: Princess in a bishop from last fall at the punkin' patch this past weekend. It still fits, but it is too short now. Mommy just slipped a pair of jeans underneath. And no, her bow isn't quite that large, it is a tee-pee in the background!

Words to Ponder

2011-09-21T00:15:00.001-05:00

WHAT KIND OF GOD?

What kind of God would He be

if He did not hear the

bangles ring on

an ant’s

wrist

as they move the earth

in their sweet

dance?

And what kind of God would He be

if a leaf’s prayer was not as precious to creation

as the prayer His own son sang

from the glorious depth

of his soul –

for us.

And what kind of God would He be

if the vote of millions in this world could sway Him

to change the divine

law of

love

that speaks so clearly with compassion’s elegant tongue,

saying, eternally saying:

all are forgiven – moreover, dears,

no one has ever been

guilty.

What
kind of God would He be
if He did not count the blinks
of your
eyes

and is in absolute awe of their movements?

What a God - what a God we
have.

From "Love Poems from God" by Daniel Ladinsky

Ahhhh

2011-09-08T16:35:00.001-05:00

The weather has changed, thank heaven. The breeze is cool, the sunshine mild and refreshing. Leaves are starting to rattle on the trees. Life is good. I even had a chance to take a quick stitch or two. Aren't the colors of the ribbon so reminiscent of fall? A real treat all the way around.

I am taking a few days to go on retreat. It will be nice since my house is once again a construction zone. Bathroom #2 under renovation. It will be wonderful with the temperate weather to enjoy some quiet time away from the hammering and sawing. Be back next week.

Hearts Remember

2011-09-02T12:19:00.000-05:00

and as always, missed.

Sept 2, 2004

Taking Flight and Feeling Blue

2011-09-01T15:09:00.001-05:00

First posted by flossbox

Is this not beautiful? At first glance you would truly believe it was real and getting ready to fly. Just gorgeous. flossbox always does exquisite work.

Thank you to everyone for the warm words of congratulations on my recent venture into "publication." It has been a real treat to receive so many messages of congratulations. The best treat will be to see others try the design for themselves. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

I do have some other ideas swirling for more submissions. It will be interesting to see how they turn out. Right now though I have lots and lots on my mind. Not only can I not seem to sew as much as I would like for Princess but.....

we are expecting the sound of even more tiny feet around here. And here is HIS tiny footprint. Don't those tiny toes just make you want to squeel? Some of you are quite inquisitive and found the ticker wayyyy at the bottom of the page. I have gotten a few emails asking about it. Baby brother is due around Thanksgiving. I need to get to sewing some blue!

Keep stitching faithful reader, I'll be stash diving.

Toot, Toot!

2011-08-27T13:09:00.000-05:00

Yes, that is me, tooting a horn! I'm kind of excited here. For some reason, I am often mistaken for a person who can't keep a secret. Not so, Moe! I've been sitting on one for months! Months, I tell you!

Country Bumpkin

I have had the honour (note my Aussie spelling there, LOL) of being asked to submit something to one of my favorite publications. Australian Smocking and Embroidery published by Country Bumpkin. Then to make the cover! Well, wowza! That was fun.

As the story goes, I was checking my email one last time before boarding the plane for Italy last fall. I was a bit surprised when I discovered a note from Susan O'Connor, editor of AS&E. Upon opening the email, to say I was "surprised" is an understatement when I realized she was asking that I consider submitting something for the magazine. I fired back about a dozen questions before the plane even took off! I do remember one statement she made, "Don't let that word original scare you." She knew me well, it was the exact thing that made my spine go zing! It sure made that flight a tad shorter as my brain went into overload.

As I traveled through Italy, every painting, stucco and tile took on a new purpose as this impending project swirled through my head. Not that the submission looks like any of the above, but it did push me into looking at things in a new way. I would say perfect timing. I am not sure I would have had this new perspective as clearly at home in my own environment. Thank you Susan, for helping me stretch in new directions.

Here is a sneak peak at "Cherry Pie." I am not going to give you the whole enchilada! I want you to buy the magazine from either your favorite heirloom retailer or better yet, subscribe to the magazine. We want to keep our beloved publications in business to keep our creative juices flowing. Which in turn keeps us buying from our favorite retailers. We are all in this together. Watch your mailbox, magazines are beginning to arrive to subscribers down under. They should be arriving here in the States in the next few weeks.

I hope you like my inaugural submission. And if you don't, that is okay too. My hope is that it will help you think in new ways and with a new eye.

So to celebrate, here are a few more horns tooting. Seventy-six to be exact.

To the Fair

2011-08-25T20:10:00.000-05:00

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig;

Home again, home again, dancing a jig....

No, we didn't buy a pig, but we cheered them on while they raced!

The fair has come and gone. We loaded up into the car went to the fair on Sunday, the last day, to both enjoy the fair and to pick up my chapter's fair entries.

The smocking division of the state fair had its most entries ever this year. Yay!! And even better, the Wee Care portion of the smocking division had the most it has ever had this year also. Double yay! It is great to see such great participation. As well as the inspiration. My daughter, the princess' mom, saw lots of things she would like to do or have Mimi do for baby girl.

I was very fortunate, the judges smiled kindly on my entries. I entered five items. Four of those were awarded blue ribbons. Two of the blue ribbons also received "Best of Show" for their divisions. The Best of Show entries were the baby's christening gown and my Old Fashioned Baby Circa 1920's French Handsewn Gown. The other two blue ribbons were the baby's coming home ensemble and her Christmas bishop.

My Wee Care gown? Nada, zip! Oh well. I received a lot of feedback though, which I appreciate. There weren't any critiques that weren't true, so I can't fuss too badly.

Baby girl had a good time I think except for the oppressive heat. Two weeks prior to this, when we drove over to deliver the entries, the weather was delightful. Last Sunday? Not so much. She does not do well in the heat. If we were outside, this is the most expressive she would get.

And don't even think she was getting close to those large animals!

Get her inside where it was cool and she perked right up! Here we are awaiting the draft horse competition.

This is not the best picture. You can't see how hard she is clutching my shirt, but you can see just how big a draft horse is compared to us regular folk! I'm 5'6" and I barely come to this horse's chin. She was overwhelmed to say the least, but they are magnificent animals.

Here they are after they were all dressed up and ready to strut their stuff.

So until next year....

Luxurious Vintage Smocking

2011-08-16T11:47:00.000-05:00

mmmoonchild Vintage

Some things are just so glamorous, they never go out of style. I can see Jean Harlow decked out in this gorgeous vintage peignoir set from the 1930's. It is from silk chiffon and features honeycomb smocking on the yokes, shoulders, wrist and waist.

mmmoonchild Vintage

It is beautiful how the honeycomb smocking controls the fullness without being overpowering.

mmmoonchild Vintage

It is amazing the things that come up on ebay.

mmmoonchild Vintage

Just beautiful. Not sure how the color originally played, but this soft cloud pink is so dreamy. Just a peek into a vintage treasure. Click on the link below each picture to see even more of this wonderful vintage find.

The Help..Have You Seen It?

2011-08-11T15:22:00.000-05:00

I like movies as much as the next person. My husband and I go in spells to the movies. We might see lots of movies in a row, then for whatever reason, we don't go again for months and months. Most movies open on a weekend. For some reason "The Help" opened on a Wednesday. It didn't matter, I was determined to be there. It was worth every second!

I admit I was a bit nervous about seeing it. I wondered how this slice of time, place and lifestyle might be portrayed. There is no denying that many wrongs occurred and that even today the dark side of our humanity can take over in the ways that we treat each other as human beings. In ways that most would not be proud of. I also know that not everyone acted in hateful ways. No denying though, things needed to change. And this book/movie addresses changes that needed to happen. In humorous, uncomfortable, thought provoking, heart wrenching and yet heart warming ways.

I am from the Deep South and my mother had help when I was a very young child. Right smack in the midst of the time portrayed in the movie. When I think about it, that is kind of amazing really, because she was a single mother. My nanny's name was Ethel. I loved Ethel. She was my "Constantine," though she was much, much younger. She was the same age as my mother. I don't know why she stopped being my nanny, she stayed for a short time after my mother remarried. I was in the first grade when she left. I missed her very much. She was my soft place to go. I thought of her often while watching the movie last night.

I loved the movie. If you haven't been to the movies in a while, this one is definitely worth seeing. I am not sure which character is my favorite. I loved them all. Go see "The Help", you will laugh and cry.

Real Babies Wear Swiss

2011-08-07T22:48:00.000-05:00

...while having a snack of cookies and juice. What I find comical is that Mimi has put a towel in the chair to protect the broken down chair but had not put a bib on the baby to protect her romper made from Swiss batiste and hand embroidered. She seems non-plussed by it all. I don't know if the cookies and juice came out of the romper, I do know she was cool and comfy while having a snack in Mimi's sewing room.

A "Wee Care" Doll Dress

2011-08-05T17:00:00.001-05:00

No, it is not a dress for a preemie doll. It is a doll dress to benefit a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) auction. So in a round about way, it is another form of Wee Care. The auction is part of "The Miracle Bash" benefiting Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund of Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children in Huntsville, AL. Visit their sites. It will warm your heart and give you a whole new appreciation for Wee Care.

I chose to smock a bishop using a cotton prin t of multicolored bubbles. The smocking design was what I call a "seat of your pants" design. I pulled colors, found the center front and started smocking. I didn't have time to get lost in the notebooks of plates or leafing through magazines to find a design. It needed to be in the mail! The neckline is piped in a green tri-check plaid.

The finishing touch is a precious pair of red Mary Jane shoes. Complete with lace trimmed anklets. I didn't take a picture of her undies I sent along in the package.

The heat wave has broken here in the Midwest and it is almost time for the fair. I hope all is well in your world faithful reader.

Tiny Gown for a Tiny Boy

2011-08-04T19:32:00.001-05:00

Every baby needs to be wrapped in love and prayers, especially when that baby is born too soon. I had the privilege of making a gown for a tiny boy, born long before he was due. We often stitch Wee Care gowns with no particular baby in mind. That in and of itself is a gift and as I said, a privilege. Like every Wee Care gown for me, every stitch is a prayer. That gift is even greater when you have a a certain baby in mind. As I finished this little gown, I offered many, many prayers for both he and his sweet mommy.

I used Swiss flannel, which is a yummy fabric. So soft.

Ginger Snaps Designs

The pattern I used was Book IV of Ginger Snaps Daygown series. I used the view that has four tucks on the front.

I wish I knew where I had purchased the "pointy" lace I used. Very manly for a tiny gentleman. Down the center are three of my favorites, sequin buttons. For the sleeve hems, I used a shell stitch again. It gives it a special touch without using lace.

Good news, I hear this tiny little man is doing really well. Growing just like he should. Prayers answered.

Don't ever pass up the opportunity to stitch a Wee Care gown, whether it is for someone you know or a baby and his family you may never meet. You will be blessed as will they.

Keep Needle Arts Alive

2011-08-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

How many times have you heard, "I didn't think anyone did that anymore." It is because of that we need to keep stitching and sharing with others.I stumbled across this video on Anna Maria Horner's blog.

Lacemaking in Lefkara, Cyprus from Etsy on Vimeo.

A Sunday Thought

2011-07-31T06:00:00.021-05:00

“Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.

What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.”

Pedro Arrupe SJ (1907-91)

Darling Party that is Sew Cute!

2011-07-30T07:00:00.004-05:00

First posted at Pure Joy Events

A friend sent me the cutest link the other day. I just had to share it with you. It is a birthday party with a Vintage Sewing Theme. Having just had a birthday party and my daughter hosting a baby shower, we are all over party themes around here.

First posted at Pure Joy Events

Look at that cake!!! How cute is that? Who says this cute party is just for little girls? I know some grown up girls that would love this.

Where I Sew

2011-07-29T07:00:00.005-05:00

Pink Chalk is sponsoring a sewing room tour during the month of July. There is only a day or so to add your sewing room. But what a lot of inspiration there is. I added my sewing room, I hope you will add yours too. There are some really dreamy spaces over there to drool over. Make sure you stop by.

Bloopers

2011-07-28T09:30:00.009-05:00

I received an email yesterday asking if Princess was always so cooperative with having her photo taken. I laughed right out loud! I often take anywhere from 25-60 pictures trying to get just a few that work. Here are a few outtakes.

Some are just crazy in between what you see and what the shutter catches.

Many are "I told you I wasn't in the mood for this!"

Even more are "I want to see that camera close up."

And the majority are a whole lot of "You just can't catch her quick enough!"

So to answer your question dear reader, NO, Princess is not always very cooperative with Mimi's camera.

The Princess and Her Birthday Dress

2011-07-27T15:31:00.000-05:00

I am still trying to catch up everywhere in life but finally I can share the Birthday dress mentioned here and here.

I love how it turned out. There are always things you wish were better but I have learned long ago as Jeannie B says "to strive for the appearance of perfection, not perfection itself."

Remember I used the full smocked bodice pattern from AS&E, Issue #73 called Powder Puff. The design and pattern adjustments are from Creative Needle Nov/Dec 1999 called "First Birthday" by Cindy Foose.

The fabric is satin batiste, trimmed with tatting from BessieMary. It is BTS-214. The threads used are floss, floche and coton a broder. The Swiss insertion used for the back placket and sleeve cuffs was also from BessieMary.

The pattern adjustments for the back yokes were a little daunting at first. For once I followed my own advice, don't try to understand, just do what it says. I would definitely use this technique again. (the bow drooped on me after it was washed. Need to figure out how to make it perk back up.)

Lap extension

Hidden Placket

I will admit to some confusion when I got to construction of the lap extension and hidden placket but after talking it over with BessieMary herself through texts, phone calls and a few laughs, it came together. The hidden placket is covered with re-embroidered Swiss insertion. So sweet.

Another cool technique was the embroidery for the back yokes. The "cable" look is achieved by alternating a stem stitch with an outline stitch. The result, cables! Who knew?

I love the little sleeves on this dress. It is called a butterfly sleeve because the two halves separate like wings.

This is exaggerated with the tulle pushed through the opening, but it gives you an idea. The openings are trimmed with entredeux and tatting.

The slip is also made from satin batiste using the same pattern is this dress. So quick and easy. Yet so pretty. I used white ribbon through the beading so it can be worn under other dresses.

Best of all is celebrating the Princess's first birthday.

Here she is in all her glory. Precious girl ready to celebrate her big day. This is before the party. Remember this is in the midst of a record breaking heat wave in the Midwest.

By cake time she was so hot and so over it all, she had cake in her slip, in mommy's lap. She was done! Thank goodness the slip was finished and was pretty. She is a smart girl, she only wanted the icing.

Thank you, faithful reader, for letting me bore you with the details. If you are here in the States, I hope you are staying cool.

I'm Back and I Sewed

2011-07-21T00:16:00.000-05:00

Well, faithful reader, how have you been? Life here in the land of the Southern Matriarch has been overwhelmingly busy. In the past three weeks, we have

Remodeled a bathroom
Had three rooms, an entry, a stairwell and landing painted
Refinished the entry way floor
Re-carpeted three rooms
Moved out one child
Finished two dresses
Reloaded three rooms
Cleaned house
Welcomed home two out of town children and a married in
Had family portraits done
Prepared for and held the birthday party of the decade which involved yards and yards of tulle; dozens of tissue paper pom poms; dozens of balloons; pinwheels; baked, decorated and bagged 80 cookies
etc. etc. etc.

You get the picture. I also had no computer access for one full week of the past two while the office had all of it's furniture pulled into the center of the room. So all of that to say, I've been busy as all get out. I hope you have all been well and that you missed me. I missed you. And I did manage to sew in the midst of all that.

I finished the dress that Jeannie B taught at her retreat. Truth be told, there wasn't much to finish this dress. I had the construction of the dress 90% done before I left Louisiana. I just had to do the embroidery and buttonholes. As well as threading the floss through the edging at the hem. It really is a quick design and a treat to zip up.

I love this little dress. It is made from a dress weight Swiss batiste. The bodice is tucked with a center of Swiss insertion and lace.The beading at the waist seam is the main technique learned at the retreat.

The hem is also tucked and edged with Swiss edging. Simple embroidery embellishes the skirt above the hem. I used stem stitch for the blue and the flowers are bullion roses. Simpler than what was originally planned or even designed by Jeannie, but finished. There is something to be said for finished.

It buttons down the back with MOP buttons.

It is a darling dress, would be perfect for beach portraits. Perfect for a sweet barefooted baby on a hot summer day.

The birthday dress is also finished but I don't have pictures of just the dress taken yet. I hope to do that tomorrow.

As a parting shot, Princess right before her party.

How quickly a year has gone by!

A Birthday Dress and Other Happenings

2011-07-05T13:29:00.000-05:00

I did catch a few moments over the weekend to stitch a bit. The birthday dress is well under way. Good thing, her birthday is next week and portraits are a week from Saturday!

The front bodice is finished and

the back bodices are well on their way. You may notice a dark lump in the picture.

Just as I tried to take the picture, someone else had other ideas. A certain kitty has been feeling neglected for several days. Not only am I trying to get a birthday dress done but the house has been a construction zone.

Lots of this going on; tiling, sanding, staining etc. More about all that in another post.

Now I am off to attack this. DUST, on every horizontal surface in this house from the weekend project of refinishing the entry way floor. Painters are coming tomorrow.

We did take time to celebrate the 4th. Here is a shot of a sleepy, sno-cone discovering, pj wearing, fireworks watcher. Look at that blue chin.

A parting shot.

Can you say busy??

2011-06-30T20:38:00.000-05:00

I am home, have been home for several days. I just haven't been able to find enough moments to string together a post for you. Bessie Mary and I had a wonderful time at The Old Fashioned Baby Sewing Retreat. It was held at the Wesley Center in Woodworth, LA. Spent time with old friends and met some delightful new ones too.

The project was a precious slip dress featuring tucks and Swiss trim.I can't wait to finish it for our princess to wear.

The room was bright and airy as you can see. Precious samples lined the walls for inspiration. On this wall are samples from many of Jeannie's articles for Sew Beautiful.

By The Old Fashioned Baby

Such as this precious pink linen and lace confection.

By The Old Fashioned Baby

Or this slip dress that was in the latest Sew Beautiful. Trust me, it is even more fabulous in person. It just makes you want to squeal.

By The Old Fashioned Baby

This little frothy number, makes my heart sing. I adore it! She featured it on her blog, The Old Fashioned Baby Sewing Room as well as in the magazine.

The other wall was hung with the projects from the previous retreats. Hey, Susan and Marilyn!

There was also time for scripture study each morning and evening. A great way to take a deep breath and be reminded of all of the blessings in our lives.

Jeannie also brought a small market with her. I am a sucker for those little blue cards of buttons. I love them in the bags as well, but oh those little blue cards. Does me in every time!

And would any Old Fashioned Baby Creation be complete without some precious laces? I don't think so.

Mine is not done yet, but it is close. If I can get a few minutes tomorrow, I had hoped for a snippet of time today, I will get it completely constructed. Then all that is left is the embroidery above the hem.

Jeannie and her friend Belinda did a wonderful job with all of the details. Jan , did a much better job of highlighting the many gifts and treasures we received. I have not even unpacked my machine or sewing bag yet. Jump over to Bessie Mary's blog and see what beautiful treasures we brought home.

The best treasure was the time spent stitching, renewing friendships, renewing our spirits, taking a deep breath and being reminded of God's abiding love.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Psalms 51:10

A Discovery

2011-06-25T10:07:00.000-05:00

First posted by Prime Montgomery

In searching for a source for a reader, I stumbled across this lovely article about Sarah Howard Stone.

I loved this "definition" the editor gives for French Hand Sewing.

(Editor’s Note: French hand sewing is an art used to create heirloom garments and linens to keep or give as treasures for special occasions. It imitates fine French hand sewing of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. French hand sewing, often referred to as heirloom sewing, is characterized by fine, often sheer, usually white cotton or linen fabrics trimmed with an assortment of lace, insertions, tucks, narrow ribbon, and smocking. Typical projects for French or heirloom sewing include children’s garments, especially christening gowns, and women’s blouses, graduation dresses, wedding gowns, and lingerie.)

Doesn't that sound just dreamy? It did to me. I have used SHS's patterns in the past and love both of her books.

Thank you Prime Montgomery for this wonderful article about a well loved artisan.

On the road again....

2011-06-23T10:22:00.009-05:00

I am headed down the highway! Except there aren't any mountains on the way as shown in this internet procured photo.

I have packed up my trusted steed here and we are headed to Louisiana. My friend and I are going to spend a few days with this friend at her sewing retreat, working on this project. I will make a quick side stop to visit baby daughter in Mandeville overnight.

I hope to return refreshed from several days of stitching, laughing, chatting and more stitching. Hopefully, when I return the construction zone of my downstairs half bath will be cleared and we will once again have a 2 and a half bath home.

For a Sweet Girl

2011-06-22T10:06:00.000-05:00

I found it; a needle! Some thread, my pleater, a pattern. I was able to wade through to my sewing room and pull together the supplies for baby's birthday dress.

Appropriately enough, it is called "First Birthday Dress." It is a design from an old Creative Needle. Nov/Dec 1999. The design is by Cindy Foose. I am using satin batiste smocked with silk floss. The embroidery on the smocking is done with coton a broder and floche. All from stash. The original design is done on voile. Lovely, but there was no voile in the closet. So satin batiste it is.

For the pattern I am using the smocked bodice dress "Powder Puff" from AS&E Issue #73. I am dying to get the embroidery on the smocking finished so I can pull those gathering threads out. I can't wait to watch it "puff" between the smocked rows.

Well faithful reader, that is what I am up to, I hope you have been able to find your way to a needle and thread.

Just a dose of cuteness

2011-06-17T13:09:00.000-05:00

I found this on Country Bumpkin's Facebook page. Is that not adorable? I love that littlest one. She is so captivated by what is going on with the bride. Their smocked dresses are to die for. How could anyone even notice the bride with all of those darling flower girls headed down the aisle? Of course I love all that silk organza going on.

Tiny Stitches

2011-06-11T23:51:00.000-05:00

Time in the sewing room is more rare than hen's teeth these days. I found myself in the car for several hours on a recent trip to Louisiana two weeks ago. We all know it would be tough to balance a sewing machine on my lap zooming down the road. So what to do? Go back to handsewing! That is what I did. I didn't have much time to get a project pulled together for our princess, but I always have Wee Care gowns awaiting attention. No machine, so I grabbed a spool of DMC 50 wt thread in pale blue and a package of needles. I was ready to go.

On these tiny gowns sized for a 1-2# baby it only takes a tiny bit of smocking. It took less than an hour to smock this gown. Four rows of about 40 pleats doesn't take long! I can see that my bias band did crinkle a tiny bit. :(

Since I was in a hurry I also didn't grab any trim/lace to take with me. I did have a blue marker and a ruler though, so I marked a hemline and put in a shell hem on both sleeves. Just a tiny bit of extra sweetness for a tiny little boy.

Since I was obviously going to be putting the hem in by hand I might as well make it cute. I used two strands of the same floss used for smocking to stitch the hem. Just a little bit of extra color.

I did find 10 minutes yesterday to stitch some silk satin ribbon ties on the back. Silk satin ribbon isn't necessary but it sure drapes better than poly ribbon which has a tendency to stick out rather stiffly. Of course if I were making 1200 gowns I couldn't afford to put silk satin on all of them, but I had the ribbon in my stash so I used it.

It is pretty dry in sewing land around here when an 8" gown garners five pictures! But its all I've got right now. I am getting ready to start the baby's birthday dress and then a few other tiny things are on my horizon to make.

Faithful reader, soothe your spirit, pick up a needle.

Parting shot: Princess' Uncle Ben has taught her how to give "big hugs." Here she is practicing on Lambie. She has to be contained in a playpen in the sewing room now. Her curiosity and mobility are getting the best of us!

Someone is Stitching

2011-06-05T23:04:00.001-05:00

First posted by flossbox

And is hasn't been me! There could be pygmies living in my sewing room for all I know. So thank you to the talents of flossbox we have some eye candy. I can almost here that little bird sing.

Life has been crazy, crazy, crazy. I did stitch up a Wee Care gown in the car last week. I will try to get pictures tomorrow. I have been so busy I have had hardly had time to take pictures of Princess. Now THAT is busy! And absolutely nothing around here to show for the busy. My want to list is as long as my arm.

Summer is in full swing here. We skittered right over spring into full blown summer. My tomatoes are budding, the hostas are getting ready to bloom and it is hot!

We are gearing up for baby's First Birthday! That loud wailing you hear? It is me. I can not even believe she is getting ready to be a year old. It is going too fast. Here she is at her first Jazz Brunch at the 5 star Commander's Palace. One is never too young to be introduced to fine dining. She loved it as much as her Mimi does.

The musicians were as taken with her as she them. The only down side to the day was that two of our kids weren't there to enjoy the day with us.

Off to bed. I have so many sewing projects whirling in my brain. If I can find a way to clear some order around here I may make it into my sewing room.

I leave you with just a taste of Sunday Brunch at Commander's Palace, not as good as being there, but it will have to do for now.

Summertime

2011-06-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

Does this not shout summertime bliss? The face of childhood innocence is a sweet girl enjoying a ride on the swings. Add an adorable sundress and bonnet and the picture is complete. She loves the swings. It is hard to believe her first birthday is fast approaching.

Prayers for a Friend

2011-06-01T14:00:00.009-05:00

On a sad note, please pray for a blogger friend. Sara of Sara Norris Ltd and her family have suffered a tragic loss. Her oldest grandson as well as his mother, step sister and a family friend were killed in an automobile accident Monday after returning from a Memorial Day get away at the beach. Please hold them in your heart as they begin to forge a new future in the face of tremendous loss. Our prayers are with you Sara.

Life is eternal, and love is immortal,
and death is only a horizon;
and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.
~Rossiter Worthington Raymond

A Handsome Young Man

2011-06-01T08:33:00.000-05:00

What a treat! Often times when you sew for others or send a gift you don't get to see the results on the recipient. What a treat to see the latest christening gown on this precious baby. Isn't he beautiful? Those eyes! He is certainly going be a heartbreaker with those sparkling blue peepers..

And not to slight his equally handsome parents. What a beautiful family on such a special day.

A faithful reader asked after the original post about the gown if the fabric from the over skirt was new. Yes, it is. The silk organza was purchased to soften the look of the heavier bridal satin. Thanks E for allowing me to share the pictures of your darling baby in his very special christening gown.

Another "Did You Watch?"

2011-05-25T09:06:00.002-05:00

Loved everything about it. Loved this song, loved the dress on a beautiful child. What momma wouldn't want her teenager to sing to her like this?

Now we have to wait to see who wins. Who is your favorite, Lauren or Scotty?

Off to the sewing room to get a project ready for the car. The more I travel, the more I stitch. At least when I am not the one driving.

Please keep all those who have been ravaged this spring by natural disaster in your prayers. I am sure it happens most springs, but this year seems to be especially brutal.

Through the Generations

2011-05-22T22:35:00.000-05:00

A young couple. A handsome groom with his beautiful young bride. Starting a new life, a new chapter together. I wonder what their hopes and dreams were. How they met. This picture only tells a tiny portion of the whole story. The beginning of a story that has far reaching fingers into the future. Reminds me of those photos of the ripples on a still pond.

This young couple would go on to have a family of their own. They built a life of love and devotion that would span generations. I don't know this couple. I only know that their names are Jean and Joe. I know they had a family because I was honored to use that beautiful gown Jean is wearing to fashion a keepsake for the precious baby that would be their great grandson.

He was baptized today wearing a christening gown using the fabric from his great grandmother's wedding gown. This cross is the simple motif shadow worked on the lower front of the gown.

I used the Baby Gowns Pattern from The Old Fashioned Baby as my starting point. Mom wanted a gown that paid homage to but did not copy the look of the original wedding gown. After many trials and even more errors this is the result. (Not sure why it appears to be listing to the left in this photo. Must have been the angle of a bad photographer)

The outer fabric is silk organza. The under fabric is the satin from the wedding dress. First I deconstructed the gown, a little nerve wracking to say the least. The next step I soaked the gown pieces for six days to lighten as well as try to remove the vintage "stored for a long time after being dry cleaned" smell. Even now when the fabric becomes wet you can tell it has retained some of that odor. It is not present when it is dry. I meant to take a photo of how much lighter the fabric became. Originally it was a rich parchment color. After soaking and drying in the sun, it lightened to a creamy lustrous ivory.

The silk organza was used to further lighten the color as well as to make the gown lighter and airier. Let me tell you, vintage satin is heavy! It is beautiful but heavy.

The yoke is a tucked silk organza over the satin. The piping and bias binding on the neck are the satin. Take my word for it when I tell you that silk organza can NOT be embellished with twin needle pintucks. Believe me. I stitched four different yoke pieces trying to achieve that. I finally came to my senses and used folded tucks. It has a very tailored yet gender neutral look to it. Three tiny fish eye buttons complete the yoke.

The three quarter sleeves of the silk organza also have tucks and are finished with a narrow cuff of the satin.

I wish Jean and Joe could have been there today to witness in the sharing of faith with their newest great grandson. I know they were there in spirit.

“If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Ch-Ch-Changes

2011-05-15T07:00:00.043-05:00

The only constant in life is change. Life around here is in a constant state of flux it seems. The question is; why does it always come at you at warp speed?

Just yesterday I am sure, this sweet little imp stood on my bed and declared this day, her kindergarten graduation, her "very special day." I have always said we should view the world through Amy's eyes. If we did, we would know the world was created just for us!

A mom knows within herself that her job is to work herself out of a job. I think I have almost done that. Baby girl moved away yesterday, probably for the last time. She heads for the Big Easy to start a new job, a new home, a new life.

Not sure where that little imp went but she has grown into a beautiful young woman. She makes this momma proud.

I sure hope he knows what he has gotten himself into and that the road to home is never too far. She is known to suffer from epic homesickness. He is good to her and makes her laugh, what more can a momma ask for?

We love you Aim and this one is for you.

Happy Blogoversary

2011-05-14T05:00:00.008-05:00

Happy Blogoversary to Southern Matriarch.

She is THREE years old!!! Who would have thought it? I certainly would not have. It has been a wonderful ride.

In three years time, I have posted 236 garments, and ~100 non sewn items. Wow! I was blown away when I got to adding it up. Now the number is pretty accurate I am sure, but if you want to go through and recount for me, feel free. The next time I am feeling like I haven't accomplished much, I am going to refer back to this post.

Granted some of those items have been small, quick or down and dirty. Still, 236. Blows my mind.

And one of the things that makes it so fun, is the blogging friends you make. I have met a few in person and many through emails, Facebook and Flickr. Thank you each and every one of you for your following, commenting as well as telling others about this tiny place in the cybersphere.

Happy, Happy Blogoversary to me!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T11:02:00.001-05:00

Happy Mother's Day, faithful reader. Being a mom is my most treasured role. I can't think of anything I would have rather done in life. I thank God every day for the gift of the greatest kids on earth. They are my pride and joy. As well as frustration and trial! I never said they were perfect. Just perfectly mine. I hope you get to spend Mother's Day with those you love most.

The hooligans that call me mom, except for the gray headed guy in the collar, he calls me "babe". I love all of you.

“You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back.” - William D. Tammeus

Ramblings of an Empty Mind

2011-05-07T23:46:00.000-05:00

I got nothing. I am currently working on a christening gown from a vintage wedding gown. Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy out of my comfort zone, but it is coming together. I will have pictures soon. You know those projects that take way longer to ruminate over than they do to stitch? That has been this one. So in the meantime some treasures I found while avoiding the task at hand.

This is a BRAVE woman. Never in a 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 years would I post a picture of my rear end with a bow over it! Besides, I would need one of those bows they show on new cars at Christmas time to be even remotely proportional to my rear end. Hers on the other hand is quite attractive in her new apron.

I have been known to spend time on less than useful projects. Next time I am accused of that I am going to send this picture to the offender. I mean it is cute, and a GREAT rendition of the real thing in felt. Just not sure what the purpose is, besides you can.

No comment. You can't make me.

These little birds made me smile.

What four year old wouldn't love these wings?

And because we know I love a christening gown, ran across this on google images. A portrait of a baby in her gown. Gorgeous.

Registration Time Again and Thank You

2011-05-03T22:40:00.000-05:00

It is time to register for SAGA convention. I debated back and forth about going this year. In the end, the 7 year old in me won. I was afraid I would miss something. So I registered for this year's convention. If you have never been, it is a fun, fun time. This will be my 15th consecutive year to go. It is a highlight in my year. It is a wonderful gift to yourself. This year I am taking classes from Jeannie Baumeister of the Old Fashioned Baby, Susie Gay of Berryhill Heirlooms and Debbie Glenn of Love and Stitches. I hope to see you there.

And I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who came out in droves, both here and in email to sooth my ruffled feathers. Thank you for indulging my temper tantrum. I do enjoy blogging and I love my followers and blog friends that I have made. I am over my little hissy fit. Thanks so much for being there.

FYI, if you want to up your readership for a day, throw a tantrum. Kind of like the toddler in the mall screaming their brains out, everyone stops to watch even though they don't want to. :) Just kidding. Truly, thanks for the support. It means the world to me.

Really?

2011-05-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

I don't usually give credence to "hate mail" but I felt compelled to this time. I have received a number of emails regarding my last two posts. I have been criticized for posting about the royal wedding and the beatification of Blessed Pope John Paul II. I have been accused of not caring about the people in Alabama. Plug your ears, I am going to holler now.

ARE YOU FOR REAL???????? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!

You can unplug your ears now. I am an Alabamian by birth. I have friends and family in Alabama and all across the South. I know people who live in those hard hit areas. Of course I care, and care deeply. This is a blog people, not Fox News! This is one tiny piece of my life. There are so many areas of my life that never make it to this page. There are many triumphs, struggles, joys and heartaches I never write about. That doesn't make them less real to me. Or less important. I am insulted and offended by these emails. This is a sewing etc. focused blog. Yes, I write about things other than sewing at times but what is written here is not my life in total. Nor my heart. I am not the type of person to comment on every single thing going on in my life here or on Facebook. Do not assume what I am thinking by the tiny blips on the radar recorded here.

My heart breaks for the loss of life and property across the Southeast. They all remain in my prayers. I have spent many an hour sending emails, making phone calls, etc. checking on my friends and family. Thank you for your collective concern for those people as well. I just ask that you not assume that you know how I feel about something based on what is written here.

So we return to our regularly scheduled life of.....

Another "Did You Watch"

2011-05-01T16:11:00.000-05:00

Blessed John Paul II

18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005

Perhaps today's events don't have the same romantic appeal, but an electric one none the less. Today marks the beatification of Pope John Paul II. An event of the same pageantry and awe as the events of Friday.

There weren't gowns to see or flower girls to delight but millions of people lined the streets of Rome as well as watched around the world. The day marked the recognition of a life lived in heroic faith and service to others.

Beatification and the further process of being named to sainthood, does not "make a saint." It is the Church's way of naming what already is. An official way to declare what has already been done through faith and the grace of God. What all those of faith hope to do, to live in union with God in this life so that we too may live with Him in eternity.

In his first Mass of Thanksgiving upon being elected Pope, John Paul II spoke these words to the faithful that would become a treatise of his pontificate. "Do not be afraid! Open, open wide the doors to Christ!"

He was a very charismatic man, a media savvy pontiff, a forgiving man, playful, prayerful, as well as a faithful man. He was not perfect as none of us are perfect. That is one of the greatest gifts of the saints. They teach us that even in our humanity, in our frailty, in our imperfections; we are redeemed and how to live a life that speaks to that redemption. They teach us how to stay the course.

"Blessed are you, beloved Pope John Paul II, because you believed! Continue, we implore you, to sustain from heaven the faith of God’s people. Amen."

Pope Benedict XVI
During the Beatification of Blessed John Paul II

Did You Watch?

2011-04-29T17:16:00.001-05:00

Were you up in the wee hours of the morning like I was? It was enchanting. The bride was breathtakingly beautiful. And who wouldn't like this kind of revelry on their big day?

The dress!! It couldn't have been more perfect for her. I love the bodice and sleeves. You still get the look of strapless that many brides today prefer with the elegance of the neckline and sleeves. Lacy but airy.

I loved so many of the details but I adore her sweet, symbolic bouquet. Here is the copy from People.com

Symbolism was key in the small bouquet Catherine carried, designed for her by Shane Connolly. In addition to the flower sweet William, the bouquet included lily-of-the-valley (for return of happiness), hyacinth (constancy of love) and ivy (for fidelity, marriage and affection). Also key to the arrangement were stems from plants grown from sprigs of the bridal bouquets of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.

You already know I love lily-of-the-valley.

How adorable are these? Can I order about a half dozen? Love, love, love the flower girls. Or bridesmaids as they are called in royal circles. Her sister's gown was gorgeous as well. You would never see an attendant in white in this country.

This was one of my favorite moments. This footman had no idea what to do with that 8-foot train. He finally unceremoniously dumped it on the ground! Don't you know the "Royal Protocol Officer" about stroked when he saw that!

No matter how royal, no matter how planned; children will be children. How cute is that? And the fairy tale Prince and his Princess really are regular folks who get caught up in the moment.

Finally the second most anticipated moment after the dress. The kiss. How sweet and I love the expressions on the children's faces. The little one couldn't care less and the older girl is excited to be a part of the very romantic day. A sweet yet grande celebration. How wonderful that with today's technology over 2 billion people could celebrate with them.

What did you do this morning while you watched? I brewed my favorite tea, bought on my own London trip, a year ago this week. I only have a few pots left. I love it. The same brand available in this country doesn't taste the same. Not sure why, it just doesn't. I also made these wonderful scones. I substituted chopped dried cherries instead of cranberries. Yummy!! Good thing, since I was in the kitchen baking at THREE THIRTY, AM!

After I enjoyed the festivities right up to the kiss, I took a nap. Hey a girl has to keep up her energy. Especially since she is Mimi all weekend while Mommy and Daddy have taken a quick teeny vacation. No I didn't wear a tiara or a hat. Speaking of hats.....

What was she thinking? On what level does any of this work? I could say that the openwork of her dress was intriguing, but that is the nicest thing I could say. So the only hat I wore, was a bedhead.

Enjoy the rest of this royal day and let's all

EAT CAKE!

A "Kewpie" Doll

2011-04-26T19:28:00.000-05:00

I loved this outfit when it first appeared on AS&E's cover of issue #93. Imagine my delight when one of baby's stitching "village" let me know that she was working on it for princess. I could hardly wait to get it. I love Dawn's interpretation and it is darling on princess. Thank you again Dawn.

The many faces of Evamarie.

The back is just as sweet as the front.

This is her studier face, seconds before she grabs for the camera. She weighs 22# and is 29" tall.

I always want to know how a pattern fits a real baby/child. That is the reason I always tell you the size made and how much my particular model weighs. To help you determine what size to make for your model. Dawn made the AS&E 12 months which is probably the same as an 18 months in US sizing. In ready to wear she wears an 18 months in most things, 24 months in others. I hope that information is valuable to you when you make this darling outfit for your "Kewpie" doll.

As adorable as she is awake, who can resist this.....

tired, tired baby. FYI, if you need a baby shower gift- that little glow in the dark seahorse is the ticket. We call it baby crack. Don't even think about putting her to bed without it.

Easter Blessings

2011-04-24T01:42:00.000-05:00

Well wishes at Easter. First, thank you, to all who emailed, facebooked, texted or called to see if we were all right. Yes, we are fine. We are soggy, but fine. Many did not fare as well due to the Good Friday tornadoes in our area. So please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they try to rebuild their homes, business and lives after some devastating storms.

In the face of distress, Easter arrives with its tidings of joy and renewal. We will take it. I hope you and those you hold dear are rejoicing in Easter blessings.

As promised, here are pictures of princess' Easter dress. Nothing fancy. A simple cute little bishop. I had planned an additional dressy dress, but that didn't happen. There is just too much going on around here. It is Children's Corner bishop pattern made with an aqua gingham from Bessie Mary. Smocked with "Somebunny Loves Me" from Creative Needle January/February 2008 I believe.

It has been a while since I have done any picture smocking. My skill is a bit rusty, but the results are cute bunny faces peeking out across the yoke.

The buttons are not really the right size. Don't anyone tell Cindy Foose that I neglected to obtain the correct sized buttons before I started. They were the only ones that were the right color when I went to finish the dress last week. I piped the neckline as usual. I doubt I will ever do a bias binding without piping again. It is so much easier than without the piping. Believe me.

Best of all is seeing it on our precious model. Is that Easter Bunny large and in charge or what? She is busy looking at her mommy instead of the camera but as you see, she is unfazed by the large, scary rabbit with a bad fashion sense. She knows it is all about her.

Rejoice in Easter faithful reader, life is good.

Do not abandon yourselves to despair.

We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.

Pope John Paul II