Kewpie Cuteness

 

Isn't she the cutest thing ever?  The pattern came from Australian Smocking and Embroidery magazine and has been a favorite of my student, Ann Greer, from the first time she laid eyes on it.

After several smocking lessons and tutorial sessions (even a few "rip that out before you go on" sessions) she has not only mastered smocking but pleating as well!   We had many "oohhh this fabric would be pretty in...."  and "is this the right color ribbon" discussions together and just  sharing the progress with show and tell.



 

Her great grand baby's blue eyes match the outfit (and the bow-yes it has to be big, we're from the South) perfectly!

 Great job Mrs. Ann!

Get inspired from my STUDENT SHOWCASE!

Happy Stitching,

Renee

 

 

Picture Smocking for a Boy

It seems like lately all the babies being born that I know are boys!  So....have been doing a little planning and sewing boy clothes.

For my latest project, I used Michie Mooney's Jon-Jon pattern, which is SO easy to follow!  My first step is always to trace the pattern pieces onto lightweight interfacing.  I keep them filed in my pattern notebooks by size.  (If you'd like to learn how to organize your patterns, check out my blog post on Pattern Organization.)

One of the best parts of planning an outfit is selecting fabric!  I have PLENTY of fabric in my stash to choose from, but for this project, I let my daughter pick.  Since the outfit is for one of her friends, I texted pictures of various fabrics and smocking plates to choose from.  We started with ginghams and progressed thru corduroy and finally settled on Robert Kaufman's Remix Ovals in navy blue.   The recipient lives in Florida so this weight will be great for all year.  We also decided to make a 12 month size since most babies receive lots of "little things" and this will be ready for later!

[caption id="attachment_516" align="aligncenter" width="300"] S.S. Noah by Little Memories and Robert Kaufman Remix fabric[/caption]

The plate she chose was S.S. Noah by Little Memories.  I've had that particular plate in my possession since my daughter was little but I never got to make it for her.  It would be so cute done in pastels or brights for a little girl!

Next the fun part begins!  Pleating and smocking!!!  I adapted the pattern to fit a smaller insert so I eliminated 2 rows.  I figured the birds could fly a little bit lower in the sky and it wouldn't look odd, so here we go!  I also changed the colors to suit a primary palette.



My favorite time to smock is at night after supper with a cup of coffee while my husband "surfs" through his tv programs.  (I hate to admit it, but I don't even know which channels are which...he always handles that!:))  I only allow myself to smock until around 8 or 9, otherwise, my brain keeps smocking and creating and I can't sleep!!  The other favorite is in my studio sitting in my cozy chair!  When my children were little, I used their nap time for my sewing time.



So... on with the project!  I usually back smock after I picture smock. (Unless you accidentally leave the template at home and need something to do on a road trip :/)  I have a tendency to smock "tight" so this procedure works best for me.  There is nothing wrong with backsmocking first then doing the picture smocking.

Make a copy of the template on your printer (the reason the template was left at home in the afore mentioned paragraph) and put it with your project.  I use a metal board with magnet strips to keep up with where I am on the project.  If your template doesn't have a numerical count, take the time to count the rows and write the numbers in.  It saves tremendous time and having to rip out stitches later!

As I smock, I use a highlighter to mark out the completed row.  Then I move the magnetic strip down, hang the marker on the metal board to indicate whether I'm to start upside down or right side up! This procedure keeps you on task and also allows you to mark on the template, then throw it away keeping the master intact!

Make sure to keep the rows aligned as you smock, and as I tell my students, each row should KISS the next!  Also, I thread all my needles with all the thread needed for the project and stick in a pincushion.  That way they are handy as I do color changes.



If you didn't backsmock first, backsmock the areas that aren't picture smocked.  (Another reason I wait until after to backsmock...I don't have to do an area twice)



Then construction, complete with lining and cute buttons( I used two together-an orange and red) and VOILA! Cute baby boy Jon-Jon!

The finished project and baby gift ready to be mailed!  Boy's clothing can be just as fun to sew!



Where do you like to smock?  When?  Do you backsmock first or last?  I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Stitches!

Renee

 

Perfectly Pink

I recently finished a "perfectly pink" bubble for a baby gift.  Is it possible that my son's high school friend and buddy could be getting to be a parent already?

Just yesterday he and my son were playing pranks on me ("oh, by the way, put the buoy back in the lake where it belongs....not in my swimming pool") and creating a "ruckus" in the yard with their motorcross bikes.  Not to mention all the good times we had bringing him along on road trips and church camp!

[caption id="attachment_480" align="aligncenter" width="300"] They look innocent....[/caption]

So it was only appropriate that I make a "perfectly pink" smocked bubble for his first baby girl!



I used Miche Mooney's Classic Bubble pattern, which is a favorite of mine and SO easy to assemble!  The smocking plate came from Australian Smocking Issue 91 "Babe in the Woods" and I modified it just a tad.  The "perfectly pink" batiste is from Martha Pullen and the citron green dog print fabric actually came from a grab bag at her School of Art Fashion!  It is from Anna Griffin's Fifi and Fido Collection.  I made the piping from some black microcheck bias I had in my stash.



Of course I got carried away with the dog and perfectly pink theme, so I made a burp cloth with matching fabric ruffles and pink rick-rack featuring an embroidered pink poodle.  How much more appropriate for the whole perfectly pink theme?  A matching monogrammed bib using my Brother fonts just made the whole collection complete!



I can't wait to meet the new baby when she arrives and hopefully the bubble will suit her personality.  After all, she can be "perfectly pink" and  still create a ruckus and learn to play pranks on her dad, right?

Happy Sewing!

Renee

Bishop Babbling

I'm sure you've heard the saying "if walls could talk"...If the smocked bishop dress I recently completed could babble it would have a lot to say!  This bishop, if it could talk, would have many memories to share, or as my son says "makin' memories".  When I look at this dress, I don't just "see" the craftsmanship, I see all the places I worked on it to complete it or rather the memories made while it was being constructed.

 

Daisy Mae, the name of the dress, was actually born at Martha Pullen's School of Art Fashion back in July while I attended Gail Doane's workshop.  The smocking wasn't even started when I left the school, but construction tips and techniques had been thoroughly covered.

 

So the bishop babbling begins as I feverishly tried to get the holding row completed in a hotel room the night before a flight so that I could smock while flying. I was able to remove the bishop from my blocking board and pack the dress into my carry on bag and stick the board in my parked car before heading to the airport. (Yes, you can carry needles and "kid" scissors-I didn't want to risk losing my expensive embroidery scissors) As I smocked on board a flight to NYC I had many question my craft.  A good way to share the art of smocking! Needing a break from all the site seeing ,  I continued to work on the dress in my daughter's apartment in Chelsea while waiting for her to finish work.

If the bishop could babble, it would also tell you that it visited Tennessee, my childhood home, and sat and looked at Old Hickory Lake in Nashville at my in-laws  home.  Riding in the car was a common occurrence and could be pulled out of the sewing bag only if the road was straight and not bumpy!

 

Most often, though, the bishop would tell you if it could,  that most evenings were spent in the hands of a woman with a passion for smocking.  Curled up on the couch with coffee and a fire, my "babies" on one side and sewing bag within reach.

Once in my sewing studio for construction, I remember the rainy day I worked on the garment construction, hearing the rain pelt the roof.  Or the squirrels running across the roof on a beautiful, clear winter day.

 

 After completion, the bishop could babble about being the star of a recent trunk show at the American Sewing Guild in Macon, GA.  The babbling of this bishop will continue once it finds a home with a special little girl to live with.  Maybe a future client? Perhaps my own grandchild a few years down the road?  A special Easter dress for that precious someone?  A Sunday dress that will attend Bible class?

Do you get "emotionally attached" to your projects?  When I see my creations, memories flood back of all the places I worked on that particular garment, who I was making it for, if it was a gift or custom order and the life I gave a piece of fabric.  A bishop can babble...just ask it's creator.

Sew happy,

Renee

 

Trunk Show

I was asked to provide a trunk show and be a speaker for the American Sewing Guild Chapter meeting in Macon, GA to celebrate National Smocking Month.  It was a treat to see all the ladies sharing a passion for sewing.  I spoke about English Smocking.



English smocking, in my opinion, is an art form.  It requires skill, labor and love to create a garment that can make any child feel unique and special.  English smocking is a craft that is done by hand.....no machines, no mass production! These garments can be passed down for years if quality fabrics are used and construction is done well. I like that my creations have made it through the playground, birthday parties, church, school and even a wayward pair of scissors in the hands of a 5 year old!  We discussed many facets of smocking including fabric selection, the pleating process, garment styles, the difference between geometric and picture smocking and thread choice.

I enjoyed showcasing some of my favorite pieces of "artwork" and sharing smocking secrets with those who were interested!



 

Bishops, Yoke Dresses, Inserts, Bonnets,Rompers, and  Smocked Easter Eggs.....eye candy for smocking and sewing enthusiasts!

 

I look forward to teaching several ladies the art of smocking, whether it be picture smocking or smocking and constructing your first bishop for Easter!  Thank you ladies for the invitation and a special thank you to my "angel" Mrs. Ann for all her help in transporting and setting up my dresses!

Sew Happy,

Renee

Ney Ney's Stitches

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