Sewing for the Fair

For the smock plate I used AS&E issue 87 "Summer Blooms". For the dress pattern, use any you like. You can interchange sleeves and collars on all AS&E pattern. Just find the size you want. I've used this same smock plate before. I changed the bullion daisies in the original plate to button flowers.

If you want to add a hem band at the bottom of a dress, this is all you do. Subtract the amount for the hem and any extra you use for growth tucks. I usually use a 9" strip cut the width of the fabric for front and back. So make sure you have 1/2 yd extra fabric for the band.

The ricrac you see peaking out on the belt and collar pieces was hand-stitched on through the points. I used baby ricrac, so it had to be hand-stitched. A little time consuming, but I'm hoping to edge out the competition with a little something extra.

I was planning on using some yellow daisy buttons. But since I chose yellow gingham for the contrast, they would have just blended in. When I went to choose red buttons, there were none to meet my standards, so I covered button forms with red cotton sateen.

I'm thinking of giving this dress to my hairdresser for her granddaughter. Except I think she's in a seven now. It will fit some little girl one of these days.

I want every little girl who wears my dresses to feel as beautiful on the inside as they look on the outside. I was told as a kid that I was overweight more times than I would like to remember. I think to a child that means you are less deserving of love than a thin child. I still fight with body issues. But helping a little girl feel pretty is a way to help me fight against those who would treat a child less than they deserve. Now days I'm much more stubborn and vocal with those who would heap emotional and mental abuse on another who can't defend themselves. If a child is shy (like I was) it's almost beyond them to be able to fight back. Okay, I'm done with my bandwagon speech for now.

I found out a few days ago that our state fair is starting a week early this year. Yikes! Turn in day is a week from this coming Tuesday. Now I usually take the week before the fair starts as vacation to finish up all the stuff I'm making. But since I didn't pay very close attention, I took off the week of the fair. Phooey! My dad asked me what I was going to do. I said I would just have to sew faster.

I have the next 3 days off work, so sewing it will be. I'm hoping to get a sundress finished. I'm using the fish dress from the cover of the current SB (sew beautiful) magazine for my pattern. I also have a dress that just needs to have sleeves and buttonholes made. I'm also in the middle of smocking a dress front for the "Party Dress" category. Already have finished a jumper, bishop blouse and a dress that needs a jacket and bloomers for the ensemble I'm entering. I've never cut it this close on my entries. Course that's what happens when you don't pay close attention. Let's keep our fingers crossed that I get everything done that I planned!

Happy smocking everyone!