What's a Girl to do When . . . .

AS&E 72 "Autumn Gold" size 5

You feel the world closing in on you? Why take a few days off work and spend time with needle and thread of course. That's what I did this past weekend. And it's just what I needed. I tell you, smocking and sewing can save your sanity! It was 4 days of no work, although I really like my job at the fabric store. But sometimes us girls all need down time from a busy life. I'm sure all you will wholeheartedly agree with me. I had a customer tell me a few years ago that one trip to the psychiatrist is about $150 and of course they need to see you a couple times a week to start with. I'll go smock/sew thank you very much. I'm positive touching fabrics and picking out floss colors is much more therapeutic for us sewing ladies than sitting on a couch talking out our problems. Somehow pulling thread through each of the pleats just makes any problems seem not so bad.  Of course, after finishing a beautiful dress; stress is melted away. My little 4 days mini-vacation was just what the doctor ordered. I went back to work today with a new lease on working life without spending $150. Think how many yards of fabric, lace, floss, smock plates, etc. you could buy with that money. I know that therapy with a professional does many people lots of good, but I will stick with smocking and sewing.



Fabric is from Hancock Fabrics. When I sew the print, I knew just the dress I wanted to make.




I love stitching bullions!

Tonight I finished up most of the dress. I still need to do buttonholes and buttons. I will take needle and thread to work tomorrow and do buttonholes by hand. This dress is for a store manager at the West Jordan Hancock's. She has a bunch of girls, but the sizes for smocking cute dresses will be worn by the youngest two. A five year old and a dress I haven't finished yet for a 2 1/2 year old. The next one has a lavender bodice and a striped skirt in hot pink, lavender and a little lime green. Smocking is about 1/2 done.
A lady I had made a couple of dresses for called me today at the store and told me how wonderful the dresses were. She says she almost drove off the road because she couldn't quit looking at them. She even took them with her to share with a friend she was going to visit. The granddaughters will get to have them Thursday. That's when they come to visit gramma. I told her I had lots of fun making them. Now if I can just get a couple of pics to post.
One of the girls I work with said she would have looked at the fabric and just pasted it by. I was unpacking freight and didn't even let is get put away before I got some cut for this dress. Sometimes you find a fabric that just screams for you to stitch it up. I really like the challenge of using prints to makes my dresses. Seeing what combination of floss colors, fabric choice and smock plate can make.
About a week ago my mom was watching the local news and they do a human interest story every Wednesday evening about someone who is making a difference in the community for those less fortunate. This time is was about a lady who runs a shop for expecting teen moms and those teen moms raising there babies. The shop is attached to the school that houses 40 teen mommies right now. Three gave birth just last week. They take clothes and other baby items up to 4T. Well, I now have a place I can give me creations to and I know they will be worn. My heart went out to those girls. They get points for good grades and attendance. Then they can redeem the points in the store for their baby/child. I'd love to see my clothes on a baby/little one sometime. I'd have to go introduce myself. Well, I'm off to work on the next project. Hopefully it won't be so long between posts this time. Happy stitching everyone!

Summer Blooms

Here's the other dress I just finished about 30 minutes ago. Isn't it sweet?! It's from a cotton print my mom gave me a couple months ago. She said she didn't really like it anymore. Well, I've been eye-balling it for a couple of years now. It was crying out of this design. I made it for a customer at work who I've become friends with over the years. I showed her this when it was just a dress front along with the dress from the previous post and she wanted to take them home immediately!
Pattern and plate are from AS&E issue 87 page 38, I made size 4. I stitched the buttonholes today at work on my lunchbreak by hand. After doing the sew-a-long with Jeannie, buttonholes by hand are not hard to do at all.  And it's a little tough to haul my very heavy old Kenmore machine with my to work.
I hope this lady comes into the store tomorrow, because I'm dieing to give her the completed dresses. I might have to give her a call anyway. She is a very lovely person, but very loaded down with responsibilities taking care of her husband who has alzeimers. He's still in the beginning stages, but things are difficult for her. So I thought she could use some TLC. Both granddaughters fave color is pink, but the dresses had to be different.

I read the funniest thing today. It was a saying for knitting, but I'm going to put smocking in place of knitting. Here's what I read: If smocking were a drug, I'd be in rehab! I think that about says it all.

Happy smocking everyone!

Have You Ever Thought?

Have you ever thought after sewing up a dress "this is my favorite" only to turn around a few weeks later and say that about another one? I don't know about you, but I do that often. Sometimes, everthing just comes together right and the dress turns out wonderful. Some others . . . . not so much. But I think this dress is one of my favorites.
The fabric is from a local quilt shop here in Boise, ID; The Quilt Crossing. I've been in enough and shared my smocked garments that some of the girls know who I am. Not necessarily by name, but I've had some of them ask: "Aren't you the one who does the smocking?" I always answer happily, "Yes, I am! Want to see what I want to work on next?" Of course, they say yes. I love going into an establishment and having people know what I like and what I represent. Makes a person feel like they belong.
Anyway, the dress is out of AS&E issue 72, page 22 entitled "Coconut Ice". I changed the collar and cuff design a little. The original has madeira applique. Since I don't have a pinstitch (applique stitch) on my sewing machine, it's a little hard to make is come out the way I want it to. So I did some feather stitching instead. Inside the rosebuds I used swarovski crystals. Girls gotta have bling! I spent Friday stitching up the dress, then I went to smock night at my store. Unfortunately, nobody showed up. But that's not the point, I'm there incase anyone wants to come and play.
Last week I finished the smocking on "Summer Blooms", issue 87 from AS&E. My mom gave me a pink print that she decided she didn't want. I've been eye-balling it for the last year, but didn't say anything. Well, she asked me if I wanted it a couple weeks ago and of course I HAD to say yes. Today she offered me a piece of orange print, but I told her she should know better than offer me an orange print. I'm sorry to offend any who love orange, but I can't stand it. I'm a pink girl all the way. If you adore pink like I do, then you are a girl after my own heart!
Just received my copy of issue 92 of AS&E and there is a baby bishop I'm dieing to smock! On the front cover is a peasant top for teen's that is smocked only using feather stitching. Any who have read the Old Fashioned Baby blog know Jeannie loves feather stitching.  I haven't used this stitch in any of my smocking yet, but maybe one of these years I will do a project with it.
I need to get another piece of fabric pleated for smocking. Can't ever be without something to smock. I did purchase a piece that I'm going to use for "Hearts and Flowers" from issue 87.  One of these days I need to get back to my monkeys and get that sewn up. So little time! Happy smocking everyone!

Victoria in Her Dress

Victoria and her gramma, Bonnie, came and got her dress. You should have seen her. She made a feeble attempt at not wanting to show everyone her dress, but we didn't believe her. And I said that every dress I give her, she has to model for everyone. Even the customers got in on it. She looks so darling in her dress.
Earlier in the day I had a customer ask if I sell my stuff and I said no. I make them and give them to little girls. She looked at me like I had grew horns or something. I get more happiness out of giving the princess clothes away than if I got paid. If someone insists I take money I will let them give me something for it. But I'd rather it was a gift. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a happy little girl is worth a million dollars.

Princess Bling Galore!

Victoria's dress is done. And let me tell you, it's alot of dress. With lining, dress fabric, and 2 layers of tulle over the top. Kind of makes me tired thinking about it. I don't normally do a dress with this many layers, but when this little girl puts this dress; it will all be worth it. I'll post a pic when I get one. Bonnie is going to bring her granddaughter into the store tomorrow evening and we will do fashion show. That will fun! Bonnie had told me yesterday when she saw the dress mostly finished that Victoria will want to wear it on Friday for picture day (picture a happy me) instead of the sundress she had made her a couple of weeks ago. I can't help puffing up with pride. I make all my dresses with loads of love.
I did have a pic of the hem, but the pic turned out really fuzzy, so I dumped it. Same with a close up of the smocking. I need to get a manequin to put my dresses on for pictures. Hmmm . . . maybe that's some good to go look for.
Today, I have been at Hancock Fabrics for 9 years. Doesn't seem that long to me. I guess the old saying of time flies when you're having fun is true. Most days I really like my job. In the spring I'm gonig to teach smocking, I'm thinking of a one evening class of smocked socks, I love those. Then probably a bonnet, after that a dress, can't decide between a bodice dress or a bishop.  I started with a bodice dress, because pleating a bishop intimidated me. Didn't pleat anything bishop until 1 1/2 years ago, then I did an angel top for a 4 yr old. Got over my trepidation after it turned out so nice.
Okay, now I'm gonig to work on my surf monkey romper. Can't say how soon I will get that one done. Hopefully it won't take too long. I'm anxious to get started on some xmas dresses. Especially one with snowflakes on it. I love changes of fabric prints as the seasons change, but I don't love the extremes in temperature. I'd be perfectly happy with it staying around 65 to 70 all year round, but hold the humidity please.
Ok, I'm off and sewing again. Maybe I will take time and pleast up a dress front with the snowflakes on it. Can't go too long without smocking somthing you know. Happy stitching girls!

Wish I Had More Time to Sew

I have so many projects I want to work on, but at work we are now into the busy retail season. Everyone is either making Halloween costumes are they are working on xmas gifts. BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! So busy in fact that I've only been able to sew one day this week. I'm afraid with extra hours at work me only time sewing will be on my days off.
I did get my daygown all finished including rinsing out the blue marker for the embroidery stitching, doing a final pressing. I wasn't too thrilled with the hem at first, but after getting it all pressed, I'm satisfied with the results. The scalloped trim is crocheted. I really hope Jeannie B does another sew-a-long, I will be involved. It was so much fun reading everyone's comments and of course doing all the hand sewing. She has inspired with this sew-a-long to start a smocking class in the spring. So in the back of my mind, I have been thinking what exactly I want to do with my classes.
My cover issue dress is have finished. Now I just need time to sew sleeves, hems and buttons. I've shown the smocking to the little girl, Victoria, who is getting the dress when it's done and she loves it. In my area there is a place that does princess tea parties at a replica of a castle; as well as weddings/receptions. Well, I met the guy who owns it and he says they are going to do a tea party next month. All the little girls dress up in princess dresses. At the castle Snow White answers the door. About halfway through the party, Prince Charming rings the door bell and all the "princesses" get to try on the glass slipper. Of course, none of the little girls fit the slipper and then Cinderella descends the staircase and there is happily ever after. "sigh" I so want to be a princess. The owner says that all the moms and grammas dress as princesses also. I would like to get this cover dress done and borrow Victoria so I have an excuse to go to this princess party. If anyone wants to see what this castle looks like, here's the link:
http://castle-gardens.com/

Maybe with all the crazy buzy time at work, I will have to do another hand-stitched baby gown. Hmmm.
Well, I will always have some smocking project going. Hopefully with my next post I'll have a princess dress done! Happy stitching everyone.

Hippity Hop

                               Pattern from the book "Sew Cute Couture" by Gail Doane
                                    Smock plate is "Bunny Lace" from Pat Garretson

I just finished a bunny dress. I'm fairly happy with it. I've had a hard time feeling like being at the sewing machine the past couple of weeks. Kind of tired and I wasn't any more energized when I sat down at the sewing machine after work today. But somehow sitting at the machine and sewing my mood changed and now I feel so much better. Of course, now I'm sharing with all of you and I love doing show-n-tell! So that brings out the sunshine in me so much more.
I love Gail Doane's book! I would love to do every dress and jacket in there. She just put up some new pics of two new dresses on her blog. I adore the white dress with the purple beads. Here's the link if you want to check it out.
http://luluandannies.blogspot.com/
I finished the pleating on my lavender dress with the overlay of tulle. I was a little nervous at first to put it through the pleater, but I went slow and unloaded the needles about every 6-8 pleats. Now I'm about 1/2 done with the smocking. I always seem to have so many dress fronts all smocked up and ready to be sewn into a finished garments. I'd have to say it's much easier when you've had a long or rough day to just pick up smocking or embroidery than it is to go to my sewing machine. Handwork helps me to de-stress.
I belong to a yahoo chat group "Learning to Smock" and had one of the nicest emails from one of the girls in the group. So Marcia, if you are reading this post, here's a shout to you. THANK YOU!
I've already said thanks earlier to her, but I thought it deserved repeating. Here's wishing everyone a few hours of lovely stitching time to destress.