Challenge Yourself

Laurie at Adorable Heirlooms on Facebook is having another challenge. This one is for something Easter. What exactly I'm not sure. But isn't that some of the fun after all?! I urge you to get your creative juices flowing and come join the rest of us! Who knows, might win a great prize!

Sweetest Spring Dresses

I used AS&E issue 87 "Serious Fun". Isn't this the sweetest dress?!

As anyone has read in previous posts, I LOVE PINK!

and the back is as cute as the front! For the ruffles, I used a piece of organza from my stash. After all isn't that one of the reasons we have a stash in first place? I already had two buttons left from another project. So I only had to buy one card of buttons and then I used a coupon.

Again I can't remember which issue of AS&E I got this dress from. My memory is so bad right now.

One the lighter colored stitching I used a DMC sparkle filament and a strand of light purple floss. And don't you just love the bling?!

The fabric was from Hancock Fabrics from a couple years ago.  Piping was from my stash and I did have to buy buttons and they were on sale 50% off a couple weeks ago.

So lately I'm trying to not spend full price for anything I need to buy to finish my projects. Either use a coupon or get is on sale. But sometimes, we can't do that. My plan is try thinking ahead or at least planning ahead.

Til next time, happy smocking everyone!

A Garment from my Stash

You'll have to forgive me, I can't for the life of me remember what issue of AS&E I got the smock plate and pattern from. I've looked through a couple dozen issues and just can't find it. I feel bad that I can't post the info for you.

Now the fabric I remember getting this on vacation a few years ago when visiting my friend, Jerri, in Paducah, KY. I was going to stitch roses in some of the hearts, but it turned out too much and I removed the one I had finished.

Sorry this pic is on the blurry side. Sometimes I don't know how it's going to look until I get it downloaded to the computer. Then most of the time I've already given the item away.

I was going to use purple buttons, but decided to use from my stash. So white buttons it was.

I'm trying to use from my stash. Like every one of you girls out there, you have plenty to choose from. And now I also have my mom's stash as of last December.

Mom was a quilter, so there are lots of tops she finished. I'm not really a quilter anymore, so I'm going to donate them to many people I know will finish them for her and pass them on to those who can use them. There are a few I will save. Like the hand embroidered butterfly blocks quilt. My sister's are not really into sewing, so all of mom's stuff is now mine. Since we lived in the same house, there's not much I really have to get rid of sewing wise. Since my two sisters aren't sewists, all mom's sewing items are mine to love. I wish my sisters had been nicer to mom while she was alive. Mom always gave tons of quilts and crocheted items to those in need. My sister's each have a daughter of the age to smock for. Nieces 5 and 8, but since they are so unkind I can't give them anything for their kids. It would be like me telling them it's okay if you treat others mean. Well, it's not okay in this chick's book. So that's the main reason I make friends with ladies who have little girls in the family. And of course, those little princesses are in love with pink.

Just last week my favorite teller at the bank brought her daughter and two grand girls into meet me and give me a treat. They wanted to thank me in person for the dresses I smocked. The girls were well behaved and I said it was a pleasure to smock for such darling girls.

Well, I need to contact another friend and give her a couple of pieces for her daughter. Now I'm off to finish up a little summer dress for one of the ladies I work with.

Happy smocking!

Finally Finished!

Used smocking instructions from a Facebook Challenge started in January. The pattern pieces are from AS&E issue 91, "The Little Bookworm". The fabric is from Hancock Fabrics. Smocking close-up was posted Feb. 20.

For the belt and collar; I used cotton sateen and made baby piping from pink batiste. I love putting a belt on dresses. Even though it's not a showy as a big bow, it's more comfy on a little princess' back.

And this tucked hem is the easiest thing in the world to do. Just fold hem up twice, iron, sew and boom; done! Easy peasy.

Well, now I'm off to finish some dresses started earlier last month. Just need buttons and button holes. And then of course, onto more smocking. How could you not guess.

Happy smocking everyone!

Update on "Dress For Success" Donation

Burda Kids 9494 view C

Butterfly print from Hobby Lobby, smock plate done on black sateen from Hancock Fabrics, piping and trim made from Kona cotton also from Hancock Fabrics. My fave fabric is sateen, it needles so easily! I still need to sew on buttons, I'm going to cover them with matching hot pink gingham. 

Here's my idea for the capris. Floral print will be the main body, piping out of the polka dot, ruffle from the stripe and edged with black sateen. I just hope this outfit won't look to busy. But I don't think it will; since so many boutique patterns now days are done with many, many prints you can put together.

Enjoy your week, I'm hoping to have the capris done soon and get started sewing on the dress for the FB challenge. I have to get that done by March 9th. Till next time, happy smocking everyone!

What I've Done

Hey Everyone,

Here's what I finished up for the FB challenge. I'm thinking I should have done pink bows. Well, I'm not going to take them out now. I'm already planning the rest of the dress. I'm going to have to start on the collar and cuffs pretty soon. I expect we won't have that much time to finish up whatever we decided to sew with our piece. I'm going to do the collar in white sateen with either shell pink piping or I'm going to stitch bead trios around the edge. Gail Doane just posted a new dress on her blog http://luluandannies.blogspot.com a couple days ago. The pink and grey dress is my kind of dress, well, because it's pink of course. Maybe my nickname should be Pinky :)

I've also been working on the bodice for the top on the outfit I'm giving to the fundraiser. I'm almost finished with the smocking. Since it's on black sateen, it's not going as fast as I normally can stitch. Twenty-one rows it kind of alot. I've got about 6 more rows to go and then I can get started on the bullion daisies. They are going to be 3 different pinks, baby, bubblegum and fuschia. And I'm making the centers of the flowers either beads or crystals. Gotta have bling!

Well, I'm off to go smock!

Four Days of Bliss

Sorry, no pics today. But lots of stuff happening. I have 4 days off work, a mini-vaca! I got some tax money back, yeah! Today, I'll have one of my brothers go with me to pick up a new ceiling fan for my bedroom. The old one only works on high and I don't necessarily want a wind tunnel in my room when I'm relaxing and smocking or when I need to go to sleep. The past couple nights I've been burning up. Going through menopause is no fun. Granted I'm only 43 and I've been in menopause for about 6 years now. That's pretty young, but I guess when your body decides it's done with certain things, well, it's done. Since I don't want to have more kids, it is taking longer than I want. Can't I just be done with the whole messy business?!
Anyway, I went and bought a few more pieces of fabric to go with the outfit I'm going to put into the fundraiser. I'm currently waiting for the dryer to get finished with the towels so I can put the black sateen into dry. I'm still in the planning stages of the top, but I will give you a little bit of a teaser about it. It's going to have smocking on the top of the bodice (can't not smock!). And it will be a teared, ruffled sleeveless top and capris. The main print has a black bground and hot pink butterflies. I decided to do a top with ruffles since they are so in right now. Thank goodness, I love ruffles. I'm thinking I will do a size 5 or 6 and decorate a pair of flip flops. I hope I will have some pics to tide you over later today or sometime tomorrow.
Oh, yes, wanted to share that I joined Pinterest a couple days ago. If you want to follow me there, type in janssmocking and go from there.

Happy smocking everyone!