Creations By Michie` Blog

Grandda's Hat

2012-01-29T16:03:00.010-06:00

Just for fun, I thought that I would share a few of my favorite pictures from our Arizona trip. They are especially fun to look at right now and remember how fabulous the weather was! While we were there an intense search was launched to find Rex a really cool western style hat that would also look good in Alabama. Finally we found exactly what he was looking for.

Our sweet girl was especially impressed by Grandda's new hat. She needed to touch it......

taste it.........
and wear it!

We have discovered that she is not the only woman attracted to his hat. We had barely sat down on the airplane to come home when the woman next Rex complimented his hat. Since we have been home on numerous occasions Rex has come home to tell me, " Another woman commented on my hat!" Anna's explanation is that the hat says, "I'm a risk taker and wear what I like."

What do I say? " The hat and the wedding ring always leave the house together!"

*Emma's outfit is made by pattern #103 and featured in a previous blog.

Michie'

A Classic Smocked Bubble

2012-01-26T07:55:00.000-06:00

A classic smocked bubble made by pattern #115. Made from Martha's classic cotton.

Smocked with Ellen McCarn's "Ducklings."

The little guys arrival on planet earth was scheduled for Monday, I was so stressed and excited that I pretty much made the bubble over the weekend. I certainly couldn't sit still so Rex just left me alone to sew! :) A whole lot of love and prayers went into every stitch as I anticipated holding my first grandson!

Michie'

Picture Smocking On A Bishop

2012-01-22T01:00:00.007-06:00

Can you Picture Smock on a bishop style dress? Yes, but you will need a smocking design that is suitable. The smocking design that I have used for this sweet ecru dress is "Baskets" by Ellen McCarn.

The design will need to have some variation of the trellis stitch on the bottom rows so that the dress will fan out across the shoulders. And the good news is that the "picture" part of the design, in this case the baskets, will usually be small and rather simple.

Don't you think that this dreary winter weather is perfect for smocking? :)

Michie'

A Little Winter Knitting

2012-01-18T01:00:00.005-06:00

Of course this would be Anna knitting, not me. Since the day Christian arrived she has looked forward to knitting the little guy a special sweater and hat. A small bag has been pulled out of her over sized purse off and on since September when she had a few minutes to spare. Just in time for cold weather, the sweater was completed.

Soft pale gray yarn was a nice switch from tradition blue. Brown buttons gave the sweater a rather trendy look.

And of course if you have the warmest sweater ever made by your mommy.... you will need a hat. The yarn for the hat was sent by a very special friend before Christian's arrival.

This is what the boy did when we first sat him down in great grandmother's chair for pictures. He immediately decided to launch himself over the side to see if there was anything new on my floor. Fortunately Grandda had quick hands!

There is a reason that I call him "Monkey Man!"

Michie'

*UPDATE*

I have had a few questions about what knitting patterns Anna used for the sweater and hat. Anna found both on Raverly, but the sweater is by Western Sky knits by Heather and the hat is Cozy by Allison Williams.

Picot-Edge Folded Bias Collar

2012-01-15T01:00:00.001-06:00

Like the rest of you, a fabric or trim sometimes catches my eye and begs to come home with me. I purchased the black and turquoise dot pique' fabric and the Picot-Edge Folded Bias trim from Martha Pullen Company and could hardly wait to use them for the new pattern.

I made the collar out of white pique' and used white broadcloth for the lining. First, with wrong sides together, stitch the collar and lining together along the outer edge using a 5/8" seam allowance. Trim the excess fabric away, close to the stitching line.

Next, open up the bias piece and position it so that the pique' edge is resting on the outer edge of the collar and pin the folded edge in place. The wrong side of the bias is flattened out and is not stitched at this time. By trial and error, I found it helpful to open up the bias and run a gathering stitch on the machine on the fold line. I was then able to ease in the any fullness so that the folded edge lay flat for stitching. Pin the bias piece in place and stitch over the folded edge using a small zigzag stitch.

On the wrong side of the collar, pin the folded edge of the bias piece in place and slip stitch by hand. I was able to ease in any fullness as I went along.

I was very pleased with the finished look of the collar and looking forward to adding more colors to my stash!

The website has been updated with my teaching schedule for 2012 along with pictures and descriptions of the classes! You can click here to go directly to the page.

Michie'

The New Pattern Is Ready To Ship!

2012-01-12T01:00:00.001-06:00

After many of you begging, pleading, and reminding, I now have pattern #131 in larger sizes! This pattern is as much for me as it is for you since I know that within the next year I will also need it for sweet little Emma. The pattern is a sweet little dress that buttons down the front, has a Peter Pan collar pipped or edged with lace and may be made with long or short sleeves.

A great pattern for those new to sewing or those of you who are a little out of practice.

The dress may be made with a plain front which would be great for applique'.....

or a fancier version with tiny tucks and the collar edged with lace.

Watch the next blog for the collar details for the black and turquoise dress!

Michie'

Baby Daygown With Center Smocking

2012-01-09T01:00:00.001-06:00

Since rainy Sunday afternoons are perfect for hemming and attaching buttons, the daygown in now completed! This is the final project that I will be teaching during Martha Pullen School. I love teaching how to add a little smocking to a plain pattern.

We will be using pattern #125 and the smocking design is Ellen McCarn's "Baby Bunnies." I used Martha's Heirloom Batiste for the fabric and the tatting was attached to the collar by hand. Both the fabric and tatting can be purchased from Martha Pullen Company.

If you only have a little time for smocking, this is the way to go!

Michie'

Finishing Up A Couple Of Things

2012-01-07T16:08:00.007-06:00

This has been my week of actually finishing up some projects. It sounds like a good start to a new year! Martha Pullen School in February is right around the corner so it is past time to get the projects completed. Along with the pre-day classes I have the Smocking Construction School once again. On the first day of the school the students will learn how to construct a Jon-Jon with an insert using pattern #137. The smocking design for the "Wagons" can be found in my "Beginning Smocking Book."

The second and most of the third day will be learning to construct a beautiful white bishop style dress which includes smocking and lace on the sleeves and lace on the hem. The students will use pattern #135 and the smocking design is also in the smocking book.

"Beginning Geometric and Picture Smocking" is one of the pre-day classes that I always enjoy teaching. The sailboat smocking design is an original one that I came up with for Christian that will be provided with the class kit.

The next post will be the final project for the school, which will be a lovely pale blue daygown with center smocking.

Michie'

Rather Smock Than Construct?

2012-01-05T01:00:00.002-06:00

Rather smock than construct the garment? Are you limited for time or don't have a pleater? How about a Ready-to-Smock? That is what I am using in a couple of my classes for Martha Pullen's School of Art and Fashion in February. They come in a variety of styles, sizes, and colors, and can be ordered from Sew Beautiful.

We will be using this "Little Memories" design for the "Advanced Picture Smocking Class." What a wonderful opportunity to really learn to read the graph and make color changes!

Michie'

Ready For A New Year

2012-01-01T12:24:00.005-06:00

Instead of looking back at the past year, I am looking forward. This is what the first day of 2012 looked like at my house. Bright and sunny and turning much colder. With the slant of the winter sun and the fact that I took down the Christmas tree, I am seeing dust in all kinds of new places! So to start the new year I did a little straightening in the sewing room while Rex is getting his fill of football.

My inspiration board is now covered with new things to inspire me. A few pictures that I find here and there that help to get my imagination going and fabric scraps from my stash.

Fabric has been pulled out of boxes and put out on display. Fun prints on the left and solids on the right, stacked and tagged by fabric type.

Do you have something special that you do to start off the new year?

Michie'

Why We Don't Get More Done Around Here

2011-12-29T08:19:00.009-06:00

As we go into another holiday weekend I thought that I would share some fun pictures and the reason that we are not more productive around here! The first picture says it all. It IS hard to type once baby toes have found the keyboard.

The second reason we are not more productive is that babies are just so darn funny! I was able to stand in the background and snap a few pictures at a recent photo shoot for Sew Beautiful Magazine. Jennifer and Co. does the photography for the magazine and she is sooo good with the little ones. She truly loves what she does and it shows! I love standing in the background and watching what they do with lighting and staging the pictures.

Christian is modeling an outfit that will appear in the 2012 holiday issue.

He was mesmerized by the fake snow......

And proceeded to dive right in. We had a awful time getting him to look up and the stuff stuck all over the black corduroy outfit.

The next "bright idea" was to lay him on his back and get a picture of the front of the outfit. He thought rolling in the snow was a better idea, and living in Alabama this might be as close as he gets. My photos are fuzzy because we were laughing so hard! He settled down while modeling the other two outfits. Anna and I had a wonderful time as always and left out of breath and ready for lunch.

I hope that everyone has a Happy New Year! I'll get back to sharing fun sewing projects and tutorials next week once my company leaves so just hang on. :)

Michie'

Were Your Holidays Quite?

2011-12-26T09:06:00.005-06:00

Mooresville, Alabama

When our children were little I often wished that the holidays were less hectic. As they have grown up I would just like a few of them around. And as always I hope that everyone is well. No such luck this year...... all three of the boys were out of town and those remaining were sick. Except me, which left me in the wonderful position of taking care of everyone else! And so, another day of trying to entertain myself when fun things should be going on. I'm not complaining, it is just how it happens some years and then the good years are really really good!

Fortunately, Santa brought me some really cool crafting and photography books this year and I plan on spending the whole day going through them.

Happy holidays and I hope that they are not too quite! :)

Michie'

Just A Thought....

2011-12-22T07:55:00.004-06:00

I was flipping through some old pictures last week and ran across this picture of me Christmas morning 1962. I still remember how exciting it was to get the little pink kitchen set for Christmas. I wasn't nearly as excited last week when I had to buy a new garbage disposal. Have I lost the magic of Christmas?

Michie'

New Sew Beautiful Magazine

2011-12-17T01:00:00.003-06:00

It felt like Christmas came early when Rex brought in the mail and my preview copy of the new Sew Beautiful magazine. And what were the chances that Christian, Anna, and Jason would be here for a visit when it arrived? There were 5 copies in the package, so we had a race to see who could find Christian's picture first!

The process started in August while I was in Arizona visiting and the magazine e-mailed me asking about a certain baby outfit that they had spotted on the blog. Why do these things always happen when you are out of town? After I figured out which outfit they were talking about, and tried to remember where is was, in Christian's closet, things moved quickly from there. Christian was photographed at the end of August and I then had to really scramble to get the article and embroidery design completed. One of the dangers of having a garment requested that I have had on hand for awhile is that I then have to retrieve or remember all the details and techniques. But all of those are good problems! :)

Of course we were thrilled with the photograph and it was so much fun to see the finished product from the photo shoot. It is truly amazing how well that they can photo shop out spit up! This was also the day that Christian started arching his back and trying to roll over. What you don't see in the picture is Mommy and Nana Shay ready to catch him if he topples over.

And the best news of all is that this is the beginning of the new "For the boys" article that will be in each issue this year! I was given the opportunity to come up with 6 garments and accompanying articles which will feature designs, tips, and techniques for our little guys. Since my first 3 children were boys and I now have a grandson, this is a project that is very close to my heart and that I am looking forward to sharing with you during the next year.

Michie'

Christian's Christmas Outfit

2011-12-13T12:45:00.000-06:00

Thank goodness that Jon-Jons go together rather quickly. Christian's Christmas outfit is completed and best of all, he is really cute in it! The Jon-Jon is made out of the same micro checked gingham as Emma's dress with a white Imperial Broadcloth smocked insert. The shirt is also made from Imperial Broadcloth and is an old pattern that I had on hand.

You might be wondering why the boy doesn't have on his cute white dress shoes that Nana Shay bought him. Well, it was almost nap time and I saw no need in making him mad trying to get him to uncurl those sweet baby toes so that we could put shoes on for a picture. He appreciates it when I let him do what he wants! :)

What is more Christmasy than a station wagon with a Christmas tree strapped to the top? While designing the plate there were several hard choices that had to be made such as how much smocking or in other words, how busy did I want the design to look? So, the decision was made to leave it at one lone station wagon. What do you think the reason was?

A. I didn't want to overpower a 6 month outfit and distract from the cute guy who would be wearing it.

B. Time was and issue, so I stop smocking while there was still time to finish the garment.

C. It is a station wagon driving in white out conditions!

Actually, Anna and I both agreed on "A", but I think that the others are valid reasons. More is not always better especially with sewing! I still like the simple classic designs and plan on sticking to them!

You can click here for the free smocking design!

* Please disregard any suspicious looking e-mails from me! My account has been hacked and we are in the process of taking care of it.

Michie'

The Snowman Jon-Jon

2011-12-08T11:00:00.001-06:00

While I was frantically trying to finish smocking the boy's Christmas outfit, I decided that I would take a little break and stitch up a quick project, so that I would feel like I was accomplishing something! I happened to have a piece of fabric that matched the onesie that we found for $4.99 at K-Mart.

Anna stitched up the snowman which we found on "Planet Applique", while I took a break to prop up my giant cast which I have to wear for 2 MORE WEEKS!

The Jon-Jon is made by pattern #137 and is out of olive green pique'. We were so pleased with this project and how handsome the boy looked that we have plans to go through my remnants and see what else we can come up with!

Michie'

The Christmas Dress

2011-12-03T01:00:00.002-06:00

Emma is a petite little thing, wearing a size 12 month for her first birthday, so I decided that she needed a simple dress. And I also wanted a dress that would last past the holidays. Considering that this is the dress that I was working on when I had my little accident, and it got mailed a week later than I intended, that ended up being a good plan!

The dress is made out of red micro check gingham using pattern #135 and is smocked with a simple design that reminded me of snowflakes. I smocked the dress while in Arizona and did a few test stitches to make sure that Emma's mommy liked the design. The girls in the family are not picky, but I do try to make sure that I am making things that they like! :)

I made up the smocking design as I went along and about half way through I realized that it is almost identical to a dress that I made last year. How is that for originality? You can click here for the Free Design. But this was a good way to show how the design looks on a different fabric.

Christian's Christmas outfit is made out of the same red fabric and will hopefully be finished this weekend! Being in a cast is really slowing down the sewing process

*Answering a couple of questions..... A reader asked about the number of rows that I Back Smocked for Emma's fall dress. It is not necessary to Back Smock behind the purple geometric smocking.

Michie'

A Fall Dress For Emma

2011-11-30T15:55:00.000-06:00

Emma was a pretty good sport about modeling for Nana Shay as long as Grandda Rex was close by. That is his hand in the picture. Although she had not seen Grandda since she was 4 months old she went to him like they were old friends! I'm sure that the strong resemblance between him and daddy helped, but she is a friendly girl.

The dress is made from Fabric Finders print #973. I ran across the fabric back in the summer and loved the purples and olive greens. I spent quite a bit of time picking out the floss color and ended up using DMC #153 and #553. The dress is a variation of pattern #131 which I also used for her dedication dress. The directions can be found here.

For this size 12 month dress, I pleated 16 rows and stitched a 5 step Trellis Stitch. The dress is also Back Smocked with the 5 step Trellis design.

You might be glad to hear that Emma's Christmas dress which was interrupted with my mishap is now in the mail and Christian's outfit is ready to construct! What are you working on for Christmas or is your sewing all done?

Michie'

What Happened While I Was Away

2011-11-27T01:00:00.001-06:00

Our boy decided to sit alone while Nana Shay and Grandda were in Arizona visiting Emma. I guess that will show us not to be gone for two whole weeks! So, for those blog followers who remember Christian's arrival into the world in May, you will understand how thrilled we are that at 6 months, he is doing everything right on schedule.

You might also notice that in a matter of weeks he lost his brown baby hair and is going to be a blond for now. He looks so much like Anna at that age, including the blond hair, blue eyes, and dimple, that it is kind of creepy.

And although his mommy has a special place in his heart that only a mommy can fill, he looks just like his daddy when he is thinking and knows that when daddy is around it is play time!

Michie'

The Sewing Mishap....

2011-11-24T11:58:00.004-06:00

I'm calling it the "Sewing Mishap" since it is the results of getting really really excited that I had completed the smocking and hem and Emma's Christmas dress and all it lacks are buttons. In my excitement, I got up off the couch not paying attention to the fact that my foot was partially asleep. With my hands full of sewing supplies I had no way of catching myself so we made an evening run to the ER where they kept asking, "Can you put weight on it?" Were they kidding? Why would I want to put weight on a foot that was swelling that fast? Other people in the ER were even commenting on the amount of swelling. Our visit resulted in a bandage, crutches, and visit to the orthopedic doctor the next day where they diagnosed the worse sprained ankle in the history of the world. The good news is that I no longer need the crutches which were an accident waiting to happen. The bad news is that I am in a hard cast for two weeks. What fun!!! :)

So, please bear with me, between the two week vacation and the cast it might seem like I am no longer sewing and sharing. I am now home, not needing the pain meds as often today, and have plenty of pictures and ideas to post and share over the next few weeks.

What am I thankful for this year? Besides all the special things that are too numerous to mention, I am thankful that the cast is for only two weeks and that Thanksgiving dinner was not at my house this year!

Michie'

The Birthday Girl

2011-11-20T16:12:00.006-06:00

We just got back from spending two glorious weeks in Arizona! The main purpose of the trip was sweet little Emma's 1st Birthday, but we managed to squeeze in some fantastic sightseeing while we were there. Ben (our oldest), Tiffany, and Emma were able to drive us all the way from their home in Sierra Vista, which is south of Tucson, to the Grand Canyon. Rex had always wanted to see the Grand Canyon, and let's just say that he wasn't disappointed!

The birthday girl was all smiles and enjoyed a dress made by Nana Shay and Auntie Anna that she was allowed to eat cake in.

And the monkey outfit was perfect for the birthday girl to play and learn to pull up in while we were there! Yes, I still can't believe that Rex and I happened to be there and watching the first time Emma pulled up. Within two weeks she progressed from, "Oops, I accidentally pulled up." to pulling up on our pants legs!

Michie'

Birthday Outfit #2

2011-11-07T01:00:00.003-06:00

After completing the birthday dress I found the perfect smocking plate and fabric for a birthday outfit the very next day! Fortunately there is still a lot of college football going on which only means that there is a lot of time for smocking. I smocked Ellen McCarn's "Monkey Business" on white Imperial Broadcloth and used the insert with the print twill fabric.

I didn't have the pattern that I had in mind, so I combined the top of pattern #132 to the bottom of pattern #103. A little math was involved to the get the length right, but is was relatively easy. An old pattern that I had on hand was used for the blouse.

Aren't the monkeys cute? I can hardly wait to see Emma wearing it at her party next week!

Michie'

A Dress For The Birthday Girl

2011-11-03T01:00:00.000-05:00

It seems impossible that Emma is about to turn 1 year old! Even more impossible was how much trouble that I had deciding what to send for her to wear. It is still pretty warm where they are in Arizona, so I decided that I would go simple for the dress and we can always put a sweater with it. The dress is made using pattern #122 and the applique' is from planetapplique.com. Since I envisioned Emma getting to eat a cup cake in this dress, I decided to use a really inexpensive cotton polyester twill blend fabric.

I used white seersucker and green gingham for the collar and applique'. I decided to dress the collar up a little by hand stitching white rick rack to the piping before constructing the garment.

You can watch the next blog for the "back up" birthday outfit!

Michie'

What He Wore To Church

2011-10-30T14:23:00.012-05:00

This is what he wore to church. What I want to know is what was he thinking? Actually, I know what he was thinking..... He had been waving his fat arms around for us to pick him up and instead we put him in another outfit, propped him up, and took his picture. It might be best that we he can't talk yet!

I made the outfit out of a fun print using pattern #133. For the collar, I traced off the tee pees onto tracing paper and then scanned them to the size that I needed. I used basic embroidery stitches, so the hand work went really fast.

Our little guy is now 5 1/2 months old and weighs 16 lbs. He also has decided to skip size 6 month, so Nana Shay is really needing some extra time for sewing!

Michie'

The Secret To Straight Smocking Pleats

2011-10-26T09:10:00.002-05:00

First, I thought that I would share a picture of what is happening on my design board right now. Little Emma's first Birthday is right around the corner and of course she will need something to wear for the party. The center picture on the board shows the colors and the monkey theme that mommy will be using. Everything else are snippets of possibilities that I will be using. The "Monkey Business" smocking plate is by Ellen McCarn is new on the market. Exactly what I was looking for!

And now, back to the purpose of this blog. I get asked quite often, "How do you keep your pleats straight during construction?" So, here it is......

It starts with the pleating. ALWAYS pleat extra "Holding Rows." These are pleated rows at the top and bottom of the smocked piece that will help keep the pleats from shifting during construction. You can see in the picture that the row of smocking is on Row 1 and then below that is the Holding Row. I then smock a Cable Row using two strands of floss that matches the fabric between Row 1 and the Holding Row.

The piping is then placed next to the Row 1 and covers the smocked Cable Row. If you ever do this once, you will never forget to pleat extra rows again!

You can find additional information on smocking and construction in my "Beginning Smocking Book."

Michie'

Smocked Puppies

2011-10-20T01:00:00.002-05:00

This picture was suppose to be of the little smocked romper that he wore to church Sunday, instead it is of his favorite toy, his feet. I think that he has springs in his legs!

So if you want to see the romper it has to be on a hanger, not on the boy. The romper is made out of blue and white Imperial Broadcloth. I had not thought of using black and white gingham for the piping until I noticed a scrap on the cutting table. That is when not having a neat cutting table pays off! :)

The smocked puppies are Ellen McCarn's "Dalmatian Puppies."

Michie'

Knitting With A Capital "K"

2011-10-17T01:00:00.000-05:00

Anna and I had read that when you REALLY master knitting, you are a knitter with a capital "K." Yes, she is there. She started the elephant while still pregnant and finished just in time for the guy to fall in love with. And my knitting? Just like understanding football, I have once again started the fall making a commitment to learn, so we will see.

Here is the pattern.

Michie'

A Little More Information....

2011-10-14T10:30:00.006-05:00

I really enjoyed reading the comments on the last few blogs. Sharing our sewing struggles and hints always hits a common note among us. And how exciting that Molly Jane Taylor, designer of "Beth's Little Lambs", left a comment!

One reader asked if I could post a close up picture of the collar...... here you go! And, "What is the purpose of the gimp thread?" It pads the zigzag stitching that holds the lace in place and hides the not so pretty header of the lace.

So get your lace and fabric scraps out and give it a try! :)

Michie'

Adding Lace Edging To A Collar

2011-10-14T01:00:00.002-05:00

Here is the promised tutorial for adding the lace edging to the collar. The lace gives the collar a soft feminine look and is easy to apply.

You will need lace edging, Gimp thread, and white light weight machine thread.

First, cut out the two collars and linings and sew them together following the pattern instructions.

Cut a piece of lace edging 1 and 1/3 the measurement of the outer edge of each collar. Gently pulling the header thread at each end of the lace, draw the lace up to fit the out edge of the collar. I like to lightly spray starch and press the lace to help hold the gathers in place.

Next, pin the lace edging to the outer edge of the collar so that the lace header barely overlaps the edge of the collar. Baste the lace to the collar by hand. This also gives you a chance to adjust the lace gathers if needed.

Place the Gimp thread on top of the lace header and using an open toed machine foot and lightweight thread, zigzag over the Gimp thread. Every machine is a little different, but I was happy with a stitch width of 2.5 and a length of 1.0. I did not do anything to hold the Gimp thread in place but just took my time and stitched a little at a time, but you may want to try one of the liquid thread products to hold it in place.

Michie'

A Smocking Story

2011-10-12T01:00:00.000-05:00

Not only are some patterns considered classic because they never truly go out of style, but the same goes for smocking designs. "Beth's Little Lambs" by Mollie Jane Taylor falls into this category for me. This was the first smocking plate that I successfully picture smocked 22 years ago for Anna. I vividly remember trying to read the graph and stacking the stitches. Not to mention the thrill when I held it up and asked Rex, "What are they?" and he said, " Sheep?" It is hard to explain that level of excitement to a non-smocker!

And so it was time to pull out the pattern, pink Imperial Broadcloth, the smocking design, and floss for a dress for Emma.

I attached the lace to the edge of the collar using an old technique that I had almost forgot about. You can find the tutorial for the lace edged collar on the next blog. :)

Michie'

Our Saturday Outing

2011-10-10T01:00:00.002-05:00

Just so that you don't think that I would possibly be in sewing on a beautiful fall day, although that was a thought..... Rex and I got up early Saturday morning and drove to Athens State University to the "Old Time Fiddler's Convention." I am embarrassed to say that we had never been before and we are not huge fans of blue grass music, but we are pretty diverse and are suckers for anything that gets us out of the house!

It is a blue grass music competition held on the grounds of the university that Rex happened to graduate from 30 years ago. Besides the competition, as you walk around groups are practicing, and there are plenty of crafts and good food. A disclaimer on the good food. In the above picture you will see a sign for "Fresh Cooked Pork Skins", although Rex and I have lived here our whole lives, we have never had them and have no intention of starting now. What we did have for lunch was chicken and dumplings, turnip greens, pinto beans, corn bread, and sweet tea in the Student Union building. I also conveniently bought a birthday present for my sister-in-law and a birdhouse for me!

I would love to hear of your fall outing!

Michie'

The Photo Shoot

2011-10-08T07:40:00.000-05:00

While I was in Arizona visiting baby Emma I was contacted by Sew Beautiful about some of my outfits that had been picked for the magazine. Since one of my missions is to get more boy things in the magazine, let's include more baby boy models while we are at it! And who would be better than Christian?

I had not been to a photo shoot in several years so let's just say that Anna and I were pretty excited. Christian did what he could to add to the excitement by spitting up on everything and deciding that it might be a good day to try and roll over! Anna and I were both out of breath when it was over and were inspired to take better pictures for the blog.

We also couldn't help but do a little reminiscing while we were there. Yes, this is Anna. She was in the magazine when she was 10 years old in 1997. Where does the time go?

Michie'

A Different Version For The Smocked Elephants

2011-10-06T01:00:00.001-05:00

I wanted to take the time to revisit the smocked elephants with a version for the girls, but I just haven't had time to make that dream come true. So, since life has been a little busy lately, not to mention the distraction of beautiful fall weather, I was thrilled when Peggy sent a picture of the dress she made!

If you were in Martha Pullen School in July, you will remember Peggy as my fabulous assistant and here is her great grand daughter Savannah! Isn't she the cutest thing? Besides the dress, I love her white shoes, and most of all that they let her hold her sippy cup for the picture.

I am not positive which pattern that Peggy used for the jumper, but it looks remarkably like pattern #132. :) Thank you for sharing Peggy!

Michie'

A Christening Gown For The Boys

2011-10-03T01:00:00.000-05:00

A more masculine Christening Gown was one of the first things that I saw a need for when I first began designing patterns and remains one of my top sellers. If I remember correctly, it was also one of the first garments and articles that I had accepted by one of the sewing magazines which also boosted my confidence tremendously and clued me in that this might be an ongoing thing and not just a passing hobby!

I think of this gown as a compromise for mommy and daddy. The large pleats down the front gives it an almost double breasted look for daddy, while the collar does need a touch of lace and embroidery for mommy.

The Christening Gown is made by pattern #112 and the pattern includes three different style collars to choose from.

Detailed instructions for the sewing the lace to the collar along with the design for the embroidery can be found in the pattern.

Michie'

A Fall Romper For The Boy

2011-09-29T01:00:00.000-05:00

Of course we couldn't leave the boy out when it comes to fall clothes! You might remember this romper made by pattern #103 from previous blogs which included tutorials for the bias edging on the collar and the satin stitched pumpkin.

Don't you love his expression? He is asking why on earth I am taking his picture when he is getting hungry!

The green fabric is Featherwale Corduroy and is one of my favorite fabrics for fall and winter. Besides coming in a beautiful range of colors, it is also suitable for smocking.

Michie'

A Fall Romper For The Girl

2011-09-26T12:15:00.001-05:00

I can't believe that fall is finally here and the babies are going to need clothes for the cooler weather. This romper made by pattern #103 has been part of my Trunk Show for several years and it was a happy surprise the 12 month size is just what Emma needs.

The twill fabric is a nice weight for cooler weather and pleats up nicely. Some basic geometric two step waves were all that was needed in shades of green.

I have had several of you ask about the fabric used for the diaper shirt in the previous blog and Stephanie was kind enough to leave a comment with the information. Thank you!

Stephanie said...
I bought some of this fabric at The Square Quilter in Shiner, Texas. Their phone number is 361-594-8022, and their web address is thesquarequilter.com When I bought it, it was on sale, and she said she still has some.

Michie'

A Tip For Neckbands

2011-09-22T01:00:00.001-05:00

It's the little tricks and tips that we sometimes don't even think about that give our sewing that nice finished look. Whether it is a diaper shirt or a bishop dress, a nice neat neckband gives the garment a professional look.

Remember, that your neckband is always cut on the bias according to your pattern instructions so that it will turn nicely and that the goal is to have a small neckband of about 1/4", so there will be some trimming. Neckband are usually drafted a little wider than this so that the brand new beginner will not totally freak out. But for you seasoned sewers or you fearless beginners this is where you can really show off your skills!

And what is this nifty trick? Simply this, after you have stitched the neckband to the garment, zigzag close to the stitching using a width of 3.5 and length of 2.0. Next, trim away the excess fabric close to the zigzag stitching. Not only does this give you a guide for trimming, it also gives a little stability to a neckband that may get a lot of abuse from a little one!

Finish the neckband by trimming the neckband so that there is just enough left to turn under the raw edge and turn again so the you are slip stitching the folded edge to the first stitching line that attached the neckband to the garment. This will give you a nice neat neckband that is only about 1/4" wide.

I had a few inquiries about this sweet fabric. I wish I had more information. I purchased it from Beth's Heirloom Sewing http://bethsheirloomsewing.com/ over a year ago. The selvage says "Westminster Fibers #DW 26 Vehicles Allover."

Best of luck with your neckbands!

Michie'

A Pink Dress For Emma

2011-09-19T01:00:00.003-05:00

First of all, how did our sweet girl get to be 10 months old in such a short time? And how am I going to be able to wait until November to see her again? In my opinion, one of the very best things about our technology age is that grandparents can stay in touch with e-mails and photos. And a special blessing to you young parents who take the time from your crazy day to post to the folks back home!

This is one of the little dresses that I took on my visit in August. The dress is made by pattern #106 and is such a practical and sweet dress for a little one. I used Imperial Batiste fabric so that the dress would need little if any ironing. I was told that I receive HUGE Nana points if things don't need to be ironed and I'm taking this seriously!

The beauty in this dress is the collar details. A tiny bias band is attached with a Bridging (Faggoting) stitch and a Bullion rose adds a little color. Detailed instructions can be found for the Bridging and the Bullion rose in the "Heirloom Embroidery Book."

Michie'

You May Be A Winner!

2011-09-18T01:00:00.001-05:00

Art store in Seoul, South Korea Sept. 2010

A very special thank you to each and every one of you who took the time to enter the free giveaway by leaving a comment "When do I find time to sew?" And just think.......while you were writing your comment you could have been sewing! So, I do appreciate you sharing your time with me! :)

I loved reading each and every comment. Many made me laugh or brought back memories of my own sewing struggles. I remember being so pressed for time when the 3 boys were under 5 years old that I would think that, " If I just get one seam in it would be better than none!" One of my favorite comments said that she had more time for sewing before she discovered blogs!

And so, here are our two winners.

Julie said...

I work full time so I sew the most in the evenings and on the weekends. But we are expecting our first baby so I have kicked the sewing into high gear and try to do as much as I can whenever I can!!!

Marnita said...

I typically sew early on Saturday mornings while my crew sleeps in. I also have a sewing buddy and we will sew one night a week from about 7:00 until 10:00. My brain turns into mush after that. Wish I had the energy to sew after I get home in the evenings on my own but that just isn't the case. Love your blog. We are expecting our first grandchild in a few weeks and your blog gives me plenty of ideas for our little man. Thanks for all you do.

I need each of you ladies to please e-mail me at crmichie@aol.com with your complete name, address and the pattern that you would like sent to you.

Michie'

Choosing A Contrasting Fabric

2011-09-15T01:00:00.000-05:00

I broke my own rule and purchased the print fabric with no project in mind. Sometimes the colors and graphics are just really good! Although the fabric would make great shorts for a toddler, it is a little busy for a baby boy. The best solution was to try to tone it down with a contrasting fabric. I pulled out my gingham scraps and began auditioning the fabrics. Black, red, and gold all went well, but the blue toned the primary colors down.

I went through the same process with the buttons, taking the time to lay out different colors to see which ones had the best impact without being overwhelming.

This is should be a fun and creative process, so don't let it slow you down too much. There are no wrong choices! :)

Michie'

Random Free Giveaway!

2011-09-13T01:00:00.003-05:00

When do you find time to sew? I want to know! Do you sew early in the morning or late at night? Do you sew during nap time or while supper is cooking? Do you work in long sewing sessions or do you sew in snatches? I have done all of the above and then some except for that late night thing. Right now Saturday football is a great time for me to sew! He had much rather me be sewing than saying, "You mean there are 3 important games back to back! How can they all be important?"

So, let's have a little giveaway. Leave a comment on this blog about when you find time to sew, and I will pick two random winners this Saturday night (during the ball game of course) to win a free pattern or book of your choice! Be sure to leave your email address with your comment so that I can contact you when you win.

Michie'

Candy Corn For The Boys

2011-09-12T01:00:00.000-05:00

Of course we need some cute ideas for the "Candy Corn" smocking design that will work for the boys! Here are a couple of ideas that I pinned to my design board. Black pique' and black and white gingham would be great fabric choices. I threw in a strip of yellow gingham that I might want to consider for piping. Patterns #115 and #134 were the first to pop into my mind, but a Jon-Jon with a long sleeve shirt would also be really cute!

Since candy corn is Grand da Rex's favorite candy in the whole world, to the extent that I learned several years age not to put them in a center piece....Christian just might need a candy corn outfit!

Michie'

Candy Corn Smocking Design

2011-09-09T01:00:00.002-05:00

The floss colors showed up so pretty on the black and white gingham, that I just had to throw in another picture! When Anna was little, it was a little unusual to put an infant in dark colors, but her dresses always got plenty of compliments. Now there seems to be no rules at all and we see little babies in bold prints and every color in the rainbow.

The "Candy Corn" smocking design is a simple design and is very easy for those new to Picture Smocking.

Click here for the printable Smocking plate.

*Not to leave the boys out, the next blog will share some ideas for putting the "Candy Corn" smocking design in a outfit for our little guys.

Michie'

Shoulder Closure Bishop

2011-09-07T01:00:00.002-05:00

Here is pretty and easy technique that is great when you prefer not to have the opening down the center back of the dress. Basically, the back of the dress is cut on the fold and the placket is sewn in where the left sleeve and back of the dress join.

To print these instructions on a full page click here.

Michie'

Candy Corn Bishop

2011-09-05T01:00:00.001-05:00

What says "fall" better than candy corn? This dress is seasonal without being Halloween specific. The dress is made out of black gingham using pattern #135.

Instead of opening in the center back, the dress opens on the left shoulder. The next two blogs will give you a tutorial for the "Shoulder Closure Bishop" and the "Candy Corn" smocking design.

This dress is already in the mail to Emma. I'm sure that she will look cute as a button as she gets ready for fall!

Michie'

Measuring The Baby

2011-09-04T15:34:00.000-05:00

I've had a few questions lately about measuring the baby or in this case the little wiggle worm! This measuring session became a wrestling match and I think that Christian won. Since he discovered his feet a few weeks ago, this is what most of his pictures look like. We even tried holding his feet down for a couple of shots and he wrinkled his little face in the funniest frown ever. But wait, that has nothing to do with measuring except you will want to try to do it when they are in a pretty good mood!

At this infant age there are only a few basic measurements that you need. Waist, thigh, neck to crotch, neck to ankle, and dress length (for the girls). In this picture you see his fat little thigh being measured. I would then add about an 1/2" to 1" for the elastic in a bubble leg. The same rule is used for the waist measurement.

The most important measurement is the Neck to Crotch measurement. This measurement is taken from the base of the neck to mid crotch. I normally would help hold and flatten the little guy for this, but I was busy with the camera and how mad did we really want him at this moment?

The neck to ankle measurement is needed for a long Jon-Jon or romper. Measure neck to mid calf for a dress length. Once you get the measurements, you can refer to the Size Chart.

I also have the problem that many of you have with a grand baby who is out of state. I demonstrated the measurements that I need so that Tiffany can now send new measurements to me occasionally. To play it safe I sew a size bigger than Emma is wearing and send it on, so that it will be hanging ready in the closet when she wakes up a size bigger one morning!

*As we watched football this Labor Day weekend, we couldn't help but remember how exciting last year was!

Michie'

A Diaper Shirt That Daddy Will Love

2011-09-01T01:00:00.003-05:00

Christian's daddy is a huge Alabama football fan, so what could be better than a diaper shirt made from a tiny elephant print in the appropriate colors? Anna made the outfit and did a wonderful job. She is a beginner to sewing, and is catching on really fast.

The day we were taking these photos, Christian discovered that he had feet! Out of the 4 different outfits we photographed, every single one had his little bottom in the air as he played with his feet until...
we flipped him to his stomach!

This weekend starts college football and the guys in the family are ready. What a difference a year makes. Last year on Labor Day weekend, Ben and Tiffany called to say that they had been matched for adoption and Anna called the next day to tell us that they were pregnant! I still remember being so excited that I was screaming in the phone!

Michie

Just Move Those Buttons!

2011-08-29T10:12:00.007-05:00

Because the weather is still very warm in Arizona, I decided to include a pink gingham sundress in my things to take to Emma. You might recognize it from a previous blog, and it was also one of our projects at Martha Pullen School a couple of years ago. It is really exciting that there are now babies in the family to wear these outfits! The balloon smocking design is great for those new to picture smocking and is down loadable on the original blog.

I now join many of you in the struggle in guessing the size of the out of state grand baby. The sundress was a little too big, so I moved the buttons on each shoulder up about and inch and it looked fine on her. The dress has enough room for a white blouse underneath as the weather gets cooler.

"Pretty in Pink" would have also been a good name for this blog! :) I had a few questions about the smocking design that I used for this outfit and the floss colors. The design is "My Mini Friends" by Kathy Crisp Design. The floss colors are DMC #3354, #318, and black.

I have had the design several years and had overlooked it in my binder. While Tiffany was here she actually spotted it and commented on how cute it was. Sometimes we just need a fresh pair of eyes!

Michie'

New Sew Beautiful Magazine

2011-08-26T01:00:00.001-05:00

I could hardly wait until a got back from Arizona to see if my new issue of Sew Beautiful Magazine had arrived. I met Janet Gilbert at Martha Pullen School and she gave me a heads up that she had something in the magazine made by one of my patterns. Janet has a special talent for designing beautiful smocking designs.

Isn't this the cutest outfit for fall? And what a handsome little guy! Pattern #114 was used for the outfit and pattern #134 is available if you need smaller sizes. The smocking design is included in the magazine.

Thank you Janet!

Michie'

The Happy Accident

2011-08-25T01:00:00.003-05:00

I love how both of the girls ask politely and a little hesitantly, "Could you do a little sewing?" Are you kidding? That is what I live for! So about a week before I left for Arizona, Anna called and said, "Our little guy now weighs 14 lbs. his diaper shirts are getting a little small and it doesn't look like cooler weather is happening any time soon." So, of course I got right to work. This fabric came from my stash and is trimmed with white Imperial Broadcloth. Dark grey buttons, also from the stash, gave it a masculine look.

I quickly cut out the shirt, hoping to having it constructed by supper so that I could spend the evening completing the handwork. As I began to sew the shoulder seams together, I realized that I had not taken the time to match the stripes which are one of the signs of a professionally constructed garment. Oh well, it is only a diaper shirt and Christian won't know the difference and Anna will not care. If I don't say anything maybe no one will notice, but I am suppose to be the professional here....

Imagine my surprise when I pressed the shoulder seams open and the stripes matched perfectly and on both sides!!! If there were "sewing fairies" involved, I would like to thank them right here and now.

Anna came over a few days later and I presented the shirt and said, "You aren't going to believe what happened!" She responded with, "Wow, you cut up one of Dad's shirts."

Let's set the record straight, I have not been cutting up his shirts. I just happen to like fabric that looks like the shirts that I pick out for him!

Michie'

A Visit From Nana

2011-08-22T01:00:00.003-05:00

I absolutely couldn't stand it another minute, so I made a trip to Arizona to visit Emma. 9 months old! When did that happen? I went prepared with new clothes for Emma, my camera and a lot of baby hugs.

This trip was planned for a week of uninterrupted play and that is exactly what we did.

I am soooo thankful that she is such a friendly baby. She acted like that I am always there when she wakes up in the morning!

Not only did it give me a chance to play and take lots of pictures, I also re stuffed Daddy's old teddy bear. "Pacie Bear" has certainly seen better days, but he still has a whole lot of love left in him.

Michie'

Pattern #101 Photo Shoot

2011-08-18T01:00:00.001-05:00

While Daniel was home for his visit, he helped me order a different lens for my camera. We had it express shipped, so he would have lots of time to show me how to use it. Here are some pictures from one of our lessons.

The gown is pattern #101, with Ellen McCarn's "Moo-Strology" smocking plate.

Christian started getting tired during our photo shoot, so we thought that this was the perfect daygown to end our photo shoot in.

Michie'

What I Did With My Summer Vacation Part 2

2011-08-15T01:00:00.002-05:00

I've always thought that it would be really cool to go to the beach right after Martha Pullen School. As it worked out this year, not only did I get to go, but Daniel was home from South Korea for a visit and Tim joined us too. We were hoping this might just work, since Rex and Tim are not overly wild about the sun and sand and Daniel and I are. It helped that we had two cars, thanks to Tim.
And it worked!!! We paired off and did what we were interested in then got together for meals and games. Daniel and I spent a lot of time on the beach and had several photography lessons, while Rex and Tim, well I'm not sure what they did. But they seemed to have a good time doing it.

The best part of all was the dolphin sailboat cruise that we went on. We were all a little concerned about whether I would get sea sick, but I was determined to go and told the boys that if I did, just make sure to spin it into a funny story. I'm proud to say that I didn't get sick and we had some good laughs while the boys practiced yelling, "Mom overboard" before we left. I am not a strong swimmer so that might have come in handy. Rex and I laughed after we got home and were talking about the best beach vacation and realized how little we had done together. So all though it was a little strange, a good time was had by all and we are thrilled when adult kids care to spend a little time with us.

*Just for the record the scores to put-put golf mysteriously disappeared before it could be proved that I had won! Sounds like a conspiracy......

Michie'

What I Did With My Summer Vacation Part 1

2011-08-12T01:00:00.000-05:00

What a wild and crazy summer this has been! I barely had time to recover from Anna and Christian's two week visit while daddy was out of town and suddenly it was time for Martha Pullen's School of Art and Fashion. Fortunately I was teaching the same classes that I taught in February so I pretty much showed up and had a wonderful time. For pre-day classes I taught embroidery, beginning smocking, and picture smocking. Then Thursday through Sunday, I taught the Smocking Construction School where the students learn to construct garments suitable for smocking.

I enjoyed working with my new assistant, Peggy, and loved having the opportunity to get to know her better. I had a class of 24 ladies from all over the country for the Construction School. We had a lot of fun and learned many new techniques.

I will have new classes and projects for the February school. I am looking forward to starting on the samples. Once they are finalized and approved I'll give a sneak peak to the projects.

Michie'

Bullion Dragonflies And A Little Color Inspiration

2011-08-09T01:00:00.001-05:00

Where do I get color inspiration from? This time it came from my hydrangea bush! As I was watering it one day, and who knew that they needed that much water, I was reminded of how well purple and green go together.

This little shirt and shorts outfit were included in the box that I mailed to Emma several weeks ago. The fabric came from my stash and the shorts have no side seams, so they are super easy to make.

Instructions for the bullion stitched dragonflies can be found in the "Heirloom Embroidery Book."

Michie'

A Few Baby Questions Answered

2011-08-07T01:00:00.003-05:00

After the last blog a faithful reader asked, "Is Christian a cloth diaper baby?" Yes he is. Not only that, he is a nursing baby, and has such sensitive skin that we call him our "nature baby." Right now Dreft is the only detergent he tolerates and he is even allergic to baby wipes! He gets his sensitive skin from Grand da Rex and his Mommy. After 34 years of marriage, Rex will still question if I have used fabric softener, because he is itching. If I haven't used it in 34 years why would I suddenly start now?

Yesterday, I met Anna and Christian for a little shopping. I guess it was because he had not seen me out shopping with them before, but the little stinker frowned at me the whole time like he didn't know who I was! I'll remember that little guy the next time you are wanting to take a nap with Nana......

Michie'

A White Bubble For Church

2011-08-05T01:00:00.000-05:00

And who doesn't like white on a baby? And how can anyone resist a white bubble with blue piping? And doesn't he look perfect for church and isn't he the cutest thing ever!

This outfit was made by pattern #129 and is suitable for tiny tucks down the front. I have a few tricks for getting the tucks in straight that I will share in a future blog.

What is your favorite color for babies?

Michie'

Vintage Sewing For Emma

2011-08-03T07:49:00.004-05:00

How is Emma doing? She is doing great and growing like crazy! Although she promised not to change and do new things before I had a chance to see her again, apparently she lied. Last time I saw this sweet baby she was 4 months old. What a difference 5 months makes! I am soooo glad that I will be traveling next week to see her.

This cute little outfit was in the "Nana box" that I sent a few weeks ago. The top features an elephant applique' from http://www.bunnycup.com/ and is trimmed with pink rick rack.

The pattern that I pulled from my stash is dated 1980. Since that was during my baby boy years, I think that a friend passed it my way in hopes that we would eventually have a girl. It would be 7 more years before Anna's arrival! I'm glad that I held onto this pattern because it is still cute 31 years later. That is when a pattern is truly a classic.

Michie'

A Daygown For The Boy

2011-08-01T01:00:00.005-05:00

Christian's Daddy reluctantly allowed him to wear a daygown home from the hospital, whereas, our boys wore them until they were walking! I called them "night shirts" and they only wore them at home, so Rex was okay with that. Maybe we should just change the name.... But, no matter what Daddy thinks and he wasn't here, Christian loved modeling the daygown as you can see.

The daygown is made from Imperial Batiste and is piped with pale blue piping. The Shadow Embroidered bunny can be found in the "Heirloom Embroidery Book."

Michie'

Ducks For Christian

2011-07-28T01:00:00.003-05:00

If you have been reading the blog for awhile, you are familiar with this diaper shirt and cover. It remains one of my favorites and was made when there were no grand babies in the near future. It was one of several outfits that I took to Anna before Christian's birth and said, "Use what you like and return what you don't to me. My feelings will not be hurt, dress YOUR baby as you like." So, a couple of weeks ago when she said, Guess what Christian wore on my birthday picnic to the botanical gardens", I was more than a little pleased!

Daddy has been teaching him to stick his tongue out. Those boys! LOL

Don't you just love fat baby hands and fat little arms?

Michie'

A Little Photo Shoot

2011-07-25T01:00:00.003-05:00

Life is finally getting back to normal around here. Or the "New Normal" as Anna likes to call it. She is now feeling good, so she is back to working for me one day a week. I need her help for my many computer questions and I desperately needed some baby time!

I told Christian that since he is such a distraction, he would need to earn his keep by doing some modeling. He was very cooperative until he got hungry. His first outfit is the new Jon-Jon pattern #137.

We discovered during photographing that if Anna said "Rubber Ducky" which happens to be his bath time song, he would smile! Wow, did we ever have fun with that.

He looks excited about the next outfit. Doesn't that look he gives his Mommy just melt your heart?

*I will be busy the next few weeks with Martha Pullen School, #3 son coming home from South Korea for a visit, and a trip to the beach. During that time I hope that you will enjoy the pictures from our photo shoot.

Michie'

Free Smocked Elephant Design

2011-07-21T01:00:00.002-05:00

Here is the FREE smocked elephant design! Inspired by a box of animal crackers!

The Jon-Jon is made from white pique', lined with white Imperial Batiste and trimmed with red and white gingham piping.

I was able to cut the Jon-Jon out of a really odd shaped scrap of fabric, so once again I consider this outfit free.

* A word of caution, the elephants have quite a few half stitches, so you will need to be familiar with them before you start. My "Beginning Smocking Book" explains half stitches.

***A printing error has just come to our attention in several of the Beginning Smocking Books. If you have purchased a book and the center color pages are missing, e-mail me at crmichie@aol.com and I will get you a new copy in the mail right away! Be sure to include your name and address in you email. Sooooo Sorry!

Michie'

Smocked Elephants for Christian

2011-07-18T01:00:00.000-05:00

Since "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words" I thought that I would share a few pictures while constructing a smocked Jon-Jon. The smocking design for the elephants are mine and will be available on the blog shortly. Anna and I wanted them to look like animal cracker elephants, but are going to let her husband think that they are University of Alabama elephants. Please don't tell him!

The first picture shows the smocking completed and pinned to my lace shaping board. I then took my two pieces of piping which are cut the length of the insert guide and matched the center of the insert and the piping. After I am satisfied that I have evenly distributed the pleats, the piping is then pinned to the insert. I then stitch the piping to the insert using a stitch length of about 3.0 or 3.5, being cautious not to let the pleats shift as I stitch.

This picture shows the top of the insert pinned to bottom of the top yoke with right sides together. I carefully matched the centers and then used my ruler to make sure that I will end up with a 5/8" seam allowance. *Although the fabric is white pique' I had no trouble seeing and feeling the piping through the fabric.

Last but not least, I used my cording foot to sew as close to the piping as possible. If you do not have a cording foot, a zipper foot works well.

*Do you know what the hardest part about doing a tutorial blog is? Remembering to take the pictures as I go! I have to set the camera on the tripod so that it is in my way to remind me that there is a bigger mission going on here. :)

Michie'

"Rigsby the Robot" Jon-Jon

2011-07-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

I just had to share what my friend Suzanne Shelton, owner of "Olivia Anne Designs" did with the Jon-Jon pattern! The robot applique' is part of her Ready-Set-Applique collection. Suzanne has a special talent for putting bold color fabrics together. I also love what she did with black and white piping and the large buttons. Without a doubt Christian will be needing a "Rigsby the Robot" Jon-Jon.

* And what am I doing right now? Getting ready for Martha Pullen School which is NEXT WEEK! Trying to clean up the sewing room as I pack my stuff, leave the house in good order, cook a few meals for the freezer, and preparing a couple of blogs to launch while I am gone. Hope to see you there!

Michie'

Play Clothes For Emma

2011-07-11T01:00:00.002-05:00

No sooner had a I told Rex that I thought that I needed to cut back on the sewing for the grand babies, because "They don't need a thing" Emma's mommy e-mailed to let me know that she is out growing everything! First thing I did was go through the Trunk Show to see if there was anything in the appropriate size.

This playsuit made by pattern #123 is on oldie but goody. If you have taken Picture Smocking from me you will recognize it! The smocking design is by "June Bugs Designs." Their graphs are very clear and easy to read.

I made this sunsuit #132, a few weeks ago out of scraps from an earlier project. Any outfit made from leftovers is considered free. So the cost of the outfit was the cost of the two buttons!

I thought that I would give you a peak at my new design wall. Staging garments for photos in my small room is always a challenge. Anna came up with buying cheap pictures frames, both had very ugly prints in them, painting the frames white and hanging the garments in the center. Doesn't it look artsy? Apparently Anna is very creative in the middle of the night while up feeding "Chunky Monkey."

*The dress on the left is made by pattern #116.

Michie'

A Quick Diaper Shirt With Bullion Embroidery

2011-07-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

We discovered really fast that Christian is most comfortable in diaper shirts, so at his request I got busy on another! How could I resist? The fabric was already in my stash and he is already such a boy that he needed a manly print. Once again Rex asked if I had cut up one of his shirts! "No dear, but you have one that looks a lot like that...."

Since Christian is working on growing a double chin, I cut the neck slightly larger. I was able to make the shirt in one afternoon, do the handwork that evening, and the Bullion frog the next morning. Now, that is what I call "Nana Sewing!" The frog is from "Australian Smocking's A-Z Bullion Book", which happens to be one of my favorites. If you have not tried Bullion animals, they are extremely quick and easy. This little frog took me less that 15 minutes.

*These pictures are about 2 weeks old and Christian now 7 weeks old and weighs 11.5 lbs. The boy is getting plenty to eat! He is not a red head yet, although we are all hoping!

Michie'

Smocked Watermelons

2011-07-01T06:23:00.005-05:00

Our little Emma is getting to be quite the big girl now! Sitting up all by herself! I asked her not to grow too fast, but apparently I have been ignored.

Christian was about 3 weeks old when I looked at him one morning and said, "Listen buddy, Nana NEEDS a sewing fix!" He decided that I could go home for a few days for break. On the way home I stopped and picked up green gingham with a project in mind. The next morning at 6:30 I was redrafting my bishop in pattern into a bishop bubble with angel sleeves.

I had Ellen McCarn's "Watermelons" smocking design in my stash which I made a few changes to. After getting to smock and sew for a couple of days, I felt like my old self again and was able to stick a new outfit in the mail to Arizona.

We refer to this picture as "Yoga Baby". Don't you wish you were this limber?

Michie'

Applique' Jon-Jon Details

2011-06-27T08:28:00.009-05:00

As all sewers know, putting buttons on an outfit MUST be the hardest part, because we certainly put that little task off! Since Anna and Christian are still visiting, I am basically getting no sewing none, but I did manage to get the Jon-Jon finished.

I do so little machine applique' that I usually wait until Anna is around and we can do it together. Most people are surprised that I have not mastered the embroidery aspects of the sewing machine, but we all have to be good at something and I choose to let this be Anna's area.

We all decided that you can't help but smile when you look at the appliqued lobster on this summer Jon-Jon! The lobster came from Bunnycup Embroidery, one of our favorite websites.

Are you getting in summer sewing done?

Michie'

Size Chart

2011-06-25T01:00:00.000-05:00

I now have an official size chart! The size chart may be viewed through the website with the individual patterns or you may click here to download a printable copy.

Isn't that a sweet face? Christian is now 5 weeks old and he and Anna are both doing great. Apparently this is the face you make after spitting up on everyone in the household.....

Michie'

Jon-Jon Tutorial

2011-06-23T11:03:00.015-05:00

I know that pictures are often a huge help with instructions. The Jon-Jon pattern is very simple, but turning the leg openings can be a little confusing.

Here I have stitched together a Jon-Jon out of pale blue pique' and lined it with white Imperial Broadcloth. I am now to Fig.18 in the pattern instructions. You may start with either leg opening. Hold the side seam of the outfit in one hand and the side seam of the lining in the other.

Still holding the side seams, pull them out away from each other and up and over the outfit. You will continue until they are pulled over the top of the outfit and the right sides of the outfit side seam and the lining side seam meet.

Pin the two side seams together. My right hand is holding the pinned seams and my left hand is holding one of the crotch openings. Fig.19 shows lining these up together, and preparing to pin.

I have now pinned across the entire length of the leg opening. Fig.20.

Stitch the entire length of the leg opening and trim the seam to about 1/4". Fig.20

Fig.21 and 22, shows reaching into one of the crotch openings and pulling the outfit right side out. This picture shows me reaching in and by holding onto one of the shoulder piece, gently working the outfit right side out.

After turning the outfit right side out, you now have one leg opening completed. Follow the same instructions to complete the second leg opening.

I am now ready to complete the crotch openings and add buttons! You can look forward to a picture of the completed Jon-Jon and details about the embroidery design!

*I am aware that the website is down. I'm sure it will be up and running in no time at all!

Michie'

Summer Top and Shorts

2011-06-20T01:00:00.000-05:00

Like many sewing projects, this outfit made by pattern #116, changed as a I went along. I guess that is when we call it "designing." I started out with this fun cotton print from Nashville Cotton Company. A bias trim was added to the edge of the collar and rick rack stitched on top.

As I worked on what started out as a dress, it dawned on me what a cute top it would make with green gingham shorts! I cut off about 8" from the bottom edge of the dress to make it the correct length. The shorts were made by pattern #121 and are super easy to make! Can't you just see Emma wearing this to the park next Summer?

Michie'

Adding A Contrasting Band To A Sleeve

2011-06-16T01:00:00.006-05:00

We are having such an extra hot summer that many days all Christian needs is a little shirt with his diaper. The ecru and pale blue Imperial Batiste give this shirt a vintage look that I love. I felt like the blue fabric was needed some place besides the neckband, so I decided to add a band to the sleeves as well.

I cut off the sleeve along the Fold Line that is indicated on the pattern. A piece of fabric the length of the sleeve (you can see in the picture that I do few things exact) and 1" wide. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, the band was then stitched to the sleeve. The side seams of the shirt were then stitched and trimmed. Turning under 1/4" of the raw edge, the band was then slip stitched on the wrong side of the sleeve. * This is the same technique used in the pattern for the neckband.

Of course the shirt looks its' very best when on the baby! Our little guy is 1 month old today. How did that happen?

Michie'

More Jon-Jon Inspriation

2011-06-13T01:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of months ago, one of Anna's friends asked her to help her get smocking and sewing for her little guy. They used my "Beginning Smocking Book" to get started and a couple of the designs in the book. The Jon-Jon pattern was still in the test stage, so it was perfect for them to go through and check the instructions for me.

Carrie caught right on to smocking and had just enough sewing background to get her off to a good start. She didn't even have a machine at the time and was borrowing Anna's.

Since then, Carrie now has a nice new sewing machine of her very own and I can tell that Carter has a lot of cute clothes in his future made by Mommy. Way the go Carrie!

Isn't he the cutest thing ever?

Michie'

A Little Jon-Jon Inspiration

2011-06-12T01:00:00.003-05:00

Here are couple of the Jon-Jons that have I made by the new pattern. The first is made out of a green check that I bought not having a clue what I was going to do with at the time. I like having green fabric on hand since it works great for boys or girls.

The "Tiny Turtle" smocking design is original. Hopefully, space permitting, we will be seeing this outfit along with the design in Sew Beautiful Magazine next Summer.

Blue gingham is one of my all time favorite fabric. This Jon-Jon is a 3 month size and at the rate he is growing Christian should be able to wear it before long. It would also go into Fall with a little white polo shirt under it. This is also an original smocking design that I hope to see in the magazine in the future.

I have never been successful at graphing out Picture Smocking designs before although I had made several attempts. One day something in my brain clicked and I am now able to do basic designs! I think that this comes from all the beginners that I have taught over the years. I know what will come easy to you and what will be confusing. Since I do not have an interest in producing and selling smocking designs, you can watch the blog for occasional free designs that will be suitable for beginners.

Michie'

And The Winners Are.......

2011-06-09T15:36:00.003-05:00

And the winners of the free Jon-Jon pattern #137 are..........

Pat, hutchinsonpat1@gmail.com

Elisabeth Rose

Shirley Clark

If you ladies would please e-mail me your full name and address at crmichie@aol.com , I will get your patterns in the mail.

Thank you for entering the giveaway by taking time to leave your comments. I always love hearing from each and everyone of you!

Michie'

New Jon-Jon Pattern!

2011-06-08T09:34:00.009-05:00

At last I have a Jon-Jon pattern to add to my collection! My boys wore Jon-Jon's all the time and I have known ever since we found out that Christian was a boy that I needed to get busy. Anna and I managed to have it completed the week before he was born. I actually took it to the printers the day after he was born, where my good friends there informed me that I looked terrible and needed to get some sleep. Finally the patterns are packaged, added to the website and ready to ship. On the website you can also see a completed outfit made from green check and smocked with little turtles.

Every little boy needs a Jon-Jon and this pattern is super easy to make and includes sizes 3 - 24 months. It is fully lined, can be made long or short, is great for smocking or applique'. The pattern accommodates 6 or 8 rows of smocking.

In celebration of completing my project, I am going to give away a pattern to 3 lucky winners! Just leave a comment on this blog and I will randomly pick out 3 winners Friday morning. Good luck!

Michie'

Our Little Cutie

2011-06-06T08:35:00.000-05:00

Know how to make my day? Just e-mail me a picture of this cutie in the sundress that I sent home with her! Hard to believe that our girl is 6 months old now and trying to sit up! I really really need to be there to kiss those fat cheeks!

Michie'

A Family Loss

2011-06-04T15:26:00.008-05:00

One of the hardest things that I have struggled with while writing the blog, is deciding how much of our personal lives to share. Although in the early days I intended to stick strictly to sewing, those of you who know me know that the business and sewing are not the center of my life, so I find family events sneaking into my writings. I always think twice before I share personal information and ALWAYS check with our kids before mentioning them. Many of my blog readers are friends that I have met over the years while teaching and the blog is a good way to let them know what is going on with us. And many of you have let me know that you like hearing that I have real life going on!

And so, with all that said, I am sharing the sad news that Ben and Tiffany (Emma's parents) have had a miscarriage. While our hearts are hurting for this loss, we also are experiencing God's comfort and love and are resting in the knowledge that this little one is in heaven with our loving God.

Michie'

Off The Trunk Show Rack And Onto Baby

2011-05-30T18:58:00.005-05:00

Although I love having pretty little baby things for my Trunk Show.......

It doesn't compare to pretty baby things on our first grandson! Christian wore this little baby apron, made using pattern #122 during a visit with his other grand parents on Sunday. The outfit is made out of Imperial Batiste and is trimmed with bias binding around the collar, sleeves, and hem. The three sailboats were stitched with a Chain Stitch. You might recognize the quilt as the one I made for his arrival.

Although he looks like he is trying to talk in the picture, I am sure he is just looking for his Mommy and lunch! I know the boy well!

Michie'

Things I've Learned This Week

2011-05-26T15:22:00.004-05:00

Here are a few things that I have learned this week...

1. Babies sometimes bounce back from medical emergencies faster than the adults. (He doesn't look like he was in NICU last week!)

2. A baby can still melt my heart even if I haven't slept more than 3 hours straight in over a week.

3. And according to his Daddy, I can call it any cute name I want, but that is still spit up on my shoulder and I should have packed more clothes!

Michie'

Home At Last!

2011-05-23T21:43:00.007-05:00

One week old today. Little Christian is now home with his Mommy and Daddy where all babies should be. He is now the picture of health and is an especially good baby just sleeping, eating and trying to figure out the world around him.

Anna and Jason are loving getting to hold their baby whenever they want and not according to a hospital schedule. I live less than an hour away and have been staying with them until Anna gets her strength back and enjoying every minute. We are spending a lot of time just watching Christian sleep which we refer to as, "Gazing on his loveliness."

Have you ever noticed that when you look into a newborn babies eyes they look like they know something that we don't? Did they get to see the face of God before they came to join us on planet earth?

We can't thank you enough for your prayers and messages of encouragement during the last week.

Michie'

Baby Christian Update

2011-05-20T21:00:00.004-05:00

A little update about Anna and baby Christian. Anna is now home and doing very well all things considered. Christian has been moved from the NICU and is now in Progressive Care. Anna and Jason are able to go to the hospital and feed him several times today day and I was even able to hold him for a few minutes!

The little guy still needs prayer, but he is steadily improving and may be able to go home in a few days. With all the stress and concern we have had this week we have felt the overwhelming love and comfort that only comes from God.

Anna's face expresses how we all feel right now!

Michie'

Why Is Baby Emma Laughing?

2011-05-19T01:00:00.003-05:00

Why is baby Emma laughing?

Because to her delight, she is going to have a little brother or sister in December! Everyone told us it would happen and it really did........Mommy is pregnant! One of my most thrilling memories will always be reading a pregnancy test with Tiffany while she was here for their visit. What a special time to share with a daughter-in-law. I could make this a long funny story, but believe it or not, I am still a little speechless!

Michie'

It's A Boy!

2011-05-16T22:31:00.001-05:00

Christian Jason Alexander

May 16, 2011

7 pounds 15 ounces

*Christian was delivered by emergency C-Section and lost a lot of blood. He is now stable, but he and Anna both need your prayers.

Michie'

Diaper Shirts For Baby Boy

2011-05-14T16:50:00.000-05:00

Although I have know since Christmas that Anna is expecting a baby boy in May, I have been sewing like a crazy lady the last few weeks! Ever since I made my first diaper shirt and cover 33 years ago to bring my oldest home from the hospital they have been my favorite!

Made from pattern #109, this sweet little white outfit is embroidered with "Little Lion" by Karen and Tamzin Bosch, and can be found in Sew Beautiful issue #132.

Brown buttons and a Running Stitch around the sleeve added a little color.

This pale blue and white cotton stripe is summery and masculine at the same time. When Rex saw the fabric laying on the cutting table he thought that I had claimed one of his shirts for a sewing project! Not a bad idea.......

The puppy is an "Aunt Martha's" embroidery design. I think that I used this very same puppy on that very first diaper shirt! I used two strands of white floss and a Back Stitch. This one is Jason's (Anna's husband) favorite.

Anna asked me the other day why they are called diaper shirts. Back in the day before air conditioning, a diaper and a little shirt were all that baby would need for Summer!

And how is Anna doing? She is being admitted to the hospital tomorrow night and we are expecting baby sometime on Monday. Let's just say that Rex and I are more than a little excited!!!!

Michie'

Dedication Dress Free Smocking Design

2011-05-11T01:00:00.001-05:00

I couldn't resist sharing a picture from Emma's Baby Dedication. Have you ever seen a Mommy and Daddy any happier?

Click here for the free smocking design.

Michie'

How Did The Dedication Go?

2011-05-08T18:50:00.007-05:00

And how did the Baby Dedication go? Well, we know that the dress that Nana Shay made was delicious!

Apparently so is Daddy's finger. Could this baby be teething?

Michie'

A Dedication Dress For Emma

2011-05-06T11:00:00.003-05:00

Tiffany asked me way back in December if I would make a dress for Emma's Baby Dedication on Mother's Day. Are you kidding? Of course I would!

In our Baptist Churches, Baby Dedications are fairly simple. They are happening more often on Mother's Day and any baby born during the past year is presented to the church by his or her parents along with special scripture readings and sometimes responsive readings by the congregation. There is a special prayer and a small Bible with the babies name engraved on it is often given to the parents.

My only instructions were, "Make something that you think she would look pretty in." Well, along with that and the fact that Emma is one of the prettiest babies ever, that left things pretty wide open. Since Emma is turning 6 months old this week (I know, hard to believe) I thought it was time for her first smocked to the shoulder dress.

I made the dress from white Imperial Batiste with a scalloped Madeira hem and yellow bullion roses. Anna noticed during our visit that yellow looks good on Emma which is unusual for a baby, so we decided to go with that.

I don't have a pattern for a smocked to the shoulder dress, so I used pattern #131. I cut a piece of fabric about 42" wide and the length of the yoke and skirt together. I pleated and smocked the yoke area and then using a small straight stitch, stitched around the outer edges of the yoke pattern piece. Using a small zigzag stitch, I stitched again on top of the straight stitch then cut out the yoke next to the stitching. It always makes me nervous cutting through the smocking, but I have been doing this for 20 years and it works every time! This is also a project that having a Lace Shaping Board is extremely helpful.

I would love to be in Arizona for the Dedication but since Anna and her watermelon (her words not mine) are about ready to do something, we thought it best that I stay here.

*Our power situation is now back to normal and I am in the process of restocking the freezer which has never been so clean before. I still get excited when I flip a light switch and something happens!

Michie'

Storm Update II

2011-05-01T13:07:00.008-05:00

Just a little update.....I wish that Anna's comment of "Mom and Dad have power" was current. Our power only stayed on a few hours. We are now on day 5 without! But, no complaints, and it is getting closer to us each day and I hope that business will be back to normal soon. Meanwhile, Anna is having a lot of false labor, so things are pretty exciting right now.

*For those or you who are wishing that the blog would get back to sewing....you and me both!!! :) Let's just both be patient!

Michie'

Storm Update

2011-04-29T07:38:00.003-05:00

Hi all,

This is Anna, Michie's daughter. I just wanted to give a brief update for those of you who were wondering. Our area has been hit by a string of tornado's. Our family is all safe. The majority of the area is without power, including Mom and Dad's house.

Your prayers for the clean up effort and all families impacted by these storms are greatly appreciated.

Anna

* Correction: I just got off the phone with Dad. Apparently Mom and Dad have power as of last night. I haven't been able to talk to Mom yet, because it has been hard to get through on phones. But they do have power.

Sundress In Toddler Sizes

2011-04-28T01:00:00.001-05:00

Someone asked the question, "Do you have a sundress in the larger toddler sizes?" The answer is "Yes!" Pattern #121 includes sizes 2-6 and also has a top version of the dress and shorts.

This version of the dress was made from blue twill and trimmed with white and pink rick rack twisted together.

Anna sunburned so quickly when she was little (she still does) that this was about as sundressy as we could put on her! And how is Anna doing? Only a couple of weeks to go! Everything is going well and she and baby are both about ready to get this over with. :)

Michie'

New Sew Beautiful Issue

2011-04-25T01:00:00.000-05:00

The preview copy of Sew Beautiful's Red, White and Blue issue came in the mail and what a fun issue it is! It is one of those issues that just makes you long for hot summer days.

Once again, it was a nice surprise when a recognized one of my patterns in the magazine. The precious dress on the left was made using pattern #12o. Details about the fabric and machine embroidery design for the yoke can be found in the magazine.

A special thank you to the seamstress who designed this dress and congratulations on appearing in the magazine!

While I was flipping through the magazine Anna pulled this out of the closet and said, "Gee Mom, why didn't you submit this?" An excellent question. Let's just call it lack of organization and leave it at that. This outfit is the boy version of pattern #120. Can't you just see Anna's little guy at the beach in this next year?

The sand pail design along with Shadow Embroidery directions can be found in the "Heirloom Embroidery Book."

Michie'

"He Is Risen" Matthew 28:6

2011-04-23T01:00:00.002-05:00

Once again we are having a house full in our very small house for Easter dinner. We decided a few years ago to make some holiday changes since half of our kids live far away. Instead of sitting around missing those who couldn't be here, we invited a couple from church to join us and it all snowballed from there. So far I have 15 on the sign up sheet to come to lunch in our very small house and only half of them are related to us! This has given us a broad range of ages, stories and fun. Thank goodness the weather is suppose to be nice, so we can overflow outside. Don't worry about me, I'm only supplying the house, Easter ham and ice. And with that many people, who is going to notice if the house is clean?

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend and enjoy a day of worship, family and friends!

Michie'

Spring Weather

2011-04-21T01:00:00.002-05:00

Our Spring weather in Alabama changes quite dramatically from one day to the next. One day you might be out enjoying the day and the next you are.....

all huddled in the bathroom! I was really really hoping that we would not have severe weather while Tiffany and Emma were here for their visit, but with the trip scheduled for April, I didn't get my hopes up. They had been here less that a week when severe storms with possible tornadoes began to move in to the area. Anna and Jason had come over to visit and we were talking of supper plans when the weather got interesting. I explained to Tiffany that if the tornado sirens go off we take cover in safe spots in the house. The plan was, girls to the guest bathroom, and guys to the laundry room. (Both rooms are pretty much centrally located in the house and don't have windows.) Minutes later the sirens went off and by the time I looked away from the TV both girls had grabbed up their babies and were in the bathroom. Good thing that I don't need assistance, I was totally on my own. :) The tornado did not touch down in our area and Tiffany and Emma got to experience their first tornado drill!

Michie'

1917 Christening Gown

2011-04-18T19:15:00.001-05:00

Anna called a few weeks ago and asked if I could go with her to look at a family Christening gown which was in need of repair. Experience had me prepared for almost anything since I have seen many gowns beyond repair, so I was thrilled when the first thing I saw when a walked in was an archival box! As the box was opened my hopes grew as I saw layers of the correct tissue paper.

I started asking the normal questions such as ,"Do you know how old the gown is and who made it?" when a piece of paper was pulled out with the date and name of the Great grandmother who made it in 1917 along with names of all the babies who have been Christened in this treasured gown. When I commented on the fact that 18 names for one gown was awesome, I was instructed to ,"Turn the page over!" Let's just say, that I lost count after 30!

I have never run across a gown this old that was in such good condition and as white. I was told that it did not look this good until a couple of years ago when one of the young women in the family rescued and restored the gown following professional restoration instructions. The biggest problem that the gown had was a hole on the front yoke where the fabric had disintegrated. The fabric was so fine that my goal was the stabilize the fabric so that the hole would not continue to grow. When I got home I discovered that Martha Pullen's Victorian Batiste was almost a perfect match. I cut a piece of fabric the shape of the damaged section and stitched it to the wrong side, then trimmed the frayed edges of the hole, and stitched tiny running stitches around the edges.

The gown was mainly sewn on a sewing machine and was made with lace insertion and edgings. The slip was made from a much coarser fabric and was trimmed with hand crocheted edging which hangs down about 3" below the edge of the gown.

I considered it a huge privilege to see and handle this family treasure and it was ready just in time for the ceremony on Saturday. I'll be sure to post a picture of Anna's little one in the gown in a few months!

*Anna has 30 days to go! Not that she is counting....... :)

Michie'

Easter Sewing For Emma

2011-04-15T15:05:00.005-05:00

I must admit that having the opportunity to sew an Easter dress for my first grand daughter was a little overwhelming, and I also wanted Tiffany to pick out what SHE wanted for Emma. So it was a happy coincidence that while they were here for their visit that I was able to choose fabric and patterns for a new project and find out what Tiffany likes at the same time.

A bright yellow bishop with lace and smocking at the sleeves will be perfect for their warm Arizona weather, and I must admit that I have a huge weakness for anything with bunnies! It was also pretty fitting that we happened to look out the window one morning and there was a real bunny nibbling on the grass! Emma could have cared less, but Tiffany and I were pretty excited.

I combined two smocking patterns for the design. Both are by Ellen McCarn. I used "Little Lambs" for the grass and "Baby Bunnies" for the bunnies and carrots. I was very pleased with the results and love reusing favorite smocking designs that I already have on hand.

Michie'

All Dressed Up

2011-04-10T11:11:00.010-05:00

All dressed up and some place special to go! We are still enjoying our visit with Emma and Tiffany. Emma wore one of her "Nana Shay dresses" to a baby tea for Anna on Saturday.

It has been so much fun having Tiffany here as Anna is getting down to the last month of her pregnancy! What a help she has been sorting and washing baby things!

Michie'

A Visit From Emma

2011-04-07T10:14:00.007-05:00

Finally! It has been 4 VERY long months since I have held sweet little Emma! What a thrill when Tiffany and Emma got off of the plane and then we realized that Ben (our oldest) decided to surprise us and come for a few days!!!

Can you believe that this sweet baby is now 5 months old and has doubled in size since I saw her last?

A whole lot of "Nana Shay" rocking is going on, and although I had been hear stories about her, Emma has been on her best baby behavior for her visit. I think that she was just excited about the trip last week when she decided that babies no longer needed to sleep......

This is Aunt Anna's first time to meet Emma. Don't you love the look of pure joy on their faces?

Michie'

Bringing Home Baby Daygown

2011-04-05T01:00:00.006-05:00

Being the easy girl that she is, Anna picked out something from my Trunk Show to bring baby home from the hospital in. I never dreamed in million years that a grand baby would be coming home in this daygown when I made it a couple of years ago. I think that there are some things so close to our hearts that we hesitate to dream about them..

The pattern is #119 and the gown is made from easy to care for Imperial Batiste. The design of the gown has straight lines and a piped collar, all of which passed Anna's military husband's approval!

The three Bullion stitched baby rattles down the center pleat gives the gown some handmade detail without being too much.

Click here for the free "Bullion Baby Rattle" design.

*The baby is a boy and is due May 18th!

Michie'

A Closer Look

2011-04-01T01:00:00.005-05:00

The pink dress in the previous blog turned out too pretty not to give you a closer look!

I had seen a dress in an antique store with a lace and embroidery design which inspired this sweet baby dress. A little lace shaping was required, then the lace was stitched down with a tiny zigzag stitch.

I chose to gather the lace edging just enough so that it would lie flat. Emma still needs to be the star attraction, not the dress.

And of course a little lace and embroidery were needed at the hem. Emma can't possibly be enjoying these dresses as much as I am enjoying making them for her!

* And what is new at our house? Baby Emma and Mommy come for their two week visit this weekend!!!!

Michie'