All Dressed Up!

 

About a month ago, we welcomed a new baby to our extended family.  As you know, I have no babies to sew for, so what a treat it was to put together a sweet daygown for the new little one.

 

 

I had such fun making this little gown!  The pattern is from Martha Pullen’s “Grandmother’s Hope Chest” and the smocking pattern is from a back issue of Sew Beautiful magazine.  Sorry, I forget the issue, but  I believe it is a Janet Gilbert design.  I hope little Katie Jo enjoys wearing it as much as I enjoyed making it!

 

                                 

 

Enjoy!

 

Hugs,  Prissy

The Dog Days of Summer…

 

It’s hot here in Missouri!  Really hot!  Yesterday it was 101 degrees with a 112 degree heat index.  I hate heat like that!  I mean…….. it’s just too dang hot to go outside!  There’s just no way you can be comfortable in that kind of heat.  So imagine you were a baby …  You’re saying, “Just a diaper today, Mom!  Please!” …..  but you can’t just go naked!

  

But then she pulls this out of the drawer!  Sweet little diaper shirt with smocked panels on each side of the front placket.

       

The pattern is an old one …… ‘Smocked Diaper Shirt’ by LBJ Designs that I purchased back in 1984 when I was sewing for my soon to be born son.  Now I’m using that same pattern to fill my Grandmother’s hope  chest while I wait for my son’s to decide to shower me with grandchildren!  The smocking pattern is from “Bears and Bows” designed by Gretchen B. Ackerman, probably about the same age as the pattern.    Enjoy!

 

Hugs,  Prissy

IMAGINE

 

This is the  quilt I made for my son for his birthday.  I call it “Imagine”.  This is the top …………..

 

 

 

                   

And this is the back side ………….                                             

 

                 

 

                

                

I hope he likes it!

 

Hugs,  Prissy

Sweet Dreams

A couple of months ago, I ran out of hand sewing to work on in front of the television in the evenings.  I can’t stand to be without a hand embroidery project or something like that.  My hands have to be busy.  I actually started thinking about this dilemma before it actually happened so that maybe I could avert the disaster of NO.  HAND.  WORK.    And this is what I came up with …

A set of pillowcases.  I whipped them up in about an hour or so, dug out one of my Aunt Martha’s embroidery transfers that I hadn’t used yet and ironed it onto the end of each case.  Lovely, I thought.  I made them from some pink pima cotton that I had in my stash.  I decided that for these cases I wanted to do all the embroidery from floss that matched the fabric, so I trotted down to the fabric store and bought a few skeins of DMC 818 which was a perfect match.

 

Six weeks later ………

And there you have it.  I used some back stitch, lazy daisy stitch, palestrinian stitch, coral stitch, satin stitch, buttonhole stitch, some handmade eyelets (see them there on the skirt and along the brim of her hat?) and lots of bullion roses.  When all of the embroidery was done, I ordered some matching DMC pearle cotton and crocheted a delicate fan around the edges of the pillow cases to finish.  I was really pleased with how they turned out.  And I’m especially pleased with the way they look on my bed!  I really enjoyed this project and am wanting to do another one like it …… but not exactly like it.  I’m thinking about some white pillowcases with flying bluebirds and ribbons and flowers.  I know what I’m looking for, but I can’t find a transfer pattern, so I may have to draw it out myself.  I’ll keep you posted.

 

Hugs,  Prissy

The Easter Quilt and a Birthday

Would you believe I am still trying to figure out Blogger?  Yes I Am!  My main gripe tonight is that when I add my pictures, the text is supposed to wrap around the picture, but it’s not.  Here,  let me add this picture:

And Oh Wow, I learned something!  See, I go and make a fool out of myself on my blog and all of the sudden it cooperates?  Ok,  forget all of that stuff I said up there.  Let me talk about this quilt.  This is my Easter quilt.  I finished it I think around Christmas time.  It is based on a pattern I found in the April 2010 American Patchwork & Quilting called Bunny Patch by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs.  I everything she designs.  Here, let me try to get a closeup of that center…  These pictures are TERRIBLE, I know.  I need to get a new camera since the old one is, well, SHOT!  I took these with my phone.  Sorry…..  Anyway, hopefully you can see them somewhat.  So, I made this quilt and originally it was just the center part with the borders around that had the hearts in the corner.  And that was it!   I decided I wanted more quilt than that ….. so I started adding borders of my own.    I added and I added and I added until I had a quilt that I could actually USE!  I don’t hang quilts on walls.  I put quilts on beds where they can keep you warm and make you feel like a princess all at the same time. 

See, I even put some initials on the corners.  Do you ever get creative with  a pattern and kind of make it your own?  If you do, please leave a comment and tell me about it. 

 

Now, I’m going to change the topic.  For today is my oldest son’s birthday and I want to take this opportunity to wish him a very very special and happy day.  He is in the Air Force and stationed right now at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC.  I am very proud of him.  Happy Birthday, Baby. 

 

Hugs,  Prissy

Busy Busy Busy!

I know……… I’ve been gone a while.  But I’ve been busy!  See …..my baby has a new dress!  And I have lots of other things to share with you, but I’m not going to share them all at once.  I need to have blog material, so I will haul one out every couple of days to share and that way you all will think I’m wonder woman!  LOL.  For today, let me just say that I’m so very glad that Spring has evidently arrived.  Fling open the windows and let in that crisp air to drive out all the musties that have built up in the house over the winter.  Chase them right out of the house!  It is still too early to wash down the front porch and get it ready for outdoor stitching, but soon!  And this year I think the porch could use some brand new cushions.    And maybe a coat of fresh white paint.  Some hanging ferns this year.  And maybe some pots of geraniums on the front steps …….  Sadly, the azaleas will only last 2 weeks.   I have some lovely fabric stashed for the cusions.  Wait till I show it to you! 

But for today, I have a new embroidery project to share with you.

 

I new kitchen towel all decked out in yo-yos!  I love it.  And you can have one to love too!  Just pop over to ‘Busy as Can Be and ask!    I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for hand work possibilities for my tv watching time (since I can’t sit with a sewing machine on my lap while I watch tv).  This will keep my hands busy for at least one evening.  Maybe I’ll make several.  You know, have some gifts on hand for that birthday that just jumps up and surprises you!

 

Happy stitching!

Hugs,  Prissy