Lace too wide?

The slip refused to lie flat and still on the scanner bed.

For  Laurel’s Easter dress three matching heirloom laces were pulled from my stash, two edgings  and an insertion.  The narrow piece, used at the neckline,  is 7/8″ wide,  broader than I prefer but acceptable.

That width on the slip neckline and armscyes seemed excessive because it would be flattened under the dress and might even peek out at the neck.  Rather than choose another lace pattern, I decided to reduce the size of the matching piece.

Now, if it had not been 2 a.m., I would have called Mildred Turner for advice.  It’s likely she can and has narrowed miles of edging by  twitching her nose, balancing the bolt on the machine head and waving a needle trolley in the air.  Remember,  her third book is titled Mimi’s Machine Magic.

Though it’s true that Mildred stays up late (and rises early!  Good grief!), I knew she was out of town visiting her youngest son, Matthew, and his family.   So I didn’t call.  I just had to figure something out on my own.

Zig zagging always reduces width, so I thought I would try that.  It worked!  I simply zig zagged (4.5 width, 1.5 length) over the straight edge, enclosing a length of machine quilting thread.  This reduced the width to a scant 1/2″ .  It was then gathered ever so slightly and joined to entredeux.  The header looked a little heavy before attachment to the entredeux, but when it was finished, this bulk was not noticeable.

If 1/4″ does not seem like a significant reduction, compare the price of  two laces with that width difference!  One quarter inch counts.   The amount of downsizing was enough to suit me.

The underdress is made of Imperial broadcloth, chosen over batiste so that it could be worn as a stand alone dress if necessary.  By wearing only the slip until arrival, her freshly pressed  100% cotton batiste dress doesn’t sport wrinkles from the seat belt.  With that in mind, I machine embroidered a tone-on-tone monogram from one of my favorites, OESD’s Dazzle Alphabet, www.embroideryonline.com so the garment would not be so plain.

I’ve heard from several readers about their Easter sewing projects, all of which sound delightful.  Donna is making up the Dainty Designs pattern for her 2 year-old granddaughters.  She just found the pinstitch on her new Brother sewing/embroidery machine and  is using it on these little frocks.  Judy has made her 7 year-old cousin granddaughters matching dresses and hairbows that will be posted in this blog later.  Elizabeth is making Drew’s Smocked Bubble for her baby in a brown and blue plaid on white.  What a treat it would be if you all sent pictures to share!

5 yo Robert and 6 yo Laurel are here for their weekly overnight.  Robert read to me at bedtime from his exciting new book about the Oregon Trail.  His mother Shelly has been trying to steer his interest into something other than Egypt and pyramids and this book series seems to have done it.

The worksheet shown is a list of things he would take if he were moving out west, like the book’s hero Joshua did in 1848.  His choices are so well thought out.   This little 5 year-old would  take an air mattress, his teddy (of course!)  and a lot of other practical items.  I hope he cultivates this good sense as he grows older.

It’s homeschool for us tomorrow.  Aside from the usual academics, I hope Laurel can finally finish her quilt which only needs to be tied.  Robert will be working on a shop project with Granddad.  Later, our son Ryan, their father, will join us for grilled chicken while Shelly joins a group of homeschool moms for a dinner meeting.

Then, yes then,  I will finally resume work on Easter clothes.  Tick tock tick tock………