Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. We have so much to be thankful for and our precious grandchildren are near the top of the list. My passion for sewing is another blessing that enriches my life. Grandchildren and sewing are major factors of my happiness that go hand in hand.
Of course, I love making holiday garments for them. This little suit is a work in progress for 19 month old Alastair to wear Thanksgiving Day when we all gather for thanks and dinner at  the home of his paternal grandmother. Of course, he is the apple of everyone’s eye and will get more attention than the turkey and pumpkin pies.
Once again, I have chosen one of my favorite patterns, the John-John included in the Martha Pullen book, Applique’, Martha’s Favorites.  I use this so often that I have traced off all sizes of both the John-John and the girl’s jumper. Each pattern is kept paper clipped together and stored in an envelope tucked into the book. It probably took less time to trace off all sizes at one time than it would have taken to assemble the newsprint paper, ruler, marker, etc.,  haul it to the glass topped table on the breakfast porch and trace off even two patterns.
With the help of an edge stitch foot, a black straight stitch has been worked around the perimeter, top and bottom. This keeps the white lining from peeking around the black houndstooth check body of the suit.
Rather than embroider on the suit itself, I made a patch that will button onto the front of the John-John. The turkey is from Designs by JuJu’s Autumn Harvest collection.
The inclusion of other fabrics, their colors and patterns really appeals to me. To my eye, the colors and patterns of the prints in the fanned tail is more interesting than solid colored stitching would have been. Another feature of applique’ that I appreciate is the softer texture. Fabric is softer than dense stitching.
Aside from the turkey, the patch includes “dirt” and two pumpkins from Amazing Designs Fall collection. I like to combine designs to create a scene rather than suspending the turkey with nothing to stand on.
The turkey scene is embroidered on a piece of white twill and framed with black piping. Later, this patch can be replaced with a Mickey Mouse or Christmas or non-holiday design.
The suit just needs buttons and buttonholes at the shoulder, crotch and center front for the patch. The John-John pattern does not include the buttons at the crotch, but it is an easy feature to add. By simply sewing an extension to the front and back, stitching  buttonholes to the front piece and buttons to the back, the suit is diaper friendly.
I’m looking forward to finishing this and planning other button-on patches.
