Category Archives: Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects

Classy Casual

Posted on June 22, 2014 | 17 comments
short set

made by Suzanne Sawko

Having a good sewing friend is a huge blessing.  Having one close enough for frequent lunch dates is an even greater blessing. Suzanne, my nearby sewing buddy, feeds me inspiration with every Panera bite I take.

I’d like to tell you how much I absolutely love her projects, how much I learn from her, how I am so inspired by her creativity and skill, but I won’t. Suzanne said I could only use her photos if I wouldn’t gush about them. Humph!

So, while looking over the things she has made for her 4 yo granddaughter’s fall kindergarten wardrobe feel free to gush if you must because I cannot.  Also, remember that we live in central Florida, so the styles are all appropriate for our subtropical climate.

Several other garments will be posted for your enjoyment with as little comment as possible. Can I say that I would like to copy every one of them? No, she wouldn’t want me to say that.

For the top, Suzanne began with this vintage pattern from her stash. Continue reading →

17 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, girls, smocking

A Happy Little Dress

Posted on March 9, 2014 | 6 comments
happy dress front

Children’s Corner Katina pattern.   Extra buttons were added so the strap length could be easily adjusted when the dress is tried on. If not needed, the upper MOP buttons will be removed.

 

With its cheerful colors and simple design, this dress just makes me smile. The combination of Liberty of London tanna lawn, blue gingham checks, and yellow whipstitch piping seems to chirp predictions of happy days filled with warm sunshine, blue skies, and colorful flowers.

 

smocking up close

 

A bit of smocking front and back makes Katina just the sort of cute and comfortable  frock I’d like my 14 month old granddaughter to wear all summer long.

 

happy dress back

Katina back

 

I’d like to have added a cute hairbow to the ensemble but Vivian Rose has expressed a very strong dislike for anything on her head—except for strawberries and other food she rubs in.    Sigh…

Of course, a pair of ruffle bottom bloomers was needed to finish the outfit.  The edges of the 2 1/2″ wide ruffles are serged with a 3 thread rolled edge, using wooly nylon in  the upper looper.

 

bloomer ruffles Continue reading →

6 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, girls, serger, smocking

Tagged , , ,

Parade Catastrophe

Posted on February 21, 2014 | 16 comments

parade dress all2

It’s a good thing that I bought 9 yards of  Michael Miller’s Children on Parade fabric, because I think I will need every inch of it to get one dress to look like  Cheryle’s.   I’m sure she is SuperWoman for stitching such a perfect little garment. I won’t bore you with the painful details of the errors made while trying to duplicate her pretty little parade dress.  Most of my mistakes were the result of my jumping in, both feet first, without checking the depth of the water. Continue reading →

16 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, girls

Think Spring Dress

Posted on February 8, 2014 | 21 comments

UPDATE: There have been several inquiries about the sleeve finish so the process is detailed at the end of this post (below the groundhog eating wolf).

It’s been so long since there has been a new post at  Janice Ferguson Sews that faithful readers might have thought that I was missing in action. I’ve been tending my dear husband who had knee replacement surgery two weeks ago. Post-op he spent a week at the same rehab center where I recuperated from my joint surgeries and gained some valuable insights into life.

So I have been spending time with him, running errands and doing his many, many household chores. Whew! That man does more around here than I ever realized! He’s my grocery shopper, gardener, pool boy, morning feral cat feeder, garbage hauler, very best friend, and more. I have really missed him.

At last, he’s back home, stepping lightly with his gentleman’s cane and walking the fast track to a complete recovery.

That's not really him. And it's not really me.

That’s not really him. And it’s not really me.

And I’m back too, with a finished project to share with you.

This cheerful little dress just makes me grin. Looking at it reminds me of our Florida springtime with raspberry pink azaleas, white dogwoods and the bright turquois waters of nearby Blue Springs.The fabric says spring to me.

think spring dress all recol Continue reading →

21 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, girls, heirloom sewing, smocking

Tagged , ,

Ho-hum Sewing

Posted on July 9, 2012 | 3 comments

 

At one time or another, every needlework blog waxes eloquent on the joy and satisfaction that we all get from sewing.  I absolutely love it and I know you do, too.

 

Fun!

 

Good news caption for this photo:  Sewing also one of the hobby.This hobby is usually for the girls and for the woman,but we can see that mostly housewife will do it.If the person do not know how want to sew but have the interest,they can learn it from the book that are provider for them.If we the person know how to sewing and very good in it,they will normally sew many things such as baju kurung, kebaya, punjabi suit, blaus , pants,gowns, curtain , bedsheets and many more.By sewing also we can do a great business because we know to sew many things so that people will come to us for the help and we help them to sew what they want and they will pay us,so by it we also can earn some money.We also can save our money without buying at outsider.Sewing is a relaxing hobby and now it is considered as a great hobby also.

But it’s not all fun and punjabi suit,  embroidery blanks and bana kurung,  heirloom lace and kebaya, quilting cottons and blaus.  Sometimes, sewing is just ho-hum, practical and necessary.  There are projects which generate little enthusiasm but still need to be stitched.  That’s pretty much what I’ve been doing lately.

 

 

These last few days, the fabric that has passed under my presser foot is so vanilla  that I haven’t even bothered to take pictures. Continue reading →

3 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, home dec