Once again I am offering a re-run, an article written for Creative Needle magazine some time ago. As I was thumbing through my old issues, this jumped out at me as I thought about modern projects for old fashioned Nanas. This is quick and easy handwork at its best.
The 2 year series was entitled Antique Textiles: Loving, Collecting and Using. I certainly love antique textiles and collected enough for several sewing lifetimes. I’m still working on using. Continue reading
Being asked to break out of your comfort zone, in terms of needlework, is usually an unwelcome challenge. But often accepting that  challenge can make your zone a bit larger while stretching your creative ability.
When my first grandchild was on her way, my daughter-in-law respectfully requested that I make nothing in pink. She preferred browns and greens and the colors of nature, but not necessarily flower colors.
And she wasn’t crazy about lace, either—too scratchy, she thought. When I assured her that the imported laces were cotton and would not irritate the skin of a newborn, she reluctantly acquiesced. But I knew full well that lace would not be her trim of choice.
OUCH! I had a cupboard full of imported laces and drawers of pastel Imperial and Swiss batiste that for years had lain in wait for this grandchild. And now I needed browns and greens for a baby girl.
I managed to make Laurel’s coming home smocked daygown and bonnet from yellow Imperial batiste and trimmed it with tatting (see post Coming Home Daygown and Bonnet in smocking category), but after that I had to find a way to reconcile my creative needs with my daughter-in-law’s personal taste.
Posted in baby accessories, infant clothing, machine embroidery, smocking
…a little child, born yesterday,
A thing on mother’s milk and kisses fed…
~”Hymn to Mercury” (one of the Homeric Hymns), translated from Greek by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Swiss flannel cap with antique silk grosgrain ribbon and it’s-gotta-get-better featherstitching.
This little guy was not born yesterday, but he certainly has thrived on mother’s milk and kisses. In fact, if the amount of milk and kisses he has received were accurately reflected in his size, he would be bigger than a four year-old. But he is a good sized boy at 10 months and has already worn his last heirloom daygown and bonnet.
Alastair, 2 1/2 months old
I think few things are sweeter than a baby wearing a bonnet. This cap is part of my grandson’s coming home outfit and coordinates with the blanket and daygown shown in earlier posts. Continue reading
Alastair, 2 1/2 months, on antique carriage cover. He had nearly outgrown this daygown, but this was the first time that the harried new parents got around to taking a picture for me. It DID fit when he came home, but at 9 lb.s 6 oz. it didn’t fit very long!
One of the first things I made for Alastair’s layette was his coming home outfit. The daygown was made from Maggie’s Classics Daygown #113 pattern. The matching blanket was featured in a previous post and the sweet little cap will be shown soon.
Obviously, this picture was taken lonnnnnng after he came home from the hospital. He was 2 ½ months old and the gown is ridiculously short. When he was newborn, the length was adequate if not generous.  But were I to make another, I would make it much longer. You can see that it still fits him except for the length. But if it had been cut longer, he could have worn it much longer. Continue reading
At last, it finally happened. I had all three of my grandchildren in the same place at the same time wearing their matching outfits. Getting a group shot that includes a 9 month-old baby is dicey at best, but the two older children were very cooperative and patient. Maybe that whole Elf Watch threat still hangs over their heads.
Alastair in Glenn suit with his paternal grandmother, Oma, after church
The details of each outfit are in previous posts, but in summary the plaid is Viyella, the button-on bibs are a linen blend, the pattern for the boys’ suit is Glenn by Children’s Corner and Laurel’s dress is an extended yoke pattern. The embroidery designs are all from Bernina’s Current Critters Continued collection. Continue reading
Posted in boys, clothing, girls, infant clothing, machine embroidery, smocking
In previous posts, I’ve mentioned that Children’s Corner Glenn is one of my favorite patterns for little boys. It comes with a button-on bib which offers countless opportunities for hand or machine embroidery.
For my 9 month old grandson, Alastair, I have made two Glenns, this one in black check and the other of brown plaid Viyella.  The bibs were for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Mother Goose Story Time.
One of the best things about this pattern is that if you embroider the suit itself, a soiled, embroidered bib can be removed, leaving the baby looking fresh, clean and well dressed. This just plain Glenn (suit with no bib) was shown in the Mother Goose post, with a bib of the same name. With the zebra, embroidered on white fabric and applique’d on to the black check, Alastair can be Mowgli, playing with zebras in the Jungle Book. Continue reading
Posted in boys, infant clothing, machine embroidery
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” Emilie Buchwald
Alastair and libary Mother Goose
My 9 month old grandson is shown here with the library’s Mother Goose storyteller. While she is a familiar figure to him by now, he seems to find it a bit intimidating to be in such close contact with her and her fantastical flying fowl.
NOTE:Â This suit looks much better with a shirt, but it was more than 80 degrees when the picture was taken this week!
Babylock’s Mother Goose on white baby cord
Since Alastair was a few months old, his mother has read to him and taken him to the weekly toddlers’ Mother Goose Story Time at the public library. Not only does it give him enriching opportunities to hear more language and have social interaction with other children, it gives my daughter opportunities to meet other like minded mothers. They both enjoy it.
I thought it would be fun for him to have a special outfit for library day. Alastair’s parents are avid readers and will do everything they can to encourage him to share their love of books.   Continue reading
Alastair, 8 months old
My daughter, Alastair’s mother, has returned to work two days a week. Called back from extended maternity leave, she agreed to do this only because her husband’s wonderful Aunt Jeannette volunteered to keep the little guy on those two days.
This embroidered one piece suit, which is one of my favorite styles for baby boys, reflects Alastair and Aunt Jeannette’s mutual affection for one another.
Hurrah! I have finished Alastair’s Children’s Corner Glenn, the first of three Thanksgiving outfitsfor my grandchildren.  A very simple, lined Jon-Jon with a button-on bib, the suit fabric is Viyella plaid and the bib is twill.
The embroidery design is from Sew Many Designs We Give Thanks collection. The suit is still drying from having the blue marks washed out. I will post a picture of the complete outfit tomorrow.
I thought I would never get started on these but really got into it just after lunch today. In the past several days, I did manage to alter patterns, select fabric for the appliqués and get two garments cut out. But that was all. I was kept from sewing by one thing and then another–unexpected but very welcome house guests, unexpected but very happy 14 hours of babysitting on Saturday and, as the King was wont to say in The King and I, “et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.” Continue reading
Posted in Holiday Projects, infant clothing, machine embroidery
Just today I sent this sleeper off for Alastair. It’s really nothing special, but the truth of the matter is, not everything we sew is. Sometimes, it’s just what I call utility sewing, a mere notch above mending on the sewing fun chart. But even utility sewing is always done with love.
Alastair has outgrown most of his sleepers and I had this blank one in my overflowing drawer of Things to Embroider Someday. So yesterday seemed to be the day. Continue reading
