Category Archives: infant clothing

Nivia diaper set

Posted on September 10, 2009 | 4 comments

Nivia A grass

When I saw this baby boy outfit in Sew Beautiful magazine, issue 121, I knew I would make it for Alastair.  The style is so unlike any heirloom baby patterns that I have seen.  He is shown here with the bib covering the unusual front, but it is shown below.  Even his father noted the masculine military look.

With all its charm, it really is more old fashioned than modern.  It needs to be ironed.  But Rebecca is willing to do that for this sweet suit.

 

Nivia shirt

 

Usually, I change one thing or another when a project moves me to duplication.    On this set, I stitched it almost exactly as shown.  However, if I recall, the magazine sample was made from linen and I chose cotton Swiss flannel.

Another small change I made was to substitute some very pretty vintage, almost brown, pearl buttons for the off white buttons as shown in the magazine.   From other articles in the same issue, I added the coordinating bib and bonnet. Continue reading →

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Posted in baby accessories, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, machine embroidery

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Fagoted Lace Daygown and Bonnet

Posted on September 7, 2009 | 10 comments

Posted in freckled laundry‘s “air your laundry friday” textile party.  Check it out!

fagotted lace daygown

 

When I made this daygown, my daughter was certain that her unborn baby would be a girl.  But alas, it was precious baby boy Alastair who arrived to fill her heart with love.   So this daygown and matching bonnet hang in  the closet, as yet unused.

Many years ago, when I bought the lace on this daygown, I knew it would be stitched into something for my Grandmother’s Hope Chest.  Rebecca was a teenager and we often talked about heirloom clothes for her future babies.  My vision was that of a white Swiss batiste daygown with a matching bonnet, all smocked in yellow and all lavishly trimmed with this gorgeous lace.

But times change and long before I began stitching, I realized my vision had to include an easy-care component.  So I edited my vision, without PhotoShop, to show polycotton blend, Imperial batiste.  It is of such high quality that the compromise was small.  So in at least that respect, this is a modern project for an old fashioned Nana.

Continue reading →

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Posted in baby accessories, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, smocking

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College Football

Posted on September 5, 2009 | 4 comments

While I am willing to accept the fact that most rabid sewists are not rabid college football fans, many are.  Including me.  But if you are not glued to the tv or to your seat at the stadium every fall Sat. please don’t give up on this post.  I do have some good sewing ideas and tips to share.

In the South and many other areas of the country, the countdown to the first game of the next season starts just after the national championship game in January.  That would be the very game won by our Florida Gators for two of the past three years.  But I digress.

We’ve been attending the Gator football games since 1997, the year our daughter was a freshman there.  My wonderful husband went to graduate school there a lonnnnnnng time ago so our ties to UF are strong.  Football season always means a new crop of family memories and a variety of new Gator-sewn items.

 

But this is a sewing blog, not my son’s football blog, www.orangeandbluehue.com Check it out.  Now let’s talk sewing. Continue reading →

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Posted in baby accessories, embroidery blanks, girls, infant clothing, machine embroidery, sporting gear

Duck Bubble

Posted on September 2, 2009 | 8 comments

Shortly after my daughter and her husband found out they had a little one on the way, I began sending a package every Monday, with Nana-sewn goodies.  Sometimes the contents were complete sets with a daygown or bubble, bonnet, booties and bibs and other times it was just a package of Harry Potter themed burp cloths.   But the arrival of those packages marked off the weeks very happily.

This bubble was delivered to Rebecca during her 33rd week.  Bubbles look so neat and tidy on babies.  There is nothing to come untucked or to scrunch up so Baby always looks well put together.

I especially like baby bubbles with no collars, as these seem always to flip up on little ones who rarely have a  discernible neck.  So this Michie’ Bubble/Dress #104 Yoke Overlay pattern appealed to me immediately.

Continue reading →

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Posted in heirloom sewing, infant clothing, machine embroidery

Nursery Themed Baby Gifts

Posted on September 1, 2009 | 4 comments

When our children grow up, so do their friends. Many of those same youngsters who hung out in our kitchens, tied up our telephones (before absolutely everyone had her own personal cell phone) and shared secrets with our children, now have babies of their own. And those babies are special in a special way.

Just as we personalize garments and items for our own grandchildren, we often are moved to create something unique for these babies. Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in baby accessories, embroidery blanks, infant clothing, linen blanks, machine embroidery

T-Bonnet

Posted on September 1, 2009 | 6 comments

T-Bonnet-MCSAll-BR

Just before Laurel was born, I made this T bonnet for her.  Is there any sweeter sight than a baby in a bonnet?  And she did look absolutely precious in it.  Why I have no picture of her wearing it,  I don’t know.  I suppose I was so overcome with the emotion of holding my first grandchild that I missed many photo opportunities.

Like so many of my projects, this T-bonnet incorporates two of  my favorite techniques, heirloom sewing and machine embroidery.  Continue reading →

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Posted in baby accessories, girls, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, techniques

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Old Fashioned Baby Bubble

Posted on August 21, 2009 | 2 comments

zoldFashionedbubble

This is a delightful little bubble, old fashioned in appearance but with all the convenience of a modern garment.   It looks soooooo much better on  Baby than on the hanger.  When I showed this to Rebecca, she paused a moment before saying, “….uh..thanks.”

But after she saw it on 5-month old Alastair, she really liked it.

 

OFB A standing

Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, heirloom sewing, infant clothing

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Baby Work Uniform

Posted on August 20, 2009 | Leave a comment

One of the things I love most about machine embroidery is the limitless opportunity to personalize items relatively quickly.   When my daughter’s sorority sister, roommate and then matron-of-honor, Minna,  gave birth to her first child, I wanted to do something very special.  Because Sam’s grandparents had been shopping for him since the announcement of Minna’s pregnancy, he had more than a closet full of beautiful clothing.  So I decided cutsey personalization would fill the bill.

Minna and her husband are huge Disney fans, so with my beloved Brother 4500D, I embroidered several burp cloths, bibs and outfits with Disney characters.  Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, embroidery blanks, infant clothing, machine embroidery

Little Lamb Daygown

Posted on August 13, 2009 | 8 comments

Alastair's Lambs

This is NOT a modern project for an old fashioned Nana.  It is as  traditional and old fashioned as it can be, made of 100% cotton Swiss pique and hand embroidered with enough French knot sheep to fill an Irish hillside. But I loved making it and love seeing him in it.

This design is from Wendy Schoen’s  book, Embroidery for Boys.  From the moment I laid eyes on “Counting Sheep”  when the book was first released about 15 years ago, I knew I had to make it.  Finally, Alastair, the baby boy of our dreams,  wears the gown of my dreams. Continue reading →

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Posted in hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, infant clothing

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Smocked Boy Daygown

Posted on August 10, 2009 | 12 comments

AlsmockedbluedaygownBRITE

 

Yet another ready-to-smock customized to achieve the look I wanted.  My gorgeous grandson was just too pretty to suit up in denim bib overalls, but the smocked ruffled sleeve was more fuu-fuu than I wanted.

 

BoySmockedDaygownsleeveBRITE

 

So after adding blue embroidered Swiss trim and entredeux to the front, I cuffed the sleeves instead of smocking them.  The cuff is trimmed like the front, with entredeux and blue Swiss trim.

Like most of the ready-to-smock garments, this is wash and wear.  My daughter doesn’t mind ironing the little bit of Swiss trim.

 

BoysmockedaygownbootiesBRITE

 

Ahhh…a daughter and grandson to warm the cockles of this old fashioned Nana’s heart.  And a son-in-law who indulges my love of classic baby clothing.  Ahhhh….life is good!

12 Comments

Posted in boys, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, ready-to-smock finished projects, smocking

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