Category Archives: hand embroidery

Heartstrings

Posted on November 12, 2010 | 2 comments

Several years ago, this sweet little project was given to me by my dear friend Suzanne Sawko.  The stuffed 8″ heart carries the message:

“Mothers and daughters are tied together with heart strings.”

The appliqued hearts of  blue pima gingham and floral lawn are simply ironed on with Wonder Under. The embellished front and gingham back are seamed by machine, while the text is machine embroidered. But the blanket stitch around the perimeter was done by hand, as was the  running stitch “heart strings”  which illustrate the sentiment.

The tender thought and its textile presentation certainly warmed my heart, which Suzanne knew had a hole in it that August when my daughter went off to the University of Florida.

Rebecca and I have always been very close, so the 90 miles that separated us seemed like a continent.  I missed hearing every detail of her day and her plans for tomorrow.  And I worried. Our 18 year-old was smart and wisely cautious, but her father and I knew we were no longer able to shield her from harm.  Only her own good sense, our prayers and God’s grace could protect her.  Continue reading →

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Posted in hand embroidery, machine embroidery, uncategorized

Vintage White Baby Dress

Posted on July 26, 2010 | 2 comments

 

This sweet round yoke baby dress is the last of the six that hang in the nursery here at our home (see post Nana’s Nursery).  With a numerous embellishments, it clearly took considerable time to make.

As usual, I thought about its maker and wondered if the dress had been made for a child, grandchild or perhaps a niece.  Obviously, it was lovingly stitched.  Due to the range of skills exhibited, I even wondered if it had been a group project, perhaps mother and daughter working together.

 

The simple but extensive embroidery appears to have been done by a very competent needleworker.

The three petal rose pattern is worked between the rows of tucks on the bodice, along the round yoke itself, between tucks on the puff sleeves and in a cascade down the skirt front.   The coordinated designs are carefully stitched. Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, clothing, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, Nana's nursery

Classic Baby Kimono

Posted on June 27, 2010 | 2 comments

Cotton flannel kimono is cut from Sarah Howard Stone’s pattern.

Baby kimonos have been around forever but have been eclipsed in popularity by the one-piece sleeper.  But when Laurel was born, those knit sleepers were always second choice.  This kimono was in use every night that it was laundered and available.

 The night time routine was for her father to get up, change her diaper, and then carry his baby girl to her mother to be nursed.  After one frustrating night spent trying to line up the snaps on the sleeper, my son discovered the 2-tie kimono and certified it as daddy-friendly baby nightwear.

Feather stitch is worked with floche.

This kimono and Lezette Thomason’s Bunny’s Knit Nightie (Children’s Corner patterns) were his bedtime garments of choice for Laurel.  Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, lace tape, techniques

Antique Pink Daygown

Posted on June 22, 2010 | 5 comments

notice misplacement of bottom button

This sweet little pale pink daygown carries a Lilliputian label that simply says, “Made in the Philippines.” It is so tiny that it can be read only by eyes younger than 40 or with reading glasses. The label size is in perfect proportion to the wee dress which has so many intricate details.

single layer collar with cutwork edge and very fine embroidery

Made of pink cotton batiste and constructed with tiny 1/8″ French seams, the entire garment is hand stitched.

The cutwork edge and tiny, fine embroidery on the collar and dress front showcase the expertise —and good eye sight–of the dressmaker.

 

Three sections of appliqué cord on either side of the front opening make the perfect finishing touch to the embroidery. Learning appliqué cord has been on my to-do list for several years. The cuffs are scalloped with a simple buttonhole stitch. Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, clothing, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, infant clothing

Embroidered Lace Bonnet

Posted on June 14, 2010 | Leave a comment

emb lace bonnet xx

 

This gorgeous piece of antique lace edging had languished in my stash/resource center for some time.   Only 21″ long,  its possible uses  were somewhat limited.  I had considered a yoke overlay, but rejected that idea.

 

organdy 3 xx

The mint organdy is the one in the middle. It is really a stronger color than it seems to be on this computer. It is available for $8 py….vintage Swiss organdy, 36″ wide.

 

After  finally deciding on a newborn horseshoe bonnet (so named for the shape of the back crown), I realized that there was not enough lace for the crown lining, a necessary component to cover the gathered back edge of the bonnet.

Meanwhile, like a fine wine, the vintage mint green Swiss organdy (available  at the Janice Ferguson Sews “store”) had been aging in the sewing room armoire, in the same era as the lace.  I took it as a sign.    Lining the bonnet with a colored fabric would show off the lovely pattern of the lace while also making up for my short yardage. Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, baby accessories, clothing, hand embroidery, infant clothing, techniques

Another Recycled Heirloom

Posted on June 7, 2010 | 5 comments

 

Alastair, 13 months 2010

This Madeira appliquéd outfit, a gift for my son’s first birthday in 1975, is one of the first heirloom garments I had ever seen. Nilda, a dear friend of Cuban and Puerto Rican ancestry, had purchased it in Miami, where clothing of this sort was readily available.

I was instantly smitten by the classic design and detailed embroidery,  as well as the absence of Sesame Street characters. On either side of the tiny red teddy bears are clusters of greenery and French knot flowers. The collar is embellished with a row of red cross stitches. Side tabs allow for a custom fit.  It is just sweet as pie.

Ryan, 21 months, 1976

Ryan wore the suit at every appropriate occasion.  With his little white high top shoes, he was adorable. Nilda told me that all of her aunts spent their days embroidering similar clothing for the babies in their family. I desperately wanted a Cuban/Puerto Rican auntie for my son! Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, clothing, hand embroidery, infant clothing, Madeira applique

Vintage Spoke Collar

Posted on May 29, 2010 | 2 comments

I’ve always thought spoke collars were about as lovely as anything could be. The first time I laid eyes on one was in the  Smocking Arts Guild of America’s”newsletter.”  First published shortly after their organization in the late 70’s,  it was the only heirloom/smocking publication to be had.

In about 1983,  there was an ad for a smocking shop. It included the shop name, address, phone number and a picture of a spoke collar that Julia Golson had made. There was no information about a class or pattern, simply a photo of beautiful piece of needlework to draw the reader’s attention.

It took my breath away. I had never seen anything so exquisite,  and mind you, this was a grainy, non-digital black and white photo. Of course, I am easily impressed, and was especially so in the early days of my love affair with heirloom sewing.

Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, baby accessories, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, techniques

DIY Heirloom Upgrade

Posted on May 24, 2010 | 4 comments

dress XX

 

 

I did not make this dress but I did upgrade it. I think of it as Strasburg Children ver.1.1. , Laurel’s flower girl dress.

Though there are for sale many really lovely ready-to-wear smocked and heirloom garments, for both children and adults, invariably, everything in my price range falls short of my standard of excellence.

 

Lwalks back


Laurel took two steps and then stood like a deer in the headlights. This is the only photo that shows forward progress.

 

Laurel was to be the flower girl at our daughter’s wedding, which took place at our home in 2006. I would love to have made Laurel’s  dress, but I was nearly overwhelmed by the task of getting the house ready. Having sustained major damage from two hurricanes in 2004, the repairs were finished just 2 months prior to the big event. Continue reading →

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Posted in clothing, girls, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, uncategorized, wedding

Baby Blue

Posted on May 14, 2010 | Leave a comment

Like so many heirloom sewing enthusiasts, I absolutely love imported lace, Swiss batiste, handlooms, Swiss embroideries and every goody on the heirloom menu. And yet, there is something so appealing about this sweet and simple vintage daygown.

The blue batiste is not Swiss, but it is very good quality. Considering that and the fact that less than a yard of baby French lace is used, the charm is not the result of expensive goods. Perhaps it is the simplicity itself that draws the eye.

Jeannie Baumeister’s very popular Old Fashioned Baby patterns seem to reflect the same sweetness this gown exudes. She relies on simple lines, classic details, minimal lace and a splash of hand embroidery.

Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, infant clothing

Yellow Rose Heirloom Pillow

Posted on April 22, 2010 | Leave a comment
zyellowrosewholeBRITE
 
It’s hard to predict just what sort of things will speak to a child. From toys to food, their tastes differ and often surprise both parents and grandparents.
 
Laurel loves this pillow. It is her special treat to sleep with it when she spends the night. Frankly, neither side pressed against the sweet cheeks of a 5-year old would seem to make for pleasant dreams. With a galaxy of French knots on the front and pearl buttons on the back, it would be far less comfortable than the pima cotton pillowcases in the children’s room.
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But she loves it and asked me if she could have it when she is grown up. I expect she will own it long before that.

Featured in an article in the Heirloom Quilting series I wrote for Creative Needle magazine. Portions of that article are included in this post. In order to keep this post to a reasonable length, I have left out detailed instructions for piping, sharks’ teeth and the ruffle. Continue reading →

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Posted in hand embroidery, heirloom sewing, home dec, quilts, techniques, Tutorials

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