Category Archives: machine embroidery

A Small Token of Love

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This is Icolin wearing her new apron.

 

This is my sweet Jamaican friend, Icolin.  We share our burdens, few though they are, and joys, of which there are many.  Her strong faith and cheerful attitude bring sunshine into my already sunny home.

 

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Icolin considers this her office. She prefers to eat lunch and take breaks in the potting shed. My sewing room is my favorite spot, but this is the place I like to be when I’m not sewing. 

In an earlier post, I sang her praises, though not loudly enough, and featured an apron I had embroidered for her.   For the longest time, she just left it hanging, declaring it too pretty to wear for cleaning–ppsshaw!, I said, teaching her an uncommon English word.

Finally, that apron was worn for her first day at another cleaning job.  I thought it was time for her to have another–another apron and another very small token of my appreciation.  Aside from that, I was ready for something more satisfying  than the Too Many Cats dress.

 

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This is a design from Loralie’s Colorful Ladies III.  I replaced the design’s paintbrush with a feather duster. Icolin keeps her’s handy as she works her way through the house.

 

The apron is from All About Blanks, my go-to site for a variety of ready-to-embroider items.

We are all so lucky to be able to sew or embroider small gifts like this.  Nothing says “You’re special,” like a handmade gift.  Except, of course, a new sewing machine!

Have you made any little tokens of appreciation lately?

 

Remorse, Fish, Family, and Fun

 

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This is one of our three formerly feral cats, obviously no longer feral. They were a daily source of delight for 3 yo Vivian Rose and 7 yo Alastair.

 

Before the summer was over, our two younger grandchildren came  across the state for a week of Nana (and Granddad) camp.  As all grandparents know, it was a fabulous, memorable time for all, not the least of whom were their folks who were relieved of parental responsibilities for a week. How well I remember that special joy in years gone by.

In an effort to give this some sewing references, I must tell you that Vivian Rose’s suitcase was packed with nothing but Nana-made clothes.  I love my daughter for that–and a million other reasons.  Vivian wore her firefly outfit, the ever popular parade dress, her ABC shorts set, the CC Jane tricycle set and others.  More pictures should have been taken, but I was too wrapped up in the children to shoot more.

 

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With a goofy grin and a little chocolate cake still lingering on her mouth, Vivi wears a well-worn Children’s Corner Katina, made fir her mother 35 years ago. There is something to be said for polycotton. The dress and bloomers are in near perfect condition.

 

FISH

A highlight of  the week was a visit to our friends’ garden and koi ponds.  The day before our outing,  Alastair and Vivian Rose collaborated on a pair of koi dishtowels for their hosts.  Alastair actually did most of the embroidery, with Vivi pushing the needle threader, presser foot lever and start button occasionally.  They chose the threads and were quite proud of the results.

the children did the embroidery at my Dream Machine. Alastair is fascinated by the technology and Vivi loves to push the buttons--any buttons.

The children did the embroidery at my Dream Machine. Alastair is fascinated by the technology and Vivi loves to push the buttons–any buttons.

 

John and Susanna are the grandparents of Baby Shrek who surely found a world of delight at their home when he visited in September.  Vivi’s mother and our daughter, Rebecca Susanne, was named for dear friend Susanna. (But Rebecca Susanna sounded a little too heavy on the -a”s.)

 

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Susanna led the trail through her jungle paradise.

Susanna led the trail past the koi pond and through her breathtaking garden.

 

After a short time, Vivian left the fish.  They were pretty, they swam, she moved on.  In her explorations, she discovered a quiet hideaway where Susanna likes to sit and read, though she seldom sits.  She and her husband John are always on the go, what with keeping up with the garden and ponds, doing church work, and being friends to all.

 

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Vivi was awed by the wind chimes and a singing bird in a secluded nook in the garden.

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Finished Christening Gown for Baby Shrek!

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted what I asked of Him.” 1 Samuel 1:27

After earlier disappointments, people around the world prayed for this baby during the difficult pregnancy. God hears all prayers and answered with the safe delivery of this precious baby into the arms of his loving family.

So here are the details of the renewed heirloom gown Baby Shrek wore for his baptism. ~~~~~~

Photo taken between rain and wind gusts from tropical storm Hermine.

photo taken between rain and wind gusts from tropical storm Hermine.

It’s been so long since my last post that faithful readers probably think I have dropped off the face of the earth. A more accurate explanation of my absence is that I’ve been buried deep in my sewing room. Sooooo much has been going on, the highlight being the completion of this gown for Baby Shrek and spending some time with him. Details of a weekend with 4 rabid embroidery enthusiasts, ages 3.5-9, nearly a week of sewing with our two older grandchildren before they moved to New Jersey, and more will be posted later.

Little Shrek on my dining room table

Little Shrek on my dining room table. His adoring grandmother is captured in the mirror wearing a white blouse.

First let me answer a the question many have asked about why he is called Baby Shrek. His parents very graciously gave me permission to use any photos of him, but asked that I not use his name. So the hasty endearment from his maternal grandmother, “beautiful Baby Shrek,” is used in place of his very lengthy, good Christian name.

These pictures are not great, but he had passed up his noon nursing due to the distraction of my two dogs and his watchful, attentive fan club.  Then when he was dressed for the photos, he was good-natured, but very actively squirmed and flapped his little arms as he pleaded for his dinner.

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ABC Preschool Shorts Set

Children's Corner Charlotte pattern

Children’s Corner Charlotte pattern

 

This swing top and shorts set was made for 3 yo Vivian Rose’s back to school wardrobe.  The pattern is Children’s Corner Charlotte and I love it!

CC charlotte

 

It is such a versatile pattern.  A cute print could carry the day or a solid fabric with machine embroidery would be just as sweet.

The crayon/ ABC print is a luxurious cotton twill lined with yellow gingham.  That same gingham  is also used on the shoulder ruffles and spaghetti bias on  the shorts.  Piping was added around the armscyes.

 

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The crayon embroidery design can be found at Embroidery Library.

 

The shorts are embroidered with crayons from Embroidery Library.  Spaghetti bias is stitched over the machine hem.  The bow is held in place by a small square red button, which seems to have flopped down.

It was such a pleasure to make this outfit.  But I was so disappointed when Vivi’s mother reported that her opinionated little miss refused to wear it.  As things stand now, her fashion statement requires “kitty cats,” rainbows and or hearts for all garments.  Nothing else will do.

My daughter prevailed at last and Vivian Rose wore the dress on Friday.   This shot of her in the school parking lot shows a happy little preschooler  climbing out of her car seat.  She was too eager to get to her classroom to  complain about the outfit or stop for better picture. But maybe she really does like Charlotte.   Sure.  That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

 

Vivi in car

 

I guess I’d better look through my fabric and design library for kitty, rainbow and heart designs.  If only Vivi could be persuaded to wear the garments I had planned, and for which I have yards and yards and yards of fabric with no-kitty cats, no rainbows and no hearts.  I guess there is no Liberty in this year’s wardrobe.  Oh, well.  She is so darn cute that I will get more fabric.  What a hardship ;-).

Coming up next—Little Shrek’s christening gown remake.  I will see him next week!!!!! Now I’m doing the happy dance!

 

Finding Dory~Another Fun Disney Dress

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My step-by-step tutorial for this dress is posted at Brother’s Stitching Sewcial blog. Please take a look and leave a comment . I’d really appreciate your feedback.

 

It seems like forever since there has been a new post here, but My! Oh! My! have I been busy!  Highlights include time in NC with family, a week at home with 2 younger grands, including hurricane Vivian Rose (good news,  we have finally recovered. Whew!), several days of sewing with the two older grands and so much more.   It’s been a wonderful summer.

But I’m back in the saddle now and have a really fun little project to share with you.  I do believe this sweet child’s dress would qualify for the “Modern Projects for Old Fashioned Nanas” category.  Don’t you?

It started with this cute pattern

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and the Finding Dory machine embroidery designs at iBroidery.com.  The fabrics are a solid soft aqua Swiss cotton pique’ and a blue Disney Finding Dory quilting cotton. Continue reading

Alice Tea Linens Tutorial

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This child sized tea linen set features Alice in Wonderland characters. With the heavenly scented Confederate Jasmine in full bloom on my front porch, a sweet tea party could be held, if only I had a few grandchildren in house.

Making this linen tea set was such a pleasure. The project and accompanying tutorial were just posted on Brother’s Stitching Sewcial  blog.  This is especially timely with the recent release of Disney’s new movie, Alice through the Looking Glass. A whole new generation of children will meet the characters through this movie.

The tutorial includes .pdf downloads for the corner templates (a smaller one for the napkins and a larger one for the tablecloth). It also includes a link to download the zig zag feather stitch which I created in My Custom Stitch, available on many Brother machines. I find this stitch useful for many projects–baby bonnets,   baby shawls,  blankets and more.

If your machine has this feature, you might want to download the zig zag feather even if you are not planning to whip up an Alice tea linen set. Instructions for getting this stitch from the download to a memory stick to your machine are included in the tutorial.

When I began this project, my biggest challenge was to select the designs from the 13 designs available at iBroidery.com. Somehow, they would be have to be color coordinated with sweet Alice’s dress because the Madeira tablecloth corners just had to be blue.

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Finally, I decided that the napkin corners would have to coordinate with its many colored embroidered characters. Continue reading

Baby Shrek’s Christening Gown~A Work in Progress

Now this is FUN!  And even more than that, it’s a meaningful challenge.   For a family friend of more than 40 years, I am lovingly adapingt a 100+ years old family christening gown.  Requiring many special considerations,  this baptismal robe is for an especially precious baby boy.

 

UFO bodice

UFO bodice + one sleeve

 

His mother, whom I have known and loved since she was 4 years old, grew up a mile from our home.  Her parents are two of our dearest friends.  But now this young mother  lives in New Zealand with her French husband.  They were blessed with this beautiful son after many disappointments.

beautiful Baby Shrek

beautiful Baby Shrek

 

His parents want him to be surrounded by family and close friends at this milestone in his life.  So in a few weeks they will be making the long trip from Down Under all the way to Florida, then on to France.  Their son will be christened at one of these locations.

Here is the complication.  The heirloom family gown, like most, was made for a 0-3 month old baby.  But this baby will be 9 months old when he is baptized. Continue reading

Kid Sew Monogrammed Scarf

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Our 11 yo grandson, Robert, gets such a kick out of machine embroidery.  He is very, very savvy about technology so my Brother embroidery machines fascinate him.

 

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Recently, he monogrammed a polar fleece scarf for his mother, thoroughly enjoying the process of selecting, setting up and transferring the design to the machine.  Curious about the need for water soluble stabilizer on top, about why  we don’t hoop polar fleece, about how the machine knows which hoop is in place, etc. etc. etc.

He even made some design decisions, choosing to alternate the fill and outline colors between each letter.

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But he really wants to know just how the machine does what it does.  I just tell him to be grateful for its capabilities and DO NOT TRY TO TAKE IT APART!!!  If he tries, I threaten that I will cut his hair while he sleeps.  I almost wish he would make an attempt so I could shear those blond locks.

Straw Hats and Frog Pee

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Rebecca’s hat

Embroidered straw hats seem to be turning up everywhere–at the beach, in the park, even at church.  Stitching them must be tricky, I thought.

But while shopping, I spotted two nice hats marked way down and thought, why not try?  If I ruin  them, the loss is small.  If they finish nicely–well, great!  Our daughter would like one.  She always wears a big hat when she hits the beach with the children and they go very often.   So with two hats taking up room  in my crowded sewing room, I thought it was time to have a go at it.

The monogram is from Loralie's Loralesque collection.

The monogram is from Loralie’s Loralesque collection.

Just an hour or two before Rebecca arrived with her two children and her good friend Zahra with her two, I decided the time had come.  (Remember Dr. Suess’s Marvin K Mooney?  “The time has come, the time is now, just go go go. I don’t care how.”  I read that book  at least 500 times to my son and can quote most of it verbatim even now.)

I recalled that there was a tutorial at Embroidery Library about embroidering on straw hats.  It’s a GREAT tute.  After reading through the comprehensive instructions, the hats met my Brother Dream Machine which performed flawlessly.  In a very short while, I had a hat ready for each of the young mothers. Continue reading

One FF Cat with One Finally Finished UFO

FF (formerly feral) Rusty with CC Jane for Vivian Rose

FF (formerly feral) Rusty with FF (finally finished)  CC Jane for Vivian Rose

 

This little outfit has been sitting at the back of my cutting table for almost a year now.  Why?  Because after embroidering the tricycle I thought a lighter pink applique fabric would have looked better.  I got as far as cutting out another front, but never got to the re-embroidery.  So it sat. Until last week.

 

allegria bodice

Children’s Corner Jane, one of my go-to-patterns for wiggly Vivian Rose, with an added angel sleeve ruffle. The pattern is so simple, perfect for embellishing one way or another.

When I took it outside to photograph because the lighting is so much better, my ever-loving, always-seeking-affection feline fella Rusty jumped into a pot of geraniums to be near me.  It was a cat photobomb. But I  just kept shooting as sunset was approaching.

Some readers might remember this photo of grandson Alastair with kitten Rusty, who was discovered with his recently feral mama in our old vacant chicken house.  That was in an earlier post, Sew Lucky, Sew Beautiful, .

Alastair and tiny Rusty kitten

Grandson Alastair is wearing his Big Brother shirt and holding tiny Rusty.   Mama Alina is keeping close to her kitten. He never was camera shy.

 

A most unusual cat, he has grown up to be as social, loving and attentive as any dog we’ve had.

 

Rusty tail w dress

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