Hanky dress

A larger view of the hanky dress.  I am not sure if I can get one to show even a little larger but will work on it.  We have shared pictures of each others sewing for years and I have never had any that were to small.  It's my wonderful computer that is doing it all by itself!!  So let me know if you would like me to try for a larger view of this adorable skirt.

This outfit was for the Alice in Wonderland day at the park.

Some of my favorite things

Do you have favorite things you love to sew?  I love making smocked booties and smocked bonnets. I don't always have anyone to give these items to, just love making them.  I have made several pairs of booties for raffles and they do very well.   I guess I could call it just because sewing.  What do you like to sew 'just because?'

The pattern is "littlelambs" by Karen &company, no longer for sale.

You can make them in any color, blue for boys works. A bonnet I made that was also raffled.  I think I need to make one just to keep.

Another contest

Goosegirl sews is having a contest!!  Ya, we love giveaways.  The prize will be an apron pattern she designed and it is so pretty.  So hurry over and take a peek and while you are there sign up to follow.  Sivje also sharesmany  family stories so its a fun blog to follow.

So cute

I will also add , so much work.  My sewing friend made her granddaughter a wardrobe of new clothes to wear on her trip to Disney.  They are all darling and so creative, I am sure it will spur your creativity.  I will share a few at a time, so check back ofter.

Also an update on the challenge from AS&E!   Well, we both got done at the same time so tomorrow we will get to see what we came up with.  I am so excited to see what Betty picked to make from the magazine.

This little outfit features Snow white and the seven dwarfs. Each panel was a different dwarf.  The applique work amazes me, maybe someday I will learn how to do it.

This outfit features many hankies sewn to create a skirt.  What a lot of work, it is so cute!!

Challenge-Part one

Buried someplace in the pages of this issue of AS&E, is my challenge.  How did I get myself into this you ask?  Well, it all started when my friend Betty and I were discussing renewing our subscriptions to the magazine. Both of us have years of back issues, with many projects, we have not taken the time to do.  Oh yes, we looked at the pictures admired the beautiful items and some how left it at that.  Oh, I have done a few but not very many. To renew or not renew was our dilema.

Then the Email arrived! The one from Country Bumpkin!  Oh, this can't be good, it offered six issues for the price of four.  That is when a light went off for Betty "How about if we renew, then challenge ourselves and anyone else that would care to join us, in making one item from each new issue we get", offered Betty.

                  I of coarse jumped at the offer, I often jump before I really think things through. How hard could it be?  There are always so many cute items in the magazine and with a little encouragment, I was ready.

So here I am, working on a project that in the past would have gone undone by me.  Now I have this fear the next issue will arrive and I am not ready for that!!! 

Stay tuned for part two of this challenge and if you would like to, we would love to have you join us.

First Prize

This is the dress entered by my firend Lexie, in the Royal Arts Easters Show, which runs from the 1st to the 14th of April.  Sydney, is the capital city od New South Wales.  Lexie, is from tropical Queensland Australia.
I can only imagine how thrilled Lexie was to find out she won first prize, Her work is so beautiful it really doesn't surprise me.   Here are Lexie words describing her work:

The dress is in two layers, the top layer being Peachy-Ecru swiss finella cotton.  The second layer is Spechler-Vogel lawn in a soft peach.
She  used tatting lace in the shade of ecru for the collar, cuff and sashes.
The puff sleeve has an embroidered inverted pleat.  The satin mini-piping is in the matching shade of soft peach.
The scalloped hem is pin-stitched by hand and the buttons at the back were also hand embroidered with little rosebuds.
You will be happy to know Lexie bought everything for the dress in the U.S.A and most of it from Farmhouse Fabrics.
The smocking is the Van Dyke stitch in 3 shades of peach.
Please notice--It is also displayed on its matching hanger.
Enjoy:

All the attention to the smallest details makes this dress so very special.   Thank you Lexie, for letting me share this work of art.

My New Project

This fabric jumped in my cart at the fabric store.  I knew I had to do something with it but what?   I also knew it had to be something smocked, so I pleated and blocked it.

Then it was off to the collection of floss.  I picked a few colors I might use, not to sure yet.  So far this is where my direction seems to be going.

Now, I have to work out the details. I am sure most sewer's know just where they are going with a project. They have the pattern, fabric and smocking plate along with the floss color all picked out ahead of starting their project.  Just doesn't seem to be as interesting to me.   So we will see, just what happens here.