My snowflake

Genine (the doll lady) also digitizes machine embroidery, she is a very talented lady.  On Everythingsewing  forum, Genine shared with us a design we could use. It is a FSL- fleur de lis snowflake.  I have never done FSL before. I am new to machine embroidery but with Genine's excellent instructions I was able to make one. In fact I made a few, tied them on gifts as a little decoration and an extra present.

I think I am going to like machine embroidery now that I am learning a bit more about it.

New Year-New Start

I am behind in everything, blogging, sewing, decorating, well you name it and I am behind in getting it done or even in some cases I have not even started.   I will put all of that behind me and start fresh.
 The item that really put me way, way behind with any Christmas preparations this year was this stocking.  I bought the kit 10 years ago when I found out we were going to be blessed with a Granddaughter. I never got around to getting the stocking done.  This was the year it was finally going to be ready for Christmas and join the one I had made her brother.  After all how many times can you say, "next year"?

I have this little problem called procrastination.  As Christmas grew closer I realized I could no longer let the stocking go undone.  With only a few weeks left, I set up camp at the dining room table, and set about sewing on sequins and beads.   I took this picture before I was all done, knowing it would go down to the wire and I probably would not get a picture of it all done before it flew out the door.   I did get it finished but with a lesson learned.  So, my goal for the New Year, will be to --Do It Now!!

Meet Genine

Doll clothes designer extraordinaire.  Genine resides in England and adds a European flair to many of her designs,  she also has a knack for translating the fashions we sew for our little girls into one for dolly too, so they can have matching outfits.
Genine designs for 18" dolls and gives excellent instructions to compensate for variations of different doll body measurements as not all 18" dolls have the same body size.

Each pattern comes with several variations as you can see here with the Katya  pattern.

 I am honored to be a tester for Genine's patterns and Sam thanks her for letting her get off the shelf and being able to play again.

I have a special little girl that will be getting a new special friend for Christmas and she will come with lots of new clothes.
You can purchase Genine's patterns through her Etsy shop. new patterns are added often so keep checking back.

Something for fall

Sam wanted to show you the outfit she wore to the quilt show.  Our smocking group has a raffle each year for doll clothes and Sam did some modeling.  If you think I am having way to much fun sewing doll clothes you are right!!  

This top has a touch of smocking.  The perfect amount for leaning to smock.  The version can also be made without smocking.

Well, Hello Dolly

Hello, my name is Samantha, my friends call me Sam.  I used to have a little girl to play with but, as with all little girls she grew up.  I went to the shelf at grandma's house.  I have some stuffed animal friends that also got left behind, it's just not the same as having a little girl friend to play with.  I was pretty darn sad for awhile.
One day, grandma came and took me off the shelf. Where was I going?  What was going to happen to me?  I must confess I was pretty scared.
Grandma took me to her sewing room and gave me a new outfit.  Then she let me go outside and play.

I was so excited and happy.   It seems grandma, has found a designer of doll clothes and is enjoying playing with me.   I have been very busy modeling new clothes and playing with grandma.
She even took me to a quilt show, so I could model a new outfit.

Now, I know you will want to make new clothes for your dolly and I don't think you could find cuter clothes for doll's with a custom touch.  Oh, you don't have a doll?  Well, I bet your daughter or granddaughter does and what better way to share then making some doll clothes.  

You can find the patterns here  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Genniewren

Missing

I realize I have been missing from the blogging scene and I am sorry about that.
Summer has just been so darn busy that writing just was not on my list of things to do.  We had two weddings within weeks of each other.   
I was able to visit Ohme garden again, a place I love but don't get to very often so I would love to share some of it's beauty with you.

I am also launching off on a new venture of sorts with my sewing so will be sharing that with you.  I hope it inspires you.

Take a walk with me along the path.  The perfect place to feel peace to renew your strengh and have a whole new outlook.

So clever

I am reposting this with permission.  I just thought this was so clever I had to share it.  Also, having the little ones grow and the fabric stash full of pieces that are now to small for a complete outfit, it really was a post that I needed to spark some creativity so I can use up those pieces in my stash.

I love the way Jerry’s mind works, from play clothes to heirloom sewing she just amazes me.  

In her own words I will let her lead you through this project. 

Red, "White" and Blue for MK**

I bought these floral coordinates at Continental two summers ago when they were clearing out their summer fabrics. I bought exactly one yard of each. Since I didn't really have a plan in mind when I bought the fabrics, and since I am now making size 8s for MK, I had to really be creative in using them!! (read....figure out how the heck I was going to get an outfit done using them. ). I had bought a cute new pattern at Continental a month or so ago, but darn if it didn't take 1 3/4 yds of one fabric and 7/8 yd of another....just for the top/dress. So I put on my thinking cap to see if I could approximate that design and used my Chery Williams basic bishop pattern in size 8 and cut the one yard of the "white" ground floral into a bishop front and back after tearing it in half. That gave me an 18" top, which will be shorter than most I do for her now. But since it is loosey-goosey, I think that will allow it to be cool and comfy to wear. I used the angel sleeve pattern to start the contrasting ruffle and cut the sleeve portions, then laid that down on both the front and back and drew a line the length of the sleeve all across both the front and back dress pattern pieces; then I cut pieces of the contrast corresponding to those pattern markings, giving me a ruffle to go all around the top. I seamed the pieces together, then ran some bias tape on the sleeve section tops only so that when I sewed the ruffle to the dress and flipped it over to the front (sewed right side of ruffle to wrong side of dress), I could press the bias tape down and have enough room to sew a 1/2" casing all around to run the elastic through. Did you get that? I simply serged around the bottom of the top and pressed that under and top stitched around with my 4.0 double needle. I used CC Sara's Skort for the little bottom. So it is a skirt with shorts attached at the waist. I found that little red pin dot fabric at Hancock's yesterday and didn't know at that point exactly what I was going to make to go with the top, so I only bought 3/4 yard. Last night I thought a little skirt would be cute, so I got that pattern out and used my remaining small floral to make the shorts. Instead of lining the skort, I chose to cut my scraps into bias strips to bind the bottom and trimmed it with delft blue rick-rack. Sure wish I had another pack of it. I would have loved to have added the same color rick-rack to the bottom of the ruffle edge. I then fussy cut three of the dominant shapes from the "white" background floral and fused them to the skirt off center toward the right side and then appliquéd them the old fashioned way on my sewing machine. To me this looks like a "big girl" outfit....and that's a little sad.