Pure Elegance

Pure Elegance 

Since the Christening gown was shown in the last post I wanted to re-post the original story of the gown.   

 

 

Ole McLaughlin, is a member of the Apple Valley smockers and does the most amazing Brazilian embroidery. I hope she will let me show more of her work in the future.
Some Christening gowns have stories connected with them before they are created, with others the stories are created by the babies who wore the gown or the creator of the gown. This gown shares a little of both.
Ole, fashioned this elegant gown from silk brought back from China by her father a member of the Flying Tigers in WW2.  His soon to be bride used some of the silk to make a blouse for her wedding, the rest of the silk was stored away with orders for it to be used for Christening gowns when Ole’s boys became fathers.
Ole choose a pattern from AS&E issue #60, called Heaven Blessed.Ole said,” The only changes made, I didn’t put the bows on the front yoke and didn’t do the lower skirt embroidery. Instead I added the lace insertion. The fabric wasn’t long enough and I felt the silk was busy enough without adding embroidery.”
I hope I have been able to capture the beauty of this gown.










 

  Ole has 3 plus months in the creation of this gown. She has one more to make I am looking forward to what she comes up with, I know it be fantastic.

  I hope you have enjoyed this gown. I know it is hard for a camera to capture the true beauty.

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CHRISTMAS SEWING

Christmas past

 

I thought I would share some of past

Christmas sewing.

It is time to start again, sewing for this

year.  I have actually gotten a few things done, but can 

not show them yet.

 

Teens are probably the hardest to sew for

Last year, the teens wanted 

A. Something Grandma made and

B. Something warm and soft

 

So,for warm and soft,

What could be softer the minkie?

She modeled for me!

 

Reading pillows and a good book

 

Of coarse the Christmas quilt

warm, soft and something Grandma made!

 

To me, Christmas sewing is a challenge

at the same time, it is fun.

 

DOWN MEMORY LANE

So much has changed

I wanted to take a trip back to memory

lane.

A visit to the Apple Valley Smockers and

our booth at the quilt show.

This booth was at the Town Toyota Center

in Wenatchee, Wash.

If I remember it was our first or second year

of the quilt show being held there.

  This post has a lot of pictures.

Fun to re-share the memories.

MEET KATHY DYKSTRA

One thing I love about

computers and blogging is 

being able to 'meet' people,

I would never other wise have been

able to meet and call a friend.

One of those friends is Kathy Dykstra.

Kathy, is a designer, teacher, artist and blogger.

Her blog sewing_adventures.com

is full of inspiration.

Design by Kathy

Just a sample of the beauty/talent you

will find on her blog.

Kathy, has been a huge influence on my sewing and smocking.  I used many, many of her designs

when they were published in AS&E.

A magazine no longer published and missed so much.

Kathy also designs for wee babies

and for wee care.

She offers many tutorials on her blog.

 

Her patterns are available through

her  Etsy

kathysheirloomshop

 

HIGH SHANK__LOW SHANK

Your  sewing machine has

a shank.

Your pressure foot attaches to

that shank.

The shanks are either high or low. I

would guess most of them are low.

so what is it?

See that white piece of plastic?

That is the shank, the piece holding my

pressure foot.

You might also notice I have a snap

on pressure foot,vs a screw on.

 My machine is the Viking sapphire

760 quilt machine. Mine is considered a low shank.

Another thing that can be confusing 

is-this piece is also called an ankle.

When purchasing new feet

the choices are, a choice between

high shank and low shank.

 I hope this helps clear up

any confusion, when you see the term

high shank or low shank.  

 

MY FAVORITE KIND OF SEWING

Always my first love

Garment sewing, especially for the little ones, will always be my first love in the sewing world.

Since I do have a great granddaughter. 

Who happens to love things I sew her.

My heart is full!

These dress's were from a Bonnie Blue pattern.

Named Kimberly.

Keeps me very busy.

CHANGE IS A GOOD THING!

Time for a change

Our smocking group has been named.

Apple Valley Smockers

since it was formed. 

I saw it as a time to change. Not, just the name but what we do as people that love to sew and create.

Apple Valley, is used for everything--the word smockers, said we smocked things.  What every that is supposed to be.

So, along with another member that shared my thought process.  We changed the name!!

I had some banners made and although I am not

excited about this display at our local quilt show.

I am excited about the possibilities. 

Like I said Change is good.