OFB Toddler Summer Dresses Pattern

Spiritual - Prayer of Being Forgiven  Loving Lord, mindful of your mercy and the love that took you to the cross, I place myself before you and ask your forgiveness for all the times when I have failed to follow you.  Lord Jesus, forgive me and help me become more like you each day.  Amen.

Sewing -  In 2011, the Old Fashioned Baby Sewing/Bible Retreat ladies made Jeannie's new pattern (not out at the time), Toddler Summer Dresses, size 1-3.  The dress has two views with different construction techniques.  One version has a tucked yoke with lace insert and the other version has a yoke in which hand shadow embroidery or your favorite machine embroidery design can be used.  It is made with white 100% cotton broadcloth.  I will have a picture soon with Gigi in this dress at the beach!

Simple sleeveless yoke dress, ribbon inserted in beading at waist

Skirt bottom border - hand embroidery, triple tucks, Swiss edging with floss woven through

Yoke - Lace edged Swiss insertion, floss woven into insertion double tucks, ribbon and beading at waist

Old Fashioned Baby 2012 Sewing/Bible Retreat

Spiritual -  Regina Coeli  Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia: for he whom you merited to bear, alleluia, has risen, as he said, alleluia.  Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Sewing - During the 2012 Old Fashioned Baby Sewing/Bible retreat, we made this adorable little nighty and pillow case. Both are made from a sweet all white blended fabric ($8.95/yd) that resembles the wonderful all cotton Swiss dimity ($23/yd).  Of course, I have it in the shop.  It would look adorable in a little sleeved yoke dress with a pastel pink or blue slip underneath!  The techniques Jeannie used in this little nighty included shadow embroidery, bullion loop trim, ribbon slipped through lace beading at the hem, and a sweet trim using floss on the heading of the pillow case.  Jeannie Baumeister is a wonderful, patient, master teacher.

Little girl nighty, size 3 - made for Gigi

Entredeaux at neck edge with hand made bullion trim

Pillow case showcasing the shadow embroidery done on pillow and on bodice

Nighty & Pillow case to match

Kay Manuel

Spiritual - "O Lord, Lord, how small and narrow is the house of my soul for You to enter?   Enlarge it Yourself.  It is in ruins; repair it. I know and admit that there are things in it that are offensive in Your sight.  But who will cleanse it.  Or to whom but You shall I cry, purify me, Lord, from my hidden sins?"  St. Augustine


Sewing -  Kay Manuel, retired military, is a SewHealing student who has been sewing for many years.  She is expecting her first grandchild and doesn't know the gender.  Kay cannot wait to find out so that she can really sew!   For now, she has to be satisfied with sewing for the nursery, gender-neutral play clothes, pajamas, and daygowns.  The blue striped seersucker romper is made from an Old Fashioned Baby pattern.  As you can see from the darling monkey diaper stacker, she has a great sense of humor and a talent for sewing.

She and her daughter picked out a beautiful Christening gown from Martha Pullen's Grandmothers' Hope Chest.  They made a few changes in the original design and Kay has begun the long, loving, and sacrificial  process of sewing the gown. We look forward to seeing the process and the finished result! 

Pajamas

 

The Old Fashioned Baby Retreats

Spiritual - Our gifts are from God and are meant to be used to bring glory and others to God.  I am so blessed to have received the gift of being able to sew, to love friends, and to want to teach.  Since I taught high school for many years, I appreciate how hard most teachers work to do justice to their students.  I think they do it because of the higher calling they received from God.  Success in teaching is hard to assess because we are only one teacher in the educational or spiritual process of any student. Mother Theresa used to say that it is our trying that counts, not whether or not we succeeded.  I embraced that concept and believed it.

Sewing - Jeannie Baumeister, owner of The Old Fashioned Baby, hosts annual sewing and spiritual retreats that are wonderful. She and a bff have figured out a perfect recipe for a retreat that combines a themed Bible Study with a sewing program. Jeannie always has a progressive sewing project and is a patient, loving, and capable teacher. She and Belinda love their faith and their knowledge of the Bible shows in the study periods. This retreat begins on Friday around 3 and ends on Sunday at noon. I look forward to it every year.

 

Baby Love

Spiritual - God knew us before the world began.  How loving and personal. He knew us before we were even a glint in our parent's eye!  He knew the circumstances that would shape our personalities, whether or not we would be obedient, whether or not we would be charitable or faithful, whether or not we would be successful or not.  And he created us still.  He assured us, through His Holy Word, that He would take care of us and give us the graces we need for our ultimate salvation. We have to believe Him and act on our belief.

Sewing - My new baby grandaughter, Gillian Lane Stelly (Gigi), dressed in a one piece baby romper made of 100% cotton batiste.  The pattern is The Old Fashioned Baby Best Embroidered Baby Clothes, Two.  Love, love, love her.  But, not as much as her Mommy does.  I happened to catch her mother gazing at her beautiful new wonder and got this shot.  It says a thousand words!