Red Houndstooth - Simplicity 2320

Spiritual -   O Jesus, I place my poor soul before You.  Fill me with the zeal which You had for the Father's works, with Your wholehearted, unconditional dedication to the mission he gave You.  But I need You to teach me how to make this zeal genuine and fruitful!  Divine Intimacy

 Sewing -  Gigi's Christmas dress made from red houndstooth by amyteets.  I used a project runway pattern, Simplicity 2320.  This is a size 3.  The trim is black spaghetti bias.

Croquet Dresses by Oliver+s for Gigi

Spiritual -  The Word was made flesh for our salvation and happiness and for the Glory of God.


Sewing -  Both of these dresses were made from Oliver + s pattern, Croquet Dress.  This is a pattern that the beginning sewer would not have a problem with and is designed without any hand-sewing!  All  the seams are enclosed or serged.  Pictures of Gigi in them to follow.

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

Gigi's Easter Dress

Spiritual - "It seems to me that this free will which You have given us is fortified by the light of faith, for in this light it knows Your will, which wishes nothing but our sanctification.  Then our will, fortified and nourished by our holy faith, gives life to our actions, which explains why neither good will nor lively faith can exist without works.  Faith nourishes and maintains the fire of charity, because it reveals to our soul Your love and charity to us, and thus makes it strong in loving You"  St. Catherine of Siena

Sewing -  Jennie fell in love with this pattern and tried to select fabric patterns that was as close as could be to the sample on the pattern cover.  Luckily, we had the prints in the shop.  The pattern is darling and is as cute as can be in prints.  I think it would be lovely in white or ecru or lace, too.  This pattern is for the intermediate sewer.  The smocking is simple and easy to do.  There is lots of piping and the bodice is lined.  The pockets are also self-lined.  As you can see, Gigi looked like a doll!

Sew Beautiful magazine, issue 131, 2010 has a wonderful article on "The Story of Frannie" by the author, Lyn Weeks.  Lyn writes that she discovered the original inspiration for this patter at an antique mall in 2000 on the East Coast.   She worked on the pattern and published it in 2002 and based many "classes" on this pattern.  It is now part of the Sew Beautiful Pattern Collection.