"Baby Dress" by Creations by Miche

Spiritual -  Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen today that you and I can't handle together.

Sewing - The "sit and sew" group is working on an heirloom dress using "Baby Dress" by Creations By Michie - their first venture into heirloom sewing. Most of the students chose View A which is the dress with the scallop hem.  I made View C  using Martha's Favorite Batiste in white with ecru lace and embroidered with ecru DMC  floss (one strand).  Although, there are embroidery designs included in the pattern, I chose a design from a vintage embroidery book that I have in my collection. At this point, most of the students are completing the lace at the hem edge.  During the the next class they will trace an embroidery design and practice the embroidery stitches. Some are loving "heirloom" sewing and some are finding it a bit "tedious" after sewing less complicated projects.  Some are working on their 2nd dress!  Pictures of the completed dresses will be posted later
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Dress front

Round yoke, ecru lace, pinstitching

Embroidery on yoke

Embroidery on lower dress front

AS&E "Marigold" - A Matching Dress for Gigi

Spiritual - "Mary teaches us that when our love of God is really perfect, it flows at once into generous love of our neighbor, because, as St. Thomas says, one who loves God, loves all that God loves.  If then, we have to recognize that in dealing with our neighbor we are not very charitable, nor very kind to him, nor attentive to his needs, we must conclude that our love for God is still very weak."  Divine Mercy

Sewing - This is  "Marigold" a little dress made from AS&E 97, page 18.  I made this to match the smocked top I made for Audrie.  It was fun to smock and fun to construct.  There is piping around the neckline.  The back skirt has a placket and the back bodice closes with two buttons.  The angel sleeves are self-lined.  When their mom gets a chance to take pictures of the two of them,  I'll post.

Dress front, sized from two in the issue to a three

Smocking pattern in article, piping detail, and angel sleeves

AS&E "Pony Club" - Smocked Top for Audrie

Spiritual -  "If Jesus is the Father of our souls,  Mary is their Mother, for, in giving us Jesus, she gave us true life; and later, by offering on Calvary the life of her Son for our salvation, she brought us forth  to the life of divine grace."  St. Alphonsus

 Sewing -  Audrie won't wear smocked dresses anymore :( .  So, I found this smocked top called the "Pony Club" top made using a pattern  in AS&E , Issue 98, page 27.  It is adapted from Sis Boom Pattern "Maddie" Top/Dress.  She picked the fabric and helped pick out the embroidery floss. 

Audrie

Pony Club smocked top

Smocked pattern in the issue - easy

Back is softly gathered.  Top slips over head.

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

Smocked Summer Dress

Spiritual -"In view of Jesus' infinite merits, we can never ask too much in His Name; we can never be too bold in imploring the plenitude of divine grace for our souls, in aspiring to that sanctity which is hidden, perhaps, but genuine.  There is no fault, no want of fidelity, no evil tendency, no sin, which, if sincerely detested, cannot be cleansed, purified, and pardoned by the Blood of Jesus; there is no weakness which He cannot cure, strengthen, and transform." Divine Intimacy

Sewing -  I started "Miss Daisy" for Audrie in 2002 when I first saw this in Issue No. 58 of Australian Smocking & Embroidery. The pattern sizes in the magazine were 1, 2, 4, and 6 years.  I cut out a size 2.   I smocked the front panels, then placed it, the remaining fabric, and the magazine in a project bag to complete later ...and forgot about it!  Well, many years later,  I finally completed that little dress just in time for Gigi to wear it.  She will be 3 late this summer.  I think it will fit perfectly, especially  because of the adjustable shoulder ties and fabric sash at the back waist.  It is made out of  baby blue poly cotton imperial microcheck  The front skirt is smocked and then embroidered with large white daisies. The original dress did not have the growth tuck in the skirt.  This was easy to smock and easy to construct and makes a darling summer dress.  I can't wait to see Gigi in this dress!

Family Christening Gown from "Grandmother's Hope Chest"

Spiritual - "O Christ, sweet Jesus, give me this holy charity, that I may persevere in doing good and never give it up; for he who possess charity is founded on You, the living rock, and by following Your example, he learns from You how to love His Creator and his neighbor.   St. Catherine of Siena

Sewing - When my daughter and her husband were expecting their first child, I asked them to pick out a Christening gown from Grandmother's Hope Chest, French Sewing by Machine by Martha Campbell Pullen, PhD.   They chose the Christening Puffing Coat and Underdress. 



The "coat"  is actually an overdress and buttons at the front bodice.  It is made of white Nelona and Cluny lace.  There are three panels of 2-inch puffing sandwiched between panels of three double needle pintucks with machine featherstitching between the sets of three pintucks. The sleeves have a straigth panel of the feather/pintucks strips with entredeux on both  sides and Cluny lace at the edges of the sleeves.  The lined front bodice, closed with two buttons, has pintucks/featherstitching panels with entredeux between each panel. A 5-inch ruffle edged with Cluny lace is attached to the bottom of the coat with entredeux. The total length of the gown is 33".














The underdress  or slip has Cluny lace at the neck and the sleeves.  It has a 5 inch ruffle that is trimmed with Cluny.  Each child that is christened in this dress has his/her name embroidered on the slip along with the date of the baptism.  The Christening cap is made of panels featherstitching /pintucks with Cluny lace at the brim. 

Christmas, 2005

Spiritual -"Rejoice in the Lord always." "Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the  glory of God"  (Phil 4,4 - 1 Cor 10,31)

Sewing - Diamants Noirs , Sew Beautiful Issue 103, 2005, designed by Kathy Barnard, inspired Jennie to have me make the "Black Diamond Dress" and "Button on Suit" for Audrie and Liam for Christmas.  I used white silk dupioni and black cotton velveteen.  The pattern for the dress, Pascale) was in the centerfold.  It is now a pattern published and sold by Martha Pullen Pattern Collection.  Liam's button on pants is "David" from The Children's Corner and the shirt is from "Michael", also The Children's Corner.  I did not find the technique, peek-a-boo diamond windows hard.  I stayed focused and tried to be as careful to detail as possible.  The instructions and diagrams were easy to follow and understand.  Liam is now 7 and can't believe I "put" him in that "outfit!"  I think he is adorable!  Audrie looks like a southern belle.

Sew Beautiful "Sophie Reese"

Spiritual - "It can well be said that there is no divine mystery or truth of faith which does not, in some way, speak of the excessive love of the love of the Lord.  The more we are convinced of this love, the more profound will be our 'loving knowledge' of God; and at the same time, we shall feel an ever increasing impulse to return love to Him who has first loved us so greatly."  Divine Intimacy, 449

Sewing - The pattern for this dress was designed by JoAnn Hearn who was inspired by an antique dress.  "JoAnn made the original reproduction in Swiss batiste, embellishing with antique laces (no longer available and hand embroidery featuring a shadow design of bluebirds, ribbons and buillion roses.  Each section of lace creating the ribbon belt carrier  is embroidered with a single bullion rose."  Sew Beautiful 57, Issue 98, 2005  

 Lace as ribbon carriers embellished with bullion roses

It had been a while since I had delved into this much "heirloom" sewing, but this dress was too beautiful not to make for my darling Audrie, who was 3 1/2 at the time.  It was the free pattern in the Sew Beautiful magazine issue.  The pictures, instructions, templates, and bluebirds shadow embroidery template were all very clear and concise.  I enjoyed every minute and learned a lot making this dress.  I knew that if I persisted in this project, it would turn our well.  Looking closely at the work, you can see that all is not perfect, but it is still nice .  Today, I'm sure my work would be better, but  nothing ventured, nothing gained - right?

Lower dress front

Shadow work & bullions

Audrie, 3 1/2, in her "Sophie Reese" dress.

First Communion

Spiritual - "Our union with Christ by faith and grace is a real union, but in Holy Communion we have, in addition, physical union with Christ.  Then, as least for a few moments, we have Him within us, as the Blessed Virgin had Him in her pure womb for nine months.  And if, to this physical union is joined moral union, consisting in the full conformity of our will and our aspirations to God's will and good pleasure, Holy Communion actually becomes the moment of closest union with God that we can reach on earth. "  Divine Intimacy

 Sewing -  This is a replica of the "Flower Garden Cotton Organdy Irish Crocheted Dress, French, circa 1910", page 136-137 of Vintage Baby  by Sue Hausmann, Elizabeth Rhodes, and Martha Pullen.  I fell in love with this dress when I saw it in this book and had to make it for my granddaughter, Audrie, for her first communion this year.  It was made with white ulster linen and crocheted lace and buttons I inherited from a great aunt-in-law.  I used 80-weight thread to do the machine embroidery.  The medallion's were made as free standing lace, then appliqued in place.  Audrie wore a fresh floral wreath in her hair and was such a lovely bride for our Lord.

The Abby Glen Dress

Spiritual - Often, in our daily duties and spiritual lives, we are discouraged and come to a stand still because we insist on our own ideas and understanding of what God's plans for us are.  We look to the Blessed Virgin as our model during these times.  According to Scripture, extraordinary supernatural manifestations certainly surrounded the Annunciation and the birth of Jesus. The events of the remainder of  her life were ordinary to the times and to her particular circumstances - poverty, fleeing into exile to save her child, taking care of her family and watching him grow and develop.  This was all done under the veil of pure faith.  Mary knew her child was the Messiah, but she did not know how he would carry out his mission.  She knew he was her God and that was enough for her.  Mary, help me have the faith you have in your most precious Son.

  

Sewing - Heirloom Creations Peggy Burley and Sharon Boute offer weekend retreats to their regular sewing students, and ,occasionally, to their customers. I attended the Abby Glen Retreat October 2-4, 2009 and had a fabulous time. We were guided by Peggy in sewing her new pattern, the Abby Glen dress made of cotton dotted Swiss. It is a precious pattern and I learned a few new finishing techniques making this darling little dress. I also had time to complete another version of this pattern during the retreat. The food, company, and fun and lively breaks between sewing was such a treat. I look forward to another. Thanks Peggy and Sharon.

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