Smocking Projects

  I had no motivation to sew anything, other than the Christmas dresses, after returning from the SAGA convention but then we were told our pack-out date...8 January!  Needless to say, that was only a few short weeks away so I was busy finishing up UFO's and general sewing before all my sewing things were boxed up and shipped out.  Since i was without machines I kept fabric, floss, plates and pleater in my luggage so I had something to keep my hands busy.  I now have three dress fronts smocked and ready to be sewn.  I only smocked one of the three Christmas dresses and I hope to add pictures soon.  Since moving into a house (the first we've bought) I havne't done much sewing.  Too busy getting things organised.  Now i am working on a dress for Laura's baptism next month.  After that I hope to start on back to school smocking.

  I finished Austrailian Smocking and Embroidery #39, Morning Glory in time to take with me to the SAGA convention in St. Louis in September.  I received several compliments and I was really pleased with how it turned out. I plan to make another using lighter colored fabric for the Spring.

What surprised me was that after the first design was completed, ideas just came running into my head!  I completed a second plate, this one for a bishop and I have ideas for several more.  The second plate I titled Megan's Delight and it was smocked on Ellen McCarn's new bishop pattern.  I was very pleased with this bishop pattern.  It is beautifulling full without looking like a clown dress.  The sleeves stayed puffed up.
 
 

 

         Laura got her Raggedy Ann and Andy dress in time for her birthday, as promised! We used the a co-ordinating print from her bed quilt for the dress. The summer dress is Paige from Pitter Patter. It worked up very quickly and easily.  The Plate came from Australian Smocking Embroidery, #36. I changed the border however.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

.
Matthew was very happy to finally have his long promised camping outfit. I found the hiker print at the BX and made a shirt from a hodge-podge of patterns. The short-alls were made using "Detachable bib overalls" by k.p.kids & company. I shortened the legs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

As soon as I saw the hiker print, I knew Little Memories' Happy Campers plate would be perfect. This was an easy picture smocking plate to work up
.

  For my mum's birthday I made a tea cosy that she liked in an issue of Australian Smocking and Embroidery, issue #34.
 

I used plain white muslin and DMC floss. The small pearl beads were bought at a local craft shop and I ordered the white silk ribbon from Treasured Heirlooms. I only smocked the front side although the pattern called for smocking both sides. My mum chose the cosy to put over her antique teapot so I knew it would only be displayed inside the china cabinet. The smocking worked up very quickly but the embroidery took a bit more time.
 
 
 

   Laura liked "Crayon Critters" by Little Memories for her Fall '96 First Grade dress. In a moment of complete insanity I decided to smock it on black. It is a wonder I had any eye slight left once it was finished and I don't recomend it unless you are really a glutton for punishment. One thing I did find once the plate was finiished is that the smocking had a tendency to split where the two critters are hugging the crayon box. This is due to a lot of single pleat stitches at the box edge. I mattress stitched a single strand of black floss back and forth between the two opening pleats on the wrong side and knottted it. This kept the pleats together.
  Laura really liked the yellow and black flannel check that I got as a grab bag from Linda's Silver Needle. The yellow check is the same shade as the yellow in the plate so we figured it would be a good match. I forgot to consider the yellow on Laura, which is not her best color. We also decided on long sleeves but I should have done short ones as Laura now says they bother her. I can't remember the dress pattern I used but it came out a bit roomy so I added little tabs on the side under the arms and buttons to pull in the fullness. Laura likes the dress but it doesn't leave its hanger much. Oh, well. Live and learn!
 
 
 

    Matthew loves his "Eio" outfit! He was so happy to finally be wearing it that the evening I finished it, he cried when he had to put PJs on!! This project was yet another one that I started during the summer months and it went on hold when Mark went to Bosnia. The shirt fabric was bought at a local German store and the chambray fabric I've had for some time (Tigger is here for Matt!).
 

The plate is "Ei Ei Oh" by Little Memories. I came across the perfect buttons to match the farm theme. "Dianna's Garden" collection by Streamline has a man gardening. The overall pattern is "Detachable Bib Overalls" by k.p. kid's & co. which I email ordered from Sew Baby. I choose to make the overalls without the pockets and did not make the bib detachable. This overall pattern is great - runs true to size and sews up quickly. The shirt pattern was from a McCall's pattern.
 
 

 

The first thing I smocked was "Avonlea" from the Fall '95 issue of Creative Needle magazine. I used iron on dots to pleat the fabric as I didn't have a pleater. I'll never do that again!!