Easter Nightgowns Finished!

I absolutely love it when I get a project done! Especially if it's just in time for Easter. I was smocking on this pink nightgown while traveling to and fro from the SAGA Boston Stitch Party Retreat just a few days ago. I smocked in the airports and on the planes, at night in the hotel rooms....just to get them done in time to ship to the grandchildren.

This pretty pink nightgown is for our oldest granddaughter. The back is also smocked in a different, faster-to-smock design in the same colors (just like the yellow ones). She can wear either design as the front...whichever she chooses. The fabric is Imperial Batiste ( a cotton/poly blend) with a cotton/poly lace. Of course, there's a matching gown for her 18" doll with designs that mimic her gown, but in smaller scale. Both gowns are my patterns.

So the yellow nightgowns I wrote about earlier are for our younger granddaughter. These pink ones are the favorite color of our older one.

Now it's off to the Post Office to mail the gowns and some Easter candy to the grandchildren......and on to the next project!

Matching Nightgowns

Last Spring our grandkids visited, and the girls went through the closet in the guest room (as curious girls will do). That's where I keep our daughter's smocked and French hand sewn garments that I made way-back-when. (I have not been allowed to get them out of the house yet...) The girls discovered two smocked nightgowns I had made for our daughter and they pleaded and begged if they could have them. Of course I said yes! They have absolutely adored wearing them (who knew?).

So for Easter I'm making them each a smocked nightgown and a matching nightgown for their 18" dolls. I had to re-construct the "pattern" for them because I didn't have it any more. It was easy to do. All it had was an armscye to trace onto fabric, measurements for length and width per size, stay and strap measurements, and how many rows to pleat and smock. Then I had to figure out the "pattern" for the doll nightgowns.

I chose easy smocking designs for both front and back of the nightgowns. A 65/35 blend for both batiste and lace makes them very easy care. But I had to "downsize" the smocking designs for the doll nightgown: basically it had to be a suggestion of the girls' nightgown. Here's the result:

 The doll nightgown hem is finished with lace. The girl's nightgown is hemmed with a machine tuck: an easy, fast way to hem the gown. This pair is completed...now it's on to the other set in pink!

Christmas Sewing

So here it is....still October. Halloween is tonight...and this crazy lady is talking about Christmas sewing already?

Yup....I'm in my Christmas sewing and stitching mode. Time flies way too fast as we approach the holiday season, and for me it gets even crazier because I have supplies to order, kits to make for Sewing at the Beach 2016 (I'm on the faculty and very happy to be invited to teach again!). And I'm still working and designing new classes and patterns. I decided to set a goal of one project (or gift) per week to help me get started.

But I'm also in High Hover Mode because I make most of the gifts for our family. Why? Everyone loves to receive a hand made gift. It adds that special, loving touch when someone took the time to really think out a project, choose the materials and colors, and make it Just For Them. It also saves money. Last year I made a bunch of things and when I figured out what it cost to make them, subtracted from what the gifts would cost commercially, it saved me almost $1,000! That's a lot of savings. Yes, it took time to make those, but it was time I enjoyed using my talents to show love to my family and friends. And it still saved $$ over and above what my "labor" costs would be.

So here's the project I'm working on now. A beautiful 18" doll dress in one of my grand daughter's  favorite colors. I'm using Butterick 3329. It's a good doll clothing pattern to have on hand with all of the variations. I'm using View I, the party dress, but of course I'm changing it. I have some lovely pleated ribbon on hand from Ryco Trimming Co. that I purchased when I was in the area teaching
a workshop. This trim perfectly matches the basic polyester satin I purchased from one of the chain fabric stores. It also has a little silver thread running through the ribbon that adds the sparkle that little girls love.

I decided to add three rows of the trim to the bottom of the skirt. It was so easy to sew on: just a straight stitch along the ribbon pleating thread. The trim adds enough firmness to really make the skirt stand out.

I stitched some on the neckline of the bodice: just love the pleated ribbon around the neckline.

 But I couldn't resist adding some around each sleeve.




Here's the finished doll dress on one of my dolls....isn't it pretty? Little purchased rose buds adorn the waist sash which are quick and easy to stitch on to add a little special touch. I think my grand daughter will love this. I'll make a little necklace to go with it, and maybe buy some little party shoes, too.

So many projects, so little time to stitch them, but it's worth it to see the delight on the recipient's face when they open their Christmas gift. What Christmas sewing and stitching are you doing?