It's cold out there!

It's cold out there! And I'm snuggled up in my wrap to keep warm while I write this. 

My friend dropped by with a little dress she had made from the 'Little Snowdrift' pattern in a very pretty, delicate Liberty print. We had been shopping on Queen Street in downtown Toronto when Pat spotted this 60" Liberty on sale. She wisely took a good sized piece and yardage of several other prints. 

Pat used baby rickrack to define the yoke rather than piping and created one of a kind flower buttons to repeat the wavy edges of the trim. To spark the red she stitched tiny yellow beads in the centre of each flower. She said she felt the bead would stand up to washings better than just a French knot.  She chose to leave the back unsmocked. In fact, the pattern could be made without any smocking, perhaps in a light weight washable wool or fine wale corduroy. With this weather we talked about how cute this would be with a long sleeved turtle neck and leggings underneath!! Perhaps a sunny yellow....

Betty M sent me this photo of her new grand daughter who was born in Dec. What a charmer! Betty said she had three of these nighties from 'Baby's Breath' ready and smocked for Emily's arrival. This one has the bunting bottom. Baby nighties are impossible to find in the stores these days. A nightie like this one allows the baby to kick and move without getting cold if the covers come away. 

Thank you Pat and Betty for sharing.

I should mention "The Needlework Pages" here.  If you subscribe or are familiar with the Canadian publication, "A Needle Pulling Thread" magazine, you may already know about the web site/directory Carla has created in conjunction with the magazine. If you are looking for a product for some sort of needlework or you are travelling into a new area on holiday and want to find a shop that deals with your favourite needlework or stitchery or quilting etc. you can search the "Needlework Pages" to find a shop! If you know of a shop and it isn't listed, encourage then to contact Carla (the owner and editor) at "A Needle Pulling Thread" to get on board! Once you have used it you will go back time and time again.

I've been busy the past two weeks cleaning up all the paperwork from 2010 and preparing the schedules for April, May and June. These will soon be posted as we get the web site updated. There are a couple of class samples to be made up and then it is back to that drafting board and the baby wardrobe. The first couple of test fitting have gone well and I think we are ready to move on once the pattern pieces have been tweaked.

So until next time.....