Amberlane & Amberpetites Updates

Sun, sea and cool weather!

2012-02-08T15:11:00.000-05:00

The sun is shining and the sea is a perfect blue-grey but the air is cool. Every morning the sun comes up and colours the sky and sea with the palest pink and it does the same when it set at night. Last evening, after dark, the waves were touched with quicksilver as they reflected the moon. Every day people on the beach are wearing coats as there is a cool breeze off the ocean. We're here in Myrtle Beach for a wee holiday! Although it was mild at home and we had but a skiff of snow, we took off for South Carolina in hopes of finding warmer temperatures and golf courses for my husband to try.

I've heard back from another friend who has sewn up the "Infant Wardrobe I" pattern. Debbie tried something different and used fleece for the jacket and teamed it with a light weight wool with a matching fleck of mint green for the pants. Now the ingenious thing Debbie did to save time was to pair the suit with a 'Onsie'. But the clever part comes with fusing a bow tie of the pant fabric to the neckline of the 'Onesie'!! I'm just so sorry that her grandson grew so quickly and the suit was too small by the time she was able to complete the outfit. Unfortunately the pants look like they are tiger striped in this photo but if you could enlarge it to full size that effect would disappear.

On the way down we stopped off in Richmond, VA to visit the most beautiful shop, Chadwick Heirlooms. The main floor is a wonderful antique shop filled with fine furniture, china and paintings. But upstairs, oh, my an oasis for the heirloom sewer, fine fabrics, delicate French laces and Swiss embroideries. Pat assured me that smocking was alive and well in her part of the world and I am so glad to hear it!

As many of you know George Webb, the grandson of Grace Knott, has announced he is retiring later this year. That means that Grace L. Knott Smocking Supplies Ltd. as we know it will be closing. I just want to let you know that I am not retiring or closing! I will be carrying on with my line of patterns, Amberlane & Amberpetites. You can now order patterns with your Visa or MasterCard - just one of the updates we've made! Erika, my technical assistant, is busy building a new web site even while we are away and we have lots of plans for new and exciting things - patterns and more. When we get it done, or nearly done we will be posting a notice here and I do invite you to visit the site now and often.

So, until next time, Keep stitching.....

Happy 2012!

2012-01-04T17:41:00.001-05:00

My goodness where has the time gone?

It is a new year already and winter has finally arrived! A dusting of snow fell on Christmas Day in the late afternoon and a couple of days later this was the scene outside my front door at bedtime. It made me think of one of those Christmas cards with the crystal sprinkles. The next morning the snow had just about doubled in depth but was soon melting away again.

Just before New Years we attended a matinee with the Trans Siberian Orchestra. I wasn't sure what to expect as someone told they were a 'heavy metal band' not my normal taste in music.

I just knew that I loved their version of the "Carol of the Bells". The performance was at the Air Canada Centre (home of the Maple Leafs hockey team) in downtown Toronto and our seats were on floor level, just to the right of centre ice if we were attending a Leafs' hockey game, row 21 - pretty close to the stage!

This photo is our pre-show view of the stage and some of the stage set that was suspended from the ceiling. The blue 'gear' which looked like jaws of an alien ship (at the bottom of the photo) rose to the ceiling to fit into the big 'V's'. At a couple of points in the show the big "Y" was lowered and the tail angled down to the stage so the band or singers could hop on board to sing and dance above us!

As with all bands today there were lasers and pyrotechnics and lots of loud, great music. What I loved was that their string section while performing in Toronto was from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra! The TSO performing with the TSO. Can you tell I loved the whole show?

We decided to make a night of it and stayed at "Victoria's Mansion", a guest house at 68 Gloucester St. I lived in a house right across the street when I first went to Toronto to go to Ryerson. How the neighbourhood has changed! I didn't recognize my old street - everything has been fixed up and it has become quite a desirable area. And good old Maple Leaf Gardens that I walked past every day to go to class is now a grocery store and sports facility owned by Ryerson!!

We found a really trendy looking restaurant just a block from the Mansion called The Brown Stone Bistro & Bar, another reclaimed older building with exposed brick walls and huge windows looking out onto the street. It was packed with people so it looked like a good bet for dinner and we were definitely not disappointed.

This was our room - the brick arch had been taken into the room from what would have been an upper level balcony. There was even a tiny frig, kettle, microwave and dishes for a quick breakfast or late night snack. The room rates were really good for downtown TO and we parked in their lot overnight for $10.00!! We were just two blocks north of Wellesley subway station and about 15 minutes walk from Yorkville and all the wonderful shops and restaurants.

I want to go back for my birthday to walk the old neigbourhood, Bloor Street, the Art Gallery of Ontario, The Textile Museum, The Bata Shoe Museum and and The ROM - if my feet will take it.....

So until next time keep stitching!!!

Festive issue has arrived!

2011-11-30T08:02:00.002-05:00

Last week the Festive issue of A Needle Pulling Thread arrived in the mail. It is full of wonderful projects and vibrant colour photos of each. If you go to the web site you can see a preview of this issue and ordering information if you don't already have a subscription. You can order single issues as well or if you look in your local book store you may find it there. Many fabric/quilting/needlework stores carry it as well.

There is a wonderful close-up of the Christmas balls on the web site in the preview. The graphs for each of the balls and directions for assembling each are included so you can have apparent seam-free decorations. Even the instructions for the ribbon trims have been included.

Also this week a wonderful couple of photos arrived from Kathy S. She made the little boy's suit from the pattern Infant Wardrobe I for a friend's grandson and monogrammed the breast pocket. What a lucky little guy and what a sweet child he is!!

It is so rewarding to see photos like these.

Another friend sent a photo of her grandson, Josh, wearing his Baby Boy's Smocked Bonnet. This actual bonnet is from the first version of the pattern. The current bonnet comes a bit lower over the ears. The bonnet would actually go together quite well with the suit for a cool-weather christening! Josh is now about three months old and growing so fast like all little boys!

I've been working on samples for the next semester's classes at Triangle Sewing Centre for Jan., Feb. and Mar. which will be posted to the web site as soon as possible. One of the new classes is for a "Kobo Kote/Kindle Kase" which can easily be enlarged for an iPad pouch, a Sony Reader or other techno gadget cover. We won't let on but they actually employ a bit of smocking. I've called it fabric manipulation as it doesn't involve conventional smocking. Have you figured it out yet?

So until next time do keep stitching........

Other sites to visit!

2011-11-19T07:45:00.000-05:00

We had our first dusting of snow yesterday morning and it was a shock to open the blinds to see all the white. Of course it was gone by lunch time as the temperature climbed and the sun rose. But it was a reminder of what is to come and that it is time to get ready - check out the windshield wiper fluid in the car and get the snow tires on the vehicles. One of these days we will have to deal with real snow but hopefully not for at least another month.

My friend Lisa Hawkes from New England has this wonderful web site, Pink Hollybush Designs. She began her business just over a year ago and it has been so exciting to watch her business grow. Lisa shops for her fabrics in New York City and takes care to only choose the finest quality goods. I just love her Mother-of-Pearl buttons as it is so hard to find them where I live. There is ivory Irish handkerchief linen and sumptuous silky pink silk dupioni - fabrics that are hard to find in Canada at this quality and price! You will find all sorts of interesting things when you visit Lisa's site.

Nancy Zieman is world famous for her TV program and mail order business which began back in 1979. But there is also a store, a retail location, Nancy's Notions, in Beaver Dam, WI where you can actually go and shop for all the things Nancy has made famous. They also hold classes!!

Last year before I started this blog I had a call from the store asking if they could order some of my Snowdrift patterns for a class. I was in shock to say the least to think that such a famous store wanted my patterns for a class. Well, once again I've had a call for more patterns as they had such great success last year, they are running the class again.

Now it isn't being held until January 16 of next year but we should all be planning ahead, right? So if you live within distance of Beaver Dam, WI, why not treat yourself to a class at this famous store?

Last summer I met a lovely lady in the manicure shop where we went to have out nails done for my daughter's wedding. While we were sitting under the nail dryer we got to talking, naturally. She told me about a group that she is involved with called Get Well Gang. These ladies knit or crochet hats for men, women and children undergoing cancer treatment. I've looked at their patterns, and having gone through chemo therapy, I can tell you the styling looks comfortable and stylish. If you have a desire to make a donation to this group or to make one of their hats for a friend who might be going through chemo therapy, believe me, there is a need. From my experience just keep in mind when choosing your yarn, it needs to be very soft to the touch and preferably hand washable. This is just one of their cloche hat patterns. You will make someone who is fighting this horrid disease so much more comfortable.

I hope you have found these web sites interesting and helpful.

So until next time, keep stitching.....

That Sewing Place

2011-11-06T14:58:00.002-05:00

This week I finally made it over to That Sewing Place on Bayview Ave., just one stop light south of Mulock in Newmarket! This new shop is owned and operated by Jaret Grimble and his sister, Liana Kirkey. I'm so sorry Liana was not in the day I was there to take these photos.

They have been open for a bit and are growing weekly! They carry Bernina and Brother machines and service all makes and brands. Now many of you will remember them from their mother's store, Evelyn's Sewing Centre. Well these two have struck out on their own since Evelyn retired to carry on the same high standard of service you were used to getting at their mom's shop.

Jaret & Evelyn coffee in hand!

Education is important to these two. You will be pleased to see the lineup of classes they have to offer and the number of notions grows and grows. If there is something you are looking for be sure to ask about it. They want to keep abreast of new things as well. And to my great surprise the prices were wonderful! So be sure to check them out whenever you can. I'm sure Evelyn will have the coffee on if she is in visiting!!

One of the things I was looking for the day I was in was a marker for dark fabrics. Liana showed me two. First was the Frixion marker. It comes with a nice fine point in many colours and can be removed with friction or heat. I immediately chose the lime green, one of my new favourite colours.....

Next was the Fons & Porter mechanical marking pencil which comes with additional leads. It comes in light or dark 'lead' and erases with white eraser. So you have a choice of two types and two price points depending on your needs.

We made one more trip to the cottage this week and although it was supposed to be nice all day, we drove into rain on the way up. It was quite cool and bleak with most of the leaves gone from the trees. I couldn't help but think of little suspended jewels though as we drove down the lane and saw the raindrops hanging from the bare branches. What do you think?

Winter is fast approaching and with it more indoor time for stitching It is definitely time to get your projects lined up for Christmas if you haven't already done so.

So until next time, keep stitching......

"Happy Hallowe'en!"

2011-10-31T10:28:00.000-04:00

Tonight there will be so many little people out and about, going door to door with cries of "Trick or Treat!" Sometimes they are so small you wonder how far they will be able to walk! It is always so much fun to see them in their costumes and hear their shy, little voices. I wonder what characters will appear at our door....

I always see loads of interesting Hallowe'en prints in the stores and never know what to do with them as I don't have any little ones at home to dress nor do I decorate the house any longer. But a friend sent a photo of her friend's grand daughter wearing the cutest little dress (smocked no less!) done in coordinating seasonal fabrics. The dress would be so easy to recreate but to top it off the little girl, Izzie, so just adorable.

There is a "spot" of smocking in the CF with a little black cat. You could use the cat from the Hallowe'en Ball Leaflet, 'Cats & Bats' in the Atelier of my web site. I know it is a just little late for this year but the Hallowe'en fabrics will all be on sale now and you could start planning something for next year!!

While the east coast of the United States and Canada were being deluged with a surprise snow storm Saturday, here in southern Ontario we were blessed with beautiful sunshine. It was a bit nippy I will admit, but on our way to Oshawa for a dinner party, we spotted many a diehard golfer out catching what might be one of the last games of their season!

Here is a sample of the colours still on the trees (on Sat.) in our backyard. We hold our breath as one day of good strong wind and these trees will be bare. We just hope that those who got all that snow and lost power will soon have it restored and have their lives back to normal.

So here is hoping you have a safe and happy night tonight!

Till next time, keep stitching.....

Creativfestival!

2011-10-23T13:33:00.000-04:00

Fri. it was my priveledge to spend the day demonstrating in the booth for 'A Needle Pulling Thread' magazine. So many wonderful ladies who stitched for their little ones and those who want to stitch for their grandchildren stopped by the booth to share their experiences and dreams. It certainly gives one a lift and loads of inspiration.

Here is Karen chatting with a couple of customers.

And here are two of the needle artists whose work has been featured. The lady with the dark hair, way over on the left hand side, is Carla, the heart and soul of the magazine! The pieces hanging on the back curtains are wither in the upcoming issue or the most recent one. Watch for the Festive issue which contains smocked Christmas balls to be released in the next couple of weeks.....

The Embroiderers' Association of Canada had a huge booth filled with the most intricate work! So many talented women!!

And here is my friend Lorna Rae of 'Blue Heron Stitchery' with just a few of the garments she made for the fashion show for the 'Sewing Workshop' pattern company. Lorna is a Custom Clothier out in Harrowsmith, ON just north of Kingston. She does incredible work.

The show was filled with wonderful booths and lots of people shopping their hearts out. I met up with a number of old friends that I had not seen in a couple of years and it was so good to hear what they all about what they were doing.

Next spring the show will be back but out at the International Centre where there is loads of free parking! Mark the dates, April 27 & 28 now so you can join us there.

I thought that none of my photos of the mist on the lake at sunrise Thanksgiving weekend had turned out. But lo and behold when they were downloaded, look what was there!

The lake was like glass - not a ripple on it and as the sun rose the colours became more brilliant. One day I will take up my paint brush once again and try to capture some of this beauty on canvas.

So until next time, keep stitching......

Fall has arrived!

2011-10-17T09:02:00.000-04:00

What a splendid Thanksgiving weekend we had here in Ontario! The temperatures were in the high 70's up at the cottage and we were stripped down to short sleeves for the outdoor work - chopping and stacking wood for the winter.

The noontime turkey dinner all went well and instead of having a big meal in the evening we had a wonderful selection of cheeses, crackers and fresh fruits. The sunsets were glorious and the cool temperatures overnight lent themselves to a fairy-like mist over the lake in the early mornings. The camera or perhaps the camera person just didn't get the right settings to capture it all adequately.

So taking advantage of the beautiful weather the following week I chose to photograph the next set of adaptions to the Infant Wardrobe outside on the stone walk. I'd like to say it was 'dappled' sunlight not just shade which sounds so ordinary.

It was the strawberry pin wale pique that inspired this set. The kilt and pants are from good "bottom weight" broadcloth. I used strips of bias cut pique to make the ruffles around the pockets and at the ankle to give them a playful look.

Then I added the same ruffles to the outer edge of the collar of the plain English Broadcloth shirt. The button placket was accented by a row of multiple zigzag stitching done with a triple needle threaded with red, green and red normal sewing thread. It tends to look like rick rack and is so easy to do!

Details make the difference and at the top of the back pleat I embroidered a little strawberry to act as the 'stay'. The collar, button placket and cuffs were edge stitched with red for additional colour.

Here is the back of the striped shirt. A bias-cut ruffle was used for the collar here and spot smocking added in the centre back and on either shoulder of the shirt front. Little strawberries were smocked and then a white border added. I cut the sleeves straight rather than tapered, lengthened them about 2" to allow for a ruffle and hem. Then they were smocked with two rows of simple two stem wave in white. I added little strawberries like the one on the plain shirt just above the smocking for another accent.

The shirts are interchangeable with the pants, kilt and jacket. Next job is to get these and more photos posted to the pattern on the web site.

I hope these photos will inspire you. I like to think of this pattern as the starting point for creativity. I'd love to see what you can do with this pattern!!

So until next time, keep stitching.....

Another version of Infant Wardrobe I

2011-09-26T08:54:00.000-04:00

My friend returned for Calgary with a couple of photos of her grandson in his new black denim suit. She created the Infant Wardrobe I in black denim and worked a few designs from Native art in brilliant colours of Pearle cotton on the back and pockets. She envisioned this little guy wearing the suit with a red cowboy hat and red cowboy boots but his parents nixed the idea completely. Parents can be such a bore and unimaginative!

So here is little Nathan with his Thunder Bird Jacket and matching pants.Unfortunately the colours in the photo just don't do the embroidery justice. The red,orange and green were rainbow true and they looked more like magenta and lime. His T-shirt in the second photo is better but not the electric orange he was wearing. Apparently he insisted on wearing his new suit to daycare the next day so I guess it was a hit with him and that is all that really matters.

Nathan has a new baby brother and here he is wearing the Baby Boy's Smocked Bonnet and an heirloom bib for which I can take no credit. What a cutie! Can't wait for him to grow a little bigger and for Grandma to make him a few more clothes for us to see!! I understand he is growing by leaps and bounds.

The fall issue of A Needle Pulling Thread is in bookstores now. There are so many beautiful projects in this issue, many of which would be good projects for Christmas gifts. But if there is nothing there this time, let me assure you that the Festive issue is soon going to press and it is packed with even more beautiful things. There will be smocked Christmas balls - a beginner, intermediate and advanced level designs - and many more projects for you to interpret as you like.

So often we see something that is not in our favourite medium. If you cross stitch and you see a quilting pattern, who says you can not re graph the design and stitch it? The magazine is all about creativity. Nothing would make Carla happier than to see photos of how you created from the magazine.

So until next time, keep stitching......

Fall coming in fast

2011-09-13T10:39:00.000-04:00

The other day a friend sent me a note about iron cleaning and I thought, yes, how timely. With everyone getting back to sewing and probably getting their sewing room back in order, we tend to clean up whatever creative messes we've developed over the summer. Our irons are such work horses and too often we neglect their care. Every iron has it's own set of rules about cleaning the water tanks but cleaning the face is not at all hard and only takes a minute.

If we let our iron develop a build-up of craft glue or adhesive from iron-on products or just plain old spray starch these gunky gooey things can transfer to our clean, new fabrics and make a real mess! There are a number of products on the market with which you heat the iron to cotton or higher and simply wipe the face with a cloth loaded with cleaner. Be sure to clean the sides of the face and the holes of the steam vents. When the iron is cool it is a good idea to wipe it again with a damp cloth to be sure there is no residue from the cleaner.

I have used a cleaner from Dritz for years and there is an excellent one on the market from Rowenta in kit form that even includes the cleaning cloths!

Another area that needs attention is our iron board covers. They get just as dirty and I have cut up some white cotton sheets (we don't have twin beds for the kids any longer) to pin firmly over my ironing board cover. When scorch marks or any spots start to show, it is just a snap to whip one off and replace it with a fresh clean one. I want to experiment with making lavender water to spritz on my ironing board so everything smells wonderful - anything to make ironing and pressing more enjoyable!

One of the ladies who attended the Workshop last summer out in Westport, ON sent me a photo of her finished gown.

Yea, Judi!! Well done! It is so great to hear back from students when they finish a project, no matter how long it takes.

We did a lot of technique on the sleeves of technique on the sleeves of my pattern, "Autumn Leaves" in this class. The pattern front shows an heirloom view in pink and we elaborated on that view.

Another lady sent a photo of her granddaughter wearing the "Little Breeze" pattern which she had made in a class this spring. It would make such a cute jumper for fall in a very fine corduroy, teamed with a little coordinating turtleneck T-shirt, don't you think?

I absolutely love the fabric she has chosen for this gown and I understand the dolly's version may be in the works. Let's hope so, so we can see them together.

Smocking on a print is not always easy but she has chosen her colours well and the stitching is not lost in the print. Note that she has also outlined the armhole bands with pink rickrack. Great touch!

Well, I just have to share with you, once again, a couple of photos of the sunset from up at the lake. This year we have been blessed with such spectacular mornings and evening - the weather has not always been spectacular to match though. The season is drawing to an end so I hope these haven't been boring for you. (And by the way I haven't altered the colours. I found a sunset setting on my camera that captures those fantastic colours.)

Going


Going

Gone

So until next time keep stitching.....

Casting on with Jean Greenhowe....

2011-08-29T06:26:00.001-04:00

This past week one of my friends dropped in to get some help with her sewing machine. She brought with her some of her work and I just had to share these photos with you!

Lynn is becoming renowned for her needlework in yarn. The number of first prize ribbons for her knitting and crocheting keeps growing year after year and she is now becoming a judge for the local fair.

Here are some photos of the little Jean Greenhowe dolls that she makes. She sent me these details on the dolls along with their pictures. They are all made with double knitting yarn; the scarecrow figures are about 13” tall and the other dolls are about 15 to 17” tall. "They are what I call a “soft toy” as there are no wires or buttons involved. Perfect for a hug or just tucking under a chubby little arm."

I can't tell you how sweet and charming they are. She said each doll takes about a week to make and when you see the detail it is no wonder. All the parts are stitched down so you can not lose a hat or pantaloons. I know how to knit so I can appreciate the quality of each of these little people. I am thinking that perhaps I should purchase a couple in anticipation of a grandchild in the next few years....

If you are interested in contacting Lynn, let me know and I will put you in touch with her. I am sure she would ship them to anyone who was interested and they are light as a feather so it wouldn't be that expensive to do so.

So until next time, keep stitching!!

This 'N That...

2011-08-22T11:55:00.000-04:00

It has suddenly turned fall-like! The blue jays and crows are heard calling most days and I spied a small flock of geese passing overhead early one morning in formation! Practicing no doubt for that long flight south. The mornings are decidedly cooler but the days are still wonderfully warm thank goodness. And of course the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) has opened. Every year it signals the end of summer and when it ends on Labour Day, school begins the following day.

We were driving to Orillia the other weekend and I convinced my husband to stop so I could photograph these signs at this little shop along the way.

They have coffee, deli meats, the biggest and best stuffed olives (blue cheese or jalapeno pepper to mention two kinds), desserts to die for, old fashioned candies and lots of really interesting 'stuff'. But what I love the most is the parking sign:

I'm thinking of getting one of these made up for our cottage parking lot!!

There was the most unusual sunrise the other morning at the lake. We face the west and to see the sky all pink and reflected on the water was amazing. Contrary to the old farmers' saying, "Red sky in the morning, sailers' warning" it didn't rain.

Equally beautiful and amazing was one of the sunsets that weekend. the tree branches just wouldn't get out of the way and the sun kept moving so this was the best I could get. It reminded me so the the "eye" in the movie series, Lord of the Rings. There was an eye-like slit in the cloud cover through which a brilliant circle of white light was emitting its rays and these in turn were reflected on the water. It lasted only a very few minutes and was gone and dark!

Erika and I have been working hard over the past couple of weeks. She showed me how to create smocking graphs using Adobe Illustrator and so I have been practising. And now the new fall schedules have been updated and will be posted as soon as possible.

I am anxious to get a few more things out of the way and get on with some new work.

So until next time, keep stitching......

Setting in sleeves

2011-08-04T07:59:00.000-04:00

Although the new pattern, Infant Wardrobe I, says you can use light weight denim, Patricia ran into a problem when making the jacket for her two year old grandson. This little guy lives out in Calgary, home of the world famous Calgary Stampede. Patricia envisioned the boy's view made up in sporty black denim with brilliant colours of native embroidery and set off with a T shirt, cowboy hat and boots. All went well until she went to set in the sleeves.

All patterns have limitations and a designer can not predict how every fabric will react. I want you to think beyond the Christening outfit and be creative. Don't be afraid to be challenged. There is always a solution.

The denim plus the lining proved rather bulky and the results were more like a puff sleeve which might have been fine for a little girl but not the tailored look she had planned.

So she brought it to me and asked what do I do now? The jacket was finished - buttons, buttonholes and embroidery all in tact - she didn't want to ruin it after all that work.

It was obvious to us both that there was simply too much fabric at this combined weight of denim and lining to allow the sleeve to fit smoothly into the armhole - so - a trim was needed!

By shaving three eighths of an inch from the cap and tapering it to nothing at the notches the amount of fabric would be reduced significantly and the angle of the sleeve in the garment only slightly altered. The notches were transferred to the new cutting line. The gathering threads would have been put in place again at one quarter inch and one half inch but I was not going to remove the whole sleeve from the jacket! If you were starting fresh that would be imperative but I knew that a technique from tailoring would work well in this case.

With this technique, you divide an area in half and pin. Then divide that area in half and pin. You keep doing this until you have no more room to place a pin or the fullness is used up. On the left you can see how the notch and the shoulder seam have been matched up and the area to the left has begun to be divided and pinned. On the right you can see my hands dividing the area to pin. Or you can fold the fabric in half, lining up the last two pins to find the centre of the sleeve and armhole. This is more accurate in the beginning when you are working with a large area. As you get down to less fullness you can see how much fullness you have to divide and pin.

Here you see the sleeve pinned in place. There is no more room for any more pins because of the bulkiness of the fabric. Next I hand basted the sleeve in place. Yes, hand basted! with a back stitch to get the most control. Back stitched because I had to use stitch that I could 'pick and poke' to get the gathers eased out. Had I gone to the trouble of putting in the gathering threads once again, I could have pulled them up and eased the fullness further. But I didn't, so hand basting was imperative! And I might say it worked perfectly.

So here you can see the finished seam and how I am easing in the fullness of the raw edge as I overcast with a zigzag stitch. I used a trolley needle to hold the gathered down and in place as the fabric passed under the machine foot. When the seam allowance is pressed into the sleeve it acts as a support for the sleeve cap and helps it to sit properly.

Oh, but you are not finished yet! Setting the finished sleeve with a bath of steam is important. Steam works best as you won't have any shine from the iron. If you don't have a tiny sized pressing ham or the sleeve won't fit over the end of you sleeve board, create a ball-shaped support from a towel or a couple of washcloths. This needs to be pretty firm though so it may take a bit of 'finaggling' to get something to fit into the sleeve cap area. If the jacket had been made of wool the sleeve could be set with steam alone and all fullness worked out. But with cotton denim (which stretches!) a good bath of steam with the support to shape it all will work well. Remember that it is a child's garment and will be washed often so don't over stress yourself! I just have a tendency to want perfection.

So here you can see the finished product. I think you will agree it looks much better and Patricia was happy with the results.

Every fabric is a learning experience and I can hardly wait to see the photos of this little guy all decked out in his Western version of the Infant Wardrobe. I will post photos as soon as she send them so watch here in the next couple of weeks.

Until next time then - you know the drill - keep stitching!!!!

More wedding photos

2011-08-02T14:49:00.001-04:00

People keep asking for more photos of the wedding. We still don't have the photographer's photos - just the proofs. So here are some that we and friends have taken.

Robyn, one of her bridesmaids and I went for French manicures as a treat two days before the wedding at a spa on the outskirts of Ottawa. I have never seen such a large establishment! There were 15 stations for nails, plus 3 stations for French manicures, plus 2 - 3 stations that accommodated 4 people for drying nails, + a separate room with 10 stations for acrylic nails, + rooms for tanning, waxing and massage! To my surprise, about half the technicians were men but it is my understanding that in Vietnam boys start training as early as age 7. I was impressed. The price was quite reasonable and the manicure lasted nearly two weeks!

The Salon/Spa

So let's jump to the day of the wedding.

We were staying at a Bed and Breakfast, The Old Burnside, just a short drive from Almonte, ON which was the site of the wedding. The mansion was circa 1840 and simply incredible. I invite you to check it out on line: <www.oldburnsidebedandbreakfast.com> It is so picturesque being situated on the backs of the Mississippi River (no, not the big one!) the food was fabulous and we had the whole place to ourselves the night before and after the wedding. Robyn had two rooms on the second floor - one for sleeping in which was "gianormous" and a second one for her and her maids to dress. We had the third floor all to ourselves.

I admit that we were the tradition 15 minutes late getting to the location. But this area is like the Bermuda Triangle of GPS and the photographer got lost finding the Mill as he was using his. It was only a 5 minute drive but he ended up somewhere else and so the ceremony was about 45 minutes late starting. As a result everyone was getting somewhat sunburned!

So here is the Bride on the arm of her Father starting down the path to the ceremony.

The Bride and Groom about to take their vows.....

Who gives this Bride to be wed?

Ceremony over and they are about to leave as Husband and Wife....

Look at all those beautiful wild flowers and the line up of maids of honour

Mom and Dad with two of the Attendants behind.....

It's over and now the fun can begin!

Older brother Paul, Robyn, Mom and Dad

Mr & Mrs Bent Gellerich!

Last but not least, cutting the cake at midnight.....

What a perfect day and evening. They both had to work for part of the week following the ceremony but took a couple of days at Le Chateau Montebello near Montreal for a much needed rest. (Check it out on line - it is quite an historical place! <www.fairmont.com/Montebello>) Then they flew to New York for the U2 concert and then on to the Caribbean for their honeymoon. Bent kept it a total secret as to where they were going until they went in the airport and security asked where they were going.

Reality has now set in as the honeymoon couple have returned home to work and school. We heard from them on the weekend and they sounded well rested and ready to 'begin the rest of their lives together' - just like they say on the soaps.

So now it is back to reality and work for me as well.
Enjoy your summer and keep stitching!! Until next time.....

What a hot week!

2011-07-24T08:38:00.000-04:00

It has been a record breaking week this past week for temperatures here with extreme heat warnings. Nothing like the southern states, of course, but 118 degrees F with humidity factored in, for us, is not to be sneezed at. At least it cools of at night and won't last much longer. There are how many days till Christmas?

The first interpretation of the "Infant Wardrobe I" has just come in. Lynn B has made it up in the 11 lb, size, in pink broadcloth solid and coordinating gingham with a pink batiste shirt - very girly!

Lynn chose to clean line the jacket in the same easy-care poly/cotton broadcloth as the jacket was cut and bound the edges with bias gingham broadcloth.

She used the same bias to edge the solid pockets on the pants and used the solid pink broadcloth for the front waistband.

By leaving the pockets off the jacket there is no competition with the pant pockets. The old adage, less is more, works well when the outfit is all together.

Note how she has smocked the shirt collar and edged it in lace!Such a pretty touch! She rounded the corners of the collar to give it a softer look. Again she has used the bias gingham to finish the neckline so everything ties in together perfectly.

Lynn said she increased the width of the sleeves a bit to smock the wrists as batiste requires a higher ratio of the pleats for smocking.

I love what she has done with the tam - gingham for the upper portion and headband and solid for the underside. That jaunty ribbon bow just sets if off.

What a great job, Lynn. Thank you so much for sharing this with us all!!

Pictures of the wedding are beginning to come in so I will post a couple more in the next post as you have requested.

Until then keep stitching!

The party's over....

2011-07-15T08:25:00.000-04:00

The Event of the Year for the Marquis and Gellerich families was held at the Mill of Kintail just north of Almonte, ON on July 9. And oh, we had such a beautiful day! A perfect day!! The sun shone with temperatures in the mid 20's C and there was a light breeze wafting through the trees at the cloisters.

It had been a whirlwind week leading up to Saturday as the bridal couple had chosen to do most of the wedding prep themselves. We loaded jelly beans into organza bags and tied them to wine decanters for guest favours late one night. I just couldn't resist taking a picture of the pile of little bags; they looked so pretty.

We folded, stacked, printed, tested sound equipment, cut fruit and cheeses, set up tables in the marquis tent, made up the place cards, set battery powered candles in little white paper bags and small pillar candles in sand in mason jars (a M.S. touch that worked so well). We laughed and cried over the course of the week and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning too many nights!

All the bridal party and many of their friends showed up and worked really hard the night of the rehearsal and the morning of the wedding to be sure everything was perfect for the outdoor reception. Here are the parents and sister of the groom at the rehearsal night BBQ at their farm (also the reception site).

Of course, my camera battery died just as Robyn was donning her gown so the rest of these photos are gifts from family.

Bent and his Mom


Robyn and her Dad on their way down the aisle

Robert, Brittany (our youngest niece) and me - all in matching blues!

So many of you have asked about my dress. It was made by Angela Anistakis and was a bamboo and Lycra knit which Angela beaded around the neckline. She made a matching triangular stole which came in very handy later in the evening when the fireworks were set off! I made a little drawstring bag of the same fabric and beaded the base to coordinate with the dress beading. The fabric is very stretchy but it drapes beautifully and was wonderfully cool to wear. The skirt flared perfectly so that it had that 'kick' at the hem. I wanted something very simple but elegant (to show off my 45 pound loss) and I think Angela succeeded.

I will close for today and when I get more photos I will post a few - but not too many to bore you!

Till next time then, keep stitching!

Embroidering Bridal Hankies

2011-06-16T16:53:00.001-04:00

It's been an intense week and a half as I created monogrammed hankies for my daughter's wedding. When I asked her if she would like me to make her a special bridal hanky, she came back with a resounding yes and a plea for hankies for each of her attendants. Then I got the bright idea of making one as a memento for the groom's mother as well.

So it was off to my embroidery books and a serious look at alphabets and the rules about monograms. There was actually a section on hankies in one book from my shelves and they are usually about an inch high! Pretty small and since I don't like doing padded satin stitch I chose to work them in shadow embroidery.

Next it was to the fabric stash to search for suitable fabric. I found the perfect Pima Cotton Lawn and started pulling threads for perfect squares. I practised each of the initials to be sure they would work and adjusted each one, adding curlicues and details. Initially I had wanted to add colour and pulled the palest of pink, mauve, blue and green but once I saw the test samples, I opted for simple, elegant white.

I like to work shadow embroidery from the back using the herringbone stitch. I was sure I had some white floche in with my specialty threads but no luck. So again I experimented with all the different threads I had on hand and ended up with regular stranded cotton. I drew out the initials, scanned them into the computer and then used the mirror image feature to reverse them. With the fabric loaded in my hoop and a fine point fading marker, it was easy to trace the fine lines for stitching. I took one evening to do each initial. I had forgotten how satisfying shadow embroidery can be. Working the spacing for the stitches is like a tiny, wee puzzle!

With the hand embroidery done, it was time to add lace insertion and edging. Now I turned to the sewing machine and used a simple blanket stitch and #120 needle to attach the lace. My machine handles this beautifully without adding a stabilizer other than spray starch. I mitred the corners of the insertion and gathered the lace edge to turn the corners of the soft lace edgings. (I think that makes them look more feminine.)

Just before they were finished, I remembered about dating special things like bridal gowns, Christening gowns and naturally bridal hankies! Back to the think tank! I chose to work the date in numbers with a colonial knot in between. To work the digits, I chose a very, very tiny continuous chain stitch and positioned the date along the side of the lace insertion, in the opposite corner from the monogram so it would not be too conspicuous.

So here are three of the finished hankies.

For some reason mauve seems to be appearing in my gardens right now this spring. The sage and poppies are both blooming at the same time. (And oh, the sage does have a lovely scent! I see why the bees are so attracted.) Nature so often exhibits colour schemes that we wouldn't come up with ourselves and here is a perfect example! It is doubtful that I would ever choose a vibrant orange leaning to red to put with a pinkie mauve but look how wonderfully they go together here. The green of the grass and foliage make it all work. And then here is the ornamental lilac tree we planted last spring. What a show it made and again the scent was wonderful every time you passed by.

Believe it or not, I do sometimes take time out to socialize! Last weekend I met with five of my school mates, three of whom I have known since first grade! Here we dining in Lindsay, ON at Pane Vino, a fairly new Wine Bar at the east end of Kent St. on the north side. The angled parking can be a bit tricky but there is no charge in the evening!
I chose a pasta dish with shrimp and a fresh salad. Oh it was divine! and the espresso I chose in place of dessert just hit the spot!! I do highly recommend dinner in this tiny gem of a restaurant but be sure to make a reservation as the seating is limited and always busy!

Overall we haven't aged a bit but can you guess who doesn't colour her hair?

So until next time, do keep stitching!

Infant Wardrobe I - Special Occasion Dressing now ready to ship!

2011-06-08T10:18:00.000-04:00

At long last all the parts are here and assembled, folded and stuffed ready to ship! It will be delivered to my distributor on Fri. You can order from the Amberlane web site or from Grace L. Knott at the moment. The stores won't have it for a while but do be sure to go in and request it!! Erika is working furiously to get everything on the web site updated and the photos of this pattern posted in the Atelier.

I've spent this week folding the large pattern sheets as there are no machines that will do this to the size needed to fit the envelope so it is with weary shoulders that I write the post. It has taken what seems forever to reach this point. I did 99% of this pattern on the computer so this is another another personal milestone. (And I continue to fold...) The little suit that was shown in Sew Beautiful last year has come a long way and I hope you will like what has evolved.

This is the little jacket and dress pants as they were photographed for the magazine. At the time I couldn't find a mock turtle T-shirt to put with it and the magazine staff didn't have time to go looking either. I was amazed that they found a baby to wear the suit! Anyhow, the little boy is wearing a matching hat from my pattern, "The Baby Boy's Smocked Bonnet".

Two weeks ago I met with my designer friend, Angela, and we travelled down to the fabric district in downtown Toronto to shop for the fabric for my dress for the wedding. We found the fabric in one of her favourite stores, Queen Textiles (at 444 Queen St. W.). Although they have the shelves chalk-a-block full to overflowing, fabrics like I was looking for are tucked away in another part of the building where they are kept in pristine condition. I chose a royal blue bamboo knit so it drapes well, is 'environmentally friendly', incredibly soft, cool to wear (bamboo breathes) and has 'give' to make it comfortable to wear. All important factors for a July wedding!

Here are the two ladies from the shop and more of their fabrics.

That done, we spent the remaining time looking for just the right beads to trim the neckline and wrist. Angela's specialty is beading so I can hardly wait to see what she creates. Here she is examining some of the incredible embroidered silks. Fri. I have my first fitting! It is all so exciting. Yes, I will post photos of the dress and the wedding when we return!!

One of my students, Lynn B, entered a number of her garments in the Schomberg fair this spring and won 10 first place prizes, 2 second and 2 third place prizes! (Here in Canada, first place is a red ribbon and second is blue.) The dresses shown are all from the Grace Knott bishop patterns. Congratulations, Lynn, for work well done!

And this one will go on to be displayed in the craft room at the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies Convention in Toronto, Feb. 2012!! I am so proud of Lynn.

So for now I will leave you and get back to folding those large pattern sheets. They simply can not live in my dining room and there are no more places large enough left to store them. Wish me luck as it is going to be a fabulous week weather-wise and it will be just too tempting to play hooky.

So until next time, keep stitching!!!

The Pink Truffle Collection

2011-05-18T15:49:00.001-04:00

"The Pink Truffle Collection" is on display at The Art Exchange on Wortley Road, London, ON. Up until now I have not been able to show the Collection due to contract restrictions. But now that they are on display in the gallery at long last I can show you what I was working on over the winter!

If you go to their web site you can see the exhibit, "The Fabric of Art". Simply click on one of the photographs and a slide show will come up of that artist's work. There are some really amazing pieces on display and for sale during the exhibit. The Fabric of Art closes on June 4th. I have been promised photos of the installation and if they come through, I will post them here.

This is the first time I have entered into an art gallery show and I have certainly learned a great deal.

So this past weekend we opened the cottage. It was so warm on Fri. evening that we had the sliding doors to the deck open until 10 p.m. - we haven't been able to do that at home. Well it didn't last long! The next morning it was cold again and raining so I worked indoors to get the place ready for summer. Of course, as we were about to leave on Sun. the sun came out. I caught a photo of one of the trilliums we planted a couple of years ago. I thought if we planted some they would multiply but so far no luck. The woods behind us were carpeted in them but it wasn't fit to take pictures. If they are still in bloom next time we are up there, I will take more photos. The trillium is Ontario's provincial flower and comes in pink and red but white is the most common colour. In fact I am not sure I have ever seen a red trillium!

While I am waiting for the printer to deliver the new pattern, I'm working on Christmas ornaments for A Needle Pulling Thread Magazine. The deadline is June 1st so I have some heavy duty stitching and writing to do to be ready for that date! As is normal, I will be submitting a beginner, an intermediate and an advanced level design. We shall see what space Carla has and, if she approves of the submission, then I will let you know the publication date.

It is great fun to create Christmas balls any time of the year as they are small items and can go with you to the hockey rink or the soccer field. They make a great medium to try new stitches, techniques and fibers. And you can make some amazing decorations with fabric you would never wear. So watch for more information.

My friend Angela and I have started on my dress for Robyn's wedding. This week we are going down to Queen Street to look for the fabric. With my silver hair, I am hoping to find a rich royal blue which should also be slimming. Last week we worked out the design and did a pin fitting. Angela was couturier trained in Europe and had a bridal wear business for years. Now she teaches at Seneca college. Her specialty is beading so I am eager to see what she has in mind for my gown.

So until next time, keep stitching!

Time flies.....

2011-05-01T12:29:00.000-04:00

Not to sure where time flies to, but I've been busy and realize it has been quite a while since I've posted here.

Chef Bent hard at work with his sous chef

We spent Easter in Ottawa with family and when we arrived found Robyn coping with emergency pumps and hoses draining a basement flooded with 2 feet of water. Bent was out tracking down a new sump pump! Needless to say it was not a great start to the weekend and we didn't have time to work on wedding plans. But our celebration dinner was magnificent thanks to Bent's creativity and his mother taught us their German tradition with coloured hard boiled eggs Sunday morning.

Did you watch the Royal Wedding? I was up at 4:20 a.m. (a bit later than planned as coverage on one of our stations began at 3 a.m.! I'm not that crazy, though.)

The bride, The Duchess of Cambridge's gown was so beautiful and classic. When they showed a picture of Princess Grace's gown you could see the influence. Since Alexander McQueen was one of my favourite English designers, I was thrilled that his 'house' had been responsible. (I was in his shop, and Vivian Westwood's as well, last time I was in London. They were just amazing!) I was just a bit disappointed with her veil as it seemed a bit limp but Kathe explains why.

My friend, Kathe, sent these details from her post in England:

The Royal School created Carrickmacross, an Irish lace, appliques of English roses, Scottish thistles, Irish shamrocks and Welsh daffodils which were applied to French Chantilly lace for the bodice. The lace at the hem was Cluny  and the veil was silk tulle which is very soft. Like you I loved her dress....she sure promotes British fashion as did the guests.

We were both glued to our sets soaking up all the details. The couple is like a breath of fresh air to the Royal family. The wedding party and parents looked perfect and all those hats! I was taking note of many of the details with our daughter's wedding approaching this July. Can't wait till they visit Canada later this year.

We've got a new member of the family it seems. This is the first time we've had a bunny come to visit regularly! Just after Easter this little fellow appeared in the back of our yard and as he grew more sure of himself, he worked his way down to the bird feeder. He spent most of the evening 'grazing' along with the mourning doves and other birds. He was back again yesterday afternoon in broad daylight sunning himself until Bob went out to cut the grass.

I just hope he doesn't decide to set up shop and devour our asparagus when it begins to sprout!

 I received photos from The Northwest Smocking Arts Guild in Everett, WA this week. These wonderful ladies had permission from Carla at A Needle Pulling Thread to use the article from the Spring 2007 issue. I designed these Easter Eggs specifically for the magazine. Fourteen members participated and they created Easter eggs.

So here are their photos. Do enjoy!

The ladies and their finished eggs!

Here are some of the garments from their library display. Love the mannequins.

Hard at work.

More garments displayed.


A finished Easter Basket

Since I heard from Joy at the Washington Guild I've had another lady from Huntsville, ON enquire about doing the Easter Eggs as a class project. It is always so rewarding to hear that all the work that goes into a magazine article like this creates interest and provides success to others where ever you live.

Thank you, Joy, for sharing your wonderful photos.

So until next time. keep stitching!

Back at work again.....

2011-04-13T08:57:00.000-04:00

I've been away from my computer and now I'm home again and ready to get back to work.

The class in Cayuga last weekend was a lot of fun and certainly kept me on my toes! These ladies are seasoned smockers and heirloom sewers so the challenge here was to present the pattern Summer Breeze in both modes and to show them alternate ways of working it.

We discussed how to fit the pattern which by the way is very easy but you might need help to see the back and do some pinning. Everyone's body is unique and although there are measurements given to help you to choose your size, a person can have a narrow back but large bust so there may need to be some adjustments made. I suggest cutting out the armhole bands and fitting them first. The shoulder seam should be on the shoulder and the band should fall naturally to that it is not too high or be too narrow under the arms in width. You might find through doing this test that you need to lengthen or shorten or add or subtract width in the under arm area. That is easily done. Then you need to check the width between the bands in the front and in the back. Compare this measurement to the measurement in the pattern instructions for letting out the pleating to smock. This does not include any seam allowance.

We also discussed how to reduce the amount of fullness in the skirt. May people have said they don't like such a full skirt. The easiest way to do this is to either use a design plate that takes less fullness (by employing stitches like the Vandyke) or strip smocking or one of the styles of smocking like Lattice or Lozenge or Flower smocking. If you are making the heirloom version it is very easy to reduce the fullness of the front and back panels to one and a half times fullness. Another way would be to smock only the front and make the bodice band used in the heirloom version on the back of the smocked version. That way the skirt is simply gathered onto the band and you can make it as slim as you wish. As I say there are so many ways to make this gown!!

Cayuga is on the banks of the Grand River which meanders its way though the most lovely rolling country side. My hostess, Betty, lives on a property which also overlooks the river. When I rose on Sat. morning, I was treated to the most magnificent sunrise. The horizon was glowing pink which faded into purple and then into blue. There had been a frost overnight and there was a mist rising from the ground. I took a photo from my window but as with any sunrise or sunset the chances of capturing the full beauty is chancy.

Fri night three of the ladies from the Guild and I dined at at restaurant called the Twisted Lemon. The building had been a church at one point in time but there was no evidence of that any longer. The place was packed which was a good sign as Cayuga is not a huge town. Our meals were beautifully presented, the menu was exciting and the food was melt in your mouth delicious! I had the salmon which was cooked to perfection and topped off my meal with coffee and a chocolate mousse with fresh berries that was wonderfully rich and rewarding. I left the restaurant feeling mellow and only slightly guilty.

The class was held in the Cayuga Mutual Insurance building on King St. The building a fairly new and the insurance company had a special room put in for community meetings. This facility is more than any guild could hope for. It is huge with excellent lighting, Lots of large meeting tables and comfortable chairs, a fully equipped kitchen through a door, washrooms, storage closets where different groups can store their equipment and lots of power outlets around the perimeter. I've never seen such wonder facilities offered at such a great price which included adequate free parking and no stairs! Don't you wish more large companies could see their way to donating to the community this way.

Of course I didn't think to check the batteries in my camera before I left home and they were very very low but I was also so absorbed in the class that I forgot to take photos to show you what the ladies were doing. If anyone remembers to send me a few photos, I promise to post them for you to see.

My goodness I've gone on for a bit! I'll leave you now and hope you are busy stitching.

Till next time, then.....

Potpourri of thoughts

2011-03-27T08:31:00.000-04:00

As you can see I've been playing around with the blog settings and getting bolder about trying a couple of new things. Technology just keeps on going and it is hard to keep up and harder still to find the time to learn all this new stuff. Did you get your new IPad this week? I bought a new printer/scanner/fax recently and try as I did I couldn't get it to scan and print the size of paper I needed. So I finally gave in and called the help line to finish the set up. The technician (who was based in Montreal) was great and so patient with me. Now I am set to go - once I get the right paper!!

At one of the classes this week we talked about preparing a project ahead and smocking it later. One lady had come with this in mind and was preparing to make up 'Little Breeze' in a combination of View A and View B - the turn-down ruffled edge with the coloured panels and picot hem.

Her plan is to have a number of garments partially constructed and ready to smock so that when she goes to the cottage in a few months she can sit and sew in the warm sun on her deck to stitch . We talked about many different way of doing this pattern and, being a quilter first, she has a wealth of fabrics in her stach just waiting to be employed. You could just see the wheels of creativity whirlling as we talked about all the things she could do and combine. I can hardly wait till next week to see what she has chosen and how these prints work together!

This is the kind of creativity I just love to see and she has promised to let me photograph her project to share with you.

You don't have to limit yourself to simply sitting on the deck to stitch. If you are taking a road trip and don't get car sick, you can often manage a bit of handwork in the car. I know the roads to our cottage so well I could practially drive them with my eyes closed (not). I can get a hem stitched or facing sewn in place easily and feel I've accomplished a great job before I even get there.

In preparation a long flight I know ladies who prepare a small project, precut their flosses and bring along a thread snip (the kind that looks like a pendant) so they don't have to carry scissors. Again you can get a lot done in an airport or on a flight and never be bored. You might want to put everything into a needle 'book' made of felt. Your threads will cling to the felt and stay tidier than in a tin or zippered case. And do include a needle threader. No matter how good your eyes are a threader will allow you to thread up those tiny eyes more easily if the ride gets a bit bumpy. Do include a number of pre-thread needles to get you going. Don't forget your laying tool for grooming those stitches if you are smocking.

The tam to the new pattern went together in a flash - no mare than 45 minutes from layig out the fabric and tracing off the pattern to finished hat. Now it is on to finishing the text, illustrations and more sample garments in a second size range. I have two fabrics that have been begging to be used, one with strawberries and the other with little bumble bees. Their time has come. They now have coordinating fabrics for the additional pieces so I will try to get something ready for photography as quickly as possible.

So until next time, keep stitching.....

Spring is offially here - I think

2011-03-22T16:09:00.000-04:00

According to the the weatherman, Spring arrived Sunday evening. Monday morning I woke to rain and the birds singing their hearts out. This is something we haven't heard for months. The robins are back as well as the mourning doves and today we saw our cardinal at the bird feeder. She is just too skittish to capture on film. But don't put away your winter boots if you live in Ontario - we are expecting snow again on Wed. We all keep asking - will it ever end?

We drove to Acton, ON Saturday to attend The Ontario Woodlot Association AGM. We drove there and home by country roads and found it was a very interesting journey with the sun shining brilliantly all day. We left here at 8 a.m. and took what the GPS said was the shortest route. "Betsy" was mistaken but we saw new territory and many beautiful country homes. We came home our usual route and made slightly better time!

Although the country side still looks very drab, matted and brown there is now and underlying hue of soft green coming through. Most of the streams and rivers are swollen and running free - we even saw several fellows out fishing near the Holland Marsh! Not sure what you would fish for at this time of year but there they were. We also noted that many of the trees were taking on a yellow-green tinge as well. So they will soon be breaking into bud.

This is the first woodlot meeting we have attended and I certainly learned a great deal. Our cottagers' Association has a membership and we attended as representatives. I learned about controlled burns and how they renew the forest and grasslands. Many times vegetation returns to what it has been years before as seeds that were buried beneath debris are freed to germinate and grow. Some undesirable species, though, are made stronger with this technique so it isn't full-proof. And here I always thought that fire was the biggest enemy of the forest.

Another speaker had been to Easter Island. He told us about how the people who had settled the island many, many centuries ago had depleted the forest and how this had been their downfall. Very briefly put, his point to us was that we, as members of the human race, need to be very thoughtful in terms of our environment, how we use it, abuse it and care for it. We should be thinking ahead by generations not just where the next dollar can be made. Funny how it all relates back to simple things like keeping our woodlot thriving.

There were several other speakers but I won't bore you with their topics. I went just to keep my husband company but I think I have become sufficiently interested to go again next time to learn more.

I've been sewing when possible between all the other things that have happened this week (the wedding couple were here for four days) but haven't accomplished a great deal it seems. Here is the boy's jacket over the girl's shirt and kilt. Just have to make up the tam now and I will have the full set done as a white Christening outfit for boy or girl.

So here are the two versions - girls' with the ruffled shirt and kilt and the boys' with the pants and bow tie. I skipped the buttons and buttonholes on the jacket so it would do for both. But on the kilt I did make it so it could lap for a girl or for a boy. All that is missing is the kilt pin and a flower or bow at the neckline.

This is just the stepping-off point for this little pattern. There is just so much you can do with it so I better get on with it, right?, so you can start creating and sewing with it too!! On that note I will close and return to writing.

So till next time.....

I've been busy sewing!

2011-03-13T11:43:00.000-04:00

Well, this weekend we've moved the clocks forward for daylight savings but Spring sure doesn't look any closer! It has precipitated every day for the whole of last week -waffling between rain and snow. The only good thing is that is has no accumulated. I haven't any right to moan about things here when conditions in Japan are so terrible. I turned on the news channel as I normally do at 5:30 a.m. the day of the quake and could not believe what I was seeing! The video of the tsunami was on every channel and it just didn't look real. I am still in disbelief. My heart goes out to everyone there who has lost family or homes and everything. May those who are left be safe now and may there be no more quakes or disasters over there so people can begin recovering.

This week I began stitching another set of samples for the pattern, The Infant Wardrobe I. These pieces are for a white Christening Ensemble and I used the white 100% cotton Ottoman that I found in Fabricland. (I haven't seen Ottoman fabric for decades so I snatched the remainder of the bolt!) It washed up perfectly and because I wanted the ribs going the length of the garments, cheated and cut them with the crosswise grain running lengthwise. These are baby garments and since the fabric washed so well I have no fear in doing so. The fabric looks a bit like grosgrain ribbon as the rib is fairly fine. Next I chose Swiss satin batiste for the jacket lining and the boy's shirt. I wanted to try clean lining the jacket as my first test had made use of the facing pieces. But when a friend said she hates making anything with facings it started bells ringing. So in the pattern you will have a chose of construction methods.

Here is the full suit. I've tacked a bow tie at the neck but I'm not sure it is the right size so will have to look at that a bit more carefully. There are no buttons or buttonholes on this jacket so it will do for a boy or girl.

And here is a shot of the shirt and pants on their own. These are not the very best of photos as I rushed to get them done this morning by lamp light! But at least they will give you an idea of what is coming.

The pieces have gone together perfectly and this time I chose French seams over Flat felled seams for the shirt. For the pants I serged the seam allowances as the fabric was a bit stiff and didn't like being top stitched when I made up the jacket. One needs to be flexible and adjust finishing techniques according to the fabric you are using. French seams are great on fine fabrics but don't work for everything.

I am now working on the kilt and have the girls' shirt cut out. The ribs of the ottoman fabric make pleating the kilt so easy! I will try the tam as well so there is a complete set in white. I have fabrics for two more girls' sets ready to go and they will feature a few variations to hopefully inspire you. Just have to keep my eyes peeled for fabrics suitable to do up a couple of sets for boys that will show you what you can do with the pattern with them in mind.

The kilt and tam are traditional military wear for men so if you have a Scottish background you could certainly do these up in a family tartan and many come in miniature so they would be a better scale for little people.

One last shot - this my Christmas Cactus which is in full bloom at the moment for the third time since before Christmas. It is covered in buds and is so beautiful the way if fades from this glorious pink to white. This is a record as for years there was not even a bud on this plant!

Well that's it for today. Hopefully I will have more photos for you next week. As I am stitching, I am working on the instructions for the pattern. So it will be a little while yet before it goes to print.
Have a great week and keep stitching!!

P.S. Black Squirrel is alive and doing very well in case anyone was worried about him. We spotted him dashing across the top of the fence in the back yard this week between the snowflakes! He lives to taunt yet another day.....

Shopping on Queen

2011-03-06T07:53:00.000-05:00

The weather Fri. was mild and the sun was shining beautifully when my friend picked me up to drive into the city to shop for fabric. We picked up our friend Angela on the way down as Angela knows the fabric district so well that the staff in every store calls her by name!

We were looking for fabric for my friend's dress for the wedding of her daughter in Vietnam this spring. It will be hot and humid and the wedding is going to be on the beach so the fabric had to be cool to wear.

Now if you have never shopped in the fabric district in Toronto it is a real adventure. It is not like going into your regular fabric store or quilt store where the bolts of fabric line the shelves in neat rows often by colour or type. Most of the stores are like fabric jungles and people like me have a bit of trouble navigating the vast and overwhelming selection. (That's why I love to bring Angela with me She knows where everything is and which stores to visit to find the best of everything.)

Here is just a sampling of what you might find when you pass through the doors of one of these shops.

There is every kind of fabric you can image and such fabulous silks and embroidered or pleated fabrics. Some that defy description.

And then of course there i the stuff that is so old I would consider it junk. But you know what they say, one man's junk is another man's treasure....

One decorating store we visited had such an amazing array of drapery hardware - all so modern and not at all what you would find in the big chain stores!

And they had walls of silk and other fabulous fabrics for draperies and upholstery but still in weights with which you could make clothing. Every colour you could imagine. Embroidered, pleated, tucked, plain. It left me breathless!

We did find my friend's dress fabric in a more traditional store called LA Fabrics. She bought the whole bolt of pure silk fine Georgette that was over dyed and embroidered in an allover design with a fine chain stitch. It seemed just a bit dark but the sales girl put a light coloured lining fabric under it and it lifted the whole colour scheme and showed off not only the embroidery but the delicate colouring. Sold!

And then we were off to a Greek pastry shop for a bite of lunch before we all headed home. Another successful day and another great shopping adventure.

Many of the fabric shops in my old stomping grounds are closing and suddenly bead stores are popping up everywhere. It is so sad to see the fabric stores go. Last fall we were there shopping for the wedding dress fabric and it was impossible to find the kind of lace we needed. And since then there have been so many visible changes along the street.

If you have any hankering to experience this part of Toronto I urge you to make the visit in the near future. Like everywhere, fashion fabrics are getting harder and harder to find. So take the subway or the bus, take the train or drive (parking is not impossible) and savour this part of Toronto before it disappears! You just might find a bargain as well.

In the meantime keep stitching!!

Invasion of "Black Squirrel"!

2011-02-27T11:34:00.000-05:00

Last year we had a brazen black squirrel living in our neighbourhood. He would come right up onto the kitchen window sill and mock us. Then he would run around to the patio doors to sneer and taunt the cats who would of course go nuts to chase after him. He was a very large squirrel and I fear that if one of the cats got out they wouldn't have a chance in a battle against this fellow and there would be a battle for sure.

Well Thurs. afternoon I sat down with my lap top to work in the family room but there was a scratching noise coming from the fireplace insert. At first I wasn't sure I was hearing correctly as the noise was intermittent. I called Bob to come and tell me I wasn't hearing things. But he heard it too.

There was something in there alright but we didn't dare open the door to look. Bob lit a piece of paper and shoved it through a crack in the door to try and smoke it back up the chimney. For a few minutes smoke spewed out all around the doors so that we had to run to open the patio doors to get an updraft going. We were the ones getting smoked out!

All was quiet for hours and I felt so guilty for killing whatever it was. I just had to hope the bird or animal had found its way out. Not so. Later that night I started to hear tiny noises again and I knew whatever was in there was not dead - yet. But I was alone at this point and didn't dare open the doors.

Next morning all was quiet at first but then noises started again - this time it sounded like the animal mewing! Oh no, what if it was a cat! Bob donned heavy leather gloves and I manned the flashlight. Ever so slowly he cracked open the first door to see a long black tail. My heart sank. Whatever it was started to move - it must have been terrified. Bob reached in and oh how the ashes flew!! When he managed to get a firm hold on this squirming piece of fur I ran to open the patio doors with Bob and the mystery animal close behind. He gently laid it on the deck and to our shock it was that black squirrel, now all grey from the ashes. The squirrel lost no time and didn't seem the least bit injured as he dashed over the deck, across the lawn and up the neighbour's pine tree!

It was when Bob took off his gloves he found he had been bitten and was bleeding quite badly. So we cleaned up and bandaged his hand. He drove to the doctor's to get a tetanus shot and was put on antibiotics! Mind you they had such a good laugh at the clinic over Bob's story. One if the receptionists told him about her grandfather having a similar experience but he got up on the roof with his shotgun and tried to kill the invader. She said "When the police arrived and heard the story they shook their heads - what else would you expect of an old Italian?"

We haven't seen our furry invader since, thank goodness, but the mystery remains - how did he get in as the chimney screen seem to be in tact. Further investigation will ensue when the weather permits. Hopefully squirrels have good memories and this one won't be back - no matter how he got in!

On a cheerier note it is only two more weeks until daylight savings and thee weeks till the official arrival of spring. This long hard winter is going to come to an end soon. Rejoice!! It is time to start some smocked sugar-free Easter eggs just like these!

So until next time, keep stitching!

What a week for weather!

2011-02-20T10:27:00.000-05:00

This week saw temperatures soar to +11degrees Celsius on Fri. By noon my front flowerbeds were bare of snow and water was running freely in the streets. The snowbanks were nearly shrinking before your eyes. One would think it was April.

But then everything changed as the temperatures dropped like a stone! Fri. night it sounded like a huge freight engine was about to plow through the house as the wind got up to between 80 and 100 kph. There was obviously a cold front moving in on that warm air! We haven't had anything that sounded like that for ages and it was a bit scary.

Very early Sat. morning I woke to a blizzard going on outside my bedroom window. I had planned to drive to see our son in the afternoon and had every hope things would subside and it would be safe to travel. As I listened to the radio and the road reports everything was being closed to the immediate north of us and to the east as far as Peterborough. Well, I was going to head south and west. But by 11 a.m. Paul called to say don't even try driving - we are getting a bad storm and it wouldn't be wise to try coming. It continued to snow most of the day and the wind just kept blowing. To say the least I was relieved to get his call and went back to inking in pattern pieces for the Infant Wardrobe, the next pattern.

This morning the sun is shining so brilliantly and there appears to be no wind to speak of. When I checked the front steps, the wind has blown all the snow from the driveway so I won't have to shovel there, just the steps.

I am wondering how my hubby and his friends are fairing in the far north, a couple of hours the other side of Sudbury. They travelled to their cabin on Fri. morning and hopefully will be back on Mon. - just in time for the next snowstorm. Hope they don't run into trouble on the roads!

With all our snowy weather I heard from my friend in England that the snowdrops, which grow wild, are in full bloom all along the roadsides. These snowdrops are growing along the wall in her garden. And soon to follow will be the fields of daffodils which also grow wild and free throughout the countryside. I just can't imagine how beautiful that would be. We won't see trilliums in the woods here most likely until April. My friend also said the Christmas roses (Helleborus niger) were late blooming this year. Just look at the gentle colouring of these plants that she photographed in her garden. I hope they show well on your computer screens.

Smocking seems to be showing up everywhere in fashion this spring. I found a wedding gown in a brides' magazine that was classic in its simplicity and would have been so easy to recreate. It appeared to have been made from a bishop pattern in a chiffon-like fabric but was sleeveless. The bodice had been smocked with a honeycomb stitch and beaded with tiny pearls. The neckline was a simple binding that turned into self-filled rouleau over the shoulders and fastened with a tiny jewelled clasp like a necklace. The skirt had been professionally pleated with sunburst pleating - the only thing that you couldn't do at home. The model wore nothing more than magnificent drop earrings - so elegant! How simple would it be to recreate a gown like this? The magazine was borrowed and I returned it without taking a scan - how foolish of me!

I've seen smocking featured in designer collections lately on the fashion network and pictures of garments with touches of smocking in many of the fashion magazines. I haven't had a camera handy to capture any of these. Just keep your eyes peeled and you will find ideas as well.

Well it will be interesting to see what this week brings.

Be sure to keep stitching!!

Doll aren't just for kids...

2011-02-13T09:48:00.014-05:00

When I was a little girl I played with dolls like everyone I knew. I draped fabric from my mom's fabric stash and 'designed' ball gowns and wonderful clothes. Then I moved on to using the sewing machine and creating 'real' clothes for my Tony doll - a Barbie look-a-like. I made hats and handbags jewellery and shoes all by hand to coordinate with every outfit. When they created a category "Best Dressed Doll" at the local fair, guess who entered her doll and wardrobe? After winning for a couple of years, they dropped the category and I moved on to sewing for me.

So as an adult, when doll making became so popular I was not at all surprised. After all, dolls don't squirm around during a fitting nor do they bleed if you prick them in error. They don't grow so what you make fits forever! And they can't tell you they hate that colour or go jump in a mud puddle and ruin your creation!!

At the height of the doll craze I created "The Grace Knott Dolls Clothes Collection" which included miniatures of the classic Grace Knott patterns and a doll's dress form all to fit the very popular American Girl Doll. My own daughter was away at school and far beyond playing with dolls so I got to create and play to my heart's desire.

Then with the help of my husband I designed a wooden bed with all the accessories sized for this popular doll. Bob created the frame and headboard, sanding and finishing the wood. I made the mattress from a foam slab covering it with fine cotton and then a custom mattress cover. I was on a mission! Everything had to be to scale. Next came the sheets, fitted bottom and a European style top sheet trimmed with Swiss insertion, French val lace and silk ribbon roses. Next a blanket of softest fleece hand bound with silk ribbon. Then came a pillow with a coordinated pillowcase trimmed in Swiss triple entredeux and a silk ribbon rose.

What beautiful bed would be complete without a duvet and piles of pillows? This was turning into a major work of art packed with teaching techniques. The duvet has a centre panel of diamond tucks, mini piping and a button closing. There is a pillow sham with flange finished; a demi-moon shaped pillow with the same diamond tucking, lace edged ruffle and faggoting; a bolster with monogram and a teddy dressed in white Swiss edging and a ruff of French Val lace. Most of this could be done with the odds and ends from other projects. But the beauty of all this is it is to scale so if you learned how to do it for the doll you could do it full sized!

Oh, what is Samantha wearing? She will be snug in her smocked flannel nightie from the pattern, "Dolly Snowdrift".

I had a ball doing all this and Bob had fun with his part - so much so that he said he would make more if people wanted to buy them. Well like all phases, dolls have passed but I still have this wonderful collection of bed linens for the Samantha doll. Perhaps one day I will have a grand daughter who will have hours of fun playing with all these things.

Tomorrow is Valentines Day. Best wishes to you all and don't forget to make something chocolate for your special love!!

Till next time, keep stitching......

Mistakes happen!

2011-02-08T10:58:00.000-05:00

I didn't feel much like writing on Sunday, my designated day to write.

I was putting the finishing touches on the robe for the Westport Retreat in June when 'tragedy' struck.

Let me go back a bit. I had chosen to pipe the vertical princess seams of the pattern, "Autumn Leaves". Now this is always a tricky business as it is so easy to end up with badly puckered seams. But everything turned out perfectly. The pockets went in like a dream - I couldn't have wished for things to look any better. So when it came to the seam finish for these seams I didn't want to disturb anything. They were too bulky to do mock

French seams so I opted to serge them.

Jo-Anne is choosing the buttons and making the buttonholes.

Sergers are wonderful tools but oh so dangerous! I was so careful to stitch these long seams and end perfectly where the seams had to split for the pocket openings.

When I checked the last seam sewn, to my absolute horror a tiny pucker had formed on the under side of the seam allowance in the last inch of stitching and was caught in the stitching.

Oh, easy, I thought. Just clip the stitches, lift out the fold and re-stitch. I did just that but found there was a nice neat oval slice out of the side panel just below the right pocket, 1/8" wide x 3/8" long!

What will I do? Memories of Trudi Clarkson's old standard saying came 'serging' back from the past: You can fix anything if you just add more lace and entredeux. Well I hadn't used any entredeux or lace in this robe so putting a blob of lace down there would be like hanging a red flag on the spot.

If it were my garment I would have mended it and treated it with a seam sealant to protect it during future laundering, then added a monogram over top of it all - an embroidered 'JC' would just about do it. But this robe isn't going to be mine!

I fussed most of the day, not sure how to save this. There was no more fabric even if I could cut a whole new panel. I thought about doing a patch so it looked like a Madeira applique with embroidery but that would create bulk and make it look more noticeable.

In the end I placed a piece of the fabric behind the hole and

used the fine sewing thread to stitch a multiple zigzag to mesh the fabrics. (Knowledge of invisible mending would have been an asset here!) I took all the threads to the back, tied them off and buried the ends in the seam allowance so that the process could be deconstructed if necessary. A good steam pressing left the spot much less noticeable - unless you know to go looking for it. My friend Jo-Anne will have the final say about the seam sealant and the monogram when I see her in June.

On a much happier note my dear husband brought home a big bouquet of carnations the other day just because it has been so snowy here. Most of the flowers were still buds so as they have opened it has been wonderful to see all the colours emerging. There are pinks and reds,pure whites, peaches and these rich red/purples. Just look at the variations in these in the foreground. The thing I like best about carnations - besides the range of colours available - is that they last so long if you take care of them. I look at these and think, I should get out my watercolours.....

And my African violets have been blooming constantly since Christmas. Would you believe this plant was started from a single leaf from the 'mother' plant just three years ago. It is just as large as the original. My mother would be so proud if she could see these as I was known as the original brown thumb who was able to kill any plant that came into the house. Even my Christmas cactus bloomed twice this winter. That has never happened before - once last year, twice? unheard of! Feeding the little things and regular watering seem to be the key to success.

Well haven't I just rambled on! Hoping to get back on track for next week
Till then. keep stitching!

Groundhog Day is Feb 2

2011-01-30T07:52:00.001-05:00

In Ontario on February 2 we 'celebrate' Groundhog Day with a character by the name of Wiarton Willie. Here is a photo of a statue of the fellow. Tradition has it that if 'Willie' comes out of his home and sees his shadow we will have six more weeks of winter! So of course what better reason to have a party? or a full week long festival with a wonderful pancake breakfast on the morning of Feb. 2? Whichever way he goes he makes someone happy. There are other famous groundhogs in Canada and the U.S. You can read about them and the history of Groundhog day in an article, "What Wiarton Willie sees". Great fun!! We will all be listening to hear what is in store.

One of my students brought in her latest bishops for me to see. They were wonderful and Lynn has experimented with colour and created some very interesting effects. The first dress is smocked in grey greens that work really well on the pale mint green of the dress. I would never have chosen these colours but was so impressed, with Lynn's permission, I just had to share. The unifying factor here is that all the greens have a blue value to them. Had the floss been to the yellow direction on the colour wheel it would not have worked at all.

The second dress I am posting today was smocked with overdyed floss. Lynn decided to let the colours fall where they may rather than try to line everything up. Another perfect job is stitching and interst is created by the changing of the pastel colours. Unfortuanately my photo skills have not done justice to either of these dresses (Both dresses are from "The Baby Bishop Dress" pattern.) Both these dresses would look like tinted whipped cream puffs on a wee child.

It is so rewarding to hear back from people who have taken a class and actually finished their projects! Joan sent me photos of her "Saddle Sleeve Shirt"from the class I taught last fall in Norfolk, VA. She's done a terrific job of finishing her shirt and photographing it.

And here is a photo of the cuff detail. Thank you so much, Joan, for sending this on. It really means a lot.

So this is going to be another busy week ahead. I managed to clear the top of my desk, ironing board, cutting table (sort of) and sewing machine table. But now there are piles of things in front of the closet that need sorting and putting away. My big problem is that if things all get put away out of sight I forget about them in the rush to move to something new. But this pile will have to be attacked and I will make a stab at it this week. One more thing on the list of things to do so a new sewing year can begin. And here it is already one month into that new year! Where does the time go?

Hope you have a great week and that Groundhog Day predicts the right amount of winter to suit your liking!!

So till next time.....

It's cold out there!

2011-01-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

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.....

On with the new year....

2011-01-09T08:14:00.000-05:00

The Open House is over once again and it is time to move on with the new year! Everything will go back into its place and the house will look like normal by tomorrow.

I wish to thank those wonderful ladies who braved the weather to drive long distances to join us. A good time was had by all and I hope next year we will have bright sunny skies and those of you who missed it will be able to attend.

Just have to share this photo of little Zoë who lives in Belgium! Her grandmother made this smocked dress for her first birthday a month ago. This was the first smocked dress her grandmother had made in many years and of course Zoë's first smocked dress. What a precious little girl. Now let's hope she gets many more smocked dresses! Keep up the good work Leslie!! The pattern is "The Baby Bishop Dress".

My dear friend Kathleen lives in England and has sent me her interpretation of "Autumn Leaves", my most recent ladies pattern. She used a fine blue wool twill and smocked it much lower than I had anticipated. Kathleen being Kathleen, she designed her own smocking plate and used variegated threads. Obviously influenced by traditional English smocks, Kathleen has cut her smock to knee length and prefers to wear it over a turtle neck and casual jeans. No doubt she will be scooting out to the local Farmers' Market on Fridays in this outfit. Looks so great Kathe and I hope this will inspire others of you to try different looks.

All for today.....

New Years Day 2011!

2011-01-01T09:28:00.001-05:00

Well here we are, the first day of the new year 2011 and I am determined to make the time to get this thing up and running.

What a wonderful time of year it is for all the new beginnings and I always feel it is time to clean out the sewing room (and other parts of the house) and make a list of what needs to be finished off and the new projects that need starting with their due dates in mind.

So this is what our new bird feeder looked like after our first surprise snowfall of the winter season. That was about 10" that fell over two days. We squeezed in a green Christmas but it turned mild just before Jan. 1 and all you see out there now is green grass. In fact it is raining as I write this. Next week we are supposed to get snow again. I guess Mother Nature felt what we had was looking a bit dirty so decided we should get rid of the old stuff and have some new and fresh. Such is life in southern Ontario.

Work is coming along slowly on the Christmas decorations. When they are finished I will post a photo. Have been thinking of calling them "The Pink Chocolate Collection".

And here is the photo of my "Baby's Breath" pattern as seen in Sew Beautiful's newest "White" issue (Jan./Feb. 2011). It is made of Swiss Pima cotton Heirloom Dimity. The neckline has been tucked then gathered and the tucks were pinstitched in place. The neck and sleeve bindings are a dull satin fabric for contrast. I used a machine satin scallop to finish the hem and added touches of tiny blue embroidery for accents. If I were a great hand embroiderer, I would love to have seen the gown's hem done by hand with beautiful buttonhole stitching. But I am not, so.....

Well this was easier than I thought. Will try again soon!

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3....

2010-11-23T20:57:00.000-05:00

Where to start? What will I write about? Who will want to read it?

I've been procrastinating about starting for months now but at last I have to make a start!

The classes have been posted for January, February and March of 2011 and Christmas is on its way. Now is as good a time as any, right?

So right now I am working on the Infants' Wardrobe pattern. There have been so many delays but it is at the point where I have to do some test fittings before the pattern is 'inked in'. It is all graded and the instructions are roughed in as well. There is a shirt, jacket, pants, kilt and Scottish tam. So now it is back to the sewing machine and then meeting with the 'test fitting' babies.

My other attention is focused on creating a collection of three Christmas decorations which will be hung in the art gallery in London, ON early next year. They will be part of an exhibit that is being mounted in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the Embroiderers' Guild of London and their conference at the University of Western Ontario early next May.

More in the next post.....