Embroidered Hearts

Hannah is making a dress for Joanna for Valentine's Day. 

Here is the fabric:

She asked me to embroider hearts on the white platter collar. 

I decided it would be prudent to do a practice piece first:

It turned out so pretty, I think I will use this for the

center of a small decorative pillow for Joanna. 

One of the colors in her room is aqua.

 

The darker blue 'ribbon' didn't quite land in the right spot on the hearts at the sides, probably because I stitched it out at only 72% of the original design.  So I upped it a couple of percentage points, to 74%, checked to be sure the design still fit on the collar, and stitched it out.  Here it is, ready for Hannah to turn into a collar:

Sarah's Outfit

This little vest and skirt, sewn in a size 2, is for little Sarah.  I made the outfit to match the little brown boots, with cheetah print on the sides, that we gave her for Christmas:

Fortunately, they were a size too big, so I had a bit of time to sew the matching outfit.  But one mustn't wait too long to do such things, because little kiddos grow mighty fast.

The skirt is brown corduroy; the cheetah-print ruffles are a soft knit.  Those ruffles used to be one entire pantleg from a pair of pajamas.  I got them at a Goodwill Store especially for this project.  I'd looked for fabric both online and in local stores, but any cheetah or leopard print, no matter what type of fabric, was quite pricey.  So when I spotted these, I snatched them up quick.  
 

Today when I prepared to cut into them, though, I hesitated for a moment or two, because they really were nice pjs, and, furthermore, they were just my size.  But cut them I did.  Now there's only one pantleg left, and I'm quite certain it's no longer 'just my size'. 

And anyway, the ruffles are cuter than the pajamas.  

  

Elisabeth's Dress

This is a dress I sewed for a friend's daughter, Elisabeth.  My friend made the pinafore to go with it -- white, with ruffles over the shoulder, and a little Dutch boy and girl hand-embroidered on the bib.  

 

Ethan's Apron

A few months ago, my son Teddy asked what I would charge to make these little aprons for his children.  They like to cook and bake and help in the kitchen, and they have a tendency to, shall we say,

really get into their work.

 

"No, no, you can't pay me!" I said. 

"I've been needing ideas of what to give them for Christmas,

and this will nicely fill the bill." 

 

So here they are, done just in time for our

get-together tomorrow night.

See the nifty blanket stitch my 'new' machine can do?

Josiah's Apron

Jeffrey's Apron

The skirt of this little apron wound up a bit too full to suit me, for a little boy, at least.  Hopefully, it will look okay once it's on.

Lyle's Apron

Note the fancy stitch around the pocket.