Smocked dresses

I have always wanted to learn how to smock.  A few years ago I used the pleating machine at BYU-Idaho to pleat some scrap fabric to practice on.  It was really fun.  I decided to pleat some fabric long enough to use as the front of a doll's dress.  I pleated 5 colors-- and completed 2 pretty quickly.  I'm still working on the other three-- I want to try different designs.  Here are the two I finished.

Here are the first few rows of smocking done on the lower edge.  I really wanted to try to have a 'V' design on the bottom row.

The rest of the design is taking shape.  I used a piece of felt basted to the back to keep the pleats in the correct size to fit the doll.

I added beads in the empty spaces.

I sewed the front into a dress!  I used piping in the seam between the top of the smocking and the upper bodice 

The second one I did was lavender colored.  This one was pleated off grain since I only had a skinny piece.  Notice how the pleats puff out.  The weft grain looks better pleated than the warp grain.  The warp grain, as you see here, is too stiff and strong to submit happily to pleating.  I'll never make this mistake again!

Meanwhile, I became a grandmother again!  My daughter saw these doll dresses and asked me to make one for her new baby's blessing dress.  Here's the dress in progress and completed. 

I made the same basic pattern of smocking on this, including the beads.  I had to modify a baby dress pattern to include the smocking in the bodice front.  This photo shows my progress as I was hand stitching of smaller beads onto the collar and sleeve ends.  I didn't use elastic on the sleeve hems-- instead I gathered the hems and stitched fabric strips over the gathers.  Unlike the doll dresses, I fully lined this dress.

Close up of the smocking and collar beading.

Close up of the sleeve and hem beading.

Here's the back view.  I can't wait to see this dress on my beautiful granddaughter.  

Twin Baby Blessing Rompers

 It's been toooo long since my last post.  But with some encouragement, let me share my latest creations:  Blessing outfits for twin boys!

My most recent grandchildren are twin boys.  Beautiful little ones!  I offered to make their blessing outfits.  Their mother chose this pattern after seeing the many I had access to.  I was so glad-- such a cute pattern!  I should have taken a photo of the whole pattern.  But this is the view.

I wanted to make them out of seersucker fabric.  I had some blue and green -- the colors her boys were using to differentiate themselves from each other.  I needed to get more white because there was so much white in the pattern.  My closest JoAnn's didn't have any seersucker in stock but I found some vintage seersucker on Ebay and promptly ordered it.  

I decided to use a white poplin for the bodice lining, which I had on hand.  I cut out and began to put them together.  I used the colored seersucker for the accents on the collar and the suspender straps. I attached them first, then stitched the shoulder seams. Once I made the collars, I pinned them to the neckline and basted them on.  Then I attached the lining at the center back and around the collar.

I topstitched the accent pieces onto the sleeve and attached each sleeve to the armscyes.  This photo shows how they were pinned on with the lining moved out of the way.

Once the sleeves were put on, I was able to stitch the side seams and hem the sleeves.  I trimmed and graded the seam allowance, and whip-stitched the lining into the armscye.  The waistband in the pattern was actually like a separate belt, but I wanted it attached at the waist.  So I folded them in half and topstitched at the fold.  Then I basted them in at the bottom of the bodice matching the circle markings. 

I followed the directions to make the pleats in the pants part, but didn't like how they looked.  The instructions were to fold the tucks in place and baste them.  That looked sloppy.  So I stitched the pleats together like darts and then basted them.  It looked so much better.  I also gathered the pant legs and added the ankle cuffs.  It's turning out so nicely!

I pinned and stitched the pants to the bodice, excluding the lining.  They are looking good!

Now all they needed are the snap tapes at the crotch.  The outie side goes on the front and the innie side goes on the back.  And you stitch it on and wrap it to the other side and topstitch it into place.  With that done, the inside needs to be hand stitched to close up the lining.

Looked for good matching buttons-- found some at JoAnn's.  Here are the boys in their little blessing outfits!  

So happy I was able to have this part of this special day!

Let's be Sneaky!

 

Let’s be Sneaky!

The BYU Idaho apparel major teachers are making Sister Genet Orme a memory quilt for a retirement thank you gift.  All of her students, former students, alumni and colleagues are invited to add a square.  We hope she'll wrap herself in it when she is having a hard day.  We are also collecting thank you notes to bind in a book for her.

Color palette:  blues and yellows

Size:  Image size should be 6 1/2" x 6 1/2", so use a 7" x 7" square, or trim it to that size when it's complete.  That gives us a 1/4" seam allowance.  

Name:  Use the alphabet on our Berninas', any embroidery machine or hand stitch your full name onto the square.  You may also write more, but your name is a must.

Ideas:  Consider using fabric Sister Orme would recognize as fabric from something you made in her class.  If it’s not blue or yellow that’s okay. Or appliqué a miniature of something you made onto a blue or yellow square.  Or refer to an inside joke or other something that will make her smile.  Maybe make it fashion, sewing or pattern related.  Simple designs or elaborate-- all are welcome!

Due date:  June 1st, 2022

Submit to Sister Melanie Johnson.  If mailing use this address:  

Melanie Johnson— Home and Family  

525 South Center;  Clarke Building 223;  Rexburg, ID 83460–0665

Thank you notes:  We are also collecting thank you notes to bind into a book-- printer paper size 8 1/2"x11" paper portrait layout.  You can say more on paper than will fit on a quilt square.  These are due July 1st, 2022 also to Sister Johnson. You can email those to me to print out if you want: johnsonmel@byui.edu  

WE WILL PRESENT THE QUILT AND THANK YOU BOOK AT THE SPRING FASHION SHOW!

Please share this with everyone who may want to participate and NOT with Sister Orme.  Let's get the word out!  

(Quilt image courtesy of sew-what-quilts.com.)

Update:  Genet LOVED the quilt!  Thank you all for participating!