Jamie and The History of The T-Yoke Gown Pattern

The T-Yoke Baby Dress was made for Anna Gordon of Norfolk by her Mother,  Alice Virginia Gordon Barrett.

 

A Family Treasure!

 

T-Yoke Baby Dress circa 1920, made for Baby Anna.

 

Baby Anna Gordon Barrett was born on May 5, 1920.

 

Close up of Dress front.

Back of the original T-yoke Dress.  It had a yoke back with a placket  and lace insertion at the yoke.   My reproduction is open down the back.

Jamie, holding the dress made by her husband's Grandmother.

Baby is Jamie's  husband who is wearing the original T-Yoke Dress. He is the Grandson of Alice Virginia. 

(See, all Babies were once dressed like Babies!) 

  

My pattern (Antique T-Gown, Dress and Christening Gown), reproduction.  Includes Baby Gown on the left, " The" Dress and a slip.  The lace embellishment for the slip  is not in the pattern (slip is in the pattern but not embellished).  A 27" long  Christening Gown is included  and is a long version of the original Dress. 

 

 Pretty ruffles on the Dress and Slip!

 

Mother, Alice Virginia with Anna Gordon on the right and little sister, Shirley Louise on the left.

Teaching for the Seaside Smockers/T-Yoke Gown

The Sea Side Smockers!

What a wonderful group of  ladies.  I had a great time teaching for them.

Learning.

And aren't they good listeners?

We worked on the gown on the left.

I am looking forward to seeing all the little T-Yoke Gowns made by the Seaside Smockers on display at Show and Share next year at the National SAGA Convention which will be held in Norfolk!

Birding In My Garden

R stands for Robin,

A nice, friendly bird,

Whose song in the springtime

We've all of us heard.

He wears a red vest,

And struts over the lawn,

 

 Looking for worms,

To pounce upon.

 

from the
Sunbonnet Babies

A-B-C Book

by Eulalie Osgood Grover

1929

Lesson 5: Seaming/Sleeve and Side Seams on Priscilla

Today we are going to attach the sleeves and stitch the side seams.  Follow Step 3 in your pattern instructions.  The seams are joined using  French Seams.  French Seams are used for seaming most light weight baby clothes.  They are soft on baby's delicate skin and are stronger. French seams are made by sewing the wrong sides together, trimming the first seam allowance  to slightly less than 1/8" and stitching again with right sides together in a 1/8" seam. For detailed instructions,  See French Seam Instructions.

Put a towel over your ironing board cover to protect it when you starch.

The first thing I will do is starch and press each piece I will join.

Pin Back of Sleeve to Daygown Back. Wrong sides together for first stitching of the French Seam.

Pin the Sleeve to the Daygown, matching back of sleeve to back of Daygown. Match the upper edge and pin, then match the lower edge and pin.  Stretch the fabric gently so they will fit together and pin the center. Then pin as necessary.

 Both back sleeves are pinned to the Back Daygown  and ready to sew.

Pin both sleeves to the Back Daygown, then stitch.  Stitch from the neck down toward the underarm.

Close up of the Pfaff Straight Stitch/Quilting  Foot

Stitch 1/4" away from the fabric edge, removing pins before stitching. The Quilting/Straight Stitch Foot is great for French Seams.  They give you more control over the fabric, feeding fabric smoothly.  And you can line up the edge of the fabric with the edge of the Foot, which is exactly 1/4" away from the needle.

 First seam of the French Seam has been stitched,trimmed and  pressed.  Now sew with right sides together in 1/8" seam.

Be sure to hold the thread at the beginning of each seam for a smooth start. And back stitch to secure seam at beginning and end.

 

Pin the Daygown Fronts to the Sleeve Fronts, wrong sides together for the first stitching of the French Seam.

The easiest way I have found to sew garments together using a French Seam is to sew all sleeve seams at one time wrong sides together, trim them all at the same time, press them all, turn them all right sides together so you are ready to stitch the final seam.  This is much less confusing than completing each seam one at a time.  Do the same with the Side Seams.

Unfinished neck edge is shown with  sleeves attached to  Daygown Front and Back.

Pin the Daygown Front and Back (wrong sides together for first stitching) then sew in a French Seam.

Pin Daygown Front and Back together, including the sleeves.  Pin the underarm seam first,matching underarm seams,  then pin the sleeve edge, then pin the hem.  If you need to stretch the fabric just slightly to match, that's ok.  Pin as necessary before sewing in a French Seam.  Stitch both Side Seams at the same time, stitching in a French Seam.

Sleeves and Side Seams are stitched!

Now, put everything back in your Project Box.

Until Next Time!

Joy In The Morning

 

"Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning."

Psalm 30:5

 Lady Gray Tea in an old tea cup. 

 

The psalms are a comfort and encouragement to me.

Roses in a Milk Glass vase.

French Seams on Baby Clothes

"Use the French seam for baby's first dresses and for later clothes.  It is stronger and forms a neat seam on the wrong side, eliminating raw edges which might chafe the baby's tender skin." from Sewing For Baby by  Kay Hardy, 1944.

Completed French Seam on Wrong Side.

A French seam is made by sewing the wrong sides together, trimming that first seam allowance to just under 1/8" and stitching again with right sides  together.  You can use this method no matter what your pattern seam allowance is.  Just remember that the final stitched seam will be 1/8", so your first seam will take up the rest of the seam allowance.  A little math is required.   For instance, if your seam allowance is 1/2", your first stitching will be 3/8 away from the fabric edge.   Trim to just barely under 1/8" and stitch the final seam 1/8".  3/8" plus 1/8" equals 1/2".  For this lesson, the total seam allowance will be  3/8"  because most of the seams in my Old Fashioned Baby Patterns are 3/8".  So...the first stitching (wrong sides together) will be 1/4" , trim to just barely under 1/8" , turn right sides together and stitch the final seam 1/8".  Do not make the mistake of trimming the seam allowance too close to the stitching line.  If you do, your seam will unravel with washing.  While there are many "tricks" to making French Seams, I use the standard method, which works beautifully.

Step 1. Trim off fuzzies from fabric to be stitched.

Use fine silk pins so you don't damage fine fabric.

Step 2. Pin wrong sides together.

Sew wrong sides together, 1/4" from edge of fabric.  A Straight Stitch foot is invaluable for stitching French Seams.  The Pfaff Straight Stitch  Quilting Foot is shown on the right.  This foot allows you to line up the edge of the fabric with the edge of the foot for perfect 1/4" seams. It also gives you more control of the fabric as you stitch these tiny seams.  Wonderful Machine Foot.  Check with your Sewing Machine Dealer for one that fits your machine.

Step 3. Press, trim and turn.   Press the seam you have just stitched to meld the stitches.

 

Trim the seam allowance to just barely less than 1/8".

Open the fabric and press the seam allowance to one side (usually the back of the garment).  Notice how I am pulling on the fabric slightly as I press.  This helps to open up the seam completely as I press.

Press the seam line again from the front to ensure the seam is pressed completely open.

 

Fold fabric right sides together and pin.

 

Always hold the threads when you begin to sew any seam!

Step 4.  Sew 1/8" away from the edge with right sides together.

The picture on the left shows the wrong side of the fabric with the seam partially sewn.  The picture on the right shows the right side of the fabric with the seam partially sewn.  You can see the first seam allowance that is being enclosed by the second stitching.  Neat!

French Seams are a sign of quality on fine Baby Clothes, Children's garments and Womens fine undies and nighties!

My Bags are Packed for Norfolk/T-Yoke Gown Class

Old  Fashioned Baby T-Yoke Gown, Dress and Christening Gown Pattern.

 I love the class I am teaching for the Seaside Smockers.  It is the "T-Yoke Baby Gown" class. A two day class (one thing I love about it!).  This class has some very useful techniques that look difficult but are not.  You just have to know how to do them! As my students follow along in class, stitching, they are amazed at what they can do.   I love the happy look on someones face when they are pleased with their accomplishments.  That's the best part of teaching.  See Martha's finished gown at Southern Matriarch.

Getting ready to teach the T-Yoke Gown class to the Seaside Smockers.

I have started this gown in Green Fairy fabric so I can show the steps as we progress in class.

 

Little pink Bullions Roses on the green sleeve.

  I am also making a dress from the same pattern with the Green Fairy fabric (are you thinking I love this lovely green?) but I am going to eliminate the ruffle on the dress to change it up a bit.
One of the neatest things about going to teach this class for the Seaside Smockers is that one of their members is the reason this pattern exists.  Jamie has shared many of her wonderful garments with me, allowing me to copy and be inspired by them.  More on Jamie and the history of the T-Yoke Gown another time!

October: Miah and Her Prize Winning Pumpkin!

Miah and her prize winning pumpkin (4-H club event) 

Autumn

The morns are meeker than they were, 

The nuts are getting brown;

The berry's cheek is plumper,

The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,

The field a scarlet gown.

Lest I should be old-fashioned,

I'll put a trinket on.

Emily Dickinson

Miah's Pumpkin Baby