What's Jeannie Doing?

Jeannie is not doing what she should be doing!

I am however progressing on my baby gown!

Actually, I am thinking about new SAGA class submissions so you could really call this working.  What a life!

I am making this little gown by hand and have decided to use the "Eula" method of Tucking.  It is a challenge to me because I am not Eula with her 60 odd years of practice at it!  She does not mark her tucks and does not pull threads to mark them.  She eyeball's them!!  I am not a great eyeballer but am improving and cheated a little.  Stay tuned  to see what I mean.  It will involve more photos and can't do that right now because I am actually going to work today, getting ready for the Jan. Birmingham market and I must clear my desk and hope nothing is past due! Until Later....

Beautiful Thoughts I Wish For You!!

 

Roses from my Garden (last spring) - close your eyes and you can smell them.

I found this poem on a blog called "The Gathering Place".  It has the most amazing old fashioned illustrations of Roses so you know I love it.  Please visit her and see for yourself!!

May Your Love Flow Like a Fountain

Byron Walls

May your love flow like a fountain
May your days be free of doubt
May your life become as effortless
As breathing in and out
May you always complete what you begin
May you never have so much that you’re a slave to what you own
May you always have the wisdom to leave well enough alone
When dark clouds close around you
May you feel God’s light surround you when you pray
When you need someone to guide you may you know
God walks beside you all the way

May you always wake up cheerful
And give thanks for everyday
Know the love that you receive
Comes from the love you give away
May your faith become a soft place when you fall
May you always bring to life whatever is in your mind
If good is what you’re looking for may good be what you find
When dark clouds close around you
May you feel God’s light surround you when you pray
When you need someone to guide you may you know
God walks beside you all the way

What's Jeannie doing?

I am using antique lace from my "collection" (stash).

I am  unable to work on only one project at a time!

  I will tell you that I admire people who finish one project before beginning another.  There was a lady who would come into my shop and buy fabric & lace for 3 daygowns.  She would go home and make them.  Then, she would come back for more fabric and lace.  Can you imagine?

The picture you see above will become a little hemstitched baby gown. You can see that I have already removed the threads to begin the hemstitching.  I am using Swiss Batiste and some of my old lace that I have collected or been given over the years.  I never use it because it is just too special.  What am I waiting for?  With another birthday looming, I figured now was a good time to begin using all my special laces!

Newborn Baby in Priscilla's Layette Daygown

Journey is less than 2 weeks old here.

This lovely Daygown is made from the Lacy View 3 of Pricilla's Layette pattern.  It is made from a pale pink batiste (Old Fashioned Baby Daygown batiste) with lace frills.  And made by her proud Grandmother.  Notice how the beading at the wrists can be pulled up with ribbon to fit her tiny, newborn wrists!  Very Pretty Baby and very pretty Daygown and Bonnet.  It was her "Going Home From the Hospital" outfit.

Antique Gertrude Slip Kit

Front of upper Gertrude Baby Slip

The slip is printed on the fabric, including the embroidery design.

Look closely for  the Slip front and Back printed on fabric. Click to enlarge.

I think you were supposed to know how to stitch it.

Lesson on a Gertrude Baby Slip - Layout

Gertrude Slip.  Embellished!

 Baby Slips are an essential item in a baby's wardrobe.  They keep baby comfortable and warm and they flatter the gown or dress worn over them. A "Gertrude"  is a style of slip or petticoat  that buttons at both shoulders.  As the baby's comfort  became the focus of infants clothing at the end of the 1800's, the Gertrude was considered superior.  It did not restrict baby's movement and was easily removed without disturbing the baby's other clothing when it became wet (a frequent occurrence before rubber pants which preceded disposable diapers).

Slip Front and Back are cut on the fabric fold. I am using the slip from Priscilla's Layette pattern.

The fabric selvages must meet in the middle because both slip front and back are cut on  a fabric fold.  This can be tedious because you must measure from the selvage to the fold from one end of the fabric to the next to make sure fabric is on grain.

Let me show you an easy way to do this.

 

Match selvages evenly.

First fold fabric right sides together, matching selvages.  Smooth fabric.

 Use your thumbnail to score (crease) the fabric fold.

Crease the fabric fold.  This will mark the center of your fabric.  Open up fabric so crease line is in the center.  Now, just fold each selvage in to  meet the fabric center crease line.  You can quickly measure to check but it will be right.

Fabric selvages meet in the center!!  Easy! 

Use your pattern slip pieces and pattern instruction guide to aid you in the layout, marking and cutting our process.    For detailed pictures and instructions for Pinning, Marking and Cutting out see the Lesson from Priscilla Daygown Lesson 3.

Next Lesson will be the Shell Hem.  That stitch will be used to finish the armholes and the neck (instead of the lace).

A Pretty Room

 

Cosy Living Room

I rearranged the furniture to put the tree in the living room for the first time (it usually goes in the dining room).  I like it.

Sewing Circle at Christmas time

Milk Punch - it's a Southern thing!

We had yummy food and drinks.

 

We exchanged fun gifts - many were home made.

We enjoyed the company!

A few stitched while visiting!

Practicing Granitos before putting them on her dress!

Bunny, working on Pink Parfait from Creative Needle magazine. 

Working Shadow Embroidery on her Dagyown.

Laura is making Priscilla's Layette Daygown (for A Christmas Baby).

Her tiny stitches amaze me.

Carol is now working on a carpet for her Doll house.   One of these days I am going to visit her Grandaughter to see this Doll House!

I can't tell you what this is until after Christmas!

There was no show and tell today except the projects we were working on.  Just good company.

It was a fun day!

Christmas Dishes

I have never regretted a piece of China that I purchased! 

From O Christmas Tree Song

The best known version was written in 1824 by the Leipzig organist, teacher and composer Ernst Anschütz. The melody is an old folk tune. The first known "Tannenbaum" song lyrics date back to 1550.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Much pleasure dost thou bring me!

For every year the Christmas tree,

Brings to us all both joy and glee.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Much pleasure dost thou bring me!

In this case I am referring to my Spode Christmas Tree Dishes!

Miah enters a "Sew with Cotton" contest

Miah loves to sew on my sewing machine.

Miah made an Apron for a 4 H contest.  It was a "Sew with Cotton" contest.  She loves to sew on the sewing machine, lickety split.  (I pushed the 1/2 speed button to slow her down).  I stuck a piece of blue tape on the machine to help her guide the fabric accurately.  She did very well.

She chose her fabric for the reversible apron.

This was the first garment Miah made all by herself (with me guiding her) and she was very proud of her Apron.  

I am so proud of Miah's patience and hard work!!

Miah won First Place in the Elementary Apron division AND was one of two girls chosen to go to the State 4-H Sewing Camp!!!

Ladies, we have to teach our children and Grandchildren to sew when they are young and have the interest!!  There isn't a little girl alive who at one time does not want to sew on a Sewing Machine!!

My First Orchid

My First Orchid.

It may also be my last.  I am a haphazard gardener at best.  Most things in my garden thrive on neglect, so we just might not be compatible.  I have kept it alive for two weeks.  So far, so good!

I was inspired by  a post on the website Pleasant View Schoolhouse.  Everything she does looks so easy. 

One day, as I was again looking at all the beautiful Orchids at the grocers and feeling inspired but skeptical, a lady stopped to tell me  how her grocery store Orchid was thriving and had outgrown it's pot several times.  I took it as a sign and bought one.  She told me to soak it once a week on Sunday(food included) and twice a week when in bloom.  No problem!

I already missed the first feeding. When I did remember to feed it, it wasn't a Sunday but I thought I best not wait!  This is why I breastfed all my children.  Feedings were easy and you never forget!  We shall see.

Cradle Roll

Cradle Roll Certificate

I saw this framed picture while visiting a friend recently.  She told me it was her Cradle Roll certificate.  When a new baby of the church went to the nursery, the parents were given this lovely certificate.  The baby stayed in the nursery until old enough to attend Church or Sunday School.  Isn't that neat?

Fabric and Lace Requirements for Daygown plus Seeds

I have a million business cards with the wrong address so we put new labels on them. 

Click to Enlarge Photo if needed.

I had an email request from someone who wanted another  business card.  She told me she had carried it around to keep my yardage requirements handy and wore it out.  I thought  you might like to have the yardages too.  They will work for most Daygown patterns.  Please note the typo where Layette Daygown should call for 1 1/8 yard of fabric.  I left out the /

If you would like to have a card, send me a self addressed stamped envelope and I will send you a few.  Please write..Business Card...on the envelope.  If you would like Moon Flower Seeds, send an envelope and write...Moon Flower  Seeds...  You can have both , but let me know!

Fairy Roses in a Cute Vase

Before the Snow (in Baton Rouge?)

I cut my Roses to enjoy them.

Snow is predicted in Baton Rouge!  I thought I should bring some flowers inside, just in case.

A corner brightened by Roses.

A touch of color for my mantle. 

 

My night time photo skill is lacking.  The white blurbs are snow!

Snow in Baton Rouge!  For you northerners this is nothing but in Baton Rouge, we get pretty excited!

A Fun Day!

 

 I rode the Pink Stork!

The day after Thanksgiving, we went to the New Orleans Zoo.

 

These were my favorite animals!

All the real animals were lively and playful and are housed in natural habitats.

My youngest Grandchild riding her favorite animal.  What joy on her face!

This is one of the reasons I went to the Zoo.

The Beauty of Reflected Light

My old chandelier was dingy from dust.  I cleaned  it so it would reflect more light. 

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light." Ephesians5:8

See how it sparkles. 

"The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.  the commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.  Psalms 19:8

The reflected light leaves rainbows everywhere.  

"You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden; Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:14-16

 The beauty of reflected light.
"I am the light of the world.   Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  John 8:12