Valentines Tea Fun

Two Sweet Valentines!

We had High Tea on Valentines Day at the English Tea Room in Covington, Louisiana.

I love being with some of my favorite people in the world.

Beauty

Freesia, in the morning light.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

A is For Amber

This beautiful piece of Vintage Needlework is for my Granddaughters Birthday.

(it's a secret - she doesn't read my blog)

I found a frame that sandwiches the needlework between 2 pieces of glass.  When you hang it on the wall, the wall color behind it accents it.  It's just what I wanted.

You must click on the picture to see the fine work.  

It's beautiful!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

A Red,Red Rose from My Granddaughter

A lovely Red Rose from my Granddaughter.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

Heirloom Sewer Does Quilting!

It measures 63"X 63" with out any Borders.

This is the Mystery Block Quilt that I have been sewing with my friend Bunny.

I would never have attempted it alone.

It is complete, except for the borders. (and quilting)

I can't believe it!!

My Brown Dog can appriciate fabric that has been cut apart - then sewn back together in interesting ways. In other words….a Quilt.

He thinks this quilt is great.

My Brown Dog likes to try out all my quilts for good measure.

I want to finish this up and get it to the Happy Quilter in time to bind it for my Granddaughters Birthday.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

Sew Sews Do February

Lorraine is attaching lovely lace to the entredeux on a smocked sleeve.

Lorraine B was working on a Bishop for a Grandchild.

I love getting together with my Sew Sews

Lorraine B bastes the neck binding on before machine stitching it.

This pretty pink Bishop is in case the baby is a girl.

(the parents aren't telling!)

Lorraine B brought her Wee Care Gown and Bonnet to show us.

Carole was our hostess and we celebrated her Birthday.

Carole was working on a slip to complete this embroidered Daygown.

An Old Fashioned Baby Daygown, of course.

We had an excellent Day!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

Wrapped in Baby Love!

This sweet, sweet Baby Boy is why we do what we do!!

I was totally honored that Baby Boy came home from the hospital in the Daygown I made him.

I chose the Newborn size in my pattern, but he can wear it awhile.

He weighted 6 lbs. 5 oz.

If you have been following along on my blog, you were with me in the planning of this Daygown

And knew I chose "Baby's First Daygown" because it has both the Infant and the Newborn size in it.

And saw my finished Baby Daygown before I gave it to Baby's Mother.

What a joy to see a new baby cuddled up in something you have made with your hands.

"And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good.  And the evening and the morning were the sixth day."

Genesis 1

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

Sweet Summer Nightgown/Slip - Pretty Baby

This little Angel is in an outfit lovingly made by her Grandmother!

The kit for this very garment is on my Web Site.

Sweet Summer Night Gown and Slip Pattern.

The pattern was designed as a quick and easy Nightgown or Slip.  But it can be used for a dress too.

The Shadow Embroidery design with instructions is included in the pattern.

Sweet Dreams.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

Valentines and Jeannie's Scone Recipe

Jeannie's Scone Recipe - My Friend stitched this for me to hang on my Kitchen wall.

I love it!

Here is how I make them:

Sift first four ingredients (the dry stuff) in to a cute bowl.

Use pastry cutter to cut in REAL butter.

Will look like this when butter is cut in.

Add 1/2 cup of  something to dry mix.  Suggestions are 1. Chocolate Chunks (and  1/2  cup of Almonds),  2. dried Cranberries, 3. dried Currents if you can find the tiny ones (I have been searching but can't find them), 4. Any nuts you like

Mix the milk and egg and 1 tsp Almond extract together and pour into dry mixture.

Mix with a fork until just mixed together.

Then plop onto wax paper that has been lavishly sprinkled with flour and gently knead 12 times.

Pat dough to be about 1/2" high.

Cut with scone cutters.  Scone  cutters are cookie cutters that  do not have a top on them.

Spray Pam on the Seasoned (ie - old) cookie sheet and put scones on the sheet about 1" apart.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Use regular white sugar and colored too, if you want.  Almonds are optional.

Serve warm on a pretty plate and share with a good friend.

My Valentine

I will make you brooches and toys for your delight

Of bird song at morning and starshine at night.

I will make a palace fit for you and me,

Of green days in forests

And blue days at sea.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Love, Jeannie

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

My February Stitching Week - Day 7

Day 7 is all about Embroidery.

I worked on the embroidery for the class I'm teaching at Farmhouse Fabrics in March.

I want to give my students choices.

Bullion choices.

There's lots of ways to use Bullions in your embroidery.

And I want to show my students some of the Bullion Flowers that can be substituted in my embroidery design.

There is NOTHING like a class to learn embroidery. 

 It takes the eyes of the teacher to see the problems you are haveing with your stitches.  It takes the eyes of the student to see how the teacher holds her needle and how she executes each movement in the embroidery stitch.  It all makes a difference.

I Love Bullion Roses.

Outside of my dress.

I also stitched the old fashioned underarm tucks that are in this cute dress.

Emma's Smocked Baby Dresses (we aren't smocking our dress).

Inside of my dress…underarm tuck.

They can give a bit more fullness in the skirt without adding to the bulk at the top of the dress.

And I  embroidered simple Bullion Roses between the buttonholes.

If you can't take my class at Farmhouse Fabrics (and I wish you all could!), then you can still learn how to stitch these Bullion Roses.  

They are in my  Jeannie B's Book of Heirloom Embroidery Designs and Stitches.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2014 Jeannie Baumeister

My February Week of Stitching - Day 6

Bunny and I spent the afternoon working on our Block of The Month Quilt.

Above, you can see that we each finished the center block of the quilt!

I really like these fabrics.

After Bunny left, I cheated.  I couldn't help myself.

We are sooooo close to being finished that I started putting the blocks together.

I can't wait to see it done!

And that is the sewing I did on Day 6.  I hope you were able to sew too.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

My February Stitching Week - Day 5 (Tips)

I love the back of this pattern.  Love the tucks.

Emma's Smocked Baby Dresses

I worked on my Dress for my class at Farmhouse Fabrics next month.

I stitched the Buttonholes in the Dress Back.

I have marked where I want to embroider a flower on the back of my baby dress.

These are the buttons I've chosen for this dress.  I have buttons "kept back" for special and I like to use them in my kits.

Tip: It is important to stitch the Buttonholes before you complete any type of neck finish.  This is because once the neck is finished, the fabric will not feed as well on your machine.  The neck binding or neck entredeux are bulky while your fabric where the buttonholes will be is flat.  This affects the top Button Hole on your dress or daygown.  The result is the sewing machine refusing to feed at the same rate it did on the flat fabric and can even stop feeding while your thread stitches over and over in the same place. 

* And always use an appropriate stabilizer under the Buttonhole.  For fine fabrics I usually use a plain white tissue like the kind you wrap gifts in.  This also helps the fabric to feed evenly.

*Always do a sample Buttonhole in the garment fabric to test size and tension.

* If you do not have a Baby Size Buttonhole setting on your machine, narrow the stitch width just slightly to make your Buttonhole more delicate than what you would use on an adult garment.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2016 Jeannie Baumeister

My February Week of Sewing - Day 4

today was Featherstitching day…

I spent the morning, embroidering by the fire.

Taking breaks for tea and a book.

I had built the fire up to a blazing heat. 

 So my Brown Dog took his nap behind my chair.

I love to Featherstitch.  

It is a rhythm stitch.  This stitch requires a bit of warming up until I reach the rhythm where the stitches fall in into place and I am picking up the same amount of fabric in my needle each time.  And I am moving down the design line evenly.  It's a good feeling….

and all is good with my world.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2015 Jeannie Baumeister