National Smocking Month - Fairy Fabric:Smocked

This is the Bonnet that is in my pattern "Baby's Smocked Layette".

Ruffle Brim Bonnet

I added a scalloped hem.

The fabric is a sheer Swiss Fairy Fabric.

It's beautiful and easy to use if first you spray starch it.

(so fine, the fairies might have spun it)

Just a bit of Smocking.  

And such soft floss for a delicate little dress.

Hope you have a very Smocking Day!!

National Smocking Month - In Blue Dimity

Pattern is Baby's Smocked Layette"

It is gorgeous in the real old fashioned Swiss Dimity.

I love the pink Bullion Roses on the blue fabric.

This dress is just Yummy!

Happy National Smocking Day.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2017 Jeannie Baumeister

National Smocking Month - Baby Smocked Layette in Pink

Baby's Smocked Layette pattern on a sweet New Baby!

(Bonnet is from Smocked Baby Clothes)

Just a bit of smocking.

And Smocked Sleeves.

Baby's Smocked Layette.

I love this pattern!!!

Pretty Baby in Smocked Dress

This little doll is wearing a baby dress made from the OFB pattern:

Baby's Smocked Layette.

Another picture taken at It's Sew Heavenly (fabric available there too)

Oh, it's true!

Babies who wear garments made from The Old Fashioned Baby patterns are well and smiling.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2013 Jeannie Baumeister

Vintage Inspiration

I love old things!

Much of my inspiration comes from vintage magazines and illustrations.

The  dress shown above is on a little girl. 

 I look at that picture and I think how cute "Baby's Smocked Layette" would look in white Dimity, Skip Dent or Lawn, smocked in Red and trimmed in Red at the neck and sleeves. 

 And that would be a Happy Valentines Day dress!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2013 Jeannie Baumeister

Baby's Smocked Layette - Again!

Very pleased with my Ruffled Brim Bonnet!

It was so fun to make.

And I am making the dress to go with it. 

Baby's Smocked Layette - Again.  In dimity.

 I told you I would!

I am not like some  people, who make a garment and are ready for something fresh and new.

I like to make it over, and over and over. This way, and that way.   I always change something.  But, it's a gentle change, usually.  May be the fabric.  May be the different entredeux for the neck, like  the one pictured above.  May be the hem (it will be on this dress, but just slightly).  Could be that I made a Bonnet to match  (I did!).

And it might be that I have attached the sleeves using entredeux, as I have here.

Well, it has been lovely stitching this pretty little dress!

The Dimity is a dream!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2012 Jeannie Baumeister

Sister, Sister!

Something for Big Sister (design from my last retreat) and something for Baby Sister.

Sent off to my neice with a sigh.  

I had to wrap them up, then I unwrapped them, pretending like I was receiving them. I love to do that!

Can't wait to see pictures of real live children in them!

This is the finished Baby's Smocked Layette  dress I was working on.

"All Baby Clothes should be fine and dainty"

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2012 Jeannie Baumeister

It Makes Me Feel So....

Baby Claire in her "going home" dress I made.  

It makes me feel so... honored, when a dress I make is used for such a special occasion as "coming home from the hospital"!

She is such a beauty!   She weighs almost 9 lbs here.

And do you see that it really is true!

Baby is so peaceful when wearing little garments made with love (by Aunties, Grandmothers, Mothers and Friends) in Old Fashioned Baby Patterns.

This is the little  dress from "Baby's Smocked Layette" that you have seen me working on in previous posts.

Baby Claire and I are joining Pink Saturday and How Sweet the Sound today!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2012 Jeannie Baumeister

Pink or White?

Do I want to smock in White with a Pink Bullion?  Do I want to smock in all Pink?  Which Smocking Design should I use?

The hardest part of any project for me is deciding!

Even something as simple as the floss.  I love white on white, especially with just a little pink Bullion accent.   But this pattern has only a little bit of smocking.  So, if I smock it in pink it will still be only a little bit of color.  Why agonize over this small detail anyway?  Both will be lovely! 

I am loving making Baby's Smocked Layette pattern.  This one for my other "Grand" Neice.

I cut out and pleated this dress yesterday. 

 Then after finally deciding on Pink Floss (Anchor #48) , I smocked it.

It didn't take much time at all. It's for my "Grand" neice, who is three weeks old.  

Very pretty. Lucky for me the fabric I am using was already decided.  It is matching a Nightgown I made for Baby's  sister.  It's called Skip Dent.

 Now on to the construction.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2012 Jeannie Baumeister

Little Pink Dress

Done!

In time for my niece's Baby Shower.

Made from Baby's Smocked Layette.

I did a quick hem finish, using a swiss edging.

Very pretty, I think!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2012 Jeannie Baumeister

French Seams by Hand and Machine

First stitch done on the machine, using a 2.0 stitch length.

Still working on my pink Baby's Smocked Layette dress.

I am stitching my raglan sleeve to the dress front using French Seams.

After the first stitching, trimming and pressing, I am pinning right sides together of the back of the raglan sleeve/dress back.

Click for complete instructions about how to make a French Seam.

Always pin your fabric so that you can easily remove the pins before stitching.

And I stitch the back sleeve to the back dress by machine.  I like to use a Straight Stitch foot because there is more control of the fabric as it feeds.

But, I decided to do the second stitching on the front dress/sleeve, by hand.  I want my stitches to sit right next to the Smocking.  And I have more control when I stitch by hand.  It doesn't take long either.

My Brown Dog waits right by the door.  He wants to make sure I am really coming outside!  

I decide to take my stitching outside, along with my breakfast and a book.  It takes two trips.

Now, this is the life!  

And I finished my Tea House Mystery book.  I think I must have read most of the books in this series.  I hate for a good book to end!!

Greek yogurt, bluberries and walnuts.  I love them!

And this is my view this morning.

You just missed seeing the Humming Bird that loves my Salvia.

Top of the mornin' to you!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2012 Jeannie Baumeister

The Different Looks of Lace

Pattern is Baby's Smocked Layette.

This is the little blue dress I made using the wonderful Swiss Dimity fabric.

I stitched lace insertion to the hem for a  fancy look.  

When you sew lace insertion onto your fabric as an embellishment, you can choose to leave the fabric behind the lace or remove the fabric.  The look is really quite different.

The above picture shows the hem with the fabric remaining behind the lace insertion.  

I often choose this look because it is pretty without being quite as fancy.  The garment is also much stronger and durable when the fabric is left behind the lace.  This is a wonderful way to learn about stitching lace to fabric without the fear of working with  the lace.

Flat Baby Betsy is wearing the dress after the fabric is cut away from behind the lace. 

 The look is airy and the design of the lace is more visible. 

The Swiss Dimity is available in Blue, White and a pale peachy pink.  All three are beautiful!

I love both looks and make my choice dependent on a couple of things.  If I want the garment to be worn (and washed) alot, becoming a beautiful but everyday Daygown or Dress, I am going to choose the more secure method of lace/fabric.  

If this dress is going to be a special occasion garment, then I think cutting the fabric away from behind the lace gives it a more elegant look. 

 Just launder with special care.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2011 Jeannie Baumeister

White Wednesday - Baby In White Dress

Baby Isabella in a pretty white dress.

What a cutie!!

She is wearing Baby's Smocked Layette. 

 It has just a tiny bit of Smocking at the neck and sleeves.

Baby's Smocked Layette

Join me and Faded Charm for White Wednesday.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2011 Jeannie Baumeister

My Blue Dimity Dress - Done and Cute!

Hi Sharon!! (Sharon was her first Mama)

Flat Baby Betsy is sporting a new Dress! 

Doesn't she look pleased, if a bit startled.

The dress is from OFB pattern "Baby's Smocked Layette" and is really more elegant than cute! 

Swiss Dimity smocks up like Cotton Candy!

I love Pink and Blue together - So Old Fashioned!!  So Baby!!

This is the Swiss Dimity fabric I have been telling you all about.

I absolutely love it.  

 Swiss Dimity comes in Blue, White and a slightly peachy Pink.

This fabric is exquisite.

All soft colors.

For this dress, I cut the fabric from behind the lace.

To make this lacy hem, cut out the dress as instructed and sew the side seams. Mark the lace placement lines with a fabric marking pen.  Mark the lace placement line for the lower of the two pieces of lace insertion  2" up from the raw unfinished hem (the hem is already finished in the picture above).  Stitch lace insertion in place.  Measure up  1/2" from the top of the sewn on insertion to mark the  lace placement line for the upper piece of lace insertion.  There will be 1/2" between the two lace pieces.

Then stitch lace insertion to the lower unfinished hem (all this insertions stitching is by machine) and whip gathered lace edging to the insertion by hand.

My sleeve is finished with Swiss Beading and gathered lace insertion.

Beading is great to use because  you can adjust it with ribbon and it's easy to fit different size babies.

Look at  more Sizing Tips from me.

Surround yourself with Beauty

And be Delighted!

jeannie b.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2011 Jeannie Baumeister

Silk Broadcloth

See, Babies are well and smiling in Old Fashioned Baby clothes!

Baby Annie is wearing  a Baby's Smocked Layette dress made from Silk Broadcloth.

I posted the same little dress made from Dotted Swiss a couple of days ago.

The Baby's Smocked Layette pattern was inspired by a Vintage Baby Gown.  And I worked hard to get that same vintage look in my design.  But it's pleater compatible!

Beautiful, huh?

The Silk Broadcloth fabric has a nice body but it drapes just like silk (well, it is silk).

The manufacturer says to dry clean but I hand wash it and hang  to dry or stick in the dryer on low heat to dry. 

 Funny thing, if you dry it in the dryer it is very flimsy.  If you line dry it, it is very stiff and has body.  Best is to line dry it until almost dry and then stitck in the dryer before you sew it.  Sews up very easily, unlike china silk!

I am curious how many of you have used silk when sewing  for baby's or children?

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2010 Jeannie Baumeister