Victorian Smockers Finish!

The Victorian Smockers Finished their Daygowns!

Priscilla Layette Daygown with pretty blue gingham binding.

The Victorian Smockers got together to work on the embroidery.

Priscilla Daygown with pink binding  - working on embroidery.

Pretty little matching bonnet!

Full View of Daygown.

She made the whole matching ensemble!

Two more Priscilla Daygowns.

I am so pleased that the Victorian Smockers used my pattern and my blog lesson as a group.  It is always more fun (and easier to learn) to sew as a group.

Sad to tell you, the Priscilla Layette pattern is now out of print!!  I am working on a pattern that will incorporate some of the designs but it will not be the exact pattern.  So, if you have this pattern, hang on to it!!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2009 Jeannie Baumeister

The Victorian Smockers use My Blog Lessons!!

The Victorian Smockers SAGA Guild is doing the Post for my Blog  today!!

I received this note along with the pictures!!!

Hi Jeannie,

The Victorian Smockers SAGA chapter in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida met today to start a three month daygown project.  We are using the tutorial from your blog to follow along with the instructions and learn some Old Fashioned Baby techniques.  Pat printed the blog directions through lesson 4.  That is what we worked on today. We will use our next two monthly meetings to work on the Priscilla Daygown and hopefully will have lots of little pretties to show you. We all agree that your tutorial is wonderful and we can't wait for the next meeting.  Hope you enjoy the photos.  See you next month.  Oh, and thanks for the beeswax you sent along with the patterns.                                    

  Warm regards,  Susan Van Houten

Although I really like my pattern Baby weights, I must say, using pretty  Stirling Silver Spoons is very classy!  

Susan is doing a great job!  Cutting outside the black lines!!

Susan and Pat are following the Priscilla Blog Lessons.

I can't help but notice the beautiful quilts in the background.  Very nice sewing environment!

I think she has marked her fabric and is ready to sew!

Beverly is already sewing!  She is going to have a hard time playing by the rules.  I can tell she wants to finish it before next month!

I like the cute print Beverly is using.

I am so excited that the Victorian Smockers are using my Blog Lessons.  And what fun for them  to get together to stitch. Everything is better when done with a friend.   I can't wait until they send me more pictures next month.  I better get that slip Lesson posted.  They will need a slip to go with their daygowns!!

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).

Lesson 4: Sew Priscilla Daygown/Best Thread and Needle to use.

Today we are ready to sew!  We are making the Priscilla Daygown, View 2.  We will complete Steps 1 and 2.

Jeannie's Project Boxes.

I have all the materials for my daygown  in a project box.  This helps me keep everything together so I don't have to go looking for pattern pieces or other materials I will need for this project.  This is very helpful for a person who is always misplacing things or someone who can only spend short amounts of time sewing.  Just plop everything in your project box and pick up next chance you get.  Everything is just waiting in the box for you.   I have many project boxes because I always have several garments in progress.  The secret to success is to never "borrow" from any box.

DMC #50 Thread is great for construction.

I will use 100% cotton  DMC #50 weight thread for sewing my daygown.  The same thread must be used in the bobbin too.  The lawn that I am using is very nice but not super thin and it is fairly closely woven so I will use a #70 needle.  It is a good idea to use a new needle for each new garment you make.

I am sewing on both my old Bernina and a Pfaff Creative 2144 Sewing Machine. Very nice!

Step 1. Follow the instructions in your pattern guide.   We will sew the back inverted pleat.  Remember, right sides together!  I always backstitch at the beginning and the end of my seam so my threads do not come undone. 

Close up sewing my back inverted pleat.

One feature I love on this machine is the 'Needle Down'.  When 'Needle Down' is activated the needle will always stop down in the fabric.  Then I can lift up the presser foot if I need to re-adjust the fabric and the needle will stay in the right place, ready to sew again.  If you have this feature on your machine, use it.

It's more fun pressing on a pretty iron board cover!!

After stitching the inverted pleat, bring the center back to the stitching line to form the pleat and press in place.  Then stitch the pleat down. The pleat is on the wrong side.

 

Right side of back is shown.

 Be sure to stitch inside the seam allowance (1/4" for the neck) when stitching the pleat in place so it won't show when the daygown is finished. 

Step 2.  We will turn the front facings to the wrong side of the daygown and stitch them in place.

 

Score or finger press the fabric in place using your thumbnail. 

Turn the facing to the wrong side along the outside fold line and finger press.

Turn the raw fabric edge in to meet the outside fold line, turning it under to finish the raw edge.  This is the same as turning the fabric on both fold lines that are marked on your pattern but this way I only need to mark one fold line and it is much quicker.

The next step is to stitch down the facing.  I have to decide if I want to embroider the facing before I stitch it down so I can hide any  knots or wait until the facing is stitched and the buttonholes are in.   This is easy for me!  I always wait!  I want to make sure my embroidery is placed exactly where I want it and the easiest way to insure this is to  embroider after I am done with the buttonholes. Plus, I haven't decided what I am going to embroider!

Edge Stitch Foot on the Bernina Sewing Machine.

Stitch by machine along the outside fold of the facing.  Sometimes I stitch the facing down by hand but on this daygown I will stitch it by machine.  It is easier to stitch perfectly straight  using an Edge Stitch Foot.  Each machine has it's own type of Edge Stitch Foot so ask your Machine Dealer if you don't have one.  This is a foot worth owning! 

 

Marking the buttonhole.

Next I will sew my buttonholes. I always want to make my buttonholes before I finish the neck edge.  The fabric feeds so much better.   I will starch and press my fabric before I mark and stitch them. I use a button to mark the buttonhole so it is the right size.  The opening for the buttonhole should be about 1/8" bigger than the button.  Mark all buttonholes the same size and be sure they are in the center of the Front Facing.  My original marks are often not in the center so it is important to check that.  I will also put tissue paper under my fabric as I stitch.  This will help the fabric to feed smoother.  Make the machine buttonholes following the instructions for your Sewing Machine.  If possible, adjust the stitch width so it is a little more narrow  since we are making baby buttonholes. 

 

I use a Buttonhole Cutter to cut my buttonhole. I like the way it gives me a clean, straight cut.  If you use scissors instead, you might want to put a straight pin across the bar  to help prevent cutting right through the end of the buttonhole!

 

 Stitching a gathering row with my Straight Stitch Foot.

Next, stitch three rows of gathering stitches as indicated on the pattern. The gathering stitches will be stitched  between the dots on our fabric that were transferred from the  pattern.  I use a stitch length that is long enough to gather but I don't want it to be very long.  The shorter the stitch length, the smaller and nicer the gathers (I used a stitch length of 2.5). Notice my Straight Stitch Foot.  My very favorite foot when sewing baby clothes! You need this foot!  It only has a tiny hole for the needle so it holds the fabric better and helps it to feed smoother.  This is so important because we will be stitching close to the edge of the fabric both when gathering and stitching tiny seams.

 

I pull my gathering threads up to measure 1 1/2" as indicated in the instructions.

Gathers are pulled up and tied off on both front pieces of my gown. 

I have been looking through my Embroidery Book and thinking about what I am going to do for embellishment.  I have a few ideas but I have not made up my mind for sure.  I might know by our next lesson.

That's it for Lesson 4.  Put all of your materials back in your project box until you are ready to work on it again!

Will my pattern fit my baby?

Baby Emma Rose is a few days old and is wearing a  long sleeved daygown made from OFB's  Priscilla's Layette, made in pale green geiger batiste.

Babies can always grow into a daygown,  so when making a daygown for a gift, don't wait until the last minute, give your gift early!  But how to know if  it will fit your own sweet little one?  Because baby clothes are meant to be loose and comfortable, you usually will rely on the weight of a baby to determine the size you need to make.  A newborn baby is very small (even those large 9 pounders are really little people).  Everything will be loose on them at first.  Then,  the baby's arms quickly grow longer and the arms, legs, neck and belly will fatten.  That's why it is good to measure baby's wrist and arms for fit. The shoulders do not grow quickly and the baby's length  does not affect the size of a daygown.      Daygowns are made for babies who are laying about and not yet standing.  They will fit almost any baby until 6 months and will fit most until 9 months.  They will fit a great number of babies, long after the usefulness of the daygown has gone.  Click Here for information about sizing garments for your baby.