Saga French Sewing by Machine Class at National Convention

Oh what a sweet baby wearing this Bonnet!

This fall will be the National Convention for the Smocking Arts Guild of America.

Classes, Information, Sewing Market, Fun, Friends to be made, Fun

I will be teaching a class designed to teach you the techniques needed to sew wonderful heirlooms by machine.

This little French Bonnet is the class sample we will be working on!

You will love the process!

You will love the pretty Baby Bonnet!

You will love being in a class with other wonderful women who love sewing!

And I will love meeting you!

I hope you can join me.

Saga National Convention: Winston-Salem

It's going to be great!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2018 Jeannie Baumeister

Teaching for the French Handsewers Saga Guild

The class selected by the French Handsewers Saga guild included several useful and pretty  techniques.

The technique come together in this sweet Baby Bonnet.

This class was originally designed for the St. Louis Smocking Guild.

So I sometimes call it the St. Louis Fancy Snail Shirred Bonnet.

Two of the students in class, packed up afterward and heading home.

This is the project, worked on in class, that she will take home to finish.

I love to see finished projects.

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2015 Jeannie Baumeister

Last Day at the Smocking Guild Convention.

Sunday morning I  teach my last class.

Redwork - a favorite!

This baby bubble is from the pattern Best Embroidered Baby Clothes Two.

The embroidery design is in the Kit.

Redwork looks so crisp and clean.

This design is just so sweet, if I do say so myself!

Have a safe trip home and I will bring you more photos of Smocking in Orlando at a later date!!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2014 Jeannie Baumeister

Pretty Baby Daydress - In Orlando

I'm here at the Smocking National Convention in Orlando

In my class we've been having fun stitching on a Baby Daydress.  We are using my pattern Baby Daydresses and are making one of the views featured in the pattern.

Every little Baby Girl should have a wardrobe of Daydresses!

This Daydress was inspired by  old French Acadian Christening Gowns that are popular in South Louisiana.  Very Girly! Very Old Fashioned Baby!

With lots of my favorite stitch - Featherstitching!

And some good machine construction details.

I wish you could have come!

We miss you….

(and retail market is tonight….lots of fun to be had)

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2014 Jeannie Baumeister

Where is Jeannie?

Well, I'm in Orlando at The National Smocking Arts Guild of course, with all the cool kids!

Today is our first class day (not counting pre-days) and everyone is excited!

The first class I'm teaching is my Playing with Lace - Heirloom Pillowcase.

We are learning how to Pinstitch over applique cord and miter lace.

And we are shaping lace so we can go home and make that portrait dress we've been afraid to do.

And stitching embroidery!

Stitching gathered Lace Edging so it is pretty and even is important to every garment that has lace on it.

And the pesky question about how you cross over laces nicely.

Our finished project!

The really best part though…..is seeing old friends and meeting new ones!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2014 Jeannie Baumeister

Saga News

I received my latest issue of Saga News.

This was a wonderful issue….all about Wee Care, including patterns and stitching information.

I love it.

The only way you can receive this is by being a member of the Smocking Guild of America (Saga).

When you are a member, you can count yourself as one of the elect people who support the Needle arts such as  Smocking, Fine Embroidery, Heirloom Sewing and more.  We are a group who want to keep these skills alive to pass down to others.

Plus…we just have alot of fun doing it.

from the latest issue of Saga News

  

Join us?

Saga information here!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2014 Jeannie Baumeister

Heirloom Sewing Class - Embroidery

Heirloom Sewing stands up to the test of time.  The stitches, if by hand or machine, are worked carefully to last a long time.  The workmanship needs to be done well.  There are some techniques and some methods that will ensure this garment will last through one generation to the next, much less through the first wash!

Fancy apron - stitched decades ago.  

Embroidery is such a part of Heirloom Sewing.

And to me, the two dominate stitches you should know how to work?

Featherstitching.  Bullion Rosebuds.

In my class "Playing with Lace on an Heirloom Pillow", we will take the time to learn  basic Featherstitching and the Bullion Rosebud.

We will also learn how to do the hand stitched Pinstitch over Applique Cord when attaching lace to fabric.

If you are worried about the art of Heirloom Sewing and Smocking not surviving in this fast paced world….book your ticket and

Come to Orlando!!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2014 Jeannie Baumeister

Heirloom Sewing Class - Lace

In my class "Playing with Lace on an Heirloom Pillow" you will learn what to do when the lace Insertion crosses over each other and how to handle the lace and the fabric behind it.

You will shape the lace into a loop and attach it to your fabric.

If you can make Lace Loop de Loops then you can do anything!!

You will miter the lace and cut the fabric away from behind it, then learn how to finish the tiny fabric  bit that is left  over.  

Lace Knowledge - A very good thing to have!

Do you want to support the cause of Heirloom Sewing and Smocking?

Come to Orlando!!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2014 Jeannie Baumeister

SAGA -Stitch a Heirloom Baby Dress With Me!

This dress features lace applied to fabric, tiny seams, entredeux, tucks, an old fashioned baby placket and a lacy hem.

This sweet Baby Daydress is the garment chosen for my SAGA class "Construction of a Classic Baby Daydress."

Most of this class time will be spent sewing our dress using our machine, with fine hand techniques taught when they are needed for superior results.

I will be teaching this class at the National Smocking Arts Guild of America this fall in Orlando, FL.

Featherstitching, both the regular and the unique Antique Double Featherstitch will be a highlight for those who love embroidery. Along with sweet little pink Rosebuds.

When you learn to stitch the  Antique Double Featherstitch , you will be stitching a bit of history.  This tiny stitch adorns many, many vintage baby clothes in South Louisiana.  Quite a few of them Christening Gowns.

I like to think of it as a pass along stitch.  

You need to learn it and pass it along to someone else….so no one forgets how to do it!!

I'm serious, too! 

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2014 Jeannie Baumeister

Redwork Embroidery Class

I will be teaching Red work Embroidery for the  SAGA National Convention this fall.

There are certain stitches that lend themselves to this type of embroidery and we will spend the morning learning how to work these stitches. 

Red work on an antique Baby Romper.

Another antique garment.

A silly goose struts around on this antique Baby Sun suit.

We will also be looking at embroidery designs that will work well for Red work.

I love the simple look of it!

Check out the Smocking Arts Guild of America Website. 

 You would have a great time stitching with us!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2014 Jeannie Baumeister

Smocking Arts Guild of America - What's It All About?

I just returned from the National SAGA Convention.

 I just love this organization!

Mission Statement

The purpose of the Smocking Arts Guild of America is to preserve and foster the art of smocking and related needlework for future generations through education, service, communication and quality workmanship.

So let me show you a bit about the art of Smocking, Embroidery and Fine Sewing.  I tend to like these arts as applied to wearables.  Especially baby clothes.  But the variety  is really varied.

Close up of Smocking

Smocking is a decorative manner of gathering fabric.  It is embroidery on pleated fabric.  It is beautiful and it is easy to learn and stitch.

Smocked Baby Dress from my Pattern Baby's Smocked Layette.

A little more of the dress shown above.

Embroidered fabric used for a Bonnet in a Class I teach.

Mankind has been decorating the textiles in his life forever! 

 Embroidery is the art of  of working ornamental designs with a needle and thread.

Embroidered Baby Bonnet from another Class I teach.

Baby in a Christening Gown  by Grandmother

This Christening Gown is an example of Fine Sewing.

My (now 19 years old) Granddaughter in a dress I made her.

All of the projects above are examples of Fine Sewing.  

I encourage you to wear fine sewn garments and put them on your children.

It's your heritage!

That is a sample of what SAGA wants to preserve.

Who is SAGA?  I am SAGA.  I have friends who are SAGA.  Everyone who has a guild membership is SAGA.

Guilds are as old as time. 

They are organizations of people of related interests and goals.

You know the saying- "Birds of a feather, flock together".  It's true!

We educate, serve, net-work (SAGA has a Blog)  and encourage quality workmanship

Three hard working SAGA women, having fun while manning (womaning?) the hospitality booth at Convention.

SAGA is a group of women who volunteer and serve.

We run Committees and take care of the business of running a non-profit organization.

The SAGA program for this is called Wee Care.

We Smock Premie Bonnets to give to hospitals for babies who are born early.

We stitch Premie Gowns and  Burial Gowns for tiny babies.

There were over 800 items made and donated at the 2012 Convention.

They are given to local hospitals and also Military hospitals.

The Teddy Bears make this display cute. 

 But it is a heart wrenching experiance to need one of these garments.  

They are given to comfort the families of sick babies.

A Tiny Bonnet made for a Baby in need.

We are a collection of Guilds across the country and have many other service projects.

We are SAGA.  And we love the art of Needle Work!

More coming about this Convention.   

I am involved in the education part of SAGA.

I am a Neelde Arts teacher  and I taught these arts at the Convention.

 It was alot of fun!

All Designs Are Copyright Protected copyright 2012 Jeannie Baumeister