Bird’s Easter 2011 Dress

Pattern: vine/flower motif taken from Beautiful Bishops

Fabric: Linen Cotton Blend (70/30)

Trim: Beading Insertion (stash item), lace trim from local shop next to Quilts Etc. (what is that shop named?), mayarts silk ribbon from Lace Place, pearl cotton Anchor embroidery floss 8 weight

Size: 5

This was such a fun sew.  It came together in less than a week because the weeks prior to Easter were spent with a sick baby.  I love smocking—I never remember how much until I’m in the middle of a project and then I’m usually thinking that I should do some leisurely smocking instead of trying to get it done in just a few days.  There is somewhere around 1850 inches of tucks on this dress.  I sometimes forget when drawing out what I want how long details take, especially when you are using a no-frills economical machine that fits no specialty feet.  I finished this on Saturday night before Easter and went test-driving machines on Monday morning.  There are so many projects I want to start but won’t until I have a new sewing machine, hopefully mother’s day, only I’ve run into a quandary  making a choice between two amazing machines, different brands.  I think I have 11 must have presser feet chosen for either.  My next set of tucks will be less painful and more precise for sure.

Bird loves it.  It is wonderfully twirly and a white dress feels particularly special to her I think. 

Night Sew

I'm Aurelie, the Mama to my three lovely children and wife to a very patient husband. Occasionally, I fit in time to knit, embroider, and sew--usually after my trio has retired to bed. Thus most of my stuff has been sewn during the night, with a foggy Mama brain, a 'night sew'. My daughter years ago recognized this and took to making her requests as I was kissing her goodnight tucked into her wee bed.

"Mama, pwlease make me a pink cindewelly dress tonight when I sweep. Da one da birds make.  Dank you."

Many times items are finished as I'm dropping into bed, already mostly asleep with good intentions to take photographs in the morning light. Thinking of the last 5 years, I've realized how few of those pictures were taken.  Worse, the documentation of those few are scattered among several hard-drives.  Night sew will hopefully be the project to change that. My first goal is to get new stuff up and secondly, to dig into the archives.