Football and Smocking

The sports world is buzzing with commentary on last night's Super Bowl.

The smocking world is celebrating the joy of seeing Eli's daughter dressed in a smocked bishop, complete with red Mary Janes and hairbow!

Precious!

Blessings

When your own burden is heaviest,

you can always lighten a little some other burden.

At the times when you cannot see God,

there is still open to you this sacred possibility to show God;

for it is the love and kindness of human hearts through which the divine reality comes home to men,

whether they name it or not.

Let this thought, then, stay with you:

there may be times when you cannot find help,

but there is no time when you cannot give help.

~George S. Merriam~

Lizzy

This is Lizzy, a new pattern from Bonnie Blue Designs.

I used a raspberry and pink floral from Fabric Finders.

While I love this fabric, it does make the design features of the pattern a little more difficult to discern in the photographs.  They are more visible in real life!

This is the dress with sleeves version.  I love the little gathered cap sleeves!

There is also a sleeveless version that may be worn as a jumper or dress.

I planned on using white pique for the yoke.

However, by the time I cut it out, I must have forgotten!

When I finally made it to my sewing machine with the pieces, I had cut them all from the floral fabric.  So, I plowed ahead!

Beneath the narrow yoke, is a center box pleat with two more pleats on either side.  These are all topstitched for a few inches, before releasing into soft gathers.

Again, the busier floral print does not allow all the details to be seen.

This style is great for those who are not crazy about full gathered skirts.

The pattern is sized to 8 years, and the pleated skirt is a more contemporary silhouette the older girls would probably like.

The dress buttons down the full length of the back, making it very simple to sew.

There are two pleats, repeating those of the front, on each side of the back.

I used floral shaped raspberry buttons, which seem to almost disappear in these photographs.

When I am sewing a pattern for the first time, I tend to sew it as the pattern shows.

In my personal sewing, that is probably not what I would do.  I would be adding my own mark to it with favorite techniques or embellishments.

However, many of my customers will stitch it as the pattern shows.

I believe I must have had that experience also, in order to better assist them.

As I was constructing this little dress, I thought of things I would probably do differently.

I do believe the addition of piping along the yoke and skirt seam would help to create a more finished look.  With this type of print, it would also help to break some of the busy floral design.

I might also add piping to highlight the square neckline.

As part of the general instructions included in most Bonnie Blue Designs patterns, there are excellent instructions on how to make and apply piping.  So it is something that any seamstress could easily attempt with this pattern.

The pattern illustration does show ribbon applied across the yoke of the jumper, with a bow at center front.  That would be another option for adding embellishment and a dressmaker touch.

However, in the smaller sizes, the yoke is 2" or less.

Adding ribbon to this size 2, seemed to take too much room on the yoke and throw things a little out of proportion.  I think piping or another small trim along the seamline would be better for the smallest sizes.

When using a light to medium weight fabric, I would also add a lightweight interfacing to the yoke.  The interfacing might not be as necessary if corduroy, denim or a heavier twill was used.

I did topstitch around the neckline.  I felt it would help reinforce the square corners and the overall finished look.

I do really love the sleeve!

This style is also a little more contemporary, and may appeal to more people than a traditional puffed sleeve.

I also appreciate the fact that it is lined, lending to a very finished look.

One fun thing, which the pattern suggests, is using a coordinating print for the lining. 

With so much white background in this print, the ginghams, plaids or stripes that I auditioned for lining shadowed through too much.  So, I just used white broadcloth.

By the time I was constructing the sleeves, I did decide the dress needed a little something extra.  So, I added green rick rack at the edge of the sleeves.

The pattern instructions have the sleeves applied flat, before stitching the underarm and sides seams.  I prefer to attach my sleeves in the round.

After applying the rick rack, and stitching the lining and outer sleeve together along the bottom edge, I flattened the lining and outer sleeve.  The underarm seam was stitched in one pass, beginning at the lining underarm seam and ending at the outer sleeve underarm seam.  I then folded the lining to the inside, exposing the rick rack and pressed.  Gathering stitches were stitched along the upper edges and the sleeve was applied to the dress in the round, with the skirt side seams already finished in tiny french seams.  This results in no visible raw edges of the underam seam within the sleeve.  With the french seams in the skirt, there are no exposed raw edges there, either.  Especially since the sleeve is lined, I feel this step makes them look even better.

Overall, I really like this pattern.  Next time, I will probably add piping and maybe a few other touches to add even more to the sweet design features.  I also think it would be fun to try an all white heirloom version, maybe with softly gathered lace around the neck and armholes.  It could be sweet for Easter or summer beach portraits! 

Linking to Sew Darn Crafty at Sew Many Ways!

Fabric, pattern and trim available at BessieMary.

Blessings

Dallas Arboretum

Ten Spiritual Tonics

Stop worrying.

Worry kills life.

Begin each day with a prayer.

It will arm your soul.

Control appetite.

Over-indulgence blogs body and mind.

Accept your limitations.

All of us can't be great.

Don't envy.

It wastes time and energy.

Have faith in people.

Cynicism sours the disposition.

Find a hobby.

It will relax your nerves.

Read a book a week

to stimulate imagination and broaden your view.

Spend some time alone,

for the peace of solitude and silence.

Try to want what you have,

instead of spending your strength trying to get what you want.

~Abraham L. Feinberg~

Miscellaneous Monday

Thank you for the many gentle thoughts on our recent loss.

We are still adjusting to life without our furry friend.

My husband misses him most in the mornings, when they would stroll through the neighborhood.  I miss him most in the evenings, when I am often home alone.

Now, the great debate rages on whether or not to acquire a new four footed family member.

It is the first time in our 28.5 year marriage that we have not had a dog.

Bluff was my husband's miniature schnauzer when we married.  I had to pass his approval before we could even date!

Next came Dizzy.  He was a rather difficult Dalmation.  After moving to a home in the inner city, I felt the need to have a dog that offered a little more protection.  Bluff remained inside, while Dizzy mostly patrolled the backyard.  Dizzy managed to contribute to his own demise by eating everything in sight, including his water and food bowls, toys, bedding, pecans (shells and all) when they dropped from the trees, the roof of his doghouse, and most anything that would fit in his mouth.  He was a beautiful dog, but not very smart.

Shortly afterwards, Bounce bounded into our lives to patrol and protect our home and yard.

He was an Airedale terrior who never realized just how big he really was.  He would see our smaller dogs sitting in our laps, and believe that he could do the same.

He slipped and slid on our hardwood floors with huge paws, keeping me on my toes as I rushed to catch and save anything breakable in his path.

My husband is probably the one person to visit the dentist and come home with a dog, instead of the usual complimentary toothbrush and toothpaste sample.

That is how we acquired Blitz, our second miniature schnauzer.

Blitz was the most laid back dog ever.  Doorbells never phased him, and were unworthy of a bark.  Toys were to look at, sniff and then ignore.  He loved to be held or sit on your feet, but wet puppy kisses were not his thing.

Our young son decided Blitz needed someone to teach him the finer points of playing and puppy kisses. 

So, Rambo entered our lives and hearts.

He never managed to teach Blitz to enjoy toys, or give those wet kisses.  Instead, he assumed those roles, and we seem a little lost without him and them.

I often receive inquiries on the source of poems and sayings I share in the Blessings posts.

Many of them come from books on the shelves in our library.  When we built this house, the trend was to include a home office.  We went a different route and built a library.  The room also houses my childhood piano and my mother-in-law's childhood rocking chair.  I featured the sweet needlepoint cushion she made for it here.  She also stitched the needlepoint which now covers the piano bench.

Recently, a reader inquired specifically about this poem.

Unfortunately, I have no additional information on its origin or author.  I first found it in a book of poetry gifted by a family member. 

I try to always give credit to the author or origin of writings.  I have even conducted internet searches for the source of some, before they are used.

I was unable to reply to this reader personally, due to the fact they left no email address and are a no-reply reader.

I hope they read this entry, or return to the original post and read my reply.

This is my latest addiction!

I evidently missed all the commotion and fanfare when it first began hitting more grocery shelves and blogs last year.

Some say it is an alternative to peanut butter, but I would never put the two in the same class.

I enjoy peanut butter, but love this!  A tablespoon contains fewer calories than peanut butter, and seems a little more healthy overall.  It is also safe for those with nut allergies.

My favorite indulgence is smearing a little on crisp apple slices.

After the holidays, I always find it a little difficult to return to more healthy eating.  A juicy apple, with a little dab of this, seems to satisfy my sweet tooth without too much harm to the hips.

I found my jar at World Market, but believe it can be found other places, too.

Check the Biscoff website for more information and recipes.

Happy Monday!



Blessings

  Helleborus niger

Give the best you have received from the past

to the best that you may come to know in the future.

Accept life daily not as a cup to be drained

but as a chalice to be filled with whatsoever

things are honest, pure, lovely, and of good report.

Making a living is best undertaken as a part

of the more important business of making a life.

Every now and again

take a good look at something not made with hands --

a mountain, a star, the turn of a stream.

There will come to you wisdom and patience and solace

and, above all,

the assurance that you are not alone in the world.

~Sidney Lovett~

Rambo . . .

For fourteen years you filled our lives with unconditional love, wet kisses, and silly antics.

You never did learn the command of "sit and stay", but you will stay forever in our hearts.

As you scampered across that rainbow bridge, your buddies Bounce and Blitz no doubt waited to welcome you.  Maybe they introduced you to our first schnauzer, Bluff.

I just am not sure how to tell your human best buddy that you will not be here to welcome him home again.

Rest in peace, sweet friend. 

Our home will never be the same.