Pocket T Shirt

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.  ~Charles Dickens,Great Expectations





We have been seeing the little pocket t-shirts with monograms, usually done with a chevron print.  I checked out an in-the-hoop design from one of the applique sites, but I did not just love the way it looked.  So I decided....how hard can a patch pocket be on a knit?

I had nothing in my stash of pastels and pinks that looked good with the chevron print in which I had done their skirts, so I settled on a polka dot.  No whites....all I had was red, so red pocket on red shirt it was.  I was ready to get these babies DONE.  I did 3 little monograms on the dot, little Sarah never gets a matching shirt because I can't find them in toddler sizes.

Then I just cut a patch pocket pattern from one of the many green accounting tablets that are around my house.  The same tablet that Joe uses to compose my cards, the ones on which our grocery lists are scribbled, and the ones Joe uses to  scratch his never ending TO DO lists . I centered the patch over the monogram, eyeballing the center, counting the dots on either side of the monogram, and cut it our adding a 1/4 " seam.  I cut 3 additional pockets for linings, and sewed them right sides together, leaving a little bit on the side where I could pull it through, trimmed the corners and seams, turned it and PRESSED AND STEAMED, making sure the lining didn't peek out on the sides.



The final step was carefully stitching the pocket to the shirt.  I used a stabilizer on the back of the shirt, my trusty #10 foot, bumped off center just once, and stitched it down, making sure to reinforce the corners.

Maybe the mommies will want one of my t-shirts!

Ruthie again

We could never have loved the earth so well if we had had no childhood in it. 
 ~George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss, 1860

I want to show you Mae's version of the little "Ruthie" pattern.  It is in the softest  pink with a black background.  This dress has a shorter yoke that gives it a little younger appearance.  Mae will also appreciate a shorter sleeve.

I like the way the pattern instructs  you to do the rick rack trim around the sleeve.  You finish the edge of the sleeve;  they recommend  serger but I just used my overlock  2A foot  which is so much easier than dragging out the serger.  Then place the rick rack on top of the  sleeve at exactly a quarter inch above the edge of the sleeve, and keep it in place with tiny dots of fabric glue. I have discovered the only way for me to be successful with rick rack is to dot glue, and then stitch it down using my # 10 foot.  After you stitch it down, turn it under and just half of the rick rack is visible giving it a pretty look.  Then do a topstitch along the edge of the sleeve.  I use the #10 foot, bump it over two spaces, and let the blade ride along the edge of the sleeve.  Here is the sleeve before the topstitch.

So here is Miss Mae in her little version of Ruthie.  I wanted to add a border of the rick rack trim around the hem but I have run out of the soft shell pink and can't find it anywhere.  Getting a photo of Mae The Moving Target is never easy, but I coaxed her into a quick shot by letting her leave her jeans and t-shirt on UNDER the dress.









Now I am on to Katelyn's dress and a special request for blue!

Been sewing, not blogging!

My road trips are over for the time being, my dear family is all in place, and I can begin to concentrate on my sewing again!  I have actually been in my sewing room, but have not have time to blog and to share with my sewing buddies.  So here we have it, one of my latest projects! I love this Pattern from Children's Corner;  I think I will make it for all the girls! I made view B for Issa,; it has long sleeves and a dropped yoke. I will make view A for the younger girls, I think

.  I have pretty much decided to just stick with Children's Corner patterns. They just FIT.  They are easy to read, they often will teach a new technique, and they are precious.

I bought this fabric last year at Hancock's. I bought it in the blue/brown and a pink/black combination.  I am almost finished with Maes little dress, and then I am on to one for Katelyn.

I envisioned this dress worn with white anklets and English Sandals, but I am getting used to my sweet dresses with cowboy boots and converse tennis shoes.

Heal the Brokenhearted

Faith is what makes life bearable, with all its tragedies and ambiguities and sudden, startling joys. 

    ~Madeleine L'Engle

O Christmas Tree...

The perfect Christmas tree? All Christmas trees are perfect!

~Charles N. Barnard

I wanted to do something a little different than the usual red and green this year for my girls. My little kiwis are in white batiste from Christmas Past, so I just had my two Birmingham sweeties to sew for.  I let the design from Applique Corner dictate the colors.  The tree was whimsical, so I used lime green and red on a blue corduroy.  The little hanging star was embroidered with Gutterman gold metallic thread.  I slowed the machine down and didn't have a problem with the thread breaking.

For some reason both my Ipad and Iphone photograph the tree's fabric as yellow, when it is really a pretty bright green.

Happy Christmas sweet Katelyn and Sarah.  I hope they fit!

STAY is a charming word in a friend’s vocabulary.

 ~ Louisa May Alcott

The time in New Zealand is coming to an end, and Mandy needed some parting gifts for a few of the many kind people she has met along the way. 1.  Lilo's linen napkin with the brown ribbon comes from Embroidery Arts.  I couldn't find a font that I liked in the software, so I took the Middle M from the Empire font, then reduced the size of the other letters, using the middle option so that they did not lean.  She uses four letters, so I had to do a little research on ways to do a four letter monogram.  2.  Toni's towel is from Williams Sonoma, and I used a soft cotton on the bottom border.  The font is Art Deco from Embroidery Arts and is accented in bright blue and black.  3.  Jodene's towel is linen with a simple manuscript font from the Artista software.  I used a step fill on this one because of the size of the F.  4.  Hope's black linen towel is Empire, a long time favorite.  5.  I had to play around with the circle monogram.  Lorna is the her friend's  first name, but the L  did not look right on the left side of the circle.  I put her husband's name first, and the final effect is much more pleasing to the eye.

  I hate to see their adventure end, but I am so glad that they will be home soon.

Sewing Under the influence

When the wine goes in, strange things come out.
            ~Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, The Piccolomini, 1799

 

I am not going to complain about being to busy to sew, because I am grateful for a full and happy life. When I get up in the morning I have every intention of finishing just one little project, but life seems to get in the way.  But Christmas is coming, and even though there is not time for 4 little smocked dresses this year, I can at least do little lined jumpers.

I wanted to do something a little different this year, and Kathy suggested I try turquoise and red; it is in many of the stores this year for Christmas.  I was in a rush, so Fabric.com was my answer.  I ordered a cute little snowman print for the lining and a soft pinwale corduroy for the body of the dress.

Long story short,  I was tired, I had a glass or two of wine, but I am getting worried about getting the dresses in the mail.  Nothing was on TV, so even though I usually sew in the morning, I went up to my little closet at 8 this evening.

My first problem was the lining. The little snowmen on the back lining are right side up, but the poor little guys on the front are all standing on their heads. I don't think Sarah will mind too much if her ling is upside down, so I forged ahead.

I sewed back to front, and as I began to attach it to the corduroy, I notitced I had SEWN UP THE WRONG SIDE.

I have learned that I am an early morning sewist rather than one who sews at 8 in the evening.  And from now on I will sew after a cup of tea rather than a glass of Kendall Jackson.

Happy Birthday to Evelyn...

So mayst thou live, dear! many years,

                        In all the bliss that life endears,..
                            ~Thomas Hood, "To My Daughter, On Her Birthday"

This little Kiwi Girl has a birthday in April,

but Issa's little Kiwi Girlfriend has a birthday in November, and this is part of her present!  I knew that she liked pink, so I started gathering fabrics.  I liked the lacey pink pattern, and found a pink and white stripe to put with it.  Instead of a third fabric to accent,  I used a bit of preruffled eyelet from my stash in between the two fabrics. Baby rickrack in pink completed the gift.  The key to making this pillowcase is lining up your fabrics and trimming them to exactly the same size. 

For an accent to Evelyn's name, I put the little hearts. 

I wish lots of sweet Birthday dreams to little Evelynl!

Boy, n.: a noise with dirt on it. ~Not Your Average Dictionary

Kathy made this beautiful quilt, blanket and burp pad for little Tony's soon to be here little brother, Carter.

It is made out of the most beautifully soft fabrics;  they will feel so nice next to baby soft skin.  The blanket above is a quilted blanket with flannel on one side, and Minkey on the back.  Her bias bindings are always so neat.  The burp bad is edged in the flannel, with the boy definition  embroidered on it in matching thread.  These are really cute, but the fun part is this quilt! 

The fabric on the top of the quilt is a soft polka dot, and she appliqued a "to do" list for a new baby boy!  She added his initials in the top right hand corner.  Again she has a perfect binding, and the quilt is backed with a soft dimpled orange Minkey.  Kathy used the Crown Jewel to quilt her little blanket, and she used a new swirly design that you just can't see in this photograph.  Lucky little Carter James!

New Zealand is not a small country but a large village.        ~Peter Jackson

I think I'm in love.

I love the scenic beauty,  I love the fresh food that you can get in all the tiny restaurants and coffee shops,  I love the people, I love the ocean with all the little bays,  I love the solitary feeling you can get strolling on the beach, and I love the ice cream.  It is like nothing I have ever tasted.  I loved the south island with it's mountains, lakes and sheep.  I love the fresh air and the wind.  I do love New Zealand.

Today we took the ferry from downtown Auckland to Devonport and did a little shopping.  I should say I did some shopping;  the rest of the family did some sightseeing, then went to the playground and the library.

In Cushlas's Village Fabrics in Devonport, I found the most beautiful selection of patterns and fabrics.  It was difficult to make a selection and be on my way.  I finally settled on the cute little sheep for pillowcases for the girls.  Mandy snapped this photo as I entered the shop ; I think they all knew that I would be occupied for awhile.

This country is only missing the rest of my family, my friends, and my Bernina.   Give me those, and I could be perfectly happy here.