Monday, October 26, 2015

October Show and Share

A Bounty
of 
Show and Share

This darling pink dress sewn by Ann with 'clip-dot' fabric in a size 1 using a pattern by "Appliqué for Kids" which can be found on www.appliqueforkids.com website.


Here is a dress for the older girl. An "Oliver + S" pattern, 'Book Report Dress' was used to sew this dress in a soft lavender corduroy and a floral lawn both from Fabric Finders. Roberta would like to share that the pattern is quite narrow across the shoulders, so it is best for a more willowy frame.



This white dress accented with pink ribbon was constructed by Nikki Stasny at the 'Sassy Southern School'. Trisha Smith's 'Perfectly Puffed' pattern was used on batiste for a size 8.






















Another completed 'Kinsey' from the sewing along. This one done by Joanne.


PILLOWS, Pillows and more pillows by Susan. The yoga saying was stitched on a canvas from the "Needle House",  'Hot Mess' was sewn with tie died fabric,  and 'frugal' were also canvas' from Needle House. The Delta Gamma pillow canvas was from Chapparall.



Along with her stitching ability, Susan had time for a little machine sewing. These two garments made with 'Fleur de lis' (logo of Univ. of Louisiana) fabric were made from the Frannie, size 2 and Johnny, size 12 months patterns.




























Susan also found time to sew up this 'Malina' pattern by "Bonnie Blue". She plans to enter it in the FALL CHALLENGE for our chapter.


Barbara made this very lovely night gown for her daughter, using a pattern from AS&E issue 58. The red polyester charmeuse satin was the perfect choice of fabric to give that soft flowing feminine feel.


Leda shared her talent with a crochet needle by making this 'Popcorn Crochet Baby Afghan'. She use three colors of yarn - pink, baby blue and brown. We have multi-talents members.



















Trena has stayed busy with creating a silk ribbon embroidered purse from a kit and smocking the 'Lucy' pattern from "Children's Corner" using fabric from her stash. She did her own design on the smocking. Good for YOU!








































New member, Nancy brought the ring bearer pillow she made for her daughter's wedding. The lace was from Nancy's wedding dress, what a wonderful idea. She smocked the pillow insert with a design from "Little Memories - 3 of Hearts".


Brenda has been busy lately, not only did she do a long awaited Christmas stocking for her nephew (sorry no picture at this time)which is a family tradition, but she finished a bishop from a sew along taught by Roberta and completed the 'Lucy' FB challenge plus a doll dress. The bishop is smocked with 'Sailboats' by Ellen McCarn.



















And speaking of doll dresses, Susanna has started the ball rolling for next year's fund raiser by making a cute dress for the American Girl Doll raffle. This dress was made from the "My Favorite Designer Doll Dress Clothes" book by Wendy Schoen. Just for fun, she also did the precious "Children's Corner" 'Lucy' dress smocking from a design found in AS&E.


















































Joy has inspired us by putting the finishing touches to the dress, slip and bonnet from Jeannie B's class and bringing a complete ensemble for us to see. This project was made from Swiss Lawn fabric and hand stitched embroidered.



















She has let her creative juices flow and has designed a diaper shirt set from a vintage pattern. This precious pattern should be available soon on her website.





This particular one was sewn with Swiss flannel. She did a machine shadow work of a little boat.










The following pictures are close up views of her bias scalloped edging demonstration and how she used it on different areas of the one dress. You may view a picture of the full dress by visiting the October program post.





Can you see the scalloped edging down the center of the bodice?































Here it is used on the sleeve


 And to finish off the effect, she has added it to the hem.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

October Program

TABLE TOP 
TECHNIQUES

Table 1 - Ribbon Rosettes with Leslye.



Leslye demonstrating how to weave the thread up and down the width and length of the ribbon.

This group of ladies were having fun learning this technique



























After tying the knots for this particular rosette, Leslye showed how to gather the ribbon with a strand of thread.










Table 2 - Bullion Buttons by Barbara



Barbara shared that either a 2 hole or 4 hole button could be used to stitch bullion roses for a lovely effect.

There is a real knack at winding the thread around the needle once it is inserted through the button hole!



Barbara sharing some thoughts with Jackie.














Table 3 - Counter Change Smocking from Joanne.




Joanne provided several reference books and examples of this lovely and unique fabric manipulation. These tulips were stitched using this method on a striped fabric.





Table 4 - Scalloped Edging created by Joy

Joy explaining how she came up with this simple trim and how it can be used in so many ways.



A few examples of how this precious edging can be used for the special effect.



How about on an angel sleeve or around a collar?























Along a scalloped hem?


What a lovely effect on the sleeve and hem of this Wee Care gown.




Here is a darling dress with the scalloped edging used around the neckline, down the bodice center, along the edge of the sleeve and again as a hemline. WOW, just precious!






All 4 talented members provided information and techniques to creatively embellish any garment.

THANKS LADIES for your time and effort to make this program wonderful! A special thanks goes to Marisol as our program director and to the board.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Valley Forge Continues

Valley Forge Retreat Extras


Jann Young was awarded the Master Level of Smocking of the SAGA Artisan Program!

Her comment to the members at the banquet regarding the journey she has taken, was quite encouraging for all of us in the program.

"The difference between a beginner and a master is that a master has failed more times than a beginner has tried."

Here are a few of her smocked projects...

What little girl wouldn't want to go to a party in this dress?






















Look at the details of the smocking and embroidery.



And to add embroidered buttons, well Jann thought of every detail.


























The fabric manipulated snowman wore a smocked coat as well as carrying a smocked Christmas ball ornament. Just too, too cute!


Who would have thought to smock a corset? Jann Young that's who!

One more basket and winner...This basket "Piping Hot Trim" was donated by our own Joy Welsh and won by no other than another of our members, Tawn Hunka. It contained a Gingher Rotary Cutter, a Groovin' piping trimming tool, and stuffed with 40 packs of trim, 3 yards each! OOH...

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Tip of the Day

Tip from Trisha Smith 


Trisha Smith of Trisha's Treasures was one of the instructors at the Valley Forge Retreat. She shared many tips and techniques during that class. 

As you can see, Trisha is about to snip at an angle, a quarter to half an inch from two of the salvage edges of her fabric. She does this before she washes her new fabric in preparation to make a garment. Doing this little trick this will help to prevent the fabric from unraveling during the wash cycle and keep all those single threads from bunching up and twisting around your fabric. Also, if you don't get around to using this fabric, but fold it and add to your stash, when you go back to it, the triangle shape at the salvage edge will remind you that the fabric has already been washed.

You may visit her Facebook page 
Patterns by Trisha's Treasures


This darling "Pleated Bodice Dress" was taught at the retreat.
























Image from Trisha's Facebook.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Winners

Winners 
of the
Midnight Oil Smockers Raffle Baskets


Peg Round, of the 'Bewitching Stitchers', has a big smile as she was the lucky winner of our "Swiss Bishop Blues" raffle basket.



Charlotte Hallworth, VP of our national organization, who lives in Nashville, TN was the winner of the 'Vintage Patterns' basket. She shared that Children's Corner Patterns are among her favorites and she visits the shop frequently.

Congratulations ladies, I know you will enjoy your baskets...




Sunday, October 11, 2015

Raffle Baskets

Retreat Raffle Baskets!

Midnight Oil Smockers' beautiful 'Blue Basket'...

Vintage Patterns - Basket #2

Quilted Fabric basket that I put many tickets in, hoping to win...... oh well, try again next year.

There were over 50 baskets donated to the SAGA raffle basket event...so hard to choose which to put your tickets into!