Baby Charlotte

I have my nose to the grind stone right now, but I wanted to share something I just finished.

This is a Baby Bishop for my daughter's teacher. The baby is due during Christmas break.

The fabric is a brush micro-check from my stash. The pattern is Cherry Williams Baby Bishop size 3 months.

I will try to have the smocking plate posted in a couple of days. I am having "bonding issues" with a new computer. :-)

Just Ducky!

Last week, the parents-to-be in my family had another ultrasound. The doctor wanted to check something. Their concerns turned out to be nothing.

But at the end of the ultrasound the doctor said "Nothing to worry about your DAUGHTER looks great!". It A Girl!

So since they knew, they decided to let everyone else know. I am doing backflips I am so excited! I would have loved a grandson also but a granddaughter is beyond words. :-)

Well, this is what I was working on the day I got the news. It started out as a Michaela bubble by PrimRose Lane. I had the boy sleeves cut out but I hadn't gotten that far yet.

The Boy's sleeves got filed away and I cut out puffed sleeves instead. Since I know that this baby has a good possibility of being tall, I decided to go with a dress instead of a bubble. I need to finish up the white pique bloomers to finish the outfit.

The Smocking Plate is Ellen McCarn's "Duckin' Duckies". The fabric is white pique and yellow pique ducks from my stash.

Also with this photo I wanted to show you a pattern change I always make on this pattern. I hate to have to fold over pleated fabric. I especially do not like to fold over pleated fabric at a neck line. The neckline never looks perfect and it is just too thick (IMHO)

So instead, I add a small 1" yoke (+ seam allowances) at the top of the smocked panel. I used the lining pattern piece as my template for the yoke and add piping along my holding row.

PS- When I let my family know it was a girl, my SIL texted "Doomed to a life of beautiful Handmade dresses by her Grandmother!!!!!!". Her two nieces were my first models when I was learning to smock.

Ramblings

• My niece Angie had more surgery yesterday to repair her shoulder that was shattered in a car accident on Father's day. She is doing better but still has a long road ahead.



• Here is the link to the previous post.http://texassmockingcompany.blogspot.com/2010/06/prayers-needed.html



• The man that hit them was deported.



• Our area Girl Scouts are having a Mother /Daughter Mad Hatter Tea Party in March. I am trying to convince my daughter to let me make something for her to wear.



• I feel my inner Red Queen coming out! :-)



• My cell phone contract is up next week and right on schedule my phone is going toes up.



• I like my phone. I don't want to have to learn how to use a new phone.



• Is there such a thing as a technology saturation point?



• The UPS man delivered a package today. The weird thing was I was not at my house. I was waiting at the end of a country road for the school bus when he stopped and gave me the package.

• Speaking of UPS....I saw the UPS truck making a delivery at the local Post Office. It was backed up to the loading dock. I wish I had taken a picture!
  
  
• Since my family is made up of a lot of ministers, military and lawyers (with a few artist and engineers thrown in) The Supreme Court hearing today of Snyder verse Phelps made some interesting discussions tonight.



• I saw first hand the pain that the Westboro Church causes at a local funeral a few years back.



• Here is a link to the transcript of the Supreme Court hearing today.http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/09-751.pdf

• I am shipping two dresses to SB in the morning then I need to clean my sewing room before I get nominated for an episode of "Hoarding -Buried alive". My next project was in the package that UPS delivered. I am excited!

Baby Pictures

I have been sitting on my hands for the past couple of months trying not to share some exciting news............I am going to be a grandmother!

Here are the baby's first pictures





The parents do not want to know if it is a boy or a girl until the baby is born. I tried to explain that I have baby clothes to make but that did not sway them. I guess I need to work on my guilt trip a little more. I am slipping.

So I will let you join in the guessing game. This picture the baby is stretched out across the top part of the picture. Any experts out there? Any educated guesses? Any gut feeling? :-)

Even More Smocking Challenge Results

Katherine Dillender sent me these photos of two outfits she made for her daughter using the Smocking Challenge Bishop plate.




I love the colors she used!




Here is a purple version. I love how soft and sweet it looks.






I can just imagine how huggable her daughter looks in this bishop.

Katherine, Thank You so much for sharing your photos. You really made my day!!!

More smocking challenge photos

Well, after seeing Debra's photos it gave me a push to finish a baby bishop I had been working on for a baby gift.

The pattern is Cherry Williams baby bishops in a size 3 month. The fabric is Martha Pullen Victorian Batiste . The lace is from "Luc the lace guy". I picked up 5 yards of the Angel lace at the last Smocking Convention.

The smocking plate is rows 3-7 of my Smocking Challenge bishop.

Smocking Challenge pictures

I was so excited to receive an email from Debra Parker with pictures of her bishop dress that was smocked with my Smocking Challenge Bishop!

Debra gave me her permission to share the photos

Her Smocking is perfect!

Here is a close up. Look at her bias neck band! Wow!

Debra, Thank you so much for the pictures. You really made my day!

Here is a link to the free smocking plates if you missed them. http://texassmockingcompany.blogspot.com/2010/05/smocking-challlenge.html