December 6, 1997
e-Mail: mainfairy@smockingbooks.com
Website: Garden Fairies Smocking & Needlearts Catalog
Smocking Newsletter - Beth-Katherine Kaiman, copyright 1997-2004, all rights reserved. Please respect my creativity and hard work and ask permission before you copy something from these newsletters for your non profit goup, I always ask that you quote me correctly and give me credit with a way for people to get back to me. Thank you. IF you wish to quote me in a venture for profit please contact me separately concerning royalties
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Gosh you ladies are so busy makes me feel lazy. There were so many wonderful responses I've had to send them as an attached file (virus free). Hope you enjoy hearing about what everyone is working on and stash some ideas away for next year. Here we go:
OK, B-KK,
What I'm working on for Christmas projects (you didn't say it had to be smocking related!):
Hugs, Denise Ilmanen
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Dear Beth Katherine,
As I love to be a last minute stitcher and can be my most creative while under a time limit, I had been making a pillow for my DD and DSIL using the left over fabric from the brides maids dresses. The center design is a wreath of Brazilian embroidery roses and leaves , the very center is hand quilted (of course the colors are red, rose and pink for the roses and dark green and some brown for the leaves- I love the overdyed threads) The pillow is round and has a band of shirring for its sides, the back is plain, I love them but not enough to do both sides LOL. There are 3 fabrics used, white shantung for the background of the needle work, dark green velveteen for the shirring and dark green shantung for the back or the pillow, there is also piping planned for the edges (if I don't run out of time LOL).
Now the second project, it a raised bow tie wall hanging that I will have to piece but will not have time to hand quilt, so it will be machine quilted it's for my Dad and he won't know the difference between hand or machine so I can get away with it.
The third is a couple of Christmas ornaments to be given at several exchanges for groups I am a member of-does that make sense-you know I take a gift wrapped ornament and get to bring one home. It is always fun to hear the happy sounds of someone that has received a hand made Christmas heirloom.
Just in case you are wondering, you can eat of my floors, anything you want is down there somewhere. LOL
May the spirit of Christmas fill you life today and always. (Marsha)
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This year I have decided for 7 of my nieces and nephews to give them money. Most are at an age where I don't know what to give them anymore. My 5 yr old niece is getting a dress - light purple smocked with Ladybirds & Leaves from Australian Smocking Issue 36. I did not put the Ladybugs and leaves on. I used DMC Purple Variegated Floss. I am going to make my own piping out of a print that I am also using for the collar and cuffs. I used Ginger Snaps Basic Yoke Pattern. My 8 yr old niece is getting a knit top with pants. I am going to embroider (Viking 1+) dancers on the top. My husband and son are getting more boxer shorts. Debra Dirks
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The hours are whining away, our needles are flashing, the sewing machines whirring! Why do we torture ourselves! With two girls I have made (almost finished!) a red plaid flannel smocked "Alice's Drop Jumper" for Anna with a white lawn blouse trimmed in Belgian lace and for Elizabeth "Lederhosen"in the same flannel and another miniature blouse! And for myself a matching pleated skirt, with a "Poet's collar blouse"! We will be warm and cozy for Vermont's picture postcard Holiday season! Wishing everyone well - Emily
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I am presently working on a Christmas dress for my 9 year old daughter, Elicia. The pattern is McCalls 9134. The sleeves and skirt will be made out of a blue/black taffeta with the sleeves done in tight lattice smocking. The bodice of the dress will be done in black velveteen (not smocked, just plain). When I complete it, I'd be happy to take a picture and send it to you. Yours in a stitch, Barbara Bakel
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Well, Beth, you asked for it: This month we are wallpapering the living room, dining room, kitchen, hallway, and stairs. My jobs seem to be taking down the old papers and cleaning up the messes made by DH. Projects buried in the mess include 6 Santa door hangings and some smocked Christmas ornaments. As soon as I find them and some spare time, I'll get to them! Happy Holidays! Barb Krafcik
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Geometric and the other picture smocking. The geometric design is always the same but I vary the fabric and/or threads so that I can do it in a mindless sort of way wherever I am without needing to refer to the plate and yet by making the variations I don't feel as if I am doing exactly the same thing over and over. When at home by my machine I stitch leftover lace lengths into rectangles, put beading and lace edging on the outer edges, french seam into a tube shape, fill with potpourri and close by running ribbon through the beading. These make nice ornaments or sachets, depending on the size of the lace rectangle used. Happy Holidays to you and your readers. - Ellen H. EKHerwig
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Hi Beth, I'm doing a Christmas stocking for my 4 1/2 year old daughter. The body of the sock is antique gold silk dupioni with silk ribbon flowers embroidered in trellises on it...pointsiettas, magnolias, holly and mistletoe. The cuff is an ivory smocked insert w/ picture smocked angels on it. It will have an ivory braid around the outside. My only dilemma is how to include her name. There is a small border of the dupioni above the smocking, but I'm at a loss as to how to letter it. Any suggestions out there? Merry Christmas everyone!! Josie Feene
How about the old standby, cross stitch her name with waste canvas? Or else generate computer letters printed on tracing paper tack onto your stocking and embroider a split stitch around the letters and when done cut out the paper and fill in the stitches with satin stitch. Beth
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Using a dark blue plaid I am smocking coordinating dresses for my 2 daughters. Traditional square yoke with white collar and cuffs. I have one smocked and am waiting for floche to smock the second. Rehn75
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What I'm making for Christmas this year:
My husband made five beds for 18" dolls (which are also our presents) for granddaughters--her painted them white, I stenciled them. I covered foam mattresses, made lace trimmed pillow and five different quilts. I've also made dresses for all the dolls to match dresses I've made in the past for the girls (thank you scrap bag) and flannel nighties for each doll (I meant to make nighties for the girls to match--but no time). I'm also making Christmas dresses for four girls, ages 1, 3, 6 and 7, all matching. Loaded with lots of lace, illusion netting, etc., etc. I wanted these dressed to be my first smocking effort--but I haven't finished the doll's dress that was to be my practice piece. Again--ran out of time. For me, this is a light-sewing Christmas. I tried real hard to be realistic so I wouldn't be too stressed this season. Merry Christmas and thanks for asking! Kathy Weisner in Mukilteo, WA
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I am making the jumpsuit "Teal" by Victoria's Originals in red imperial broadcloth with green piping and white lace at the collar. I have adapted it to long sleeves and am smocking it with an old "Rainbow Hill Design" of trees and a sleigh and reindeer. It is almost done. Hope to finish it tonight. Then it is on to Christmas stockings and a few gifts. Meg Ross
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I am not smocking anything right now as I am knitting a sweater, crocheting doll house rugs etc.,and sewing my x-mas gifts. I have quite a crop of projects going and the state fair is in January. I hope to have some time this spring to get some projects started. I would really like to enter some things in the local county fairs as I have not seen much in that category (smocking). My daughter has also asked for some dresses with smocking inserts. Hopefully the next time you ask, I will have a different pack of projects. Mary Ann Noone
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Months ago I asked you about shadow work. I just finished my 8-year olds dress for her 22-year old sisters wedding. It's white polished cotton with an overskirt of organza that gathers into 4 scallops or U shapes around the skirt. In the center one and on each side I shadow worked a bouquet of violets. There were smaller violets on the ends of the sash and a bunch on the bodice. The overskirt was then edged with ruffled organza. She looked like an angel. I've never done anything like this before but she certainly did look beautiful (if I can say so myself). A question--In your post you ask about Christmas projects. How about a Chanukah project. Is there a way to arrange shark's teeth into a 6 pointed star of David? Thanks for your help and the informative newsletter. Gail Gilman-Frowine
Now about the shark's teeth arranged into a six-pointed star, hmmmmmm. My first hit is that it is not possible to do because five of the points need to be pointing either sideways or up. I think your best bet would be to treat it as a layered applique making the points individually and applying them down and then adding a solid piece (maybe with 'Yod He Vau He' embroidered in the middle) over the points to cover the raw edges. I can think of no other way to do this.
Shark's teeth are really just a variation of the prairie point pattern in quilting, and the making of ribbon leaves but because it's done on a horizontal line it was named that by someone recently. I saw samples of this antique work on a gown in a museum exhibit long before it hit Sew Beautiful.
Thanks for the great idea! I could even piece the stars! This all started because a dear friend bought her daughter a pair of gold shoes that were to big for her so she gave them to Rebecca. I saw some fabric in a catalog that's white with gold (metallic, I hope) stars sprinkled all over it. They were supposed to ship it yesterday. Wonder if it'll be done by Dec. 24 '97 or 98. Thanks for your quick response and great ideas. I look forward to the snail mail newsletter. The one on your web site is wonderful. Gail EFrowine
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I am working on the Silk Ribbon Toy Soldiers in the Christmas 1996 Sew Beautiful for my two year old little boy for Christmas. I also had a button on suit with a shadow embroider collar of a manger scene someone here in Jackson, MS had created that I was doing too. If Christmas holds off long enough for me. Thanks for asking. I'm looking forward to that newsletter. I love them. Thanks for doing it. Sonia
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Our Nov. smocking guild program was a three-sided pointy teardrop shaped ornament about 3 1/2" long and 1 1/2" in diameter. One side had three ribbon embroidered flowers and some feather-stitched vines. Beads and gold thread added sparkle. The base of the ornament was cardboard (cereal, Kleenex boxes etc.), the fabric was Bengalese moire. The fabric was embroidered, cut out, the edges wrapped to the back of the cardboard and glued. The top three points were tacked together (then the bottom 3 points) and then stitched along the edges. Decorative stitching along the edges followed. The loop hanger was inserted before tacking the ornament. Quick and easy and very pretty thanks to Pat Piske keeping us on track! I'm making several as gifts and to decorate packages.
Also still plan to smock a couple American Girl doll dresses including knitted sweaters, make myself a woven ribbon vest for holiday parties, make a flannel quilt for my father-in-law, finish my sister's vest and slacks, finish 3 quilts and 2 quilted pillows, a couple smocked ornaments I started years ago, pajamas for the family, fleece outfit for my mother, fleece jacket for me, 2 girls dresses, smocked baby dress for my cousin's first daughter, and that's just the start...and I would have said the same thing last year...and I'll probably say the same things next year! If I finished it all, I'd be so sorry to see it leave my sewing room (which has been partially finished for years also). Carolyn
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I am working on some doll clothes for one of the Heidi Ott dolls available at Target she is a gift for my niece. Maggie will have a dress in a purple and teal print smocked with shades in the print and silk ribbon rose buds on top of the smocking. A friend gave me the half yard for this print when she was cleaning out her stash. The other dress is a rusty rose print it is not smocked, but has a linen collar with silk ribbon embroidery on it. The embroidery pattern is from CN May/June 1997 page 18. My doll as yet won't be getting a new dress, unless I find some extra time.
I am also planning on finishing a scissor case for my Mom that was started at a workshop, it is a needlepoint one, but one with silk ribbon, or shadow work would make a lovely gift for a smocker.
For my exchange gift for smocking guild I have made a silk ribbon embroidered sachet bag. It uses a several different stitches and has been a good design for teaching the basics. Sandy
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" She's always late. Her ancestors arrived on the June Flower. "
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