ladybug, ladybug....

Here is a custom order for a sweet customer. I made it using my suntop/capri pattern that is on the cover of Designer Smocking for Tots to Teens. BessieMary is having a TERRIFIC sale on that book if you do not have it yet. It has some darling patterns in it. You can find it here.
I added flutter sleeves to the straps and I made up a smocking design to match the fabric that my customer chose.

Here is the full set:

For extra fun, I found these adorable ladybug buttons that match the fabric perfectly! :o)

Off to start another order :o) Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Heirloom Photo Idea...

I know a lot of my customers purchase special dresses for photos, so I thought I would share a photo idea. If you have a special little slip with your dress, sometimes it is sweet to take pictures of the child in the slip while the dress hangs beside them. For my photo, I put the dress on a mannequin, but you could have it on a hanger or laying across a chest, etc. I also brought in my great grandmother's antique Singer machine for our photo.
Please excuse the poor quality of the photo....it was a photo of a photo! The slip is made from ivory Swiss Nelona with ecru French lace and pin tucks. The dress is a wedding ring pattern made from robin's egg blue Swiss Nelona and ecru French laces. I wish you could see the details better, but perhaps you will get the general idea. I think if you click on the photo, you can see it a little better.

First Communion Dress

This is a pale lavender version of my "Risen" dress from my website. It was made for a special little girl's First Communion. The priest had specifically asked that the children wear pastel colors and not the traditional white. The smocking features two doves carrying roses in their beaks flying toward a cross in the center. I think if you click on the photo you can see a larger image. It also features a bullion rose "necklace" and roses on the sleeves.

My favorite skirt pattern....

This is such a fun skirt pattern. It is hard to tell from the photo, but all the squares are different sizes, some gathered, some sewn straight, etc. My daughter absolutely loves it!! I have made her two different variations and she wears them all the time. I have even had several teens and adults at church wanting me to make them one! lol It is the skirt from Portabellopixie called Analise. A few MAJOR points to make though. The pattern has FIVE misprints in it. I can't believe they didn't catch this in the editing, because it would be a nightmare to try and sew it the way it is printed. On step 5 of the left side, it should be piece #8 not #6. On step 8, it should be #6, not #8. On step 9, it should be #6, not #8. On the right side step on should read #12A instead of #7A and #12B instead of #7B.

Also, please note, it runs extremely long as a skirt. My daughter is a very tall 11 year old, around 5' 1". The skirt above was cut exactly to the size 8 pattern! No variations. And I did NOT add the suggested ruffle around the bottom either.

Here it is in a size 2, on a 3 yr old, also without the suggested ruffle around the bottom and with an inch or two trimmed off the bottom:

I am not any way affiliated with the pattern designer, I just thought I would share a fun pattern. I hope you are having a great weekend!
Angela

I LOVE SPRING!!!

Spring is my absolute favorite time of year. The flowers are just glorious!! My camilias are no longer blooming, but the azaleas sure are!
Look at the intense color of these beauties!

Then look at the beautiful coloring of these...

But my favorite flowers are the wild Easter lilies that pop up in my yard unexpected! I always LOVED these as a child and I would make my dad pull over on the side of the road so I could pick them. Well, God knows this and I think he blesses me with these flowers just to remind me that He loves me :o) I am the only yard in my area that has these wild lilies!!

Coincidence? I don't think so! :o)
I'll post more sewing pics soon. Have a lovely week and enjoy this gorgeous Spring weather!