SewNso's Sewing Journal

Bullion Rose Tutorial ~ updated repost

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 23:32:00 +0000

One of the most elegant stitches to embellish your smocking is the bullion rose. I am guessing you either love or hate bullion knots, right? Many people struggle with making bullions and get very frustrated in the process. It's really quite simple once you get the hang of it.

The right tools is the key to perfecting your bullions. You can use a wide variety of threads - the weight of the thread determines the size of the bullion. I prefer to use dmc perle cotton #8 when making bullions for smocking, as they give off a pretty sheen and they make the size bullion rose that I desire. Other types of thread, such as embroidery floss, floche or silk ribbon can also be used.

One reason people struggle with their bullions could possibly be from using the wrong type needle. I prefer using a straw or milliner's needle, which is the same thickness beside the eye as it is for almost all of the rest of the needle. A needle that is wider at the eye of the needle causes alot of grief when you are trying to pull it thru all those wraps. Using a straw or milliner's needle will suddenly result in easier made bullions!

I have a step-by-step tutorial that you can use if you need help in learning or perfecting your bullions - just stop by Southern Stitches to get started!

restoring vintage garments

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 21:21:00 +0000

I have always loved vintage baby garments. They have a special charm about them that just draws me in. Often times I find myself ~~wasting~~ spending hours of a day seeking them out online, at estate sales or at vintage venues! I recently came across a couple precious dresses that were old, dingy, stained and not so pretty on the surface. Most people would probably just pass these by, but my eye sees them in a much different view. I see the beauty beneath all that dirt and dinginess. It is in that view that I can find potential to restore it to back as close to it's original condition as possible. It's a challenge, and challenges are what seems to be my lot in life!

dingy, dirty, stained, wrinkled - you name it!

I think the backs were nastier than the front!

There is so much beauty beneath the dirt!

the soft pink one is all completely hand stitched

The first thing I do is soak the garment in the sink with warm water and add Restoration Hypoallergenic Powder, which I highly recommend.

Restoration is excellent for antique fabrics. Use as a bleach substitute.
Great for doilies, laces, Victorian clothing, wedding and christening gowns.
Removes coffee, tea, blood, grape juice, ketchup and other hard to remove stains from the most delicate fabrics.
Removes yellowing caused by water damage, age, UV rays and even discolored fold lines!

After an hour or so, I drain out the water (which usually turns yellow immediately) and rinse and refill the sink again, adding Restoration Powder again. Depending on how stained and dirty the garments are, I might let them soak for a couple days, changing out the water several times. Once they are clean, rinse really good and then hand-wash with a mild detergent and hang dry.

And now for the stellar results!

This dress cleaned up so good that it amazed me - it even brought back the fabric sheen!

perfect condition - nearly like new!

The yoke and collar of this dress has me swooning!

I gotta say, this blue one has me head over heels! It is now nicely stored away in my hopeing-for-a-grand-daughter-someday-stash!

This dress was so dirty it didn't even look pink anymore

All the tucks, seams and embroidery is done by hand
I could not see anything on this dress that would have been machine done!

Even the scallops appear to be handmade!

Occasionally there is repair work that needs to be done. It is never ok to repair by machine when the entire piece was handmade. You should always do repairs by hand if the garment was made by hand.

For example, I had another vintage dress I purchased that needed repair work. Now, I will be the first person to raise my hand that I despise repair jobs and alterations, however, when it is a vintage piece that I am challenged to restore, I change my tune a bit and try to do the repair so that it appears that it never was repaired.

At some point and time the sleeve on this dress had been pulled nearly off. The repair work had been repaired quickly and very poorly, leaving puckers. This is another handmade dress, so the sleeves were attached by hand and french seamed, so I actually had two seams to repair to get it back to a french seam.

The back of the dress had some of the same issues - the gathered skirt had been completely pulled away from the back yoke and quickly re-attached with needle and thread. I removed all the repair stitched and, once again repaired a french seam to restore to original condition.

This is another delightful vintage dress!

All, but the blue dress, are available for purchase! Please email me or follow me on Instagram as I post many of my vintage finds that are available for purchase!

Serger Puffing - YES, you can!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 15:02:00 +0000

My blog has been super neglected and after getting into a discussion with two of my good sewing friends this week about how each of us does puffing, I decided to make up a little tutorial with how I do mine.

Serger Puffing - YES, you can!

I am always looking for a way to do things easier and to save time in the sewing studio. I also like to put my serger to good use with heirloom sewing techniques, especially when it saves time and no one can tell you even used a serger!

My tutorial shows how I do puffing strips the easy way!
Step1: Tear fabric to 3" strips (or whatever size you want your puffing strip - starch and press.

Step 2: Set your serger to do a gathering stitch - on my Babylock Evolve, my settings are as follows:

Stitch Selector: A

Needles: 0-1, 0-2

Length: 4

Width: M-7.5

Differential Feed: 2

Blade: Unlocked

Speed: Moderate

Serge both long sides of the strip of fabric.

Step 3: There are 2 rows of gathering threads on top that you want to locate

Begin pulling the 2 gathering threads to gather up the puffing strip to the amount of gathering you want

Step 4: Adding Entredeux: Pin entredeux so that the right side of the beading falls within the 2 rows of gathering stitches on the strip. Pin in place

Step 5: Set Sewing Machine to straight stitch and stitch right up close to the beading of the entredeux

Repeat step 5 for other side of strip

Step 5: Trim away raw edges of fabric and entredeux up close to straight stitching

Step 6: Set Sewing Machine to a zig zag stitch W:3, L:1.7 Needle at 5th dot from left

Step 7: Stitch catching ever other hole on the entredeux - the raw edge should roll encasing the straight stitching

Step 8: Press seam away from entredeux

Step 9: I made a slight adjustment in stitch width to 2.5 and kept all the same settings as previously stitched

Step 10: Zig zag catching every other hole - seam on the underside will be caught in this stitching

Step 11: Strip should look like this when completed. (Note: I used white thread with ecru entredeux - you should use the same color thread as the entredeux)

This is a photo of the underside of the strip

This is a photo of the top side of the strip

This is a photo of the finished strip ready to be
added to the garment

I know there are a lot of purists out there and hand-gathering and hand whip-stitching can't ever be replicated by machine. However, if you want to save time, this method is the way to go! Happy Stitching! ...and I hope you find this tutorial helpful!

attaching entredeux and lace to fabric

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 19:45:00 +0000

It's been awhile since I have posted on my blog and figured today is a good day for not only a post, but a new tutorial!

Attaching entredeux and lace to fabric

I am certainly no expert in the heirloom sewing field, but I know what works for me and I do like to share my techniques. I hope that it will answer some questions and help those who are wondering about this beautiful heirloom sewing technique.

I have used several techniques over the years and often times it depends on what I am making in which way I sew entredeux and lace to fabric. I, no doubt have other methods I used posted within this blog from years back that may ~~or may not~~ be this same method.

Step 1: Lay entredeux on fabric right sides together and straight stitch

Make sure your stitching is smack dab next to the entredeux!

Once stitched, it should look like this!

Step 2: Take to your ironing board and press.

Press so that seam selvage falls on fabric side, not towards entredeux

Fold back out and trim seam to 1/8".

Using a rotary cutter gives you a cleaner edge!

Step 3: Set your machine to zig-zag, 3W and 1.70L

As you stitch, you should get a perfect rolled hem!

Once stitching is complete you should have a nice neat edge,

finished off with a rolled hem!

So pretty!

Step 4: Press again, then clip away fabric from the entredeux

Be careful not to cut into the satin edge of the entredeux!

I have found that the best "stitch'n ditch" to use is cheap 1-ply toilet tissue

and I always keep a roll on my sewing table!

yes! that is toilet tissue!!

Bernina foot #10 - if you have another brand machine, you should have a foot

similar to this, where there is a blade in the center.

there really is a blade there!

Using a zig-zag stitch, with the same settings as above, you will

line up the edge of the entredeux and lace between the blade.

Needle should swing back and forth from entredeux to lace!

As you stitch, the entredeux and lace will be joined together

with a neat zig-zag stitch

Needle should go into the open hole of the entredeux

All done and so pretty!

Remove the tissue - any paper residue should easily come off,

otherwise will be washed away when garment is washed.

Completed entredeux to lace - it's as easy as that!

It's just THAT easy!

As always, if you have any questions, just email me or post on my Facebook page!

Laurie

vintage-inspired h e i r l o o m s

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 02:01:00 +0000

There is something so nostalgic about vintage baby garments that just captivates me. It not only captivates me, but it inspires me! I think it's the attention to detail and design that just makes me want to seek more information about it; what era it came from, techniques used, how those techniques were created and in a few cases, maybe even who the garment belonged to.

I have been collecting vintage baby garments for years and many of the garments from my collection came from family, which makes them even more special! With each of those garments, I like to inspect them closely and in doing so, I can learn something about the person behind the design and also the hands that created it. That, in itself, has inspired me to turn my sewing business to a new path in re-creating vintage garments and teaching some of the techniques I learn from inspecting those garments and then add my own little personalization in design to it.

With the use of home embroidery machines, we can so easily re-create hand embroidery that must have taken someone ~~years~~ months, weeks or days to work on a sweet little gown. Digitizing embroidery from some of these vintage garments can take many-many hours, as some are very intricate.
Drafting a pattern from a vintage garment is also extremely time-consuming and there is so much trial and error involved and countless stitch-outs till you get it just right. Often times I have to walk away from a pattern draft and leave it for hours, days, weeks and even months before I tackle it again. It is, however, so rewarding once you get it to where you are satisfied and stitch everything out and re-create a garment from yesteryear for today!
That love of design from days gone by has inspired me to create my new line of vintage-inpired designs and patterns, called

"vintage-inspired h e i r l o o m series pattern eBooks".

Southern Stitches vintage-inspired h e i r l o o m series pattern eBooks are a new and unique pattern series not available anywhere else. My new series includes a one of a kind unique ePattern created from an actual vintage garment. Each series includes special heirloom sewing technique instructions along with unique machine embroidery designs, all with vintage-inspired patterns.

My new vintage-inspired h e i r l o o m series pattern eBooks will sometimes have patterns that are appropriate for both boys and girls in the same pattern. Bonus patterns may be included in the series, which will give you multiple options to make many different styles within the one pattern!

Southern Stitches vintage-inspired h e i r l o o m series 1 is now available! Everything (and more!) in the photo above was created from the series 1 eBook! You can get more information about what is included in series 1 and order the instant download HERE!

Laurie

Shadow Work on Knits...yes, you can!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 20:52:00 +0000

Shadow work embroidery has always traditionally been worked on sheer fabrics, such as organdy or batiste. You need a sheer fabric to allow the color of the floss to shadow thru the fabric, which is what gives this type of embroidery it's name.

Traditional shadow work embroidery created by hand

Being the "adventurous" person I am, I always like to explore different possibilities in sewing...taking that step outside of the box. That led me to create my shadow work machine embroidery designs many years ago! I believe I was one of the first that forged into taking what traditionally was created by hand and figuring out how it could be accomplished by machine. I have strived hard to make my designs unique and to keep my designs looking like the traditional method as much as possible.

Shadow work embroidery created by machine stitched on batiste

As you can see in both those photos, the embroidery casts a shadow of color within the outline stitches. This is what makes shadow work embroidery so beautiful! When you purchase my machine shadow work designs, I include detailed instructions on exactly how my designs are stitched, as there is a method to creating the shadow.

My latest adventure outside of the box, has led me to test stitching my machine shadow work designs on knit fabric. Knits come in all sorts of weight - some are thicker than others, so there is a little trick involved to make it work! Below is a photo of my machine shadow work stitched onto fairly thin onesies.

Shadow work embroidery created by machine on onesies knit

The outline colors that you see on these machine shadow work designs from my Classic Peter Rabbit Shadow Work Collection were stitched using the same color on the "under-stitching" that you see on the top outline stitching. The thread color is cast thru the knit, creating the beautiful shadow work.

I have never worked traditional hand shadow work on knits and it's something that I doubt would even work, due to the thickness of the knit, as well as the stretchiness. My experiment with machine shadow work tho proved to be a success in which I am well pleased!

Shadow work embroidery created by machine on Pima knit

For thicker knits, such as Pima, you have to work a little differently to get the same effect. I did the under-stitching in a darker shade thread than I did the outline stitching. I also used the same color thread in the bobbin for the under stitching, which helped to give more color to the shadow portion of the design. For the outline stitching, I used a color that matched closely to the blue trim on the gown. I was very pleased with the end result!

Machine shadow work takes a fraction of the time to work by machine as opposed to creating by hand and it's a great alternative to those with busy lifestyles! It's also a sweet addition to using it on knits!

I also have another little tip for the inside of the garment. I don't like threads hanging loose or anything to be "scratchy" in any way for a baby's garment. I am a huge fan of using "german interfacing" in my sewing projects and it has come in very handy to use to fuse to the underside of embroidery to keep the back side of the embroidery soft and smooth next to a baby's delicate skin. This trick works well for kids and adults who don't like the feel of the underside of embroidery next to their skin! When using it on knits, make sure you cut the piece of german interfacing just a tad bigger than the design and in the shape of the design so that the knit can still somewhat stretch.

German Interfacing on inside over design

Southern Stitches has a large selection of all kinds of machine shadow work designs; baby designs, holiday designs, and even monograms! The rocking horse design shown will be available soon as part of a new collection coming soon!

Little Liberty Love

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 18:44:00 +0000

Why is it that the most expensive fabrics are always my favorite? I have my favorites in classic heirloom fabrics, many of which I have rolled on bolts in my sewing studio just waiting for that "special garment", and it sometimes takes a that to even cut into some of these wonderful fabrics!
Once you get hooked on "the good stuff", it makes it impossible to turn back, it becomes your "go-to" and you just make the investment, knowing that excellent quality fabric is what makes the garment become an heirloom that will last thru generations.
Liberty of London is one of my favorites and I've completely fallen in love with the luxurious silky feel of this fabric! Of course it's expensive, because it's known as the "good stuff". Every once in while tho, I find a deal on Liberty and I order yardage to just save for something special, other times I see a print that I just have to have, no matter how much it costs!
I recently dug into my Liberty stash to use with a vintage pattern from my collection. I could just envision what this dress would look like using this print and I couldn't wait to get started!

I was eager to get started and carefully laid out each pattern piece to make best use of my fabric, meaning that I work hard to not waste it. It seems I was a little too eager and after cutting all the pieces out, I realized that I had cut every.single.piece out the wrong way on the fabric. I failed to notice that there is an up and a down to the fabric print.

Notice how little hearts seems to be the under-theme of this fabric? Every flower has little hearts - isn't that cute? Well, my little dress was about to have every single heart hang upside-down. I could have sat there and cried! I tried to convince myself that no one would even notice such detail and I could go ahead and just sew the dress up. But no, the perfectionist in me would never-ever do that! I sat there configuring the fabric I had left - could I cut out new pieces and fix this problem? Nope, wasn't possible. Lucky for me I own 2 sizes of the little vintage pattern that I was planning to use and I had cut out the larger of the two sizes. Maybe, just maybe I could cut out new pieces using the smaller size and making use of the pieces I had already cut. Yes! that proved to be the solution to my careless mistake! Whew!
The pattern I used is very similar to the out of print Children's Corner Candace, which is next to impossible to locate. If you find it, expect to pay as much as $88!

The pattern I used is a little older than the Children's Corner version, but very similar and just as cute! This is another pattern that is next to impossible to locate - lucky for me I have in my stash two sizes!

Here is my finished Little Liberty of London pleated dress.

I used the tiniest of lace trim around the collar, sleeve cuffs and yokes

Just for fun I used cotton lace insertion on the hem

Back to the sewing studio for more stitching...until next time...

Back to the classics!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 00:41:00 +0000

Ohh, it's been a l-o-n-g time since I have taken the time to write on my blog - much-much too long! I didn't forget about it, just had to re-group myself after one of those sewing slumps that shows up every now and then! The good news is that I am re-grouping and getting back to the classics at Southern Stitches! I have way too many unfinished projects that for one reason or another got put aside. My goal is to finish them up, because they are way too cute to be left unfinished! So with that said, expect an active blog with some new tutorials coming, along with new designs! YAY!
This week I have been finishing up on one of my favorite projects that I started earlier this summer! Who doesn't just love Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit? You can't get anymore classic than that! I have designed some new machine shadow work designs that are sure to make you want to sew something sweet!

This sweet set is called "Baby Beatrix Layette" and it includes an ePattern to make either a boy or girl version matinee jacket and diaper cover to coordinate! Included in the set is my new Classic Peter Rabbit Shadow Work Collection.
Southern Stitches Machine Shadow Work designs are designed to look like they were created by hand! With an open herringbone-type stitch below and single stitch outlines on top will make a trained eye take a double-take! My machine shadow work designs are dainty and delicate too, just like hand embroidery, but takes a fraction of the time to stitch.

There are many options with this set - you can purchase the designs alone, or the ePattern with 2 design options or purchase a custom-made set from my Heirloom Shop that includes a monogrammed baby quilt! Find the collection that is right for you!

Why I love the {classics}

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 19:32:00 +0000

I love classic sewing because the design is relatively unchanged by time - it's as good now, as it was then. The word "classic" means something that is a perfect example of a particular style, something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality.

This is a photo of me when I was a little girl, wearing a smocked dress...a timeless classic! I went to a public school and girls had to wear dresses everyday till I was in about 5th grade. I remember wearing smocked dresses year round. Yes, no matter what season, and get this - I lived in the Mid-West!

I lived where winters were common to get 10 to 12 inches of snow and schools never closed. Sidewalks were shoveled and we didn't have school buses - we walked to school ~~uphill the whole way~~ no matter what the weather was. I remember putting bread bags over my patent leather shoes and slipping my shoed feet into my "shoe boots". I remember pulling on my "leggings" and wrapping my face in a wool scarf and trudging to school in nasty blizzard-like conditions or even pouring rain. Yes, people, like me, who tell these stories are telling the truth! I remember slush everywhere in the hallways after we shed all our winter outerwear and the janitors mopping up all the slush after we were in our classrooms. I say all this because I often read where some use the excuse of climate for why they don't heirloom or classic sew for their children or grands. Even with seasons set aside, many think that classic heirloom is "old fashioned" or "out-dated". I don't get it. There are others who think that the classic heirloom styles are only for those who live south of the Mason-Dixon Line or Deep South. I don't get it. Classic & heirloom styles have no boundaries!

What I love about fashion trends right now is that leggings are so in style. You can make a darling smocked or even heirloom garment, team it with a pair of leggings and even a cute cardigan and have a darling ensemble that is both timeless and trendy, all the while keeping the littles warm on a cold day!

Lace is crazy in style these days and it just takes a little creativity to take a classic pattern or heirloom style and make it trendy! I have seen heirloom garments paired with cowboy boots and it's adorable! Lace has no boundaries! Look at the current fashion trends - lace is ever so popular!

I challenge you to take a classic heirloom style that you feel is "old fashioned" or "out-dated" and get creative with it - bring it up to the current trend, if you want, all the while keeping that heirloom look with laces, pintucks or smocking - I promise you that you will get others asking you where you got that gorgeous ensemble!

So why do I love the classics? I love the classics because they are timeless - you can style and restyle them in many ways to keep up with the trends or keep a traditional look and both will last thru the generations and always be in style! Even damaged or stained "old-fashioned" heirloom garments can be taken apart and re-fashioned to newer garments. I have done this and I have sewing friends who have done the same!

I would love for you to stop over to my Facebook page and share your classic creations! Let's start a huge revival of all the classic styles and get this new generation of sewistas to fall in love with the timeless classics in a whole new way!

National Smocking Month

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:04:00 +0000

Did you know that February is National Smocking month? Have you ever wanted to learn to smock? Maybe you know how to smock but you want to perfect your smocking skills.

The Smocking Arts Guild of America (SAGA) is encouraging members to smock together in public this month and to help spark interest in smocking. Some chapters will have special displays in libraries and other locations. My local chapter, Sew Many Things, has created an amazing display at the Williamson County Library.

If you live in the Nashville area, I want to encourage you to attend their Learn to Smock Workshop at the library on February 27th. You will not be disappointed, as there are many talented ladies in this guild who will be eager to teach you smocking skills! They are a great group of ladies and this should be a really fun and informative workshop!
If you are unable to attend, or if you live somewhere else in the world, but still would like to learn how to smock, I have created a free PDF file with some basic smocking stitches to get you started!

Happy Smocking!

{think} Spring!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 22:23:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I am so over winter! By February every year, I've had enough of it and I'm just so ready for Spring to arrive! How about you?

One thing that helps me get over winter is to do a little Spring sewing.

Here comes Peter Cottontail

I don't do custom sewing for customers too often because it takes away time I can spend doing more designing. However, I was contacted by a potential customer, who requested a special smocked bishop for her daughter's birthday. She knew exactly what she wanted, as she had seen a particular dress on a blog and had inquired about having one made from the blogger. The dress was found at Southern Matriarch and Martha created a darling ensemble for her grands. You can read all about it and follow a link to her blog by clicking on Martha's photo below! ~by the way, she has an amazing blog!

The Peter Rabbit Smocked Bishop is the dress my customer had her heart set on. I asked Martha if she minded that I make an exact copy of her dress. Lucky for my customer, she said yes! I always think that it's not only kind, but considerate to ask the original designer for permission before copying one's work. I was delighted that Martha not only referred the customer to me, but was also so very kind to allow me to copy her work.
The smocking plate for this dress was created by another sewing friend of mine, Gwen Milner. She also has an amazing blog, Smocking with Gwen and you will want to check it out! She designs some of the most darling smocking plates you'll ever see! This one was a remake of an old smocking plate she created years ago and it was re-printed in Sew Beautiful Magazine in Feb/March of 2014 (Issue 152), entitled "Peter Cottontail"

Sorry about the color - took this pic
under lamp light!

I was very happy that my customer was not in a huge hurry for this dress. I had plenty of time to work on it, which made it so much more relaxing to just work on it when I felt like it! These bunnies are just too cute and I had more fun smocking this little dress!

I had 7 Peter Cottontails to smock and that took ~~nearly eternity~~ some time to do, but I really enjoyed each one of them! One of my tips when working with multiple colors is to thread a different needle for each color you are smocking with. It makes it much more easy to move thru the design during stacking without having to remove the thread from the needle and rethread. Often times that just causes a tangling mess. I just pin each needle into the pleated fabric, with the threads out of the way and work with each color along the way. It makes it so easy to just pick up the color needed and have the thread in the needle and ready to go!

I referred to Martha's photos on her blog often, as she had made a few changes to the smocking design so that it would work on a bishop dress. I think Martha did a fabulous job in modifying the design and it saved me time of having to figure it out!

Putting the Bullion Carrots between the rabbits

was Martha's great idea!

My finishing touches were to add in my label - this is a must if you want repeat customers or for those who look inside a dress to see where it came from! (yes, I'm guilty of doing that!)

This dress turned out so cute and someday if I ever get blessed with a grand-daughter, I will make one for her! It's just too cute not to!

Dress Front

Dress Back

Bullion Carrots on each sleeve

Front

Back

February is National Smocking Month and if you want to learn how to smock, I will be offering some tips and tutes right here on my blog during the month of February!

{think} Spring!!

2015 year in review...2016 goals

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:25:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but 2015 has been quite a year for me! Part of this year I felt like I was lost in nowhere land, trying to find my pathway in this crazy business world of Sewing! There were many times I had to stop, take a step back, assess the situation and do what I could to improve. I made a lot of mistakes along the way, but those were refining times to re-focus my purpose and passion in sewing. The single most passionate thing I always go back to is smocking...

Smocking tends to top my list of where my passion in sewing lies. I sort of felt like I didn't get much smocking done in 2015, but when I look back at pictures, I see that I really did do my share of smocking this year!
The highlight of 2015 for me, was being published in the new Classic Sewing Magazine! It sparked a renewed interest in me to keep hand smocking alive and to continue to promote it. I want to help spark interest in those who want to learn the art and be there to guide them in proper technique along the way!

My first article in the new magazine featured two of my favorite things; sewing for babies and smocking! My 2nd article will also feature some vintage-inspired smocking, which turned out to be one of my most favorite projects I've worked on! Look for it in the March 2016 issue! For now, I will leave you with a teaser!

In 2016, my goal is to narrow my focus to what makes my business different from the rest...what makes me unique and extraordinary!
Happy New Year, my friends! I hope you will follow me in my journey as I strive to create an epic year at Southern Stitches!

The art of hand smocking

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 16:23:00 +0000

History

Smocking is an embroidery technique used to gather fabric so that it can stretch. Before elastic, smocking was commonly used in cuffs, bodices and necklines in garments where buttons were undesirable. Smocking developed in England and has been practiced since the Middle Ages and is unusual among embroidery methods in that it was often worn by laborers. Other major embroidery styles are purely decorative and represented status symbols. Smocking was practical for garments to be both form fitting and flexible, hence its name derives from smock — a farmer's work shirt. Smocking was used most extensively in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This technique later evolved into a decorative detail for dresses and gowns.

English smocking became popular in the 1920s and then became even more popular in the 1940’s, when the smocking pleater was invented. In the 1960's and 70's there was yet another revival of smocking. I always remember wearing smocked dresses as I was growing up! Most the portraits I have when I was a little girl, I was wearing smocked dresses! Most were "Polly Flinders" dresses, however, my mother hand smocked some of my dresses!

Yes! This is ME!

In the 1980's, smocking again became popular, and when I had my first baby, a girl, in 1982, I decided to pick up a needle and learn this amazing needle art! Since then I have been totally addicted to smocking and there has never been a time when I have "taken a vacation" from this amazing needle art!

In the coming weeks I am going to post some new tutorials on smocking. This will be helpful to both beginners and seasoned smockers, as I will not only focus on beginning stitches, but perfecting the technique. There are so many tutorials out there - seems everyone want to learn how to smock, however, not everyone is teaching correct technique, which really makes me cringe. I don't claim to "know it all", but I do strive for proper technique and I think that is important to pass on to this new generation of smockers. My goal is to not only teach you, but teach you properly, so grab a needle and some floss and let's get ready for some fun!

To get started, please read this post which covers the needles and floss that I will be using in this tutorial. You can hand pleat or machine pleat a piece of fabric. For hand pleating , you will need to purchase the iron on dots, or use a ruler and water soluble pen and mark the dots. (a google search for this should give you some helpful results). Here is my tutorial on machine pleating - Pleating 101

I'm excited, are you?

Needle Tatting

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 16:54:00 +0000

I was recently working on a little tatting project, ~~that I never finished~~ and posted this photo to my Southern Stitches Facebook page. I was completely amazed and surprised at how many liked and commented on my photo! I never expected that there would be so many women wanting to learn the art! I love it when there is a needle art that so many take interest in learning - it helps keeps the art alive!

What is Tatting and what's it used for?

Tatting can be used to make lace edging as well as doilies, collars, and other decorative pieces. The tatted lace is formed by a pattern of rings and chains formed from a series of "cow hitch" or half-hitch knots, called double stitches, over a core thread.

I have always been intrigued by tatting and one day several years ago, I decided that I would try to learn more about it and how easy or hard it might be to do. I researched both needle and shuttle tatting. I decided that I could probably grasp needle tatting much quicker than shuttle tatting, so that's where I narrowed my focus to. I found a fabulous book at Hobby Lobby that included 4 different sized needles and I was ready to try this gorgeous needle art out! I was actually quite surprised to find how quickly I caught on to it and it soon became one of my favorite needle arts! The book is mentioned in the video and highly recommended as it gives excellent step-by-step instructions with details photographs.

Since I enjoyed all the likes and comments to my photo, I decided to make a little tutorial to demonstrate the basic technique of tatting. As mentioned in the video, I am no expect in the art, by any means! What I do hope to accomplish with the video is to inspire you to learn the skill. Please excuse the "ums" and "ahhs" at the beginning - it's difficult when you fly by the seat of your pants and create a video without any prior planning! That's just how I roll - I jump in with both feet and go for it! I hope this will inspire you to seek more information on learning the art of needle tatting!

time flies...but memories last forever

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 16:55:00 +0000

Seems like the older I get the faster time flies...as if there are fewer hours in the day than when I was a child - haha! I guess it's due to more responsibilities as you grow older and everyday busyness that makes it seem like time is passing too quickly. One thing is for sure, once it's gone, you can't get it back. I have to constantly remind myself that time is precious, so make good use of it. That in itself, is something I struggle with on a daily basis, especially when it pertains to sewing. A little glitch in the sewing room, ~~or not,~~ can gobble up my precious time, and my sewing time is very precious to me!

I've often looked at others and wondered how in the world they seem to have more time than me when everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. Some women can pump out more sewing projects from their sewing room than I can in a lifetime! ...or "sew" it "seams"! My first thought is, what am I doing wrong? Do I have a problem with time management? Then on the flip-side, I have people look at my creations and say, "oh, I wish I had time to sew" or had time to learn to sew. I've even been asked how I find time to get so much sewing done. Who? Me? What? I think that is what made me really dig a little deeper and look at the big picture. It took me awhile to figure it out, but I finally realized some key principles to successful sewing, at least for me!

Key #1: I don't find the time to sew..I have to make time to sew! Oh, it's not easy...in fact, at times it's a struggle, but when you are passionate about something, you figure out how to make time!
Key #2: I keep multiple projects going at the same time. One day I might feel like heirloom sewing and another day I might not. Having that choice and what sewing mood I am in that day, goes a long way in sewing success. I almost always have something pleated up, just waiting to be smocked. I also have hand embroidery set aside that I am working on. If I can't be at my sewing machine, then at least I can be smocking something or working the hand embroidery on a project. That kind of work is also great to pop into a zip-lock bag and take with you when you have places you have to go where you sit and otherwise waste time - like a doctors office waiting room! This is how to make good use of otherwise wasted time!
Key #3: Stop comparing myself to others. This is a hard one, especially when my Facebook newsfeed is loaded with one project after another that my sewing friends have completed. I have to keep focused that my life is different - they might have more time to sew than I do - they manage their time differently than I do - they have different responsibilities and life circumstances than I have. It's not a race and I need to work at my own pace with my own timeline and find joy in the journey however much ~~or little~~ time I have. For me, the goal is not quantity, but quality. My goal is not to be in a hurry to complete a certain amount of items, but to do my best on whatever I am creating. I always enjoy time spent sewing and strive for doing my best and using good sewing techniques.
Key #4: The time I have to sew has the potential to make memories that will last forever! That sweet bonnet that took a couple hours to make or an heirloom gown that takes 30 hours and months to create could last for many generations to come and become a legacy! I want to make sure what I create is worthy of making memories that last forever!

Time flies ~ make time to sew ~ the memories will last forever!

America's 1st Lady of Sewing - Betsy Ross

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Betsy Ross is one of America's most honored seamstresses, however most of what you may have learned in school about her and the creation of the American flag is most likely myth.
Legend states that George Washington visited Betsy Ross in Philadelphia with a sketch of a flag that he wanted made. Betsy was a standout with the scissors and she demonstrated to George how to cut a five-pointed star in a single snip. Legend goes on to say that he was impressed and then asked her to sew the 1st American Flag.
The truth of the story is that there is no solid evidence of who made the very first flag, but history credits Betsy Ross with making the first stars and stripes flag. She was a successful upholsterer and produced flags for the government for over 50 years. She was a skilled artisan, who represented the many women who supported their families during the Revolution and early Republic.
One of my most favorite photos of the 'birth' of the American flag is shown below. It depicts so much of what I love about sewing: the act of creating, community and fellowship with others who share that same passion that I have. May God bless sewing and may God Bless America!

Have a blessed 4th of July!

{thread weaving in smocking}

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 17:44:00 +0000

Hey there, I'm still alive...and still smocking - sometimes I just get so busy that I ~~forget~~ neglect my Sewing Journal.
I have been working on a little smocked bishop for the past several weeks...or is it months? I am in no hurry to get it done since it's not for any particular person or event - it's just for the love of smocking! Rainy~dreary days are perfect days to sit and smock when I can't get outside and enjoy the sunshine.
I am using Southern Stitches Pink Petunias PDF Smocking plate for this project. I already have a smocked bonnet prepped to smock when I get the bishop done. In this design, one of the unique aspects is thread weaving within the smocking. This might be new to some people, so I thought I would share how easy it is to accomplish.

This "stitch" really adds a pop, as you can see in the photo above!

I started my project by choosing floss colors, which ironically coordinated with the pants I was wearing that day!

One of the most asked questions I get is what kind of floss I use in my smocking. I am using DMC Coton Perle #8. What I like about this floss is that 1 strand of it is equal to about 3 strands of regular embroidery floss. This is a time-saver for me. I don't have to strip the floss and I can get right into my smocking. The other perk with this floss is that it has a beautiful sheen to it! I use a #7 or #9 darning or crewel needle.

PDF Smocking plates are also a handy item! I can load the smocking plate up on my iPad and have a perfectly lighted smocking plate that is so easy to take along with me without the fear of losing it or it getting damaged.

When starting the first row of waves, I always start from the center and work out so that I can be assured that my design will be perfectly centered once all smocking is complete.

This is a good closeup of how beautiful this thread is!

After working two rows of waves, it's time to start the thread weaving.

Just slide your needle up and down under the center cable stitches of the two rows of wave stitches, creating the weave! Sometimes it's easier to even use the eye end of the needle so that the point doesn't get caught up in the floss. You could also use a small lacing needle for this stitch. Don't pull too taut, you want a nice loopy look - almost like a pique.

I have had some ask if the weave stays when the garment is washed - yes, I have never had a problem of it coming out or getting misshapen.

Hope you like this sweet embellishment and can add it to your next smocking project!

Stay tuned - I will share this ensemble when it is all completed!

Monograms for all occasions

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 16:40:00 +0000

Monograms; everyone knows what they are, but not everyone knows exactly how to properly create one. A monogram is a motif made by a single letter or a combination of letters overlapping as a single unit. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as a recognizable symbol or logo.

A monogram tells a story. It suggests who we are or want to be, puts forth our views on marriage, tradition, and individual identity not to mention the wonderful things it does for linens, garments, stationery and and a host of other things.
A monogram consists of a person's initials — usually a variation on the first, middle, and last name—and much has been written about proper monogram etiquette. Often times it's a matter of preference, and there are many different ways in which to create a monogram.
A monogram can have just one main letter of the first name or last name of the person you are creating the monogram for.

Vintage Dots Monogram Set

Monograms can also have just two letters; first and last name of the person. Typically tho, monograms are created in 3 letters. There are variations for the 3 letters, most often done in one of 3 ways:

Single Person: first name initial on left, last name initial in the middle, and middle name initial on the right.
Married Person: first name initial on left, last name initial in the middle and maiden name initial on the right.
Wedding Monogram (or married couple): her first name initial on the left, married last name initial in the middle and his first name initial on the right.

Monograms can be Informal or Formal. Below are some examples using monogram fonts available at Southern Stitches.

Informal Monograms

BRD Typewriter Applique - Satin with Bean Stitch

SSBRD Stars 'n Bars Circle Font

Fancy Scallops Block Monogram

BRD Shadow Work Circle Monogram +eBook Instructional

Monograms can also be created where all 3 letters are the same size, as shown below: In this case you would put first name, middle name, then last name.

SNB Add-on Set of Star Letters

Formal Monograms

Monograms can also be elegant and fancy!

BRD Elegance Monogram Set

My most recent released monogram set is my Belle Anne Monogram Set. It combines the beauty of shadow work and the elegance of satin stitching.

Belle Anne Monogram

No matter if it's informal, whimsical or elegant, everyone loves to have something monogrammed. Monograms can be used for all sorts of occasions!

I am constantly creating new and unique monograms that can't be found anywhere else! My monograms are different from the rest because I spend a great deal of time creating them from the ground up. The difference from a Southern Stitches monogram and the rest is that I never auto-digitize my fonts. Cheaper priced fonts that you find out there are always auto-digitized, meaning the digitizer has found a font online, then typed in a letter into their software and the software does all the digitizing automatically. That is why they can sell the font for so cheap. My fonts are hand-punched, which takes an enormous amount of time and precision. I make sure my fonts (and other designs) all have proper unlay stitching, as well as the finished stitching on top. Many of my fonts are created from Vintage monograms made for hand-stitching. I am currently working on 2-3 more Vintage-inspired fonts that are just gorgeous! Please follow me on Facebook to see photos as I work on new designs!

The Easter Bonnet

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 00:07:00 +0000

Easter memories of my childhood included coloring Easter eggs, baskets full of candy, hatching chicks and chocolate bunnies. The weeks leading up to Easter tho included shopping for all the Easter finery to wear to church on Easter Sunday! More important than the dress, tho, was getting a new bonnet for Easter and being so excited about wearing it.

Yep! That's me in my smocked dress and a Easter bonnet!

This fond memory makes me wonder where and when did Easter bonnets originate?

An Easter bonnet represents the tail-end of a tradition of wearing new clothes at Easter in harmony with the renewal of the year and the promise of spiritual renewal and redemption. The Easter bonnet goes way back in time, even before Easter itself. The very first bonnets were usually made by a circle of leaves and flowers. It symbolized the cycle of the seasons and the coming of Spring. The Christian holiday of Easter celebrates new life and rebirth, which is why people would get new clothing.

At the end of the Civil War, came the "Sunday of Joy". This day allowed mothers and daughters to come out of mourning by wearing pastel colors and incorporating pretty spring flowers. The 1870's marked the beginning of the Easter Parade in New York, which allowed women to proudly show off their new Spring clothing and Easter bonnets.

Easter fashion traditions are still alive today, celebrated among the young and old alike. Easter bonnet often mark the beginning of many people's love for hats and still symbolize the new life in the coming of Spring, warm weather and religious celebrations.

Times have changed tho, and I don't see the traditional Easter bonnet worn like the old days anymore, however the tradition is still very popular for babies and young children. Spring tends to be the start of finding the perfect bonnet for little ones and is most worn from Spring thru the Summer months.

I recently drafted a new ePattern just in time for Easter sewing! My new Brer Rabbit's Button Bonnet is the perfect bonnet for infant and toddler boys and girls.

Perfect for anytime of year, my vintage-inspired Button Bonnets will be adorable for your little ones! Each bonnet is quick and easy to make with lots of options, such as 2 styles of brim for both bonnets. Girls style includes a scalloped or plain brim.

The boys style includes a short or long visor.

Detailed instructions & machine embroidery for shadow work bow and color work bunny included! Sized newborn to 3T!

You can order it HERE!

Another popular style bonnet is a Smocked Bonnet for both boys and girls! Click on photos to order ePattern.

If you don't know how to smock, you can learn by taking my Smocked Bonnet eClass - just click the photo above!

This Easter I hope your little one will celebrate the coming of a new season with a beautiful handmade Easter bonnet!

Sweet Vintage-inspired Baby Frock

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 22:41:00 +0000

Vintage baby frocks and vintage patterns are my most sought-after treasure! Yes, I am all about the thrill of the hunt and nothing is more satisfying than unearthing a truly incredible piece (or five) from another era!

Often times the vintage garments and patterns I find come with unknown facts about where it came from. Many times I find a spectacular piece and wonder how a particular unique technique was done. This just intrigues me to purchase the garment to figure it all out! Just wait till you see some of the Vintage pieces I've purchased that I plan to re-create this year! I thrive on the challenge and it's all about seeking incredible treasures and letting my creative juices flow in re-creating the piece!
Such was the case with this little frock. The 1930's vintage pattern was an incredible find and had never been cut into or used at all! The instructions were very sketchy (like one small paragraph on tissue paper in multiple languages) and I had one little confusing diagram to follow...the rest was left to me to figure out!
As with most vintage patterns I find, I made changes to the original - I always like to put my own twist on something to make it unique. With this one, I decided to try to re-create all the embroidery with my Bernina 780. I started out by making some design changes and then digitizing the embroidery for the dress. The results were incredible!

Center Front of skirt

Front Yoke

Back Yoke

Sleeve Cuff

Dress Front

Dress Back

As you might expect, it took multiple hoopings to create all the embroidery on this little frock. Careful repositioning and lining up of the hoop was also something that takes a bit of know-how and patience. This is where printing off templates is a must. Much of this frock was created in-the-hoop!

I am extremely pleased with my first test stitch out of the designs and I have little, if any, tweaking that needs to be done. The vintage design makes this modern-day gown look like a true heirloom piece!
This little frock will soon be offered as an eClass at Southern Stitches. I will be teaching several techniques in the eClass; using templates and lining up designs in multiple hoopings, entredeaux on a curve, painless plackets, wing stitching and more! All machine embroidery designs along with my revised pattern will be included. More info coming soon! Follow me on Facebook and please subscribe to SewNso's Sewing News Journal.

Forever-an-heirloom...

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 03:11:00 +0000

If there is a way to soil a christening or special occasion garment just before the ceremonies, it's probably been done -- splashed by a puddle in the church parking lot, speckled with coffee or a soft drink, marked by lipstick in the back seat of the car, or imprinted by sticky little fingers from a curious toddler. Yep, if there is a chance it will get dirty, you can pretty much bet on it that it will happen.
A custom-made bag is the safe and easy way to transport clothing to and from special event. My forever-an-heirloom garment bag ePattern can be made from specially purchased fabric with elaborate detailing or simply whipped up using scraps and embellished with machine embroidery motifs, which requires minimal cost or time.

This bag is so quick and easy to make, you will be amazed! I have included extra instructions for making the bag any length you desire and also with a gusset to allow for multiple garments in the bag.

The ePattern instructions are for an off-center opening that is zipper-less. Zippers always concern me in a garment bag, as it's just too easy to get a gown or worse yet, delicate lace caught up in the zipper teeth. Instead I recommend using snaps, snap-tape or even buttonholes and buttons on my garment bag.

This was the very first bag I made,

when creating my garment bag pattern.

I used an off-white feather wale fabric...

...and added vintage buttons over where the snap tape is.

The monogram and embroidery on my sample bag is from Martha Pullen Company and is not included with the ePattern. However, I have created a special button ornament for my ePattern and used a font (KK Monogram) that I had in my computer.

The above design is included in all machine formats.

With creative placement using the same motif, you can

create a frame for a monogram to be used on the front of bag!

My Forever-an-heirloom Garment Bag ePattern is now available! It is an instant download after purchase! Click on the photo below to order!

Storage Tip:

Never store an heirloom gown in plastic, which traps moisture or cleaning chemicals and does not allow the garment to breath. I recommend that you never hang a gown for long-term storage; instead, wrap the gown in acid free tissue paper, place it inside a garment bag (or pillowcase if not making a special matching bag), then place inside a storage box with a piece of cedar for moth and insect protection. Before storing, wash, air dry and press the gown without starch. Customized keepsake boxes can be ordered from "Baby Keepsakes" at www.babysakes.com

Happy New Year ~Sewing goals of 2015!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:19:00 +0000

Happy New Year! I don't know about you, but 2014 flew by, just like the entire month of December. It seems like the older I get, the faster the years pass by. One of my favorite quotes is:

When I reminisce about this past year and think about time and how times have changed, along with how quickly it passes by, it's a little mind-blowing! Last year at this time I was working on several designs for Sew Beautiful Magazine for the coming months. I was clueless that in just a few short months, Sew Beautiful Magazine would no longer exist and I would no longer be designing amazing garments for a National magazine. It was the end of an era.

When I look at machine embroidery designs and ePatterns I created last year, I quickly notice how times have changed in one year. I realize how much work and time it takes creating fresh new designs. It's hard to keep up with the fast pace of current trends and keeping up with today's market and what customers are seeking. Sometimes my business takes all kinds of detours, due to the fact of trying to keep up the pace - it's exhausting!

Today is the 1st day of 365 days. I know how fast those days will pass and I know how many changes will take place in those 365 days. I want to make the most of each and every one of those days to the best I can! This year my goal is to take my business down a little different path. Rather than trying to keep up with the fast-paced, ever- changing trends of the day, I am going to focus on timeless, classic designs.

My focus in 2015 is "vintage-inspired" heirlooms. From machine embroidery to ePatterns, my focus will be timeless, classic designs, inspired by genuine vintage garments, patterns and embroidery designs.

I will also be making handmade vintage-inspired garments for babies that will be available for purchase. Many of these handmades will be one of a kind or available in limited quantity and size.

I will also be creating more eClasses, focusing on Hand Smocking and Heirloom Sewing! My Smocked Bonnet eClass has been very popular and such a great option for those who can't physically attend a sewing class or conference. The first new eClass of 2015 will be The Smocked Bishop Dress from start to finish. The bishop dress will coordinate with the smocked bonnet eClass. After that, my focus will be Heirloom Sewing eClasses, teaching unique techniques and proper hand-sewing technique.

I will also be creating new ePatterns in 2015 - all vintage-inspired, timeless classics that you will love! Some of these designs will include both hand and machine embroidery. I will be creating new machine embroidery designs including monograms, ornaments and other machine embroidery designs inspired from vintage designs.

Happy New Year - I wish you well in 2015 and I hope that you will follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 20:33:00 +0000

I hope you were able to get all your Christmas sewing completed! I don't know about you, but I didn't do as much Christmas sewing this year as I have done in the past. I had plans to make more smocked Christmas ornaments, but that just didn't happen. Next year I will start earlier and plan to make a few new smocked ornaments, as I love seeing them on my tree!

There is just a few more days for BIG savings at Southern Stitches! Save 40% using the coupon code NOEL - this coupon code is good thru Christmas Day! This is a GREAT time to get my online smocking eClass at a great discount and then you will have it to work on in the cabin fever time of the winter! All my smocking plates and machine embroidery designs are included in this sale!

From my home to your's -

Wishing you a very

Christmas Stocking Traditions and Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 16:42:00 +0000

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

I don't know about you, but each year I love getting out my Christmas stockings. It brings back memories of when I was growing up. All the stockings at my house where handmade felt stockings with hand-stitched felt appliqué Christmas designs on them and the initials of our first name at the top. My great Aunt Helen made each one of them.

When I was asking my Mom about our stockings, she told me how when she was a little girl and would go visit Aunt Helen, all the girls had long white stockings that they wore and that is what they used at Christmas to fill - she never had a decorated stocking. The photo I used at the top of this blog post seemed to perfectly depict the story my Mom told me about Christmas Stockings when she was a little girl. She said their stockings were typically filled with lots of fruit and candy, of course.

I have 3 older brothers and I am the only girl, so my stocking was different than the boys and I loved that! The boys had red stockings with green & white trim and mine was green with red and white trim. The only photo I could find is this one and my stocking is not pictured in this photo. Typically my stocking would be put at the other side of the fireplace. I know there are many more photos at my Mom's of our stockings and next time I am there, I am going to spend some time digging thru old photos...and I think I might even confiscate my old stocking!

I remember our stockings also had fruit in them; usually an orange and an apple in the toe, along with lots of candy and a few toys.

The history of the Christmas stocking is an interesting read and I am sure many families carry on their own tradition with stockings.

While there are no written records of the origin of the Christmas Stocking, there are popular legends that attempt to tell the history of this Christmas tradition. In some Christmas stories, the contents of the Christmas stocking are the only toys the child receives at Christmas from Santa Claus; in other stories (and in tradition), some presents are also wrapped up in wrapping paper and placed under the Christmas tree. Tradition in Western culture threatens that a child who behaves badly during the year will receive only a pile of coal. However, coal is rarely if ever left in a stocking, as it is considered cruel. Some people even put their Christmas stocking by their bedposts so Santa Claus can fill it by the bed while they sleep.

I think handmade stockings are just so special and so here is just a small sampling of Christmas Stockings I have made in the past. Several of them I have had the honor of being featured in Sew Beautiful Magazine!

The machine shadow work stocking is available at Southern Stitches and the design set includes a PDF for making the stocking!

I hope I have inspired you to start or carry on a Christmas Tradition of handmade Christmas stockings!

Happy Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie) — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 04:02:00 +0000

Wishing you and yours a very Blessed Thanksgiving!

Give thanks for unknown blessing already on their way.

~ Native American Saying

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

There is a BIG-BIG Black Friday SALE at Southern Stitches

Click HERE to read all about it!