More Smocking Convention Tibits

It has been years since I have taken a class from Keri Mecca of Kari Me Away. A wonderful Heirloom Sewer, Artisan, Teacher and Designer with a 'Whimsical' touch. That is sometimes funky. If Kari is ever in your area teaching a class or if you are ever in the LA, CA area, it would be well worth your time to take a class from her. She is a wonderful teacher.

I love her style. She takes Smocking, Goldwork, Stumpwork, Jacobean, Whitework, Silk Ribbon and Lace and makes them all her own.

In her class we made the Silk Sewing Companion. It is a lovely Silk lined Linen Hussif that has several layers of wool Dr's. flannel used to hold needles.

There are a good bit of supplies in our kit.

I had to trace all of my designs onto the linen.

Just a little sample of the inside of the hussif.
The class involved stumpwork, silk ribbon, gold couching and beading.

And see the layers of the wool? Very nice.

The back of Keri's stitching looks as good as her front!

Fun Fun Class!

Another little thing about Kari, she saved Maja and me (or at least me) from starvation on Friday night. Market at Maja's Heirlooms got busy before supper time and stayed that way. We did not get any supper or even think to send anyone to get anything until it was too late and I was beginning to feel sick. (All that chocolate.) Kari had a salad that she had not eaten (meals are way too big and after ordering it, shared someone else's meal.) and she gave it to me. Maja was not hungry. I was starving, but this was a huge salad and I only ate 1/2. When Maja realized that it was the Chicken Ceasar from the Lounge, she ate part of the other 1/2. It was good. Thanks Kari!

Pink Saturday

It's Pink Saturday!!! I want to share with y'all a few things I have made for DD to wear. She has long since outgrown these, and really does not like to wear solid pink anymore, but I loved the day when it was her favorite color. And she was so precious in it!

In this first photo she is wearing an Heirloom Party Dress. The pattern is from Martha Pullen's French Handsewing by Machine II. It is made out of 100% PINK cotton batiste and french laces. I also did just a little machine embroidery pieces in the yoke and sleeves. I guess to stay with the 'French "Handsewn by Machine"' bit. ;-) LOL!

The second photo is one of my all time favorite dresses. I have made two of them. One for my niece and one for DD. It is from Australian Smocking and Embroidery (I think issue #41, I will have to check) and the design is called Child's Play. I wish I could remember the designers name. If I get a chance to go look it up, I will. The first dress I made like this took me 70-80 hours to smock and embroider all the flowers. That was for my niece. By the time I made this one, I had gotten much faster and not near as picky with my stitches. This is also a black and white photograph/negative printed on fiber based paper. I hand-tinted it with photographic oil based paints. I still do hand tinted photographs. I have my lab print them up for me digitally now. The fabric is 100% PINK Cotton Batiste with an English Netting overlay based and pleated onto a bishop dress. The sleeves are pleated and smocked as well.

Y'all have a Happy Pink Saturday! And stop over at Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound and see all the other Pink Posts. :D