Archive
Smocking
Eloise Complete
Posted by Claire on Sep 21 2010
I’m so proud of this dress. Really. I love just about everything about it. The fabric. The lace. The silk ribbon. The smocking plate. For once the vision in my head and the final product actually coincide. Miracle that. The lace collar came out beautifully and was surprisingly easy to do. A bit fiddly but […]
WIP: Gail Doane’s Eloise
Posted by Claire on Aug 05 2010
I mentioned in an earlier post that I’m working on a version of Gail Doane’s exquisite smocked wool dress, Eloise, from AS&E 87. I don’t usually succumb to buyer’s lust. I try very hard to be controlled in my stash building, especially when it comes to ‘wanna-sews’. There aren’t enough hours in the day and […]
Book Review: Simplified Smocking by Helena Buehler
Posted by Claire on Jul 23 2010
I picked up this interesting book, “Simplified Smocking” by Helena Buehler from Abebooks last year for a song. My copy was published in 1916; I’ve since since re-prints issued by several online sellers on Ebay and Etsy. This book is notable because while several of my Victorian-era embroidery books mention smocking among other techniques, it […]
It’s All About Me!
Posted by Claire on Jul 22 2010
After a mammoth couple of months of ‘business’ sewing, including five Christmas/winter articles, a Valentine’s Day cross-stitch and more, I’m finally taking a bit of a break from ‘gotta-dos’ to sew some ‘wanna-dos’. Last night, I cut out the lining for my Ottobre raincoat. Yes, yes, I know it’s taken me until now to get […]
Do You Know This Man?
Posted by Claire on Jul 13 2010
It’s been a very hot few weeks in Ontario and while it eased a little over the weekend, according to our weatherman, we’re once again due for a nice mix of mugginess and thunderstorms. So, given all this heat and stickiness, what am I working on? Something cool and seasonal? Hardly. Guess: This is an […]