Tiny Smocking

Smocked Christening Gown on Miniature Baby Doll, circa 1982

Two strands of floss were used to smock the top.

Smocking was done freehand..no pleating...just picking up fabric.

Buttonholes were worked for "sleeve" opening.

Boullion roses and lazy daisy leaves with two strands

of floss were added to finish this little ditty.

Recently we unpack our daughter's dollhouse so Miss Emma could play with it. Well, she evidently has taken on the characteristics of her older brother where demolition is the most fun. In the process of trying to put things back together, I ran across this little baby doll scattered to the winds. I had forgotten that I had made it for Aimee and quite frankly, I'm amazed that it has survived. It was a dollhouse accessory that was played with for many years.

The tiny doll in the blue gingham dress....Goldilocks....is made from the plastic cake decorating dolls. She is painted with acrylic paint and finished with "Delft" lacquer. Her hair is made of DMC floss. Curls are wrapped around wire and "set" with glue. Her lace "petticoat" is French cotton.

My question to everyone is:

"What is the smallest thing you've smocked?"

Happy Smocking,

Gwen

A Little Storybook Smocking

I just had to share this today. Last summer started this event with a little smocked outfit for Disney. However, the Cinderella and Belle ballgowns were Emma's choice to wear. Eventually, I did get photos of Miss Emma wearing this design. And so with this, a normal, not so special day can turn into something special!

Today started out pretty much the same....nothing special. Spent the morning weeding the wild strawberry plants out of my iris bed. A bit disappointed that my irises were not the tall bearded variety but still quite pretty...antique yellow and cream. I love that the wild bunnies love the strawberry plants but I do not love what those darling little creatures do to my plants! Just so you know, I don't have any March Hares or White Rabbits carrying pocket watches in my garden. But then who does? And then my not-so-special, normal day changed....

I did a little watering in the hopes that it might make my azaleas finally open up and decided to quickly gather the mail before I came in. There was a big manila envelope that was full of what I suspected were magazines. Hoffman Media was my big hint! Hummmm...

Surprise, Surprise!!!.....there in the blue issue is my design.

Kathy and everyone at Sew Beautiful did a wonderful job and I am so pleased.

I have to say at times, my "senior moments" can border on ridiculous. Oh, my! Is this the issue of Sew Beautiful that my design is in? Yes it was! For me this was so exciting as this design was one that was taken from a design I did many years ago. With some encouragement from a smocking friend, Janet Gilbert, I had submitted it and was so pleased when it was accepted. It's always nice when someone likes what you love to do. "Thanks again Janet!"

I love the article but love how Miss Emma looks in this little outfit! She has become my little motivator.

Happy Smocking,

Gwen

Pink is her favorite color.....

Smocking for this little girl is something I enjoy

but I much prefer just to play with Emma and her brother.

Emma asked for white bunnies but only if they were on a pink dress.

So we have "Emma's Bunny Garden" design.

This is Emma. She has to be bribed to get pictures.....

There was much foot stomping in this process.

Funny how once your taking pictures, that the

little diva comes out!

So, I was pleased that of almost 75 photos....

love that digital camera...

that I was happy with about a dozen.

........so I guess the new Pink Princess Bike with silver streamers was worth it!

Emma's Easter Bunny Garden

Emma's bunny bishop was one that I have had in mind for quite some time.

A design that looks very much like spring.

The most "challenging" part was actually keeping the number of

different elements to a minimum. There are two bunnies, six open-faced daisy

flowers that circle the neckline, simple "tulips" and tiny blue bullion butterflies.

I love creating new designs and wanted this bishop to be a "Happy Easter" design. From picking the pastel color palette to a very simple fabric, it was an exercise in practicality. This bunny design for Emma was quite frustrating because she really prefers her play clothes to smocked dresses. So this was not a dress that I could worry about when playing with her brother.

Two mirror image bunnies are in a garden of daisies. The butterflies are worked on every other daisy with one butterfly set off-center between the bunnies. The only part of this type design that has always frustrated me is that when I create a mirror image of a design, I usually have a problem with it actually looking like the same, but reversed, image. I do know that it's similar to when I have done sculptures and the only way to find the balance in symmetry is to look at the image in reverse through a mirror. I guess it's one of the those left-brain, right-brain things.....

Happy Smocking,

Gwen


Special Note: I will graph this design and post at a later date. With the slow market for smocking design plates, I have no problem sharing instructions and graphs on my blog.