Showing posts with label Alice in Wonderland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alice in Wonderland. Show all posts

Thursday, April 15, 2010

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

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Inspirations come from Storybooks


With all the current interest in Alice in Wonderland, I thought I'd share this picture smocked design. It was for a Smocking Arts Guild design competition soon after I began designing in 1985. It was, to my knowledge, the first true "picture" smocked panel. There is no fabric showing (hopefully)....the entire piece of fabric is covered with stacked smocked cable stitches. It was a crazy idea I had to do a group of this type design....Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Needless to say, this is the only one that was completed. The fabric that was pleated was 90 inch wide muslin and I have no idea how many hours of stitching to complete. I have had request for the instructions for this design to which I usually laugh. Just the thought of graphing all of the characters makes me wonder......"What were you thinking?"