A Family Heirloom, I RECKON!

This little dress is for a baby girl who is to be born on Monday, if she doesn't make her entrance before then, that is.  Her mom is one of my former students, and her grandmom is one of my dear        friends.  It is made from her great grandmom's half slip.  That's what makes this dress a family heirloom,  The "reckon" part comes from reading a few blogs this week about "Southern Speak".  I'm not sure that "reckon" is a Southern word, but I think it probably is.  If you don't know, it means, "suppose", or what one "thinks" about something.  For example,  I "reckon" we'll be gettin' some snow here tonight.                                                                                                                            

 The fabric is a fine cotton.  The lace and embroidery on the front was already on the slip.  I enclosed the slit up the front with some lace that was very similar to what was already on the slip.  I add the pintucks to the bodice.  I used similar lace on the sleeves.  The hardest part about making this was that the slip was cut on the bias, so the fabric wanted to stretch in weird ways.  Making pintucks on bias cut fabric is not the easiest thing I've ever done.

I added four little tiny buttons to the bodice.

 I embroidered a vine of flowers like the ones that are on the front across the back under the tucks.  Instead of buttons, I made bows as closures.  The ribbon is sewn on the right side and slips through button holes and ties into bows, as you see.

 

I lined this dress since the fabric was so thin and on the bias.  I felt like it needed the straight grained fabric underneath to prevent it stretching while little one is wearing it.  I sewed ribbon to the hemline of the lining and added another bow.

Below is a peek at the sweater that I am crocheting for Miss K.

 This is the reason I have been afraid of knitting and crocheting for years.   The directions look scary, but I "reckon" that if I read them one direction at a time and really concentrate I can figure them out eventually.

 I plan to make something for myself using some of the upholstery samples seen below.  It won't be something to wear, but I "reckon" it'll be something I need and will like anyway.