Sunday 8 February 2015

UFO guilts


A few weeks ago I visited my sil who had just been given a mountain of fabrics from an elderly aquaintance who was destashing.
Among the metres of fabric and assorted crafty books and goodies were numerous, and I mean numerous smocking projects waiting to be sewn up. My sil asked me over to have a look and give some advice on the sewing process for the smocked pieces and also to give me some lovely aida and cross stitch linen that were in the stash.
Seeing all those beautiful smocked dress fronts and thinking what would happen to my own stash of wip's smocked bits I have decided that I need to address those ufo's too.
I used to love smocking and made lots of items as gifts for great nieces and nephews who were born at the during my smocking phase. I was also smocking for other sewers and a magazine and that took a little of the enthusiasm away. You know when you have to do something to other's specs it becomes a chore not a hobby. So quite a few unfinished pieces got put away in a large box. I was great with doing the smocking just not so great with the sewing them up into a garment.
Well it's best to get them out into the open and I think I need to try to make some headway with these ufo's too... so they are being added to the list and will wait for their number to come up. Who knows they may just make it to the top of the creating pile too...
 Here are the ones that have just been smocked, some pieces cut out....

 this is an assortment of garments at the finishing stage......quite a few needing buttons....
I feel so guilty having this many unfinished bits.

Now to more pleasant things....
Yesterday Hub and I visited family in Gisborne (sorry girls....) and I also made a visit to Patch and quilt to look for a cream fabric from a previous visit and also some red to finish my sew a long minis. No luck with the cream but found some lovely reds. We then headed off to Daylesford and made a little detour to Castlemaine to Threadbare. Found a gorgeous cream and some more reds and two greens.
 Two amazing shops in the one day. I only had about 15 min at Threadbare as DH must have had an inkling I might go a little crazy lol
Here are my goodies...   (the greens will go towards applique on my sweet william blocks)
Speaking of my sew along blocks...
The first one is done, just needing some wool applique which is prepped ready to go.The outer border will have more applique of a trailing vine with the flowers in the corner. Hit a bit of a hurdle on the geese for the second one but am keen to get that one to this stage too. But I did manage those tiny star blocks..
a little wonky in places but done!

Some cross stitching has been happening while watching tv too now that I have a new stash of linens and aida..
These are both freebies...
This one from the Little Stitcher (Dorothy's red shoes by Laura Rimola) It is stitched with only one thread on tiny aida and it was difficult to get the stitches even as if I pulled too tight it would disappear!
 I really love this one and I will make it into a little cushion like the pattern....
Using some of the linen this time and two threads makes it a little easier.
Pattern from www.thesnowflowerdiaries.blogspot.hu
Off to put that smocking stash in my sewing room so that it is under my nose and I can't forget it as easily.
Have a wonderful sunday!

cheers
marina

23 comments:

  1. I learnt to do smocking after I had Mitchell and made a little nightie. Of course, then having 3 boys, I never did anymore again! Your quilt is looking great Marina.

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  2. Clever you doing smocking. Well worth completing them all. Your stars and flying geese all look wonderful, no wonkiness detected from here. Castlemaine and Daylesford are beautiful places . Threadbare is an awesome shop especially for 1800s repros. They can be a bit on the expensive side though.

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  3. Oh Marina,
    you multi talented woman, you didn't tell us you could smock.
    Everything you do is beautiful.
    Get those smocked lovelies finished for your Grandma's hope chest.
    Hugs R.

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  4. Your smocking is gorgeous...something I've never tried, but admire from a far...wonky stars? can't see any wonky from here...

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  5. Wow Marina that smocking is amazing. Keep them in a hope chest... you never know they might get used by grandbabies. Love the cross stitch patterns and glad you had a good days fabric shopping.

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  6. oh my golly gosh... what lovely smocking to play with... are there any in my size????? it's so very pretty .... I love your sewing too ... always so inspirational and some lovely new fabrics to play with...
    Hugz

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  7. Lovely smocking ... I did a little when my kids were small.
    So many flying geese ... looking good :o)

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  8. Your smocking looks beautiful. I do hope you finish some of them. And I do understand how somethings can become a chore when they are not your choice of project.
    Lovely progress on the blocks and the stars!!! Lovely cross stitching, too.

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  9. Those smocking pieces are just gorgeous and when you are ready will look fabulous sewn together....
    Nice day out shopping for lovely fabrics ...
    Sweet William looking good and nice cross stitch pattern you are working on.

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  10. Love your smocking! I tried it just once in a class and it was so long ago I don't remember much about it! :-) But if I had some grandbabies I'd be asking you to think of not finishing them yourself and letting someone else do the part that it looks like you don't love so much! :-) Have a great day!! Hugs, H in Healdsburg

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  11. Your smocking is amazing, it's something I've never tried. Don't feel too guilty, I'm sure you will finish them off now they are out.
    I always admire your beautiful cross stitch projects.

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  12. Beautiful smocking. Love the little bunnies. Love the cross stitch & your blocks. Hugs,xx

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  13. Your smocking looks gorgeous - such a shame not to make use of it. Those little stars look fine to me. xx

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  14. Ondrea, good on you for getting the smocked pieces out again after so long... perhaps you might consider selling the pieces if you really can't face sewing them into garments? at least then, they will have gone to someone who will use them & you're not still 'choring' with them... just a thought

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  15. oops, I think I wrote Ondrea, when it should be Marina, sorry!!

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  16. Love the smocking...very clever. Sniff, sniff, we can cope with you not visiting us!! ;-) Your fabric pick ups are lovely.

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  17. Marina your smocking is just beautiful - you are so clever. Love all those gorgeous things you've been working on

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  18. All those smocked pieces are so beautiful - I hope you have time to finish them one day. My girlfriend smocks beautifully and made ChaCha a tiny pink bishop, bonnet and tiny shoes. So lovely.

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  19. You are working on some great projects !

    BTW I send you an email (answer to a question you ask me some time ago).

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  20. Hello Marina,

    Any more talents you want to share, I always love looking at smocking, it reminds me of cuddly little babies.Have fun with those new fabrics. Your work amazes me.

    Happy days.
    Bev.

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  21. I love smocking and have always wanted to do some. It is so inspirational to see all of yours. Lovely! I hope you can find the desire to finish at least some of them.

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  22. Love the smocking and that medallion is going to look fabulous.

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  23. So many hours of work in all that beautiful smocking.
    I have no doubt that you will finish them when the time is right. Hope you are having fun with all your little pieces in the sew along block.

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