Cupcakes and Balloons Bishop

This is a repost from a post I wrote yesterday on my sewing blog. Enjoy!

Smocking is one of my very most favorite things to do—I’ll admit I’m addicted to it. My husband jokes that if I haven’t smocked something in a few days I become hard to be live with. I don’t know if I’m that bad, but smocking is very relaxing for me.

My latest smocked bishop was a first birthday dress. The birthday girl’s mother saw a smocked bishop that was perfect for the theme of the party. However, the design was discontinued and a dress in the size they needed couldn’t be found anywhere. Like most of my projects, when they can’t find what they want, they call me.

She sent some photos of the original dress and asked if I could make one like it. I said that I could, but as with all garments made with only a photo for reference, it wouldn’t be identical, but I would get it as close to the original as I could.

  The dress is made from pastel green batiste, with a three inch deep hem. It turned out so precious! There is a bright cupcake in the center with balloon bouquets on either side, with ribbon bows.There is a tiny pink hearts border around the top, and a light purple scalloped border around the bottom. It almost made me forget my dislike of picture smocking when it was finished, it turned out so sweet.

I also made a pair of Vivianna Bloomers from the batiste to match.

I’ve been promised pictures of the birthday girl in her dress and when I receive them I’ll share.

Playing Dress-up

Livie and I have been playing dress-up this week. I pulled out my baby clothes from my hope chest and have been wondering how I was ever that small. I thought I’d share some of the cuteness with y’all.

This dress and the following one were made for me by my great-great Aunt Lillian. She also made the Dutch doll quilt that Livie is lying on.

The next two dresses were bought for me by my father. When my mother was expecting me, the ultrasound was misread and they thought I was a boy! They only took boy clothes to the hospital. They got the surprise of their lives and Daddy had to buy some dresses for me to go home in.

“What’s a hospital, Mama?”

“You mean all babies aren’t born at home like me?”