Delicate Handsewn Diaper Shirt

Well, here it is Wednesday and I haven't made a bit of progress on the Baby Bishop from the last post. I needed something to stitch in the car on Tuesday, which was my turn to ride, and wasn't ready to do any more on this dress without some serious thinking. I need to formulate in my mind how I want to embroider the hem and sleeves, then draw out the pattern and get going.

I hadn't arrived at a design, so I rummaged around in my stash and found this kit for a Handsewn Diaper Shirt. Isn't it sweet? That's the front, by the way.  This design is by Claudia Newton, who specialized in teaching lovely whitework and handsewing at SAGA conventions and other venues around the US. In fact, I'll be taking two classes from her this fall. The kit had been sitting in my box of kits since 2007, which was the last SAGA convention I had attended, in Dallas, Texas. Claudia had provided us with a practice piece which was all I finished during the class. So it sat until I pulled it out Monday evening and went to work.

It has some very simple embroidered flowers on the front, as you can see from the first photo. We had the floss in the kit with the needles and a bit of thread - you can barely see it wrapped around the paper, for the practice piece.  The fabric is beautiful white batiste and is a joy to work with. It finger presses so easily you don't need to iron while sewing.

I traced out the pattern and sewed down the facings. These are pretty simple, the fabric is just folded and whipped in place. I then rolled and whipped the lower edge, which you can just see on the side. I know this camera has a macro function, which I will have to get my husband to teach me how to use.

Then I cut off the fabric on one edge of the entredeux and whipped it to the rolled edge, right sides together. I always see instructions that tell me the smoother side of the entredeux is the right side, but I've never been able to tell the difference.

Remember that I said I took this at the SAGA Convention? During the class I sat next a dear lady named Marlene, who had these fabulous Dovo scissors. They are serrated on one edge, so they grip the fabric, making it almost impossible to slip and make a mistake. She offered to make a trip out to BessieMary, an heirloom sewing shop in Dallas, who was offering the Conventioneers a sale price that evening and pick up a pair for me. Thanks Marlene and Jan (who owns BessieMary)! I'm sorry I never made it to your store but hope to meet you sometime!

So now I have three projects in work, the Bullion Wrap Dress (I finished the embroidery, finally!), Baby Bishop I, and now this Handsewn Diaper Shirt! Wait until you see the embroidery projects I have lined up!  My carpooler went on vacation for the rest of the week, so I won't have much chance to sew until the weekend.