I’ve just realised I completely missed last weeks Friday Photo Challenge. As I have just spent half an hour writing a post and sorting through photos to show you on a theme that was actually last weeks, I thought I may as well show you them anyway!!
The theme for last weeks photo challenge (from Postcard from Gibraltar) was Sweet. Now I’m not much of a sweet person, I never think to buy sweets (…I’d always prefer to go in a bakers and get a sticky bun!) and I’d always have a starter in preference to a pudding.
Instead I decided to share photos of Helen looking very sweet when she was a tot wearing dresses I made her. I got quite into smocking when she was little, helped by the fact that my mum bought a smocking machine so I didn’t have to do all the gathering!
Most of the designs came from the Australian Smocking magasine, which is a sister to the embroidery magasine Classic Inspirations. There were some beautiful dresses in there.
This one is my favourite, I still have it tucked away, I have plans to have it framed in a box frame so it hangs…one day!
This dress has embroidered circles of flowers down the button band, faggoted ribbon bands and rows of embroiderey on the hem bands.
The smocking is called a bishops neckline as it goes in a full circle around the neck. It’s got dozens of bullion roses in amongst the smocking which I seem to remember took forever!.
I made a fine cotton underskirt with vintage broderie anglais along the hem so it just peeped out underneath.
Doesn’t she look sweet 🙂
thecraftycreek 
I love the idea of framing the dress in box frame…the dresses are ‘sweet’ – perfect post for sweet – Helen is beyond adorably sweet!!!!
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These are beautiful, heirloom quality dresses – a real labour of love and, yes, very sweet!
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A perfect depiction of sweet!
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Oh yes, framing is a great idea when you’ve made something as perfect as these!
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These are gorgeous! What precious photos!
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What amazing labours of love you’ve made, real heirlooms. My mother made me wonderful smocked dresses when I was a child, and I wish she’d kept them. I remember my favourite was coral coloured linen with black and white smocking and shiny black dome buttons. I was 5, and it’s now 52 years ago, but I still remember it well.
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I haven’t seen such carefully and beautifully executed embroidery on garments like this in a very long time!
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That’s incredible work you did! So beautiful and detailed–and full of love! that one dress should definitely be preserved!
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You were the smocking queen – those pieces are amazing…and very sweet 🙂
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There is so much work in these dresses – amazing!
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