Hand Embroidered Tea Towels

Sharing again, an older blog post.

Recently a dear friend asked me to again show the tea towels that I embroidered.  This was a few years ago - I really had a blast doing them.

The patterns are Aunt Martha patterns - still available from the original company.  Just don't buy them from ebay - the prices there are a tad outrageous - and they are probably getting the patterns from Aunt Martha (Colonial Patterns) and reselling to unsuspecting shoppers who don't know they are still currently in production)

So let's look at the dish towels.

This is the first set I made - these are for me.

Each maiden has a hat and matching trim on her skirt of appliqued fabric

With buttonhole embroidery

Happy little birds have a busy week

Tea time

Kittens on the go

Raggedy Ann - busy all week

Playful puppies

Silly dishes - singing and dancing

Sassie Susie - helpful all week

Mice - hard at work

Turtles having a good time

 I did a few sets of just two towels  - chickens

 Zany dishes

 And I had to do a set of teddy bears

Do you call them tea towels - or dishtowels?

All the patterns are still available from Aunt Martha's - the company I've been using since I was a kid.  You find them at colonialpatterns.com 

Mosaics are made with ipiccy.com, picasa.com and fotor.com

A Surprise

Another re-run - haven't these been fun?  This is from 2016.

I have a friend

Her name is Candy

She is as sweet as her name!

A while back she said she was sending me a package - with a few glasses in it

And they would be wrapped in a few pieces of fabric

Wellllllll - I told you she was sweet.

 Sweet as gingerbread and hearts

 I separated the stacks of fabrics she sent - sorted them into matching/coordinating groups - get ready for some fabric fun!

 checks and plaids

 dots and stars - these are vintage fabrics.  I used to buy the same fabrics in Calexico, CA  (right on the Mexican border) in the 1980s at the huge outdoor swap meet.  I made doll and bears clothes using these fabrics - and now I have the same fabrics to use for my current dolls - Little Women dresses?  Little House on the Prairie clothes?  So many possibilities - I feel rich!!

 Ginghams - so many ideas for doll clothes!

 Oh right - the pretty glasses.  I adore these pink swirl glasses - they will be featured in many table settings to come.

 Candy also sent pretty florals and garden prints - summer aprons for the dolls?  Sunsuits?

 And lovely woven plaids - Autumn is coming - I'd better get out the patterns - so many ideas.

I haven't sewn anything from these fabrics that Candy sent in this latest box - but she had sent me another box of fabrics about a month before  - and I've made some pretty dresses from some of them.  I've posted about the first box of fabrics - but let us review

 These are some of the fabrics she had sent me.

And in that same box - these five patterns 

And

A new doll - Kyla.

I told you Candy was sweet!!!!

Kyla loves her new sisters and brother - and they are all so happy to have her in the family.

The dresses are from some of the fabrics in the first box from Candy - I used the pattern in the lower right corner to make dresses - just different fabrics for each doll - most of the dress fabrics are from Candy

 I've shared the dresses before but I know you want to see them again - I just love the combinations of fabrics

It is a happy time in the summer with fabrics and patterns - and pretty glasses - from Candy. (The paper doll fabric on the dress in the lower right corner came in yet another box from Candy) Thank you so much my dear!!!!

And visit Candy's doll blog this afternoon - she is one of the most creative people I know.

And speaking of creative - have a visit over at Diane's - she always has something new, clever and fun for us to explore with her many dollies and projects.

I love my doll friends!  Do you have any special friends that you share fun times with, making doll clothes, choosing fabrics for doll clothes, etc?

New Dresses

Another re-run of my dolls - come along as we celebrate a past spring time.

I've been crocheting doll clothes most of the spring - and finally finished outfits for everyone.  Long dresses, like we used to wear in the early 70s.  The dolls think they are great fun - and enjoyed a day in the sunshine on the deck.

 Sunshine and flowers - and pretty new dresses

Abby, who is standing behind you?  Is this a new sister in our group?

It is me, Candace Diane, your new sister.  I came from a yard sale - and I didn't look this good to start with.

Someone got loose with some scissors - and look what they did to my hair - oh my, I was a mess for sure.

But look at my new do - I'm a Ginger and I think it suits me so well.  Don't you agree?

Poppy Sunshine and I are going to pick some fresh flowers in our little pails.  We are so fetching in our summer hats.

 Look. Abby, I have some cute kitties!  Oh Kyla, they are just adorable.

Samantha, Sally Jo, Poppy Sunshine 

Abby, Kyla, Candy D. 

 Summer straw hats are perfect for our new crocheted dresses.

 Sally Jo, let's play catch with the beach ball!

Oh Samantha - what a nice tray of sandwiches - let's share with the other girls. Wasn't it fun to spend a nice day on the deck?

Dress Up Doll Party

I'm STILL recuperating - this is going so slow, so thought in the meantime I would share a few of old posts of my dolls, maybe they will cheer someone up.  I know they make me feel happy - so let us revisit some doll stories.

More pretty clothes - all of them are going to Denmark with Clara, to her new home.  Clara and her wardrobe will be winging their way soon.

 Abby is showing off her new red and tiny white hearts skirt, blouse and froggy vest (and hearts on her shoes) - Sally Jo has a purple fairy bubble dress and matching bag and Clara is in a pink/black cat bubble dress with matching bag.

 Switch dresses - don't we all look so pretty?

 Abby - pink bubble dress and purple bubble dress

 Clara

 Poppy Sunshine

 Sally Jo

 Hi girls!

 It looks like you are all ready for a party - would you like me to bake you some cookies in this pretty bumble bee apron?

 Donnie wants to join the party too - Donnie loves cookies

 We love pink dresses and bags

 And purple fairy ones too

Here's an extra bag of cookies to take on your trip to Sweden, Clara - you will have so much fun in your new house

Candy has an amazing post about dresses and dolls - you must see it.

And don't miss our lovely Diane and her sweet dolls.

I hope you enjoyed your visit.