Vintage-Inspired!

Vintage things always seem to inspire me. While I do appreciate many different styles, there is something about vintage items that seem to spark inspiration in me! Since I am about to insert a picture here, I feel like I need to define "vintage".  Vintage clothing is defined as being from the 1920's to the 1960's. 

This is a picture is of me and I don't particularly want to tag myself as "vintage", however, I have to admit this picture was taken in the 1960's! My mom made the sweet little ruffled sunsuit and hat that I am wearing! Oh, how I wish I had this little sunsuit set, or at least the original pattern she used!
That picture is what inspired me to create my newest ePattern "Vintage-Inspired Sunsuit"!

The style is as close as possible as I could get to recreate the sunsuit that my mom made for me. I also managed to find a vintage pattern and my mom said it looked almost exactly like the one she used to make my sunsuit. Having this vintage pattern helped somewhat, but the original pattern pieces were not in the pattern. The vintage pattern did have some hand-drawn pattern pieces, but they just didn't seem to be correctly to scale, so I ended up working off from a diagram to draft my pattern pieces.

When I draft patterns, I try hard to create ePatterns that work for boys, as well as for girls, and this pattern really made it easy for me to do that. The boys version of this sunsuit has a pocket on the bib as well as two back pockets. Both sunsuits lend themselves nicely to adding a monogram on the bib.

My newest ePattern is now available at

Brer Rabbit Designs or in my Etsy Shop!

inspired by distraction

Anyone else, like me,  suffer from mild to extreme cases of Attention Deficit Disorder in the Sewing Room (ADDSR)? The title of my journal today, “inspired by distraction” might almost seem like an oxymoron, but it’s true, you can be inspired while being totally distracted. 

Inspiration in the midst of distractions can strike at any moment and completely without warning. It tends to happen most often when my brain is flooded with creative ideas that usually are found right in my sewing room! I’ve been known to be inspired by something as little as a dreamy piece of vintage lace oozing out of a drawer.

...or a spilled jar of interesting buttons and buckles!

I can walk into my sewing room to work on a specific project, realize that the room is a total disaster and “Boom!” inspiration suddenly strikes!  I might walk past a table of vintage patterns and instantly I am distracted from what I suppose to be working on, and my mind goes into another world. Literally hours can pass, as I dream of which one I want to use and what fabrics I might choose to create it.

A leftover piece of lace, scraps of fabric, ribbon and buttons can distract me in no time flat in thinking up ideas of how I can use those items to create something unique and beautiful. Books & magazines in my sewing room also cause distractions that can also be ohhh sooo inspiring!

Although my sewing room is chocked full of vintage inspiration, it doesn’t have to be vintage things that spark inspiration to create. I get equally inspired by the distraction of awesome stacks of very modern fabric just waiting to be created into something wonderful for my grandsons or a friend's new baby!

I have to admit that I've had ADDSR for years and it only gets worse as technology gets better, you see I also deal with these types of distractions...

ummm, yes, I'm totally not ashamed...that would be sirius xm radio with some inspirational music playing, my iPhone with incoming email, my iPad with Pinterest inspirations and my macbook all up and running at the same time as my "powered by windows" (oh, why can't it be a mac?)Bernina Artista! Yes, I try to convince myself that this is not causing me more distractions....I rather like to think of it as multi-tasking at it best - I mean it's truly a gift, right?!

...to date, there is no known cure of AADSR, but I do hope that

the next time you walk into your sewing room, 

you can be inspired by distraction!

BRD's Smocked Tapered Bonnet - a new ePattern!

Smocked baby bonnets have and always will be a favorite and an essential part of a baby’s layette...well at least for me it is! Nothing is sweeter than to see a sweet cherub’s face wrapped in a smocked bonnet! 

Ahhh, too bad I don’t have a little girl 

to sew for..sigh..someday, tho!

My Smocked Tapered Bonnet has been a very popular item, especially in my RTS(ready-to-smock)kits. New at Brer Rabbit Designs is my Smocked Tapered Bonnet now available in an ePattern!

I’ve taken all the math guesswork and measuring away for you and created a multi-sized, easy to follow eBook. The instructions include printable pattern pieces and is sized for Preemie 0 thru 3T.

Bonnet made from BRD Smocked Tapered Bonnet ePattern
Smocking Design is an original

Also included in my ePattern is a bonus; my BRD Smocking Plate “Precious Rosebuds”, which is a perfect design for smocked bonnets with just the right amount of smocking rows! Precious rosebuds adorn the bonnet to compliment the smocking.

Shadow Work - the modern way

Shadow work embroidery has always been a favorite of mine. I love the soft subtle hue of the color shadowing thru the fabric. As the name would suggest, the basic idea is to use sheer fabric where only the barest outline of the pattern appears on the surface and the crisscrossed threads underneath show through, thereby creating a "shadow" design.  It is the opacity of the threads being worked on sheer fabric which defines this form of embroidery more than any single stitch or color combination.  Shadow work is very versatile and looks both delicate and complicated, but it is really quite sturdy and easy to do.  This effect can be used in a variety of ways with a wide array of designs and themes. 

Several years ago I began creating shadow work in a more modern way, by using my embroidery machine. The result of my work was exactly what I was seeking to achieve - shadow work created by machine, but with the appearance that it was stitched by hand!

I still enjoy the traditional way of creating shadow work, which is by hand, but I also like the ease of using my embroidery machine to create nearly the same look at a fraction of the time it takes to work by hand!

My newest set of shadow work is "Baby Shadow Work 3" and I am still working on more designs to add to the set. Here is what is currently completed in the set:

Two friendly little birds!

Radish Rabbit

Carrot Rabbit

Puppy Dog

You can check out all my machine shadow work designs that are available at my design site:

If you still prefer the traditional way of creating shadow work and need a tutorial, you can find that HERE!

Pretty in Pink

Smocked Bishop dresses are by far my most favorite of all dresses for a baby! They are a timeless style and so beautiful with smocking all the way around the neckline. Another great feature is that they seem to fit for a much longer time, than any other style dress. 
Today I finished up on a project that I titled "Pretty in Pink". It's a sweet ensemble that I created for a family friend. I really wanted to add a touch of boldness to this traditional style dress to sort of give it a more trendy look. 

The fabric is a white batiste and I smocked with DMC Pearl Cotton #8 using a bright pink and green floss, which gives a beautiful bright, Springtime look!

This is a new smocking design and will be available at Brer Rabbit Designs as soon as I finish graphing the smocking!

A close up look at the smocking!

I always smock the sleeves on a bishop dress

and coordinate it with the neckline!

A smocked bonnet completes the 

ensemble with smocking that coordinates

with the neckline of the bishop dress!

A dainty little bullion rosebud is added to

the silk ribbon ties!

You can create this same dress ensemble with Brer Rabbit Designs NEWEST ePattern, BRD Smocked Bishop. The smocking plate to this ensemble will also be available soon as well as my Tapered Smocked Bonnet as an ePattern for those who want the convenience of printing off a multi-sized pattern without having to do all the measuring.

It's a NEW ePattern!

I am very pleased to announce that I have a new ePattern hot off the press....err, computer....or maybe I should say it's fresh from the Briar Patch! Southern Stitches design line, "Brer Rabbit Designs" has just released the new ePattern, "BRD Smocked Bishop".

This pattern is a classic and very unique! You will be working with blocks of fabric torn to specific sizes, making it a breeze to cut, construct and pleat! It will never go out of style and it already has promise to become my most popular ePattern yet! The best part about this new pattern is that you can follow along with my Smocked Bishop tutorials(see tab above) to guide you thru all the techniques from start to finish!

 The smocking plate "Sweet Petite Posies" 
(shown above) 

is included with this ePattern!

Bonus #2  

My blocking guide is included in the ePattern! Once you tape the two portions together, you will have a blocking guide that will allow you to properly block your bishop neckline to the correct size!

How great is that?

I think my most used pattern ever has been a smocked bishop - I've had to replace it multiple times and now that I have an ePattern, I will never have to look for pattern parts or store torn tissue into an over-stuffed envelope! You will be amazed at how easy this unique Smocked Bishop ePattern is to work with! 

You can find my newest pattern, along with all my patterns at

OR

Easter Blessings

Trees blossom, flowers bloom 

we celebrate the empty tomb.

Our Savior lives and reigns as King,

let every heart rejoice and sing!

Praying you enjoy the beauty 

of the season

and celebration of the everlasting 

hope and life in Jesus.