smocked featherwale cord tunics

With twin granddaughters I couldn't resist the Top of the Class tunic in the hot pink and lime green featherwale corduroy in Australian Smocking and Embroidery 93. It is a great, simple shape with the big attraction of embroidered figures around the hem.

 About four weeks ago I did the smocking

and over the next weekend blocked them and cut out the other pieces.

                                                                     












It took me half a day to make up each dress. I did a bit of unpicking on the second one - until I set it aside for an hour or so: either tiredness or lack of focus was causing me to make every mistake possible.                

They were then ready for me to transfer the embroidery designs to the hemline. I was hoping  to do a pleated hem over the embroidery because (1) it is easier and (2) it allows me to leave a bigger hem allowance.                                                                                                                                                                          

I used a white gel pen to transfer the designs - the same motif of two girls holding hands at seven points around the hem. I worked one motif right through, then worked the chain stitch outline of the arms and dresses on the other six in case the markings faded. I figure I can improvise around the basic form.

Of course, having done that, I am finding the gel pen isn't fading!






I finished the green one completely before moving on to the embroidery on the pink one. After some deliberation I made a pleated hem that sits just above the figures. Although not in the pattern, it allows me a bit of extra length for growth (I figure I can put rows of featherstitch around any fade marks that appear if they need to be let down), avoids handstitching a hem on a plain fabric and gives body to the skirt.

I worked away from home last week, so marked out the figures to be embroidered on the pink dress and packed it as my project for the week - a perfect choice, given it is all in black thread and I have already done it on green.








 I  also managed to find some black tops and leggings.


                                                                                                   

I did the hem and buttonholes within a couple of hours of arriving home, washed out the gel pen the next morning and dropped the completed project in to the twins.















This morning we met up with the girls and their mother shopping in the Adelaide Central Market.

Now that's a satisfying project!.