Nursery Smocks

We are attending a brand-new church - it is actually a church plant from a large church.  We've barely officially begun, and we meet in a local school.  Coming from a large church and starting basically from scratch, you can imagine that there are a lot of items on the wish list, but not a lot of money to fill the wishes.  One "desired item" was for sewers.  I looked at it and decided that it meant people who sew, not pipes to carry sewage, and I may have allegedly informed the kids' ministry director that I have been known to stitch the occasional seam.

She told me that her biggest sewing-related need was for smocks for the nursery volunteers to wear while on duty.  We talked about it a bit, and it sounded to me as though she basically wanted nursing scrub jackets.  Hmm...I think I've made a few of those (and that link only shows two - I'm sure I've made at least a dozen over the years).  She wanted three-quarter length sleeves and a flat cuff, rather than a gathered one, so I basically whacked off the bottom third of the sleeve length and then made a two inch finished cuff.  (In case you're wondering, I cut 5-inch long pieces the width of the end of the seam, plus seam allowances.  These were interfaced with lightweight interfacing, not in the seam allowances.  I folded them in half, right sides together, and stitched them at either end, then turned them right sides out and pressed the ends.  After the sleeves were sewn, I stitched the cuffs on, so that the finished ends were butted up together at the sleeve seam and sewed them using a 0.5-inch seam allowance.  This left me with a cuff that shouldn't wrinkle easily and basically has a finished slit.)  I also used Pam Erny's technique to clean-finish the edges of the facings, and I used double rows of topstitching on the hems and all the seams (except the side seams, as I recall).  I wanted these smocks to look a professional as possible.

The smocks were made from sheets from the thrift stores.  I knew that I couldn't afford to donate all the fabric that would be needed for these (and for upcoming costumes for the kids' ministry), and I didn't know what funds the church would have.  But I could buy fabric very affordably at the thrift store - some lengths of fabric, but mostly sheets in good condition.  I held each candidate up and eliminated it if I could see my hand through it.  Anything in decent condition and not a gross color (there are some seriously gross colored sheets out there!) was a good buy!

Below are shown the current stash of nursery smocks - there's one size S - that was the prototype, because that size was already traced.  There are 2 size M, 2 size L, and 1 size XL.  More will be made, but I burned out on sewing smocks and needed to get on with Christmas sewing!

Mostly final Christmas presents....

Yep, definitely the year of the pillowcases!
Top left: singleton for my good friend (the nurse) - only a singleton because she has another gift, shown at the end of the post. I had enough of the music notes left for one pillowcase and one corn bag cover. I paired this with a mottled red flannel that came from my very first Black Friday at JAF.

Top right: Another Black Friday purchase from a few years back - my son loves penguins, so I finally used some to make him one. (It went over very well!)

Bottom left: A Black Friday purchase from this year, also paired with the mottled red (I have a lot of it left). I made two of these - one for Thing 2, and one for a nephew.

Bottom right: A Black Friday purchase this year, again paired with mottled red. This is a set of two, for my friend from vet school. I have enough of the paw print left for matching PJ pants, though she will have to wait until next year....


Both Black Friday purchases this year, paired with stashed white flannel. The snowflake pattern is a set of two, for my aunt. There's enough left for PJ pants - I just ran out of time. Next year....The hearts/stars is a singleton, because the print is directional, and I would not have enough for matching PJ pants (birthday gift) otherwise.

And I know that I said this was the year of the pillowcases, but not everyone needs pillowcases. Besides, this has been nearly done for ages. All I had to do was finally find the right ribbing for the cuffs. Fortunately, I got this done and mailed out before the movers came and packed it!

I still have a few gifts to go, but time ran out, and hey! We were moving! Cut me some slack! I have two more kid PJ pants and two adult PJ pants and we'll be officially done with Christmas. Oh, wait - and a "housecoat" for a greyhound - which is combo birthday present/"Thanks for dogsitting for me" present. There will be pictures forthcoming....

Now I just have to find where my pattern weights got packed, along with the PJ flannels....

Still plugging away...

First up, not a Christmas present!

These are my new PJ pants. I figured that while I was making some for gifts, I might as well add to my collection! (And coming soon, I'll start working on more PJ shirts to coordinate.) I again used my trusty TNT M3006, and I added cuffs at the bottom, but this time I also added bias tape around the top of the cuffs, as unfilled piping. I think it sets them off a little, though my husband thinks they look goofy. Oh, well...


Next, a Christmas present that has already made it to its recipient! These are monogrammed stone coasters, using the tutorial at The Domestic Notebook. I love these! They were quite inexpensive, as well as really easy. And quick, too! These are two of the set I made for one friend. I made six for her, as well as for my grandmother, twelve for another friend (who has six children), and eight for another friend (who hosts church game nights). And I enjoyed it so much that I bought more stones to paint. I think I spent $25-30 in the initial supplies (I bought two of the large stamps, the ink, and a set of alphabet stamps - all on sale) and my first sets of stones. That's quite reasonable, especially since the ink will last a very long time and the stamps of course practically forever! I found some alphabet stamps that I think I like better, but I don't yet like them better enough to buy a new set. :) Just waiting for a good sale.

And finally, for my friend who is coming to visit this weekend, I finally cut out and sewed up her new scrub jacket. This is pattern M9652 in a size S. It's quite large, however - these scrub jacket patterns are designed with a lot of ease. I made several muslins in ugly fabric a few years ago, to determine the fit for her. Now I just pull out the trusty pattern and cut. :) I made a lot of these jackets for her in 2006 and 2007, but this is the first time I've made her a new one since. She's going to love it, as she loves most patriotic stuff. (And I have more of this fabric to give her as a present, so she can decide what else she wants with it.) I'd forgotten how easy the pattern is to make up, which is good, because I have two or three more fabrics to sew up in the near future. I don't make many alterations - removed some length to add ribbed cuffs, and either use no closures or use snaps.