So, how’s your weekend going? More importantly, how’s your summer going? Can you believe it’s almost July? I feel like it should still be May, at least.
It’s pretty lazy-going here in ThimbleannaLand this summer. I actually dragged out my embroidery machine last week and played with my endless hoop. The endless hoop allows you to embroider long, repeating designs for things like borders and edgings. I bought the hoop 4 or 5 years ago and have never used it — I think I was scared of it. Which, as usual, turned out to be completely unfounded. It’s easy as pie to use.
I was really fun to play with the hoop and watch the machine embroider. I decided to make a summer top and I embroidered a scallop for the edge a neck ruffle and the hem of the sleeves. The pattern is Simplicity 2651. Here’s a close-up of the neck detail.
And here’s the classic bathroom mirror shot of the shirt. The jury’s still out on this top. I feel like I’m wearing one of my grandma’s house coats, cut off at the hips. It’s really comfortable and will be cool for hot summer days, so, if nothing else, I can wear it around the house.
Now, I’m off to go visit BigDaddy and MeMum. Hope you have a good weekend!
XOXO,
Anna
It cannot possibly be July next week, I refuse to believe it. I am looking forward to the school holidays though!
I think your top is pretty – very summery and the emnbroidery is dead clever.
I think the top is cute! But if you’re reminded of your grandma – at least you’ll be thinking about her when you wear it!
What a fun cool shirt and the colors are so cheerful! Hey, aren’t we grandma’s? Lol!I know what you mean though. I have a hard time shopping for clothes because they all look like something my MIL would wear and I’m not meaning to insult anyone. I’m just having a harder time getting older.
Oh, I *love* the details….but I see what you mean about the housecoat. It kind of reminds me of my Aunt Pearl! ;-)
Love your embroidery details! So fun to get to use something after all that fear had worked up in you :)
Darling top – but I do understand the reservations about it. Did you have to trim the fabric first before embroidering? Oh, of course, it’s basted first, then you trim, then it stitches. Yes?
It’s a lovely blouse! The details are wonderful.
july?
whatcha talking about it being july?
what’s wrong with you anyway?
we’re almost grandmas… it’s okay if our shirts look a little grandma-y – besides, my grandma wore these huge moo-moo things… and my other grandma wore those aprons that criss-crossed in the back. we’re WAY cooler than they were.
my daughter, bless her heart, makes fun of me because i’m always in a black t-shirt. she calls it my *uniform*. this 80’s band person was singing, (and i’m singing along, dreaming of old times) alison moyet (sp?) from YAZ, and she was wearing this huge black tunic thingy that had a big zipper up one side on the front and she was less than slender, and my darling daughter asks, “mommy, why is she wearing that awful dress?” “what would you LIKE her to wear? Look at her.” Then she gasps and says: “OH NO!!!!! OH NO!!!! it’s her UNIFORM!!!”
your embroidery skills are impressive.
i’m going to be just like you when i grow up, with a fancy blouse under my apron so my grandchildren know i’m hip.
hip like thimbleanna.
:waves madly
The top is very cute. I love the fabric. You sure are talented!
I know!!! Maybe some pink curlers in your hair would help!!! They’d be the perfect accesssory! No?
Okay, well, it is a cute top and it is one that I would wear if I were a little girl!
Okay, I am not helping am I?
nah , not granma y at all — don’t you know little flowers are all the rage this season :-)
Not granny…I think it is cute. Glad to hear that I am not the only one who works things up in the mind to be more difficult than they are.
I like it – it is really cute!
OMG! It’s gorgeous, Anna. And now you’ve made me want to go and play with the embroidery stitches on the new sewing toy. How ingenious!
An embroidery machine sounds like fun. Love the sweet trim on the neck ruffle. You would be able to make some lovely PJ’s using that technique. You top looks very summery and fun.
I LOVE that shirt. It is absolutely delicious. It has that whole vintage look happening and I think that is seriously cute. I can’t believe you did that embroidery!! It looks so detailed! A machine can do that?
I really really really love your shirt! It is darling! Thanks for sharing it with us.
I love it! The eyelet detail is fantastic. The fabric is cheerful and I think that you are right, it will keep you cool during the hot summer months. So far we haven’t had any of those here.
I love it Miss Anna. It’s really cute!! At first I was picturing a house dress in the first photo. lolol so yes I was laughing at you.But then I see the top and I LOVE IT!! So now I’ve stopped laughing. :-)
Anna, that top is simply gorgeous!! Wear it with pride! :)
It’s very cute. You must have had one hip grandma
my mom has an endless hoop that i love to play with sometimes!
The top is gorgeous and I just love the detail around the neck you clever thing!! If you’re worried that it’s a bit “granny-ish” why don’t you make a belt for the waist – you could use a cute vintage buckle – that would look really cute ;o)!!
Hugs,
Joy :o)
I’m even scared of a normal sewing machine so something like the endless hoop would terrify me!
I love the new top though and that scalloped edge is perfect!
I don’t think that top is Grandma-y, you silly girl! If you’re comfy, that’s all that matters. The fabric is so pretty and I love the neckline! My Grandma attire is a faded t-shirt and sweatpants. Lovely, eh?
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!
What a pretty top…it looks like it will be just perfect for those really hot days. I think florals and pure cottons have been really back in fashion this season and I think your top would be all the rage…looks good from where I’m sitting :o)
Wow! I’m impressed. I’ve never been a seamstress. To me, it’s so much more difficult than quilting. I love the top and I love grandma’s old dusters!
Your top is really nice, pretty fabric and I really like the neckline. It looks summery and cool and not a bit grannyish.
Everything is going too quickly! The allotment is a disaster area with far too many weeds, my job finishes in about 4 weeks just when I’ve got to really love it, the children break up for holidays in 3 weeks and there’s just toooooooo much to do!
Love your new top though!
Lucy x
I love, love, love that top!!!! The embroidery is PERFECT!
Thanks for your reply! I am too scared to use the sewing machine! Honest!! All my stitching is hand stitched……
I once tried to use my mum’s old machine once and it was sewing backwards – I told my mum it must be broken, she didn’t use it again for ages but when she did, she found out that it wasn’t broken….just in reverse.
I know what you mean about Grandma’s housecoat. I see some cute things that look really comfortable and then I think, “Uh uh. Nope. Looks like the little old ladies running around in their ‘dusters’.” I guess I’m still too vain to be really comfortable!
I love the top. How lovely the neck trim turned out! It looks like summer to me!
Good job kickin’ those scary hoop monsters out and using your “new” hoop Anna! I love the details on the neckline. Very sweet.
You scared of something? I don’t believe it! I think it is very pretty. I have one of those hoops too, I need to get it out and play with it. And I also am having trouble believing it is almost July. OMG the time just flies when you are old. Holy Cow.
The top is pretty but I did conjure an image of a moo-moo style house dress. The days are flying by so fast yet I feel like I am in slow-motion if that makes any sense. Just trying to enjoy summer.
Oh how I would love to get me hands on an embroidery machine. I think I could spend a lot of time goofing on it. Your top looks like a lovely little slice of summer.
Happy Day,
Cassie
I found a cute little tee recently, nice and loose, good for trying to stay cool…except when I wear it, I have this sneaking suspicion it looks like a maternity top! Or a granny top, which, as Brigita points out, is completely within bounds. One small detail though—I don’t want to dress like a granny just yet—for one thing, I don’t have the required ample bosom, and neat little bun, though the colour is spot-on! Anyway, blathering on, I have been having the itch to sew some tops for myself—-Maybe I’ll be inspired by you! If I do, I’ll be sure to show them off!
It’s a darling retro blouse, and it would only be considred a “grandma” shirt on someone who looks like grandma-ish, which you definitely do not in that shot.
Anna, the top turned out nice! I’m glad you enjoyed your “new” tool. I have unfinished projects lying around that scare me, too. I hope you get more use out of it in the next five years!
Karen
Anna, it is totally lovely. The fabric reminds me of Liberty of London fabric. Wear it proudly. It is really well made and super cute.
I love it. It does not look like an old woman house coat. It is cute and summerie looking. I like it.
Anna be bold and wear that shirt all the time (well apart from when you go to bed and it’s in the wash, that would be silly wouldn’t it!). It is lovely, you clever sausage!
Kimx
Love the top! It is very cute and not at all grandma-ish, especially when worn with those jeans! Both my grandmas wore polyester aprons and I cannot ever imagine you in a polyester pinny :-)
I just went to Expedia to try to book tickets to ThimbleannaLand…. and it wouldn’t process it?!?! Ghaaaa.
Wishing I was hangin’ out and sewing with you. And I love your Thimbleanna-ized 4th of July cupcakes. YOU KILL ME!
I like it…it looks good on you. But, if you really really don’t like it…you could just pass it on to me because I’m a grandma.
Last time I was looking at clothes with Isabelle, she told me that some of the dresses I like remind her of HER granny. And I’m supposedly a hip young twentysomething (or at least I am for the next two months).
Floral prints are definitely in. And I think the broderie anglaise ruffle is lovely. Also, I want your sewing machine if it can do that… although I might need you to go with it!
I want your lovely slim hips, personally.
very nice – I am impressed with your embroidery hoop – I think your top looks nice and definitely doesn’t look like a housecoat cut off!
(Hmm.Couldn’t see the pictures or access your site the other day)
It’s very cute! Love the detailing and yes, totally retro – my mother used to make me tops like that when I was just a little bit of a thing. I think it would look really pretty with a flowing (white? purple?) peasant skirt and white sandals.
Oh it’s lovely – I love the embroidery – how clever! I think I really really need a machine like that too!!
xxx
How did I miss this post? Your top is very cute! I tried to machine embroider last night and FAILED miserbly! I’m so sad. I think I need to take lessons!
Looks like an airy, comfortable shirt, perfect for
hot summerdays! Well done!
Oh my gosh you embroidered that edge, wow, I am impressed. I could never do that. Beautiful shirt. You are sooo talented. Clarice
Holy details – that’s awesome! I do understand the Being Afraid of Complicated Machinery For No Good Reason thing though. I didn’t use the chopper attachment for my food processor until a week ago and I’ve had that thing for nearly half a decade.
Nice work :)
So pretty Anna! Not a grandma shirt at all …you look too cute!
I think it’s adorable but then I’m a grandma. I have the same stitching on the edge of my handmade, vintage French linen chemise so you can think of it as more European than old-ladyish. Tres chic.
I love your top….so cute. I love all the little accents “extras”. Maybe it is just me, but I would proudly wear that anywhere!
I’ve never tried sewing clothes except for hemming things here and there so any one who makes clothes is my hero! Cute shirt, but I see what you mean a bit.
I think the top is cute. Love the collar, the floral pattern, the colors and the style. I don’t think it’s granny-ish.
Jody
It’s adorable! I love the trim. And I must say that I LOVE the shopping cart you made, too! You are talented, my friend. I wish you were my neighbor. :)
I think it’s too cute, too. Put some darts in it, and that’ll spice it up. :o)
You should make another one with a modern, Amy Butler-esque print. It would be great!