Friday, August 6, 2010

The Smocking Bee

Work is coming along quite nicely with my plans for publishing "The Smocking Bee" podcast.  I have downloaded all the necessary software, registered with PodBean, and Timothy and I even worked on a little test yesterday evening.  For any of you who are heirloom sewers/quilters or smockers, what would you like to hear in an heirloom/smocking podcast?  I'd love to hear your ideas.

In the meantime, while I am still working on the podcast (and accompanying blog site), I am also working on my entries for the Denver Fair in September.  I only have just over one row of smocking left on my Christmas ornament.  Then I move onto a smocked doll dress for Martha (my 18" Martha Pullen doll).  I will probably have to design my own smocking plate for the dress as there are so very few picture smocking plates for dolls out there.  Picture smocking is my favorite type of smocking.

It feels good to be back in the swing of things with my sewing/smocking and with the Martha Pullen Fan Club.... if only school would hurry up and start -- then life will *really *settle down when I'm not trying to work full-time from home with three bored kids in the house all day!   24 days and counting!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Smocking Bee

Do you remember reading about old fashioned quilting bees?  Some people may still have them.  I know the Amish still do.  Have you ever heard of a smocking bee?  Well, me either.  That is why I have decided there needs to be one.

Being in the northeast (Pennsylvania), smocking is not very popular at all.  In fact, most people don't even know what it is, so I have decided that I will begin a virtual smocking bee via my blog and in the very near future, via podcast.

Once a month (perhaps more frequently in the future), we will meet together (via chat room) to smock together.  We can share what we are working on, ask questions, and just enjoy one another's company.

I am also very excited about my future podcast.  As some of you may recall, I published a podcast for quite some time a few years ago.  It was a general sewing podcast, and I loved doing it, but life sort of got in the way.  I have searched high and low and have not found any podcasts dedicated to smocking or heirloom sewing, so I decided that was the niche for me.  I will keep you posted as my plans further develop.