Tuesday 12 June 2012

Baby Marks Smocked Silk Moses Basket

Victoria has had her third boy! Baby Mark was 8lb 2oz, and is absolutely adorable. Here are some pictures of the moses basket I have made for him.
 The smocked band took me around 100 hours to make alone! It uses 10 metres of fabric, which after pleating had to be flattened out completely to hem. I now had to figure  out how I was going to attach it to the basket. I first considered velcro, then I decided self covered buttons would look more attractive. So I took a deep breath, hoped my machine would not start playing up, and made all the buttonholes!!!! Phew, it worked!
 After covering the basket, I thought a smocked ball would look pretty pinned to the hood. Have never made one of those before, so spent an afternoon figuring it out.
 I then made a matching little blanket in doctors flannel, backed with leftover silk. There is nothing practical about this basket!!!

 A little embroidered silk pillow completes the basket!


9 comments:

  1. OH MY!!!!! This is absolutely gorgeous!! I feel emotional just looking at the pictures. What a labor of love. This is truly an heirloom. I love it!! Thanks for sharing this.

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    1. Thank you so much, what a lovely comment. So lovely to know that someone is viewing my blog!!!! Watch out for my next posting, coming soon! Two little boys smocked suits which I am just finishing!

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  2. Hi there Nancy,

    Just adore the set on the Moses basket.
    You should sell the pattern!!

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    1. Thank you Marysia, wouldn't this have been a great project in AS&E!

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  3. Nancy, I just want to let you know I'm going to attempt to make a smocked Moses basket for my 1st grandchild we are expecting in April 2013. I think I should get started now on the smocking. Did you use a pattern or directions to make the cover or did you just make it up as you went along? Thanks for any help you can give on this and thanks again for the amazing inspiration. Check in on my blog to see the progress I make on it.

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  4. How lovely. I will enjoy watching your progress via your blog.
    I did not have a patern, but I took the cover off the Moses basket I bought, and made a pattern from that. It was all trial and error , and with hindsight I think that it would have been more economical to have made a mock up first in a cheap poly cotton, as the cover that came off was quite ill fitting and needed a lot of adjustment, so I wasted quite a lot of the silk, and had to buy more!!!!
    I bought 5 meters originally, and cut two srips, and joined them together for the smocking. I backed it with a light iron on interfacing ( the German one from farmhouse fabrics is great) . I then had the mamouth task of putting 10 meters through the pleater!!! Take it steady, to keep it straight, and not break a needle. Thread your pleater with enough thread to completely straighten out your strip ( I have a pleater feeder from House of Smocking in the UK. If you do not have one , I highly reccomend it, it makes my smocking life so much easier)
    When the strip was fully fattened out, I did a rolled hem on my overlocker, top and bottom.
    Hope this helps, and please do not hesitate to ask me for any help or advice if you need it. I cannot wait to see your progress. I am so flattered that I have inspired you to make a Moses basket. It will be an heirloom to hand down to all of your future grand children .

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  5. Where are you based please and could you smock a basket for me please if I pay

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  6. Hi just wanted to know if you still smock cots as I am looking to get one made?? X

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