Dresses

Hello 2015 and a little yellow dress

February 13, 2015


Hello there! It has been a while since I have been around here! I blame Christmas/school holidays, a room renovation, house painting and feeling a bit overwhelmed with how many unfinished projects Ihave piled in my sewing room!  Time to tick some off....

Dresses

Hooray for Spring....and a sneak peak at my upcoming dress pattern

September 06, 2013

 
Today I am joining in with an Australian/New Zealand based 'blog hop' hosted by Jane from LilPip and Cass from CassCanSew.  You can read all about it here. 
 
Cass can sew and Lil Pip Designs Spring has Sprung
 
'Spring has sprung' has run all this week and finishes on Sunday - featuring two bloggers a day who are posting anything and everything related to Spring!! (see bottom of post for more details). There are also lots of prizes going on too...so make sure to have a look at Jane's blog at LilPip for details.
 
Well, spring happens to be my favourite season.  It has so many things going for it...This is why I love Spring:
- goodbye to winter rain and cold days inside
- starting to plant out our vegie patch
- spring blooms
- outdoor play
- lighter evenings
- the sound of lawn mowers and the smell of freshly cut grass
- usually lovely weather...not too hot!
- my birthday is nestled in there somewhere!
 
The only I don't enjoy about Spring is my yearly dose of hayfever!!
 
So for this blog hop, I decided to share a dress I made recently.  It is a pattern I am working on, the second I hope to add to my etsy shop, sewpony vintage in the coming months (current work on the pattern is on hold due to me taking part in Project Run & Play...yay!!).  I am tossing up between developing this pattern next or another one I am working on...will post more about that soon!
 
Anyway, I think this version of the dress is totally spring - and Juliette trying her hardest to make wishes on the dandelions made this photoshoot even moreso:). Sorry the colours in these pics are not great - the dress was really reflective!!!
 
This is the best of the full length pics I got of Juliette - a typical Aussie backyard backdrop...lots of grass (currently a barren vegie patch in the background), homemade compost bin, gum tree and a slightly rusted hills hoist washing line!! 
 
This version of the dress features:
- Small capped sleeves (I think I will make them smaller than on this dress)
- V-bodice (lined)
- Gathered skirt with central seam
- Rectangular pockets (I may change these to rounded pockets...haven't decided yet!)
- Button closure at back
- Piped detail (gotta love a bit of piping!!)
- Deep hem
 
There will be five sleeve options to make this an all season dress. 
1. Capped (seen here),
2. short puffed sleeve,
3. long sleeved with slight gather at shoulder seam and wrist (I have started the long sleeved version in a super soft velveteen for Emily... I better get it finished quick before it gets too warm here!!,
4. sleeveless
5. and an altered squared off bodice to accommodate straps. 
 
Being an Australian blogger staring out designing patterns  (with a  predominantly international reader base), I am challenged to think of designs that will appeal to those in the northern and southern hemispheres.  My first pattern is sleeveless but lends itself to heavier fabrics so can be worn over long sleeves and with tights (as my girls did this winter). 
 
The fabric I used here is a thrifted vintage bed sheet - I think it is very fitting for this spring theme!!  If you follow sewpony on facebook, you may recognise it from here!  I used store bought yellow bias binding to cover piping cord for the detail around the sleeves, bodice seam and pockets.  I could not find buttons in the right shade of yellow to match the piping.  So I decided to make my own!! I used fimo.

So what do you think of my dress?  I would love to hear your feedback.

And for more Spring inspired posts, make sure you check out these Aussie/NZ blogs taking part in the 'Spring has Sprung' blog hop...
 
 
PS.   If you would like to see what I have made for my first sewing challenge for Project Run & Play, make sure to pop back next Tuesday/Wednesday to see my Oliver & S Popover dress remix.  I would love some more Southern Hemispherean support:)))



 

Kid's Clothes Week

Kid's Clothes Week - Day Two

April 23, 2013


For day two of Kid's Clothes Week, I recycled a ladies top I found at my local oppy (Opportunity Shop for non Aussies!). 


After some chopping, sewing and overlocking, I made a top for Juliette.  I was poking through my ribbons/embellishments draw looking for something to add to make the top a bit more interesting.  I was excited to discover a little lace peter pan collar (not sure where I acquired it from!).  Perfect.  A couple of little white buttons and I think this top is pretty sweet! 


I intended it first for Issie, which is why it is a little big for Juliette.  But when Juliette looked over and saw me ironing it, she said, "Dis one for me?" How could I say no...


 
Ow!!
 
Project details:
Pattern: drawn from top
Materials: recycled women's top
Cost: $2.00
Time taken: 50 minutes
 


Craft books

Some new softies

November 17, 2011

My sister bought me a lovely gift for my birthday this week - Fiona Dalton's soft toy making book 'Hop Skip Jump'. 
I knew it was coming out in late October but hadn't had a chance to check it out.   Hop Skip Jump (the blog) was my introduction to blogs when my sister showed me a couple of years ago.  I'd never heard of a blog at the time but her's was one I checked regularly as I loved her style of toys and the materials she used.   I have made quite a few of her toys now and have had lots of fun with her new book already. 
This is 'Charlie' the cat (using the 'Archie' pattern).  Isabella needed a bit of help naming him appropriately as she thought 'loopy' and 'catty' were good names!  He was going to be for a new bub (a friend's not yet born) but Isabella looked at him and said, "but I don't have a cat Mummy..." so of course, Charlie is now sleeping soundly next to her at night!  I adapted the pattern to incorporate string joints on the legs so he can sit on his own.  I bought the wool for Charlie here.

I also made 'Eddy' the mouse for another friend who just had a baby girl...
He is made from a recycled wool skirt - also used to make this little deer.

Here is the original Archie...
And Eddy...
A few of the other gorgeous toys in Fiona's book...

I'm sharing today at Kootoyoo.

Nighties

Big lady skirt becomes little girl nightie

November 15, 2011

Another summer nightie for Isabella.  This one I recycled from a very large skirt I rescued when tigying up our playgroup dress up basket - there's no way a little kid could walk in this thing without tripping up...
so I thought I'd put it to better use!
Isabella was particularly difficult to photograph (she is usually very obliging) for this 'shoot'.  I took 20 or so photos but the best ones were of her up top and of her photographing the paparazzi!
I made the pattern up and the sleeves sort of 'evolved' but I think they work.  Isabella loves wearing her new nighties to bed and she looks lovely and floaty and ready for sleepy land when she trots off to bed.

HopSkipJump patterns

A bunny and a revamped chair

October 15, 2011


I made this cute 'Jack Rabbit' bunny last week.  I did not have a recipient in mind, although I have two good friends who are having babies in the next six weeks.  But, after I finished him, I decided that the girls could keep him and I could always make another one!


The pattern is by Hop Skip Jump.  She makes the best toys! 


Here he is unclothed (ooh) and sitting on a bright yellow chair that used to look like this...


We found this chair at an op shop years ago - I liked the shape and intended on sanding and painting it...two years later, it was still dropping flakes of white paint in our bedroom and I finally pulled it out and revamped it. 



Now it sits proudly in Issie's room 'adorned' by her baby quilt and some of her softies!  Love the bright blue carpet in the corner of the pic - our current house is a rental and we can't change it!!

Now I am off to finally finish Issie's quilt (don't mind the failed pledge I made) - I will not be blogging again until I am posting up finished pics of it...

Recycled

Mamma bear

September 26, 2011


Mamma bear was the first softie I made a few years ago when I was a softie making virgin.  I didn't now a lot about the best materials to use for softies then and made her from acrylic felt.  Over the years, she became very 'bitty'.  I also had a bit of a softie making urge this week so here is my new and improved version!   The pattern comes from the original Softies book (published by Penguin) which I was given by two of my good friends after Isabella was born. It is such a great book - the best one I've come across so far for making cute softies.  I like most of the patterns and have made six of the softies for my girls and for friends.


This Mamma bear is made from a recycled wool jacket (bought from the op shop for $7), which has morphed itself into five soft toys so far, including this donkey and this yellow dressed Poppy doll.  Her body is also from an op shop find - leftovers from the lining of this jacket.  I love recycling!!  Her eyes and nose are suede (no bittiness there!).  Her apron is fun to make - even the smallest scrap will do.  My girls are fighting over her already....might have to make another one!

Make it Perfect pattern

Winter jacket

June 16, 2011


Since my labels did not arrive in the post yesterday, I was unable to 'launch' my little label today and my madeit store as I had hoped. This was a little disappointing, but every cloud has a silver lining...it meant that I didn't have to go hell for leather yesterday getting the final pics up and stitching the labels on everything, and it also gave me some sewing time to work on a winter jacket for Isabella.



We spent the long weekend in Anglesea at my Uncle and Aunty's holiday house which we are lucky to be able to use a few times a year. They are very generous in letting us stay and I made some cushion covers for the house recently as a little thankyou. My Aunty then gave me a 'thankyou for the thankyou' and gave me this great 'Make It Perfect' pattern. I was keen to make it but was unsure of the fabrics to use.  The Anglesea op shop came up with the goods! I picked up a piece of wool blanketing and some super sweet red and white spotted voile/cotton, for a total of $7.00 and I am so happy with how it looks! I think it will be super warm and will fit Issie this year and hopefully next too.  Then of course, Juliette will be able to wear it in a couple of years time!


As for my label, I am hoping to open the shop in the next few days and will certainly let my blog readers know!!



Project details:
Pattern - 'Make it Perfect' Uptown girl pattern, size 3.
Fabric - 120 cm of apricot wool; 120 cm red spotted voile/cotton
Bits and bobs - recycled red button

I'm sharing today over at Kootoyoo.

Recycled

Rainy day smock - a tutorial

May 30, 2011


You will need:
  • Approx length of smock if using wide fabric or twice length if fabric is 90cm wide (my smock was recycled from a small cot sheet found at the op shop).
  • 5mm elastic
  • 10cm of hook and loop velcro

Directions:

Step 1.
Draft a pattern - mine is drafted for a 3 year old. You could make it bigger or smaller by adding or subtracting a cm or so all around to go up or down a size (no need to be exact as this is a very free fitting pattern).


Step 2.
Cut out pattern pieces as indicated on pattern. Your pieces will look something like this...


Step 3.
With right sides together, sew arm and back together at raglan seam (I have just overlocked to save time).


Step 4.
Repeat all around until your smock looks like this... (back attaches to sleeve to front to sleeve to back)


Step 5.
Take  a little break... Hmmm...comfy concrete!


Step 6.
Neaten end of sleeves with overlocker or zig zag, then with right sides together sew underarm seams on both sides.


Step 7.
Neaten around neckline and bottom hem with overlocker or zig zag stitch.


Step 8.
Turn neckline under 1 cm to allow for elastic.  Do the same for the sleeves (not pictured).  Allow opening in sleeves for elastic to be pushed through.


Step 9.
Use a safety pin to secure the elastic and thread through the neck casing.


Step 10.
Sew one end of elastic casing to secure before gathering up and securing other side.  Thread elastic through sleeve casings also, secure elastic and close openings (not pictured).  Thread elastic through wrist seams, secure and sew up openings (not pictured).


Step 11.
hem back openings and bottom hem (not pictured).

Step 12.
Attach two pieces of hook and loop velcro to back edge - making sure hook is attached to right side and loop to underside (or vice versa).  Match position of velcro with both sides before sewing.


Press and hang and you have finished!  Great for rainy day play.