Hoodie

The hooded striped top from the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino book 1 is finished and on its way to a friend's baby - just in time for the hot weather!!!

Beanbag Chair

This is another one to strike off the Come Back and Finish What You Started list.

It is a kids beanbag chair, made following the instructions on Stardust Shoes. Only took me eighteen months!

The patterned fabrics are "What's your number?" by Alexander Henry and Stripey - Farmers Market by Sandra Henderson.

Two exhibitions for the price of one!

I entered the Very Sanderson exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum thinking it was to be a story about the evolution of wallpaper design, colours and fashions in taste. I wasn't disappointed but what I hadn't expected was to be equally fascinated by the history of the company!

Arthur Sanderson and later his three sons were clever businessmen with vision, daring and acumen. In the early 20th century the company bought up others, imported new materials, explored new manufacturing techniques, expanded the product range to include paints and fabric, had inventive marketing techniques, provided impeccable costumer service, encouraged young designers and much more. By the end of that century and the beginning of this, the company was itself bought and sold a number of times but maintained its ability to appeal, to adapt and to progress throughout.

So, two exhibitions for the price of one!

Kids Clothes Week Challenge - Days Three, Four, Five and Six!

(My muse agreed to pose for me - but only for one shot!)

Finished at last! I'm very glad to be taking part in this challenge as it has really helped me to persevere through the tricky bits rather than just chucking the dress aside in a fit of pique! At least this dress has not been added to my lengthy list of stalled projects!


The Heather Ross book left me completely in the lurch when it came to making the straps from the same material. This, in the list of materials, is the only reference: "2 yards of spaghetti strap, bias tape (sewn closed), or ribbon for ties, cut into four equal lengths". In the end though, I'm glad I had to work it out for myself.

The book also says this dress will take just one hour to make. Four more like!

Kids Clothes Week Challenge - Day Two

My Elsie Marley hour today has been spent working on a shirred sundress. This is my first attempt at shirring and I'm loving it!


The Princess and the Pea print is Far, Far Away by Heather Ross for Kokka. I'm using blue, orange and gold cottons from my supplies for the shirring rows. The 'How To' I'm getting from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. The instructions say to mark out the shirring lines with a water-soluble pen before machining but I am doing mine by sight, hence the slow progress!

The fabric is very lightweight, very gauzy. I am hoping it will be ok when finished but I may have to cobble together some kind of lining.

Kids Clothes Week Challenge- Day One

Today is day one of Elsie Marley's Kids Clothes Week Challenge where the intention is to sew for at least one hour each day. Here's my first effort.

I've made things easy for myself by using a fabric from John Lewis made up of a variety of pre-sewn panels, complete with ruffle trims. The selvedge edges came overlocked. There was also no need to hem as I was able to cut off excess fabric with pinking shears, underneath the final ruffle. The most complicated bit was making a channel for the waist elastic.



So, putting the skirt together should have been very quick and simple and possible to do within an hour. Sadly it took me quite a bit longer as I had two attempts at the waist channel but I am so glad to have actually finished something!

Unfortunately, my little girl refused to take part in a modeling session so the pictures are rather flat!

Bluebells

Now is the time to visit Emmetts Garden to see the beautiful bluebell woods.



Not so good for tulips though!



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