Busy Sewing

I know this week should be a Welcome to the North Pole update but it seems everyone has gone a bit quiet on that front, including me. I plan to do the next update in November. At least I will have my quilt out of storage and will have a chance to do some on it before then.

My time is now taken up with designing and making doll clothes. It is such fun. Not so much fun writing the instructions but I only have to do that if I want to publish them. The pattern business seems to be working out quite well so far. I have only had the blouse and the pinafore up for two months and I have made a dollar a day from sales. Whether it keeps going will be the test.

I published Snugfit Witch the other day. You can see all the pictures on my doll blog here.

Next I am working on Snugfit Carol, a cute dress with a couple of different sleeves and divided collars.
I have all the garments from my Knitfit Classic Skivvy design and that is going to be a free pattern. Before I publish either of them I am going to ask some of my PDF pattern friends to give me some feed back on Snugfit Carol. I don't want to publish the free Classic Skivvy as a showcase of what I can do before I get some feed back on what my layout and instructions are like.

This is pink Carol with the detachable collar -I am also working on a collection of detachable collars.

The collar will have a hook and eye but I can't find any in my sewing room just yet.

I also want to make a collection of vintage aprons. The tulip apron is my first.

Here is the pile of tops I made from the Classic Skivvy pattern.

Actually on the sewing table is red Carol. I made the ruffles with my gathering foot. I am getting quite good at getting it just right now. I also changed the thread on my overlocker so I could do white rolled hems on the ruffles. The cream thread had been on so long it had nearly run out. I am not a fan of changing the overlocker threads. Even though I just tie a knot and pull the new one through it seems such a nuisance.

I am going to make a Christmas fabric pinafore that will be just long enough for the red ruffle to peek out of.

I am trying to keep my latest projects wrinkle free so they are being hung up wherever I can fit them. Some are on the back of folders. Others are on my cabinet handles. I made the little coat hangers with pipe cleaners.

Other than sewing I have been reading a lot and walking on the beach and riding my bike. I love what I find on the beach. I was excited to see a hermit crab in this gorgeous shell last week.
I took the photo on my phone and it enhanced it a bit. It is a bit hard to see his little legs.

I am enjoying a book by Daniel Silva. He has written a series of books about a reluctant spy called Gabriel Allon. They are interesting thrillers.

And finally a picture of my new sewing room. It has tiles and a door and architraves now.

I hope everyone is well.
Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Playing with Dolls

There is something very alluring about dolls clothes. For me, I can see all sorts of designs that I can make up with 1/2 a metre instead of 2 or 3 metres for adult sizes. It also gives me a chance to play with designs that I would never wear myself.
I like the idea of recreating styles from the past too.

I have been collecting paper doll fashion collections on pinterest and I feel confident I can draft patterns for the styles after completing a gorgeous pinafore and blouse based on paper doll outfits from 1947. The outfit is part of a school days collection probably for a middle class American high school or college student.

I used some vintage glass buttons on her blouse but the only pink buttons I had were the little plastic flowers for the pinafore. I think some little round two hole buttons are needed here. I am sure I have a bag of little buttons somewhere!

The American Girl doll scaling is for a 12 year old but she seems to be able to get away with styles for younger and older girls.

I have a fabulous old book  (1987) with basic pattern shapes for bodices, jackets and trousers that has so many ideas for putting them together. It is a great resource.

The Dolls Dressmaker by Venus A. Dodge

Each chapter starts with lovely drawings of underwear, dress and matching coat.

Most of the ideas are for vintage clothes but the basic patterns can easily be adapted to any style.

I also have some files I downloaded for free on how to change sleeve shapes and dart and seam positions. These are for human clothes but the principles are the same for doll clothes.

1942—Modern Pattern Design

by Harriet Pepin

The site I originally got these files from is no longer online so I had to track down a link. If you are into clothes sewing this book is a classic. There were a couple of chapters I hadn't downloaded so in Chrome I clicked print then opened it in pdf preview and saved it as a PDF. It is also possible to just save the chapters as a web pages.

I didn't even know there was such a thing as "Internet Archive - Way Back Machine" but someone found it and put up the link in a Burda forum.

Here is the link:

http://web.archive.org/web/20070103111428/http://www.vintagesewing.info/1940s/42-mpd/mpd-toc-short.html 

I am trying to draft the pattern for the pinafore and blouse using a drawing program. It is pretty tricky to get the size and the curves right but I will persevere. I am thinking that I will scan and upload my hand drawn patterns then trace around them to get a nice print finish. 

I have been looking at the prices for 18" doll patterns and they range from $4 to $12 for any items. I have spent hours drawing and testing the pattern. I had to redo the straps and throw away some fabric and ribbon. I will try selling at $5. At that rate I will have to sell at least 25 of them to get back my time and skill. May take a while before I make any profit but it is fun to spend time seeing if I can draft the patterns. Now I also need a whole new fabric stash for clothes not just quilts. Most of the clothes fabrics I have, the design printed on will be too large for a doll and most of them are in storage anyway. Nothing like a good excuse to buy more fabric :)

Happy Quilting and Crafting,

Val

Let's Book It - Feb

What a great challenge this one is. Let's Book It over at Vroomans Quilts.
Dust off those books and patterns and magazines and make those things that caught your eye. Luckily I brought my quilting books with me to the rental house. All my magazines are in storage until the new house is built. There are so many things in those magazines that I want to make.

I bought the Zakka Style book with the intention of making all the projects but what I really liked was the zip open wallet. However, I needed to choose something that wouldn't strain the brain too much so my second favourite project is the house zippy.

I loved that I could actually lay my hand on some coordinating fabrics and some lace and some cute buttons. Don't you love it when it all comes together nicely.

I have used this purse quite a lot just to pop down to the post office. It neatly holds my phone, purse and keys. I put two little pockets inside to stop the keys rubbing on the phone. They each have their own pocket and the wallet purse fits in the middle.

The cute cat button is a souvenir of my travels in the UK. I know it is not unique to the area but it reminds me of the lovely gallery just outside the tile factory in Ironbridge.

So, I am linking up with Let's Book It with Sharon today. She has the cutest little quilt block charms as a prize for joining in.

Update: I have just found Anything Goes Monday in a rather circuitous bit of web surfing. So I am linking up to that too. Maybe I can make it a bit closer to my Monday posts in future.

Please leave a comment on my flickr photo or pinterest pin if you don't go in for google+. I would love to hear from you.
Feel free to pin any of my pictures (hover over) and don't forget to like my posts in bloglovin and +1 my posts in google+. It is so nice to get comments from lots of new people and when we share each others posts and pictures lots more people get to see them outside our usual circles. I think that is really cool.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

FNWF and a busy week

On Friday my neighbour rang me just before lunch and said "Are you busy this afternoon?".
I expected she needed someone to mind the kids while she fitted something in. She has 4 young children so I try to help out in tight spots. I was quite excited when she asked me to make a red riding hood cape for her daughter who was off to Guide camp after school. It took me an hour and a half.
From this:

To this:

My official Friday night sewing was some cross stitch. It is a round Christmas decoration with three lovely bells. I am doing it on 16 count aida. I am linking up with FNWF over at Gone Stitchin with Cheryll. There are lots signed up. I will be visiting as many as possible this weekend.

I have been busy making all sorts of things. I found a pattern for knitted slipper socks out of thick wool. I have already worn them and washed them. They are very snug over normal thin socks. If you sign up to Ravelry for free there are lots of free patterns to knit and crochet. The slipper socks are here http://www.ravelry.com/designers/yuko-nakamura

I also tried out a new crochet stitch called lover's knot and made a little scarf to wear with my slippers.

I should have posted my Country Cottage Quilting SAL on Thursday. I had the Hollyhock needle book finished. Here it is.

Because the cover turned out a bit crooked I tried again with a new stitchery but the same book cover design. I love the new free stitcheries from Red Brolly.

I changed the insides quite a bit. I used some applique elements from Some Kind of Wonderful and a purse clasp magnet for the scissors.

Several times I have linked up with Applique Thursday at A Quilting Reader's Garden. Last week Angie offered a book as a give away for those who linked up. I am thrilled to say I won a book on making patchwork landscapes. Thanks Angie.
I suggest you have a look at her blog A Quilting Reader's Garden. She has a hexie Friday too.

I have been trying to avoid knitting dish cloths. You all know why :D
They are extremely addictive.
I have collected some patterns in Pinterest and I bought the Sugar and Cream cotton yarn online at Yarn Over. Yarn Over is based in Brisbane. I worked out that buying about 8 balls from them is a similar price as 8 balls from the US.
I knitted a big one and tried using it but it is just too bulky so I have made several 5 inch ones. I think I will have to have a new one for each day because they take so long to dry. I don't fancy using a cloth that has sat damp for a day. I also found that the dark wine colour ran. I will stick to light colours now.

I cut up some Audra's Iris Garden and Avalon to make 2 1/2 inch squares for Nanna's Farm.

I bought a lovely new book about Amish gardening. It is a lovely look at the life of several families in the garden through the year. I love it. The photos are beautiful.

It is starting to get very wintery here lately. I am thinking I will have to try some baking. Nice puddingy things. Perhaps I will make some things to take to the quilting group. At least that way I don't feel obligated to eat them all.


If you are not ready for Google+ you can comment from my Facebook or Flickr.

Val Spiers on Facebook

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Happy Quilting,
Val

Some free things around

I have seen so many blogs in the past week and there are so many nice free things out there. Just thought I would make a list of my favourites.

I have also made a list of all the books suggested in my give away comments up to about comment 110. There are about 50 different authors and books of all types. You can download the list from my left hand side bar.

Some favourite things -

Mouse pin cushion

Apple and pear pincushions

Cute cup and mug hot pads or coasters

I love this chicken stitchery

Make covered button magnets

Red Brolly Christmas sampler ( From last year - I might make it this year)

Another cute mouse

A cute stuffed doggie

Patterns for the cutest jungle animals in felt - 4 parts to download

I have no sewing done and no decorations up. Too busy reading an Elm Creek book  and another Rebecca Collins Pemberley book.

Happy Quilting,
Val