My Creative Space

After coming over all inspired, refreshed and excited by my new book Sewing Clothes Kids Love, in my creative space I have been working on my new children's clothes range for the Made with LOVE Bazaar and I have to say, it's been a big hit with little Maggie-May. She has given me lots and lots of feedback on every miniscule detail! Her favourite was the wolf on the 'little red riding hood' ribbon.

I'm still trying to maintain the gypsy theme, so lots of ruffles and bright mismatch colour but I fear the style is more imaginary than real-life.

I made more recycled blanket jackets which I posted about before here, here and here as well as some trousers using the Dortje pattern. I love this style because it's given them more of a jeans look than just plain pyjama style pants. I've been looking for a pattern like this for ages, although I did alter it a little by straightening off the kick flair for the smaller sizes. I like the kick flair for older children but hate that 'Elvis' look it gives toddlers.

Of course I'm still using the usual op-shopped fabrics, bed linens, doilies, table clothes, tea towels, zips and buttons but mixing it all up with my very special new ribbons from Farbenmix.

I've also been playing around with my jersey knits more than I ever have. It's especially handy the way these curl over on the ends, I love that for a change from the normal seams.

I can't wait for our next market as I missed the last when we were away at the surf competition, which Kim came 3rd in - stoked!!!! The fancy dress theme is 80's and at the moment I'm thinking Karate Kid, Breakfast Club or Dexy's Midnight Runners and as a back up I can always get a disgusting satin prom dress from my local Vinnie's that has the best dress-up hire upstairs.

The market is on Saturday 9th April between 9am-1pm in the Artscape Building, Jackson Street, Wynyard, Tas. I wish you could all come, you'd love it so much.

Thanks for continuing to host My Creative Space Kirsty, it gives me an aim every week. See more here.

Ugly Seams

Well here we have it, the finished jacket, allbeit the prototype. All ready for Irish gypsy Jake, well that's what I had in my mind when I was making it..........a tad obsessive about this whole gypsy thing at the moment I know!

I'm pretty happy with the way it looks on the outside but there are bodgy bits lurking inside that will need improving before it's all 'ship shape and Bristol fashion' and ready to be included in the Baby Boudoir range. Wanna see the bodgy bits? Dare I bare all and expose the very ugly seams?

Oh dear, yukey hey? So now it's all about tidying up the seams. The last jackets I made like this, which you can see here, were fully lined so the seams were all hidden. But in trying to keep the price down, I've tried to avoid having to line these. Maybe it'll just work out quicker to line them?

Of course the obvious solution would be to overlock with red thread and incorporate this as part of the design. I know this would look super lovely, but I really want to avoid having to change my overlocker thread, particularly when I have so many different colour blankets. Hmmmm.

We had a good discussion at 'Stitch n Bitch' on Tuesday night about using ric-rac on things for boys. I think ric-rac is cool-as for little dudes, not necessarily the thicker wider ones, but this thin one that from a distance looks like a stripe, would be lovely. What do yout think. Would you buy something with ric-rac on it for a boy? It's one of the reasons I'm developing this 'gypsy' range as I want most of it to be unisex. There are so few alternatives to the surf brand style clothes for boys.

Off to the rodeo now to 'admire' the cowboys! See you again soon. Have a fan-dabi-dosie weekend peeps.

My Creative Space

It's been blankets, blankets and more blankets over here! With the gypsy theme in mind, I'm starting to create a new range for winter, all made from blankets. So time to get stuck in.

The range will include hooded jackets, similiar to the ones I made before here, trousers, flat caps and mittens.

I'm hoping to create lots of unisex styles with that 'thrown together' look. I'm starting with the grey blanket, which is surprisingly soft and we think may have angora in it! I love the red edging.

Of course I'll also be 'decorating' this little jacket with all the usual bits and bobs that I manage to find to recycle; buttons, ric-rac, ribbon, beads etc.

I'm still deciding on the pockets; side ones like these or just patterned patch pockets? I'll wait and see what looks best once I've put on the buttons.
 

 
This one will be for one of Maggie's besties Felix. You know how the first ones are always abit of an experiment.
 

 
What have you all been up to whilst I've been away? I'm heading over to Kirtsy's now to check out more lovely projects. Why not join me.