more...Sewing Clothes Kids Love

More from Maggie's new winter wardrobe, using the Sewing Clothes Kids Love patterns.

I trimmed the sleeve length a little too much, maybe not such a great decision for winter! So today she wore another top underneath as we were going for a picnic at a waterfall with her bestie Felix.

I topstitched the side seams and maybe on the next pair i'll use a heavier contrast coloured stitching.

I think i'll also use some braiding on the back pockets next time.

Unfortunately you can't really see it but i used lampshade trim on the front pockets.

I'm so lucky that Maggie loves the clothes I make her, she's always so excited to wear them. Well I guess that's what it says 'on the tin' hey?

Sewing Clothes Kids Love

I’m wearing a very satisfied smile at the moment and Maggie-May is wearing a very smart new wardrobe for winter.

Once again my favourite patterns from the Sewing Clothes Kids Love book have just proved themselves as possibly THE BEST for everyday trousers and tops. The Dortje trousers are such a cool style, more like jeans. Nicely fitted around the tummy/bottom/thigh area, a kick flare at the bottom and a fake fly. High enough to ensure vests stay tucked in yet not so high that your little one ends up looking like Simon Cowel.

The best thing about this pattern is that it’s so easy to put your own personal design touches to make your creation unique. Use contrasting threads, oversized stitching, knee patches, add buttons, ruffles, braids and ric-rac. I love to make these with needle cord and jumbo cord. The next pair I plan to make will be with velvet, ou la la!

I use the basic Inka top pattern as a block and play around with it a little depending on the fabric I’m using. The basic pattern as it is works great as a basic jersey cotton top (choose either long or short sleeves or both), but with some easy alterations you can use non-stretch fabrics, or a combination of the two. And once again you can never over embellish these tops. They look great with a big appliqué design on the front too, or a hood. When I made Maggie’s pyjama tops with this pattern, I appliqué a big M on the front. M for mischief that is! I use the ‘Cooper’ font for letter appliqués. It has that retro high school footie sweater style.

I have to say that for me both the top and the trousers pattern have abit too much flare at the bottom so I trim this a little, but that’s just a personal thing.

So, inspired? I promise you will not go wrong with these patterns. They are so straight forward, with easy to follow instructions. And the best thing is there are no zips or buttons holes. The most difficult part is probably the neck, but this just takes practice. Trust me if I can do it, so can you.

More 'Gypsy Dreams' Clothes

I'm so pleased with these cute little hippy/gypsy style fur waistcoats I made using some teddy bear fur that I had picked up at Vinnies just before I left Aus. It was sat on my sewing table when I returned. By the way, the bird fabric isn't upside down, it's ......... whatever it's called when it can't be upside down ........ hehehehe. I think you'll know what I mean!

I've pretty much used it all now making four waistcoats but that's the way it goes when you make things from recycled. You only have what there is, there's no going back for more and when it's gone, you have to come up with something new. But that's what I love about making everything out of recycled stuff.

What have you all been up to? It's been a while hey. Just gonna pop over now to the new 'Our Creative Space' to have a good catch-up.

Been Sewing

I've been back in Tasmania after my trip to England for five weeks now and at last I feel like I have my sewing mojo back. Feeling seriously homesick isn't psychologically conducive to creativity. I would mooch into the haven of my sewing room in a miserable state, sit for a while, drink a cup of tea and then mooch back out feeling deflated, uninspired and incapable.

How stupid is that? Just when I really needed that outlet, I couldn't find it in me. But I do think that brains and bodies can only cope with so much and sometimes mine just says NO! And on this occasion it was fair enough. I was seriously jet-lagged having found myself wide awake at night time unable to sleep. I was also redecorating Maggie-May's room after realising upon our return that there was no way she was going to fit into her cot. I was also trying to remain sympathetic to husband and child who had serious flu's, unpack 70kgs worth of stuff, deal with my own flu and make the house back into our home. Therefore, sewing up a storm on a new collection of childrens clothes was probaly asking just a little bit too much. It was time for brain to say NO - ENOUGH ALREADY.

But isn't it amazing that as soon as Maggie's room was finished, the patients were better and the house back in shape I went into my sewing room and whizzed up three gorgeous little 'gypsy dreams' tops and the following day I had fun making two more blanket dresses. I love the way the raw edges on the blanket dresses 'felt' (as in matt together) and improve with each wash. This A-line pattern came from one of my favourite dresses of Maggie's. When she was small (about one and a half) she wore it as a dress and now at three she wears it as a cool little vest. It's a really great shape. The blanket obsession will go on the back burner now until next winter as I start to think about more spring summer ideas. Thankgoodness things are looking a whole lot brighter around here.

I still have heaps more photos and stories of 'Memories from Home' to share with all you lovely readers so please feel free to become a follower if you're interested in hearing all about our English adventures. If you are interested in purchasing from me, email me claireyloo@hotmail.com I'd love to hear from you.

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.

The Isabel Green Dress

Wow you'll never guess what has happened? My brothers gorgeous girlfriend, who also sews, has only gone and got me THE best pattern for the 'Isabel Green dress' I posted about before here. It's pretty funny really because as you may know, I have been searchng for the perfect pattern for a while now and out of the zillions and zillions of dress patterns I've looked at, we chose the same one.

I just wasn't confident enough to actually buy it because I thought it looked way to difficult for me. Plus it's very fancy being a special Vogue pattern, especially when like me you're just used to tatty old op-shopped patterns.

But since she kindly bought it for me, I think it's given me the little push I needed to give it a try. I'm sure the lovely girls at Stitch n Bitch will help me out when (not if) I get stuck and it's good to try something out of your comfort zone from time to time right?

Not sure when I'll make a start on it, at the moment I just keep loooking at it affectionately:) Oh yeh, and I still need to choose the fabric, but that's the fun part. Wish me luck.

An Isabel Green Wardrobe

I'm not yet sure this will make it to the 'publish post' button and actually to 'my creative space' but it's something I've been thinking about for a while and I  just want to kind of officially 'log' it as an idea in the hope that it might actually inspire me to see it through. I find that sometimes, if I blog about an idea I feel like I have committed myself to it.

Have you seen any of the Nanny McPhee films? As well as being great stories, hilariously funny with awesome casts, they have THE BEST wardrobe and set design ever.

Check out those quilts, the brass beds and the floor rugs.

The miss-matched fine english china, the chicken on the dresser! the rear stable door to the kitchen.

Don't you just love that couch......oh so cute! And the blue painted wooden shelves for the special occasion blue willow china. Here lives Isabel Green. Mum to three 'free range' children, part-time assistant at the local shop and upkeeper of the most beautiful farm. Not only does she have the most adorable children and the most perfect farm house I've ever dreamed of living in, she also has a very impressive wardrobe. And this is where my idea is.

I have set myself a challenge to make myself an Isabel Green wardrobe!!! I love this beautiful blue tea dress, with the blue/purple lace cardi.

Dresses like these are just so easy and comfortable to wear. Feminine and flattering, cool on warm days, great with slips underneath on early autumn days and with jeans/tights and boots in the winter.

I already have a dress similiar to this one sitting at the back of my wardrobe which with the aid of a couple of doilies (although not splattered - private joke), I'm sure I can refashion successfully to resemble this.

But this coat is my absolute favourite. I just love the bright green colour. And when she first wears it in the film, in amongst all the choas she accidentally puts it on inside out and you see the beautiful floral lining. It'll be a very special project this one, one that needs super special attention.

There's nothing like setting yourself a little challenge hey? I'm fearful I may be biting off more than I can chew here though, the costume designer was also responsible for atonement and pride and prejudice.

See more creative spaces at Kootoyoo.

More on Ugly Seams

I have a question. Oh by the way, the photos are not related to the topic of the post, they're just for fun. A question of the utmost importance.

I'm sure it's something that we all ask oursleves whenever we make little 'muck-ups' that make us say those bad four letter words.

It's a little snesitive, maybe to some, but i was just wondering, is it really really imporant that all seams line up. Like perfectly, like Mr Exactamundo has quality tested them.

Because whilst I have a bit of perfectionism in me, sometimes things just don't add up, right? And it'll be such a shame to dwell on such a silly little thing when overall the rest is pretty damm cute. I hope and pray that everyone agrees! But I have managed to tidy up the ugly seams to an acceptable level. But more on that later peeps. Hope you're having a fun weekend.

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.