Progress...

Well, this has been a bit of a slow week sewing wise. I guess even elves have to have a break some times.

I opted for french seams on the skirt seams. You can see just how inclined to fray this material is. It also creases beyond belief. On the up side, it does iron well, but I think it is going to be shockingly creased when it comes out of the washing machine!

You can see it is slowly taking shape. This picture show the front bodice and the skirt. You can also see the pale grey lining behind. The gathers are in the centre back. I need to move the front bust gathers as having tried it on, I'm not entirely sure they aren't too close to the arm hole. 

 I had to spend quite some time matchng the front pattern. I've got to admit this fabric is a bit bold for me, but I think once it's all made up, it's going to look pretty stunning. I'm just working on an idea for the centre front fastening. I'd like to do a shaped edge, but I need to think it out first.

Here's the back with the gathered middle section. It's going to be a bit weird wearing a dress with gathers here. At least I shan't have to worry whether my bum looks big. I'll KNOW it looks big!

I was trying to show a picture of the bodice pattern I've drafted here, but Ellie kept deciding that the off cuts of material should really be in the shot!

One sleeve attached. I did mean to do puffed sleeves, but I'm afraid I chickened out. It's been a while since I've worn dresses, especially ones like this, and I don't want it to look like a costume. I know a lot of people like making costumes but I'm going to be wearing this down my local co-op, so it needs to be functional, and I need to feel confident. I'll work up to the puffed sleeves on a later dress I think...

 

Here's a shot of the back. I haven't quite finished the neckline hence the wrinkles. I like how low it swoops down, and the shape of the curve.

So, all in all, it's progressing, slow but sure. I wish it were done as the weather has been just lovely for a wearing a dress like this. Perhaps next week I'll be floating down in swishy material as I go to the library with the pram...

On other notes. I think I've worked out how to upload a file, so I shall be on the case of scanning in patterns. Just watch this space! I want to do a tutorial with it as well, so it will have to wait until I've got a bit more material. 

I ordered some material yesterday to make a small quilt each for Ellie and Nancy. 

This is the basic pattern, but I decided to do it a bit mental colour wise, so it won’t be nearly so clear cut as this example is.

http://pub42.bravenet.com/photocenter/album.php?usernum=3605433247&cpv=2#bn-photocenter-1-1-3605433247/12372/1/56256/

http://www.riverfabrics.co.uk/product/AB58C2 as background for Nancy’s quilt

http://www.riverfabrics.co.uk/product/AB58 as background for Ellie’s quilt (Then the reverse on the back of each of their quilts)

http://www.riverfabrics.co.uk/product/AB65C3 as the leaves

http://www.riverfabrics.co.uk/product/ABSBFQ I got small pieces of all of these, so each flower will be a different colour.

I'm really looking forward to starting these, although I think they'll be a while in the making.... Right off to do the dishes  ;o(

Anyone interested in a free pattern?

I'm not going to talk about elves today, as I want to ask you all a question?
If I were to scan in my dungaree pattern would anyone be interested in a free copy? I'm not entirely sure I how I do this, but if my IT skills fail, I could always just email people a copy.
I currently only have 6 months and 2-3 years drafted out, but I will be doing bigger sizes as my little girls grow.

The elves and I have been busy this week making another pair of dungarees, this time for Ellie who has been looking at Nancy's pair with an envious eye.

 

I've made these out of a retro orange quilting fabric. Orange is Ellie's favourite colour at the minute. My sewing machine has a lot of lovely embroidery stitches, so I've taken advantage and used a matching one along the bib front edge. It would stand out better on a plainer fabric, but I still think it looks pretty.

 

Here is a picture of the front of the dungarees with the main seams all sewn.

 

 Here is the facing being attached. I've just turned a hem in here to prevent fraying edges. Likewise for the bottom leg edge.

Finally there are the button holes, and then I like sewing along the edge where the facing is to help keep it all in place. I picked purple buttons for the straps. Mainly because I don't have any orange, and couldn't find the white ones. I got a job lot of these fisheye buttons two years ago and I am still working my way through them!

Here they are all done. I'm afraid I don't seem to be able to manage the arty shots that everyone else gets of their children posing. Ellie is just watching the television, hence the blank look!

Right next is some sewing for me!!!!! I'm making a regency inspired dress, so empire line, a gathered section in the back, and no darts etc in the skirt front.

So far I've made up the lining, which is pretty boring looking ( a pale dove grey) and the bodice top. It's made from a cotton voile (Anna Maria Horner. I am so impressed with this fabric. The handle is really lovely.) I've put a small bust dart under the arms, and then gathered the edge under the bust. The front is going to be button fastening, but I've just pinned it together for now. Sorry I'm not smiling in the left shot, but I was a bit confused about the self timer on the camera!

Now I had meant to get the skirt cut out yesterday, but Ellie decided that the material would make a much better bed for her dolly. If you look carefully on the left hand picture you can see that there is a little dolly face which she was just kissing goodnight. Next she decided that she would look good as a ghost in it.
You can see it is going to have a contrasting skirt though. The fabric is called 'slow dance in heather'. How sumptious does that sound. I've been debating on which way to cut it, but have decided to have the feather lines you can see running down the front of the dress. Anyway that's it for now. I just thought I'd share a couple of photos showing that Elle is still enjoying her coat. (Or at least she was before all this hot weather hit!)

The view from the other side....

This is one of the boring bits. Doing exactly the same thing but on the other side.  I'd say that the elves have done a pretty good job though, and they even look pretty similar. (Another downfall of a symmetrical garment is trying to tell if it really is symmetrical!)

Here is Ellie trying it on, as it now has two armholes so constitutes a waistcoat.She seems pretty pleased with it, especially the pockets!

 Below is a picture of my latest baking efforts. This is a picture of one that I was eating rather than the one left out for the elves (they don't appreciate left overs!) I've included this one so that you can see the cake is green! It was meant to be blue, but I think you must have to be braver with the food colouring.

I did one for each of us along with one for the elves, and a spare one using up some 'z's. They are mint choc chip (mint icing), and have chocolate chips inside, and covered chocolate beams (like smarties) on the top, as well as chocolate letters! Gosh, I think I went a bit overboard! Ellie was a fan, and actually ate some of the cake as well. Obviously not all; some was smooshed underfoot as always...

Here is the collar all quilted. (The elves had a busy night! It must have been all the chocolate!)

 

I figure this should be pretty soft around Ellie's neck. Here you can see the detailed quilting. I asked the elves to do the same as on the main body of the quilt, but I'm not sure looking at it now that I should have specified a smaller quilt stitch.  What do you think

I'm glad that I have my little elves to help me. I was thinking recently about what sewing used to be like before I had responsibility for two beautiful but demanding little girls. And I came up with the conclusion it was stressful. I had too much time on my hands. Sure, I didn't need the help of elves, but equally if I didn't get whatever task I'd set myself done that day, then I felt that I'd failed. I'd stay up late finishing it off, and rush through the complicated bits, pushing myself to just get it done.

But no longer.

Now it all happens gradually. I try and make an outfit each month, or at least I buy material with something in mind each month. I enjoy planning what I'm going to do, creating the outfit in my mind. As I usually have a bit of a backlog, there can be months between me starting to think of a project and actually sitting down and cutting fabric. It gives the design time to take shape, to develop. Each morning (assuming I've let out a tempting treat) I'm excited to see how the design is progressing. If there's a mistake, it doesn't matter. I noticed this morning that the belt for the back must have got kicked under the sofa and the elves hadn't spotted it. It means that some of the back seams need to be undone. So what?

These little elves haven't just enabled me to keep at going at sewing, they've transformed sewing back into the hobby I used to enjoy. So if you aren't fortunate enough to have a pair of little helpers, considering slowing things down, and taking time to enjoy the process. It makes all the difference.

Proof!

They came! This morning I came downstairs to find that my little pair of elves had paid me a visit during the night. They had taken my 1.5m of fabric, and machine quilted it. The fabric is Makower and is part of their new hearts and stars range.

The machine stitching is with a 6mm stitch length, and it follows the paths between the individual garlands, so that none of the hearts or stars got distorted. The lines are about an inch apart, so the combined fabric should act as one piece.

This is all that remains of the muffin. There isn't even a single chocolate chip left. There are quite a lot of crumbs though. I guess if you are a little elf it must be difficult to ate a muffin bigger than your head without dropping at a least few crumbs.  Perhaps I should invest in a couple of elf sized plates?

Now there might be some of you disbelievers out there who can't figure out how a small elf could use a sewing machine. Obviously I do have to put it out on the table, as anyone whose lifted a sewing machine knows just how heavy they can be. The elves solution to using a sewing machine is simple; one uses the foot pedal, the other directs the material and calls out instructions. That's why they tend to come in pairs. It takes dedicated team work, and usually when elves pair up and start sewing, they stay with the same partners for life.

Never having seen the elves in action, I'd like to think that they take turns on who operates the foot pedal. After all, it must be dull work, sat in the dark working a pedal, with only the gentle glow from the machine light above them.

When their work is over, and daylight starts to creep around the edge of the curtains, they put down their little scissors, and folding the material neatly, they silently leave the house. During the winter months, I tend to leave my material cupboard slightly ajar, and they have a little nest amongst my wool stash. As summer approaches, they like to sleep in the garden, curled up in a shady spot.

Now I've just got to cut my pieces out for the main part of the coat. You can leave this to elves, but they have no sense of fabric conservation, and often cut the first piece out right in the middle of the fabric. This is okay if you have a lot of fabric, but otherwise you can end up not having enough to finish the job.

Besides, it will give me a chance to do a bit more baking...

The beginning...

I decided this morning that it's time to finally prove the existance of dressmaking elves.

Most people don't even know that they exist. They just blindly assume that clothes are made in large factories, or occasionally by enterprising grandmothers. And they're right of course, but the real sewing goes on when the workers clock off in the evening, and the lights dim.

The elves creep out from the nooks and crannies and settle down to the serious business of inserting a bound pocket, or the impossible task of fitting a sleeve cap in without getting any tucks. Fuelled only by what they can find in the tea room's biscuit tin, these elves create magical garments.

I've been making my own clothes for more years than I'd like to admit, but since having children, I'd had to rely more and more upon those helpful little elves. I'd like to take all the credit, I really would, but it wouldn't be fair. They deserve to have their story told.

Tonight I'm going to leave out a 1.5m of cream quilting fabric, and the same length of supersoft polyester wadding. I want to make a coat for my daughter, Ellie, who was two at christmas. I'm using the cream fabric for the outer material, and the patchwork style fabric for the lining and details like the collar.

Now I can claim credit for the pattern, which was painstakingly drawn out on a big roll of paper.(If you leave out pencil and paper for an elf, you just get left with a big mess.) As I was doing this during the day, the pattern was enhanced by wax crayons by Ellie, drooled on by my 6 month old baby, Nancy, and both cats, Max and Paddy, rolled on it at some point!


I decided to quilt the outside fabric rather than the lining as I want to put little welt pockets in the front and I want Ellie's hands to stay warm.

I've also left out this homemade chocolate muffin. I stocked up my baking cupboard recently, and have an obscene amount of sprinkles and chocolate chips, so you can expect to see some pretty overloaded cupcakes in the future. This cake looks understated, but contains both plain and chocolate chips!

Now I just have to wait...