Barbie Refashioned

A big retro A-line dress.

Most of the sewing here has been for these ladies this week. Bought from a series of charity shops most of them were naked. To give them some modesty, I have used scraps and some pieces of cut up jumble sale clothes. The blue flowery dress was the end of a sleeve and so came with the ready made frilled hem. The Barbies who have come with clothing seem to be dressed as either saccharine pink princess or are scantily dressed in well, a tarty way. These are only two pictures - there are more.

Making clothes for dolls is strangely addictive, it is so quick and uses up small pieces of fabric. It is also nostalgic, reminding me of my mum making doll's clothes for me and also of how much I loved dressing up my dolls. (No Barbie for me though, we had Sindy)

My nearly four year old is also a hard task master...sitting by the machine, "Can I help?" and "Come on Mum".

Giveaway - sewing magazines

Okay so here it is...my first giveaway. I thought I never win on giveaways but then I got lucky and won the shoes giveaway by the very lovely Ali.

Then, yesterday morning the postman delivered a mysterious box with no letter inside or return address. When we opened it T and I found it was full of clothes....after a few texts were sent I discovered they were from a very lovely friend who was having a clear out.

I was relieved as I had started to worry I had a clothing stalker. So with all these new-to-me gifts I feel I am due to make a giveaway myself.

I have been sorting out my sewing supplies and have a couple of sewing magazines up for grabs. I am not going to use them so would like them to go out there to good homes where they can be properly appreciated.

I will send them out separately and am happy to post them whereever in the world.

Above is Sew magazine from summer 2010. It comes with the unopened pattern envelope to make the halter neck dress, either a maxi style or kneee length, plus a little cotton knit shrug, Amy Butler baby hats, Alice inwonderland inspired embroidery, and lots of other projects, even a little patchwork in there. I bought it when overwhelmed in the supermarket last summer but it just isn't my taste. I am sure another sewer out there can do great things with these patterms.

Then I also have Burda Magazine from Summer 2010 on offer.

The Burda patterns are unused, the magazine just has some wear and tear on the spine.

It has summer clothes and also maternity and childrenswear in this issue. I esepcially love the little girl dress patterns in here but I have a little girl who doesn't like to wear dresses.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment by Wednesday 19th January telling me which magazine you would prefer and perhaps why (I am just a nosey parker) and if you do not have a link set up in your comments to a blog or email, then please add your email address to the comment. Good luck. Oh and keep reading, I feel another giveaway may be due next month with my increased clearouts...

My First Sewing Book (for ScruffyBadger)

Okay so when I say I will do something, it may take me several months, but I will do it. Back in September I posted about this book - My First Sewing Book- which I found at a National Trust second bookshop for the grand sum of not many pence. Scruffy Badger recognised it as a book from her childhood, perhaps even her First sewing book? I said I would post better, bigger images from it. so here they are. Don't get too nostalgic Ms Badger. I love the illustrations and the ideas divide between making things like a pencil case and a knitting needle tidy to making clothes and even some sandals. Yes, make your own shoes. Do you think anyone did? I am ever so tempted to try it out this summer.

More from Ottobre

First up before Ottobre, my work in progress, my shirt, I went a bit wrong this morning putting on the collar stand so it is due to be unpicked and redone. The colour in this photo is not very accurate it is a deeper browny red.
Now, back to the post subject, I wanted to show in more detail some of the patterns I am thinking of sewing from Ottobre. I think I could get a lot of use out of these patterns if I can get to grips with them. Firstly, I need to work out which of my fabrics in my stash would fit for the patterns. I am limited to only buying a small amount of fabrics new this year. I do think these patterns would give me some good basic wardrobe staples and would be worth a bit of new fabric. I have a weakness for peacoat style jackets. I would love this in red with white top stitching and buttons, or navy fabric and red detailing.... BUT I have no suitable fabric already in the stash so have to think about it. Also a big project...am I brave enough?

Next up...jersey tops:

I like the use of a woven fabric here to edge the neck, but I would probably make the cuffs plainer as I would just get that style of cuff wet and dirty very quickly. Maybe take the cuffs from Susie and give them to Bessie? (Would Bessie be very offended?)

I like the use of women with a range of body shapes and ages as models. It is refreshing to see "real" women showing the clothes.

I think I would like to make this Nora top. Probably without the roses. The yoked neck appeals to me as I always struggle with my neck edging on t-shirts. This gives me a good alternative to the neck band.

Sports capri trousers. They would be useful but the idea of making them doesn't seem very exciting.

I would like these in navy or black, maybe with some red topstitching for Spring and Summer.

I have a piece of grey cotton jersey that I can use to make a top, just got to choose...Nora or Bessie??

work in progress

This has been a week of tidying up after Christmas, putting away decorations and the tree.
I have been playing on picnik, making the Thank You cards for T and Little I, using T's drawing.

Before putting the children's book case back in its place (we moved it for the tree) I decided to repaint it with some white gloss. I think it looks much better now. The colours of the books show up so much brighter now. I originally blogged about the shelves here An unexpected bonus of doing this is we have been rediscovering books we forgot about.

A friend gave me a bag of fabric remnants as part of my Christmas presents, so I started a new sewing project with a rusty red piece (I think it is polycotton) from the bag. It is supposed to be a blouse which something I have never made before. So far I have done the front darts and the outside facing.

Ottobre magazine

Totally irrelevent cake picture, I just wanted to share virtually if not in real life! New Year's Day - friends came over to play and to eat cake and party food. I love making and eating party food. Yum, yum. Now back to sewing business....

I bought myself a christmas present - a two issue subscription to Ottobre magazine. (Cost 12.50 euros) What a treat when it arrived just before Christmas - it has several patterns for using knit fabrics which I hope to try out to expand my sewing knits experience. Plus it has some sportswear patterns (bottom row of the pictures, vest, hoodie and cropped trousers) - a big gap in my homemade wardrobe is exercise clothes. I used to do a lot of exercise before children and after I had one baby only. I went back to the gym last year and found my old sportswear kind of pitiful and a bit holey (that was the stuff that still fitted, my days of cropped gym vests are so over). I am hoping (if the babysitting works out) to join a free women's running group soon as I cannot afford the gym and I do get bored in there. So sewing sportwear is on my to-do list.

I did have a feverish moment on the sunday before Christmas, and I decided to cut out and make the wrap/scarf featured on the cover. I am always a sucker for easy quick patterns.

You are supposed to be able to wear it a multitude of ways but somehow on me I just look like I am wearing an odd piece of material. Closer inspection (and a quick visit to the Ottobre blog) showed the cover model is wearing two wraps over a matching longsleeved t shirt, thus creating the look of a draping top. I think it takes a certain kind of talent and stylishness to wear this as a top/ shawl. These are qualities I do not possess..

And so, I found I like wearing it best as a scarf, it is really light weight and good for warmer days. The light today is awful, really dull so I will try and get a better photo if and when it brightens up.

I am planning a giveaway soon, I just need to check the quality of the proposed items....

Presents, and Happy New Year

Our newest family member, saved from the cooking pot, is Big Boy Chicken (named by Little I). He is definitelly an Alpha male and enjoying himself with his harem of five ladies.

Our house build in the snow last week. Hopefully we will be in there in 2011!

Having been assiduous about buying second hand all year I let that go in December and bought the children brand new presents. We have had some bad luck with buying battery operated toys second hand. Of course I had to find them at bargain prices! Little I received a music set - here she is with the keyboard. T received a remote control plane. I cannot say how great it is - we have all been enjoying having a go with it and marvelling like a bunch of people who have never seen radio controlled or battery operated toys before. Even Little I managed to fly it.

Happy New Year!