World Book Day Blog Tour - My Top Five illustrators

When Rebecca at Dobbins Bobbins invited me to join her World Book Day tour, my sewing imagination hurtled through a zillion ideas.

Then life got in the way, and we  had a big family trauma this week and there was no way my One Big Sewing Project  would be ready in time.

But I so wanted to take part.  Then another idea hit me... 

Children's book illustrations are already everywhere on As it Seams. 

I grew up with a world of books. I never, ever stopped reading. Anne of Green Gables, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Pippi Longstocking, were alive in my head, pages and pictures that danced through my childhood alongside me.

I 'read' pictures as much as pages. I know these pictures like old friends. Looking through my blog it became obvious just how much Missy's wardrobe has been shaped by great illustrators.

So apologies, I haven't (yet) been able to create something new, but here's five of my favourite illustrators - alongside a few of Missy's creations 

1. Mabel Lucie Attwell

Who could not love  Mabel Lucie Attwell's chubby babies and fairies?  Her Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan are my favourite representations of these characters. Her watercolours are beautiful, but not sugary, and Alice aand Peter Pan become real, solid characters not whimsical 'princess type figures'. Her colors are strong and her clothes have the beautiful drapey silouhettes of the 1920s

2. Cicely Mary Barker

I'm staying in the 1920s, with Cicely Mary Barker, creator of the Flower Fairy series. 

Cicely's illustrations may be  whimsical, but look at the clothes! Aren't those fairy dresses just an endless source of inspiration?

3.  Kate Greenaway

What can I say? She was the first, the great, and her illustrations are a record of Victorian style. I loved these pictures as a child, the soft colour palate, the dreaminess

4. Jan Pienkowski

Oh look! I'm almost up to date. Next up is Jan Pienkowski, best known as creator of Meg and Mog. But it's his fairytale silhouettes I loved most as a child. These are pictures that in themselves told a story, with echos of Russia, Eastern Europe and age-old myths. And I know that I like to create clothes for Missy that create stories too...

5. Mairi Hedderwick

Mairi Hedderwick is the creator of young heroine Katie Morag who lives on a Scottish island where she roams freely on the wild beaches. 

Mairi's pictures sing to my soul. Her paintings capture the light and drama of the Scottish landscape. They're full of the quirks and details of a childhood of the late 70s and 80s. She has depicted the memories from my own childhood. I spent every summer playing in the near midnight sun on these remote beaches, creating stories in my head and clambouring over rocks and seaweed.  This is my sister and me in 1980 I guess, flying our kite as the sun set at around 11pm...

Little Katie Morag and her Scottish adventures were part of the inspiration behind my as yet unfinished World Book Day sewing project. Here's a sneak peak, to be revealed in its full glory very soon...

As I put this long post together, I realised just how much stories are part of my life. Of course, I am a 'professional story collector', a journalist. 

This week has been a very raw one for the As it Seams family, facing a big change. The next chapter for our little family has plenty of blank pages...Daunting and exciting...x

Rebecca at Dobbins Bobbins has some FOUR fabulous prize packages to giveaway with the World Book Tour .  And there's a great list of participants. Do click around and see the actual creations this week

Sewn In The Attic

While she was sleeping, Just Add Fabric,  Fairies, Bubbles & Co , English Girl At Home,  As It Seams Made by Sara Sewing With Kate MinnieMie Call Ajaire Sew Country Chick Paisley Roots Bel'Etoile

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The Eleena Dress - perfection in denim

Giveaway alert! See the end of this post!

When Olga of  Coffee and Thread put out a call for her newest pattern the Eleena Dress, I admit that I paused for a moment, before signing up.

It's such a lovely, nostalgic dress pattern, so my style. But Missy really doesn't need many pretty dresses. She wears school uniform or t-shirts and jeans most of the time. But still...the Eleena was proving hard to resist...

The solution to the 'no more dresses' dilemma lay in  that old favourite - denim.

Because a denim dress isn't actually a dressy-dress, right?

A denim dress is one for posing around with a sword and being a warrior Queen...

A demin dress is one to giggle in, and run away from the camera, or be a serious kind of girl who can tackle anything.

The Eleena has lots of options, and I love seeing how one pattern can create so much variety. I wanted to keep things simple. because my life is complex enough. I  picked the flutter sleeve no collar option, because I knew Missy would get most wear from this 'all weather' kind of dress. 

But regular followers will know I rarely 'keep things simple'. 

I accentuated the Eleena's distinctive box pleat with red piping, and lined the flutter sleeves too, to keep those lovely clean lines. 

The only other change I made was an afterthought. This is size five on my tall nearly-six-year-old. The chest measurements are fine, but I suddenly panicked and wished I'd cut the denim longer. So I added a panel to the hem just to lengthen it. Denim is so forgiving - it lets you get away with this kind of thing...

I lined and piped the flutter sleeves too, lining them with a remnant of Cotton and Steel's Cookie Book print.

The piping was an easy addition, but it has added a little bulk to the neckline, which means the lining peeks up. 

Missy and I both love this dress, it's simple and playful. And easy to sew.

There's a pattern tour running this week, showcasing the Eleena and all it's varieties. Do take a moment to see the other creations - honestly they are all so different!

And Olga at Coffee and Thread is offering the pattern at a discounted price of $7 (usual price $9) until March 7.  
And there's also a fun little giveaway to win two Coffee and Thread patterns of choice and one yard of Sara Jane fabric.

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February, 22 

Bonnie & Lottie, As it Seams, Sew Happy, Call Ajaire

February, 24

In a Manner of Sewing, Skirt Fixation, Stitched Together, 

Made by Sara, The Life of Compulsive Crafter

February, 26

A Jennuine Life, Fairies, Bubble & Co, Hungie Gungie, Doguincho

February, 29

Rebel & Malice, Sew Shelly Sew, Creative Needle and Threads, 

Welcome to the Mouse House

March, 2

Candice Ayala, LBG Studio, Crafty Biggers, Sewing Like Mad

March, 4

Greendoodle, Rita Pirolita, Boevenbende, Kristine Hansen 

March, 7

Les Reloux, Just Add Fabric, Lokakid, While she was sleeping

Thanks for visiting! Do stop by again... follow me here...

A Rabbit's Waistcoat - Alice in Wonderland, Chapter Three

So let's start 2016 with a little time travel? And a white rabbit...

I'm the world's slowest blogger, and just as it is snowing, I'm sharing pictures of summer flowers. But this is my little webspace, so I can do what I like, right?

And time travel is entirely appropriate - because this is  Alice in Wonderland Sewing.

Last  summer Sara, of Made by Sara, had the genius idea of celebrating the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland with a sewing series. And it captured my imagination. I had Way Too Many Ideas...

Chapter one, was a pair of  table-cloth dresses, , Chapter Two, was this little blouse, and this is, ta da..

Chapter Three, The White Rabbit's Waistcoat.

It's inspired by other elements from Alice; a white rabbit and playing cards, and perhaps ideas of 'transformation'....

This white velvet, is just a so 'rabbity'. I bought several metres ages ago for a bargain price (I still have a metre, I'm thinking it's time for a waistcoat for me too?).

I teamed it with a remnant of brown corduroy, and this stunning print from Cotton and Steel's Cookie Book collection, which looks just like the back of a pack of cards.

The pattern is a free pattern from Little Kiwis Closet, and was a real 'find'. I made it completely reversible, with two sets of the little Cookie Book covered buttons.

Missy loved this, She liked the hood, the cuddliness, and the different looks.
It's pretty, white velvet on one side...

Then turn it over. and it transforms

Into cosy, practical needlecord..

Of course, any White Rabbit's waistcoat has to have a watch pocket. This little pocket is trimmed in The Cookie Book print.

Of course these photos are six months old and are from the summer - but it's been worn a lot since then, right into our autumn and winter too.
It's a waistcoat for running away in, for dreaming and becoming whoever you want to be. And aren't five year olds experts at all of that?

My other Alice in Wonderland sewing was unashamedly whimsical, but this waistcoat has  been simple, and practical. And yet Missy still looks like she's emerged from a dream. Love this theatrical little girl so much...

Alice in Wonderland - Chapter One

Alice in Wonderland Chapter Two 

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Sticks, knives, sewing and our souls: Looking forward to 2016

This post is about sticks, knives and our souls.

But have no fear, a little sewing does creep in...

And so does my beautiful boy - who is making a rare appearance on As it Seams.

We've just enjoyed a calm and lovely Christmas, with time together as a family. And at last a few calm moments to write this post.

I wanted to share some thoughts, something I've been thinking about a lot. And it was about a month ago, as I sat down for two whole afternoons in an autumnal farmyard  next to my boy, that  those thoughts came together.

This is my boy, with his stick, and a sharp knife. It was a moment of complete simplicity. For hours he was absorbed  by the movement of the blade against the soft green wood.  I joined in, sitting next to him, attempting to carve a wooden spoon and a butter knife.

We were guided and supervised by this man, Dom, who exuded a calm confidence which he passed to this small group of children. I watched this little girl, aged about 10, using this axe with skill, boldness and a sense of achievement. It was a powerful thing that Dom was passing to his young pupils. 

I'm sure this is really important for our children, helping them to feel bold, empowered and forge real connections between their hands, their imagination and the materials, whether it's wood or fabric. Don't you find that if you give children confidence and freedom their creations are limitless?

As we sat together in the farmyard with the calm of our knives and wood, we talked and listened to each other. 

And I pondered. 'What is it about making stuff that is so good for us?'

Why do I want to make a wooden spoon when I could buy one for pennies in the local supermarket? 

But a supermaket spoon would have no real value? I wouldn't respect it, understand it, or remember an autumn afternoon in a farmyard.

It would be just another 'thing' taking up space in my cluttered kitchen, made by a machine in a far-away country, by people who are paid too little, using the earth's resources.

I whittled, and thought, and pondered. and made this little butterknife.

I think it's the same with sewing. When we 'create' we gain much more than the thing that we make. We gain space in our heads, skill in our hands, connection with the people who create alongside us.

And we gain connection with what the world, right next to us, has to offer. 

My boy spent hours whittling and creating. He made a sword and a butter knife to add to his  whittled arsenal. I'm not too keen on weapons in our house, but feel a bit differently about hand-made swords, bow and arrows.  

One day I'd like to be able to create something as beautiful as Dom's pile of handmade spoons. 

This is my kitchen spatula, it's  a bit rough, but I'm still rather fond of it.

Christmas has just seen us celebrate by bringing a load of new toys into our house. We had a lot of fun, My boy loves his new Lego, Missy her new dolls' house. But these are not things that we really 'value'.

  

In 2016, I'm going to hang on to the lessons of those afternoons whittling. That it's real connections and creativity that are the truly valuable things...xxx