As it Seams

Echino love birds and give-away!

By Victoria As-it-Seams - 15:35

It was Kids Clothes Week last week - and what did I sew?

A cushion!

Yes, but believe me Missy has attempted to wear cushions before, climbing right inside the cover and calling it a hat.

But not this cushion cover - no chance. I love it too much

And it's also a little indication of how I sew. Which is, very quickly, impulsive, a bit 'feet first' if that is at all possible with a sewing machine.

I found myself with a peaceful daytime hour spare. This is a rarity. Missy was at nursery and my son was at home, but playing quietly with his lego men. I seized the moment and in that hour this cushion was created. I didn't have a full fat quarter of this stunning Echino cherry fabric. Readers may remember I used a triangle for this dress.

So I knew I'd have to make up the shape somehow. Which made it more interesting. I teamed the Echino with some oatmeal coloured cotton, purple bias trim for piping, and cherry pink cotton. My original plan had been to put the purple bias round the whole square, but it made the cushion look too boxy. So I added it just too the ends.

And then I wanted some kind of textural interest, so put pleated tucks in the oatmeal and the pink. And an extra line of purple piping on the back. I wanted something a little geometric, a little art deco, perhaps Charles Rennie Mackintosh style...(google him.... famous Scottish designer).

I must admit I whizzed through the tucks. They kind of open up a bit, but I don't mind that either. They look like origami to me. I could sense that any minute my son's peaceful playing afternoon might end, and I had a deadline to pick up Missy. But I also know that if I don't sew like crazy, I don't finish stuff.

So here it is - my one hour cushion!

Now that giveaway.

I've got a Kokka fat quarter that I daren't let myself ruin in another crazy one-hour sewing mission. It would make the sweetest trim or bodice or pockets on a little girl's dress!

I'd love to see it pop up elsewhere on the blogosphere!
To enter you need to follow this blog on bloglovin' , blogger or facebook, - AND leave me a comment below or on the facebook page, to let me know you're a follower and would like to be in the draw.
If you're already a follower you can enter too , just leave me a comment below or on Facebook.

I don't mind posting anywhere in the world! And the really good news (for me) is that next week I'll be in New York, with my Echino fat quarter with me in my case, so postage in the US is really easy (but don't feel left out if you're in the rest of the globe!) Did I say I'll be in New York....can you tell I'm excited! Closing date November 8

8 Comments

KCW: From pillowcase to nightdress

By Victoria As-it-Seams - 11:45

4 Comments

Secret Squirrel - Beware those pretty shark teeth!

By Victoria As-it-Seams - 14:57

Squirrels might look cute and fluffy. But this one cost me blood and tears. (And that's before I wrestled with a shark an elephant and a boa constrictor).

Yes really, I stitched my finger with my sewing machine sewing this number...
For those not familiar with Secret Squirrel, he's skipping around sewing blogs on his way to Straight Grain's blog, offering a monthly challenge. The official Secret Squirrel stop is over at Amos El blog, and this is my 'sew along' version. It's my second Secret Squirrel outfit, the first is here and you can see all the outfits at the flickr group.

Secret Squirrel had hooked me in with his September themes, suggested by I Seam Stressed the Little Prince, Green, Bias, Great White Shark and Zooey Deschanel.

My sewing brain went into overdrive with shark's teeth and this illustration from the Little Prince forming the basis for my vision.

Grown-ups looking at this picture see a hat, says The Little Prince, but this is actually a picture of a boa constrictor swallowing an elephant.

The vision materialised into this white blouse, adorned with a yoke of 'shark's teeth' pintucks and green bias hand-made piping (Kerching... that's shark, green and bias all ticked off, phew). But getting this blouse to fit, and realising that this required some serious ironing, led me to question my sanity!

Of course the blouse had to be white. I just couldn't bring myself NOT to have white shark's teeth.
But it was a nightmare to photograph. I hope you can make out the detail.

AND this blouse has only been worn for five minutes for the very first time in these photographs, and it ALREADY has a smudge on it...What was I doing to myself with this idea?

But doesn't it look pretty!
Mr As-it-seams said it's a bit 'flouncy choirboy'. I was aiming for more 'cute peasant'. Like everything I make, it's big on Missy, particularly the bouffant sleeves. If I can find a last ounce of emotional strength I may refashion them. But overall I'm chuffed. I love the structural effect of the sharks teeth.

Basically they are pintucks, snipped and ironed in place as alternate triangles, then over-stitched with a zig-zag. It was simple but required industrial style ironing and every pin in my tin.
I stumbled on this tutorial, and I've done my first ever tutorial over here! The pattern for the blouse is loosely based on the Sunshine Blouse, which in turn is adapted from a Burda pattern. The yoke is lined in muslin, and it closes with a single mother-of-pearl star button ( a bit Little Prince?) and a hidden press-stud. The button loop is handmade in matching green embroidery thread.

This blouse was actually pretty straight-forward, but I made it late at night and kept messing up, particularly the fit. Because of the shark-teeth yoke, the neckline couldn't sit too high, or too low and I kept stuffing up. My seamripper has been hard at work unpicking and re-doing this bodice twice! If I thought more carefully about fit at the beginning this would have been easy. Doh...

Now. What about that elephant in the boa constrictor? Well this shark's blouse is teamed with a pair of bubble shorts which could not have been a more different sewing experience. I whipped them up in a couple of hours using Do Guincho's bubble short pattern.

After my blood-sweat-and-tears blouse, this was A BREEZE. It felt like Marta from Do Guincho was practically threading my sewing machine, with her detailed instructions! I made them in the softest brown corduroy, and lined them in - ta dah - elephant print cotton lawn!

Missy LOVED this print, so much that it was almost a shame to hide, so I added pockets to the pattern.

The blouse might have been the most ludicrous garment to have sewn for a three year old, but the bubble shorts were the opposite.

Wearable, fun, so cute and yet practical. As you can barely see them under that flouncy blouse, I took some extra pictures on an autumn walk, to give the shorts the show they deserve!

Phew - you have made it to the end of this post, nearly!

Well, Secret Squirrel, I failed to include Zooey Deschanel, (I was going to make a fringed scarf, because she has a fringe, or bangs).

But a shark, an elephant and a boa constrictor, not to mention a scheming squirrel all sapped my "sew-jo." *

So, if I mention again that I'm ever going to sew a white blouse - please redirect me to this post!

* sew-jo, a sewing term passed to me from Jenya at While She was Sleeping! Love it Jenya...

15 Comments

Signature style - Going Nordika with another 'flipped Tinny'

By Victoria As-it-Seams - 14:37

16 Comments

Galloping with Galahad (and giveaway update)

By Victoria As-it-Seams - 16:02

After a productive August, I've hit a September sewing bottleneck. There are two half-cut dresses in my sewing drawer and all the bits ready for a third project, as well as infinite new 'sewing babies' forming in the crafty corner of my brain.
But my little windows of time keep disappearing.
So, given that I always underestimate just how long a sewing project will take (not to mention finding the perfect moment to get Missy to cooperate for photographs) I thought I'd share this, until I get round to blogging the next complete garment!

Meet Missy's trusty steed, currently named Galahad...

He's actually a year old. I set out to make him for Missy's second birthday - and she's three and a half now. And she was probably about two-and-a-half when he actually rode into her life (...did I mention that I underestimate projects?).

This was a pretty simple project. Some buff coloured stretchy fleece fabric cut out in a large 'sock' shape, on the fold, so not much seaming. He's stuffed with the insides of an old pillow.

I tied a strong thread very tightly around the nose to give it a more 'horsey' nose shape. This thread is now covered with the blue cord which forms a bridle. The ears are simply triangles of fleece stitched together and stitched to the head in a curve.

Eyes are bits of felt and I had a 'Eureka' moment when I used scraps of net for eyelashes. I also made very strong stitches into the body of the head (does this make sense?) to create dimples where the eyes are, and give it more shape.

Then I went CRAZY in the haberdashery department of my local shop, buying home furnishing trimmings. Fringes, pompoms, tassles etc etc. Galahad did once have a bell as well, but that has probably disappeared into vacuum cleaner heaven.

Missy has named him Galahad, and that's pretty cool with me. She's wearing her Secret Squirrel outfit (details here) on what I fear may be the last hot day of summer.

And, I don't think I've mentioned this before but Missy's nickname at her nursery is 'The Opera Singer', and she really loves to sing. I often get her to sing her long made-up songs when I'm photographing her, as it makes her stand still! Here she is in full voice! Maybe one day I'll add sound to this blog!

There are a couple of things I learnt when making Galahad this, which I feel I should pass on.

Attaching the head to a broom handle was my weak spot. I simply tied it on. And it kept falling off. Mr As-it-Seams eventually etched a groove into the wood and then tied it on VERY tightly. It doesn't look very elegant, but I really can't face doing anything about it.

And I made Galahad too big. He's fine now that Missy is 3 and a half, but when she was 2 he was just too heavy for her, and she couldn't counter-balance his weight very well.

Now of course he's perfect for adventures...

Giveaway update - you may remember my lovely Echino fat quarter up for grabs? Thanks to all those who entered, Maria Del Mar Hunt, over on the FB page, was picked out the hat by a very sweet little girl named Rosie. Happy sewing Maria!

9 Comments

Treasure hunting for the sewing addict....

By Victoria As-it-Seams - 15:14

There's a little green door in the market place in my town which is the gateway to 'Tutankhamun's treasure' for the sewing addict...

For the last 30 years Mary has run a market stall, selling old china, crockery, bedlinen, furniture and more. And if you ask her nicely, she'll let you rummage around in her market place 'gloryhole,' or store cupboard. And, like Tutankhamun's tomb, it is a small space crammed with an impossible quantity.

Now, my prolific sewing over the last few months means I've started to think about where I source all my bits and pieces. I've got so many projects underway, some just forming in my mind - but if I'm really honest, my sewing spending is mounting (Oops! I really hope that my Other Half, isn't going to break his habit of vague disinterest and actually read this post!)

So my new policy is to buy lovely designer fabric when I REALLY, TRULY can't resist, but be 'crafty' and save elsewhere!

And Mary's stall - and her amazing cupboard - is my saviour.

For three decades Mary has been gathering, storing and selling laces and linen, buttons and blankets, sheets, curtains, threads and more.

So after stocking up on five different reels of thread, (10 pence each!) Mary let me loose in her cupboard. Drawers, shelves and boxes are labeled floor to ceiling; 'single sheets', 'tray cloths', 'pillowcases', 'assorted lace', and quirky items such as 'crystal pie flutes.'

I was after sheets. I have a vision underway which requires pure white cotton (Soon to be revealed, watch this space) and I also wanted delicate prints. A crisp white double sheet was £2, around $3 I guess, for so much fabric, bargain! I pulled a very delicate blue spotted sheet from the bottom of a pile (not as easy as it sounds - the stack was huge and heavy, think "princess and the pea") . Complete with frill and piping (hooray) at one hem, it's already inspiring me to sew.
And who could resist this vintage pattern? The picture alone was worth the 50 pence! So I now I need to add this adorable coat to my sewing 'to do' list!

And of course then I got side-tracked, rummaging through Mary's cupboards. A walking stick anyone? Need some forks for extra guests? A tea set?

I love Mary's cupboard. It is full of things that remind me of a time lost, when tea was served in cups and saucers, and everyone had a drawer of traycloths and beds always had valences. And I also love the way it brings old sewing trinkets back to life, that thread that has sat in a drawer for a decade is perfect for Missy's latest outfit. And I love that I came away with a sewing haul for just a few pounds. Sheets, thread, a pattern and a pretty printed scarf. And yes... ok.... there's also a blackbird pie flute thing, couldn't resist, my mum used to have one of these).

Now, I'd love to hear your thrifty sewing tips!