inside the cape

it's been almost a month since I started my cape project. It started well. The fabric was chosen (medium weight black wool), the lining decided (blood red satin), the fabric cut and then the sewing started. Part way into my cape journey, I had a change of mind about the lining. The red lining had me thinking of those retro pictures of matadors and raging bulls and so the sewing stopped and the 'lining' dilemma began.

The cape project had been at a standstill for almost 3 weeks. Then last night, I had the proverbial 'lightbulb' moment when I remembered some bold floral satin hiding at the very back of the stash. Nice to think of flowers peeking out from the inside of the cape. With the lining dilemma now resolved, I can get back to cape sewing once again...

brooches on show

today Miss 12 and I are off to see the 'CATS' show. I've been looking forward to going and then this morning I wake up with a nasty cold. Hope the cold tablets do their job so that I can enjoy the show.


as promised the vintage crystal brooch in action. I'm wearing it on the collar of my favourite winter coat to the 'CATS' show. In case you haven't guessed already, I wear a lot of black. It must be a carry over from my long gone corporate days.


my favourite brooch of a Degas dancer bought in Wellington at the Monet exhibition. I always get compliments when I wear it out.

groovy play dress & poncho progress

the groovy play dress has been a stop/start project which at last seems to be coming to an end. I was a little off when cutting the gingham for the bodice and didn't notice that the checks tended to curve slightly downwards until the bodice was sewn up. Usually I'd be unpicking and making a new bodice but as it's destined to be worn by a very busy, playing 2 year old, I've decided to leave it as it is. The pattern was drafted from Enid's 'Toddler Clothes' pattern book. I took quite a bit of fullness out of the skirt part of the dress. All that's left to do now is handsew the bodice lining and hem in place, make button holes (thank goodness for automatic buttonholes), sew buttons on and then sew on a pocket.


Meanwhile Miss 2's crochet poncho is making good progress. This was meant to be an 'in front of the telly' project in the evenings but sometimes it's hard to stop when the tv goes off. The colours look good together and I think Miss 2 will be very happy when it's finished and ready to wear.

my sewing machine

it's Sewing Machine month at Sew Mama Sew! and I'm participating by posting a review of my sewing machine...


What brand and model do you have?
Singer Rumina 3400

How long have you had it?
6 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
$1200 NZD (it was on sale at the time - down from RRP $1599.)

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
clothing (mostly childrenswear at the moment), doll clothing, toy making, home decorating, mending, occassional quilting

How much do you sew?
usually everyday.

How much wear and tear does the machine get?
Not much. I make sure to clean & service it regularly & as a result it's in very good condition for it's age.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I really like it. It runs well. I've never had a problem with it so far. No she doesn't have a name.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
3 styles of automatic buttonhole, automatic tension system, electronic speed control, 152 stitches, LCD screen for stitch selection, view screen for stitch width and length

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
No problems at all.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
No. I've always had success with the Singer brand.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Yes. It's an easy to use machine that can work for the beginner right through to the advanced sewer. The extra features help the sewer achieve a professional look and finish to any item made.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
Price, expectation & ability of the sewer, service agreement. Purchase a sewing machine from a specialist sewing machine store, especially a store that offers parts, upgrades, servicing and repairs.

Do you have a dream machine?
This is my dream machine!

nana chic brooch

to help set off all my nana chic moments is what I consider to be my 'must have' nana chic accessory... the 'sparkly' brooch, and as diamonds are way beyond my budget, a sparkly crystal vintage brooch will do just nicely.

giveaway winner

drawn from 131 comments is #56 fustian2 who said "What luck - I have a toddler :) Would love to win these patterns. May 29, 2009 1:52 AM".

Congratulations to the winner, I've sent you an email. Also a big thanks to everyone who took the time to post a comment. I read every single one and appreciate them all. It's been an enjoyable experience and I look forward to taking part in the next giveaway day.

crochet poncho

Giveaway post - 27 May - 2 posts down from here!

remember the poncho? as a kid I had a lovely crochet poncho that my mother made for me complete with pom poms and a colorful fringe. At the Clevedon market this morning I saw some really great examples of the modern poncho. Wow! I was so inspired that I as soon as I got home, I started making Miss 2 a poncho. Think purple, pink and white and shell edging - just not sure about the pom poms yet!

giveaway ends May 31...

just a reminder that the giveaway ends at midnight on May 31 in North America (that's about 7pm in the evening of June 1 here in New Zealand.) I'll make the draw after that and then post the name of the winner straight away.

Good luck!

giveaway...

I'm taking part in the sewmamasew giveaway, which is held on 27th May. I'm giving away Enid Gilchrist's "Toddler Clothes" pattern book. This vintage book has patterns to draft for children aged 18 months to 4 years. View the photos to see more...

To enter, post a comment with your email or blog details on my 27 May post. The giveaway contest runs from 27-31 May, with the winner being randomly drawn on 1 June. I'll ship anywhere worldwide.

kiwi baking

it's one of those cold, winter days when my craft motivation is at a low. Just right for a snuggle down with a hot chocolate and 2 great books about kiwi baking. Hmmm!

astrakan coat

last week at the netball courts, I saw a lady wearing a fur coat, and honestly couldn't help but stare. Of course, that's a rare sight these days and it got me thinking about my astrakan coat. It was meant to be replacing the hair on my vintage dark hard plastic Pedigree dolls. Instead the dolls still have their tatty, worn hair. The coat is such a lovely vintage piece that I can't bring myself to cut into it.

The designers label describes the coat as 'a luxury coat that can be worn everyday' even though it can only be cleaned by a furrier. So I've resolved to take it out every other month, put on my heels and wear it around the house. It's a weighty coat, so maybe I could think of it as a workout lol!

Thanks for sharing another of my Nana chic moments!

op shop

haven't been to the op shops for a while. A quick visit to the Sallies (Salvation Army) store yesterday was filled with surprise finds. I'm very sentimental when it comes to vintage/retro habydashery...

gocco

back in early March I bought a print gocco. While I waited for it to arrive, I tried (and I mean really tried) to draw something that would be worth printing. Guess what, I drew a complete blank. So in the end I packed the gocco kit up and put it away.

Well today, feeling inspired by a crisp winter morning and a walk through crunchy leaves, I got the gocco kit out again. It's unpacked and on the kitchen table waiting for inspiration...

my happiness is...

thanks to pinkflowerbuttons, for tagging me to share what my happiness is...

* being alive
* family
* laughing out loud
* vacuuming to music (like Mrs Doubtfire)
* being me

if you want to take part in this then consider yourself tagged!

scotty the soccer mascot

Scotty is the new mascot for Miss 12's soccer team. Miss 12 drew up the pattern and then cut it out from a thrifted Scouts wool blanket. We spent Saturday night sewing and then stuffing him. I'm proud to say that Scotty's insides are full of all my saved up snipped threads, loads of scrappy bits of fabric & an old worn out nightie that we cut up.

On Monday, he went with the team to the Eastern Zones competition. Miss 12's team didn't win, but they had fun and enjoyed carting their new mascot all over the place. Miss 12 was named Player of the day, so Scotty got to spend a couple of extra days with her before heading off to a game this afternoon.

new look cape patterns

Saturday morning was spent drafting my cape pattern from Enid's book. I'd hoped to start sewing then but got sidetracked helping Miss 12 make Scotty the Scotch terrier, her new soccer team mascot. (I'll post a pic & intro for Scotty as soon as I can find the cable to download his photos from my mobile.)

Anyway, Miss 12 and I had to pop into Spotlight to buy some felt to make Scotty's eyes. Guess what I spied in the New Look pattern book? 2 great cape patterns.

Miss 12 really loves the plaid cape with the matching hat and has asked me to make it for her.

more enid gilchrist books

thanks to ebay my collection of Enid Gilchrist pattern books is growing fast. These are some of the latest arrivals...

new play dress

here's another play dress from Enid's 'Toddlers clothes' pattern book. This dress is made from remnants and although browns are an unusual colour palette for a play dress, it's certainly very flattering on Miss 2.

I've started drafting the cape pattern and hope to do my cutting out later on today.

new play dress

here's another play dress from Enid's 'Toddlers clothes' pattern book. This dress is made from remnants and although browns are an unusual colour palette for a play dress, it's certainly very flattering on Miss 2.

I've started drafting the cape pattern and hope to do my cutting out later on today.

more nana goodness

this gorgeous vintage, New Zealand made fur coat (and no it's not the real thing) has to be the best clothing item in my nana wardrobe. I couldn't resist buying it, so it could just be in my wardrobe. Every now and then, I take it out and stroke the fur, dreaming of times when this coat would have been worn with a true sense of occassion.

nana shoes

I found these gorgeous nana shoes online for $15. I love the 2 tone patent leather, the deep square toe and wedge heel. All the boxes ticked for the perfect pair of nana shoes. Just right for peeking out from under a pair of denims or wide leg trousers.

chocolate play dress

I've never been a fan of the colour brown. Probably because I spent 5 years at college wearing what I considered to be the ugliest school uniform ever. Picture this, a brown tartan skirt with 2 inverted pleats in the front and back (designed to make even the thinnest girl look wide), bright yellow blouse and brown wool jumper. I'm convinced that the uniform designer must have had a cruel sense of humour.

When I decided to make this play dress I thought it might be more helpful if I changed my approach. So, I renamed it 'the chocolate play dress.' Like a box of chocolates, it's full of surprise!!!

There's still plenty of fabric left over so I may make another style of play dress featuring more gingham and less print. I'll keep you posted.

enid's cape pattern

had a lightbulb moment in the middle of the night when I remembered that I'd seen a cape pattern in one of Enid's books. So at 3am I was up and looking through my collection of Enid's pattern books. I found it in the 'Smocks and maternity wear' book.

I like the streamlined shape as it lends itself to being a more tailored fit. Hope to get started on drafting the pattern this weekend.

vintage styled cape

I've decided to do away with my dull and boring coat this winter and make myself a vintage styled cape. A tailored 1960s look (like the ones pictured above) would suit me more than a 'blanket' looking cape. In my stash is a decent length of gorgeous black woollen fabric that would be more than enough to make a cape as well as some brightly coloured patterned satin that could be the inside lining. Now it's just a matter of deciding on the pattern and then finding the time to get started. Hopefully soon as winter is on it's way...

mothers day surprise

mothers day in our house starts when I succumb to dear hubby and our childrens insistence that I have breakfast in bed. Usually I'm up and into my day at around 5am with porridge for breakfast. So my mothers day surprise was a lie in until 8 am and a very BIG breakfast so nicely set up with a sprig of bouganvillea.

Hugs and kisses to my dear hubby and children. I'm very, very proud to be a mother.

more play dresses

Miss 2's first play dress that I blogged about the other day has been so successful that I'm compelled to make her more. So here's a hint of the other fabric colour combinations that I've chosen for Miss 2's other play dresses. Again I'll be using the 'economical dress' pattern. This time I'll make it with a round neckline although I think I'll leave the skirt fullness as it is. There's also a smock dress pattern by Enid Gilchrist that I'd like to make up in the red spot/black & white floral.

Most of the fabrics came from the Spotlight remnant bag, which has proved to be well worth the $5 price. I had to buy a 1/2 metre of the yellow gingham and the red & white spot as I didn't have anything in my stash that would match/compliment the prints.

Just realised today that I really love to fill my sewing world with colour!

1960s inspired mini dress

All of Miss 12's hard work paid off as her Mary Quant presentation was a hit. She looked great in her 60s inspired mini dress and received a lot of compliments from viewers on her outfit, lively speech and colourful display board. Miss 12 was sporting a shiner from netball trials earlier in the week, so we had to forgo the 60s eye makeup and false eyelashes.

I started off with a size 12 Misses vintage pattern that needed to be graded down in size in the bust,waist and side areas. I also had to alter the shoulders, reposition the darts in the back to accommodate Miss 12's swimmer shoulders. The completed length was good as we'd agreed that we wouldn't go too short even with a 2 inch hem sewn in.

It was a great pattern to sew and the alterations were an interesting challenge too after sewing Miss 2's play dress.

Cranford - 'Bessie dearest'

another Cranford moment when 'Bessie dearest', Mrs Forrester's cow suffers a huge amount of hair loss as a result of falling in a lime pit. There's some suggestion that the cow should be put down unless it can wear pyjamas to cover it's nakedness. So Mrs Forrester makes Bessie the cow, grey flannel pyjamas. Now that has to be the ultimate sewing project.

Oh and in case you wondering, there's meant to be a flap for milk and another for cow poos?

play dress

Finished Miss 2's play dress last night and then pressed and hung it up for her to find and wear this morning. With delight she put it on, all the while asking 'for me?' and 'sooo cute!.' There's been plenty of whirling and twirling this morning. The green of the skirt was hard to photograph. The photo of Miss 2 modelling is the closest to the actual shade of the fabric.

Another successful garment made from an Enid Gilchrist pattern. The pattern was drafted with ease. Next time I make this dress, I'll redraft the neckline to allow for a deeper square. Apart from that, it looks like the 3 'ugly' fabrics go together well.

Cranford - the lace incident

I'm a fan of 19th century literature and drama and lately I've been watching 'Cranford' while I sew at night. So I thought I'd share a link to my favourite scene. I've called it 'the lace incident'.

It involves lace + cat + buttermilk = a mess!