Dinosaur Baby Romper & Bonnet

A customer loved the look of the 1950s baby romper I made with dinosaur print and ordered for her grandson. It was a pleasure to make this for her. If you would like to order one please convo me at my shop Vincent & Valerie

I need to make it in the same style as the Butterick age 6 to 9 months, so I used Simplicity 1600 for the body but I fully faced the front panel, made extra long ties with loops to knot and added a snap panel

The back view and the bonnet visor can be flipped back

The dinosaur fabric is Timeless Treasures and I purchased it from Frumble 

Simplicity 5007 Music Baby Romper

So I have been avidly working on filling up my Etsy shop and also making up some of the endless sewing patterns I bought during the winter

I decided on Simplicity 5007 for my next project. I used a music note print Poplin which I had left from an order from not 1 but at least 2 Xmases past! So it was a destash and testing a new pattern

If you do not have any luck with finding Simplicity 5007 on Etsy then Simplicity 1600 is a close one to use and you can find that here 

It features cross back straps with an added belt loop on one strap so they do not gape. There is also the option of putting in a snap panel at the crotch which I also did 

It came together really well and the only adjustment I made was using bias binding for the elastic casing. Using bias makes light work of a neat snap panel. If you with to buy one then please see my vincentvalerieuk.etsy.com

Hope Campaign

So I have been getting back into the swing of things after how crazy Xmas was and the added problems when all these fabulous sales come up on the Facebook PDF group.

One of them was a free download for the Lola top by Violette Field Threads. I will admit I neglected to check out many new designers in the PDF world and actually this was love at first site in terms of patterns. So many gorgeous ones to choose from, pure heaven for little girls! 

The ladies from VFT then announced plans to run a Hope Campaign. They have 3 patterns for the project which they have given to their customers and have asked for donations to take to an orphanage in Guatemala. I couldn't wait to take part and quickly went through my extensive stash so find something pretty.

I am so guilty of keeping by fabric for my brand Vicent & Valerie. Then not making them up because people often ask for all manner of other sizes and makes, it can then be hard to get hold of them again. I settled on this gorgeous mint green rabbit fabric 

I since found out, it also comes in pink meeps!

Close up of the pretty trims I used :-

I love the group and have already bought a butt load of patterns both from the paper pattern deal and from the recent winter sale

In the random paper pattern lot I got a chance to have a pattern I wouldn't normally choose myself, to make little felt flowers. So today I whizzed up these gorgeous felt flowers for Vincent & Valerie, my handmade Etsy shop 

I have also made some gorgeous boy's rompers and will get those uploaded over the weekend 

Minecraft Costume

I am in danger now of sounding old..but I do not understand children's attraction to playing Minecraft. It really has stumped me but none the less my oldest daughter was after a costume for a party she had been invited. The theme Minecraft Vs Minions.

There was 'No way' she said, would she wear denim overalls and look like I quote a yellow tic tac - it had to be a Minecraft outfit. The game which she has been itching to own but as parents we are reluctant to let our children have too many games or devices (that could be a whole post on it's own haha)

This week the electric work our house was due to be started and was stalled (no surprise there, I think I have more chance of Olly Mur's popping in for a cup of tea than these people getting their act together), I then made time for her costume.

I didn't want to make anything to involved in case I ran out of time. Plus I have also been invited to test a new pattern.

I chose fabric from my stash (high five another de-stash mission complete), its a medium weight fabric a bit like suiting with some one way stretch and a textured look.

I used these 2 vintage patterns. The bodice from one and the circular skirt from the other. As she has the measurements of a size 6 but the height of a 9 year old, I made some quick alterations by sight in chalk

I made a quick applique using a pattern I traced straight from Google. Green cotton square with black felt face. Here is the result

She is posing rather awkwardly down to the super windy weather haha! It went down a treat at the party and I think I have finally made something she won't be protesting about wearing again. Typical really, the one thing I've made out of everything it was the one with the least amount of planning. I am glad I took the time to over lock the seams at least. It has been finished inside with bias binding, when usually I would have half lined a dress for a smoother finish.

The back was fastened with green kam snaps.

Next week hopefully I can share photos of the test pattern I am working on and start the cute little fox romper

Smocking

So this week I got my little fox playsuit cut out from the 1950s Butterick pattern and have been patiently waiting for other supplies to arrive to finish a couple more UFOs. Currently my house has been tipped upside down in order for an electrical re-wire to be completed, so there for not much sewing has been going on boooo!

I did finish the last of my Xmas orders which was lovely because now I can concentrate on my little one's outfits and get started on my ideas for smocking

I was lucky enough to find a few patterns in my stash, which meant I didn't need to buy any news ones and I have some thread to get me started as well

Actually from my shop but I love the 3 borders of smocking!

This the pattern I intend to get started with -

I plan to make the Peter Pan collar view though rather than the nautical collar

I was also lucky enough to pick these magazines up and they are full of inspiration 

and finally I found this one which is great because I really would like to make something for the boys as they are often over looked in favour of pretty girly things :)

I do plan to sneak a bit of my own sewing in around the work men if I can and will start my little fox romper/playsuit!

Simplicity 9338 Baby Jiffy Suit

It is fair to say most dressmakers have a pile of UFOs (unfinished objects) I do have my fair share and it is not because of getting bored or stuck, it is usually work or life matters that stall the end of the project!

I said in my last post I wanted to crack on with this and I am glad I have. It is very quick and the perfect pattern for a novice or for a more experienced dressmaker to make quickly and easily. The most tricky part was making the leg casings and that was it!

I don't usually make things for my children from the 1970s but this one caught my eye on Facebook and a couple more from the same era since.

The rainbow shark fabric is Alexander Henry and I hadn't seen before I spotted it on Fondant Fabrics . It is a fantastic site for designer fabrics and they have a few really unusual ones including gorgeous high detail bird prints. 

I loved how it turned out. I decided to also have a try at the girls version for the shop and another boys one too in a more classic print. As I was destashing I lined it in a cream coloured cotton, that I already had, rather than buying another colour. For the next time I will match the colours better

I love it and think this one should be dug out from the Simplicity archive for a reprint!