Fabric Score!

During all the lovely rain we've had recently, I realised that I don't have a waterproof coat that doesn't look like it should be worn walking up a hill or cycling all day.  This got me thinking and I had a little trawl round the internet.  The traditional raincoat is of course a 'mackintosh' but I'm just not into coats with belts.  I did have a look at the website of the original Mackintosh company and their coats are fantastic!  Really classic designs and as the website had no prices on the coats, or an online shop I realised that they would definitely be out of my price bracket.

Mackintosh - Banton 

The first problem with making a raincoat is fabric - I'm not a huge fan of Pertex, Gore-Tex or other waterproof fabrics - they're just so noisy, not to mention plasticky, so I remembered reading about a fabric called Ventile which was a waterproof fabric used by explorers in the early 20th Century.  It's actually a cotton fabric, but it is woven so tightly that it's impervious to water.  I managed to find one company selling Ventile, but they only had it in black.  

I decided to have a look at the website of the company who make Ventile and thought to myself 'why don't I ask them if they'll sell me a few metres?'  Anyway to cut a long story short - they are going to sell me 4m of their 'stone' colour for a really excellent price and the icing on the cake is, that they are suppliers for Mackintosh so I'll get my very own couture coat at a fraction of the price - what a scoop!

Here is the pattern I'm going to use:

I will make it so it's knee length and maybe take out some of the waist shaping so it's more tent like.  The only problem is when am I going to get time to make this thing!

2012...the end of the world....

Well I'm back after a good, long, rest.  It was a bit of a shock to have to get out of bed early again.........but I'm back and have made a good start to the new year.  Yesterday I finished nine girls dresses that I started last year and today I finished the drawings for my screen printed doll and ordered the screens!  The next bit is going to be really scary as I will now have to screen print my 30m of organic cotton fabric.  I. Am. Very. Nervous.  I am very excited though!  Here's what the final front side of the doll currently  looks like:

I will have to start work on the instructions next and get the fabric pre-washed before I print.  I also finished my first four recycled dolls over the holidays too and the next step with them is to get the after photos taken.  I need to take the pictures outside but the weather has been pretty awful.


I also got my hair cut this week and it is pretty short - I couldn't handle my wayward grey hair anymore.  I'd like to think I look like this now but I can only dream of being as gorgeous as Julie Christie:

It's going to be a big year if I believe my husband - as this year is the final year in the Mayan calendar big changes will be afoot.  Hopefully they are good changes.

Waste not, want not

So the photo above is of me, my mum and dad coming back on the ferry from a holiday on the Isle of Man in 1979.  One of the things I remember most about that holiday concerns an ironing board.  An ironing board!  On this holiday, my mum won an ironing board at the bingo.  Until that 'house' was shouted out, my mum didn't own an ironing board.  Until then, my mum had to improvise by using towels on the kitchen table.  Getting an ironing board was a pretty big deal in our house as we lived in a state of poverty that's not really seen anymore.  


Anyway, I inherited the bingo win ironing board in 1999 when my dad died.  It's an excellent ironing board mainly because it's relatively narrow.  I work in a small room and the ironing boards I see for sale today are so wide and long, I think I'd need to open the window just to get one up!  Also, I love the fact that my mum's 1979 ironing board has a piece of asbestos as an iron rest.  It's just a health and safety nightmare that wouldn't be allowed today.


So why am I going on about this 30 year old ironing board?  It broke.  It broke two days ago.  I thought I knocked it over but the rivets in the legs had broken at their ends and it's now it two pieces.  My mum who is staying with us at the moment said 'well I was here for it's beginning and I'm here at it's end.'  She has even offered to buy me a new one.  I haven't been able to do any sewing since - I just can't live without her.


But it's not over for the ironing board - Neil reckons he can fix it and you know what, I'm just ecstatic!  It's not just an ironing board.  For me it's a reminder of how spoilt I am now and how hard it must have been for my parents - they really had nothing.


So here's cheers to my old ironing board - I think I'll give her a new cover and see if we can't get another 32 years out of her.

UFOs

In sewing terms a UFO stands for 'Unfinished Object' and have one at the moment.  This is a particularly hard concept for me as I cannot bear to leave anything unfinished.  I guess it's an extension of my black and white personality.  So, what I have at the moment is a black wool, double breasted jacket that I started at the beginning of December.  The poor thing has been on my dress form, untouched for a couple of weeks now and last night I got myself into gear and now the jacket has one sleeve.  


What I've enjoyed most about this jacket is all the tailoring....apart from sewing the seams everything is hand stitched and the pad-stitching to create the curves on the collar and the lapels was such a joy to do.  Here she is at the moment:

The white stitching is basting to keep the roll of the lapels and collar in place.  

Here is the side view - there is a tiny pocket in the princess seam and I'm debating as to if it should have a welt over it.  I'm also considering hand topstitching too.  I did take photos of the pad stitching, but they're not very good quality:

The jacket is from a vintage pattern which shows the jacket fastening left over right which is the male version........I'm really pleased with it at the moment and need to make some shoulder pads next.

So, today was going to be after pictures for dollies but the light outside is too poor today.  Hopefully tomorrow it will be a bit brighter.

Do girls like skulls?

My mum is staying with us at the moment and rather than let her enjoy herself in the Highlands she's been put to work!  No, I wouldn't do that......she very kindly offered to knit some garments for my poor unwanted dollies.  My mum is an incredible knitter so how could I refuse!  This is what she has done so far......

There are two beautiful cardigans, a beret, scarf, bag and socks and I can't wait to get started on another Lost Doll so they can wear one of them.


We had another dusting of snow last night and everything is white and crunchy outside.  
The poor hens are staying in their run - they really don't like walking on ice and snow.

Maxine on the left and Barbara to the right

I spent most of yesterday working on my girly dresses.  I bought some pink and black skull fabric in Edinburgh this year and Neil was quite skeptical about it being used on dresses but I think I've convinced him.......here they are at the moment.  I'm still trying to perfect the construction technique and am messing about with a placket for buttons at the back, but I'm almost there.  I've got some beautiful pinstripe fabric that washes beautifully and I want to do some kind of 'suit and tie' dress.......that will be the next project.

Typical workroom scene - piles of fabric!

Tomorrow is getting my Lost Dolls ready for their after picture......hope it stays dry for the photographing.

Robber Dolls

Who would have thought that at forty something I would be spending the afternoon bathing dolls.  Not only that, but brushing their hair too!  These are my first four unwanted dolls who have received the 'Lost Doll' treatment.  Their outfits are ready to go so all I need to do now is give them a decent hair-do and then take their 'after' photos......

The stockings are used to hold their hair in place while it dries  - no hold ups here!!