One More Crochet Bombay Love Newborn Jacket

I like the pattern for the Bombay Love Jacket so much, I made another one using more left over Cotton Fleece, this time in a periwinkle blue, trimmed with burgundy.

I found the cutest button for it. I know the button is a flower, and the baby will be a boy, but I just liked it so much!

I am going to sew little pants too. The fabric is simple  mostly burgundy red, with simple dark periwinkle, and subtle orange stripes.
I am a little behind on my sewing though. I had better get started on them!

A New Seamstress is Born

Little Miss SockPixie became a seamstress, and a dress designer yesterday! I am so proud of her. I gave her a little guidance on how to measure herself to size the simple rectangle of fabric that would be necessary to create her first dress, a simple sun dress.

She cut and pinned...

She worked, sewing the elastic thread, to create the stretchy gathered bustier...

She was so focused and determined...

And now she is so proud! Her first hand-sewn dress! She is ready to show it to all her girlscout friends this afternoon.

I have to say, I am impressed!  She now wants to make an identical dress for her older sister, Miss SockPixie, so they can wear them together this summer, when Miss SockPixie comes back from France to vacation with us. I am afraid, with another dressmaker in the house, the fabric stash is only going to grow!

I love my new dress!

I spent a few hours yesterday morning working on  my dress. I started by sketching the dress, measured myself, and came up with some dress measurements that would look OK now, and at the same time would allow me to grow. I decided the high waist would be elastic and so would the gathered neckline. The shape would be a gentle A-line.

Once the pieces were cut, the sewing was a breeze. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the mirror, liking the dress, relieved that I had not pulled a Lucy!

My favorite part of the dress is the top with its high gathered waist, the nicely fitted armhole, and the feminine gathered neckline.

I wore the dress last night when our friends came over. It made me very happy to wear it.

There might be some more sewing for me later on today, but first I must finish the little sweater I am working on for mini SockPixie.

knitting bag

knitting bag

beautiful bags

bag models

Focused!

This morning I was straightening by bedroom, which lately has been colonized by mountains of fabric, sewing machines, and yarn. As I was arranging the books on my bedside table, I had to smile.

The titles of the books sum me up: knitting, domesticity, handspinning, and obsession, all that topped with a little bit of knitting, a sock in progress for Mr. SockPixie! Pretty focused, wouldn't you say?

A New Dress for Betsy

I started my Sunday full of good intensions. I was determined to finish my knitting project, but with each stitch, I found myself thinking more and more about a new dress I could make for Betsy. After a few rows, I gave up, put the knitting away, and fetched the fabrics that had triggered my dress reverie.

I had a piece of black cotton cloth, a piece of black fabric with miniature cherries on it, a little piece of black lace, and a piece of black ribbon.

The resut, a black dress with a little cherry apron on top. Betsy is also sporting a new hair color for the occasion, a rich auburn brown!

I used the lace at the neck, at the shoulders and at the hem of the simple black dress.

I really like the simple black dress. Though black is not a very Betsy color, I like the fact that it seems to bring another side of her personality forward. Maybe she reminds me of the little French children dressed like miniature adults, looking so serious and spotlessly clean in the playgrounds of the Jardin du Ranelagh. She reminds me of Sophie, a girl whose imaginary adventures and misfortunes were told by the Comtesse de Segur.

I have been dreaming of creating a world for her, something French, and slightly old-fashioned, A world in which like Sophie, she would have a beautiful wax doll she would forget in the sun...

There I go again, off on another reverie!

Betsy Was Getting Jealous...

All this attention given to Barbie's new world made Betsy jealous! So, I made her some new pj's last night. She even got to spend the night in Barbie's new bedroom!

During my last visit to Winmill Fabrics Miss SockPixie spotted this wonderful tiny print fabric with stars, moons and sleepy suns. I found tiny lace at Windsor Button, as well as beautiful satin ribbon for the bows.

I know I have not posted much about spinning or knitting in the last few days, but I have been working on a design for a glamorous holiday top knit with Manos Silk Blend. I am hoping to be done with the knitting tomorrow, and will be taking pictures to show over the weekend.

For now, it's back to work on the dollhouse, a little bit of wallpapering, a coffee table and a dining table to make...

Sewing for my Betsy

A few months ago, I got a Tiny Betsy McCall doll for little Miss SockPixie. She fell in love with the doll and so did I... I resisted the urge to get a Betsy for myself for months. I rationalized that I did not need it, that I was too old to get a doll, that I had no time for another hobby... So finally last week I gave in, I bought my own Betsy.

I spent last night designing a little dress for her. It takes a little practice to sew for an 8" doll. I picked a lovely light weight polka dot fabric, and some light green ribbon to flatter her hair color. I started the sewing last night.

 I pleated the bodice, and added a lace trim to the bodice and the pettycoat. I finished it this afternoon at the Frog Pond while the children were playing. I used little bits of ribbon for the straps, and added a simple ribbon belt to highlight Betsy's petite waist.

On our way home, we stopped by Winmill Fabrics which is conveniently located close to the Frog Pond and picked up cute fabrics to make more dresses and a leopard print coat!

I am having so much fun!