Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Elsie Marley Kids Clothes Week Challenge - Day 1 & 2

I'm playing along with the Elsie Marley Kids Clothes Week Challenge this week.It hasn't got off to a great start. My overlocker and I are NOT on speaking terms and the bulb has gone in my sewing machine so night time sewing is definately out. Yesterday was a pretty crazy day but I managed to get some pattern tracing and fabric cutting done. This wasn't as plain sailing as it should have been. I put a dvd on to entertain Eloise while I did it but she was far more interested in 'helping' me which involved some close calls with the scissors (hence why I've got a photo of completely useless kids scissors in the photograph) and an incident with a permanent marker which she helped herself too when I was concentrating on tracing lines. I definately can't complain that she is taking an interest in sewing though!

I use paper lunch wrap to trace my patterns as it's cheap and there's lots of it.

As soon as I dropped Eloise off at kindy today, I ran to my sewing room to get stuck in (those 2 1/2 hours go ridiculously quickly!). I had started a merino top on Friday so I got that finished (with only a small amount of swearing). The merino tears REALLY easily and the leggings I made for E last week are already pilled so I'm pretty disappointed with the stuff but at least it will keep her warm.


When I was looking for more knit fabric to use for tops and tunics that I wanted to make, I found a tunic that I had cut out for Eloise last winter and never sewed. How bad is that? Of course it no longer fits her (it's a size 2) so I will be listing it in my Felt shop. I'll show you the finished tunic tomorrow when I've added the finishing touches. It's going to look way cuter than this, trust me!


The top was made using New Look 6639 and the tunic dress is from Butterick 3316. I love the latter pattern and must have made tops and dresses from it about 10 times. It says Quick and Easy on the front which is always a bonus for me! It's unfortunately out of print now but you might find it on Trade Me or Ebay if you are interested.

Pop along to the Elsie Marley Flickr group to see what the others who are playing have been making.

8 comments:

Strickbombe said...

paper lunch wrap! of course! why didn't i think of that? thanks sarah!

Seaside Siblings said...

lunch wrap-genius! Love the tops

Jacqui said...

Oddly enough, I spent quite a long time looking up tracing paper and tissue paper online last night out of frustration from having to tape together a gazillion sheets of A3 paper to get big enough pieces when right behind me in the kitchen drawer was a roll of lunch paper! D'oh! Does this mean that I can't buy the expensive Swedish Tracing paper I have my eye on though?

Cotton Kiwi said...

LOL. If the Swedish Tracing Paper does it for you then you should definately buy it! The lunch paper only really works for kids clothes unfortunately as otherwise you are doing the whole taping together thing (which really pushes the boundaries of how much you want to make something in my experience!)

Steph said...

Isn't it always the way! When you have oodles of sewing to do, your machine packs it in. Mine is sewing on its own...without me even pressing the foot..scary stuff!! Your little tops look wonderful...shame about the merino. Good luck with the rest of your week's sewing adventures :)

Sally said...

Some great tops there. How awful that you're not speaking to your overlocker and the bulb is gone in the sewing machine. Awful. Awful. Awful.

Chicken Willow said...

Your helper sounds a lot like mine! Great idea using lunch wrap.

nz green buttons said...

shame about the merino, the stuff that I bought from Designer Textiles in sth Auckland hasn't shown any signs of pilling. It was $16 per m and 100% merino,I made pants for Eloise and
I'm surprised how well they are holding up after much wear at preschool. Oh no sewing machine drama's are my worst fear!

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