Month: July 2010

More progress on the doll.

Painted doll

This little lady’s been on hold since April. I’ve been looking at some amazing dolls on the Art Dolls Only blog, and thought it was about time that I put a little bit of effort into this one.

I did have a plan for who she was going to be, but I’m thinking now that I might treat her more as a prototype. That way I don’t have to feel obliged to make her look like any one particular character – I can just make her up as I go along and see who comes out at the other end.

The “flesh” tone is very flat and orangey, and I’m not sure that I like the texture of the acrylic paint on the polycotton fabric. I have some peach coloured fabric that I want to use next time, so then I’ll only have to do shading rather than a complete body paint.

Next time you see this doll, hopefully she’ll have a face!

Butterick 5250

Butterick 5250

I started making these trousers back in March, when I started my new job. Then I decided I didn’t like them, and they went on The Pile. Last weekend I was going to a party, and I wanted to wear my Jeffery~West shoes, so I thought it was about time I finished off the trousers to go with them.

The trousers are Butterick 5250, view D, in a herringbone linen blend.

Now that I’ve made the sway-back adjustment, I really like them – although I did make them a little bit too small around the waist which is why the waistband’s gone wrinkly. I know it might look daft to be wearing trousers that sit so high on the waist, and there’s probably a “rule” somewhere that says short-waisted people shouldn’t wear high-waisted trousers. I say never mind the “rules”, they’re really comfortable, and I plan to make another pair. And a matching little bolero-type jacket to go with these.

I think the only thing I’d change about them is the pockets – they’re just not quite big enough. Also, whilst the trousers look nice enough with a fitted t-shirt, I think that what they really need is a shirt and tie to go with them. Maybe a bow tie. (Bow ties are cool.)

Young Designer – Mary Quant

Mary Quant - Butterick 5912

During the 1960s, the big pattern companies enlisted the help of the hottest young designers to bring the latest fashions to their catalogues. This is Butterick 5912, designed by Mary Quant, whose patterns were licensed by Butterick well into the 1970s. I have a sneaking suspicion that this design is about as old as me.

I’ve been on a mission to track down a copy of this pattern in a size that I could actually wear. Unfortunately it looks as though it was only manufactured up to a size 14. Sadly, because of the way clothing sizes have changed over the years, I haven’t got a hope of fitting into a 1970s size 14 dress pattern.

I suppose the thing to do now is to look for a modern pattern for a short princess-seamed dress, then re-draft the top so that I can add a collar. This one from New Look would probably do the trick.

Mind you, I should probably have a rummage through my own pattern collection first. There must be something suitable in there somewhere!

Kaylee Aine

Kaylee Aine

Another embroidery for a another friend’s daughter – born just two weeks ago.

This one’s very simple – a nice flowing chain stitch, on silk.

I found it harder to embroider on silk than cotton, because the fabric’s not as stable. Even if you try very hard to keep an even tension, the fabric still likes to move about as you work on it. I’m not sure I’ll try embroidery on silk again, but I’m still pleased with how this turned out.

The parcel should have arrived in Scotland by now, so I hope Kaylee’s parents like it!

Rochester Rafael

Jeffery~West have done it again.

I only went to their website to see whether there was anything left in the sale that was a) in my size and b) purple. (Sadly not, on both counts.) And then I thought I’d just have a little look to see whether there was anything new… which is when I saw these.

The boots above are their Rochester Rafael style which I know my bad-influence-friend Patrick has been coveting for ages. They’re black patent leather with red “blood splatters”.

And now there is an internet-only limited edition version of the Rochester Rafael, in ten glorious new colours! I have to confess to being extraordinarily tempted by a gold pair, or maybe the metallic red ones.

Top row: Gold leather, Sliced black & red leather, Black & silver leather, Black patent with white splatters, Black leather with faint red glitter.
Bottom row: Red crocodile-effect leather, Dark green leather, Red metallic leather, Dark blue leather, Metallic blue leather.
All available online from Jeffery~West.

Vintage Vogue

Vogue 2787

I think this is going to be my entry to the Vintage Vogue competition. I’m not 100% certain whether it’s finished, or whether the seams go on the inside or the outside. I’m going to wear it and live with it for a bit before I decide. I also need to take lots of photos, which I’ll send off for the competition.

I realise that this doesn’t look like a terribly spectacular dress, especially not for entering a competition. But what I wanted to do was to keep the 1940s detailing (the gathering and the curving seams on the front), but translate them into a dress that would be comfortable and wearable and modern. I also wanted to break a few rules.

The pattern envelope says that the design isn’t suitable for stretch fabrics, or stripes. So that decision was easily made! Stripey viscose jersey. I eliminated all the fastenings and facings, drafted out the darts, and chopped off a rather drastic twelve inches from the hem. The stripes are matched at the centre back and side seams, but they can’t be matched on the front (which is why the design’s considered not suitable for stripes). I decided that putting the seams on the outside would draw attention to the structure of the dress, and also make it less noticeable that the stripes don’t match up. But then I turned the dress “inside out”, so the seams are on the inside, and I rather liked it. I think I’d be happy to wear it either way around, so I’m calling it reversible.

I feel as though it looks a bit boring, now it’s done. I don’t think it says “competition winner”, anyway. But hey. I’ve got a nice new dress, and I think it’ll be lovely for work if I wear it over a pair of black trousers. There’s still a month or so before the competition ends. That should give me time to decide whether I’m going to enter this dress, or maybe make something else.

One fish, two fish…

A friend on Facebook alerted me to the fact that Converse currently have a Dr Seuss collection!

I’m terribly disappointed that the “One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish” designs are only available on kids’ shoes. I’d love a pair of these!

First Earlies

First Earlies

This is my entire crop of first early potatoes – a 14cm plant pot almost-full. Okay, so that’s not very many potatoes from four plants, but there were dozens more teeny-tiny ones clinging to the roots. Skycarrots reliably informs me that if I’d been better at watering them, the tiny potatoes would have been much bigger – which would have doubled my crop!

So, I’m trying to remember to water my main crop potatoes more often (not that they’ve needed any help this past couple of thundery days!), but I’m a bit worried about some yellow and brown patches on a few of the leaves. I’m not sure whether it’s the beginnings of blight, or whether the plants have just gone a bit crispy in the hot weather. I think I’d better get rid of the affected leaves, just in case. If it is blight, and it travels to my tomato plants, I’ll be very upset!

Stitched Self at the Science Museum

Stitched Selves

Here I am, in the Science Museum, with my Stitched Self!
Which, in fact, looks nothing like me. But a few months ago the resemblance would have been uncanny, I promise.

Just in case you can’t spot my Mini-Me, here’s a close-up:

Stitched Selves

I’m not sure what’s happened to my hair, or why my scarf’s all over my face like that, but never mind. Something I made has been exhibited in a museum in London! Even if it was for just one night.

If you want to see more pictures of all the Stitched Selves, Stitch London have written a great long blog about it. You can even see me in it a couple of times!

The last time I went to the Science Museum was in 2003 for a Lord of the Rings exhibition that turned out not to be very much fun. (Too many people, not enough space, very hot, lots of shoving. Yuk.) I didn’t really recall the rest of the museum, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The Who Am I exhibition was really interesting, and also great fun. There are lots of buttons to press and games to play, as well as some very thought-provoking exhibits.

I was rather excited to spot a Wheatstone concertina in the Making the Modern World exhibition, which I particularly enjoyed. The next time I’m in London I’d like to go back and see Glimpses of Medical History and The Science and Art of Medicine. I also need to find out what the steel wedding dress is all about, as I didn’t have time to go and look at the Challenge of Materials gallery. The only thing that worries me about that is the glass bridge across the main hall, which I don’t much like the sound of! I’m definitely making plans to go back though.

Living History

Civil War

A couple of weekends ago we went to see the Fairfax Battalion putting on a Civil War re-enactment at Mapledurham. As always, I took a bunch of photos.

We spent a long time chatting to the barber-surgeon, and I was surprised to find out about some of the more delicate operations that could be done at that time. (Paul took some photos of the surgical instruments.)

Civil War

When we got home, Paul immediately looked up how much it would cost to buy a match rifle. As you do. Aside from the pesky matter of needing a firearms license, I’m not totally convinced that the lure of a big gun outweighs the requirement to wear the silly trousers that go with it. We’ll see.

We’re planning to go to a few more re-enactment events over the summer. There’s a military history event at Reigate Hill and Gatton Park, a multi-period event at Broadlands, and a 1940s weekend at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. Hopefully Paul won’t come home from that one with a desperate urge to drive a tank!