Leaping into the deep end February 7, 2010

Master R & Lil C tussle over Dora

The time has come for this crafty mumma to Do or Die – we either have a go at this baby clothes shenanigan as a commercial enterprise, or we consign the sewing machine to the hobby pile.

I’ve been making original (and some pattern-based) outfits for Lil C, Master R, and their little baby friends for nearly two years now. My fabric stash is growing larger by the day, and my skills have evolved to a point where I’m ready to show them to the world. While everyone is always appreciative when they receive a Bloombub original as a gift, the ‘commission-based’ word of mouth business I’d been hoping for hasn’t eventuated. So, it’s time to whip up some samples, take some constructive feedback, and setup that Etsy store. If that goes well, I’ll knock on some online retailer doors and perhaps the boutiques in my corner of town. All of this in the hope that I can reduce to two days of ‘office time’ in my day job, and sew fulltime one or two days per week by the middle of the year.

STAGE ONE of my big adventure: Genuine market research.

Clockwise from top left: upcycled singlets, bloomers (boys and girls), swing top with ribbon straps, garden party dress, swing top with halter neck.

If you have a 3 month to 3 year old child, and would like to ‘test drive’ one of my prototype Bloombub outfits:

‘upcycled’ singlet + matching bloomers;
swing top + bloomers;
or Garden Party dress

drop me a line or leave a comment here with your childs’ size (000 to 3) and any colour preference and I’ll whip you up a sample by the end of the month. In return, I’ll ask you to fill in a quick survey about yours and your child’s experiences with the outfit, rough ballpark for how much you’d be willing to pay for this type of item, and any other relevant feedback you have about the Bloombub business ( you can email or post it back to me). If you LOVE your outfit, please tell all your pals about my new venture and where to find me!

Wish me luck!

Baby boom January 17, 2010

I seem to be surrounded by friends with babies – pending or recently arrived – so the fabric, wool and creative juices are flowing with speed.

I’m also eagerly awaiting my first overlocking lesson this week, so I can finish off a dress for myself, a nightdress for the teenager, and hem a new prototype pinafore dress I fashioned up from three different pattern pieces joined together (it actually works – not looking wonky at all!).

More Origami singlets are also in the works – I found another goldfish today, and have to re-locate the turtle for a non-gender-specific baby due in a few weeks.. turtles are unisex, right? I also found a sweet butterfly and love heart origami pattern, and completely fluked a crochet sausage dog while trying to make a crochet goldfish.. clearly I had tension issues…. it’s cute nonetheless.

Lil C is also about to move into her own bedroom … hoorah! After nearly 20 months sharing with us, we are all well and truly ready for our own rooms. I have this fabric waiting for some bedroom decoration – I can’t decide whether to do cushions or a wall tile – and I want to re-use Claire’s old swaddling wraps to make a summer weight quilt. So much to do! Just as well I’m on holidays for two weeks!

New adventures January 5, 2010

I’ve had the sudden urge to crochet again, and the beneficiary of my handiwork will be baby Eva, who was born just last week.

I’ve fashioned my own original sunflower pattern, a balloon, and am working on a butterfly (actually, it’s doing my head in), and they’re all bound for a new range of embellished singlets and tshirts I think.

I’m also formulating a little plan for a range of Origami singlets or t-shirts. Here’s a little fish I’ve pinned together out of a quilting square…. I think a button eye and some embroidered fins on the belly should make it fairly easily recognisable?

I must dig out the kids origami instruction books and make some more animals as test runs. I’ve had a go at a turtle, and would like to do a bird. Most origami flower patterns I’ve found are quite 3d and bulky, so not really workable in fabric or for applique. If you find any ‘flat’ patterns feel free to send them my way. I’m also happy to prototype something for your munchkin if there’s a particular animal they adore.

More! December 30, 2009

I knew I had accomplished more in the last three months!

The Aqua playsuit was made from a bloomers pattern, then I free-styled the top from the leftover materials, which, for the most  part, were actually in the right shape. I had some gorgeous grosgrain ribbon lying around begging for a project, so it became the straps, which do up with buttons on the back so I can move them as Lil C gets taller. Next time, I’ll cut the top in more of a ‘A’ line, as it gapes a little in the back, but overall, it’s a really cool, breezy little outfit, that used only 1/2 a metre of fabric in total!

The Tulip skirt is the bottom half of the Tuxedo dress pattern (I’m already becoming a pattern hacker), with a waistband added. I really should have put a button closure on the waist, as it proved quite difficult to get over a toddler’s broad shoulders, but again, as a prototype, it’s quite cool and breezy, and she looks very sweet in it.

The spotty top is a rescue job – my first attempt at machine shirring – how easy it that! I had cut the dress/tunic pattern way too wide, and thought it would sit unworn for years, until I found an online tutorial for how to sew with elastic. By adding the elastic around the chest area, it cinches the top in and holds it tight and makes a lovely swishy skirt all in one!

A Sailor came to see, see, see December 30, 2009

And here is version 1 and 2 of the Oliver + S sailor pants/skirt experiment – which have both been deemed too small or short for rotund Little C. I think they will have to passed on to petite little friends (hands up if you want them). On reflection though, I think the pattern may not be designed to accommodate toddlers still wearing nappies.

A third attempt will be made for my nephew Master R, in the size 2 pattern; and if his are successful we’ll crack open the last of the apple fabric to make a size two skirt for Little C (who is clearly not as little as I thought).

What have I been up to? December 28, 2009

Where has the year gone? Three months since my last post.

While I feel like I’ve done quite a bit of sewing, when I went to photograph my handiwork, there wasn’t much to show… maybe I have lots of half finished projects somewhere? (there’s certainly a dress half done next to the machine.. but I’m waiting to crack open my NEW overlocker before finishing that one).

So here’s the top half of Miss C’s Christmas Fairy outfit… the bottom half has a mesh skirt over festive stripey bloomers, but she messes up the skirt on the first wear and it’s been deemed to ratty to photograph.

And here’s the lovely frock we wore to our Playgroup Melbourne Cup festivities… matching fascinator was worn for about…mm.. 3 seconds before being thrown on the floor. (Mummy wore her French kisses dress too!)

Soon : my experiments with the Oliver + S sailor pants/skirt pattern… an exercise in flexible sizing!

Tuxedo Dress September 5, 2009

Here is Lil’ C in her new Tuxedo Party dress – bring on the birthdays we say!

Mesmerised by the Night Garden

A most productive week August 24, 2009

For some reason this week I’ve been on a roll – three pairs of bloomers and the finishing touches to a new prototype trapeze dress that has been lying around for about two weeks waiting for some buttons and slip stitching to it’s lining. It still needs some satin or grosgrain ribbon around them hem – I’m waiting for my trip to the Gardams sale to stock up.

Pearly buttons on a pink & chocolate prototype

The red and white bloomers are a special order for a Birthday Girl, Miss A. Her wardrobe is strictly colour coordinated, so red, white, black or pink were our only options! Hopefully spots and hearts won’t be too loud.

Spots and hearts with lacy ruffle trimmings

It is third timelucky with these new summery shorts – using more of the fabric leftover from Lil C’s birthday frock. (I don’t think we’ll be wearing them together though)

Spring flowers and red ribbons

They’re still a little big around the leg, but a vast improvement on the blue ladybug test case, and the shiny black pair with pinstripe borders that haven’t even been finished because I botched them so royally. One day I’ll unpick them…..

Next up: more shorts, finishing the tiered skirt, and a photo of Lil C’s party dress for Miss A’s celebrations next weekend.

Roomy PJs July 14, 2009

Counting Sheep pajamas

I bought this cute sheep flannel when Lil C was way to small to be contemplating proper pajamas – goodness knows what I thought I might do with it. Anyway, of course, now that we’re experiencing pajama crises every week due to the whole self-feeding phenomenon, I didn’t have enough flannel to make the whole set – we had to mix and match and put all sorts of seams where we shouldn’t have. But I did manage to line the back panel and the bottom-most wrap at the front, it’s at least nice and cosy, even it it’s a bit wonky. And the bulky nappy means my adjustments to make the pajama shorts into a size 1 from a 9-12month pattern weren’t so successful (can babies wear low-rise pajamas?). Ah well, first try. We’ll get it right next time. I have some blue puppy dog flannel still sitting there waiting for some good use.

Recent works July 14, 2009

I keep making little outfits for birthday girls and boys, and forgetting to take photos before they get wrapped up for my brag blog! So here’s two recent outfits that haven’t been worn yet (mainly because the dress is a size two, and the overalls look a bit too meagre for this cold weather).

Grey bib-front winter dress

The bib-front grey dress is from leftovers – a dress made by the big sister, and some long-abandoned wideleg pants form mum that never quite sat right, so were never finished. I actually based the dress on a pattern for an a-line jacket, so maybe that’s why it seems a little big.

 
The overalls are more leftovers – some great jacaranda bloom fabric from the Gardams remnant bin – my favourite place… Instead of snap studs on the straps, I put a short zipper in the back, so it was easier to get on a wriggly toddler. It’s so cute – let’s hope a long sleeve shirts and some socks keep the winter chills away on our trip to town today.

Spring blooms!

Craft in progress July 14, 2009

This little sparkly tunic is looking a bit 80s shoulder pad at the moment, hopefully it will modern up a bit when it’s all put together…

Mystery project

Oriental folk diva May 31, 2009

A cute little kimono style top, adapted from an Amy Butler pattern. Yellow checks and red-rose trim on soft white cotton give it a folky charm. And the cheesy grin helps too!

Non-matching shorts complete the lounge lizard look.

Birthday blooms May 31, 2009

Some bright blooms for a girl who turned 1, and some croc hunter khakis for a groovy boy.

Rat-a-tat Hat February 21, 2009

A hat stays on the head!

Here’s the shabby chic patchwork hat, which, true to form is too big for Miss C’s head. I can’t win with these patterns – I cut it smaller than the measurements indicated, and it still falls over her eyes. Oh well. The corduroy brim should be nice and snug during winter, while the cotton top won’t make her little head too hot.

 

Corduroy brim with pink detail stitching

Patchwork bucket hat

Icing on the cupcake February 10, 2009

The cupcake skirt has been a success.

Swirly Cupcake a-line

Yummy gingham and swirls

I adapted a pattern linked from the lovely Nerida’s blog, Craftjuice, and I think it looks gorgeous. Babies with full skirts and chubby legs are just too cute. The lemon gingham looks fabulous with just the right shade of hot-pink swirl trim. I find the best cotton prints are hiding in the quilting section (although I’ve been having a wonderful time digging through the remnant bin at Gardams of late too.. see projects below). I still have a bit of cupcake fabric leftover, so maybe a matching swing top or perhaps even a little sunhat might be in order. The pink patchwork hat is cut up and ready to go, but the heat is just too much to be slaving over a hot machine in a stifling room. Bring on autumn, I say.