Thursday 26 January 2017

Two unicolored yoga bags

Recently I got the demand for a simple yoga-mat-bag like this one, that I made last year and since I made several alike - all with floral fabrics. 
Now, the demand was a unicolored bag in blue! My first thought was: "Boring! A unicolored bag, you can also buy in shops, you don't need to buy a handmade one." But then I started thinking, and unicolored doesn't mean that I can't use different colors, only the fabrics need to be blue and from one color. See the result:
I love it. Maybe I should start yoga to have a bag like this for myself!  :-)

I liked it so much, that I made directly a second one - this time in pink to blackberry colors. 
Anybody want's to have it? 

A bientôt,
Jane

Friday 20 January 2017

Transparent owl pouch

Today I executed the good idea I had when writing the previous post, to upgrade the most simple pouch:
 :-)

A bientôt,
Jane

Wednesday 18 January 2017

Transparent pouches

Inspired or infected via pinterest, I started a new "product line": Transparent pouches!
After seeing enough different examples I went to the fabric store and bought two different transparent foils. One has been very thick and I tried that one first.
I really liked the result! The foil was easy to sew, but very hard to turn. But being stiff, it holds the pouch bold, even when there is nothing inside. And even being that stiff, you didn't see any traces of the effort of turning!
I thought it could be easier to turn, when the zip is on top and tried it that way - but no! I had a thinking error, and had to add a seam on the bottom and not only on the sides like for the first one. It had been impossible to form the corners nicely, because of the thickness of the material. I gave it my son for an overnight stay at his friend.
Next try with the thin foil that has decorative dots on it. Easy to turn, but it keeps marks from the turning :-(
So back to the thick material! 
I made a very simple pouch using bias tape for around (means no turning) and press buttons (so no fiddling with the zipper and ironing). It's okay, but not as charming as the others. Probably because the fabric is missing.
(maybe I add a pecker between the two buttons - could be funny for kids!)
I also tried out a tutorial to make a foldable pouch, but it didn't convinced me neither. I found a third typ of foil, but it's not as stable as the others. The pouch is closed by velcro and it's very hard to open the two compartments.
So still the first one is my favourite, even when hard to turn over. My sewing friends, with which I meet every once in a while to sew little projects together, liked also the first one best. So monday, we made some together.
I disliked for my pouch, that the seam allowance from the fabric is visible and not clean inside:
So I proposed to my friends to add a bias tape and it's a much more tidy finish:
I have still material left, so I will make some more and will also try out a bigger transparent bag. I will let you know how that turns out!

A bientôt,
Jane

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Dolls wardrobe

Before Christmas a friend asked me if I could sew some clothes for the new doll of her daughter, as she found the clothes you can buy for those dolls are horrendous expensive and often not very pretty.
Being a mom of boys, this has been a challenging project that "naturally" I would have never attacked. But it had been so much fun! I made 6 out-fits for the poor doll waiting in her underwear in a box. 

My first idea was to search the internet for some dolls clothes patterns. But can you believe it, even the internet is full of pattern, I couldn't find any for this special doll. The patterns I could find for dolls in that height and of that producer are either too large (baby doll) or too skinny (mannequins). This doll seems to be an intermediate. I don't want to make advertising, but the doll I dressed is a corolle vanille 36cm and I will share the patterns I made for her later down!

Of course it needed some tests and therefore the first out-fit isn't perfect. It is an elegant black trousers and a rose blouse. The blouse fit's well, but the trousers are quite large.

Next I made a pyjama. For the top it's the same pattern as for the blouse and made in jersey. It fit's just perfect. The trouser is a little narrower than the black trouser, but still a bit bulky, what's okay for a pyjama pant. 
I love that outfit. Want to have a pyjama like that as well. Looks cozy!

The next try for a fitting trouser is in the winter out-fit for pretty Vanilla (I called her that name, as she has been stinking of artificial vanilla, when I released her first from her box. It got better the longer she stayed in my sewing room)
Those pink corduroy trousers are perfect. The pullover is made of sweat and with the same pattern as the blouse and the pyjama. To go out when it's cold, she got a vest from cotton fur and a head band. I hope she got shoes for Christmas, as her toes are looking cold :-) 

All three patterns you can download below in english or french. I am happy if you try them and leave me a comment how you liked it, thanks! 
Vous pouvez télécharger les patrons en anglais ou français en bas. Merci pour me laisser un commentaire quand vous avez les testée pour je sais comment ça marche pour des autres!


patron pantalon (français)
pattern trousers (english)
This pattern has no seam allowance included, because otherwise it wouldn't fit to the page ;-) If you want to have the trousers larger, like for the pyjama pant, cut the paper pattern vertically in the middle and add a stripe of 2cm!

patron gilet (français)
pattern vest (english)

If you do the shirt in jersey or sweat (what I preferred) you don't need to add the seam allowances au collar or for the hems. As it don't fray out you don't need to bother fiddling around to sew tiny hems everywhere. I just went over the edges with the overlock machine, but you can also leave them blank.
All shirts and blouses (and dresses) are open on the backside and can be closed by very small velcro strips. 

Of cause this hasn't been all. I made one more out-fit with trouser. A jeans-all-day-out-fit! I forgot to add the seam allowance for the trousers, so the jeans are quite slim fit and hard to put on. The t-shirt is made again with the shirt pattern, but shorter sleeves. 

I also made two dresses. A ball gown I made of an old dress of the girl that got the doll for Christmas. (I don't have a stock of glittery fabrics!) I tell you that one had been the only nightmare of the projekt. The fabric slid in all directions and you better don't look inside for the seams! Also the sleeves aren't nice at all. I just hope that little girls don't mind the inside if the outside is glittering.

As I am not at all happy with the pattern, I won't give it to you. And also the next dress isn't jet perfect. It's a beach dress and I also made a little bag that contains a towel.
For once the bare feet are appropriate :-)

For me, sewing for this doll had been like vacation from my usual projects and I enjoyed it a lot!

I hope some might find the patterns useful! Have fun sewing!
J'espère que il y a quelques-unes qui trouve mes patrons utilisable! Amusez-vous bien!

A bientôt,
Jane

linked at: made4girls

Thursday 5 January 2017

Three trousers for 2017

A happy new year to everyone!
May it be happy and healthy and creative for you!
May the world become more peaceful and people helping each other in difficult times!

I wanted to start this blog-year with something pretty, but I have nothing nice to show! So this is what I started my crafting year with!
Three trousers - all very much needed: A new pyjama pant for me (those I made 2 years ago for me are worn off by now), a jogging trouser for son A and a corduroy trouser for son B!
When taking a picture of the corduroy trousers, I remembered that I still had photos of a similar pair that I made last year and never showed here. What do you say: I made them last year in January too and it's the same pattern (only one size larger this time), the same fabric, for the same son and he still wears striped blue shirts with it :-)
2016:
2017: 
I used my usual pattern for jogging pants, because my kids love to wear them, but I don't like to see them all the time in sweat. I added pockets in front and back and this year even a fake zipper cover.

I also sewed a bonnet (from the scraps of the jogging pant) and after a year or so thinking about it, I finally made curtains for the window in our office. While doing those, son B wanted to try my machine and I let him zig-zag the borders. He got immediately fixed and wanted to sew more and more, so we started kind of sewing lessons! So fun!
We had to put the pedal onto a box, because his legs are not jet long enough (even when I think they are endless, because he needs new trousers all the time!)

I hope all your good wishes may come true!
Bonne annee 2017!
Jane