Wink Designs

A tunic top for me

I made this top a little while back (in "summer"!) but haven't had a chance to post it.  I was aiming for a basic loose-fitting tunic design with a (modified) bat-wing look.  

I didn't use a pattern but simply cut 2 rectangles of fabric and took it from there with some shaping for the shoulders and v-neckline. I added a drawstring belt by using a large bias maker to make the casing and a smaller one to make the drawstring.

          

I knew that to get the effect I wanted I needed a silky, drapey fabric.  Enter this fabulous rayon/cotton mix from Tessuti.  It was exactly the right thing for the job.  I don't think a heavier cotton would have worked as well.

I'm quite happy with this little number and hope to make some more based on this style.  (I think it would work equally well lengthened to a dress.)

Take care and hope you are having a happy week! Marina xx

Simplicity 2599 top & ruffle skirt

I posted a while ago about the patterns I was using to sew things for myself this summer. Here are some pictures of the Simplicity 2599 top and the ruffle skirt.

                     

As you can see, I made the top without the ruffles or neckline detail that come as an option with the pattern.  I think the gorgeous Nani Iro gauze print speaks for itself and needs no further embellishment.

The skirt is made in a Kaffe Fassett shot cotton.  It's my own design and is based on the ruffle skirt for girls pattern.  Instead of three tiers, it has an extended a-line piece with two ruffles at the hem.

OK, now if only the weather gods would roll out the hot days so we can actually wear our summer clothes....?!

Saturday afternoon, garden games....

Here are the girls enjoying a sunny Saturday afternoon in the garden, skipping and having egg & spoon races.  It seems the hot weather has arrived just when the holidays are at a close....

Miss Wink is insisting on dresses only at the moment and, if possible, in her preferred colour of pink.  So I'm going through the stash to see what's lurking in there that fits the brief.  Not a lot, I'm afraid.  This Heather Bailey print got the thumbs up, though.

Cee Cee is wearing a ruffle skirt made to this pattern.  I hemmed the ruffles instead of leaving the edges raw as I think it suits the fabric better.

And if the dress is not enough, you can always finish off the outfit with some hot pink sandals....

Cap sleeved dress

A little design that's on the back burner is this cap sleeved top/dress.  The pattern needs a bit of tweaking but this one in a lovely dot print by Brandon Mably (partner of Kaffe Fassett) is cute enough to get a showing:

Of course, there's nothing like a spot of twirling on a sunny summer afternoon.

                 

Merry Christmas

Signing out until the New Year.

Hope you and yours have a happy festive season.

See you soon.

Baby quilt WIP :: Jungle stripe

I'm making a little cot quilt/ playmat for a fundraiser at Miss Wink's Pre-school.  Well, that's the plan at this stage.  We'll see how it turns out.....

Having about 2 quilt tops and zero finished quilts to my name I am perhaps being a bit ambitious that someone might actually want to buy this but I'm on a quest to de-stash/use-up my baby prints and sewing this fits into the plan!

I saw a tutorial on making an unbound quilt over at Rita's blog, Red Pepper Quilts, a few weeks back.  Bingo! The whole binding-less thing is right up my alley so that's the way I'm going here.

I'm preparing the little patch with my shop tag for the back of the quilt.  Will post more pics on completion....

In search of the perfect peasant top....

As always, I've got a few patterns on the drawing board.  One I've been working away on in the background has been a peasant top and dress pattern.

OK, now I know the world probably doesn't need another childrens' peasant top pattern: there are heaps of patterns and tutes already out there....  But I've never really found one that I absolutely love and, sucker for punishment that I am, I set about drafting my own.

With several rolls of scrunched up drafting paper and many discarded not-quite-right sewn up samples in my wake, I think I've finally cracked it.

What I wanted was just the right amount of flutter in the sleeve, just the right amount of fullness in the body and a front and back neckline that don't gape.

The chocolate brown one with the daisies is made from a Josephine Kimberling "Just Dandy" print (currently on sale here) and the white with black spot and roses is from the Lecien "Fabulous Blooming" collection.  Both girls wanted the Lecien print but now they're both made up, Cee Cee is happy with the daisies.  Sorted!

I've got a couple of ideas for embellishments: pockets, trim and ribbons that still need to be added but these can be worn as is.

With the superb weather we're having at the moment lots more Spring sewing is on the agenda.

Sweet home

Just continuing my little experimentations with Photoshop.  This time rotating the image on canvas and using the text tool.  Fun and games!

The fabric is "Grandmother's Flower Garden" by Rosalie Quinlan teamed with some pink gingham and crochet lace with a little house motif.  They are destined to be a become a pillow case (another stash-busting idea....)

Hello to new visitors who've landed via Pink Chalk and thanks to Kathy for featuring me in the latest ChalkTalk newsletter!

Sneezy

It was great to catch up with the ladies of the craftroom recently for a fun Sunday Craft Day.  As usual, lots of lovely projects were being worked on to admire and inspire.

My (modest) achievement on the day was to cut the rectangles to make 20 of these little pocket tissue holders: all are bound for the handmade stall at our school's upcoming Spring Fair.

I'm hoping they'll be the perfect gift for Spring and the associated hayfever season.

I have a lots of these cute, novelty prints but my girls are fast growing out of the stage where they'll want things made from them so it's good to get stuck into little stash-busting projects like this every now and then.

A happy Monday to all!

Wordless Wednesday: There's a bear in there....

More Wordless Wednesdays are here.