Peach Patterns

Goodbye Wink Designs, Hello Peach Patterns....

There's been a bit of sneaky behind-the-scenes work going on around here.  

As you know if you've been following along here, I've always designed patterns with the aim of making clothes for my two amazing girls that will fit them well and that they'll be happy to wear.  Luckily that grew into a little business making patterns that a whole group of sewing friends and customers would love.  

But as my girls grow and their tastes change (along with my own) I feel the need to shake things up a bit with some new ideas and challenges.  And so, I'm a little sad (and a lot excited) to wave goodbye to "Wink Designs" and to announce the launch of my new adventure "Peach Patterns".

What "Peach Patterns" is all about: 

• A brand that's in line with the fresh simplicity of the patterns and one that actually incorporates the word "Patterns".

• A look that is minimal and modern but still pretty and with a little nod to retro style (which, after all, inspires an awful lot of childrens' sewing and pattern design).  

• More variety in the patterns (not just dresses!)  with some pants, shorts, tops and leggings (and a jacket perhaps?).

• Larger sizes.  So far, I've mainly stopped as Size 8 and will aim to offer more patterns up to Size 12.

• A range of quality patterns that you can trust, ones that are among the best of the best and that are supported by great tutorials, online support and inspiration that together help you get the best out of your patterns and sewing. 

• Above all, patterns that enable you to make great quality finished garments that your child will love, that you had fun sewing and will get that "Wow, did you really make that?" reaction.....

Wink Designs has had so many lovely customers who've given great reviews, feedback and encouragement.  I'll by no means be throwing out all their old favourite patterns.  They will still be there along with some great new styles. 

Thanks so much for all your support and please let me know what you think about the changes as you see them filtering through.  

The new look is now live here on etsy (come over, check it out - you can use the discount code below) AND stay tuned for a stand-alone website which is my current little work-in-progress.

 

P.S. You can still access the content on this blog for the time being but soon I'll be blogging via my new site at www.peachpatterns.com

 

After Easter, I'll be calling for testers for my first Peach Patterns release - a cool new lounge pants/ harem pants pattern.  I've been busily churning out wearable samples for my girls and they're loving them.  A good sign!  Keep an eye out if you're interested in signing up to test.....

Ruffle shoulder dress

What is this type of girls dress called?  It has a ruffle attachment on the bodice that runs over the shoulder from front to back.   I first thought "flutter sleeve dress" but the ruffle isn't really a sleeve - more of an embellishment.  I've settled on "ruffle shoulder dress" but am open to suggestions?

In any case, I first became really interested (a little obsessed, if truth be told) about recreating this design after seeing this amazing dress by Nellystella on Pinterest (images from Nellystella website):

Because Miss Wink is not attending a wedding anytime soon, I wanted to make a more user-friendly, everyday version minus the front pleating and the sash.

A sheer floaty fabric was needed to do the job so I chose two cotton voiles by IE boutique from my stash. I used a floral with magenta background for the outer dress and lined it with a coordinating cream fabric with small floral sprigs.  

(I bought these online but actually visited the bricks and mortar boutique on our trip to Paris last year and stocked up on another few prints - show and tell in another post to come!).

The dress back closes with 4 mother of pearl buttons:

This has been a bit of a work in progress over the past month. I did the pattern as I went along, having to add and subtract bits and pieces here and there and finally, I think, finding the right balance.

All in all I love the result of the design teamed with this fabric and it has gotten a big stamp of approval from its owner so I'm hoping to get some shots of it being modelled soon (They're getting way too clever and I have to bribe them these days......)

What next? A pattern perhaps? Maybe but I have two others in line so will keep it on the burner...... 

From Wink Designs: Wishing You A Very Merry Christmas

All the best to Wink Designs customers and readers for a wonderful Christmas and New Year.....

Liberty Print Ruffle-icious Skirt

Until now I'd never made a sample of my Ruffle-cious Skirt pattern in lawn.  An oversight on my part, of course, because its lightness and "gather-ability" makes it the perfect fabric for this design.  

As predicted this bright floral print tana lawn, hot off the cutting tables (!) from the recent visit to Liberty, was a breeze to sew up.

   

Two features of this skirt which I now always incorporate are:

1. The faux rolled hem (done with a regular sewing machine foot) as outlined in option no. 2 of Megan Nielsen's tutorial here.
2. The double row of elastic for the waist.  I do this for most of my elastic waisted patterns now because I think it gives a neater and more professional finish.  I posted about this method (which is simple and probably quite self-explanatory) previously here.

Also, I'm trying to remember to use more of my Wink Designs clothing labels for a nice finishing touch (and so the girls can work out which is the back......)

Wink Designs on Vacation

Our European trip starts tomorrow and I want to enjoy our time away without feeling the need to be constantly tied to a device.  So rather than trying to manage the shop on the go, I've reluctantly decided to put it on vacation mode for the next 6 weeks.

The good news is that you can still head over to one of these stockists, all which have the full range of Wink Designs patterns:

Pink Chalk Fabrics

Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops

Patterns Only

 

 

Thank you so much for your support of Wink Designs.  I'm looking forward to releasing the leggings and other knit basics patterns in the next few months (and I also have another few pattern ideas up my sleeve)....

Handmade Alice in Wonderland Costume for Book Week

Because she bears more than a passing resemblance to Alice, the little one decided she wanted a made-to-order Wonderland costume for her first ever Book Week at school.

I used the Wink Designs "Madeline Dress" pattern as the basis for the costume.  The "Madeline Dress" is sleeveless so I did a bit of mix and match on the pattern piecing and used the sleeve piece from another pattern - the "Simply Sweet Blouse" - to make a short puff sleeve.  Luckily, with a bit of gathering over the sleeve cap, it worked really well.

  

I drew up a simple pattern to create a tie-on apron and appliqued some playing card shapes onto the front.  A bit of frilly trim later and we were there!

Big sister went as the Mad Hatter but put her outfit together from bits and pieces in her wardrobe.  Was thankful for that as two handmade costumes probably would have pushed me over the edge! (Especially as I managed to lodge a pin in the metal plate of my sewing machine and had to finish the apron ties with fusible hemming tape.)

           

 

Wink Designs Patterns for Knit Fabrics: On the Drafting Table

Since starting to use Facebook, it's become all to easy to just post there and neglect to update the blog.  But Facebook in its wisdom, of course, shows posts only to the chosen few!  

So, here it is again for those who missed out, a sneak peek of some new Wink Designs patterns for stretch fabrics being road-tested in the 'hood! 

These are still in the drafting and testing (by me) phase before they go out to wider testing and I really need to knuckle down and get them finalised....

Watch this space!

"Simply Sweet Blouse" in floral and paisley blockprint fabrics

Blouses, I guess, are the perfect mid-season item and I really enjoyed sewing this one.  I haven't made the "Simply Sweet Tunic Top", for a while so it was fun getting back to it.  

One of my Top 10 sewing tutorials is this one from the Haby Goddess blog: I always refer back to it when sewing bias onto a project.  Catching the bias evenly on both sides can be hard and there are some excellent pointers in the tutorial on how to nail it.  It helps get the perfect finish on the neckline on this pattern.

The fabric is from an Aussie shop called Monsoon Weave.  The owner, Anna, was super-helpful and has amazing fabric in the kind of Indian prints I love.  I have to tell you that these are some of the softest and loveliest cottons I've sewn with.  

Because the fabrics are quite lightweight, I lined (or rather, double-layered) the yoke and the lower blouse but not the sleeves.  I wouldn't have done that for summer clothes as the weight is perfect for hot weather but I just wanted to add a bit extra for the cooler months.

While Cee Cee was shopping at Typo I picked up these great heart shaped pins. I probably need to rethink my fabric pinning method as I've bent or broken so many of my existing pins (not to mention the machine needle carnage!).

As usual I'll post some more photos after final fit and hemming!

Lace Sleeve Peasant Dress :: More photos

I finally managed to get some proper modelled photos for the Lace Sleeve Peasant Top Tutorial.

I had originally planned a top but was asked to make a dress.  A ruffle and some trim later and there you have it! (I've added these photos to the original post to complete it.)  Enjoy and don't forget to share if you make one of these!

 Styled with our favourite fluffy pom-pom hair tie:

It seems the warm weather is back for a little while at least, so there's still time to give the dress a proper whirl....

"Butterfly Breeze" Dress & workshop details

Have made lots of Butterfly Breeze tops, dresses and variations on the original pattern over the past few months.

I haven't blogged this one (which is actually a dress with ruffle) but am pinching a photo (below) taken by Melissa of the top half of the dress hanging on the studio wall during the last workshop I taught at Sew Make Create.  (Details of next week's workshop are here.)

The fabrics are beautiful soft cotton voiles ordered online from ie boutique in France.  Another dress made with ie boutique fabrics was blogged here.  The fabrics are perfection for childrens' clothes with delicate prints that are gorgeous and never gaudy.

As usual I've struggled to get a photo of the dress being modelled!  Weather, childrens' moods and a general lack of time all factor into the equation....You know how it is?