Kitcat modelling her christmas reindeer printed cotton jersey nightie in the shop. Made by Jane, it has raglan sleeves and jersey binding around the neck. Everything was sewn on the overlocker apart from the hems and the binding. Made using Butterick 5129 (now discontinued but you can sometimes find them)
Miaow wearing her Christmas tree printed cotton jersey nightie in the shop. Made by Jane, it has raglan sleeves and jersey binding around the neck. Everything was sewn on the overlocker apart from the hems and the binding. Made using Butterick 5129 (now discontinued but you can sometimes find them)
Sol here again proudly wearing his cloud print cotton and elastane single jersey pyjamas made by mum, Pauline. Finished with 1″ Elastic on the waist and a smile
Pauline made this bow tie out of gold twill silk for her son (Magnus) to match his father’s at a wedding.
Altogether now! Awwwwwwwww!
Frances made this dress for her grand-daughter to go to the school Oscar awards. It’s an easy pull on dress using McCall’s Pattern 7079 and made with a t-shirt weight cotton and elastane single jersey.
It’s a good idea to stay the shoulder seams with a bit of tape on t-shirts and dresses, you can use a seam tape, iron on a bit of stabilising interfacing or even sew in a bit of the jersey selvedge (if it is stable enough).
Jane and Elwen made this sooo sweeet fur coat using Burda 9501 pattern, They lined it in bunny rabbit print quilting cotton and used toning toggle buttons. There is no interfacing -not even on the button holes which Jane insists is fine and they didn’t need it. She can break the rules because she has been sewing for about a thousand years.
Kitcat and Miaow all ready for school wearing their blouses made by Jane and Elwen in dobby weave cotton voile. The pattern is Burda 9417, there was an awful lot of ‘awwwwww! soooo sweeeeeeet!’ coming from the sewing room when they were making these, especially those cute little puff sleeves.
Kitcat has little black and white layered buttons and Miaow has hearts. The shorts are made with green and white gingham cotton and trimmed with daisy trim.
Jenny made her grandson Owen this fab tractor print fleece jacket using the Burda pattern 9425. Being as Owen thinks Tractors are the best thing since sliced bread we think this has made her No1 Granny.
All together now: Awwwwwwwww!
This gorgeous little girl is modelling a bouclé wool coat made by Anna Ash, you can find her HERE (she makes them to sell so if you don’t feel up to it drop her a line).
Bouclé wool is brilliant for coats as the loops make it light and airy, and keep the warmth in. You can find more HERE
Malin made up this Pink aztec printed cotton lawn kaftan for her daughter to go to Morocco, with rick rack trim and ribbon ties.
I want one!
You can find other cotton lawns HERE
Gracie wearing her pink giraffe print circular skirt made by Lizzy, with yellow lining and fuchsia pink netting.
This was the first (clothing) sewing project Lizzy had done for years, she was really happy with the results (and Gracie loves it too). She overlocked both the skirt hem and the raggedy hem of the lining.
All you need for this skirt is:
Giraffe print cotton by Tina Givens (or any other quilting weight cotton)
Lining; a soft one such as Venezia,
Dress net; we have these in lots of colours but most are not online yet. Just ask us for what you would like,
Elastic,
Thread.
You can buy circular skirt patterns but it is just as easy to make your own, There’s a great calculator to do the Maths for you on By Hand
Kitcat and Miaow wearing their white cotton dobby flower girl dresses. (They were so excited about being flower girls I thought they might pop).
The necks were too wide (the joy of making clothes for girls who live 200 miles away) so Jane made little tucks sewn down with french knots (so not a mistake, a happy accident!), she also used the same french knots to hold up the hems.
Pattern: Simplicity 5226 (but without the buttons down the front)
Cotton dobby lawn, like these HERE
They were lined in Riviera cotton lawn
Mia-moo wearing the giraffe printed circular skirt using #5102 -a quilting weight cotton– made by Jane (making the pattern AND making it took less than an hour). She has a frou frou net skirt to go under here when she’s feeling more frou-frou.
You need to remember your school geometry lessons to make a circular skirt without a pattern. It’s that moment you realise your grotty teenage self was wrong when they said they’d never need to know this pi-R-squared rubbish.
Kitcat wearing her Lime Green cotton seersucker playsuit using McCall’s pattern M6733.
Kitcat is a proper little squinge so we found the straps too long, but found if we crossed them over at the back they fitted just perfect. It’s not bodging, honest.
You can find some more cotton seersuckers HERE
Mia-moo wearing the unicycle printed quilting weight cotton dress made by Jane (Granny). This dress has sweet darts on the hem that pull it in.
Fabric: Quilting weight cotton by Tina Givens #5101
Pattern: Burda 9544
Car print raglan sleeve T-shirt made by Bess for Lulu.
Fabric: 4983 Cotton jersey with 8% Elastane
Adjusted from Burda pattern 6990
Because the fabric is soooooo wide Bess managed to not only get this top but also a knee length a-line skirt for Lulu, and a little tiny skirt for her daughter, Mia-moo, all out of 1.4mts.
Altogether now, Awwwwwwwwwww!
Denim dresses (Butterick B5876) made using medium weight denim with appliqued glow in the dark eyes (LOVE LOVE LOVE this glow in the dark fabric). Made by Bess for her 4 and 6 year old nieces.
Used bondaweb to fix the appliques (then machined round with a small stitch). The skirt is lined and faced with a poly spotty satin.
The pattern was supposed to have patch pockets (view C) but Bess put them in the dropped waist seam instead. (didn’t want packets distracting from the pussycat).
Sooooooooo CUTE.
Miaow (age 4; not staying still for the camera) wearing her reversible wrap dress made using Liberty Lantana (80% Wool 20% Cotton) animals in the forest print with a spotty cotton lawn on reverse. Made by Bess.
Kitcat and Miaow wearing their heart quilted dresses with chiffon wings. All made by Bess
Fabrics and Notions:
Kitcat: (sugar plum fairy)
Pink heart quilted polyester #3330
Pink polyester georgette #3104 (wings)
Pale pink nylon tulle (underskirt)
Dusky pink grey nylon tulle (underskirt)
White satin (lining)
Pale pink satin elastic (to attach wings to wrists)
Pale pink bias binding
Miaow: (water baby)
Cream heart quilted polyester #3380
Cream polyester georgette (wings)
Pale green nylon net (underskirt)
Pale grey nylon net (underskirt)
Ivory nylon tulle (underskirt)
White satin (lining)
Ivory satin elastic (to attach wings to wrists)
Pale green bias binding
Patterns: Made up. Circular skirt plus a basic block bodice.
Lesson learned: back openings have to go beyond the waist – I thought as the waist was elasticated slightly that there would be enough give to get in and out, but it is a right palaver! Now all have to be unpicked (dammit) and bodged altered.
Kitcat and Miaow at Chatsworth house wearing their matching red velour and pink spotty soft net dresses, with yeti fur waistcoats. Made by Jane.
Fabrics and Notions:
Dresses:
Red stretch velour.
Pink and Orange spotty print soft dress net.
Pink, orange and red dress net.
Cotton voile (lining).
Spotty Bias Binding.
Red Satin Ribbon (Sash).
Waistcoats:
Off-white Yeti fur
Cream brushed cotton (lining)
Pompoms made with wool.
Waistcoats made due to a nostalgic memory of Bess wearing hers as a little girl (also made by Jane)
Jack wearing his digger print fleece jacket made by our Saturday girl, Elwen (slightly on the big side, but Elwen says that is growing room)
Fabrics and Notions:
Polyester non-pill fleece with digger print
Red chunky open end zip
Pattern: McCall’s M4964
Kitcat and Miaow wearing their coordinating princess dresses made using viscose satin coat lining and nylon shot organza.
Fabrics and Notions
Pink viscose satin coat lining
Shot pink and orange nylon organza
Orange silk dupion
Pink silk dupion
Remnant of Sari
Flower buds
Satin bias binding
Concealed zips.
Wrap-over bodice printed cotton dress made for four-day-old Daisy by Lucinda, with pussy cat embroidered pocket. (all pockets should be pussycats)
Fabrics and Notions:
Boden floral print cotton
Cream cotton lawn (lining)
Cream satin ribbon
Pink polka dot bias binding
Embroidery threads
Kitcat wearing Kathy Davis Free Spirit floral printed pleated skirt made by Jane (and holding up her name-just in case we had forgotten).
Kitcat likes PINK.
Fabrics & Notions
Kathy Davis for Free Spirit printed cotton
Elastic (in back of the waistband)
Cotton lawn lining with ricrak trim
Monkey print cotton romper made by Lucinda for her nephew.
Fabrics and Notions:
Anne Kelle monkey print cotton
Cream/multi spot cotton
Poppas
Frog buttons
Bias binding
Lulu wearing Italian Designer knit dress, and Miaow wearing her heirloom embroidered linen dress.
Fabrics and Notions:
Lulu:
Italian Designer knit cotton and mixed fibres
Stay tape
Bias binding
Miaow:
Off-white linen
Riviera cotton lawn
Zip
Button
Lace inserts
Ribbons
Miaow wearing Boden spot cotton dress with white cotton detailing and bow at the back (made by Clair).
Fabric and Notions:
Boden spot printed cotton
White cotton poplin
Zip
Cover buttons
Piping
Ribbon
Onesies made by Lucinda using Free Spirit printed fleece and lined in cream organic cotton jersey
Fabrics and Notions:
Free Spirit circle print micro-fleece
Organic cotton
Zip
Pattern: Ottobre magazine
Floral printed needlecord cotton dress with pink marl jersey, and blue twill cotton romper with contrast pockets.
Fabrics and Notions:
Ditsy floral printed needlecord cotton
Polka dot lawn (lining)
Pink marl cotton elastane jersey
Blue twill cotton
Spotty cotton
Elastic
Poppers
Piping
Rickrack trim
Bias Binding
Pattern: Ottobre magazine
Faafar the wabbits and Miaow in French France wearing her lilac spotty Kaffe Fassett cotton dress and bandana.
Fabrics and Notions:
Kaffe Fassett lilac spot printed cotton
Floral printed muslin (bandana)
Cotton lawn iron-on interfacing
Shell buttons
Kitcat wearing aubergine boiled wool swing coat with daisy buttons and matching beret.
Fabrics and Notions:
Aubergine boiled wool
Daisy buttons
Viscose satin lining
Viscose iron-on interfacing
Pattern: Simplicity 2745
Miaow at the festival wearing Tina Givens printed cotton dress and matching trousers. (Ice-cream an optional extra)
Fabrics and Notions:
Tina Givens bird print cotton
Tina Givens bird and spot print cotton
Cotton lawn iron-on interfacing
Buttons
Elastic
Miaow at a festival wearing her whit rabbit costume (ears in hands) made with organic cotton, pale pink tulle, pink viscose satin and microfleece (ears)
Kitcat wearing her printed cotton dress using Aneela Hoey designed cotton.
Fabrics and Notions:
Aneela Hoey girls on swings printed cotton
Cotton lawn iron-on interfacing
Buttons
Invisible zip
Rachel’s granddaughter wearing printed cotton sundress with stripe contrast trim.
Kitcat’s green gingham school dress with heart pocket detailing and daisy trim made by Jane, with matching daisy trimmed shorts. (no more showing your knickers to the boys, young lady)
Miaow learning to walk in the garden wearing her yellow Italian cotton rara dress made by Granny
Kitcat wearing Italian yellow printed cotton rara skirt with trimmed purple t-shirt
Kitcat wearing smocked linen dress with cross over back.
Fabrics and Notions:
Spotty printed linen.
Smocking
Buttons
Lawn iron-on interfacing
Kitcat wearing her red gingham little red riding hood dress and cotton velvet cape.
Emily wearing horse print fleece dress made by Grandma Gill
Kitcat in her tiered skirt school pinafore dress
Fabrics and Notions:
Grey viscose poly elastane gaberdine
Green and white gingham check cotton (lining bodice and tiers)
Piping
Concealed zip
Or is it a leopard?
Kitcat wearing leopard print velour mouse costume ready to meet Father Christmas (who is very scary).
Fabrics and Notions:
Leopard print stretch velour
Wadding (to stuff tail and ears)
Elastic
All made by Clair.
Pip posing in printed fleece skirt made by Clair.
Fabrics and Notions:
Fleece
Elastic.
Kitcat with her horse print fleece ensemble made by Jane and Clair.
Fabrics and Notions
Horse print fleece
Daisy buttons
Elastic
Grey cotton jersey
Miaow’s christmas tree print smocked cotton dress with petticoat made by Jane.
Proper smocking is a laborious business, but Jane doesn’t get put off by labour. No detail was spared in the making of this outfit. It is amazing.
Kitcat ready for ballet in her dress net tutu and dyed organic cotton cardi made by Clair.
Kitcat’s daisy printed cotton a-line dress with daisy buttons and matching knickers. (Made for Kitcat by Jane)
Fabrics and notions:
Printed cotton
Rickrack trim
Daisy buttons
Elastic
Spotty bias binding
Kitcat wearing pale pink tulle tutu with satin trimmed waistband and bow made by Clair.
Miaow in bought baby-grow that Clair added pale pink tulle tutu to.
So sweet! (I’m not biased)
Blue and White Gingham Dorothy Dress made by Clair.
Kitkat is only *slightly* obsessed with the Wizard of Oz. (this dress needs to be surgically removed, sometimes)
Fabrics and Notions
Blue and White Cotton Gingham
White Poplin shirting
Invisible zip
Buttons
White Cotton Stayflex iron-on interfacing
Piping cord
Fenton wearing his red cotton jersey squid costume made by his clever granny, Anna
Every child should have a squid costume!
Kitcat’s combined spotty/gingham dress
Fabrics and Notions:
Red and White cotton gingham
Blue and red spotty printed cotton
Rickrack trim
Miaow’s turquoise seersucker gingham sundress with matching bloomers, made by Jane.
Fabrics and Notions:
Turquoise cotton seersucker gingham
Rickrack trim
Elastic
Kitcat’s simple a-line dress with matching knickers, and appliquéd flower pocket. (made by Jane)
Fabrics and Notions:
Flower printed cotton #1580
Elastic
Spotty bias binding
Kitcat in cherry printed cotton dress with piping and cherry buttons made by Clair.
Gerbera printed cotton dress with matching rickrack and ribbon trimmed bloomers made for Miaow by Jane
Romper suit made by Jane for Miaow using lovebird printed cotton, rick rack trim and piped detailing
KitCat in red cashmere mix duffle coat (Made by Jane)
Fabrics and Notions:
Red cashmere mix coating
Black chicken printed cotton
Toggle buttons
Viscose iron-on interfacing
