Can you make a 3 foot doll?

I am sure that if you are a professional or even semi-professional at something you get lots of requests from people too. Like if you are a Dr. "hey could you look at this weird thing..."? Well I get lots of those type requests from people for me to sew them things. Some are cool and the people understand this is my job and are willing to pay me and then I say yes and I do them. Some are not cool and people want me to do stuff for them just because we are "friends" and then I say no. And I am getting better at saying no.

This most recent request was an easy yes. It is for a friend, but she is paying me and it is an interesting project. It is something I have never done before but feel capable of doing which is a great sabbatical project.

So where do you start on a project that is something totally new? I decided to comb the internet for ideas. Apparently in the late 70's (around the time I was born) the 3 foot doll was very in. There are lots of old patterns out there. And I decided that the size and shape that they provide would be a great starting point. So I ordered a vintage pattern on Etsy for $5.00 including shipping.

 The pattern came and I discovered it has never been cut and still has the original iron on faces in the envelope. I am not using the iron-ons but they were helpful for placement when I started on the face. She is a rag doll but I am very much modernizing her from this pattern. She will have a more modern face and hair. Additionally she will have much different clothes.

Here is the fabric I for the skin / body:

  Here is the color scheme for her clothes, hair and accessories:

And here is the beginnings of her face.

The pink mouth and the nose are paper place holders for the embroidery that will be done there. Also in this pic the hair is paper too. But the eyes are done.

I plan on getting lots of work done on her this week because I HAVE to get her shipped next week.  She will be a character in a children's play in Atlanta in June.

http://www.newdawntheatercompany.com/TheGardenofIz.html

Hope you are having a great day!
HUGS Peace Out - C

Photo Silk Screen

I had absolutely no desire to do a photo silk screen. But it was one of the class assignments and my professor very strongly encouraged me to do one. I am not in love with how it turned out but it is all about the process right now and not about the finished product. Or so I keep telling myself.

Here is the picture I decided to use:

I do love this picture, she looks like such a sweet little sprite. And I thought I would add color to the scarf and the grass and try my hand at spot color.

Which I did ....

Each color is a separate film and a separate screen that needs to be inked. It is a crazy ton of work. But I am getting better, more methodical, more of a relaxing process than it was at first.

The next screen is the the photo itself. And at Parson's you take your file on a jump drive to a little office where you have to write them a check and they say your film will be ready in 24 hours. It was a bit of an annoying process but it worked and I got my film in time for class last week. I spent some time Saturday as well as Tuesday working on these prints. And now that it is almost time for my class tonight I am getting around to thinking about them again.

They are ok. I do not LOVE them, but I did learn a lot and now I know what I need to do next. So now to give the kid a bath before I head out the door. And Thanks! to the 2 babysitters that are making this possible for me tonight!

Peace Out - C

Vogue V8728 Progress, major alterations, but progress . . . .

When I make anything from a pattern I always have to make some pretty major alterations. I usually start with the correct waist size and then take in the sides above the waist and the shoulders and now the chest (never had this issue before). Since I recently lost weight I am working on changes I have not made before.

So I made a muslin. I hate making muslins, but they are worth it. I ended up making 2 muslins. The first one I just made the usual changes that I make and it was still crazy way too big. Then I decided to actually measure and make changes that way.

 If you go by the pattern measurements I "should wear the largest size. Which you can see is a lot larger than the size I came up with. The blue tissue paper is the neckline that I think will actually fit me and stay on my shoulders.

I have tiny shoulders. My shoulders and my feet are the only things I have that are tiny so have to work around the issues they create with their tininess.

Hopefully you can see the pencil lines where I changed the pattern. I had to bring the top edge of the bodice in to meet the new neck line (see above). And the armpits / upper side seams where crazy too big so I had to move those in as well.

Here is what the front of the 2nd bodice muslin looks like. It looks pretty good, maybe still need to take a little bulk out of the armpits.

And the side seems are a little bit to big as well, probably take a little out there too.

After I decided it was good enough to get started on my dress I took the muslin apart to work on the new pattern pieces. you can see the pink sharpie is where I made even more changes.

Last week I did some fabric shopping. And I must have been in a rather conservative mood. Everything I was drawn to was black and white. The gingham you see here is a double knit. So I am thinking if I perfect my V8728 pattern I may make another one!

Not sure yet what the black knit will be for,  but I did recently learn to make t-shirts and underwear! And I know that pink is going to be the lining for some navy lace!! I bought this batch of fabric at one of my favorite New York fabric stores, Chic Fabrics. It is on West 39th Street in my favorite stretch of shopping in NYC. There are lots of less expensive fabric stores and tons of trimming stores in the area. I still enjoy Mood. But when I don't know what I am really looking for and just want to browse, West 39th (between 7th and 8th aves) is a better place for wandering and thinking and not spending too much money.

Looks like we will be having a lazy Sunday. Might get around to some kite flying but for now there is some serious TV watching going on.

Hope you are having a pleasant Sunday too.

Peace Out - Chrissy

Easter Dresses and off timing as usual.

As you may have read one of my first sewing projects while in New York was a party dress. Well it has been crazy weather and I had not had a chance to wear the dress. Then I went to wear it the other day and realized it was way too big. However it was chilly and I had to wear tights and a jacket with it any way so that covered up the too big areas. I actually had a cardigan on as well in the early morning and was still a little cold.

Easter morning I was not in the mood and put on jeans and a sweater. But Marion got all dressed in her dress and told me that I looked way too boring and had to put my dress on too.

I am glad she talked me into it. But we did not get any good pictures. I really need to hire myself a better photographer.  However here are some funny pictures showing you how much too big my dress is now.

 Believe it or not when I made this dress I took the shoulders in about an inch and a half. And the shoulders where in the right place until I lost weight.

This next picture illustrates that between when I started on this dress and last weekend I lost a couple of bra sizes. The bras I brought with me from GA were 36DD and when I went to buy new bras the other day the measured me as a 38C. Weird !? Now if I could loose some weight in my thighs like that!

The waist of the dress is also a little big, so I threw on a jaunty belt. Trust me I am not complaining about walking of some weight while living in NYC. It just sort of amuses me. I go up and down in size a lot. I wish I could be one of those people that stays the same size forever but apparently that is not my fate. Any way....

In my usual fashion I some how managed to be in charge of the Easter Egg hunt for the neighborhood.

It was fun but short lived. Once the kids were released and the eggs were found we had snacks and were done. I have to say it was a bit sad for me because I did not know a single person there besides my husband and my kid. Back in GA I would have known everyone. And it made me more homesick than ever. I like and am enjoying being in NYC but it is hard b/c it is temporary. I can't really settle in. I will be happy to head back to GA in July.

And yes I would never in a million years have thought I would be saying that at this point. I admit there is more for me in GA than I realized. I just needed a break I guess. It really is the people that make a place home. And I need to some how hang on to that when I feel like my brain is melting out my ears in August. Y'all got to admit it is hotter than hell in August in Atlanta. But I will be in the good AC and need to just embrace it.

I have gotten some more work done on my next project. But I have to say adjusting to this new smaller size is a little weird and taking some work. More about that next time.

Peace Out - C

Mama, Can we make monster pillows? Please!

Meet Lucy. Apparently she is a nice monster who is nice to all her friends and everyone even though she is a monster.

A couple of weeks ago we were at the library browsing the craft books, you know like everyone does. And in the Todd Oldham kids crafts book (I think that's where we saw them) we found some monster pillows. The book was huge and heavy so I did not check it out. Because walking a mile home with that did not sound fun to me. But we made our own version based on our fond memories.

So that little M could truly participate in the making of the pillow I had her draw all the components of the monster. Eyes, nose, mouth, horns and tail.

She drew them with marker directly on the felt. Then we cut them out together and I sewed them on with my trusty travel sewing machine. I was careful to keep them where she placed them so Lucy would look how M wants her to and not how I think she should.

Here is what Lucy looked like once we got her eyes, nose and mouth sewn onto her front fabric.

Next we cut out two pieces for each horn, sewed them together and stuffed them. Make sure you leave an opening in the horns for stuffing. A chop stick makes a good stuffer. Thank goodness we order so much sushi! We had plenty of stuffers on hand.

Next we sewed the tail onto the back. M said she wanted a flat tail like a platypus tail. I now realize I could have left it sticking out rather than sewing it down but hey it works.

 Then we sewed the front and back pieces together on the sides and bottom. We left the top open so we could stuff her and add her horns. I was super lazy I just did a zig zag stitch and left the side seams on the outside.

 Now you stuff with fluff to desired fluffiness. Had this been my project I would have added more fluff. But I am learning to let M's projects be her projects and let her control fluffiness.

Once she was filled I pinned her horns where we wanted them and sewed her shut.

It was a fun project and a nice way for M and I to sew together. We love making crafts of all kinds but I need to more open to sewing with her. She will be 5 soon and is getting better with scissors so the older she gets the easier it will be. However it will also be my luck that the older she gets the less she will want to sew with me. Only time will tell on that.

Hope you are having a great weekend so far!

Peace Out - C

More Prints! And More fun in NYC.

We have been busy for the past few days. Our neighbors from home came to visit us up here in NYC. They got here Sunday and we have had a fun girls week so far! We have been to Central Park, Moma, and The American Museum of Natural History. We are all resting up for going out for pizza tonight.

Ok back to selfishly telling you more about me. I thought I would show you some prints on paper from my Big Flowers project. 

This one is my favorite. Something about the way that the colors work together is just so nice.

These are ok but my printing quality is a little cruddy here.

The pink flowers turned out pretty good on paper. But it is just newsprint so not sure what I will do with it. Newsprint yellows pretty quickly.

My latest project is a little more crafty, but was a great project for practicing registration.

 This is printed on muslin. My plan is to frame this in an embroidery hoop. Should be pretty cute in my new sewing room. Well once I get home and manage to ever get my sewing room done.

Each of those different colors is a different film that had to be burned onto the silk screen. This print took four different color plates.

This is just that black plate on brown paper. This is essentially scrap paper. But I think it will make cute wrapping paper or a big card, or something.

I thought this would be a fun print for tote bags. I bought these cheap little bags. This material was tough to print on. It is hard to find the balance between getting the ink thin enough to flow but not too thin as to bleed under the trapping lines on the screen. 

This last bag turned out pretty cruddy. But I will probably still use it myself.

Alright back to resting so I can be a NYC tour guide some more this evening. Hope you are having a fun day where ever you are!

Peace out - C