New Miniature Fabric Panel Kits, Marigold Garden Lady in a Presentation Box

My "creative excitations" has lead me recently to finish photographing and put my more recent kits up for sale in Etsy, eBay and our web site. The first three photos show my Marigold Garden Lady in a Presentation Box. I was very excited about finally finishing this kit. It is in one twelfth scale and I was inspired by my antique book Marigold Garden. I used many of the images from the book in the kit and box and designed other tiny patterns that I felt suited the Regency Period.
The process I go through to design these kits is to do it in a paint program where I paint the doll then design the clothes that will fit her. Once I have finished designing I then print them out on an iron on transfer and iron them onto fine batiste cotton. Then I cut everything out and glue the pieces together for an example, make directions and the cover. I really love designing and it is much like designing a sewing pattern but everything is in miniature.

Below that I'm showing a Victorian Rose Bed kit and Victorian Rose Curtains and Desk kit. Since I have made so many other of these kits, a chaise, love seat and chair kit I didn't have to start at the beginning this time to design the fabric since it was already made, it is so much fun to play with different fabrics in paint programs and figure out how they will look good in miniature.

I have so many ideas I want to sew in full scale but I've been working on an online magazine I've been involved with, soon it will be back to sewing... very exciting.

Have a great week, happy sewing Jean

Catching up with Myself

Hi Everyone,

Very sorry I haven't posted in so long. I have been sewing, sometimes life just slips by as you all know. I have been enjoying all of the new Spring fashions and I'm hoping to get into spring prints and colours soon. Above are outfits and tops I made in February and March.

The navy and ivory striped top in the upper photo is my most recent addition... I totally love it! It was a Burda magazine pattern  2010/10/112. I liked this pattern very much because it is a classic sailor top. It fits so well and the fabric is more of a sweater knit with a tiny slub in the ivory. I found the fabric in a second hand store, I couldn't resist it and best of all it only cost $4.00. I really like the long sleeves too. Makes me feel like more of a recycler and very environmental. The grey black and white jersy knit was the first top I made with this pattern from a couple of remenants because I just wanted to try out the pattern but I ended up liking it very much. The grey and tan stripe was the second top I made of the pattern, didn't buy enough fabric for long sleeves..raglan tops always take more fabric. The grey strip was from Fabric.com and it is rayon and a stretchy component. It is so light and I really have enjoyed wearing it too.

Below that I'm showing a two piece dress that I made for Valentine dance we enjoyed. What a difficult time with the top. It is a Burda top 2011/10/137. It is supposed to have a straight neck line, but after I put it together the front opening was so low that my bra showed, not a good look for me!!
I had to redo the front and bring up the facing so that it was a height that would work and then of course it draped but I liked the softness of the drape and just added a seam down the back to get rid of the extra fullness, the pattern really did seem to large. I honestly haven't a clue if I did something wrong with the original pattern since my directions were in Russian, literally, LOL,  Since I've wanted many of the more recent Burda's I've been fortunate to find quite a few internationally. I thought I could figure out the simple pattern and I'm sure I did but it really didn't work. Anyway I ended up loving it and made a skirt of my own design with just a wide elastic waistband. The skirt worked great with a deep red top I had in my wardrobe too for another dance.

The bottom photo shows a skirt I made two weeks ago to go with a top that a Couture Seamstress had made for me that I love. She very kindly sold me extra fabric for the skirt and I used pattern
2009/10/137 from an older Burda magazine. I really liked it. The top was made by my friend Alida's Gowns, you might like to check out her beautiful website. She really inspired me to start sewing again. I love the top and skirt together and it looks much like a dress. I also made a couple of pairs of pants in navy and black. I have many more ideas I want to make so I hope it doesn't take me a long to get back to blogging next time.

Hugs, Jean