Peppy Le Phew!

It worked!  I'm so pleased!

So, after finding the below retro fabrics I decided to have a go at a Peplum top for the Rosebud, thinking that the Kitten fabric definitely needed to be used in at least one retro outfit.

I mean, how retro is that fabric???  Seriously, I keep having flashbacks to the early eighties.  Not sure when it was around, but those kittens look veeeeeeeerrrrrrryyyyyyyy familiar...

Anyway, I searched high and low for a peplum top pattern for kids.  And do you think I could find one?

No!  Zilch.  Zero.  Nada.  Nuffin.  Not a single peplum pattern for kids to be found.

(Side note: I did find another awesome blog though - Jorth.blogspot.com - you should check it out.  Another one to add to my regular reading list.  And she made this very cool peplum top which has now made me add "peplum top" to my list of post-baby bump sewing for myself.)

Despite my search being fruitless was unperturbed.  I was determined.  I wanted that peplum top if it was the last thing I did.  So, I made my own pattern.

I know.  A-ma-zing.  I am also totally shocked at my resourcefulness at 8 months pregnant.  And not only did I make my own pattern, but I am really, really happy with how it turned out.

Like, "I am totally happy for the Rosebud to be seen in public wearing it" kind of happy.

Don't mind the photos.  It was, once again, a fight to get them.  There were a lot of photos that looked like this...

And then, of course, she decided she really had to sit in my quickly decreasing lap, right at that particular moment.

And in my attempt to escape to a better vantage point for taking photos I must have offended her because then she was off.  Tears and all.

Oh well.  All for a good cause.  Fashion :)

Here she is - my prototype.  Up close and personal.

A simple silhouette.  Didn't want anything too flashy with that fabric!  I was a little too scared to cut into that kitten fabric on my first peplum attempt.  I stayed with the retro look though - orange fans - very 70s-esque.

With an open-back circular skirt.

Lesson learned - don't use a one-way print on circular skirts.  Looks a bit weird.  But still totally wearable and pretty cute I think.

To make the skirt I had to google the equation for figuring out the diameter of a circle when you know the circumference.  It was eleven o'clock at night.  But, blow me down, I got it right.  First time.  No wasted fabric.  Phew.

Definitely more peplum tops in the future for the Rosebud.  I've got one in mind with little ruffles on the shoulders, and a gathered skirt, instead of circular.  And I saw this beautiful Japanese cherry blossom fabric that would be just right.  Maybe one with a little lace collar...?

But, now I'm not sure if that's how I want to attack that cute kitten fabric...   I'm thinking a pinafore...  and it might need rick-rack...

Two words...

Enid Gilchrist.

Ever heard of her?  

If you answered no, then you are most likely under the age of 40, and if you answered yes, well then, you're probably a bit older :), or unusually well-versed in Australian fashion / sewing / design history.  

If you're like me (under the age of 40, and not very well-versed in Australian history, let alone sewing / fashion / design), then your mind may have very well immediately conjured up images of Noddy and Big Ears.

Wrong Enid.  

Between the '50s and '70s Enid Gilchrist was a household name.  In a time when buying commercially-made clothes and patterns was simply too expensive for the average family, Enid brought fashion to the masses through her self-drafting pattern books.  Published by New Idea, these affordable magazines held up to 50 different styles and made it possible for everyone, not just the wealthy, to wear the latest fashions.

What a topsy-turvey world we live in, hey?  To think that once upon a time it was more expensive to buy clothes than make them.  This was obviously prior to the international availability of sweat shops and child labour {insert raised eyebrows}.  And to think that not being able to sew your own clothes would have been the exception, rather than the rule.

Call me old-fashioned, but it's a dream of mine to be able to sew clothes for myself.   I don't just mean the odd pencil skirt, or elastic waisted boxer shorts.  I mean REALLY sew for myself.  Like fitted dresses, and tailored shirts, and pants, and whatever else takes my fancy.  To wear my own take on the latest fashions, without looking home-made or daggy.

*sigh*  One day.

So, getting back to the reason for this post, I have only recently become acquainted with Enid and her pattern books.  I now have a few of the mags from the kids clothing collection and every now and then I get them out and pore over them, adoring the little outfits and wondering how they would turn out if I made one.  Wondering, wondering, wondering...  

You see, there's something about the fit that I can't quite take to.  While I love the '50s and '60s styles, I'm not too keen on the whole 'Harry High-pants' thing some of them have going on.  And then the potato sack, straight up and down, no shape tunics aren't that flash either.    I'm probably after more of a modern vintage look, combining the best of both worlds :)

Nevertheless, the other night I finally bit the bullet.  I set aside my expectations and perfectionist tendencies and decided to just give it a shot.  I must admit, I didn't pick my pattern by closing my eyes and pointing at one.  I was selective.  It had to be the one with the greatest chance of turning out reasonably wearable :)  And, at the time the gathered blouse with peter pan collar seemed most likely.

Close enough.  It's wearable.  Sure, Rosie will probably pull me aside one day in the future and ask me what the heck I was thinking dressing her in a shirt like that.  It's kind of cute, in a very, very, very vintage way, but probably erring more on the plain old-fashioned side of vintage, if you get my drift.

So, if you haven't already guessed, I'm not completely sold on it.  I admit, it is slightly too big for her, so I should probably give her a couple of months and then have another look, but I think the collar is slightly over-sized, and the gathers a little too full.  It also has that very 'blouse-ey' look.  You know, the look that the word 'blouse' conjures up all on its own.  Like, a blouse is what an old lady wears...  Ech.  Maybe I didn't make the wisest choice when deciding which design to have a go at.  I might have done better if I had closed my eyes and let my finger do the choosing.

Anywho, the point is, I had a go.  It wasn't a total failure.  I might be able to resurrect it given I team it with the right skirt or shorts or pants.  What do you think?  I'd love to get some comments, be they positive or negative.  And I would also love to hear if you grew up with Enid Gilchrist patterns!

Oliver + S Swingset Tunic

At the fabric shop the other day I stumbled across this beautiful watercolour violets quilting cotton and had to get it.  It has a lovely vintage-y parchment-y look to it that caught my eye.

And when I got home, this is what it turned into!  Ha!  If only it were that simple :)  

I'm really happy with my first Oliver + S production - the Swingset Tunic.  

In my humble opinion, the pattern is great.  The difficulty rating is two scissors, which I would agree with as there were a few fiddly bits.  I made the 12-18 month size (the Rosebud is 15 months old) and I'm thinking it should be good for Spring and Summer this year.  It currently fits well with a shirt underneath (still chilly enough for that) and will be great for when the weather really warms up.  

So far we've paired it with skinny jeans, a little yellow cardigan and the yellow Country Road sandals from this post.

There is nothing more fulfilling than being completely happy with the final result of your hard work.  The quilting cotton is a nice weight and it hangs well.  But I am definitely going to make this one is some light, cool voiles, that will be just perfect for our stinkin' hot summers.  Needless to say, I am not looking forward to January when I'll be feeding a newborn WITHOUT air-conditioning :(

I've been eyeing off these tortoise-shell buttons I've had in my collection for while.  Just waiting until I had the right piece to add them to.  And I think I found it.  I like myself a little bit of mis-matching.

The first addition to the Rosebud's summer collection (all handmade by the wife, of course :)  Apologies for the lack of photos showing it being worn.  Rosie is not a very cooperative model at the moment...  I will keep working on this!!

P.S.  If you'd like to purchase a little Swingset Tunic made by the wife, please contact me through my Facebook store (Wife-made), or send me an email and I can give you the details :)