Trim Swap at The Sewing Loft

Earlier in April The Sewing Loft announced a Trim Swap.
I decided to join in since I have a large stash of lace that I have no clue what to do with.
My partners said they liked surprises, so I just dug through the boxes until I found a few pieces that looked good together
Original pictures of the trims selected

It looked boring, so I decided to do something more interesting before I shipped them off.
I started with this Antique Corset Advertisement image found on Besottment
I altered the image to turn it into a jointed doll. Her left arm works better than the right arm, but you can now put the right arm over a skirt!

 I printed this out and colored it with pencils, one in Blue and one in Pink. To joint the arms I used shanked buttons with the little plastic clips that hold shank buttons to cards. Hey, buttons are trim, but Brads may not be considered trim by some. (Also the only color of brads I had on hand, clashed with the lace!)
After assembling the figure, I drew around the waist and hip section onto some cardboard and drew a rough skirt shape and length, sorry no pattern image for this.

Then I took a single hole punch and punched holes along the sides of the skirt for the gathered lace to grab into as I wrapped it around the skirt shape. I tested out how to wrap the lace so that it looked nice, made a few notes and then glued the waist of the skirt to the print out. Let it glue while I worked on the other doll.

After the glue is dry, wrap the lace around the skirt so it is horizontal in front and at an angle in the back, make sure to catch the tail when you start wrapping at the bottom. Secure at the top with a pin, paper clip, or what ever these things are called that come on some men's new dress shirts. (yup I save a lot of stupid stuff, you never know when it comes in handy!)

The finished product is a very lovely way to display some of the lace I sent out, each piece was at least a yard long, hopefully my swap partners liked theirs, and I won't be offended if they couldn't bear to take the lace off the doll. I probably couldn't!

I have timed this post so that my swap partners are likely to have already received their package, as they wanted a surprise, but had likely already seen the first photos.

Thinking in 3D

I have been in a creative craft pattern making mood the pat few days.
As I sat down with paper and pencil a few days ago and started drawing out a new stuffed toy pattern, I was reminded that I don't always put much thought into WHY I put the seams WHERE I do. At this point it comes pretty easily to me, but someone just starting out, they might be baffled.

This morning, I saw my Kindergartener sitting at his table with paper, pencils, scissors and glue sticks. He was trying to make something, so I steped back from working on my pattern on the computer and took a closer look at what he was working on.

This is what I saw

He told me they were party hats for his My Little Ponys, and had already assembled one of them.
If you look closely you will see he has drawn the little fold over glue tabs that are needed to make a paper model. His father makes paper models and had showed him he needed the glue tabs earlier this summer. Since then he has been trying to make 3D shapes out of paper using what he has picked up from watching us make our crafts. He also really is interested in using CAD on the computer since both his parents use it.

I then showed him how he could make the same shaped hat by using a section of a circle instead of triangles. He then corrected my hat to have the scalloped hem!

So I have been thinking that a short blog series on how simple shapes can be used to create complex shapes and how to think more in 3D when you want to create a stuffed toy pattern. I just don't know what to call it. Softy, Plushy, Cloth Sculpture? each is a different term, but where does my work fit under those categories? They are not always toys, and the fabrics can vary, though woven cotton is my standby.


So anyways look for a blog series coming soon!

What become of the Pony Hat? Well My Husband helped him cut out one and glue it together, then I added the thread, so the 5 sided pony hat seen at the right most of the picture works too!

TUTORIAL How to make 4 styles of Childrens aprons from 1910's

This is a tutorial, that unlike others I have made does not require MATH! yes we will be using measurements, but there will not be multiplying, dividing, subtracting or even adding to make the patterns.

What you will need is: The child you wish to make the apron for, and a T shirt that fits the child. (plain shape, short sleeves is best.)
Tools include: Measuring tape, large sheet of paper, pencil and ruler. I like to use a square and a clear ruler. Also scissors for cutting the paper.

Overview of the FOUR styles

Left to right:

1. No. 4615 Advertised in Home Needlework Magazine, August/September 1910, Page 316 "Children's and Girls one Piece Apron. 4615 Five sizes 4 to 1 2 years. The 8 year size requires 1 4 yards 27 inches wide 14 yard contrasting material 27 inches wide."
2.  Farm Journal Patterns 4850 Advertised in Farm Journal, October 1912, page 550 Girls and Misses One-piece Aprons in 6 sizes; 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 years. "A useful apron, cut in one piece, but prettily shaped, is shown, in No. 4850. Girls do not object to wearing aprons if they are pretty, and this one can be made exceedingly so. While white crossbar muslin, madras, or cambric can be used, very pretty ones are made of pink or blue chambray, hemmed or faced with the old fashioned rick-rack braid sewed along the under edge, so that a row of points extends beyond." This one is different from the first in that it meets at center back, likely closing with buttons.
3. Advertised in Woman's Home Companion, February 1913, page 75 "No. 1439 One Piece Apron. 4 to 8 year sizes. Quantity of material required for medium size, or 6 years, eight yards of twenty seven inch material. The ease with which this attractive little school apron, which is suitable for any wash fabric, can be laundered is one of its practical features which will strongly appeal to every mother It is particularly attractive if made of a plain toned wash fabric with the edges scalloped in a darker shade or in a contrasting color."
4. No. 1230 Play Apron  was also advertised in Woman's Home Companion, February 1913, page 75, "Play Apron with Pocket 2 to 4 year sizes. Quantity of material required for 2 years three fourths of a yard of twenty two inch material. The large pocket is a special feature of this apron."

Now lets start making the patterns!