Maternity Hospital Gown

I have been in hospital on a few occasions and the hospital gowns are horrible. So here is my attempt at making a cotton hospital gown which is much nicer and more comfortable to wear. It is always fun to get my sewing machine out!


I have made a couple of these for friends who were pregnant. These gowns have extra fabric on the back panels so they can go right around their bump althought you can cut smaller panels to make a gown for a non-pregnancy related hospital visit.

These make great baby shower gifts. It is always nice to get something for the mum-to-be as they seem to get swamped with things for the baby. It is a way to show that you have been thinking about them as well as the baby.

I am modelling this gown and it looks a bit odd
as I don't have a bump!

Here are  a couple of pictures of it on a hanger... I will try to get some pictures on someone with a bump!

This is the back with the ribbons

Front view of the hospital gown.

 

I saw the idea here and I worked out how to make my own version. Do check out the link as the pictures are so cute and the photos are far better! Plus, the person in the gown is actually pregnant and has a bump so you get a good idea of how it should look. Plus, there are photos of a really adorable newborn!

 

Dorothy Ruffle Trousers

They are of a casual design with a ruffled waist band. The waist band also features a bow which is positioned at the hip. They also have white lace turn-ups and pockets with a lace trim.

They are a practical feminine trouser - ideal for skipping along the yellow brick road!

These are a relaxed style of trouser which could also be used as a design for pyjama bottoms. Perhaps without the pockets as I always think that nightwear with pockets is a little odd. In the same way that pockets in baby clothes are odd - what are they going to put in them?

These trousers were inspired by the film 'The Wizard of Oz'. This is a classic film from my childhood - I was really frightened of the wicked witch of the west and her flying monkeys! I also played Munchkin Number 1 in a Christmas panto when I was younger - I had one line! I loved being part of the production and the lovely good witch who did my stage make-up for me; she did the best munchkin freckles! I can remember thinking how grown-up she was - I think she was around 17 at the time, which just goes to show how young I was! I am sure that my Mum has some embarrassing pictures of me in my munchkin costume.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_(1939_film)

I also thought about making the design into dungarees:



I don't think they work quite as well as the trousers but it is fun trying out a few ideas but they reflect the pinafore dress a little better. I think the design is a bit of fun really.

Here is a link to YOUR STYLE ROCKS where you have the opportunity to vote for your favourite design that has been entered into the competition. I love checking out all the different designs in the competitions and the free patterns - I hope you like my designs enough to vote for them!

Men's Shirt to Dress

Big Slouchy Men's Shirt

... to Dress

I have been given this rather large men's shirt by S. He was sorting out his clothes and found this shirt which is too big for him. So I now have it - it is a really nice cotton fabric and I am looking forward to showing you what I did!

You can now check out the dress I made from this shirt and the TUTORIAL showing how it was done!

An Accessorised Bag

Here are a couple of pictures of my Big Blue Bag complete with the accessories I made - the Bow and the Rosette. I have also attached a keyring from the British Heart Foundation charity shop. It is so cute and totally appropriate! If you look closely you can see that every other petal is shaped like a heart.

Here are the links to the tutorials explaining how to make the bow and the rosette:

SIMPLE BOW TUTORIAL

ROSETTE TUTORIAL

Bunny in a Dress!



Bunny in a Dress!

I have just finished making this baby dress to look at how I made it click this link.

Abbey Baby Dress

Bunny modeling my finished dress

I found this really cute dress tutorial on http://shwinandshwin.blogspot.co.uk and I just had to have a go at making it. One of my friends has just announced that she is pregnant and that she is going to have a little girl. What more of an excuse do I need?


I used the tutorial on the website to draw out the pattern and sew it together. However, in places I got a bit confused by the tutorial (most probably simply down to my inexperience) and so I just made it up in places. At other points I decided to do something slightly different simply to 'make the dress my own' so to speak.

I have attempted to write out the tutorial of the changes I have made to the method and show how my way differed. Apologies for the orange colour of the pictures that were taken in the evenings - I will edit them to make them look better.

Here are the photographs showing how I made the dress:

First, draw out the pattern on paper. I followed the instructions on the Shwin&Shwin website and found that I had to draw out the bodice template again as the written instructions contradict the picture of the pattern pieces.

Follow the measurements from the written instructions:

For the bodice. I make a rectangle that is 3.5 X 4.5 inches. Then marking in 1.5 inches from the top and 1 inch up from the bottom I cut in a curve for the neckline. All of these measurements can be adjusted for any size you are making.
For the Skirt. I make a rectangle that is 8.5 inches by 9.5 inches. Then I angle one edge slightly and on the other side I cut a small curve for the arm opening so I measure one inch over and one inch down and curve between them.

So the bodice template length is 4.5 inches rather than just 4 inches.

Cut out the fabric pieces as shown in the above photograph.

Next, stitch the bodice pieces together at the shoulder seams. Do this for both bodice pieces (so you have two separate bodice shapes).

Place the two bodice pieces right sides together and stitch the neckline and the back opening seams. When turned right side out it should look like the above picture (less yellow though - sorry about the pictures - I will sort them out).

Now topstitich around the neckline - it holds it in place and adds a little detail. I was actually quite pleased that my stitch line was relatively straight... well curved - what I mean is that it was not wonky.

Now sew the two skirt pieces together at the side seams. At the centre of the top of the skirt back piece cut down two inches to make a slit. This will match up with the split in the back of the bodice. I almost ruined the dress cutting into both pieces - perhaps I shouldn't have the tv on in the background...

I then used a rectangle of fabric to make the underarm piece - see Shwin&Shewin

The above picture shows the outside of the underarm and side of the dress.

For the back slit in the dress I decided to use the same method as the bottom of the arm holes on the skirt piece - using another rectangle of fabric.

At this part of the tutorial I got rather confused as to the order and how things were done. As such I made up my own thing which I think works.

• First, take the bodice - fold and press all the edges in on themselves to make neat edges. Do this at the shoulders, along the front and back of both the inside and outside pieces.
• Pin them in place and the shoulder seams together.
• Place the bodice face down with the inside up.
• Fold back the inside piece.
• Insert the front piece of the skirt.
• Pin it at the two edges and at the centre.
• Make eight pleats in the fabric working from the centre out to the sides - four each side of the centre pin. 

Back/Inside of dress (so far)

Front of dress (so far)

• Now pin the inside of the bodice in place over the pleated fabric of the skirt piece so that it is sandwiched inside.
• Stitch two lines over the join. This secures the sandwich of pleated fabric
• Use the same method to attach the back of the dress to the bodice - inserting the top of the skirt between the two bodice layers. The pleating and pinning it into place - securing with two lines of stitching

• Now, having already folded and pressed the edges of the arm holes; stitch around the arm holes on the bodice to secure the two layer together.

Back of Dress

Front of Dress

Now I just need to hem the dress:

Add a bow to the back using THIS technique.

 I also need to add the buttons at the back and make loops to secure them.

For the loops I found some really good instructions on Ysolda original patterns. Check it out by clicking on the link.

Finally, Bunny was chosen to model the dress as the intended recipient has yet to be born - I will have to wait a few more months to see how it looks!

How to Make a Simple Rosette

Here is yet another decoration for my big blue bag! I have attached a pin to the back of the rosette so I can move it around - the same as my simple bow. I had lots of fun drawing out the instructions for making both of these accessories. Paint is a fantastic programme! If you look at the scrap book page you can see some of my other drawings that I have done using paint.

© 2012 craftygeogopher.blogspot.co.uk.

I have been looking on google and apparently broach is a variant of 'brooch' which is by far the more popular spelling. I have always used the spelling 'broach' and I didn't realise that there was another spelling... you learn something new every day!

Finished Rosette Broach with dark blue ribbon

How to Sew a Simple Bow

So I wanted to make some things to decorate my big blue bag. I decided that it would be a good idea to attach a broach back to the accessories. This way I can move them around on the bag or even use them separately.

I decided to start with a simple bow accessory:

© 2012 craftygeogopher.blogspot.co.uk.

Now you can sew it onto your item or like me, use a glue gun to attach it to a broach fastening.

I used rather thick cord fabric when making my bow - if you choose a thinner fabric lightly pad the bow before you stitch up the gap and wrap the strip of fabric around the centre.

The Finished Bow Broach

Making the Big Blue Bag

I Love my new big blue bag (even if S thinks it looks like it has been branded by IKEA because of the yellow and blue).



My Big Blue Bag!

The fold-away shopping bag my Grandma gave me.

As the basis of my pattern I used a shopping bag - it is a pretty cool bag because it folds up really small and fits into even my smallest handbag. Since the new rules about having to pay 5p per carrier bag at the shops it is really useful to keep a bag like this with you. I am really pleased that the Welsh Assembly has passed the new regulations about carriers. It is really good that everyone here is doing their bit to be eco-friendly by re-using canvas bags!

My Template

Anyway, I folded the bag in half and drew around it to make my basic template. I then added a few centimetres to the handle side to give the bag depth and a few centimetres to the top of the strap so that it will go over your shoulder easily.

 

Bag template on the fabric.

Next, I folded my lining fabric in half and laid my template out on it with the bag centre up to the fold. Unfortunately as I was using the leftover fabric from my dress the 'scraps' were not quite tall enough for the template. To fix this problem I had to cut the straps from another bit of scrap fabric. Doing this I had to remember to leave a seam allowance on both pieces so the strap was the correct length. Remember to make two bag shapes from the lining fabric.


I then cut two more bag shapes using the blue cord fabric.

Bag lining with darts

In the above picture you can see where I attached the extra fabric for the straps. You can also see that I chose to put two darts at the bottom. I basically just drew two triangles and made sure that they were positioned symmetrically on all four "bag shapes". This simply gives the bag some depth and looks really good combined with the extra fabric added by the bit I drew on the bag template on the outside of the straps.

Inside of one of the "outside" blue cord fabric bag piece with pocket

The next thing I did was add a pocket with a zip. I did this at the top of the bag outside piece I stitched the zip along the top and then to the pocket piece. I then used the yellow thread to stitch the pocket down - and in doing so it made a decorate stitch pattern on the outside (although I think I may go over this with yellow embroider thread to make it more defined).


Next, place the right sides of the lining fabric pieces together and then do the same with the blue cord "outside" fabric. Stitch the sides and bottom of each the bag pieces together. So now you have what 'almost' look like two bags!

The two 'bags' inside each other.

Turn the blue outside 'bag' the right way out and then place the blue outside 'bag' inside the yellow lining bag. So the right sides of the yellow and the blue fabrics are together. Sew up the top edges of the bag yellow to blue. Stop sewing about half way up the handles as you need to sew the top of them together and turn the bag inside out.

Where to sew the bags together

Cut a fringe into the the curves of the top of the bag so that the seams are not 'lumpy' when they are the right way out.

Cut a fringe into the seam

Next, turn the bag the right way out. Pull the bag out through one of the open ends of the straps. Be very careful that you don't damage or break the stitching on the strap as it is very easy to do.

Turn bag the right way out.

Now the bag is the correct way out connect the straps at the top seams- yellow to yellow and blue to blue on each side of the bag.  Now pin the sides of the straps together, tucking the raw edge of the fabric in.

Connect the straps at the top seams
and pin them at the sides

Again I used the yellow cotton to do the stitching. However on the finished bag the stitching is not very distinct so I think I will go over this with yellow embroidery thread (the same as the pocket). Plus, I think I will add a few decorations as the bag is rather plain - but I need to think about that.

The finished bag:

The finished bag

Inside out bag!

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