Do the clutch - end

This third clutch was made for my sweet niece Sietske.

The clutches were made in the same order as shown to you. The pattern was just drawn by myself and was changed after clutch number one to get a slightly larger one. I loved to pick the fabrics with M, having the receiver of the present in mind.

After three clutches I wasn't bored at all! It's great to play with the patterns and to try to make the pattern continuously. The yellow pattern of this fabric was familiar to me, being one of the patterns in this book.

Let's finish these clutch series with some tips:

1. These Prym press fasteners are easy to cover. Cut a small circle of your fabric, baste along the edge, pull the thread to cover the upper part of the fastener.
2. It's better to reinforce the fabric on the inside for the lower fastener part. As the upper part is going through the flap with the volume interfacing, it is not necessary to reinforce here. 
3. When you make the wrist strap according to this tutorial and you're about to keep the swivel clip from sliding around, I recommend to stitch across the strap near the swivel clip exactly on the seam (that you made by connecting the two ends of the strap). Doing this will make the seam invisible. Something for purists, I know.
   

Wanna swap?

These fabrics of my stock, 50x110 cm of canvas cotton Pop and Popstar of Kokka, are apparently not my favorite. I thought that maybe one of you is into a fabric swap? Please let me know!

Do the clutch again

Today it's Christina's turn, who got 7 years old last Monday. Don't make it too flowery nor too pink, that's not like Christina, L assumed me.

We added some elastics and a hair band inside.

Do the clutch

Last weekend three clutches were made, two for two birthday girls of 14, one for a birthday girl of 7. Where were would we be for such presents without Sofie? The only little changes I made: the slightly bigger press fastener was covered by fabric. I'm not sure about Sofie, but for this clutch I used volume interfacing, that was attached to the lining.


Today it's Jula's turn. Now I know she liked it. As did M, who gave it to her.

Approved

The day before yesterday we went to the Plaswijckpark in the north of Rotterdam. Strange weather because, yes, L needed her new coat on her bike, but during the day it was on and off again. In the afternoon L was playing in her underwear because of the heat (she loves to feel the air upon her skin!), but some later she was very cold again.

We were glad her coat was finished in time!

Summer collection

Last week I just had to sew. My hands didn't take it anymore. Totally in the mood. A new coat for L was about to be born.
After a satisfying winter coat I decided to do the same trick again using this pattern (page 6) with a self-invented lining. This time no long search for the right fabric, but just a glance in my fabric stock, that was quite recently refilled with new fabrics from the Stoffenspektakel and from the Fragile fabric sale.

A bit more about Fragile. As I have some favorite dresses of Fragile I was keen on their fabric sale. So on a Wednesday afternoon I took half a day off to jump on the train to Antwerp, listened for almost an hour to a live band performing on the great station, went to buy Fragile fabrics and visited the city center afterwards, all alone and happy. Catch of the day were quite of lot of knit fabrics and this viscose.

But let's go back to the coat. At first I planned an ocher colored coat, but all of a sudden this plan changed and a Fragile fabric was used. It has a bit stretch, but appeared quite easy to sew.

Funny to combine a non-crease fabric on the outside and a crease one on the inside: for the lining I used a rose linen fabric, which I love because of the visible weaving. The peeping details were made in a Petit Pan leftover of this dress.

The back of the coat got a box pleat. The coat has a zipper to keep the wind out for my cycling daughter. To get an extra accent the front was finished with covered buttons and loops made of a bright cotton fabric.
Today was the first day of the coat into use. We discovered that the sleeves are a bit too long - so allow L to grow - and that the pockets could have been placed a bit higher. Wondering how it is on L? Come back later!

Sewing daughters

Sofia of Erika stayed overnight last week. As always Sofia took along her typical Mikodesign doll. The day after M and Sofia were both so eager to sew the I love Paris doll set I had still laying around. Without any help because I was in the office. They solved sewing machine problems together and learned each other how to sew. This is so great! In the meantime doll clothes were made as well.

Good timing because this doll will accompany M to Paris in less than two weeks! Erika spent hours with me to well prepare our Paris visit. Thanks, Erika!

Sweetheart

L has a sweet little boy in her class. Quiet, lovable, quite often the one and only boy present at girls' birthday parties. How to describe him more? He is knitting, loves knitting, knits all the time! While L is just starting her second knitted handicraft in school, he's finishing his third or forth one!
So when asking L for an appropriate present for his birthday she said at once: knitting needles! Maybe like all other girls who were invited... Never mind, because L added this unique (;)) self made present as well. Taking this pouch, but just extended it, thinking of this well-known Dutch horse. I used fusible interfacing on both outer as inner fabric, but still the long pouch could have been a bit more stable. Maybe I'll use another interfacing next time. But I do like the zipper result.

What more to tell about this small sewing project? The circle pattern of the fabric, which I really love, turned out to be continuous on the top; just a coincidence!

Just a tip

Sorry, but because we are having quite a cultural weekend, this post is about some Dutch tips and will be in Dutch.
Vanochtend gingen we naar de film, naar Het Mannetje van de Maan en ik kan het niet laten hierover te bloggen: zo'n aanrader! Dus pak de kinderen bij de hand en ga!
Gisteren ging ik met L naar Gaultier in de Kunsthal, ook een aanrader. L keek naar de gezichten, ik naar de jurken. Genoten!

Looking medieval

Not much to do here lately! Not very flattering after the last posts, I agree. A flu and general lack of creativity are part of my life these weeks.
But this weekend my sewing machine worked overtime. Line work took place. After Easter M is going a few days on a medieval school camp. We decided to make tunics for all kids and their supervisors. The result is not very spectacular to show you, but at least now you know again what's going on around here. M and her friend did a lot of zigzag stitching. Another mother will finish the sides. Finally the kids will add a felt weapon on the front. And then, off they go! The first time on a camp for M!