overlocking...

...or serging as the Americans call it is something I was very dubious about. I was a fan of the flat seam but Mum persuaded me otherwise and before Christmas she went and bought me a new overlocker machine from the Balham/Tooting sewing emporium that is Wimsew. If you've never been, you really should go.

The overlocker whizzes along much faster than a normal sewing machine and has four big reels of cotton and the most ferocious looking cutting blade.

Plus, when you open the front cover it contains the scariest looking set of complicated hooks and threading holes that you can imagine. (Hence my idiot instructions stuck to the front!) But once you've got the hang of it, it's lots of fun.

Except that when you take the eye off the ball and cut into what you're creating by accident as I did last week and your lovely pair of gingham 'Izzy Whizzy' culottes is shredded and you have to turn them into a sample baby 'Tilly Toadstool' dress.

I've spent hours on the overlocker today hemming and seaming the mini 'Mia Roses' for the Chelsea Christmas fair PR packs (see yesterday's post) and then I got an order for a 'Bella Luella' puff sleeve baby dress and knickers.

It's been hot in the sewing room but lovely to have the window wide open. Better dash as my knickers need elastic and hanging ribbons and it's almost time for Chinley Community Cinema.

fents and gate-legs

It's been a busy day. This afternoon I've been cutting out mini 'Mia Rose' dresses for the We Make London fair in Chelsea in December.

Why so early? Well they are for the press packs which have to start going out in June. The organisers have a lovely idea of giving journalists each a tote bag filled with some of the handmade goodies that will be on offer.

Why 'mini'? Normally my shift dresses only come in girls' sizes from two to six but I'm doing these as baby dresses in size 6-12 months. They do look super cute.

I'm using Liberty 'Wiltshire' as I'm going to continue using this through autumn/winter and will add velvet ribbon trim to the hem line for a more Christmassy feel.

Which brings me to cutting. I cut out fabric on a gate-legged table which folds up neatly against the wall when people come to stay. It's one of my Mum's junk-shop bargains and I love it. It only cost £10 and I was about to get rid of it because our house is chock-a-block with furniture already but it's got a new lease of life now. It's covered in walnut veneer and it's width exactly matches the width of Liberty fabric. (137cm in case you're wondering).

This is a photo of me placing and marking out a new blouse pattern with my trusty yard-stick. I use two little photo frames that are really heavy but a handy size for weights to stop the fabric slipping off the table and to make sure I get a nice neat line of tailor's chalk.

I also finally popped over to Macclesfield to The Fent Shop which is a treasure trove of fabric and haberdashery goods. I heard about it a few months ago when I was interviewing a lady in Whaley Bridge for my High Peak Radio 'Born and Bred' series. (More about my radio producer alter ego in another post on another day).

And this morning I recut my boys' dungarees pattern adding a lower waist and taking out the gathers. Definitely more boyish. Nearly there...

sewing room with a view

This is the view from my sewing room window...

I have to stand on tip toes to see it because I work at the top of the house.

The first day we moved here I cried when I saw it (we had been living at Elephant and Castle in London).

I love it. When it rains I hear the pitter patter on the glass and when the sunshines I can open the window wide open.

The only thing is I have to remember to shut it when I leave the room so my fabrics don't get rained on.

I also have to remember to switch the iron off (I'm terrified of burning the house down), turn my machines and radio off and now I have to close the door because our new kitten, Loki, thinks ric-rac, ribbons and bias-binding are all made for him to play with.

frogs and snails and puppy dog tails...

... what do little boys like?

I've had loads of Mums asking me if I make boys' clothes so I've set to work on my new 'Peak Prince' range.

Yesterday I went round to Chipo's house to see what her little boy looked like in my "mark one" dungarees.

They fitted well and he looked really comfy but they're still a bit girly. So "mark two" will have less sugar and spice or rather fewer gathers and a lower waist.

...and I'm also experimenting with a newborn baby romper suit for boys and girls...

...this is a polka dot sample (6 month size) that I ran up, inspired by a pattern in Marie Claire Idees.

I love my new culottes (called 'Charlie Mouse' after our friends', Tim and Angela, little boy).

But I think they are a little long and could do with being a wee bit narrower in the leg.

My Dutch friend, Delphine's been trying them on her little boy, Jan Piet, who looks super cute in them.

There's lots of development work to do to finesse the patterns. And I'd like to include a top in the range too.

I've set up a little group of product-testing Mums (thanks to Chipo in Chinley, Delphine in The Hague, Jane and Alex in London and Sarah in Old Basing) and hopefully you'll see the results soon.

Please do let me know your thoughts.

blog day one

It's Thursday and it's been like Piccadilly Circus here.

Hayley and Anya popped round this morning to try on my new 'Freya Bean' design - it's a pretty long sleeved blouse to go with my autumn/winter collection in Liberty's wonderful 'Mark' paisley print.

I've had to resort to bribing Anya with raisins to get her to keep trying on dresses!

Then Lisa came round to choose a dress for her friend's baby's christening present.

She's gone for a blue vintage version of Liberty's classic floral check called 'Millie' of which I've only got a tiny quantity left.

And last but not least Victor popped in to drop off some tape to mark out the inaugural Chinley fell race route with which meant I was able to give him the shift dress I made for his niece for her birthday.

It's a 'Mia Rose' shift dress in Liberty 'Ros' print. Pretty pink and red violas in my new size five to six years.