New dress

I've been so busy lately with other obligations, I haven't had much time to sew for myself. I bought some fantastic vintage fabric in Toronto's Kensington Market last fall, where it's been sitting on my work table ever since. This past week I finally set out to make a simple shift dress with it, from the Japanese sewing book Tunic and Dress.



It was very quick and easy to make, and I used bias trim around the arm and neck holes and hem. It will be perfect over a turtleneck and tights.

Toy mice for foster kittens

Inspired by my fostering with Abbey Cats Adoptions, I've started making toy mice for the cats in foster. I never know what to do with my scrap fabric, which I've been saving and can now put to good use. Once I've made enough I'm going to distribute them to the other fosters, and may even sell them in my Etsy shop, with the proceeds being donated to Abbey Cats. So far, my foster kittens seem to like them!

Wise Daughters craft market celebrates three years

On Saturday, January 28th, Wise Daughters craft market in the Junction area of Toronto will celebrate its third birthday. This wonderful store carries unique and carefully hand made goods from local artists, including myself, and hosts workshops and other events. Proprietor Mary keeps the selection fresh and relevant to the needs of her customers. My Zippster coin purses and magnet sets sell rather well there, and I am grateful to Mary not only for the opportunity, but also for the attention she provides to vendors, which isn't always the case with consignment.

Between 1 - 5, Wise Daughters will be celebrating with complimentary treats, great giveaways and live music by The Measure, a 4-piece acoustic band. Drop by and take a look at the goods!

Cats!

Meet my three foster kitties: Suzie Q, Polka and Fandango. I recently decided to volunteer as a foster mom after adopting my cat Dexter (seen below, playing with Suzie Q), from Abbey Cat Adoptions.



These three kittens were from a litter of nine, so they're a bit small for their age, but no less energetic. Or hungry. Kittens eat and poop a lot! Each has their own very unique personality: Suzie Q is fearless, friendly, affectionate, curious, playful, and nosy. She seems to be the dominate of the three, and also the hungriest! Polka is more independent and serious, but loves playing with the catnip mouse. She too is curious and nosy, and likes to jump up on the kitchen counter. Fandango is friendly and affectionate, but still a bit cautious. He loves a good tummy rub and cuddling with Suzie Q.



All three play really well together and love playing tag, and with Dexter. In particular, Dexter has taken a liking to Suzie Q. At first I was worried about how he would react with three new kittens around, but he has assumed the role of older brother, making sure they get fed (he yells at me in the morning if I take too long to get them their food!), grooming them, and scolding them when they scratch the couch.





If you know someone who is considering adopting a cat, I suggest taking a look at the cats and kittens at Abbey Cats.

Messenger bags

My messenger bags have been available at Wise Daughters for a while now, but they are now available in my Etsy shop. I started making messenger bags when I wasn't able to find one that I liked - often that's how I start making a new item, when I'm dissatisfied with what's out there.

These bags are based on my own pattern, after some trial and error. I tested out different closures, strap configurations, and dimensions. The front flap closure is a magnetic snap, which I love - very easy to use. The bag is just the right size for daily essentials: book, wallet, cosmetic case, gadgets, even some snacks.



Remember, I do custom work, so if you have a piece of fabric you would like to incorporate into a bag or pouch of some sort, just let me know!

New Blythe items

So I finally made some Blythe clothes from the Simplicity Blythe patterns. I've been so busy with my Zippster items, and sales have been slow in my Blythe store, that I haven't bothered making new items. I think the recession in the United States is still bad enough that people aren't shopping like they used to. I made one of each of the outfits, and overall I'm happy with the patterns.




The only pattern I didn't like was for the hoodie. The pattern had the opening at the back but I made it at the front, and used snaps instead of a zipper (anyone know where I can find doll-sized zippers?). I found the hood a bit too big, and the sleeves a weird length - too short for a t-shirt and not not long enough for a long sleeved top. Next time I'll lengthen the sleeves.



The items are now available in my Etsy store.

New vintage fabric clutches

Before the Canada Post strike/lockout I had ordered some really amazing vintage fabric, which finally arrived about a week ago. As soon as I saw it I knew it would be perfect for my coin purses. The fabric is so colourful and is in perfect condition.

Recently I've been experimenting with larger sizes and shapes for the coin purses. I drafted a new pattern, and the end result is a clutch large enough to be used alone as a purse, or as a cosmetic case. They include interfacing and cotton batting for shape and support.



More to come...