Moving!

Thank you so much for stopping by! The Pip ‘n’ Milly Creations blog has now moved to www.pipnmilly.com. If necessary, please change your bookmark.

More of my work, family life, crafting, gardening etc can be found at The Winking Frog. Feel free to hop on over!

Two new potentials

These are a couple of the potential new products I am working on. The design stage and preliminary mock-ups always take awhile, and some things are too time consuming or too fiddly to be practical, but I am hopeful that these will work out.

New custom camera bag

Adjustable strap

Deluxe child's apron with matching chef's hat

The camera bag is for our older daughter. We try to go for a walk every day and she really, really doesn’t enjoy it. In order to make the walks more enjoyable for her, we’ve agreed to let her borrow a camera so she can take pictures enroute. In order to protect my camera, I decided to make her a special bag with an adjustable strap so she can wear it across her body (the strap is long enough that I can carry it too). I’m also going to make a neck strap for the camera itself for when she is actively using it. The outer fabric has fusible interfacing and there is also a layer of fleece to pad the bag and protect the camera.

The apron and chef’s hat set are a gift for our younger daughter’s birthday. She loves to bake with me, but also loves playing in her own little kitchen, making soup, cleaning the stove and putting groceries away! I am going to tweak the hat a bit, but then it will be ready to add to the product range at Pip ‘n’ Milly Creations.

Another new hat

I made another hat using the hat pattern my Nicole Mallalieu and I love it! I altered the crown height slightly to suit me better. I used raspberry coloured corduroy for the exterior and a heavy purple satin print for the lining. I found the piece of satin at a thrift store late last year for 75 cents! It is a beautiful fabric and will make a gorgeous lining for a handbag too.

Raspberry corduroy hat

Raspberry corduroy hat with upturned brim

Lining

Celebrating the new year with a new hat!

Happy New Year one and all! May it be the best yet!

2009 has been challenging on some fronts, but enormously satisfying and fulfilling on others. I anticipate a wonderful year ahead! I am starting the new year off with a bright new hat to bring cheer on these wet and grey days. I used the adult hat pattern by Nicole Mallalieu and made this for myself:

New hat

Obviously that is not my head. It is very handy to have a hairdresser’s training tool around! This is only the second hat I have made and the first time I have used Nikki’s pattern. I used some drapery weight fabric I picked up for a very reasonable price, along with some fusible interfacing and coordinating orange cotton for the lining. I will definitely be making this again in other fabrics and trying some of the variations which are incorporated in the pattern.

Merry Christmas!

A very quick note to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2010! Thank you for stopping by over the year. I hope there will be many more posts in the year ahead.

New Pip ‘n’ Milly website

The new Pip ‘n’ Milly website is now live! There are a couple of issues to resolve, but my tech-savvy husband is looking into it. The site will evolve over time to include online ordering, inventory, testimonials and the like, but for now it will serve to show my work and give a background to the company. Please stop by to check it out.

Special project for Hanukkah

A lady approached me at the Market I participated in at the end of November and mentioned that she liked the idea of  something similar to an advent calendar for her children for Hanukkah. After various emails back and forth, lots of planning on paper and “take a deep breath and cut”, here is what I designed and made for her. She is really happy with the outcome and pleased that her children will have a fun tradition that is special for their family.

Hanukkah calendar

Hanukkah calendar with candles in the menorah

The lower section is a pocket for a gift for each day of Hanukkah. Each day the child will take one of the candles and place it in the menorah as appropriate.

Custom orders

These are some of the products I have been working on lately. I also made an adorable purple and white tutu with a ribbon waistband and embellished with flowers, but forgot to take a picture before it left. Hopefully I will get one after Christmas, once the little girl has received it – if her Mommy can wait that long!

Mummy and me apron set

Mid-size 'holds just about everything' bag

This one was for my lovely neighbour, who needed something light and pretty to take away on a trip to warmer climes. The interior is a lilac cotton and there are multiple lined pockets, a key clip and magnetic closure.

Hockey-themed Grab 'n' Go placemat

This is made in a cotton hockey print with a coordinating flannel and is interlined with Armo fleece for structure and durability. The pocket has 3 sections for cutlery and secure with hook and loop tape so nothing falls out. There is a pocket for a cloth napkin. The placemat rolls up and ties with the 2 straps and is perfect for taking to school, picnics, fast food lunches and more. Keeps food off the table and reduces use of disposable products.

3-pocket, lined Christmas apron

Umm….this one was for me!

Super twirly gold skirt for 6 year old

Mummy and me apron set

Custom messenger bag

Pockets under the flap of messenger bag

I love this bag and it was really hard to give it up! Messenger style bag in five coordinating fabrics, with applique embellishment on the flap, multiple lined pockets inside and out, a key clip, swish metal clip and an adjustable strap.

These are just a few of the things I have been working on lately, so you can see why I haven’t been posting much! I have one more interesting project to work on, then I have a few ideas for Christmas gifts for my own children. Little M. loves to bake, so I am going to try to make a chef’s hat for her. Not sure about P. yet……

Market update

Apologies, again, for not writing more often. I have been very focused on sewing lately and not had much opportunity to use the computer. I have also been in substantial pain with my back and leg, so have had to limit sitting time. I have new medication to help, but it makes me feel nauseous and very fuzzy in the head, so not a good combination!

Anyway, the market went well. It was good to be doing it on a relatively small scale with a select group of people. We had a really great turnout and saw lots of new faces, as well as some very good friends who came along to support us.

First market set up

I worked really hard to make enough stock to fill the table and offer a variety of items, from aprons, deluxe baby bibs, handbags, crayon rolls, colouring sets (lined book bag and coordinating crayon roll), reversible coffee cozies, tutus, zippered pouches, Grab ‘n’ Go placemats and felt crowns. If we do any markets in the future, we will definitely work on some better display structures!

One more sleep

Just one more sleep until the big day – the EllaBella Designs’ 1st Annual Christmas Market. This will be my first market and I have been sewing every night to make enough to fill a table. Normally I make items to order, so I don’t usually have much stock on hand. Well, now I do! I will have aprons for children and women, tutus, one of a kind handbags, reversible coffee cup cozies, cosmetic pouches, Grab ‘n’ Go placemats and crayon rolls. I will also be taking orders for custom pieces for Christmas.

If you are in the Nanimo area and are interested in locally made, handmade, high quality pieces, please stop by. Here’s a link to the map. Hope to see you there!

Aprons

Getting ready for Market