Screen Print Tops – jumpers, pullovers, sweaters, jerseys, windcheaters ….

Here is Little Es helping me with the screen-printing of the latest run of ship tops, one on her own t-shirt at the end. I want to do some more stencils for my tops, some for summer to go on t-shirts; it is on the ever-growing ‘to-do’ list. Horses, surfers and I cannot remember what else! Look out for some horsey themed clothing coming soon. We are into horses at our house now! May do some Jodhpur style leggings or should that be legging style jodhpurs…

I also want to do some more wheat pillows and purses – as per requests.

Loving all this sewing.

Japanese Kimono meets Victorian Lace

Fusion Dressmaking

I bought this Japanese kimono quilting fabric with the idea of making some more little dresses with a lace edged panel at the front, (like a dicky) as the last lot seemed to be quite popular.

As I was making them up I thought, Is this going to work?

 It’s like fusion dressmaking I guess; I have a Japanese print with Victorian detailing and I like the result, I think it does work.

I made 5 of these, 1 baby crossover style and 4 button shoulder pinafore style. 

Well, I say made, but still to put buttons and buttonholes on!

Free Range Clothing

Dear Reader,

Where do your clothes come from?

Here is where the clothes I make come from.

Currently I draught my patterns at home on the dining room table. I would do it in the sewing room but it is a bit cooler in there – the heater is next to the dining room. The weather is getting quite cool here is South Gippsland, time to rug up!

Then I take my patterns to my parent’s house where I cut out and sew up. And, more importantly my Mum and Dad take care of my little one. They have a big spare room where I have my industrial machines set up – just perfect!

So, I am writing about this for those of you who want to know where their clothing comes from. Mine are all happy and free to roam…. Haha.

Eco-friendly is a term I shy away from as I think every company and their dogs feel it is OK to say this about their products and it means little to some.  I am a great hoarder and hate to throw anything out, so I guess I am kind to the environment in that way! Whenever I buy fabric I try to use every bit of it and some off cuts make great cleaning rags or dishcloths.

A few pictures of my workspace and view from the window.

Take care,

Christina. 

Ship Shap Children's Wear - new blog and updates

And so I have decided to change the name of the blog to Ship Shap.
Just makes things easier I think. Now I will post my updates here with a link on facebook and my online stores at Madeit and Etsy.
I want to blog to let people, who are interested, know where the clothes are coming from. I mean where I make them and how I make them. It is the whole point of 'handmade', I believe, to know where your purchases come from.
So, what I am doing this week (and have been doing for the past few weeks) is finishing off items that have been languishing in my 'to-do' box. And also re-listing older stock I have at home - that needs a new home!

Latest pictures. 

handmade clothing sale

handmade clothing - denim dresses and overalls etc.

I am having a sale at the moment and also a competition to promote my new facebook page.

So please come over and have a look!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ShipShap/147310468667210

online promotion

I am in the midst of updating all things online. A new facebook page, updating Etsy and Madeit and Dwanda, oh to have someone help me (or actually just do it for me so I can spend more time sewing!!!). The problem is it is so time consuming for me as I am not all that tech savvy - never mind I will continue.....

Anyway as my facebook group is new so I wanted to have a promotion to celebrate. I was thinking, win a voucher and everyone who 'likes' can get free shipping. How's that?

I dress I made for my little girl. It is really a size 2 and she is only 1 - but good for next season.

The fabric is liberty of london and designed by Lauren Childs, the creator of Charlie and Lola.

I have decided not to add to online stores as I would have to go and buy more fabric to fill any orders.

Patch Pictures

My Mum gave me a book called 'Patch Pictures' last time I was at hers. So I have tried some. I am not overly happy with the shape of this t-shirt though, I think I will just do them the classic style with set in sleeves. Boys tops and jeans for this autumn/winter...stay tuned!

selling - a necessary evil

Why can't people just magically know about what to buy and therefore we wouldn't need advertising? But without that there would be no Mad Men I guess, and I love that show - even if it is just to see what Joan and Betsy are wearing.
Anyway, here is my latest dress, I just love this print and it goes well with the red denim I think.

Back again

I am back.
Spring is here and bring it on!

Happy New Year 2010

Oh my lord! Just read the last post - well I had the baby... 3 days later and I was not expecting that. So the little mite is nearly 6 months old and it's about time I blogged again.

I am already sewing for her and having her model for me, of course!

I wander around the house, or drive my car, or whatever, thinking of what I can write in this blog, then I sit down to write and... nothing, I am sure I am not alone (by the way, has anyone noticed how often people are saying "I am not Robinson Crusoe" instead of the aforementioned phrase?) and you can imagine how annoying it is when you cannot make a short note about what you want to say.

My plan this year is to go to a market a month, so in February and April I will be going to the wonderful Sisters' Market in the Brunswick Town Hall and in March and May I will be going to the Daylesford Makers Market which I have not been to before but as Daylesford is nearby and is a beautiful old town I am looking forward to going to this one in the town hall.

Ad for Mag and new Logo

So I have made a new ad for this magazine, see previous post. I have done this up myself and also made a logo. Having relatively little skill in this area, I hope it is all OK. Still getting organised for baby - so winding things down a bit. Not a great time to advertise I guess, but oh well.
Last week and a half at Incube8r also.
oops, sent the ad without the logo!

Modern Handmade Child

The new magazine for EtsyKids will be coming out in August.
Very excited as I won the competition to name the mag and therefore will have an ad inside!
Baby due mid August so may be very busy... hope I have a little time to sew and keep my sanity!

Here is a new item. What do you think? I have called it a collage dress, for want of a better word, as you can see I have used different fabrics, items, techniques. This was was made for my niece Abi.

Incube8r

I have a spot at Incube8r. I have 2 racks of children's wear and 1 of women's wear, just because I already had some tops made and I think I may sell more women's wear than children's wear in this location. But that will remain to be seen. I have more items to add and I may change my display to a long rack, instead of 3 waterfall racks.... decisions, decisions!

New things of from old things

Working on some new dresses, pants etc. for shipshap at the mo.
I have had this dress in the cupboard for many years, I had only worn it a couple of times and still love the material. But not in a dress for me, so I have cut it up and am using it as trim on my little girl dresses. Yet to take photos of these new items, but will soon.

Am I Arty Enough?

I found this new artists market in today's 'The Age', it's at a place called 'the substation' and is on the 1st Saturday of each month in Newport, Melbourne. Am keen to go and check it out, might have time this arvo but it is already 12.41pm and it closes at 4pm. I might be even more keen to have a stall. But, am I arty enough? I think I could be, as the items above include screen printing, patchwork and patching (not sure what you call that, but I am talking about the little dress above with a patch on the front with lace bordering each side). Anyway, keen to do a few markets soon, I did not get a spot at incube8r (see prev. post) and they are quite fun.

Featured & Incube8r

I was featured by madeit on the website Kid Style File which was very nice, here is the link.
I am also thinking of renting some space at Incube8r which is a fantastic shop in Smith Street, Collingwood which stocks handmade items, quite excited by this and will keep you posted.

Baking boats

Fresh from the oven, though I can't say they smelled very appetising.
New tops with blue boats, one of them could hardly be seen as the paint was the same colour as the top, so I re printed as a shadow - looks good I reckon.
Still waiting to be sewn up.

What to write on a blog.

Hi again. I have not forgotten about the blog, in fact quite the contrary. I think about it often and what I should write here. The problem is that every time I think about something I am doing something else. This is not a problem I do not share, I am sure. Needless to say I have no idea what to write right now.
So I will just give a little overview as to what is going on is my sewing life.
I have decided to put aside 5trillion and my desire to make women's wear for the moment. I would like to concentrate on ShipShap children's wear and also that I am expecting another baby in August and those 2 things are enough to work on at the moment (and, of course, looking after the first little one).
I have made a facebook group for ShipShap.
I have ordered some fabric and am working on a new winter range - it will also have summery pieces; as discussed in an earlier blog, as I sell to people all over and it is not cold all over, I like to have something for everyone.

Fabric purge

Like many sewers I have a stockpile of fabric. My sister once saw a fridge magnet that said, 'the person who dies with the most fabric wins', so it must be quite common. With this in mind I have to decided to stop buying fabric and make up as much as I can into garments and sell them. This may sound like what I have been doing all along, but not really. I want to get rid of this stuff, it is cluttering up my workroom and my life. OK, not my life that was a little dramatic, it would be great just to have some more room.
Then the plan is to make up a proper range for winter '09 (southern hemisphere). So everything is nice and cohesive, not the mishmash of different fabrics I have been doing.

<~A pair of overalls I made for my little man.