Fall Palette

Have you ever had so much to do that you didn't quite know where to start? Or rather, when you'll finish it all?

Yeah, that's me.

Today I work on my daughter's American Girl retro pants (my pattern), as well as two short-sleeved dresses for AG (one for her, and one for the store). I also have to finish laundry, dishes, and reorganizing the kids' clothing today. Oh and changing bed linens and cleaning out the fridge....

Yep, one of those days.

Anyway..... I love fall. I really do. It's my favorite season, and if the weather were a cool 70 year-round, I'd be a happy girl. But it isn't, so I have to relish fall while it is here. With fall comes fall colors, also my favorites. What is on your sewing plate for fall? What colors? Mine are classic colors, but they work for me:

Bottoms in khaki/cream neutrals/brown

Tops and dresses in burgundy, cream, brown, red, and light pink. And some emerald/hunter green thrown in for a splash of bright color:

Well, off to work!

Wish List

I would really like this book. It's entitled, "How to Make Sewing Patterns", and it is by Donald H. McCunn. 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Sewing-Patterns-Donald-McCunn/dp/0932538002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313072446&sr=8-1




If I ever receive my business start-up, this is something I will definitely purchase!

Business-y Things

Well, I have created a website, and have been very busy setting it up, getting samples sewn, and figuring out shipping, payment, and other business-y things. *sigh* I am limited more by my fabric stash and start-up money than anything else. That, and maybe time. And I don't have a sewing room. And.....

'nuff complaining! :D

On the board for today:

1) Work on website to get it running!
2) Get products in the catalogue
3) Sew at least one sample, or at the very least, a OOAK doll outfit. :)
4) Do household chores on top of all that!!

I am not even sure if I am going to get a visitor today or not. I am going to start watching two-three children during the week (starting next week), but haven't heard from the mother yet if they are going to stop by beforehand or not. Hrm.....


On the vintage scene, I just saw that Wearing History has a new pattern! How cute! It's called 1930s Accessories (#3019) and includes "hat, gloves, scarf, and spats". Not sure what spats are, but I'm guessing it's the other neck accessory pictured.

Here is the link for more information: http://wearinghistoryblog.com/2011/08/10/new-pattern-time-1930s-accessories/

I'd love to try the gloves, at the very least. I adore the 30s-40s (mid range is my ideal), and so gloves would just make things super. Hmmm....

Well, time to get moving! Have a happy fall day!

~Redhead Lynn

I don't know about you, but I love to sew.

And I love to sew everything. If I could make a living sewing 12 hours a day, with different projects all the time, I would be very, very happy. Unfortunately, it's hard to convince SO that I might actually make a living at it, so right now it's my hobby. I sew for my children and for myself. I wear what I sew. My daughter plays with a doll quilt. My sewing machine is almost permanently placed on my kitchen table (we have no specific sewing spot)!

I wonder, what do others do with their sewing/crafting bug? Do you force yourself to stick to one thing? Do you sell just one thing, and make everything else your hobby (stuff for family, gifts, etc)? It's so hard to stick to one thing. Right now I am really leaning on maternity skirts and doll clothes, because 1) I love my maternity skirts, and 2) I love MAKING doll clothes. I love dressing up my daughter's doll. I would have an AG doll whether I had a daughter or not! They are just fun. :)


But I also have my daycare business, which we are working on getting started, and so I have to limit my production some. We'll see how things work out. I need to make a dress for my daughter, now that I think about it....

Maternity Skirts

I am very pleased to announce that Redhead Lynn will now feature Maternity Skirts and Maternity Slips! I will offer ready-to-wear skirts as well as custom requests.

I have been wearing these maternity skirts for several weeks now (I am 21 weeks), and I am very happy to be able to sew these for my customers. The skirt features a very comfortable maternity panel with elastic at the top and generous but flattering sizes to accommodate a growing mama. I can sew this in a variety of lengths and hem options...although my favorite is a simple A-line, and so that is what you will see most often in my shop.

I hope you enjoy these skirts as much as I have!

~Redhead Lynn

Dolls

I don't know how my readers feel about 18" dolls, but I have had a fascination ever since I was little. My neighbor, our "adopted grandmother" would buy me American Girl paperback books to collect. This was, of course, before the Pleasant Company was bought by Mattel. This was back when most dolls purchased were their historical dolls, and you could still purchase doll patterns. You could actually purchase historical costumes for girls to match your dolls! My favorite was Felicity, and I wanted a Felicity doll so badly. I was so adament on getting one, I even wrote to Pleasant Company asking if they would ship a doll first and then send the bill. :D They sent a very nice letter explaining why they couldn't do that.

I finally did get a doll from my ex-husband in 2009, right before they switched to the new body style. She wasn't my picking - she had light reddish curly hair and blue eyes - but she was pretty, nonetheless. She was one of the newer dolls where you pick the hair/eye/skin combination. (Of course, back when I received their catalogue in the 90s, you could literally pick any combination.) My daughter plays with her now, tangled hair and all!

I have begun to make doll clothing for the newer style American Girl doll. I hope to make a bunch of clothing to give my daughter for her birthday and Christmas this year, Lord willing. I also hope to sell some on etsy!

Now if you've never sewn doll clothes, you have no idea how difficult it is. Normal seam allowances for clothing are between 4/8 to 5/8 of an inch. Doll clothing seam allowances are 1/4 inch. While less fabric is used, more stitching has to be done to finish the edges and ensure that the dress doesn't unravel through loving play. The stitching has to be done more carefully, also, to avoid unnecessary bulk and fitting problems. I spend more time and thread on doll clothing than I do clothing for children, hence the higher price for doll clothing in my shop versus children's clothing.

 I love dolls. I love sewing doll clothing. And I hope you enjoy the doll clothing I will have up for sale in the coming weeks and months....

~Redhead Lynn

Redhead Lynn's Etsy Shop....

My etsy shop will start having items again soon! I am running a licensed daycare business out of my home, and as supplemental income selling kids clothing and accessories (doll clothes, for example). So the items will start going to my etsy shop. I am excited about some of the sample/RTW items about to be sewn! And right now, I am working on a cute 18" doll dress.I'd love to share my long-handled tote bag with people, too.... I use mine for everything, especially since it doesn't LOOK like a regular tote bag. Mine looks like wool on the outside, so it's nice for putting kid's stuff in without looking like I just grabbed my grocery bag. I don't use it for groceries, though, so it's almost like a purse or a pocket-less diaper bag. :D