Review: Dolly Pegs Vintage sew at home kits.

So, those of you who read this blog will know that I've been trying and failing to learn to sew for a while.  While I can handle knitting needles tolerably well sewing is another story - I find it incredibly difficult.  I've several half completed projects littering the flat as I tend to be OK until I get to waistbands, buttons and zips.

Thus, when I saw this kit from Dolly Pegs vintage clothing on eBay I decided to take the plunge and give it a go.

I ordered the kit in a bottle green and it was very quick to arrive.  It comes with everything - the pattern cut out, interfacing applied and tailors tacks sewn in, along with a spool of matching thread and four buttons.

pic from their site, I was too excited to take photos before beginning

The instruction book that came with the kit is really helpful, (there are some flaws which I'll come to later) and so I sat at the sewing machine, reminded myself how on earth to wind the bobbin and got stuck in.

Everything went swimmingly until I got to the buttonholes, and here I discovered that, despite having an automatic buttonhole foot, buttonholes are a b@%!@£d.

Still, I got the things together, they fit and they definitely look like trousers!

excuse the mess, I'm ill...boo

I've learnt a lot from this project - about darts, buttonhole positioning, adding waistbands and the importance of interfacing and now I feel ready to pick up those half finished projects and tackle them again.

I do have a few criticisms of the kit.  For £20 I'd have expected better fabric - it may just be the green I chose but it seems like 100% polyester, the shiny dinnerlady kind that melts the moment you waft an iron near it (I very nearly burnt them when pressing the waistband).  Unfortunately this fabric, as well as looking ugly to my eyes, is also rather stiff and doesn't drape at all like a genuine vintage fabric which therefore makes these unwearable for me.  I'm rather a stickler for only wearing natural fibres where ever possible and  I'm aware others might not be so fussy.  Also, there seemed to be no right or wrong side to the fabric, which made things a little confusing when working out which piece was which.

The only other things are really niggly: the instructions have quite a few spelling mistakes, not the end of the world of course but they did bother me, and finally, I think the instructions would benefit from photos for some stages rather than sketches.

Despite these issues I would still strongly recommend this kit for anyone starting to sew, it has really given me the confidence to step back into it.

They have other styles of trousers as well as blouses and playsuits in their cloth kit range and are well worth a look.

A new hobby...a new challenge.

I've started sewing.  I'm not very good at it, I must admit, but one needs a challenge every now and then.  I'm currently part way through this pattern.

A very simple skirt and cape pattern, or so I thought.

 I have a couple of bits of the skirt to unpick and resew as it came out larger than expected  (No, I didn't make a muslin.  Yes, I know that is silly) but all in all it is starting to take shape.  Hopefully I will start putting the cape together in the next week or so.

It's a very tiny red and black check.  The fabric came from a car boot sale.
Just enough for the skirt.  Cape will be black with this fabric as accents.

Slightly too big, so am going to unpick and start again.
I hate unpicking so this is a valuable lesson.

A blouse I am making to match from a pattern with no instructions.
Yep, I tend to go all out when I'm trying to learn something.

I thought I'd also share my latest sewing pattern purchase.  Feast your eyes on this baby from 1934.

Yes, it even has the original receipt in the envelope.

It says it is a beginner pattern, and I'm certainly that so lets hope I can manage it!

I'm thinking view C in a nice pale green slubby wool.



In other news: I've been a busy girl lately - racking up potential blog posts and not having the time to post them so hopefully this week I'll get a chance to update you all.

I've changed my hair colour, indulged in some delicious French food and attended a hair styling session.  I've been to the theatre and also owe you some hair setting posts.  Gotta get back on the horse.

sewers and knitters: catnip mouse time

Not sure if you have heard but there is a huge cat rehoming problem this year.  Being a cat lover I only wish I could give them all a home. Me and thousands of cats...bliss.

Reality bites though, so instead I'm asking for your help to make catnip mice for all the kitties we cannot house.

Please, if you can, spend a little time knitting or sewing mice, to these patterns or your own, and send them to me or your local cat shelter.  I'll be delivering them to the local rehoming shelter just before Christmas.

if you want to send to me, e-mail me at lisa.prest@gmail.com

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/30/how-to-make-catnip-mouse

 http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=283086.0

please share.

Drumroll please! And the winner is....

Yes it is 21 January and time to announce the winner of the wonderful vintage sewing book.

The lucky winner of this fine tome is:


Natasha De Vil over at Tea Love and Anarchy

Natasha, congratulations - I need your address to put this little baby in the post to you. 

I hope you have fun using it!

My first giveaway! 1940's simplicity sewing book.

And lo, I have reached 250 followers.  Wow!  Thank you everyone.

To celebrate this and also to strengthen my sewing resolve I have decided to give away a copy of the Simplicity Sewing book.

I have two copies of this and am giving away the mint condition copy, it is a stunning magazine - 88 pages of real vintage sewing instructions including:

• Make the most of your figure
• Basic sewing tools
• How to measure yourself
• Pattern alterations
• The best colours for your type
• Embroidery
• Buttons and trims

and so much more!

It really is a marvellous publication and should answer all your vintage sewing questions.

So, what do you need to do to win?

Mandatory entry: Follow my blog and leave a comment below about why you learnt to sew or want to learn to sew.  Something to motivate me please too - haha!

Want more chances to win? Additional entries:

• follow @LisaSmuts on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (including a link) and leave a comment below to confirm

• Blog about this giveaway (including a link) and leave a comment below to confirm

• Post this contest to your Facebook page and leave the link.

You have to leave separate comments for each entry. In other words, if you become a follower and tweet about the contest at the same time, leave one comment saying you're following and another saying that you tweeted it. This helps me count the entries!  Also, be sure to leave your e-mail address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.

That simple! This contest is open to readers worldwide.

This contest will run until January 21st. After that a winner will be chosen using a random number generator. The winner will be the person with the comment of the corresponding number. I will then contact the person via the email left and announce on my blog.

Ok - well good luck my dearies!

In the pink! Latest shopping finds and suggest me a dress pattern...

Sorry I've not been around lately, I've been busy at work and have had a house guest so finding time to write for here has been impossible. 

Anyway, I had a lovely day of thrifting on Saturday and just wanted to share my glorious finds with you.  Almost all in a shade of pink.


My first purchase was this wonderful hat, dark red with a pinky orange band.  I bought this from Past Caring in Islington and it came with two black hat pins which area little rusty but easily cleaned.  All for £8!

They had the hat listed as 60's but I was fairly sure it was late 40's and took it into a couple of the better vintage shops in the area and had it dated as such, so I'm very happy.  It has some great creases in it and the trim is turned beautifully.

Whilst there I also picked up a darling rose pink slip and a fabulous 50's crochet pattern for DK wool.  I'm always thrilled when I find vintage patterns in anything above 4 ply.

I then wandered up the road and found a great stall selling vintage haberdashery oddments and picked up two belt buckles and some buttons which are an incredibly close match for one of the buckles.

The green buckle is cracked but I plan to Make Do and Mend it with a dab of superglue.  It was just too beautiful to pass by with that lively green on cream and deco style.

So ladies - I need some idea for what to make for these items.  I'm thinking some late 40's dresses.  Any pattern suggestions would be very welcome.  I'd love to use those big pink buttons and belt together.

Oh, and I was naughty and bought a watch.  Modern but vintage style - rose gold.  I hope I love it as much in real life as I do in the picture.

Haberdashery heaven - Maculloch and Wallis and a quick outfit post

I'm coming to the end of my week off, sadly, but have managed to fit quite a lot in.

On Thursday I met up with one of my best friends for a quick jaunt about town and a visit to famed haberdashers, MacCulloch and Wallis.

I first discovered this place way back when I was doing my millinery course (see earlier blog posts if you are interested) but never managed to make it there.  I'm glad I finally did though, the place is a treasure trove of millinery basics and trims, fabrics of all kinds and oh my good lord the buttons!

I didn't buy anything as the place isn't cheap and I'm not yet an adept enough sewer for fabrics of over £5 a metre!  I will be going back though, for some of this deco print and floral print fabric to make blouses.

 After the visit I then had the pleasure of meeting  My Vintage Dresser, her chap and another lovely chum, for a drink in posh old Holland Park.

I'm glad I had got myself suitably attired for such fine company:

1940's jacket in yellow, green and brown tweed with brown buttons, brown GAP 40's style trousers, Primark brown leather belt, 40's blouse with jet buttons, charity shop brooch and my lovely bakelite earrings.


Unfortunately I lost a single earring at some point in the day.  I didn't realise until I got home.  These things happen though.  :-(

Anyone for tea?

Well, I bought the set I was after and it arrived this morning at the undignified hour (for a day off anyway) of 8am.

It is beautiful, a cream background with tunning and somewhat loosely painted orange, yellow and grey flowers.

I've got a teapot, 6 trios, 4 side plates, 2 cake plates a jug and a sugar bowl. Gorgeous! I also picked up some lovely silver tongs and a 4 matching teaspoons for 50p recently so I'm all set in the tea party department.

Here is my new baby in all her glory!

  I've tried to find more of that rugged yorkshire dales pattern but there isn't a bean on the 'Bay.

Anyway - my yellow pattern is called "Sunburst" and while there are a lot of tea items available there isn't much in the way of dinner sets.  Infact I saw a tureen on eBay with aprice of £119!  It must be quite rare.  I might try and find something complementary but easier to find for my dinner service.


I also treated myself to a lovely new (old) sewing box today - and have totally tidied my craft cupboard.  Look at this lovely thing.  I think its possible the cats like it even more than me!  It was from my very favourite second hand shop - Past Caring on Essex Road in Islington - an absolute treasure trove of vintage lamps, glassware and sewing paraphernalia.

I also had a fantastic hair day today - but that's all part of tomorrows post!

Car booty!

Thanks to the lovely Naomi of Vintage Secret fame I have recently discovered a fantastic local car boot sale.

Over the last few weeks I have picked up the following:

• two 4 yard pieces of wool fabric £4
• various vintage sewing patterns - total £3
• 4 babycham glasses - £1
• working 70's superhot Carmen rollers that might actually work on my recalcitrant barnet - £3
• Art Deco depression glass cheese dish - £3
• 40's / 50's deadstock patchwork quilt - £25

I absolutely love a bargain and couldn't be happier, though my home is slowly illing with my new found treasures.  A couple of pics of the quilt below.

It's darker than the pictures suggest and really stunning.I'm fairly sure it is either deadstock or kept in a bottom drawer and never used as its absolutely mint condition with no fading.  It could be new, hard to tell but I don't think it is, the faded paper tag on it looked old.  It even bore a label reading £150, much more recent, but it must have been for sale in an antique or vintage shop at some point.

Pretty, pretty thing.