THE BEDFORD DRESS AND TOP BY BROOKLYN PATTERN CO.

I don’t know if I have already told you but, lately, Teresa has been really hard to please in terms of clothing. I have been struggling to find patterns and fabrics she likes but this time, thanks to Erin from Brooklyn Pattern Co., I think I have nailed it!

As soon as I showed Teresa her new Bedford Top made with the silver star France Duval-Stalla fabric I got in Paris she said: I LOVE IT! And I thought to myself: HURRAY!

(Do you like her new, kid of pirate without one front tooth, look?)

PATTERN: The Bedford Dress and Top by Brooklyn Pattern Co. I must confess I also felt in love with this top/dress the first time I saw it. It is such simple but so cool design. Perfect to make a 7 year old girl look really stylish!

Teresa needed tops more than dresses so I made the top version. According to her chest measurement, I should sew a size 5 and so I did. I really like the fitting but I must confess I have already sewn another Bedford in size 7 because I love this top so much I want it to last. So, though on the blog photos Teresa is wearing the smaller top, in reality she will be wearing the bigger one and Ines will wear the smaller one. (Confusing?! That’s what happens when my kids wear matchy-matchy outfits!) And you know what? Both size 5 and size 7 do fit her nicely and that's a really great thing on a pattern.

This was the first time I have sewn a Brooklyn Pattern Co. pattern and I was amazed with the quality of the overall design, the super clear instructions (I prefer diagrams to photos and Erin’s diagrams are perfect!) and, as I said before, the impeccable fitting. But, though the instructions really easy to follow, the technics are kind of challenging… A perfect project if you are an intermediate sewer looking for a nice challenge!
On my second top I have actually used this technic to close the harmholes. It is a great "backup" technic if you don't want to topstich though the way Erin tells you to do it perfect too.

FABRIC: Grey Silver Stars Glossy Coated Cambric from France Duval-Stalla (I think this specific color is out if stock now but there are some other quite amazingcolors on sale right now.) Have I already told you that France Duval-Stalla shop was my favorite shop in Paris? (And there are some pretty amazing shops there!) I felt like buying the all store! But instead, I got this beautiful silver stars chambray and a peace of blue linen I have been selfishly saving to make a dress for myself! This chambray is truly soft and has the perfect drape for this pattern. I feel happy because I have used it to sew such a great pattern but I think I might have to go back to Paris soon to buy some more…

The zipper and matching bias tape I’ve used to hem the tunic (the only thing I have changed to the original design) are from my local shop and I just adore the contrast between the pink and the bluish grey.

So do you feel like trying this pattern too? Or the Henry? Or the Franklin? Brooklyn Pattern Co. is offering a special launch discount until July 15 (11:59p.m.)! You can get 20% off any pattern with the code SUMMERFUN15.

And don’t forget to check all other Henry and Bedford dresses and tops on the blogtour. The lineup of bloggers is amazing and I am sure we will all be super inspired!

Thank you Erin for such a great pattern!

MAILBOX SURPRISE . GROOVYBABY... AND MAMA

Hoje é dia de Mailbox Surprise!
Como prometido na semana passada, a Trine (e a sua filha Wilma) vieram fazer-me uma visita!
E trouxe consigo não uma mas três criações cheias de estilo. Mas outra coisa não seria de esperar da criadora de Groovy baby... and mama!

It's Mail Surprise day!
As promised, Trine and her adorable daughter Wilma are visiting DoGuincho today!
And they brought from Denmark not one but three stylish creations. I am as impressed as I always am when I visit Groovy baby... and mama and delight myself with the funky clothes Trine makes for her family!

Thank you so much for inviting me, Marte and Marta.

And let me start by saying - I won!!! As in, I won the best mailbox friend - ever. Thank you so much for the gorgeous fabric and ditto zippers, Yifarn - spot on! I simply love it.

Without further ado I present to you my creations - yup, plural - 'cause I managed to squeeze 3 items from this fabric.

A skirt for yours truly, a Louisa Dress for Wilma and a makeup pouch for me Luna. 3 happy girls with one fabric!

It was a puzzle but I succeeded in matching up the fabric for Wilma's dress. Hopefully you agree when I say that you can't see the center seam front on the pocket part? If you can just lie to humor me!

The dark blue twill for the rest of the dress was found in my stash! (I know it looks black - but it is a dark navy blue color - as is my sweatshirt)

My skirt is just a simple low waist version with side zipper.

If you study the photos of the pouch you can see the gorgeous zippers Yifarn send me along with the fabric. I've used the other one for Wilma's dress.

Thank you so much all of you great, creative women - it's been a pleasure!

MAILBOX SURPRISE . STRAIGHTGRAIN

Tenho a certeza que já conhecem o blog SraightGrain e as lindíssimas criações da belga An.
O vestido que ela fez para a série Mailbox Surprise está hoje de visita ao blog Compagnie M. Passem por lá porque vale mesmo a pena!
Para a semana a dinamarquesa Trine, do blog Groovy baby... and mama, vai estar por aqui...

I’m sure you already know StraighGrain and An’s gorgeous creations and patterns.For Mailbox Surprise Series she made this lovely dress for her daughter with a piece of fabric that came from the other side of the Atlantic… Check out at Compagnie M. all the details!
Next week I will have the pleasure of having Trine, from Groovy baby... and mama, her on my blog!

 

MAILBOX SURPRISE . DOGUINCHO CREATION WITH COMPAGNIE M.’S FABRIC

Passaram uns meses desde o início da serie Mailbox Surprise e vamos finalmente começar a ver o resultado da troca de tecidos. Acho que vai ser divertido e vão aparecer por aí crianças muito bem vestidas…

I’m so excited today! It has been a few months since the beginning of Mailbox Surprise series and we finally get to see the result of our fabric swap. I think this will be fun and lots of very well dressed kids will pop up around here…

Adorei o tecido que a Marte me enviou por isso resolvi fazer algo que, tenho a certeza, vai ser usado muitas e muitas vezes. Tinha que ser uma peça de roupa simples e igual para as minhas duas filhas (nos fins de semana gosto de as vestir “de manas” e já percebi que a roupa que as duas têm igual é muito mais usada)

Como o tecido tinha 1.50m de largo era suficiente para fazer duas camisas de manga curta e, com sorte, ainda me sobraria algum para um pormenor noutro projecto. (Sobrou!)

Aproveitei o caderno que vinha a acompanhar o tecido para começar a esquiçar a minha ideia. Depois medi as miúdas, peguei no papel vegetal e nos meus moldes tipo e pus mãos à obra para desenhar o molde final.

As I loved the fabric Marte sent me, I had to sew something that would be worn again and again. It had to be a simple and practical piece of clothing and it had to be alike for my two daughters (on weekends I like to dress them as "little sisters" and I have already realized similar clothes get a lot more use.)With 1 meter of 1.50m wide fabric I had just enough material to make two short-sleeved shirts. P.S. - Actually I got lucky and had a bit left over after finishing the shirts. Hurray!
I picked my new notebook (also send by my friend Marte) and sketched my idea. Then, after measuring my daughters, with the help of my sample patterns, I drafted the final patterns (size 6 for Teresa and 4 for Ines.)

Usei o tecido Belga em toda a camisa mas, para não o desperdiçar, forrei-a com um pouco de tecido liso cor-de-laranja que tinha cá em casa. Como não encontrei vivo com a cor que queria acabei por faze-lo eu mesma com cordão e fita de viés. Pensei que fosse mais difícil mas é realmente bastante fácil.

The Belgian fabric is the shirts’ main fabric but, as I didn´t want to waste it, the linen is made out of plain orange fabric from my stash.  My local shop didn’t have piping in the right color for these shirts so I made it myself with bias tape and cord. You know what? It was a lot easier to make than I thought.  

 

As camisas são simplicíssimas e práticas. As miúdas gostaram imenso delas (mais pelo colorido do tecido, claro!) e eu também. Ficam impecáveis com jeans e podem ser usadas no inverno com uma camisola gola alta ou no verão sem nada por baixo.

Espero que tenham gostado! Para a semana passem por cá (ou pelo blog Compagnie M.) e vejam a criação da An do blog Straight Grain. Vai valer a pena!

The shirts are super simple and wearable. Just what I wanted! My girls liked them a lot (more for the colorful fabric, of course) and I think they look adorable on them. During winter time I know I will pair their new Belgian shirts with basic pink turtlenecks and jeans and for summer time they can wear these shirts by themselves with lighter pants or skirts.
I hope you liked my creation! Don’t forget to stop by next week (or head over Compagnie M.) and check out An’s creation. She blogs at Straight Grain and is incredibly talented!

MAILBOX SURPRISE . MARTE’S PACKAGE ARRIVAL

Na semana passada recebi uma mensagem da Marte a dizer-me que o meu pacote com a Mailbox Surprise tinha acabado de chegar. Ao sair de casa, resolvi passar na minha caixa do correio, sem grandes esperanças, e ver se o dela também já cá estava. E não é que estava mesmo?!

Estava cheia de pressa para apanhar as miúdas nas escolas e por isso tive que esperar, morta de curiosidade, por chegar a casa para ver o que estava lá dentro. Quando abri o pacote tive a sensação de estar no Natal!

O tecido era, como eu já esperava, lindo!

Last week I received a message from Marte telling me that my Mailbox Surprise package had just arrived. Later in the afternoon when I was leaving home to pick my daughters at school I decided - without high hopes - to check my mailbox. And, what a surprise, there it was! I was really in a hurry (as usually!) so I had to wait, dying of curiosity, to pick up the girls and get home to see what was inside. When I opened the package I had the feeling of Christmas before Christmas!The fabric was, as I already expected, gorgeous and special!

 

 

Mas, além do tecido, a Marte tinha-me enviado um vivo e uns botões a condizer, um bloco de desenho e umas estrelas origami!

Devo confessar que adorei este vivo quando vi as fotografias da loja Peter Pan e pensei imediatamente: “Era giro se a Marte mo enviasse…” Mas nunca me passou pela cabeça que me pudesse enviar não só o vivo mas também os botões a condizer. Que sorte!

A Marte provavelmente não sabe mas, antes de começar a costurar, costumo sempre desenhar os modelos num bloco. Por vezes, quando vejo alguma roupa que me inspira numa miúda na rua, numa revista ou loja também a desenho para não me esquecer. O meu bloco é uma espécie de Pinterest à antiga! Por isso este bloco de desenho não poderia vir mais a calhar.

A Teresa, quando viu as estrelas de origami, tentou logo ver se conseguia ficar com elas. Mas não, estas são para mim!

But besides the fabric, Marte had also sent me a piece of piping with matching buttons, a sketchbook and some origami stars! (Before every item I sould have written: “lovely”, “gorgeous”, “incredible”, “awesome”, “beautiful”...)I must confess I loved this exact piping when I saw Peter Pan Store photos at Compagnie M. and I immediately thought: "I wish Marte would get me some of this piping..." But it never crossed my mind that she would send me not only the piping bit also the matching buttons. Lucky me!Marte (and all of you) probably does not know but, before I start sewing, I always draw all models in a sketchbook. Also, when I see a nice piece of clothing in a girl on the street or at a magazine or a store, I usually draw it on my sketchbook. It is kind of an old-fashioned Pinterest ! So this lovely sketchbook could not come more in handy.When Teresa saw the origami stars she immediately tried to persuade me into giving them to her! But no Teresa, these are for mine!

Muito obrigada Marte! Agora tenho que pôr mãos à obra e ganhar coragem para cortar um tecido tão especial. Não vai ser fácil!

Thank you so much Marte! Now I have to get to work and find courage to cut such a special fabric. It will not be easy!

Agora só falta anunciar, das 5 pessoas que acertaram na cor do tecido que enviei para a Marte, a vencedora do sorteio:

A vencedora é Branca Lisboa!
Muitos parabéns! (Por favor envie-me a sua morada para eu poder enviar o tecido.)
Não se esqueçam de passer pelo blog da Marte para verem o que lhe enviei!

And finally, I have to announce the winner of my fabric giveaway. Five persons guessed the mail color of the fabric I sent to Marte.

But the winner is: Branca Lisboa

Congratulations!
Check out Marte's blog to see what I've send her!

MAILBOX SURPRISE . MY PACKAGE IS ON ITS WAY TO BELGIUM AND A GIVEAWAY (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

A série Mailbox Surprise está finalmente a começar e esta semana foi dedicada ao envio dos pacotes surpresa. (Saiba mais sobre esta série aqui e aqui!)

MailboxSurprise series is finally starting and this week was all about sending fabric to faraway countries. Haven’t you heard about this exciting series? Find out more here and here!

 

Ao contrário das restantes participantes, que não sabem quem lhes vai enviar o dito pacote surpresa, a Marte e eu - como organizadoras - vamos trocar uns tecidos entre nós.

Embora a Marte me tenha enviado uma completíssima lista de tecidos e cores de que gostava e de que não gostava, escolher “o” tecido para a Marte não foi fácil. Porquê? Porque em Portugal ainda não existem designers têxteis independentes. Porque as lojas de tecidos são bastante tradicionais, muito diferentes das do Norte da Europa ou das Americanas e Australianas.  

Acabei por encontrar um tecido que me pareceu adequado ao seu gosto numa das mais antigas lojas da Baixa de Lisboa, a Tavares &Tavares. Juntei mais umas “coisitas” da Antiga Drogaria que sei que a Marte vai adorar e fui aos correios enviar o meu pacote surpresa!

Unlike all other participants, who do not know who is sending them a surprise package, Marte and I - as organizers – are simply exchanging some fabric between us.
Although Marte has sent me a very complete list of fabrics and colors she liked and did not like, choosing “the" fabric for her was not easy. Why? Because in Portugal there no independent textile designers. Most of the fabric shops are quite traditional and are so different from those from Northern European Countries or America and Australia.
After going in and out of almost all fabric shops in central Lisbon, I finally found a fabric that seemed suit Marte’s style at one of the oldest stores of downtown Lisbon, Tavares & Tavares. I came home happy and added some “little things” I bought at Antiga Drogaria and know Marte will love before going to the post office to send my surprise package.

 

Para que todos que por aqui passam também se possam divertir com a nossa série, resolvi organizar um sorteio de uma peça de tecido igual ao que enviei para a Marte. Para participar basta deixar um comentário (por favor deixem também o vosso contacto) dizendo qual destas cores – as cores preferidas da Marte – predomina no tecido que está agora a caminho da Bélgica. Uma das pessoas que acertar levará para casa 50cm de tecido português. O sorteio estará aberto até a Marte receber o seu pacote, ou seja mais ou menos até daqui a uma semana.

So everyone can really enjoy this series I am giving away a piece of fabric like the one I just send to Marte. To participate all you have to do is leave a comment (please leave your contact information too) telling me which of these colors – Marte’s favorite colors - predominates in the fabric that is now on its way to Belgium. The giveaway is open until Marte receives her package and after that I will raffle, between those that got the color right, 50cm of Portuguese fabric.

COMPAGNIE M. SWING SKIRT

 

Hoje começa o blog tour da nova pattern lançada pela Marte do blog Compagnie M. , a SWING SKIRT.

Desta vez não fui pattern tester mas a Marte ofereceu-me uma saia feita por ela que assentou como uma luva à Teresa. Que sorte a nossa!

The SWING SKIRT by Compagnie M. blog tour starts today! This time I didn’t have the chance to be a pattern tester but I was even luckier as Marte actually offered me the skirt she made with her new pattern! And it fitted perfectly Teresa.

 

Adorei a experiencia de receber pelo correio uma (neste caso até foram duas…) peça de roupa feita por outra blogger. É fantástico ter a saia na mão e perceber verdadeiramente todos os pormenores, a textura dos tecidos, a forma como foi feita… Incrível!

I absolutely loved the experience of receiving on my mailbox one garment (actually I’ve received two because Marte also send me a pair of culottes...) made ​​by a foreign blogger. It is incredible to have the skirt in my hands and truly understand all the details, the texture of fabrics, the way it was sewn... Amazing!

A Teresa já usou esta saia várias vezes e adora-a porque sabe que foi feita por uma amiga da mãe que mora muito longe. Já tínhamos até feito uma rápida sessão I-fotográfica. As fotografias estão aqui. Agora fizemos a sessão oficial, com direito a produção e tudo (obrigada Catarina por emprestares os adereços!).

Teresa already wore her new skirt several times (she gets really excited about it because she knows the skirt was made by a friend that lives very far way) and we had already made some quick I-photos. Check them out here! But, this weekend, we finally had time for the official photo session with these nice props genteelly borrowed from a friend and neighbor. (Thanks Catarina!)

 

Entretanto recebi também uma cópia em PDF da pattern. Mal posso esperar por experimentar por, também eu, fazer uma saia destas. As instruções e os moldes da Compagnie M. são sempre impecáveis e já sei que vai ser um prazer costurar e ver o resultado.
Gostavam de receber uma cópia também? É fácil! Basta participarem no sorteio que a Marte está a organizar através do quadro em baixo. Boa Sorte!

 In the meantime I also received a PDF copy of the pattern. I can’t wait to try it! Marte’s instructions and templates are always spotless and I know it will be a pleasure to sew with her new pattern. And, of course, I know I will be making stylish and comfortable garments for my kids!
Would you like to receive a copy too? It's easy! Just participate in the giveaway Marte has put together for you... Good luck!

 

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MAILBOX SURPRISE . MARTE FROM COMPAGNIE M.

O dia em que recebemos uma encomenda pelo correio é um dia especial, não é?

Pois ontem foi um desses dias. Recebi um pacote vindo da minha amiga Marte (do blog Compagnie M.) que é belga e mora em Hove. Já o esperava há bastante tempo e finalmente chegou! E o que trazia lá dentro? Uma saia e uns calções, feitos pela Marte, para as minhas filhas!

Receiving a package on your mailbox makes your day look special, doesn’t it?
Yesterday was one of those days. I received a package from my Belgian friend Marte from Compagnie M.. I had been waiting for this package to arrive for quite some time and it finally arrived! Well, do you want to know what was inside that package? These gorgeous skirt and culottes, made ​​by Marte, for my daughters!

 

Foi incrível ver ao vivo, pela primeira vez, algo feito por outra blogger! É giro como é diferente de ver apenas fotografias no computador… Os tecidos ganham cor, brilho e textura. Tudo é mais real.

Adorei tanto os calções como a saia! Os tecidos, mesmo sendo lisos, são diferentes dos que encontro em Portugal. O design é totalmente “Belgian Style”. A atenção aos detalhes é espantosa (como em tudo o que a Marte faz). Há algo de exótico e diferente nestas roupas…

It was amazing to have, for the first time, something made by another blogger on my hands! It's so different from just seeing lots of photos on your computer screen... The fabrics gain color, brightness and texture. You can really see all the small details and the way it was sewn. Everything is more real.
Of course, I loved both culottes and skirt! The fabrics they are made with are so different from the ones I buy in Portugal. The design is totally "Belgian Style" (and I love it!). The details are amazing (as always on Marte's creations).There is something exotic and different about these clothes.

 

 

Claro que a Teresa já usou a saia hoje para ir para a escola. Ia orgulhosíssima da sua nova saia feita por uma amiga da mãe que mora muito, muito longe…

Teresa already wore the skirt to school today. And you wouldn’t believe how proud she was of her new skirt made by mummy’s friend who lives far, far away...

 

 

 

 

As fotografias da Teresa foram tiradas com o IPhone logo depois do dia de escola e não resisti a "trabalha-las" um bocadinho mais do que é habitual... Espero que gostem!

 

Teresa's photos were made with my IPhone just after her school day and I could not resist "editing" them just a little bit more then usual... Hope you like it!