Meet and Make at Mooeys

Knitters, sewers, crocheters and makers - meet up in Mooeys Mocha Shop, Worthing, every Tuesday morning (starting 7th Feb) and bring along your current projects for a spot of stitching and damn fine coffee. Procrastinators - bring along those shirts that have needed buttons sewing onto them for the past 6 months! You know you've got them.

I'll be there knitting my dolls, and so will crochet Queen Chi Chi Revolver so come along and say hello!

Drop in for as little or as long as you like on Tuesday morning, 10 - 12. Free event but please buy drinkies or cakies to support our legendary local coffee shop.

1920s baby clothes

Weldon's Simple Baby Clothes and Materity Wear - a broadsheet-sized home-dressmaking magazine from the late 1920s, and a fascinating glimpse into the glamorous world of what the well-dressed tot and ma were sporting.

"Surely there is no more delightful task than preparing an outfit for the Little Stranger. The wee garments are so dainty and easy to make, and as we stitch into them all the best wishes in the world, we wonder perhaps if we are working for some small boy or girl who will one day become a national hero or heroine."

Long, simple gowns were de rigeur for the newly arrived Little Stranger: "Dainty and protective with bonnet for Miss, or Hat for Master."


Styles for older children echo the adult fashions of the 1920s - I love this little cloche hat. "Dainty frock in Ayesha or washing silk and Coat and Bonnet of velour, etc." Ages 6 months to 2 years.


Children aged 6 months to 5 years could wear this elegant hat: "Fashion votes for a silk or satin Bonnet, with gauged crown and cuff brim, to match her coat, and she will be so smart. A tiny daisy spray from transfer No 14102 will be pleasing on the brim".


Mummies, of course, were not to be outdone in the maternity fashion pages. Long, flowing dresses and coats to accentuate the 1920s ideal androgynous figure, and not a baby bump in sight.


"I'm eight months pregnant, you know."
"It shows, my dear, you are looking simply elephantine."

Kitchen cover-ups

There's this peculiar British fetish for creating covers for things that really do not need to have covers (see this embroidered Radio Times cover for proof). Here's a project from Stitch By Stitch magazine, 1980, showing you how to keep your toaster "clean and tidy under a smart cotton cover".

It's a simple project, using only rectangles of cotton fabric, interfacing and bias piping, but the question has to be asked: does anyone actually need one of these? Is a toaster really such an irritating item of shame that it needs to be hidden away between uses? Maybe you could make a bigger version of this to hide your oven and fridge, too. That would be rather good, actually.

More cushions

More cushions from the Family Circle Book of Crafts - patchwork ones, this time. If you've never patchworked before, a cushion is a good place to start. The cushion on the bottom row, second from the left, is made out of four simple striped squares - make a plain backing for your cushion and you'll be done in no time. Or you'll be done in about three years, if your sewing is anything like mine.

Mr March

Three for the price of one this month, with this trio of dapper chaps from Simplicity's Sewing For Men and Boys book (1974).

From the back, we have the "Now Generation" guy - "He's outgoing, personable, in-the-know. He loves the new fashion, is eager to be part of the scene with all the latest shapes, fabrics and colours. He prefers the mix and match possibilities of shirts with texture and colour interest, vests with patterns and important neckwear."

In the middle, we have Nick Cave.

No, hang on, he's the "Tailored Traditionalist" - "solid, successful, mature. His favourite suit? A no-nonsense double-breasted variety with few details to clutter the mind."

And finally, here's the "Young Executive" - "A man on the way to the top, he bright, ambitious, but reserved. He chooses a classic single-breasted suit with a more fitted look. He likes rich fabrics, mixes patterns with flair." Nice bow tie.