These are a couple of the potential new products I am working on. The design stage and preliminary mock-ups always take awhile, and some things are too time consuming or too fiddly to be practical, but I am hopeful that these will work out.

New custom camera bag

Adjustable strap

Deluxe child's apron with matching chef's hat

The camera bag is for our older daughter. We try to go for a walk every day and she really, really doesn’t enjoy it. In order to make the walks more enjoyable for her, we’ve agreed to let her borrow a camera so she can take pictures enroute. In order to protect my camera, I decided to make her a special bag with an adjustable strap so she can wear it across her body (the strap is long enough that I can carry it too). I’m also going to make a neck strap for the camera itself for when she is actively using it. The outer fabric has fusible interfacing and there is also a layer of fleece to pad the bag and protect the camera.

The apron and chef’s hat set are a gift for our younger daughter’s birthday. She loves to bake with me, but also loves playing in her own little kitchen, making soup, cleaning the stove and putting groceries away! I am going to tweak the hat a bit, but then it will be ready to add to the product range at Pip ‘n’ Milly Creations.

I am always thinking of things to make, as you know. I lean towards items which are practical, functional and fun to sew. If they appeal to other people, so much the better, as selling things means I can fund my fabric habit! With Philippa starting school this week, I have been contemplating items which would be useful for her and, once the art smock was complete, I moved on to lunch time. She has plenty of bags and a perfectly good lunch bag which she used for preschool and does not want to part with. She has always taken a napkin to preschool with her to put her food on, so I decided to upgrade. I have been working on a grab and go placemat that will be useful for school and also for eating out, picnics and the like. I think I have cracked it and I am really pleased with the outcome.

Grab and go placemats

The ultimate placemat

The ultimate placemat

These mats are made with 3-4 coordinating cotton prints and the main body is interlined with fleece.  The pocket section is interfaced and holds stainless steel, dishwasher safe cutlery and has a flap to keep it all secure. There is also a pocket behind the cutlery pocket for a napkin – how clever is that! (The napkin can be used to wrap the dirty cutlery in – thanks for that idea, Tracy!) The ties are sturdy and made with one of the fabrics used in the mat, which rolls up neatly for popping into a lunch bag or handbag on the way out. The mats are machine washable and all fabrics have been prewashed and dried to prevent further shrinkage.

Something that will appeal to lots of parents is that this might stop kids putting their food on surfaces which may or may not be clean! We expect children to pick up bugs when they go back to school, but this is one way we can help. It is also an ideal component of a litterless lunch.

I would love to hear what you think!