Happy Christmas to all my readers!

Wow - another year has flown past - and what a year it’s been!

Photo by Scott Sebring

It started back in January with a once in a lifetime opportunity when I made the Ultimate Tennant Suit. To have the chance to put into practice the actual way the suit was made was an amazing experience. The timing was perfect, as I had a couple of months before started learning traditional hand-tailoring techniques, which I put to great use in making the suit.

Photo by Scott Sebring

I had to follow the suit, and with three days notice ended up going to Gallifrey One in LA!
There I met up with a number of my online friends and many of my readers who had no idea I was going. I also had the privilege of arranging a group photograph with four of my Tennant Coat clients, which was the highlight of the trip.

By the end of April news broke that THE Series Six Shetland Tweed fabric had been found, as well as the Series Five Donegal.

It was like the Tennant Suit all over again: making an iconic jacket in the exact fabric. I was lucky to find the correct buttons and elbow patches to finish it off.

In August the culmination of many month work came to fruition when I took delivery of  my rewoven Tennant Coat lining. I had been searching for years to find a suitable alternative, but finally took the plunge and commissioned my own recreation of it.

The past few months of the year have been taken up with making a popular new garment in my repertoire - the Green Greatcoat.

I spent a while carefully researching the pattern, fabric and construction until I got it just right.

Then in late November I attended Chicago TARDIS, where I entered the masquerade competition wearing a test version of the Colin Baker Six Frock Coat. I won Best In Show: Workmanship for my tailoring – for which I am very proud.

This was one of three coats I had made, the other two were for the wedding of some close friends which is due to take place just before Christmas.

Looking back it has been an exciting year, with more projects than I could have thought to have taken on.

And as the year comes to a close, an even more exciting development is breaking.

More on that in the New Year, but trust me, it’s gonna be worth the wait . . .

Nestle milk chocolate bars - picture 12

Today it’s picture twelve of Doctor Who Fights Masterplan “Q” - the 15-part adventure on the backs of the Nestlé Doctor Who Milk Chocolate bars.

While The Doctor and Jo are seeking help, The Master is progressing his evil plan alongside The Major, who is under his influence.They prepare to transport the beast and put his plan into action.

As well as issues over the use of the WHO 1 number plate on Bessie, Nestlé also had problems with Siva Engineering, the makers of the car.

The BBC had given them reference material for all the characters, and Bessie was included.
Since clearance had not been sought, the BBC offered Siva Engineering 7½% of the royalties received from Nestlé in settlement.

Here is another side view of the promotional box, again with the Doctor Who logo stacked horizontally.

COUNTDOWN The Space-age comic! -December 1971

Exactly forty years ago this month, The Doctor continued to do battle in The Eternal Present, the comic strip in Countdown!

Click the issue title to view
the complete comic in PDF format.

Issue 42

Contains comic strips of

Doctor Who -
The Eternal Present pt 3

art by Gerry Haylock

also The Persuaders!, Fireball XL5, UFO, Dastardly And Muttley, Stingray, Countdown

Issue 43

Contains comic strips of

Doctor Who -
The Eternal Present pt 4

art by Gerry Haylock

also The Persuaders!, Fireball XL5, UFO, Dastardly And Muttley, Stingray, Countdown

Issue 44

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who -
The Eternal Present pt 5
art by Gerry Haylock

also The Persuaders!, Stingray, Dastardly And Muttley, UFO, Countdown

Issue 45

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who -
The Eternal Present pt 6
art by Gerry Haylock

also The Persuaders!, Stingray, UFO, Dastardly And Muttley, Countdown, Thunderbirds

Tee for two

Forbidden Planet’s release of Doctor costume t-shirts nears its completion with the latest wave of shirts.

So far One, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Ten and Eleven have been released.

Now the gaps are starting to be filled with the Second Doctor.

I’m not over convinced by this shirt – the lapels are too light and the breast pocket too visible.
maybe it will look better on a printed shirt.

Also released is the Eight Doctor.

This is clearly based on the costume on display at The Doctor Who Experience as the positioning of the buttons matches this rather than the screen used coat.
The waistcoat fabric also is the same as the display.

With the Cyberman shirt, and ten of the eleven Doctors available, it’s almost two weeks of wear without any washing!!