Busy busy busy!!

I have been so busy, doing loads and loads of sewing, most of it for SillyGoose but a wee bit for me and the family. I have been so pleased by the response to my merino goods. Not so much on Etsy or through my Facebook page. But from good old fashioned selling through people I kind of know and mix with. So I haven't been finding the time to update my blog or do house work, isn't that great, well the house work part ha ha.

So far I am limiting myself to tops and leggings for both kids and adults. I really don't think I could handle any more being a one person show. As I write I still have two tops and a pair of adult leggings to make. But you know what, I am so happy!

Anyway I thought I would share my sewing room/mess/hot house. Cause man, with the sewing machine, overlocker and iron going it gets really hot! I just can't seem to work in a tidy environment, I just like mess! And I have noticed with these photos I need to hang some stuff on the walls, they look a little bare.

My aim for the weekend is to have Silly Goose stuff out of the way and do some sewing for my children, they are feeling a little left out. Specially my son, he has been looking at his fabric, sitting in a corner, not moving. So for him I am hoping to get it done. Bless him.

Tx

Normal people go to the beach to relax, I go to the beach to.....

Make more chilli Sauce. Well to be fair the weather is awful, wet, windy and just not nice. I had my tomatoes sitting in the fridge for a very long time, some did not make it to the pan. So in a rush yesterday morning while Blair was sorting out the fencing for our cows, I quickly threw all the ingredients into a large container and brought it all with me. It is bubbling away as I type. So all I had to do this morning was blend it all and boil. Good system I think! I am rather interested to see it the flavours are a little more intense, or if there is any change at all.





I do a bit of jam making/preserving over here. There is a whole bunch of fruit trees and most of the time people aren't even in their places, so Blair and I wander round and collect up anything we can find. And I am rather excited to find a large tree that we used to find a bit annoying, long droopy branches in the way when we go walk is a walnut tree. Bring on walnut session!

Well time to check the sauce

Tx

My Donna's sew along and a good feeling!

In a very unlike me sort of manner, I am way behind in my Donna's Quilt studio sew a long, I should have ten squares, only have 5, should have picked up some more for this month, haven't yet. But give me a few days and I am sure I will have it all sorted. I do love making quilts, but this one has been a little fiddly, loads of triangles and I guess a good challenge for me.

So that is a couple of the square, I am getting there. We are away at the beach this weekend, was going to bring my sewing machine but thought I need a bit of a break because......

I HAVE BEEN SELLING STUFF!!! I know, so very excited and so flattered. I guess I can't believe it. I mean I think my stuff is great, but getting confirmation from other people has been really awesome. So been sewing up a wee merino store, to the point where I have enough enquiring and "orders" to go get more merino. Also as you can see from my side bar I have opened a Etsy store. Have loaded a couple of things, going to do the remanding pieces other the next few days.

I have been sewing for myself, made a vest top type thing. But it really doesn't look like the picture, going to un-pick the collar and re-sew and hopefully make it a little better. I mean it is fine the way it is, but I really wanted it to be like the picture. I sometimes find that the patterns with the drawn pictures don't turn out that well, but the ones with the photos are better.

Well guess I should get back to my wine, I think I have earnt one after this busy week.

Tx

A break from merino

And only because I have pretty much run out. Very sad at this thought. And that my friends is all :(

Tx

And even more merino, a dress for Adele

And in continuing with my theme...A dress for Adele. When making this I have in mind that she will wear it over leggings and long sleeve tee-shirts. But at the moment, well it is too hot for all of those layers, and today is a very hot day so too hot for it even by itself! It was a bit fiddly to make and the pattern didn't really have a lot of information on how to make it, so I sort of guessed and I think it has turned out pretty good. Adele, well she loves it and has already worn it. Tapping me on the shoulder as I sewed, it is ready now, what about now, can I wear it now!!!!!! Very impatient my wee lass. The pattern is by Mamu Design. I think it is Scandinavian, or at European, hard to tell. I brought mine off www.trademe.co.nz. There seems to be a few of their patterns listed. Some thing a bit different.
She was strutting on the runway for me so a little blurry. I am very quickly making my way through my fabric purchases, so I am guessing another trip up to Auckland next week at this rate. I think at least one pair of leggings for me, and maybe a few more skivvies for my shop.

Tx

Quilt and merino leggings FOR ME!

I finally finished this quilt top a while back, life is toooooooo busy. But and anyway here it is. I had originally brought this fabric for my sew a long, but I just thought it was way too cool for that. We have a friend having a baby soon and I just don't know what to make for their baby. This is actually about the second or third thing I have made. Either one lucky baby or I may just have to spread the love round a little! It is cot size and I think I am just going to back it with some fleece, do the sew round the edge, turn it in the right way and top stitch, I think, I guess we will see!









For me, as you know I love merino LOVE LOVE LOVE it. And I did my big shop the other day. So I have made myself some leggings. The photo makes them look like bloomers, but the are leggings. I tried to have their first outing, got all dressed in leggings, tunic, boots, the works, was looking good. Went outside and funny how head to toe merino is really warm, the sun was streaming and I started sweating! I was so gutted, I really wanted to wear them.

And on a happy note, for me, I have sold my first "thing" from my shop!! A merino skivvy! I really am a happy lass.









Well it is Monday and back to this weeks crazy busy schedule,

T x

Merino!

I love merino, just love it. I feel good knowing when it is cold outside the kids have a layer on some where. Usually I make them three or four skivvies each, but last year I must have dressed them in giant ones because this year I don't need to make any more, which is a little sad as I love making them so much! So this has meant that I have been able to expand what I make. So Ryan is getting a hooded jersey and Adele a cool hooded dress. Just for a start, and I am pretty much getting a whole new winter wardrobe, two cardis, a skirt, leggings and a dress. See I love merino! And if they stuff I have made for the kids is of a likable standard I am sure they will get some more.

The place I go has the best, cheapest range of merino, should I share, hmmmm you might buy it all.... Fabric Traders is what I think it is called and it is down town Otara, so a little scary. The most expensive merino is $15 a metre and I think 150 wide, but most is a whole heap wider and can be as low as $5 depending on the blend. I usually go for the 100% but some times, especially with adult clothing you need a bit of "something" to help keeps its shape.

So here is my cut out ready to go, I would have made a start but seriously short of matching cottons. A little frustrating!
Merino waiting to be cut after Adele has dragged it all round the house!

A pile of patterns waiting. So from now on I should be busy getting winter clothes all sorted. Hopefully have the bulk of it sorted before the cold weather well and truly sets in.
















T x

My skirt by Modkid

Seems funny to be making my skirt from a pattern label called Modkids...but they do some really cool adult patterns too. Easy to follow and a little bit different than the standard Burda etc. So I brought this pattern ages ago (From Sew Addictive Fabrics) and was waiting to find the perfect fabric. And a couple of weeks ago I did, and from Spotlight. And it was not cheap at all. The sales assistant even asked me if I was aware of the price, sadly I did and I still just had to buy it. It was a bit different and quite summery even though we are at the end of summer here. I have even had the best comments about the skirt with one friend asking me to make her one next summer! The best thing, I think, it the yoga band, so even on your "fat" days it still fits nicely.

You cant really see, but the skirt has cute little tie pockets on the front and a ruffle around the bottom, so quite girlie.

Things have been a little slow around here and in my shop (Silly Goose on Facebook) my Grandfather died after a short illness and then we were meant to go on holiday, Blair and I, but the airline messed up our flights, apparently I didn't confirm even though I have a copy of an email and a confirmation itinerary saying we did. It was on their Air points programme so they don't seem to care at all that we missed our concert, had to pay cancellation fees and just on top of my Grandfathers death we feel a bit down at the moment. But the silver lining is we can take the kids up to Auckland for the day tomorrow and I get to go to coffee group today. So things are already getting better.

I brought the new Burda sewing magazine and I have seen quite a few things I AM going to make and Blair has given me the ok to go to me favorite merino fabric shop to get what I need, so that is rather exciting too. Now to find some more time hee hee

Tx

More sauce, this time Chilli and travel high chairs, they go together?

A number of my friends are all into the whole baking, preserving, you know simple living. It was never a choice any of us made, we never defined ourselves as green or alternative, it is just the way we are. And to be fair few, if any of the choices I make, are based on anything other than this is the way I like to do it! I grew up on a farm and a lot of what I do is what I have grown up seeing. In fact I would have been at uni (Serious too) before I even knew you could buy a cake from the supermarket, I just thought every one baked! So when over coffee the other day, my friend said try my chilli sauce I knew I would, I knew I would like it and I knew I would try and make it too. Because that's how we "roll" (yeah ok totally lame attempt at being cool). And it is amazing, I am so glad she found this. Taste like a brought one for sure. So all week I have been wanting and making corn fritters, the best thing to have with chilli sauce.

1kg of tomatoes
I used two massive chilli so maybe 4 or 6
20 gm of garlic
40 grams of ginger
60 mls of thai fish sauce
600 gm of caster sugar
100ml red wine vinegar

place half the tomatoes, all chillies, garlic, ginger and fish sauce in a food processor and blend to a fine puree, add the remainder of ingredients (less remaining tomatoes). Blend again. Put into a large pot, slowly bring to a boil. While bringing to the boil cut up remaining tomatoes to about 5 cm chunks, a bit less is o.k. I just blended mine, but for not as long.

Once boiling stir to stop burning and boil for about 30 mins. And to be fair, while it is cooking it smells rather awful, pretty much once it smells nice it is ready. Jar! YUM!!!!

Now the other thing I have been working on is a travel high chair. I think it is quite cool, it is all made out of fabric so it can be folded up and put in your nappy bag, easily transportable and can go in the wash! Plus it can be used on most chairs. I think it is fantastic. I have made a couple so far, with good results, I have one in my Face Book shop, I am thinking about taking these to a market and seeing how they go. I have seen slightly similar versions but they were all real baby fabric and I wanted something a bit funkier. I like baby things in cool fabrics. And as you can see Mr Bear likes it too.

I have made myself a skirt too, I love it but as I am home alone, well kids in bed, I can't get a good photo of it, so I might post about that tomorrow. I am so pleased with it, and even better I measured and made the size according to the chart and it fitted, usually they don't and I feel fat. So going to bed feeling good.

Tx

Cake Anyone

Today I had a go at making my first Nappy Cake, and you know I was rather pleased for my first go, a little fiddly and I need better tools for making the flowers...but super cute. I wanted something that didn't scream "baby". I wanted to to be sophisticated, almost plain but pretty. I am planning on putting a few more flower on it and a little something on the top, most likely a bunch on paper flowers to match the ones over the cake. But, yes I am quite pleased with it. I sort of got inspiration from a number of sites, basically google nappy cake and you get heaps of hits.

Sorry not much today, have been feeling rather sick and making that cake took most of my energy, couldn't even make a real cake, not good at all, BUT I will be better tomorrow cause I just have so much to do I have to be!

Tx

The pirate shorts

Here is Ryan in his cool new shorts, very pleased. He picked this fabric out right before Christmas and I have only just gotten around to making them. I guess I have been busy, oh and the ones on the left are some I made for my shop (FaceBook Silly Goose) they are size four and we think they are pretty cool too, Ryan has been eying them up, bummer for him they are a little small.

I went to Donna's yesterday, brought some more fabric, doh. But it is super cool and it was only three fat quarters. I have been dreaming about it all night, so might have to go get some more, I think I would like a skirt or a bag. But with the FQ I am thinking about making some little purses/make up bags for this months sew a long with my-crafty-crap.blogspot.com, just need some zips now.