New Shorts

Adele has made the choice not to pretty much wear any skirts. This has gutted me greatly. She has a whole heap of skirts. Even if she will wear a skirt within 5 mins it is off and replaced by leggings. I don't have a complete issue with leggings, but I love skirts. So in the effort to make a bit of a peace offering I made her some shorts. Now she tells me only boys wear shorts. And still has to have her leggings on. Oh well... Lucky I can make leggings I guess.

So here are the peace offering shorts, New Look 6473. It is super easy. I added a tiny ruffle to the bottom on them just to add a bit of length and make them a little less boring. All I did was cut a 2 inch band from the whole width of the fabric, iron in half (no hemming) and gather the heck out of it. There was a bit left over, so I think the width will work for a size 4, 5 and maybe a 6. I guess it depends on just how much you gather it. Done. The fabric is from my fabric box, from Spotlight during a sale, a year or so ago. It is pretty cute. I am hoping she likes them. They haven't come straight off so that is good and Blair has made all the right "Oh wow you are so cute" noises.

I brought (another) cook book, it is a Christmas goodies book. So I am hoping to make some things from it tonight when the kids are in bed. Sometimes you just want to cook by yourself. You know what I mean. And the first time can be a bit tricky without the kids wanting to help.

Almost kindy time, so better try and get some munch into her.

Tx

My new Wraps

A lady from my Play Centre asked me if I could make her something. I said yes. Pretty simple really. She had seen a merino wrap that she liked but wanted it a bit different, things a bit longer, wider and well different. This sounded like a great project to me and I came round and we started working on it straight away. I had about 100 other things to do but this sounded soooooo much more exciting, making my own pattern, trialing it on a real person other than my family. Wow and to be honest, I was just excited some one asked ME to do something.

So I did one, changed it only a little and now have my merino pouch baby wraps. They have been pretty popular so far. I have a small tweaking I want to do but overall I am pretty pleased with how they are. My sewing machine isn't all that keen on the many layers it has to sew through. But as I am starting to realise, I need a slightly more heavy duty one any way!

And well to be fair, her wee baby makes anything look cute! Man oh man, there are so many babies at Play Centre at the moment...YUM!!!

So I have a few listed over the place

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85672457/pink-swaddle-merino-wrap

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.273274322716413.67378.179838342060012&type=1

http://felt.co.nz/listing/69418/Green-with-Black-binding-100-NZ-Merino-Baby-pouch-Wrap

Plus I have some lovely stripe merino that I am planning to make into wraps too, they will be just lovely.

Anyway that's enough "selling" for one blog post.

I got some bad news today. The red rosebud is not wide enough for Adele's quilt and they believe that joining it wont be a good idea. So I have to either take the white boarder off or find a different backing. Gutted... I think it will be a new fabric as I just don't think I can take it apart, but I really love the red rosebud. I have to let them know by tomorrow.

Right time to go and look at fabrics for Christmas presents. Some times I think the best part about crafting is the fabric selection, I just love looking and planning.

Tx

Christmas fever

So firstly I have been working on my decoration swap run through New Zealand Handmade. The brief was something along the lines of a small decoration for the tree. Now I have no idea why but I looked and read the instructions for what I made and it is really not what I thought it would look like. Well it is what I thought it would look like just a little bit bigger than what I thought. I haven't put a hanging string on it as I don't really think it will hang in a tree. BUT, my kids love it and I know my swap partner has kids too so it might just end up being a little Christmas toy.

http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/09/peppermint-swirl-pincushion.html

Above is what I made. I do really like it, I made it from my left over Flurry by Kate Spain. Now I have to make another two for my kids. And quickly too. My swap one keeps going missing, I find it hidden under their toys. But am posting it today, imagine if I lost it now!!

I have been working my butt off getting Adele quilt done. Last week I even took my sewing machine into a friends house so I could do sewing while Adele was at kindy instead of coming home, getting distracted and doing nothing. Both Friday night and Saturday was spent doing long straight sewing. My back was rather sore and I very much enjoyed my wine whilst watching the election results. (See a geek in soooooo many ways)

It is all finished now, taking it in to get quilted today. No idea if they will be able to get it all done in time or even how the Christmas dollar will stretch to pay for it, but when it involves kids we always seem to find a way. I guess the afternoon will be spent listing things on Etsy.

Wow, a very productive few days. I am so happy with my quilt top. It is the most involved quilt I think I have made and it the shortest time too. I just love being part of a quilt a long, so thanks to PS I quilt. She runs the most amazing quilt a longs. Her comments are always so nice and friendly. I only "know" her through her blog and this on-line quilt a long...but.... Adele is into Tinkerbell and one of the fairy's talks how she writes, so I always giggle when we are watching the DVD. A real American Southern sounding Belle. It is funny how you make a picture about a person from a few words!

Right, no rest here, I have biscuit mix in the fridge, should be ready. I brought a biscuit gun to make fancy biscuits. Adele and I were both rather excited, but the gun didn't really work so it is good old circles. Plus I have an order to finish and get in the post AND two Christmas cushions.

Tx

All laid out

My wee helper and I have been laying a quilt this morning. I have sewn together two rows. So it will be this size, plus two rows. I am pretty happy with the size and of course Adele is excited (or indifferent, but hey I am excited). I feel like I am starting to make some good progress. I am very much hoping to have it done this week so I can get it to the quilter this Friday or at the latest Monday. I know she is rather busy but I am really hoping since it is a Christmas quilt she might bump it up the list a little. I find once you get to this stage is races along a bit

I have been searching the net for some Christmas crafting ideas. Found a couple of things I think might be cool. Just a matter of finding time for it all at the moment. But I LOVE this one

http://www.prudentbaby.com/2010/12/ruffled-tree-skirt.html

Yes that's right a ruffle tree skirt, how awesome will that be!!!! And it looks pretty easy. Just got to go shopping for fabric.

Anyway must go play with Adele, I find that the hardest, getting the balance between family and making things for my family. I would love to spend all day making things for the kids, but I also love spending time with them.

No night out

As you can see my dress is still sitting where I left it. We didn't end up going out. Poor Ryan was so sick. He started vomiting about 6 in the morning, we cleaned him up and I had to go to work. Blair was at home looking after him and he still was vomiting off and on through out the day. The kids were going to stay with my parents who said "Go out, we don't mind looking after them". I rung to see how he was and Blair said much better, hasn't been sick for ages and has been eating. So I was feeling o.k about it all. When I got home he was fast asleep so we started getting things all sorted. I picked Ryan up to move him to the car and... vomit everywhere. Loads and loads of it. He didn't even wake up. It went all down my clothes, soaked me from chest to toes. So at this point we knew our little boy needed us to be home with him. Even fish and chips for dinner didn't even lift his spirits.

This morning he is back to his normal self. A bit slow and very hungry! But not vomiting so that is the best!Here is one of the blocks I have been working on, there is about 120 of them I think. I have about 20 to go I think. I am pretty sure I will be able to get some done today. After all my self imposed deadline is today. Not sure if I can meet that, but should be able to get a whole heap done.

Right off to do another load of washing, we used every single sheet and quilt with poor Ryan.

Tx

My Monique Dress

Tomorrow night our coffee group has its Christmas dinner. The mums and dads get together and go OUT for dinner, with NO kids. We usually go out a couple of times a year, plus us girls have a weekend away. And of course we catch up with the kids every Wednesday for coffee. I really wanted a new out fit so I made this dress today. The picture is pretty unflattering but it is a Monique dress by Boutique Chic. It is a 1950 (I think) inspired dress. I have used some old fabric I had from good old Spotlight. It is cream with tiny blue flowers over it, sort of vintage looking but of course not. I had to add an extra band other wise I am sure my undies would have been on display. I am quite happy with the dress. It is one of those amazing dresses that look great on any shape or size. Yeah, the more I look at the photo the more I don't like it, but honest the dress is really nice!

It was a rather time consuming dress to make. It has taken all day, with a good two hours no-stop this morning, plus it was all cut out and ready to go. I still have to hem it and I want to get some decoration to put on it tomorrow before dinner. I am not sure when that will happen as I have to work all day tomorrow. Plus I want to buy some new shoes to go with it. One wine tomorrow and I will be asleep!

I did get a whole heap done on Adele quilt, not many more retangles to sew up, so once I have them all done I will post. I think if I can get it done by Monday the quilter will be able to have it quilted in time. And OMG if you could see the state of my home you would know sewing has been full on, cleaning not so much.

Right time to sort dinner and maybe clean the kitchen. To be fair the kitchen has been the only place I have cleaned, but Blair brought some fresh bread that came covered in flour....so the kitchen benches, floor, everywhere is covered in flour. Man it tasted so good!!!!!

Right better get to it

Tx

I am baaaaccckkkk!!!!!!

I have been missing in action. But I have been a little rushed off my feet. Blair has been crazy busy at work and I did a couple of markets and had two big orders out of the blue. I haven't really been doing a whole lot of crafting other than going crazy sewing for markets. The markets haven't been overly positive but I am hoping it is just because it is summer here and merino is better known as a winter item. I am keeping positive for winter. Plus with the help of a friend I have come up with, well in my opinion, a cool baby wrap. I will post about it next time. I have sold a few of them, but I am really hoping a few more will leave me soon.

On the crafting front I finally got this one quilted. It had been sitting on my floor a while, waiting for the right moment. So I took it in thinking I could finish it and give it to my sister-in-law for her wedding. As per usual now I have it home I really love it. I tried in on Adele's bed and it is not really a single bed size, more of a "cuddle on the couch" size. It is so bright and happy I am not sure I will be able to part with it.

Plus the squares are not perfect so really I can't gift it...can I ;)

Tonight Blair has to work on his car so I am planning to get a whole heap of Adele's Christmas quilt done. I have made good progress. So I am crossing my fingers that tomorrow I will have so much to show you. I want to get it finished this week so I can get it into the quilter. Of course with it being a Christmas quilt it really needs to be all finished by 1 December to go on her bed. What can I say, I must love being busy he he he

Tx

Dorothy Dress

The wee lass that I dressed to match Ryan for their first kindy disco is now off to her first school disco. They don't go to the same school so there was no dressing them matching this time. But the theme for her school disco was Book Character (I think). I got a text asking if there was any chance to make a Dorothy dress. I will admit to having to google Dorothy as I wasn't 100% sure what she wore. I had a rough idea. Lucky for me Simplicity has a Wizard of Oz range. Simplicity 4139 is the kids version, there is also Dorothy in baby and adult. I don't know why but I thought I would be able to whip it up in the morning before kindy and then go for a run during kindy. But no, I am 90% finished. Just a hem and a bit of hand sewing to do. The dress has so much detail and the sleeves are amazing, even with ric rak heavenly!!!!!!!! I am so pleased with the dress, well apart from my zip putting in skills. I did mess it up a bit so I might have to get the dress back and fix it up. At this stage I really don't think I have time as the disco is tomorrow night and the kids are off to Blairs parents tomorrow for the weekend so I have packing and stuff to do. So apart from the zip I think the dress is perfect. Hopefully it lives up to the expectations of the Dorothy wannabe.

Adele has been eyeing it up so maybe this could be a good Christmas present for her.

Tx