My Black Cardigan

My Holiday House

2010-03-31T23:30:00.002+11:00

I have been struggling with my blog and blogging for a while now. Working out how it fits in with all the things I want to do and want to be is challenging. But rather than stop blogging, I have decided that My Black Cardigan is going to be my holiday house..... a place I love to visit, where I get to catch up and visit friends, and where I can leave the day to day life behind.

But even though holidays are wonderful, there is no place like home. Home is where the heart is, where my heart is. Home is where I am needed more at the moment and it is where I want to be.

But I am going to leave my suitcase packed so that whenever I have some time, I can grab my bag and head on down to my holiday house. See you then xxx

Little People

2010-03-24T08:20:00.004+11:00

My sister made these gorgeous little people for my gorgeous little people.

And they have been busy - getting together around the dinner table to share a meal, play Pictionary or have family meeting...

... and being tipped out the back of the dump truck along with the trains, cat and rocks!

If you'd like to make some bead people, Trudi is having a giveaway - a pack with all the bits and pieces you need to make your own. Head over and say hello to enter.

My Creative Space

2010-03-11T08:45:00.002+11:00

One day soon, little hands will help small people climb up high in these branches,

show animals (and let's be honest, probably trains too!) that they can play and rest in the shade,

and help dragons and dinosaurs reach up to munch on the leaves to fill their bellies,

and I look forward to sometimes sitting back and watching the adventures, and sometimes being part of them.

This thrifted woollen blanket is going to be a playmat for my kids. The plan is to dry-felt a river and make trees and rocks and flowers and hills and lots of things the kids can move about and set up in whichever way they want.

I started with this tree. It is made using beautiful felt that I got from a new online shop, Me & Ewe. It is 100% wool and hand-dyed.... by my sister. She's taken a big jump into her own business and I'd love you to stop by and check out the gorgeous pure wool felt she has... and to say hi to my taller-but-she's-still-little sister!

For other spaces full of creative goodness, Kirsty's got the list!

A tart, a pie and stuff that starts with "t"

2010-03-07T15:29:00.008+11:00

I tell my husband that 'I am a lover not a cooker' in the hope that his mind may start to wander and he wont notice that I am serving up chicken snitz and vegies for the third time that week. The truth is that I don't enjoy cooking. It just seems like a whole lot of time and effort put into something that will be gone in a few minutes.

Having said that, if push comes to shove, I can sort of cook. We had some friends over for dinner so I made this delicious lemon tart for dessert. Thankyou Cathie for your help.. you know your lemon tarts are my weakness!

Because I only had a smaller than suggested pan, I had some pastry left over. A quick call to Mum and I made a sweet Cherry Pie (at the risk of ruining my reputation, yes I did sing and hum and dance to this while I was baking.... and it felt good!).

This is an easy one that looks and tastes way better than it should for the amount of effort required. Blind bake your pastry. Drain a jar of pitted cherries. Add a couple of tablespoons of arrowroot or cornflour to the syrup and stir until it thickens. Spread the cherries over the pastry. Cover with the syrup. Allow to cool then put it in the fridge. It tastes extra good with icecream.

Then after dinner and too much dessert, I set my friends up with the "stuff that starts with T" tea towel. I am pleased to report that they passed with flying colours and all 48 "t" pictures were identified.

How about you? Can you name all 48? If you think you can, visit Tania and let her know. She's having a giveaway of this fab tea towel/dinner party game that she designed.

My Creative Space - My Baby Doll

2010-03-04T09:56:00.009+11:00

Remember old "What's her name?".......? Well she's all fixed up and it wasn't too difficult. Here's what I did....

Unpicked about 10cm of a side seam and pulled out the stuffing.

Washed her in the washing machine and hung her on the line (Steph, I can hear your cries of fear from here!).

Soaked her head in a bowl of boiling hot water which smoothed out the lumps and bumps and gave her face a good scrub.

Restuffed her with lots of new polyfill stuffing.

It is amazing what a difference these few things made.

She is now slightly less creepy (honestly, who can be that happy all the time!) and I must admit it is kinda cool to see my kids playing with something I used to play with... especially now that she sits up properly to be fed.....

...although I think I need to let me boy know that she is not ready for solids just yet!

Head over to see Kirsty for more creative spaces.

My Creative Space - Wallet

2010-02-18T12:28:00.008+11:00

We have lift off....

A new project that has been bouncing around in my head for a while has finally been started. Let's hope I arrive at the other end on this in one piece!

Moon walk on over to Kirsty-the-Cleaning-Fairy's place to visit other spaces of creativeness....

Loads of Fishes Slouch

2010-02-16T22:03:00.009+11:00

So many of us make beautiful things for others..... and it's easy to forget that we deserve beautiful things too.

This is my new bag. The pattern is the Small Slouch from Nicole Mallalieu and those gorgeous fishes are a Thea & Sami design, Loads of Fishes*.

It's the perfect size to take everything you need for a night out with good food, good conversation and an amazing person sitting opposite you.

Hey.... why don't you make something for yourself? Go on....

*I'm sorry Thea, but those fishes are way too beautiful to be drying dishes!

Some things for me, something for you

2010-02-07T13:44:00.007+11:00

Some lovely things I have been given...

Thankyou to Jolie for these beautiful things.... The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook and some hand dyed yarn. Jolie also kindly sent some extra yarn and bamboo needles. For a girl who wears woollen socks to bed all year round (tragic but true!), I am very grateful.

I'm not sure how I met Jolie but I love visiting her place, Tropical Soup. Aside from the gorgeous photos and cute things she makes, I often find myself laughing because it's funny OR because I am a little scared at the adventures her twins get up to. Hmmmm, fun things for me to look forward to! Jolie is very sweet... why not pop over and say hi.

Thank you also to Kelly for the voucher at Retro Mummy I won in her giveaway. As a very thrifty crafter, being able to buy myself some beautiful fabrics was a real treat. Thankyou so much Kelly.

And now something for you. I have one of Bettsy Kingston's new patterns, the Far Away Tunic to giveaway. Bettsy has a range of patterns you can see here. To win this pattern, all you need to do is leave a ONE WORD comment describing your weekend. Why weekend and why only one word? Well, it's Sunday afternoon and why not! I'll draw the winner on Friday 12th Feb.

Hope your one word for this weekend is a good one. xxx

**GIVEAWAY CLOSED.... Congratulations to Sarah who won!***

A birthday torch

2010-02-02T21:10:00.009+11:00

My niece wanted a torch for her 3rd birthday so while I didn't think it was the most exciting present, I bought one for her. And I am so glad I did.

Rather than buy her a cheap and nasty kid's torch, I bought a plain silver, heavy duty torch.... much better suited to a busy 3 year old! I also thought this would be appealing as it was a "proper" torch. I made a carry case for it so it can be worn around her neck for easy access while exploring.

My niece loved the torch. She disappeared with her cousin after the party had finished and they were found hiding under a blanket with the torch. Just them, the torch and their imaginations.

Torches are definately on my birthday-present-list now. They are not expensive and encourage exploration and wonder. A perfect present for a little person discovering their world.

A pram for my boy

2010-01-27T14:20:00.002+11:00

So I wrote a big long post wondering why we* are so comfortable giving dolls and prams to girls, but not to boys. But I decided it was too wordy and too long and I was having trouble articulating my thoughts.

So all I will say is that I have been thinking a lot lately about the toys my children play with and how I - and others - influence them with the toys we give them.

All this thinking started with a pram given to my girl for Christmas. When she is not busily pushing Horse here and there, my boy happily pushes Bug around the place. So when my sister offered me another pram, I happily took it for my boy. My girl's pram is pink so I thought I would change this one for my boy (or am I worried what "we" would think about my boy pushing a pink pram..???) so I replaced it with red and blue train fabric. My boy loves trains, as does my girl.

Then clearly on a parenting and sewing high, we went to get some jobs done and the kids took their prams. It was a fun but short trip... and we didn't get the jobs done! But I guess there is plenty of time for jobs.

*we: as in a big general "we". Of course there will be exceptions to the general we. I hope I can be one of them.

My Little Tulip

2010-01-20T22:33:00.004+11:00

My girl is wearing a Tulip Dress, made from Nicole Mallalieu's new pattern. This dress is really sweet, with pleats on the front and back of the skirt, giving the dress its "tulip" shape.

The pattern is really detailed, with lots of techniques not often included in children's clothes. Nikki has done a brilliant job of explaining these techniques, together with step-by-step instructions, sewing tips and a heap of photos and diagrams.

Stay tuned to Nikki's blog for more info on when the 'Tulip Dress' pattern will be available.... it's very soon! And if you'd like to win a copy of her new pattern, Nikki's having a giveaway....

Homemade Backpacks

2010-01-17T13:02:00.008+11:00

I like the idea of the kids having their own bags when we go out. I know this means another two things to count (and another two things to possibly lose!) but I think it will be worth the effort. The plan is that the kids will be empowered to pack and carry their own bags, and be responsible for looking after their own things. That's the plan anyway!

I used the Toddler Backpack pattern from Made by Rae after seeing the pattern and some very cool truck fabric over at Angie's place. I told Angie I loved the trucks and she sent me some. Sweet her... lucky me!

I used denim as the base for the backpacks and laid out a heap of fabrics for the kids to pick one for the front. My boy chose the trucks and my girl chose purple on green 'Pets and Bones', a super cute print from Thea & Sami.

The instructions were easy to follow but they are a lot of work to make. Even though I used a heavy denim and added extra structure to the base, they don't hold their shape very well. I saw that Karen has also made one and is going to add interfacing next time, which would help.

This project challenged my "when to make, when to buy" thinking in terms of time and costs.... especially when my boy let out a very loud squeal of delight at a $5 Thomas the Tank Engine backpack in Coles.... hmmmmmmm!

Edited to add: Karen has used interfacing and template plastic and purse feet to help with the structure of the backpack. Check out her hints here....

A saved tree, another tradition and Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T08:39:00.007+11:00

We didn't have a Christmas tree and didn't really want to buy one... real or artificial... for lots of reasons. But when my Mr and I drove past this dead tree lying on the side of the road, we knew we'd found our tree. It is different and odd and not what you would expect and we love it.

Hanging on it are decorations that have meaning to us including two new ones this year, the first of a new tradition (who would have thought that having children would make me get all tradition-y!) - each year we'll make a new decoration for the tree. This year, I made my two little reindeers. Next year my little reindeers might make their own.

Also on the tree are two little stockings made just for my reindeers. Thankyou Trixi. They did make it off the kids' fingers and onto the tree!

So all that's left to say is Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you. Thank you for stopping by my 'place' this year. It has been amazing to meet so many wonderful people whose paths I would never have crossed until I started blogging. I hope you all enjoy the time spent with your special people, whatever you are doing and whatever you are celebrating. I look forward to chatting to you again in the new year. xxxx

Woof woof, woof woof

2009-12-15T09:46:00.011+11:00

It's full steam ahead in the 'Handmade Christmas Present Department' over here at MBC Headquarters. On the finished list is Poppy and her Puppies for my dog-assessed niece.

My Poppy has 4 puppies, including twins. I thought my niece would think this was pretty special as her mum is a twin and she has twin cousins.

There is also lots of discussions with my niece at the moment about families and how they are all different.... just making sense of her changing world and the world around her (as we are all trying to do I guess!). So joining Poppy and her puppies is Mr Poppy.

This cute pattern is an Audrey & Maude design available from here and here. I made Mr Poppy at 100% and Poppy and the puppies at 90% of the original pattern. The pattern says to use felt for the ears, tail and legs but a lack of appropriate coloured felt and a need to get started and finished, resulted in machine sewn bits.

And a big thankyou to all the good wishes you guys sent me about getting back to work. It was ridiculous how nervous I was! This motherhood thing can do wonders for your self confidence in some areas, but it can take a battering in others. Anyway, I am happy to report that within a few minutes, it was like I had never left. I even wondered at one point if I had actually had children! So it all went well and it looks like I'll be doing some more work in the new year.

My Creative Space - Recycled Musical Shaker

2009-12-03T08:25:00.007+11:00

We had a hard rubbish collection round here not long ago, and when I saw an old vaccum cleaner on the side of the road, I was reminded of a session I went to at uni about making your own musical instruments. So I grabbed the vaccum cleaner hose and now we have some shakers for the kids to rock out with, with Mr on the guitar.

Here's how to do it....

You'll need a hose of some sort (I used a vaccum cleaner hose), electrical tape, rice or lentils or stones and a stanley knife.

Form a circle to decide the size of the shaker.

Cut it with the stanley knife. This is what you'll have.

Use the piece of paper to make a funnel to pour the rice/lentils/stones into the hose.

Cut about 3cm into one end of the hose. Be careful not to spill the rice/lentils/stones out the other end.

Cutting the end helps to push one end into the other end of the hose to form a circle.

Cover the join with electrical tape.

Wrap the tape around several times to make sure it's secure. You could tie ribbons or pieces of material on it for extra bling.

That's it. Not only does this reduce landfill by a little bit, the kids get to play with something they helped create and they can make beautiful-ish music! All they have to do is shake, shake, shake.

And it seemed that a bit of bouncing, jumping and rocking from side to side helps too!

For more spaces that are full of creative stuff, stop by Kirsty who is also making music...

Ready to play in the sun

2009-12-01T16:48:00.011+11:00

It's all about hats, hats, hats round these parts at the moment. After making sure my friend's girls are ready for the sun, I finished off hats for my two kidlets.

Using Nicole Mallalieu's Kids Hat pattern again, these are made using lightweight denim with a band of fabric on the crown that matches the fabric used for the brim lining.

I've almost finished another two hats for a friend's kids and while I'm almost hatted out for this Summer, I can see my sewing skills have improved.... which is great for the next project....

A cuppa, some chocolate & MixTape

2009-11-30T09:29:00.009+11:00

So today is starting well. The kids are in bed, the washing is on the line and I'm sitting down with a cuppa, some chocolate and the latest issue of MixTape.... and I have something to give you too!

This issue of MixTape is full of lots of cool stuff, including an article by Sooz about rules (yes, I too am embracing the wonk!) and instructions from Kirsty on how to make a Multi Tasker. I spent one very relaxing afternoon making one of these and they are great.

Now as a treat for me which becomes a treat for you, the lovely Justine from MixTape has given me two copies of Issue 11 to giveaway. So to get your hands on one, tell me what you think is great about a mag dedicated to all things craft and cool?

I'll choose two people to send the mags to on Friday 4th. But don't wait until then to sit down yourself with a cuppa and some chocolate! Have a great week.....

***Giveaway has now closed***
Congratulations to Vic and Kat who have a copy of MixTape heading their way.

My Creative Space - Birthday Bunting

2009-11-26T09:00:00.004+11:00

This week, it's about a birthday, a bunting and a new family tradition.

It was my Mr's birthday on Monday and a surprise arrival from Gina helped me make an idea that had been floating around in my head into something real .... a Birthday Bunting.

Each family has their own traditions, some we grew up with and some that begin with us. My Mum used to let us decide what was for dinner on our birthdays... this is a tradition I loved and look forward to carrying on with my children. And this bunting - that will be dragged out and hung for all our birthdays - is our new family tradition.

For more creative spaces, head over to visit Kirsty who needs a little TLC today.

Just because

2009-11-22T13:32:00.009+11:00

One of the truly lovely things about blogging is the "just because".

The kind words left in comments.... just because.
The supportive, funny and 'knowing' emails.... just because.
The things that arrive in the mail... just because.

The other week I stopped by Midge & Judy. Michelle had been busy busy preparing for Christmas and I left a comment, impressed with her marathon effort. Well I happened to leave her 300th comment, so she made these collecting satchels for my kids..... just because. They are to take on walks to collect stuff and are great! The embroidered shells are beautiful and I especially love the gold thread french knots. We were all set to go collecting today but after a week of hot weather, the rain kept us inside.

Another day, I visited Angie at 3 Red Buttons who is making her boy a backpack (a cool pattern which I also had to buy). I told her that I thought the truck fabric was AWESOME... so she sent me some - and some cool clouds and rainbows too - just because. The truck fabric is currently being carried from here to there and laid out as we look and point at every truck!

And the delicious Cathie from the delicious Melbourne Epicure had a giveaway to celebrate her 100th post. I was lucky enough to win a set of gingerbread family cookie cutters and a mini rolling pin.

But knowing that there are two little people in my house, Cathie sent me two sets.... just because.

I have been blogging for a while now, yet I am continually amazed by the kindness, generosity and friendships I have found since I became "Nikki from My Black Cardigan".

Thankyou to Michelle, Angie and Cathie for..... well..... just because!

My Creative Space - My Baby Doll

2009-11-19T09:17:00.019+11:00

This is my baby doll and highchair from when I was small. She is well travelled, moving interstate and spending time packed away in the roofs of 5 houses as my parents moved around. I am very grateful that despite having to lug four lots of cradles, highchairs and dolls from house to house, my parents never thought of getting rid of these.

So as my kids are now starting to pretend, it was time for "I can't remember her name*" to come down from the roof.

The kids do a great job of keeping her well fed and making sure she has lots to drink.....

but still, she's in a bad way. Her stuffing has flattened making her way too floppy, she needs a good wash....

....and a bad position in the plastic container has left her head a little oddly shaped.... making her look just a bit too creepy. I apologise to those who will now have trouble getting to sleep tonight! But on the plus side, look how happy she is within herself!

So after her success with Webster, Dr B Cardigan has been paged and the operating theatre (aka washing machine/sewing machine) is being prepared.

For more creativeness, head over to visit Kirsty who is settling into her new space.

From last week: Issue 10 of MixTapeZine is on its way to Teddy Bear's Wednesday.

*OK, I'll admit it. She wasn't a favourite! I do remember my Cabbage Patch Doll's name was Eartha Ivy.

THE Suit

2009-11-15T18:55:00.010+11:00

So when I first said it was a man-sized challenge, I wasn't wrong. It was a big ask. And there was a few hiccups along the way. But you know what, I think it worked.

Photo by Jamie Troi

Here's what I did (the short version**):

- removed the suit collar and added a larger, black collar
- cut some padding out of the shoulders
- removed the jacket pockets and zigzaged them closed
- cut off the buttons and button holes and added black panels to the front
- shortened the jacket and added a zipper
- thread sketeched buildings on the front of the jacket and on the bottom of the left leg of the pants
- sewed a black panel on the bottom of the right leg of the pants

Now before you go thinking I am the girl who cried wolf, panicking that first my top was ruined then worked out, and then that the suit was ruined then worked out.... this refashioning thing can be tricky. Satisfying but also very frustrating. I love the freedom of not sewing to a pattern but that can also be hard when something goes wrong. On both occasions, I really thought what I had done was beyond saving. So the lesson learnt for me is that I must not panic when refashioning. It is likely that things will turn ugly before falling into place.

So anyway, the gig was awesome and My Mr looked great! He loved the suit and even mentioned it on stage. I was very chuffed and even blushed a little!

** the long version involves removing the collar then sewing it up without a collar, making a round neck, collarless jacket that looked like something my mum would wear. Now my mum dresses well, but never ever do I want my husband to dress like my mother. So after lots of looking and thinking and cursing and then a fresh set of eyes, I cut the neckline deeper and added the black collar. And you know those black panels that were added to the front, that was because when I cut off the buttons and button holes and added the zipper, the jacket was too tight to do up. So the zipper had to be removed while I tried to work out how to make the jacket wider... and that's the reason for the black panels.

My Creative Space - The Sorting Game

2009-11-12T09:19:00.001+11:00

A few posts back, I made up a board to sort and play with some dinosaur toys the kids have. I got the idea from a friend so I decided to make up a game for her kids.

Because she doesn't have dinosaurs, I made up a set of 4 shapes - circles, triangles, squares and rectangles - in 4 colours - red, blue, yellow and purple.

Similar to the dinosaur game, on one side of this game board, there are 4 white shapes. This side is used to identify the different shapes and sort them by type.

On the other side are 4 coloured blobs. This side is used to sort the shapes into the different colours.

Like last time, this game board is made from plywood wrapped in one of the kids' old fleece blankets, then covered with black fabric.

I also made a bag to store the board and shapes so:
- they don't get lost
- my friend doesn't curse me when she finds little shapes all over her house (not that she would ever curse me!)

This game is easy to make and could be made from scraps and recycled/thrifted materials. I had plywood left over from another project but an old wooden/cork placemat would work just as well.

I love this game because it is handmade, can be played with 1 or more kids and has some learning involved. I also like to imagine it is fun! Like the dinosaur game, I have plans to make a dice and can see potential for different games using the board and shapes.

For more creative spaces, head on over to visit Kirsty who is getting all excited about making things in her new house.

And because I'm silly, I have an extra copy of MixTape Issue 10 (the current issue for a few more days!). I'll randomly choose a comment and send the issue to that person. If it's you and you already subscribe, then you can let me know I'll choose someone else. MixTape is great, especially when read while lying on the couch with a cuppa or coffee or other drink of your choice! If you want to subscribe to MizTape, you can here.

Not so good

2009-11-09T10:27:00.009+11:00

WARNING:
This post contains an implication of explicit language.

___________________________

I think I may have f***ed up the suit.

2 heads + 2 heads = 4 hats

2009-11-07T15:22:00.010+11:00

When you have twins, there are many things you do twice. But when you have twins AND your friend has twins, there are some things that you do four times.... like at the park when you try and quickly work out how the two of you can go in four directions! But in this case, it's a little less frantic. In this case, it's making four hats.

Using Nicole Mallalieu's Kids Hats pattern, I started with hats for my friend's girls. I tried to get my two to model them but this was the best shot I could get.

It seems that finding good hat models can be a challenge! So I found a more complient and less inquisitive pair to model the new hats.

This is a great pattern that is very easy to follow. The hats sit well on the kids' heads and they have a wide brim, which is excellent for protecting little faces from the sun. My friend's girls also think they are great for tea parties!

So that's two down, two to go. And given that the temperatures are hovering around 30°C in Melbourne at the moment, I had better get sewing.

A man-sized challenge

2009-11-04T10:23:00.007+11:00

It was just a throw away comment.... "I'm making lots of things for me and the kids and nothing for you". Just an observation, said out loud. I didn't expect a reply and I certainly didn't except "Well make me something. Something to wear to the gig".

You might see this as a simple request for clothing. But oh no. It is much more. It is a sign of trust. A sign of faith. A sign of true love. You see, my Mr is in a band and they have a gig in a few weeks. So his "something to wear to the gig" is suggesting that I can make something that is not only wearable, but wearable in public and wearable on stage. Now do you see the trust, the faith, the true love!

So after much "are you serious?", we decided on some refashioning of a suit. I kinda figured I wouldn't find a suit in time so it sounded like a good deal. Well that afternoon, I found this on the 50 cents rack at the Op Shop.

And surprisingly, it fits him better than it fits me*! So a new deal has been struck. I'll have a go but I get the final decision as it whether this will totally rock or fade into blog-livion, never to be spoken of again.

*Yes, that is me, living out my rock star dreams. I reckon I've got the whole rock star pose under control. Fortunately for you, you can't hear either the way I "play" guitar or "sing"...!!!

The Sort-of-Dress-Up Costumes

2009-11-01T09:44:00.004+11:00

So while there was a certain appeal to leaving the kids like this for their cousin's 5th 'Come as your favourite jungle animal' birthday party ....

... I decided to make them something a little more practical and a little less material-thrown-over-children's-heads. I had romanic notions of creating my own super awesome costume but got tired of that idea pretty quickly after a few awful, awful attempts. Mr was getting ready to duck, still traumatised after the alleged house-throwing incident.

A late night panic session resulted in a less romantic but practical idea. My thinking was that a costume that went over clothes was likely to:
a) get in the way of serious playing (the party was at a park)
b) be hot (given that the forecast was for 28+ degrees)
c) be rejected with irrational crying

So I decided to play it safe, save my time and sanity, and followed a pattern. Thanks to Simplicity 5982, here is my little leopard and the cow she chased into the jungle.

The pattern didn't have tails so I just made a waistband, and used boning in the leopard tail to make it stick out and some fur on the bottom of the cow tail.

I will admit to googling "leopard tail" and "cow tail" to make sure they looked right. Attention to detail or ridiculous need for things to be right...?? You can decide!

My Creative Space - Assessed with Dogs

2009-10-29T09:00:00.003+11:00

My space this week has gone to the dogs! My niece is obsessed - or if you ask her "assessed" - with dogs so for her 5th birthday, she has a new bag to carry her every growing collection of dogs.... and other special treasures.

I wanted a basic lined bag with a zipper closure, easy for 5 year old fingers to open and close, and secure enough so as not to lose anything while out and about. I have made and love the shape of Nicole Mallalieu's Make Up Purse so I enlarged the pattern and added handles.

There is fusible wadding on the outer fabric so it feels soft but also gives it structure, and I followed this tutorial to add a base using template plastic. I used two pieces of plastic for extra strength.

And because I had some little bits of fabric left over, there is a matching snap purse.

Thankyou to the lovely Miss Marzie for coming to my rescue with some perfect fabric for my dog-assessed niece.

My niece's party is this Saturday and the invitation says to "Come as your favourite jungle animal". Seriously??!! What was my sister thinking!
This is what I have so far.....

While I am confident I can talk my way around a leopard being in the jungle, has anyone ever seen a jungle cow?

Not sure what I am going to do next but if I run out of time, I could always cut out eye holes and the kids could go as jungle ghosts. Is it a spooky coincidence that Saturday is Halloween??? Oooooooooohhh.....

For more creative spaces, head over to visit Kirsty who just can't get red out of her space!

Ethical Clothing Pledge

2009-10-25T22:54:00.005+11:00

I have taken Isis' Ethical Clothing Pledge.

I pledge to only wear clothing that is one or more of the following:

1. Pre-loved
2. Handmade (preferably by me)
3. Reconstructed
4. Made with ethical / environmentally friendly materials
5. Made by a company with strong ethical policy & workers' rights

There is more info on the pledge and Isis' thinking behind it at her blog. I think it is amazing and inspiring, and I am excited at what is possible. Thankyou to Isis for sharing her thoughts, ideas and beliefs and for encouraging me to think about how I can make a difference.

Some success and a beautiful quilt

2009-10-24T15:50:00.001+11:00

It's amazing what a difference a fresh set of eyes can make. After stepping away from my frustrating refashioning project and looking at it again the next day, things fell into place. My thread sketched tree turned out just as I had imagined....

...I added a strip of black fabric around the hem and used the same idea on the right side of the neckline. I was having real trouble deciding how I would 'close' the top as I thought a brooch would be too much with the tree. A clever friend suggested the black tab which meant I was able to hide the snaps.

So all in all, my $1 Op Shop top turned out pretty well. I even wore it last night....

..... when I went to see the all-sewn-together quilt for Kootoyoo's The Quilt Project.

Image taken from The Quilt Project

I must admit to a "wow" when I walked into the room and saw the quilt. Even though I had seen many of the beautiful squares, together they even more beautiful. Kirsty has done an amazing job of coordinating this project and of making the squares into a quilt.

I couldn't help myself and even at the risk of being daggy, had to take a photo of my little part of this big project.

If you would like to see more of the quilt and read about all the people who sewed a little bit of their souls into this community project, take a visit to The Quilt Project website.

My Creative Space - Thread Sketching

2009-10-22T09:30:00.003+11:00

Or should I say "My Frustrating Space"! I have been desperate to get refashioning and after seeing this beautifulness on Clutterpunk, I was on a mission.

I started by trying some thread sketching and was really happy with my first attempt. I think this was due to the amazing tips and techniques so well described by Gina.

If you haven't yet discovered Clutterpunk, pop on over and say hello. Gina is gorgeous and lovely and clever and she'll make you want to do stuff (good stuff!!).

Then I got started on my Op Shop top....

... and this is when the frustration set in. I wanted to create the same style of the felted woollen vest I refashioned earlier this year but this fabric was not as easy to work. The changes look quite simple but it seemed to take forever to get to this point and... I don't love it.

The square neckline seems to have worked OK but I just can't get it to fit well and it just seems... well.... boring. Maybe it will come together in the end but I'm not even sure I want to finish it. Hmmmmmm.

Head over to Kirsty's place who, although may be hiding under a pile of squares, will still be able to point you in the direction of lots of creative people to visit.

And if you want a quick laugh, have a look at what my Mum has done over here. This is the sort of stuff she did for my sisters and I when we were little. She is awesome.

My Creative Space - Dinosaur Game

2009-10-15T08:00:00.010+11:00

I bought these dinosaurs when I was teaching after watching how much the kids enjoyed playing with them. And sure enough, they are also very popular with my two.

Aside from just good old fun, they can be used for counting, sorting and classification so when my friend told me about a game her husband had when he was little, my teacher brain* started ticking and I made up a game board.

On one side are white pictures of the six dinosaurs. This side is used to identify the different dinosaurs and sort them by type. There is also the opportunity for language development through talking about the different dinosaurs and describing their individual features.

On the other side are coloured dinosaur footprints. This side is used to sort the dinosaurs into the different colours. This side will also help with colour identification and recognition.

The actual game board is made from plywood, wrapped in one of the kids' old fleece blankets, then covered with fabric.

As the kids get older, we'll be able to use the dinosaurs and game board to make up our own games and activities. I'm already thinking I'll need to make two dice - one with the dinosaurs and one with the colours.

For more creative spaces, STOMP STOMP STOMP your way over to see Kirsty.

Edited to add:
A few people have asked where I got the dinosaurs from. It was through a school supplier just for teachers but I have found them online here and here. I haven't bought from these companies but I thought that at least you will see what they are called and look like if you want to shop around. They are expensive because they are a teaching resource.

*surprise surprise, it still works!!

My Creative Space - Sock Owls

2009-10-01T09:40:00.001+10:00

Who would have thought socks could be so damn cute! Yes, these little owls are made from little-people-socks.

I've had these four little fellas hanging around in my space for a week or so and they sure have been getting lots of "oohs" and "ahhs" from visitors.

The owls were made using the new and soon to be available Owl Mobile pattern from Craft Schmaft. Claire does magic things with socks - little monsters, dogs, G-rafs. It seems that wearing socks on your feet is soooooo yesterday! Head over to her new shop to have a look, but be ready to ooh and ahh.

And don't forget to fly over to Kootoyoo and say hoot to Kirsty and all the other creative people.

A Crown of Golden Trim

2009-09-28T20:20:00.005+10:00

One of the many things I love about blogging is being challenged to do things I wouldn't have done otherwise. This is a perfect example. Gemma from Loz & Dinny set a great challenge with some unloved gold trim she was given. She wanted it to be loved!

So with a little bit of fabric stiffener and a little bit of love, my kids now have some new dress ups...

The crowns were made by stiffening the trim using Fabric Stiffener (thanks to Cam for her advice with getting this right). I used two rows of boning in the headbands and then covered them in the same fabric I used for the cape. To allow the crowns to fit on growing heads and make them easier to put on and off, there is a piece of elastic sewn into the back. I figured if you're going to wear a crown then you need a cape so I got an idea on how to make the cape from here. The outer fabric is upholstery fabric and the lining is satin. The cape does up with a snap so I can add another as the kids grow, and it will come apart easily and not choke them should an accident occur while playing. Which is important I think!

My Creative Space - The Gold Trim Challenge

2009-09-24T08:40:00.006+10:00

This week my space is all about Loz and Dinny and the fun challenge that Gemma has set. I have 80cm of gold trim to use 'in some crafty project to make it have its day basking in the sunshine of handmade'. What a cool brief!

So I have teamed the trim with a $1 piece of upholstery fabric from the Op Shop and some satin kindly given to me from my mother-in-law's stash. And I have until the 29th Sep to make this into something worthy of sunshine basking!

Also waiting for my attention are 3 balls of Sugar 'n Cream cotton. They desperately want to be made into knitted dishcloths and they will be, as soon as I have time in between wiping snotty noses (mine and the kids'), giving extra cuddles, driving children to sleep and trying to find some slither of sanity in my severely sleep-deprived, snot-filled mind!

I hope your house is a happy, healthy one with lots of creativity happening. Pop over to the Redwork Quilt Maker extrodinaire to see who is inviting you into their space this week.

Handmade in Melbourne Winners

2009-09-20T22:13:00.006+10:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for the Handmade in Melbourne books. It was so lovely to sit with a cuppa and read your comments. I found myself nodding and smiling and nodding again! I feel lucky to be surrounded by such inspired, connected and creative kindred spirits.

While I was sitting reading the comments, Mr joined me and started reading them too. Which gave me an idea. You see, while I get the whole random number generator thing, my issue was that I asked you to do something, not just leave a random comment. I asked you to think about your answer. So to then choose randomly didn't feel like I was doing you justice. But because I wanted to make everyone win, I took advantage of Mr's interest and asked him to choose the winning comments. I figured he was an unbias judge.

So Mr narrowed down the pile but as there was more than 5, I randomly pulled 5 from his pile. So I did resort to some randomness, but some I could live with!

Anyhoo, that was the long way to say congratulations to Kate from Craftastrophies, Miss Muggins, Leonie from Raglan Guld, snowflakes4sam and Mary from ChickenFlowerTots who all have a copy of Handmade in Melbourne with their name on it (not literally!).

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to comment.

PS.... I also wanted to tell you about this post I read by Sally at Virtually Sally. It is just beautiful.

My Creative Space - Redwork Quilt Square

2009-09-17T07:30:00.009+10:00

It was with a mix of relief, satisfaction and sadness that I finished and posted my contribution to Kirsty's Quilt Project this week. After too much stressing, I was reminded that this project was about being part of something. So I stopped worrying and got started. As this square is part of a community quilt, it got me thinking about being part of the blogging community. I have found so much inspiration, support and friendship since blogging, an unexpected benefit of being a mum. Not that you have to be a mother to blog.... but for me, it was being at home with the kids and rediscovering the creative me that lead me to blogging.

So I decided to stitch my family on my quilt square, to represent the best things in my life and to acknowledge them as the reason I am part of this project.

The idea came from a photo our friend Jamie took. This verison has been blurred to protect the innocent... and not so! The original is beautiful and amazing thanks to the incredible talents of Jamie. You can check out his work here.

I traced around the outline of each of us to get the design for the quilt square.

Because it was such a simple design, I practised a few fancy stitches thinking that I needed to "tart" it up a bit but realised that the simplicity was what I loved. After all, I am but a simple girl! So there is a tiny bit of satin stitch but otherwise it is just stem stitch.

I loved being part of this project and am so thankful to Kirsty for making this project happen.

I suspect there will be a common theme of red in many creative spaces this week.

Handmade in Melbourne - the book & a giveaway

2009-09-13T22:10:00.010+10:00

When reading the foreword in Handmade in Melbourne, I had an "uhhhh" moment. Stephen Kent from Wilkins and Kent talks about how as designers, they have a story and how the materials they use have a story. He believes that it's the stories of handmade products that customers appreciate and value. Uhhhh..... of course!

I love knowing that a person has made what I buy, not a programmed machine.
I love that I can order or buy from the maker, not by lining up in a queue.
I love that the maker created their art because they knew what they wanted and were frustrated they couldn't find it.
I love that I don't have to remove tonnes of packaging to get to my handmade buy.
And I love that two products sitting next to each other are the same but not exactly.

Handmade in Melbourne tells the story of 200 Melbourne artisans, including photos and details on where to buy their products. While not a book you would sit and read cover-to-cover, it is beautiful to look at and great to flick through and read about a different person each time you pick it up. But a warning.... you are likely to be inspired and want to buy stuff!

You can buy a copy of Handmade in Melbourne at their website or I am lucky enough to have 5 copies to giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me why you love things that are handmade. I'll use some random thingy to pick five lucky people next Sunday night (20th Sep). Due to postage, this giveaway is only for bloggers in Australia.

***Giveaway has now closed***

My Creative Space - Dishcloth & Plane

2009-09-10T08:40:00.002+10:00

There is a dishcloth and a plane in my creative space this week. The dishcloth is an awesome present-for-no-reason from Julianne at Chasing Snails who has a mission of converting every single household over to handmade knitted dish cloths. Well let me tell you, I'm converted!

Converted so much that I have ordered some Sugar 'n Cream cotton from American Yarns and I plan on having a kitchen full of knitted dishcloths.... well not full because that would be silly, but certainly enough so that I always have a clean one ready. If you are keen to have some knitted dishcloths in your house, now is a great time because American Yarns is having a sale so head over to their Ravelry page to check it out.

So I wanted to say thankyou to Julianne for being awesome but what to do? She commented that she liked my nephew's planes so that was a start but I needed more. I first met Julianne when reading her blog post, Top 10 Lessons for Surviving a Zombie Attack. This appealled to me as I thought it was very funny, and I now feel more confident should zombies ever attack. It soon became apparent that Julianne has an interest in things a little creepy... so this is what I sent her...

While I'm not sure that I would board this plane, it was great to hear that she loved it... especially the skull!

If you're game, jump aboard Skull Air and fly over to Kirsty's to check in at more creative spaces.

Vegetarian Meatloaf

2009-09-07T15:21:00.008+10:00

Yes, I see the irony. But this is one of those recipes that I got from sister and I don't know its proper name or where it came from*. But it looks like a meatloaf but it's vegetarian....

Anyway, Steph from MooBear was challenged to share a recipe using one ingredient from the person who challenged her - which she did here - and then she challenged me. So I chose onions and here is a 'Vegetarian Meatloaf' recipe. It's quick and easy (the way I cook) and delicious (what I hope for when I cook).

75g uncooked macaroni pasta
125g brown lentils
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 onion, grated or finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 stalks of celery, chopped
60g pine nuts
¼ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup water
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbls Worcestershire sauce
Pepper

I didn't have celery and only a small carrot when I made this one so I added a grated zucchini instead.

1. Cook pasta
2. Heat oven to 180 C
3. Combine dry ingredients, including cooked pasta and mix well
4. Add remaining ingredients and mix well
5. Cook until browning on top (about 20-30 minutes)

Now because I'm terrible at tagging people, I'll leave this up to you. If you'd like to take up the recipe challenge, choose an ingredient from this recipe and post a recipe using that ingredient on your blog. Otherwise, whip yourself up a Vegetarian Meatloaf..... you wont be disappointed!

*I'm sorry I don't know the source or who to credit for this recipe.

My Creative Space - Black Jumper

2009-09-01T13:39:00.016+10:00

Some more refashioning this week. The jumper I started with is different from last week's project as the wool is machine washable. Learning from previous lessons, I bought this one knowing that it could not be felted!

Here's what I did:
- chopped off the arms
- cut across the top just underneath the V collar
- took it in at the sides
- overlocked around the neckline
- took in the sleeves and reattached them (next time I will cut the armholes in a bit as the sleeves don't sit well on my shoulders)

I wanted it to be a bit longer and the sleeves were too short, so I cut up a woollen skirt I had also bought at the Op Shop (forgot to take a photo) and added about 12cm to the body length and sleeves.

Then I sewed random reverse darts on the front, back and sleeves. And that's it.

Grab a cuppa and see what creativeness is happening out there at Kootoyoo.....

My Creative Space - The Green Vest

2009-08-27T09:20:00.003+10:00

A few weeks back, I told the tale of a jumper....

...a jumper with a destiny to be refashioned

...a jumper with a destiny to leave behind her Op Shop past and find a loving home in my wardrobe

... a jumper whose destiny was not to end up as a midrif or as pants for my son

Well after much ~~procrastination~~ ~~panicking~~ planning, I confessed to Gina that I didn't know where to start. She told me to just do what she did and that was all I needed. I got cutting and sewing and am happy to report that the jumper has fulfilled its destiny.

I started with a cut up the front then took the side seams in a little to give it some shape. The collar was then cut down to about half its original size and part of it was used for the front piece with the brooch. The rest of the collar and the sleeves were sewn on the bottom of the vest to give it extra length.

So I send a BIG thankyou to Gina and Mim for sharing their creations and inspiring me. I know it might be daggy to say but I really love this vest! I am excited and inspired at the idea of making things I want to wear from things that somebody else didn't want to wear.

And on the thanking, thankyou to Nic at yardage girl for the fabric she sent me. Now, what to do with it... .hmmm....

Head over to Kirsty's to visit more creative spaces...

Pants Pants Pants... pants pants!

2009-08-25T10:06:00.006+10:00

Since finding this tutorial by Dana, I have been obsessed with the idea of making some knee pad pants for my kids. I just love them. There is something about these pants that just really appeals to me. Maybe because they don't look new, or because they scream "I'm ready to be played in"... not sure. But it did get me thinking.... does the love extend to grown up pants? Would I wear knee pad pants? I think the answer is yes but I'll get back to you on that.

So anyway, I got a little fix on some repairs I did but this didn't stop the obsession. I realised that I would just have to make these pants so I could then move on and free up that brain space for something else. Does this sound familiar?

Not content with making one pair of pants, my kids, my friend's two girls and my niece all now have a pair of knee pad pants. But the best bit is that the black fabric was $1 from the Op Shop, the green was a $3 remnant from GJs and the patches are a mix of old socks, a too small onesie, an one old t.shirt and a bit from my stash.

I wasn't brave enough - I did try and it didn't go well - to make my own pattern so I used a commercial pattern for the actual pants. They are OK but I will adjust the pattern to give the pants more shape for next time. Oh yes, there will be a next time!

Feeling relieved

2009-08-23T17:15:00.009+10:00

It is with much relief that I have been able to get my idea for the Quilt Project out of my head and onto paper (do I see other heads out there nodding...??). Stitches have been tried and practiced thanks to a book borrowed from the library, and now I'm ready to start on my "good copy".

After feeling nervous and worried and other similar emotions, now I'm excited and can't wait to get started.

To have a peek some other delicious red goodness, head over here.

My Creative Space - Pram Bag & Box

2009-08-20T08:40:00.003+10:00

The refashioning project is on pause because my creative space has been preparing for my very new nephew (who arrived in this world on Tuesday) and my sister, the mother of the beautiful baby boy.

I must admit to feeling a tinsy bit proud as I handed over the planes to my sister who said "I can't believe you made these". As with many crafters, it wasn't until my babies arrived and my whole world was turned upside down and shaken (then shaken again!) that I rediscovered sewing and craft and creating. A little bit of embroidery has opened up a whole new world of creativity, allowing me to find parts of myself that were hiding so well I didn't even know they were there. Now don't get me wrong... I don't think my little planes are going to change the world! But they are a product of an exciting little journey I am on.

Anyway.... so the planes were for the baby boy and this little purse is for my sister.

I really wanted to give her something that was linked to James' arrival but also something she could use. I stitched a girl and boy on the purse to represent her daughter and her son, and while very stereotypical with the pink and blue, I'm OK with that.

Then inspired by Kirsty's super cute project kit and 'roller' confession, I refashioned a cardboard box into a gift box, complete with a cardboard button. It was the perfect size to fit the planes, purse and few other goodies.

To take a peek into some other creative spaces, head over to Kooyotoo....

Come fly with me

2009-08-18T09:06:00.004+10:00

Our extended family will grow by one very soon when my nephew arrives in this world. I remember back when my first niece was born and thinking how strange that this little person had arrived and started the next generation of my family. She triggered lots of thoughts about families and how things change. Without a choice, her birth had made me in to an aunty and I now had another person in my life to love, care for, worry about and enjoy. It was a strange realisation to have, especially when I thought I had finally worked things out... life's funny like that!

Anyway.... in the hope of inspiring great adventures, my nephew will be able to lie in his cot and dream of places far away as he looks up at the planes flying in his room.

Each plane is on its own ribbon so they can be hung close together or scattered apart, like the stars I made for my kids' bedroom.

This is the first time I have made a pattern from an idea in my head. so there was lots of trial and error and test planes before the final design met aviation standards!

While there were moments of frustration, a bit of unpicking and some corners that aren't quite perfect, it was very satisfying to make something from scratch.

My Creative Space - The Past, Present & Future

2009-08-13T07:30:00.008+10:00

The Past
An unexpected gift with a simple "you'll probably need to dye it because the colour is not great. Is that OK?".

"Of course not," I replied, filled with an equal mix of love from this act of kindness, and fear of not having a clue on what is involved in dyeing. Hazy memories of tie-dyed tshirts came flooding back to me... an arty phase I was not eager to relive.

The Present
I decided to try and step outside my comfort zone and not go for black. A dark green seemed like a subtle shift in colour I could manage. But standing in the chemist - overwhelmed by all millions of little tins - I panicked and stuck with what I know (and love). So armed with my $4 tin of Ebony Black, I read and reread the instructions.... it felt like a recipe for disaster!

Maybe it was the original colour of the jumper or something I buggered up in the process, but my should-be-ebony-black jumper is now a gorgeous deep green.

I'm not at all disappointed and sort of love that the jumper took control and helped me stick to my original decision.

The Future
....to refashion this deep green jumper into a fabulous top I love to wear. I have been completely inspired by some awesome refashioning here and here. And of course here.... the post from the gorgeous unexpected gift giver that started all this craziness! Cross your fingers for me.....

Check out other spaces full of creativeness at Kooyotoo...

The-Purse-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named

2009-08-09T09:49:00.007+10:00

Well that isn't exactly true... I should have said...

"The-Purse-Who-Needs-To-Be-Named".....!

I was lucky to be able to test Nikki's new pattern, the yet unnamed baggy-pursey-thingamy!. It has a working title of the 150mm Barrel Purse because, well, that's what it is! But it could also be called a little bag. It is a great size, perfect for carry the"essentials". Check out Nikki's blog for lots of gorgeous examples including different variations on the handle.

I made the version with a detachable handle using a swivel hook. I love this version because it changes the bag into a small clutch purse.

This is another FABULOUS pattern from Nikki's ever growing range. As with all her patterns, there are lots of photos, tips and notes that accompany the clear and concise, step-by-step directions. While explaining a fiddly part of the process, Nikki writes "It gets easier with practise - I promise!".... and she's sooo right. I felt more confident sewing this purse after following her other patterns and feel that my overall confidence as a sewer is also improving.

The pattern will be on sale very soon and if you are in Sydney, you'll be able to grab yourself a copy at the Stitches & Craft Show.

Now if you think you have the perfect name for this cute little thing, quickly head over to Nikki's blog and let her know. Hmmmm... maybe I should suggest "The Voldemort"....

My Creative Space - The Big Picture

2009-08-06T08:22:00.011+10:00

So this is my first 'Creative Space'. I thought it was about time I joined in after quietly peeking through your blog windows into your creative spaces for so long. So given that this is your first official glimpse into what is called my creative space, I thought I would give you the "big picture".

This..... is my creative space....

....no, not the verandah (although it is used to handsew while watching children play).... my creative space is my house!

We have a great little house at the top of a too big hill... but.... it is a little house. It was bought when "we" were 2 but now we are 4 which means we have double the stuff we used to have. So my creative space is spread across the house.

Most of the actual creating takes place on the dining room table...

... where it is delicately shoved to one end at dinner time.

Supplies are kept mostly neatly on a shelf in the corner of our bedroom....

... with some fabrics of the everygrowing stash finding their home in the bottom of the wardrobe.

So that's it. A little peek into my house, my life and my creative space! Head over to visit Kirsty at Kootoyoo to be inspired by lots of Creative Spaces.

Jumper, jumper, cardigan, pants

2009-08-04T23:00:00.003+10:00

Remember that man's jumper that I refashioned (unintentionally) into a midrif... well I didn't give up on it. Out came the good scissors and I cut up the front to make it into a cardigan. Because of the extra fabric in the neckline, it hung really well... but it still sat too high, especially at the back. Even though I could wear it with layers, I didn't feel comfortable in it so I knew if I left it, it would sit in my wardrobe and I would never wear it.

Still not wanting to give up, I laid a pair of my boy's pants on the cardigan and started cutting. Again, I found the whole "sewing without a pattern" thrilling.... (this could become addictive!)....

...and ended up with a pair of Size 1 pants. I used the sleeves for the legs and the band that was around the bottom of the cardigan as the waistband, folded over to hold the elastic.

So that's the refashioning story of the jumper, jumper, cardigan, pants.... a story I am so glad I started and preserved with, and that ended well!

A touch of Paris for a touch of kindness

2009-07-31T19:00:00.005+10:00

I have a gorgeous friend who, through her kindness and loveliness, made me feel good in my heart one day.... and I wanted to do the same for her.

I hope this little purse...

....with a small reminder of home...

.... will do the trick!

The pattern is Nicole Mallalieu's Make Up Purse.

The basket or the box?

2009-07-31T16:43:00.030+10:00

So if you were Ernie or a pig or a lion or a dinosaur...

...would you rather live in this overcrowded, broken blue basket that frustrates Mummy because things fall out and it looks so untidy...

...or in this fancy fabric covered box that fits everything and looks so neat?

(I don't think poor little piglet understood the question!)

Because the kids are quickly accumulating a collection of little toys, the tin and basket they were thrown into were no longer doing the job. And while I love finding hippos under the couch, pigs in the kitchen drawers, people in my handbag and monkies in the ducts, when it's time to pack up, I wanted them to have a place to call their home that also made things look tidy (I live in hope!).

I loved the look and feel of the barns I made the kids for their birthday, so some thinking, planning, drawing, angsting, testing, fiddling and sewing produced these fabric covered boxes.

I used 3mm plywood, covered with a heavy denim and a cotton lining. The border around the top has a layer of pellon so it is soft to touch and will be a little more forgiving than uncovered plywood if accidently fallen on!

When deciding on the size, I made them to fit neatly into the shelves in the kids' room,

(look how neat they look.... sadly, this makes me happy!)

but they are also easy to grab to go out on the verandah for some serious playing!

The Spec Case

2009-07-28T09:53:00.004+10:00

I was just a ~~little~~ A LOT bit chuffed to be asked to test Nicole Mallalieu's new pattern, The Spec Case.

The Spec Case is a funky version of the good old glasses case, lined and padded with a purse frame cleverly used as the opening.

I have sewn using Nikki's fabulous patterns before and she has made another exceptionally high quality pattern with The Spec Case. The instructions are very detailed with easy to follow steps including photos, tips and notes to help along the way.

Sewing such a small creation was a little tricky at times and when I had to stitch along the join on the front panel, I thought "I've done something wrong, there is no way I can sew that,"..... but the instructions explained where to put my hands and how to negotiate the fabric and - as if Nikki was here waving her magic wand - it all worked out beautifully!

Nikki has a fabulous range of bag, hat and purse patterns, that as she says, are like a class in a packet. The Spec Case pattern is on its way so stay tuned to You Sew, Girl for more info.

Meanwhile, back at the lab...

2009-07-26T17:00:00.004+10:00

Meanwhile, back at the lab....... the mad scientist had donned her safety glasses,

buttoned up her lab coat,

and was ignoring the ethical reasons against cloning as she frantically tried to remember the secret ingredients to reproduce Bug.

As the watched pot started to overflow with legs and other buggy bits,

the almost done Bugs were delicately placed in the high-tech laboratory oven for the final stage of the cloning process.

Deemed a success, the OBVIOUSLY mad scientist celebrated her Bug-cloning success with an evil laugh.... wahahaha wahahaha

Now seriously, can you spot the difference?

I'm hoping my baby boy can't if his beloved Bug is strategically swapped due to a much needed wash or a mysterious disappearance (aka "Where the hell is his bloody Bug?")...!!!

Lessons in Refashioning

2009-07-21T10:01:00.010+10:00

Incredibly inspired by this awesomeness created by Gina - yes, I wanted to be her neighbour! - I marched down to the Op Shop on a mission. I found the "thought to be perfect" jumper to refashion into my own felted top.

After 2 washes in hot water and NO sign on shrinkage or any resemblance of felting, I emailed Gina in a tizz... what was I doing wrong?

It turned out that it wasn't what I WAS doing wrong.... it was what I had DONE wrong...

Lesson 1: read the label

Determined not to give up and waste my big spend of $4, I soldiered on. Having to let go of my original plan gave me a strange sense of freedom, something I am not really all that comfortable with as I am very much a follow-the-pattern type of girl.

Anyway, things were looking good. I overlocked the neck edge and left it raw, assuring myself this was deliberate and not unfinished (again with the pattern and rules thing). I shortened the arms to 3/4 length and sewed them back on. I even cut the front bigger than the back, leaving extra fabric along the front neckline which could be folded up with a pin.

My masterpiece was finished and I must admit, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed not following a pattern and at how well it had turned out.

Then I tried it on.
Lesson 2: measure your length

I made the jumper too short. In this photo, it is pulled down as much as possible, and even with a top underneath, it rides up and comes dangerously close to being a mid-rif. And while I do puffer vests, I don't do mid-rifs.

So while I love the raw (not unfinished!) necklane and the way it sits with a gorgeous brooch, and the baggy 3/4 sleeves, it's back to the drawing board.

But I'm not writing this top off yet... the scissors are hovering close by, especially after seeing this on Tricia's blog. And a felted top remains on my 'To Do' list... as does buying a woollen jumper that is NOT Machine washable!

Sandrine's magnifique scarf

2009-07-17T15:33:00.014+10:00

I wanted to show you how magnifique (French for gorgeous!) my new hand felted scarf is and to tell you how amazingly beautiful it is to touch. This is one of the creations of the very talented Sandrine from histoire de soie...

Sandrine makes her own felt then uses it to create hats, scarfs and brooches. The detail on her creations is amazing....

One of her specialities is hats for special occasions. She sells them at markets and online, and also takes custom orders. They are exquisite.

Images taken from histoiredesoie.

You can see more of Sandrine's designs and creations (and get her delicious French recipes) at her blog and Etsy shop.

Stop by and say bonjour to the gorgeous Sandrine!

An apron & some fortune cookies

2009-07-15T07:18:00.013+10:00

I made some things for my friend Macca's birthday.....

An apron with the logo from his blog, Common Chefs. Common Chefs has beautiful recipes that are a bit fancier than your stock standard dishes, and have all been cooked by Macca so you know they work. He also gives a little intro to each recipe and the photos by JT will make your mouth-water!

I also whipped up a batch of fortune cookies....

... with personalised messages for the birthday boy. Some serious messages and some silly ones...

I had made these once before and as the receiever lived to sew another day, I thought it was worth trying them again. They are a littel fiddly to make but were definately easier the second time around... and are well worth the effort I think.

Thanks to Tyroga for use of the beautiful photo!

Make Your Own Kids' Books

2009-07-10T10:00:00.003+10:00

This is a simple book I made that I thought I would share with you because it has been such a hit with my kids.... an Animal Book...

Each page has a picture of an animal with matching text - "Here is a _____". The pages are A4 size and laminated so the pages are easy for little hands to turn and the pictures are big and are easily wiped clean!

Simple books with repetitive text are prefect for young children. And the animals provide a great opportunity for the kids to hear a range of different sounds as you cluck, oo-oo-oo, woof, snap (as appropriate!) on each page.

The thing I love about this idea is that it can be tailored to suit individual kids. If you know a child who loves things that move, you can make a book with cars, boats, planes, etc.

There are grand plans for lots of homemade books, such as "Our Special People', with photos of our family and friends.... Here is Nanny, etc, and books that have photos of the kids, such as "At the Park". As the kids get older, we'll make books of their drawings, and books illustrated by them. Check out some examples of books that JL from The Toby Show made here and here.

To be truthful, there are some days where this book is brought to me by a wobbling-walking child or two and I think "not again!", but I actually feel pretty pleased that they love something I made for them so much.

Here's how to make one:
I found the pictures by typing coloring page dog in Google (just change the animal name for each animal you want). There are lots of colouring pages that are free to download for personal use.

In Microsft Word, type the text at the bottom of the page and print it on 100gsm white paper (a bit heavier than normal copy paper). Then print the picture of the animal onto coloured paper. Cut the animal out and paste it onto the white paper.

Design and print a cover page. I used a piece of coloured paper and also put a piece of blank coloured paper as the back cover. Laminate the pages back to front, like this:

Once you have laminated and collated all your pages, it just needs to be bound. I did this at Officeworks for about $4.50. Wire or coil binding will keep the book together better than comb binding so it is worth the extra $$.

And that's it!
If you do make one, I'd love to hear about it.

I feel like a Royal Princess

2009-07-07T10:21:00.004+10:00

Yesterday I smiled when I saw a package in my letterbox because I knew what was waiting for me. Michelle from The Royal Sisters recently celebrated 200 posts with a giveaway which I very excitedly won. So let me show you why, adored in the creations of The Royal Sisters, I feel like a right, royal princess!....

Rather than show just a shot of the beautiful wrist warmers, I thought I would share a bit of my life and show you how I will be mostly using them.... pushing that big double pram around the streets! At least my hands will look glamourous... and be warm!

Michelle even sent a brooch she has just made that was not part of the original giveaway. Her kindness and generosity is heart-warming!

If you have not yet discovered the creative talents and bubble caravan search of Michelle, pop over and visit her two blogs and check out the delights in her Etsy store.

Squeak squeak

2009-07-05T16:44:00.004+10:00

On a quiet Saturday night, this little mouse found it's way to my house. Because the sewing machine does not create the right ambiance when watching a movie, this little guy was made out of felt and sewn by hand.

He is one of the wonderful creations that come from the mind of Ms Ric Rac. A BIG thanks to Jodie for the pattern.

Webster: the little duck who could...

2009-06-30T22:15:00.006+10:00

Things went very well with Webster. But rather than tell you about it, let me show you with a little video I made for Shan, so she can remember Webster's time in hospital.

Thank you to everyone for their well wishes for Webster.... but thanks more for playing along with the drama of it all..... it made me laugh a lot. xxx

WARNING: Have a tissue close by.
You may get a little emotional, especially near the end.

EDITED TO ADD: The song chosen was used purely for fun, for it's over-the-top cheesy-ness and for the heroism Webster has shown. It is no reflection of my personal music taste and thinking of ways to pay me back for making you listen or taunt me are hurtful (she says smiling).... so think carefully before you comment.... you know I never forget!

A few repairs...

2009-06-30T08:47:00.011+10:00

Some sewing to make a few old things feel better...

An old-school photo album from the Op Shop for my sister to keep a few odd photos in that she has collected along the way. I covered it in denim and reversed appliqued a few stars on the front (how fancy does that sound! Thanks to Diane for the tute).

And some repairs to pants that had see better days... now they have lots more play left in them!

(Check out Dana's gorgeous website for amazing photos, ideas and tutes)

And speaking of repairs, Webster is currently in the recovery ward. Stay tuned for some good news soon!

Webster is ready for surgery

2009-06-22T09:11:00.002+10:00

A quick update on Webster. He has been washed...

.... given his hospital I.D. tag...

(his surname has been blanked to protect and respect his privacy!)

...and is resting comfortably, while waiting for Dr B Cardigan to prep for surgery.

Dr B Cardigan is currently in consultation with her mentor, Professor Treacle Beak (aka her mum!) for help and advice.

Thankyou to everyone for your well wishes xxx

Melbourne Epicure = Deeelicious!

2009-06-21T09:11:00.008+10:00

Yesterday I braved the cold and headed down to visit a couple of markets in Northcote. I met the very lovely Cathie from Melbourne Epicure and brought home these wickedly tasty treats (that's not completely true... only the lemon tart made it home after stopping at my sister's house for afternoon tea... and when I say made it home, can being in the house long enough to make a cup of tea before devouring the tart qualify as "made it home"..???!!!).

I also chatted with Madeleine and with the lovely Felicity and said hello to her gorgeous gaggle of Hoots. Because I got to the markets in the afternoon, but because it was so cold and windy, I missed seeing the girls and goodies from Pepperberry & Co, Finki, Curlypops and Polly Pratt.... damn the Melbourne weather!

Don't taunt a crafter!

2009-06-18T21:07:00.011+10:00

Now I'm not what you'd call a Barbie type of girl. So when I bought this from the Op Shop...

..... my dear friend Mark took great delight in taunting me about my purchase. Rather than ask why I bought it (for the foam that was under the fabric for a new project I'm working on.... more later), he just laughed and taunted me about how much I love Barbie, etc, etc. Yes, I know... very hurtful!!!

Anyway, that was way back in March. Mark has moved on from his taunts... I have not. Finally, I have been able to pay him back for his taunts.

Today is Mark's birthday so I made him a very special present.... Barbie boxer shorts.

And to go with his Barbie boxer shorts, a pencil case with his name in the Barbie fabric...

...and a matching Barbie birthday card.

Happy Birthday Mark. I hope you have a Barbie-tastic birthday!!!
Lots of love, Nikki xxxx

Goodies in my house

2009-06-17T09:45:00.006+10:00

My house is full of goodies.... there is so much to tell!

Totem is back from San Fransisco and look what she brought back with her...

...lots and lots of fabulous fabrics. How excellent is she! So now we have to get busy creating. It's lucky we can multi-task as mixed in with the creating is lots of chatting, lots of tea drinking and two sets of twins to entertain!

She also gave me this amazingly gorgeous book of iron-on transfers. It has 30 sheets of transfers that are a mix of animals, people, trees, and other things... and they are so, so gorgeous. Almost too good to use! What am I going to do with them? At the moment, continue admiring them!

Here are just a few..... I love them!

Last week, the lovely, kind, thoughtful Sandrine told me she had found something for me.... and sent these magic fingertip savers. She had read about my Embrioderer's fingers and thought these might help. I told you she was lovely, kind and thoughtful! My poor fingers are still in recovery so I haven't tried these out... yet.

My giveaway from Bronwyn at Whippet Good arrived today. And check it out! Beautiful vintage fabrics, a lovely pink and green trim and a patchwork quilt pattern that doesn't look too scary - I haven't patchworked before. Because I told Bronwyn this, she also sent a 'Patchwork Basics' magazine which she said is good for beginners. Another kind and thoughtful blogger.

I also received an email this week from Sooz telling me I had won a copy of her Seamless Lace Edge Skirt. Yahoo! I love the pattern and although it is sized for a girl, Suzie has assured me I can adjust it so I can knit it for myself. So that's what I'm going to do. It's about time I made something for me I think. It's got a few tricky things I haven't done before but I'm up for the challenge. (image taken from http://soozs.blogspot.com/2009/05/flirty-skirty.html)

I feel very spoilt and lucky to be surrounded by such kind and lovely peope! xxx

Up, up and Away

2009-06-14T09:10:00.006+10:00

My friend Totem has gone to San Fransisco for work and I made a little goodie bag for her to take on her trip.

There is a passport cover made out of heavy denim, with an aeroplane embroidered on the front, a pocket on the back with a button catch on the front, and lined with left over fabric from the curtains in her girls' bedroom. Thanks to Jessica for the tutorial that got me started.

An 'Aeroplane Survival Puzzle Book' to help fill the hours from Melbourne to San Fransisco. Inside is a 'Spot the Difference' - I used a photo of our kids and changed it in Photoshop... lots of fun to make! - a crossword with clues that I made up that relate to my friend, a word search with names of her special people, Sudoku, lateral thinking puzzles, dot-to-dot and a few other time fillers.

And of course, some lollies in case/when a quick sugar fix is needed.

Poor Webster

2009-06-13T09:11:00.006+10:00

Let me tell you a story. I have a friend called Shan. She has a soft toy duck called Webster who she has had for a long time and holds great sentimental value. Shan also has a new puppy called Izzy.

One day when Shan went out, Izzy decided to introduce herself to Webster. It didn't end well.

I received Webster, his arm, his stuffing and this note from a very distresssed Shan.

I don't't know if I can do it, but I have to try and save Webster.

Bib-a-thon

2009-06-11T22:32:00.001+10:00

I remember taking part in a Walk-a-thon at primary school. We had to walk laps of the school oval and ask people to sponser us per lap to raise money for the school. Well I feel like I have just completed a Bib-a-thon!

I have been cringing when hanging my babies' bibs on the line recently. After many months of vomit, dribble and food, they are disgusting. Revolting even. Ok, they are ferral. I feel like a trashy mother when I put them on the kids. So I got busy and sewed like a trashy mother trying to redeem herself.

I morphed the good parts of the bibs I have to make my own simple pattern....

good size
snap clip (not velcro that gets stuck to everything in the wash.. agghhh)
cute fabric
towelling back

So now, we now have 22 crisp, new, clean bibs, ready to be vomited on! Imagine if I was able to get the kids to sponsor me per bib... at say $100 per bib... imagine..!!!!!

It's Tuesday and I can't wait...

2009-06-09T10:15:00.006+10:00

It's Tuesday and I can't wait... to tell you about a great idea and tutorial I found.

My kids went up from size 00 to 0 and when I looked at the clothes I had for them, realised I didn't have enough long sleeve onesies. I had heaps of short sleeve onesies, but these are not ideal for Winter in Melbourne.

Then I found this great idea and tutorial at Samster Mommy. Natasha shows you how to change your short short sleeve onesies into long sleeve onesies. What a GREAT idea. So here's what I did....

I started with these... 4 short sleeve onesies and 2 t.shirts I no longer wear...

And ended up with these... 4 long sleeve onesies.

The transformation from a short sleeve onesie to a long sleeve onesie....

I was even able to use the hem on the t.shirts as the hem on the sleeves for 2 of the onesies and Mum showed me how to do an easy but fancy looking hem on the other 2.

This is such a great way to reuse and recycle and save money.

I had to use another t.shirt that I
didn't photograph as I cut one
set of sleeves too short.

Head over to Buttons by Lou Lou to see all the other exciting things people are waiting for today.

I love Whippets!

2009-06-09T09:55:00.001+10:00

I do love Whippets. They are so quiet and gentle and seem at peace with the world. I could learn a lot from Whippets!

A whippet I read about a lot about is Bitzer Maloney, one of Hairy Maclary's friends (did I say a lot, I meant every day, several times a day!). But a whippet I met recently is Pippi who lives over at Whippet Good.

I met Pippi when I vistied Bronwyn at Whippet Good who had a giveaway as part of the big Sewn giveaway. Well Bronwyn emailed me yesterday to tell me that the good old random number generator picked me! Thankyou RNG.... I am very excited. The giveaway is some beautiful fabric and trim and a quilt pattern. Something I have been wanting to have a go at but am a bit scared. Maybe this is the encouragement I need.

A big thankyou to Bronwyn... and Pippi!

I think I have "Embroiderer's Fingers"

2009-06-07T20:22:00.002+10:00

I've been doing so much embroidery and handsewing lately that I've sustained injuries. I've stabbed myself so many times with the needle that the skin on the end of two of my fingers has split, is tender and just a little bit numb. And it's really sore. Poor me!

If anyone has any suggestions on how to prevent "Embroiderer's Fingers", please let me know. I want to be able to handsew without using bad, bad language and without tears. All advice will be gratefully accepted.

Some good news is that my injured fingers didn't stop me from making one of my husband's favourite dinners tonight... Chicken and Vegetable pie.

It was delicious.

Thankyou Thea & Sami!

2009-06-06T03:10:00.002+10:00

Because I happened to be Thea & Sami's 100th follower, I was lucky enough to be spoilt by Thea. Look what I received in the mail today...

A pink and green piece of fabric from the 'Pets and Bones' range (along with a suggestion from Thea that my bubs might enjoy this brightness!), and one of her 'Loads of Fishes' tea towels (which will never be going near my kitchen). These fabrics are just beautiful. How lucky am I!

I am making a deal with myself that I will not look at this amazing fabric and tell myself that it's "too good to use" (but maybe it is... !!!). I have to trust myself and make something to do it justice. But what? Stay tuned.....

The Houses I Built.... well, made!

2009-06-03T15:14:00.002+10:00

I really wanted to make something for my babies' 1st birthday, and knew I had found the perfect present when I came across this tutorial from Dawn... fabric houses.

The houses, or barns, are made from plywood covered with pellon and fabric. One side wall and roof opens up to reveal a garden and the inside of the barn. They have handles on top of the roof so they are also like little suitcases, ready to carry important things.

These were really tricky at times to make and took a long time to finish. The tutorial says to use plastic for structure but I thought plywood would make them more sturdy... which it did but also made it very difficult at times to sew (there is a rumour that a barn was seen flying across the loungeroom with a crazy lady cursing at her sewing machine with its third broken needle... a rumour I choose to neither confirm or deny!). I used dowel wrapped in pellon to make the handle and handstitched all the detail on the outside of the barn and the garden using felt.

In the gardens there are paths, a flower garden, vegie patches and ponds.

My sister Truj helped me with the self cover buttons as these are something I cannot do no matter how hard I try. I was going to put regular buttons on the barns but I am so glad Truj helped me as I love the way covered buttons look.

So even though my babies are probably a little too young to really enjoy these, I figured they will sometime within the next year and they are something they will have and hopefully love, for a long time. Something their Mum made them for their first birthday.

It's Tuesday and I can't wait...

2009-06-02T17:28:00.000+10:00

It's Tuesday and I can't wait... for my special package to arrive!!

Yesterday I headed over to Thea & Sami to see what Thea has been up to. I checked out her new gorgeous 'Marguerite' design fabric and was then bold enough to leave a comment... even though Monday was her self imposed "do not disturb Thea" day so she could get some designing done! I became a follower as I enjoy reading her blog and wanted to let her know. And I'm glad I did.....

...because I happened to be Thea & Sami's 100th follower. And to celebrate, Thea is sending a special surprise package to me. How cool (and super kind) is that. More waiting at the mailbox for me!

Thanks for Lou for hosting "It's Tuesday and I can't wait...". Pop over to her blog to see what others can't wait for.

Birthday Cakes

2009-06-01T09:45:00.001+10:00

I have great memories of my sisters and I looking through the Women's Weekly Birthday Cake cookbook and deciding which cake we wanted for our birthdays. This wasn't just done in the weeks before the actual birthdate... it was done many times throughout the year. And Mum did an amazing job of creating exactly what we wanted...

So when it came time to think about cakes for my babies' 1st birthday, I wanted to continue the tradition. Because they are not able to tell me what they want yet, we tried to imagine what they'd choose if they could. They have lots of toys but each have a favourite that they take to bed each night.... Horse and Bug...

So the decision was made.

This is Amelie's Horse Cake...

And this is Elliot's Bug cake...

I liked the idea of using the little hard toys so they'll have something to keep from their first birthday cakes.

I wonder what they'll choose next year.....???

The swap - What I received

2009-05-31T20:40:00.001+10:00

So my swap package arrived and yes, I did go and met the mailman! It was a bit exciting. And you can see why - check out my loot....

A little tote from Xena, a tissue holder from Sandra, a felt brooch with a covered button from Michelle, a keyring and brooch from Cam....

Handmade cards from Tania, hair clips and ties from Anna, a reversible glasses case from Fran...

A pen holder from Vickie, a pendant from Amanda and a zip purse from Aimee.

Thanks to everyone who swapped with me. It was great to see the time, effort and love everyone put into their items. And a big thanks to Cass for her time in organising and coordinating the swap. I'm already looking forward to my next swap...

The swap - What I sent

2009-05-29T00:21:00.002+10:00

The Snailblazer Swap is done so I can finally show you what I made... 10 FROGS!

As I got such great comments from the magnets I made my kids, I decided to make frog magnets as my swap item.

So 10 little frogs were put together and named.... Frank*. Frank the Frog.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of all the Franks lined up, ready to be sent. It made me feel like I was getting ready for a market stall. Maybe one day....

Now my fingers are crossed that my fellow swappers love Frank as much as my kids and I do. My package has just arrived so I have to go and check it out. Woo hoo!! I am very excited... will post about it soon...

*For those of you wondering, Frank was named after the character Frank Rossitano, played by Judah Friedlander in 30 Rock. A show that I happily lose many, many hours watching and re-watching and laughing right through to my soul!

It's Tuesday and I can't wait...

2009-05-26T09:26:00.001+10:00

It's Tuesday and I can't wait... to finish by babies' 1st birthday presents. Their birthday was last week but rather than feel terrible they weren't finished on time, I'm going to feel good that I have given lots of cuddles, wiped lots of snotty noses and changed way too many nappies as both kids suffered through their first colds and bout of gastro!

We will celebrate soon with finished presents, cakes and balloons.

Thanks for Louise from Buttons By Lou Lou for starting and hosting It's Tuesday and I can't wait.... Visit Louise to see who else is playing...

Cot Danglies

2009-05-20T09:13:00.003+10:00

I wanted to put something in my babies' cots for them to look at and touch in the times when they wake up early or are trying to go to sleep. Being highly aware of the safety issues associated with SIDS, I played around and came up these "Cot Danglies".

They are each a different shape and have a different texture so they are interesting to touch, and are filled with wadding. I sewed a wipes packet into the square to get a crinkly feel.

I put elastic in the cord so they can be pulled and will bounce back, and they are attached to the cot with a big bit of velcro that needed a man's strength to break (yes, we tested this!).

They are just a simple little thing, but they do the job!

Giveaway Bonaza!

2009-05-14T09:26:00.000+10:00

It seems May is the month for giveaways. Lucky us!!

Here are some you might like to check out...

All Toile & No Reward
What Kate Did
Curly Pops
Handmaiden
The Crafty Librarian
Whippet Good
Make it Perfect
Manca Un Bottone
Myrtle and Eunice
Sewn

I have my fingers tightly crossed....!!!

A Bag for Mum

2009-05-08T21:58:00.001+10:00

I wanted to make Mum something for Mother's Day but I didn't know what to make. I was getting frustrated as time was ticking by. Then I saw this tutorial on Little Birdie Secrets and I cheered! A vinyl lined bag to carry your wet bathers. You see, my Mum isn't a fan of exercise but she has just started going to Aqua Aerobics several times a week... and I am very proud of her.

The bag is 35cm x 26cm with a heavy cotton outer and vinyl lining. I added a zipper pocket on the front for Mum to put her keys, phone, spare change, etc and a loop so it is easy to carry.

The liner is heavy duty vinyl so it is very waterproof (great for wet bathers), extra strong and gives the bag structure.

I cut the outer fabric too small (agggghhhhh!) so to fix it, so I made some binding (thanks to the fab Bias Tape Maker I bought from Nicole Mallalieu Design) and sewed it around the edge. I think it worked out OK.

I loved making this for my Mum because she is excellent!

The Shirt Dress

2009-05-08T09:21:00.001+10:00

While recently reading one of my current favourite blogs MADE, I read about a sewing group blog called Presser Foot. As their blog says, they 'invite sewers from everywhere to unite on common projects'. Their current project is something I have been looking at adoringly on MADE since I first saw it.... The Shirt Dress. Dana from MADE has transformed a man's shirt into a dress for her 3 year old girl and then created a tutorial on how to make it. I loved the idea of Presser Foot so I have joined in and added a Shirt Dress to my project list.

Yesterday I headed down to the local Op Shop and found my shirt. I'm going to make the dress for my niece who is 4 and because it's almost Winter, I decided on a demin shirt which will make a better Winter dress... I hope this still works OK...

So here's the shirt.... stay tuned for what happens next!

PS... I nervously sent my first swap goodies to Snailblazer on Wednesday. Because it's a surprise until you get your swap package, I can't tell you what I made... but here's a sneak peak.

Something for me - Part 2

2009-04-30T23:16:00.002+10:00

I have been sewing lots lately but for other people. I thought it was time to make something for me. Past attempts to make clothes for myself have not ended well. I seem to always have trouble fitting patterns and the finished item never seems to look how I thought it would. Then I feel like I have wasted my time and the fabric and I'm never going to make myself anything again. All very dramatic!

But I decided I needed to stop worrying and just make something. So rather than deal with the stress of a bought pattern, I pulled out a top I liked but no longer fit and made my own pattern by copying what I liked and adding what I wanted. My mum happened to be staying over while all this was happening and as she is a great sewer, was able to offer excellent support and encouragement.

Anyway... after not too many hassles, this is what I came up with.

I am really happy with my new top, but the best part of this whole process is that I did it without worrying about perfection, following steps and what might be wasted if it didn't work. There is hope for me yet!

Something for me - Part 1

2009-04-30T23:15:00.002+10:00

Yesterday I met my friend Totem for coffee and when I arrived, was presented with a smile and a gift bag. A few minutes later, coffee arrived and this was what sat in front on me.

A fresh, sweet smelling coffee (made by someone else = always better) and a present wrapped in tissue paper and wool. Almost too good to unwrap.... almost!

Inside was a neckwarmer she had made me for me. It is gorgeous... thick, heavy and warm, and I felt very glamorous when I put it on. Handmade gifts are always special and knowing that Totem's free time is minimal and precious at the moment, I felt extra special that she had knitted this for me.

But there was more! Also in the gift bag was this mug. Not only had she given me something to make me feel good on the outside, but something to make me feel good on the inside.

Gifts for special occasions are great. But gifts "just because" are better.

Bug

2009-04-29T21:57:00.004+10:00

Many kids get attached to a specific toy that becomes their favourite. For my son, it was this little toy, which he always held by a leg. But for some reason I can not explain, was also drawn to these bibs that I made. They are nothing special - just a basic bib made from a double layer of toweling because he had reflux and we needed lots and lots and lots of bibs!

Because the bibs have been vomited on and washed that many times, to describe them as ferral would be kind! I just couldn't have my boy's need for comfort fulfilled by a skanky bib. So I had to get creative and make something that would so the job.

So I combined what he loves the most from the toy and bib....

the legs....

with the toweling...

added some stretchy fleece hair...

some fluffy eyes, a nose and mouth...

a tail that can be used to tie it to the pram so it wont be lost...

and came up with what we affectionately call "Bug"....

Please meet my friends...

2009-04-27T13:26:00.003+10:00

My friends JT and Macca were about to celebrate their 12 year anniversary and I wanted to get them something as special and as excellent as they are. But what? Nothing we thought of seemed right. Finally, it was decided that the only thing as great as them was..... them!

Thanks to the fabulous Kinder Boys pattern that I feel in love with and bought at the Stitches & Craft show from Jodie at Ric Rac, I made my friends a mini-JT and a mini-Macca to celebrate their special occasion.

But what is in their suitcases? Everything they need, of course!

Boardshorts, hats and towels for the beach...

A business shirt, pants and a tie for formal occasions...

Flannelette pyjamas..... with bed socks (I don't want them to get cold feet!)....

Did you notice their 'Softies' to cuddle in bed....

My clever sister Truj made these for the boys.

To carry their important things, I made the boys bags.
JT has a backpack to carry his camera, zoom lens, magazines and books...

And Macca has a satchel to carry his laptop, magazines and books...

The awesome camera and laptop are more Truj creations.

So when I last saw the boys, they were busy taking photos and sending emails!

I completely LOVED making these for my gorgeous friends. Another top secret project done.

My first swap

2009-04-26T08:35:00.001+10:00

I am very excited and equally as nervous as I am doing my first swap. Inspired by Sandra from Pepperberry & Co who is taking the leap into her first swap, I have decided to join her. I've read about lots of swaps that happen out there in blogland but doubted I would be able to make something good enough. But I've decided to face my fears and with encouragement from Tinniegirl, I'm ignoring the little voice in my head that says "I can't" and I'm doing it... agghhhhh!

So a big thanks to Snailblazer who is hosting the swap (and who very kindly gave me a late pass!), I have until the 15th May to get my swap items done and delivered. Now... what to make.....

(thanks to Sandra for the super cool swap button....)

Oink, Meow, Woof, Ribbit

2009-04-16T22:45:00.003+10:00

My kids have discovered magnets. They pull them off the fridge, chew them, put them back on the fridge, pull them off the fridge, chew them again, put them on the dishwasher, push them under the dishwasher.... you get the idea!

So one day I was watching them and decided that I wanted to make them some magnets. After lots of thinking and planning and some design help from my friend Daws, this is what I came up with...

I used a basic circle as a starting point, then morphed it into each animal. I liked the idea of combining material and felt for texture, so each animal has a felt feature. They are lightly stuffed with polyfil so they are soft and easy to grab, and I sewed ittle magnets on the inside back so they are "chew-friendly"!

As you can see, they have been very well received...

Purse and Slice

2009-04-15T20:21:00.001+10:00

It is my gorgeous friend's birthday today. In my new tradition of making gifts, I made her a little coin purse...

And because she loves coconut, some Coconut Jam Slice...

I was very happy to be one of her many friends to spoil her today.

Toasty and sound asleep

2009-04-14T00:28:00.001+10:00

The second part of my present for Totem's girls was sleep sacks. I truly believe sleep sacks have magical powers when it comes to babies sleeping. My two always sleep better when they are in sleep sacks. Anyway....

I used a McCalls pattern (4236) given to me from my mother-in-law and modified it in a few places. The pattern says to use stretch knits and the edges are finished off by turning and hemming. I decided to use cotton for the main fabric and flannelette for the lining. I thought this would make them lightweight yet toasty for those cold Winter nights.... and a bit cuter! I also put a fabric back behind the zipper, a snap button at the top of the zipper and used bias binding to hem the sleeves and armholes.

Totem emailed me tonight and I quote... "The girls are sleeping soundly in their new sacks and look super cute."

How great does it feel when you create something for someone and they love it.....!!!

N-A-M-E-S

2009-04-13T07:38:00.001+10:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I made some fabric letters for my friend's daughters for their birthday. They are to go on the end of their cots using sticky-backed velcro.

I experimented a lot to get the finished product. Because the letters were just 7cm tall, they were very tricky to sew then turn because I had to be delicate so the 1/4" hem didn't fray and make holes (lesson learnt from experience!). I started by sewing pellon into the seams but this made some letters (the Es and Z) near impossible to turn. I was thinking I wanted them flatter rather than puffy which is why I used pellon.

So then I ironed stiff interfacing onto the letters, which while still tricky to turn (I never want to see a skewer stick again!) , made it easier than using pellon. I then stuffed them with wadding and hand sewed them closed. I was worried they still didn't "sit" right but forgot how magic a good ironing can be!

The girls turned 1

2009-04-11T21:56:00.000+10:00

Totem's girls turned one today. A first birthday is a reason to celebrate but especially for these girls who were born very premmie and had to work hard to get healthy. Remembering how they once looked so little and delicate, it was great to see them today.... happy, healthy 1 year olds.

For their birthday, I finished two of my top secret projects. I made the girls flannel lined sleep sacks and fabric letters spelling their names for the end of their cots. To finish off the present, I made cards by embroidering a felt balloon on one, and a felt birthday present on the other.

There were a few hiccups along the way but as with any sort of project, it was good learning and mistakes I (hopefully...) wont make again. I'll write more details of sleep sacks and letters in future posts.....

Easter Bunny and his carrot

2009-04-11T15:56:00.001+10:00

I was lucky enough to spend Friday evening with two of my favourite people, JT and Macca. We had planned to head over to their place for dinner which based on past experience, I knew would be delicious.

True to form, Macca did not disappoint and cooked up an amazing meal of homemade gnocchi and cannelloni (yes, I said homemade.... from scratch!). Impressive doesn't seem to explain it. This was then followed up with rhubarb crumble. It was an incredible meal.

Knowing they would spoil us with delicious food and good company, I wanted to take something to give to our gorgeous friends.

I pulled out my box of felt, came up with a simple pattern, then cut, stitched and stuffed to end up with the Easter Bunny and a carrot. As these were presents for grown ups (and to make them slightly useful!!!), I sewed magnets on the inside backs so they can sit on the fridge.

I was pleased that was where they ended up in their new home.

Just 4 sleeps until Easter

2009-04-07T08:08:00.001+10:00

I was in a panic yesterday when I realised it was just 4 sleeps until Easter. Even though my kids are not old enough to know it's Easter (or old enough to ask for chocolate....yet!), I wanted to start a tradition of making my children something for Easter.

But what to make? I came up with a few ideas and searched the net but had the problem of minimal time and no chance to get to the shops to buy materials. So given my time constraints and the fact that the kids will most likely put whatever I make them in their mouths, I decided on a knitted Easter Egg each. I found a very cute pattern on Little Cotton Rabbits and headed to my box of knitting stuff.

Because I used the wool I had and kept the pattern on my eggs very simple so I could get them finished quickly, my eggs are a little less gorgeous than the ones on the pattern. But I got them done and it means my kids will get a homemade present for their first Easter. I am happy now!

Top Secret Projects

2009-03-31T21:25:00.000+11:00

I haven't blogged for a few days for a couple of reasons. The main being that my babies have been getting teeth (my girl has got her second and my boy got his first 2 in one day!)... and have been very grizzly and needing lots of cuddles. But the other is that I am slowly working on a few projects but.... they are TOP SECRET!

Why are they top secret? Because they are presents for some of my special people who kindly indulge me and read my blog. And I can't go ruining their surprise. But I will tell you and show you as soon as I can.

I just wanted you to know that I am being a busy bee when I am not rubbing Bonjela on gums.

Stay tuned.....

Totem's Fish

2009-03-24T09:19:00.001+11:00

In my last post, I mentioned my friend Totem*, who has been (to say the least), not all that encouraging about my neckwarmer. In fact, to quote, she said "are you also going to knit leg warmers to go with that?". Hummmmm.... hurtful!

Now while she's not into neckwarmers or legwarmers, Totem is a little crafty, something she did not confess until after many cups of teas and hours sitting on her couch. For her girls' 1st birthday, she decided to make some fish to hang in their bedroom (she knows not to forget the ceiling!). Although based on something we saw in a shop, she made her own fishy shape, then hand stitched the eyes and machine sewed the fish together. It had been some years since she sat in front of a sewing machine and was a bit nervous, but shouldn't have been. She's doing a great job!

To finish them off, Totem is planning some fancy bead work on the ribbons... I'll ask if I can take a photo when they are finished and "swimming" in her girls' bedroom....

*Totem is not her real name but an affectionate acronym, made from my very early description of my new friend.... "The Other Twin Mum". But Totm didn't quite look right, so I added a word... "The Other Twin Excellent Mum" to get Totem. This was an easy fix because excellent she is!