Wednesday 24 October 2012

ready for the store window

just a few bits i have been working away on between a few jobs


vintage bow quilted brooches. just lovely on a simple singlet or tee and a great addition to monthly grow photos

soon we are off for a much needed family holiday including the wedding of one of my most favourite people in the world.  this means i plan to open the shop door on friday 30th of november, prepare yourselves for some little lovelies and a giveaway or two.

Friday 19 October 2012

faithful rabbit gets a bed


we were dressed and out of foot early today, I wanted to make it down to our community shop for opening (that is 10 am and I was pleased we were out of the house by then.)


i had spied this the night prior and even pulled in to check the price, a winning $5 and at half price month $2.50!!! i was more than pleased to part with my pocket money and tote it home on the stroller.

it is rather charming........dust, cobwebs, rough paint, stained mattress and all.  someone has made this out in the shed with love for some other little girl most likely and now it is our turn to enjoy it.

it has had swinging and singing and all manner of mattress testers already.  it has ample room for top and tailing too.

so after we return from a family trip this has jumped right up the front of the to do list.


firstly a not so little clean, a light sand and i am planning to...... 

hand stamp a basket pattern onto the main bassinet in a dusty grey
replace the cross support timbers
make a new mattress, pillow and linens
make little fabric end covers to hide those nut and bolts, hold a story book and protect fingers

i am wondering if i am a little too excited about this.......now off to choose a bundle of fabrics

Wednesday 17 October 2012

a little peek...


now these are my latest style of bib, a basic cotton/linen front and a lined bamboo panel.
they sit like a bandana up to the chin to take care of the dribblers protecting both soft skin and clothing.
the two snap setting allow a good fit from 4 months to 4 years.



Sunday 14 October 2012

picnic for dinner...

there has been a little of everything happening today so it stands to reason dinner should be no different


cold sliced roasted chicken
honey and sesame sweet potato with cashews
corn and yoghurt fritters
simple coleslaw
soft boiled eggs
garlic and olive oil toasts


we all ate on a rug on the floor, mess was made, i thought momentarily about the lack of 'greens', but it was just the right thing to end the weekend

a very small final push...

...before some work and seven loads of washing demand my attention (this could be also problem on such a balmy afternoon)


i have finished the oliver+s ice cream dress in the blouse form.  it is in more japanese lawn (i can not help myself at five dollars a meter it is as close to liberty as my budget will allow) with a complimentary yoke lining and button.





 i also popped together this simple necklace to top it off.

now the sunki and other plans will have to wait, not to long i think but not tonight.


Saturday 13 October 2012

3 days in review in no particular order....


plans have changed for my sunki dress, i did have a cotton picked out for this, but it was more a default choice and after nipping into a local store for interfacing for my o+s pattern making plans i spied this print and could not pass it by.  it is a little heavier weight (i was concerned the other fabric was rather sheer) and i have decided to add the contrast pocket detail which i have seen so often and loved. for the pocket i have olive linen to offset the peachy roses


a little outing yielded a large bead necklace from our local community store and only a single dollar for these wooden beads in faded blue.
then arriving home the postbox offering up the latest (and 50th) issue of frankie magazine and two hundred little wooden beads.

now i am saving my frankie for the impending air travel with the littles in the hope they are the definition of sweetness and i get to enjoy it whilst travelling.  of course the back up plan is after a cup of tea to calm my nerves at our destination the littles will be so covered in family love i will sneak off unnoticed into a corner and get my fill.  either way works.


now in no way i am claiming a heap of sewing cred for this, but it is kids clothing week challenge and miss little will be adding this to her robe.
the t was under three dollars on sale and i have doily flooding out of boxes, i simple put the two together and topped it off with a coconut button.  


now this was a little more involved and yes a doily was harmed in the making of what is i am told miss littles aeroplane dress (little does she know she will likely be traveling in p.j's most likely).  the body is made from more japanese lawn and cut from the pattern of my peasant top.  the doily butterfly sleeves slot into the standard sleeve position. it is sweet and floaty and will likely have a little freshwater pearl and wooden bead necklace, but not just yet.

so the sewing for this week did come to a little halt whilst i picked up and completed a couple of quick commission jobs and prepared for our local market today.  it was sodden underfoot but the warm and friendly nature of a country community left me with a little post market glow which will now hopefully turn into a post market nap.

back to the machine tomorrow for a big finish!!!! (no promises though)

Tuesday 9 October 2012

kcwc day 2 alarm bells should have rung....


so let me say day two of the kcwc was not so kind to me.  

here was me having a chuckle at megs comments "Have patience with yourself!" humbug i thought yesterday was easy so when both the littles disappeared to bed at the same time again i pushed through the household to do list, ate lunch in peace and then i found out i had been tricked into thinking i would get to enjoy some daytime sewing

i measured up and found myself wanting for another 2 inches of fabric
alarm bells should have rung, i should have stopped,
i pressed and stitched two seams, they were wrong
alarm bells should have rung, i should have stopped, 
little stood at her door listing her woes 
alarm bells should have rung, i should have stopped,
it went on in this vain and every time i doubted i thought of the discarded projects i finally worked through and was certain if i set this aside it would be haunting me for years.

i finally finished and now can't even decide if i even like it

 it is a japanese lawn and tulle skirt with a paperbag waist to make up those missing inches


 there are ribbon roses sewn onto both the layers of tulle so some have a peek-a-boo quality and i also added little seam cover tags at the base of the seams in the tulle layers



tomorrow i have decided to just go back and make master little a few pairs of pants, my own pattern nothing fancy, then move on to my oliver+s and figgy's patterns. 

and if anyone has any tips for sewing with tulle do let me know or link up in the comments, i have a whole new respect for anyone who masters the tulle or any bridal fabric for that matter

p.s. things did improve dinner was superb, crumbed fish, chunky wedges, cos lettuce with soft boiled eggs and homemade aioli.  i will release my recipes upon the world at a later date.

p.p.s. if anyone is wondering i am sewing in australia so we are soon to be baking in a hot dry summer hence the light fabrics

Monday 8 October 2012

sew you should


so day one of the kcwc kicked off well here as the littles were all worn out from the daylight saving change we had here early sunday.  they are both completely out of the normal tag team routine and napped the same 3 hours today, lunches made, dinner underway, quick tidy and time to put my hours in early.

here is my start.....i love peasant tops, they are so good in so many ways. 

the pale blue cotton, think faded denim was an op shop find about 2 meters untouched for $2 and the neon yellow gingham (sounds foul but really did grow on me) was gifted by a lady who i came across at a local market who was de-stashing

i have a draw and two boxes full of bits and bobs to pull together for accessories and think the extra few minutes were well spent on the necklace


all items have been well received and this top has been called the kinder top,  my miss little names lots of her clothes my favourite name is 'the supermarket pants' a pair of pink and charcoal geometric print tights.  i wish i had special pants for the supermarket

Sunday 7 October 2012

inspiration from vacuming...


as the loose pompom, food tidbits and the dust bunnies were whisked out of my life for the day i came across this little loose pile of crochet cotton trimmings, they have been hiding for a week or two it would seem when i try to count back and figure when the hook was last in action.

i hesitated in my vigorous stroke and saved them from ruin.  my mind started to pop with ideas and with the clothing challenge commencing tomorrow i settled on there new life as a brooch pin.

i do like to finish out little outfits so here are a few simple and swift little brooch pins.

the first is from my vacuuming revelation

ready thready brooch

supply list

thread form the floor (what a place to start) or
embroidery thread in colours of your selection. 3 or 4inches long, you will use 2 or 3 strands of each
small section of old woolly jersey or in its place felt will work too
sewing thread in a coordinating colour (or not)
brooch pin

to start from your wool or felt cut two circles, mine measure between 3 and 2 1/2 inches diameter

next tease out your threads and roll and rub together until you get a collection that catches you eye and place this on one of your circles



take to the sewing machine and stitch two sets of parallel lines across your brooch face to secure your threads, i went with coordinating thread but did consider it would look striking with the contrast as well

place your two right side together and sew a 1/4 inch seem around the perimeter leaving a half inch opening to turn your work through, then go ahead and perform the turn

hand stitch your opening closed and if using wool or wool felt* for the brooch give it a good press with a hot steamy iron to help set the stitches and relax any stretch *blend or acrylic felt will not take kindly to this kind of treatment

attach your brooch pin and you are off


i think these would be sweet worn by young or old so maybe put them on your handmade present list, i am sure i will find a few happy recipients


click clock cherry brooch    so named for the lovely and loved sound of the cherries knocking together when worn


 
supply list


 2 red wooden beads, cherry coloured and about cherry sized no less
brown beading cord or leather (approximately 2mm thick, check your bead hole size)
green felt (2mm thick is preferable to give the leaves some rigidity)
co- ordinating thread (i choose a gutermann variegated in green)
bar brooch pin (mine a 1 1/4 inches with the swing closure as my littles are still very little and not to be trusted when the possibility of playing with something shape arises)

simply cut out your leaf shape on the fold, keeping a section 1/4inch wide and 1/4inch long in the center,  my leaves measure 2 1/4inches stem to tip and 1 1/4 inches across

if you choose to take to the machine and stitch a detail line around the perimeter of the leaf and up through the center line, trim up and set aside

thread both your 'cherries' on and tie your knot sufficient to keep them from slipping off.  truth be told if i had a glue gun i would use it here and shoot glue onto the knots and then pull the beads down

can you believe you are almost there, now simply tie your cherry stems around your leaf section, which should make the leaves pop up

attach your brooch pin aligning your stitches with the the stitching detail on your leaves which will both hide the stitches from most eyes and provide some pucker to your leaves

enjoy even when cherry are not in season

if you choose not to stop at one, really you will probably have to buy 10 or so beads, make them all up and enjoy them another way.....i am brimming with ideas but the light is fading and life calls will whip up some shots for you another day soon

back tomorrow with some kids clothing goodness and a few other trinkets.....


Saturday 6 October 2012

kids clothing week challenge....the need to sew

all is ready for my second turn of kids clothing week challenge hosted by elise marley, i sure do sew but not nearly enough for my own littles....

now i am working in the opposite season but no fear it is not a competition just a commitment (may the littles all go to bed on time and may we be germ and croup free for these 7 days at least)

here is what i have on the list.....clearly master little is missing out (i will try for a few beach shorts)







now there is a community pinboard and my own pinterest board if you want a little more inspiration

Friday 5 October 2012

potatoes with every dinner

there was lateness and hurrying tonight to feed the bigs, littles were happy with there lot of pasta and sauce.  after pinching, screaming and tantrums all afternoon were in bed asleep by 5.15 pm....amazing never likely to happen again.

but all that commotion had drained me and i had not organised dinner, where to start, these fine fellas and a sandwich grill.....

peeled, sliced, par steamed and then a slosh of oil and seasoning into the sandwich press for some crunchy floury potato goodness

the sandwich press sees lots of working in our home i'll share more later

they were only a side, but a mighty side

potatoes were seasoned with paprika, cumin, ground sage (so so under rated) and crushed garlic

salad was a fine mix of spinach and mixed leaves, chicken, bacon, soft boiled egg, feta and cashews with aioli dressing

good for the soul not so much for the rear

p.s. yes huge portion
p.p.s it did defeat me - i thought about going slowly and eating through it but just could not be done
p.p.p.s excellent lunch tomorrow then

Thursday 4 October 2012

tea bags for play - tutorial

really they should be called super scrap busting overly sweet but really loved play tea bags but i am sure even the best search engine would be boggled by this.


to complete this project you will need

a sewing machine
scissors (or a cutting mat and rotary blade)
fabrics (details below) and co-ordinating thread
iron and ironing board


for each tea bag you will need

for the tags
out of your scraps cut one 1x2 inch rectangle, if you can do this one the bias you will reduce fraying
out of your bonding medium cut one 7/8x7/8 inch square


for the string
cut one 5 inch lenght from either 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch ribbon

for the 'bag'
cut one 2 1/2 x 5 inch rectangle from tulle

for the tea leaves
about a teaspoon of fabric and thread trimmings
i recommend tossing your tea trimmings together to loosen the dusty flecks
 
putting it all together....

to start reduce your stitch length under 2 mm ( i used 1.6mm)
fold your tulle in half and stitch a quarter inch seam down the two sides that meet the fold, leaving a completely open edge at the top

trim your threads and turn each 'bag' inside out
fill each bag with your tea trimmings



..... move onto your tags and strings

get all the bits up on the ironing board and place your tag fabric face down and place one end of your string at one end overlapping by a 1/2 inch place your small square over the string and press to fix in place

remove the backing and fold the fabric over to meet and press to fix in place
pop back to the sewing machine and stitch 1/8 inch seam around your tag
cut threads
i have this dark washi at my 1/4inch seam line it does help spotting your tulle

to put everything together

fold the top open edge of the bag inward enclosing your trimmings
at the folded edge begin sewing an 1/8 inch seam pausing before you reach the middle

lift your presser foot and insert the tag string a 1/2 inch into the bag, lower the presser foot and continue with the seam until you reach the folded edge again
to secure your string stitch a second line across the top of your tea bag.

now just trim up your threads and enjoy

now i have made some assumptions - dangerous i know

always use stay stitches at the beginning and the ends of your sewing
and that you are not going to drive yourself nutty if thing are not perfectly square, the tulle does slip a little - if you ever find a young one who produces a protractor and measuring tape when you present them with a handmade gift do let me know

feel free to use this tutorial to make these for giving and selling but please link back to this tutorial.