trimming it

well all these little bits have come together for a car park/construction/street map inspired play mat.

n.b. always park your giraffe thoughtfully.  i really like the open ended play a simple mat like this provides, aside from the car/animal farm combination it has been a local map for outings and piled high with block for city building and pulled up over a chilly lap and investigated.  and so much nicer left laying out on the floor than some cartoony, busy riot of colour plastic shop bought thing (rant over)

.........

this mat came together simply in a few hours and would be a great project for a beginner sewist or if you needed to whip up  a quick baby shower or first birthday gift.  in saying that it is the 3 year old miss pitter playing away in the photos (without the normal promoting and/or bribing required) she happily pottered away for over an hour. win/win.

i began with this lofty brush cotton drill (i think it would be equally pleasing on a piece of denim).  my piece is 28 inches by 25 inches and seems about prefect for play and folded for transporting.

after squaring up my trimming pieces i played with the layout taking photos with my camera phone so i could look over them and pick out a favourite.

i then pinned, trimmed and stitched, 

if you were a beginner or perfectionist you could fuse your materials in place

 stitch the cotton tape first then a zigzag around your trimmings fabrics.

then bind , i could not help myself mixing up the black binding with some royal blue and white. i had to have white, as my adult self had to provide clear points of entry onto the mat and there had to be two to minimise the chance of disputes.

(if anyone would like a more complete tutorial let me know in the comments and i'll get to it)

and in the end this is what is left on the table....i am very happy and the mat is an everyday play item already, chocolate stained and fought over.

well and truly trimmed i would say!

if you have got this far and would like to vote for your favourite trimmings project (wink, wink), the voting is conducted via pinterest follow this link to pin your favourite/s between the 1st and 5th of June.

pin sticks be gone...

a little deadline procrastination has resulted in my sewing a pin cushion finally! in all my years of crafting i have never had one getting by with jars, tins and regular pin sticks.

master pitter is very fond of things that could result in injury so pins scissors and quick unpicks have been locked away....until now......

the pins are free to rest in the softest linen cushion with french knots to keep them company. i included a loop so it can hang on the wall away from interested hands when not in use and the base has a magnet for swiping up any strays.

we have a hazy light today so i will photograph more at a later date, thinking of making more and adding to my shop stock plans.

now i am more convinced that i need to treat myself to some clover patchwork glass head pins just to add to its soft pearly character....ohhh and i have lots of patching in my future too.

merry decision making

some quickly it's christmas craft (it has come late this year) a mobile now hanging over the kitchen bench, we have potato stamped all our gift wrap and we have a tree basically nude for my sanity.

well things have been ticking along in the normal way life with small children seems to. 

the youngest pitter whom we call the cyclone of curious destruction (gives it away really) has been in fine form, expanding has climbing routine, helping himself to litres of milk (forcing a lock installation) and practicing his favoured methods of sister torture, the dreaded hair pull.

it has been draining, really draining, i feel like a have spent hours each day working through every kind of reprimand i am comfortable with, no results so far, enough said.

i did spend many a late night sewing (and putting on a couple of kilogrammes too) for our latest market which has triggered what will be a large change in my life.

i have decide not to keep up with in the person markets.  i have always really enjoyed every part of being out meeting people and selling for the day but the cost to our family life has just been to much to continue.

it is not the end just a redirection, i still want to sell online stocking can be on a schedule that suits my timetable.  and now i am feeling a certain freedom about being able to sew simply for pleasure. 

miss pitter starts pre kinder next year and needs a suitable wardrobe(yes, for the two and a half hours once a week)

i resolve (i know it is too early) to handmake all gifts in the following year

and

i can free some more time to take the fancy computer skills course i have been brewing on for the past 6 months

and i can spend some time rebuilding a relationship with my hubby (it dwindled in long hours of work and the bustle of running a home)

i will be back with more....

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