2 sleeps!

If you haven't heard of it before....where have you been?? I joined in last year, and met heaps of new people.

Head over to Tinniegirl's blog tomorrow to sign up, and brace yourself for a really cool month!

You can get a head start on it tomorrow night at Chair 14....I can't make it, unfortunately, I soooo love the food, as well as the company! What a way to ring in the festivities!

Topsy Turvy

My pictures, that is! Oh, well, it took me 3 goes to load them, so I'm leaving them as is.

I thought, I'd throw a sneak peak in of my new project I'm bringing along to the market on Saturday, the hood is being hand finished as I type...err, well, afterwards probably! I'm a bit attached to the chenille and Dalmatian print throw/blanket, but I made to it go with the pram, so will keep it in the deal!

It will definitely be for sale, and am happy to take enquiries about custom orders- it's a great way to get new life out of a pram the 3rd or 4th time.

The Little Miss has had a great few days at the YMCA program while I've worked, yesterday was Snakebusters, so I got to hear all about the snake that curled it's way around her ponytail (yuck!) and about it pooing on the floor! She also learnt to make friendships bracelets today, so started one for me when she got home (started being the operative word...it's half finished and may take a bit of nagging to finish off!

And I wanted to show you all some lovely shots (via iPhone, so they could have been better) of the park near our house. We took off for a doggy and scooter walk on that beautiful Sunday (now a distant memory, it's been so cold the last 2 days). From the top it doesn't look too far....

but from the bottom, it's a killer. I like to call it 'Death Hill'- because that's how I feel when I've gone down and back up it! I practically have to carry the dog home....

The most beautiful day...in pictures

Hope you had a good one on this beautiful Spring day!

Frustating!

I thought I'd cheat a bit yesterday- I was at the local shopping centre anyway, and knew the black leggings the kid was wearing were on their last legs- whinging whenever she wore them alerted me to that!

So I dropped in to Best and Less and picked up a pair, for $13.99. She wore them for a little bit when she got home, then got into her pj's.

So I was pretty annoyed when I look at them this morning, and the elastic was broken!

I marched them back to the shop and got my money back; and dove into my Sewing Clothes Kids Love book and made Riviera, which took all of about an hr, including tracing the pattern! I piece, people! Easy. (and 2 things back to back from that book, it is amazing!)

Short cuts rarely work!

And they were declared the best ones ever! Now I'll be on the hunt for good stretch fabrics in my oppy haunts. I'm even getting over my fear of stretch fabrics for them!

Oh, a little tip for measuring elastics for waistbands- middle of the day is your safest bet. Measured in the morning- too loose. Measured at night- too tight. What a difference a day of food makes!

I picked up some t-shirts and sewed a hexie flower on one;

and these 2 singlets will be at the market next week, I'm hand sewing them on as they are so small and fiddly. Having no sleeve arm on the machine limits me a bit! (When I mentioned that to my Janome shop, they advised me I should have gotten the Horizon; oh, silly me!)

Hope you're having a crafty weekend!

Hand piecing

I had to do a separate post for this one, being so monumental and all! After wondering why anyone on Earth would sew by hand when there was a machine invented, I understand it- it's addictive!!

It's given me a break from only being in the sewing room (as much as I love my TV in there, it only recieves ch 9 and ch 10, as well as not being the big screen LCD I bought) so the couch is getting a nice bum imprint at the moment.

First is my finished Block 1 for the Amitie BOM. Easy peasy so far, I'm kidding myself if they'll all be this easy though, I think!

and some hexies- sexy hexies, as we are calling them. These are 7/8 inch small;

and some 1 inch gifted to me. With some Flea Market fancy, so precious!

The Little Miss picked these ones out, and put them in order, they'll go onto a t-shirt tonight.

No, not a quilt- I thought a clutch purse might be nice, might team it with some denim, might use this as a flap.... decisions, decisions!

Off to unpick some basting!

The Reveal

We had a bit of light this morning, and the child wouldn't believe me that it was cold- once

she was outside in this, she believed me!

Murray tried to get in on the action!

She finally put a top on to go out in

and I happily started at her skirt the whole time she wore it. Happily! Yay!

My Creative Space

OK, I'm sort of cheating, as I forgot to take a snap at the beginning of the day, so it's sort of already finished. I'll unveil when it's on the contrary child!

As a break from market prep, I picked something easy- 3 patterns pieces, easy to follow instructions, and an Insa. Wonder if it will prove as popular as the Djortes?

Over here for more, hope she's having a creative bloggy break!

Flea Market Finds

I'm joining in the week to show of this great find...

This is new chenille bedspread I picked up at Savers for .....$12.99! Anyone who hunts for chenille will know this is a bargain!

It had single on the tag, so I thought it may be good on the Little Miss's bed- excellent condition, it has been mended in one part, so was obviously loved! But it also fits quite nicely on my queen sized bed....

here may be some sharing happening....

head here to see more spaces.

Schoolhouse Tunic

I whipped this one up last night (and would have finished it then if the overlocker hadn't had a spack attack, and I needed to re thread and finish it off this morning)

I also didn't think to have the child photographer take a snap whilst I was wearing it all day,

no, I'll wait till I'm in my jarmies and have to stick it on Fem-Bot.

But you get the picture.

Pattern here

Fabric from here.

My Creative Space

Some newbies this week (excuse bad photo, still only have my iPhone working!)

Beautiful fabric from the sale rack, already being cut into for a Schoolhouse tunic; my first ever BOM; and cute wooden ducks for paint and then the wall- or should I use fabric?

Head over here for more great spaces, thanks Kirsty!

W.I.P part 2

OK, back to show off the finished product! Here is the quilt/bedspread after the makeover-

I added a few extra doilies to the sides

Close up

and the finished binding. So much better!

I also have some snaps from Little Miss's art show- her 2 works.
The first-
VOLCANO the theme was elements)


and the class work- the dragons are all 3D from foam and wool etc. Amazing!

W.I.P

This ole thing? A work in progress? Well, yes, doesn't everything you make or own have the ability to be revamped?

I made this when Little Miss was about 3 (nearly 4 yrs ago). I patiently (and not so patiently) knitted and un-knitted, it all started with the blue and yellow balls, can't remember where from. I sewed them all together, added some chenille down the sides (to make it single bed sized- wasn't knitting ANY MORE squares) and a chenille bedspread backing. Embellishing with doiles and knitted flowers. Now this was in my beginner days of quilting, so I thought I'd add some binding....

EEEKKK! Yep, don't know why I thought THAT looked good. So for the last few years

I've out up with it, until today!

I unpicked and took the whole binding off, and trimmed it right down.

My assistant was it's usual pain in the butt- "yes, Ace, my sewing table is a bed, as it has Little Miss's quilt on it, you are soooo smart!" Every time I lifted her off, back on she jumped.

When I went to re-attach the binding, it was no too short- joining the pieces properly to do mitred corners left it too short. Crap! Better look in the stash for.....

the exact same fabric! Yep, that's why I have a stash, folks!

I'll be back to show you the finished binding later!

Jump Rope Dress

It's nearly finished, buttons and buttonholes (ugh) to go! I tried the bodice on without the skirt, and thought, uh-oh, too small. But now it's all together, it looks great. AND she loves it.

There are great tips to go with this sew a long, however I found the pattern so easy to follow,

with hints along the way, I didn't refer back to the computer.

She picked the fabrics herself from the stash (a bit mothbally, so they must be op shopped).

I bought my first iPhone app this weekend, this great camera one, suggested by this girl at NCB!

I have to agree, lots of fun! As my models smiling-ly show you.

My Creative Space

I'm joining in this week, as I remembered! Best excuse I can come up with (for missing out other times, that is).

4 lunch bags were cut out, one finished straight away for Little Miss's friend's birthday (embarrassing skater fabric, can't show it haha). These 3 were done like a production line, which is really boring to me.

So I'm having a break, and starting a bit late but going to try to catch up with Amy's sew a long. I borrowed the pattern for this one, and it was pre cut too, a great time saver!

Head over here to see what everyone else is up too

new jarmie job!

I loved this style of pj's the minute I saw them, all the ones I've made have had plackets and

buttons, boring (and surprisingly time consuming!) These were done in about 2 hrs all up (Taking out all the starting and stopping!)

Lara kindly lent me the pattern and these are a size 6- they fit her- just! I'll call them

spring pj's- very thin flannette sheeting! I've picked up the pattern in the next lot of sizes from

Ebay, yay!

And she's happily wearing them to bed!!


As surprise gift today- a beautiful purple chenille double bedspread, my friend was very proud
of the bargain she got!

And another major event today- the "Bathing Of The Dog". After making and having to cancel

the last few appts at the 'Salon', I chucked him the bath today, and came out soooo white!

Now we have to try to keep him this clean in the mud bath out the back!