A Bright Start to the Year

Searching for an old blog post, I was kind of sad to realise I only did 7 posts in 2009 😦 I just got too busy. So, I am determined to do more sewing and more blogging in 2010.This dress was whipped up yesterday from some remnants. The print fabric was originally used for pants for the eldest child about 9 years ago (!) so it’s nice to use up the last of it. The pattern is McCalls 2637, also last used in about 2001. I didn’t bother with buttonholes for the back straps and just sewed the buttons on, it is easy enough to pull on. It’s probably a bit garish for some tastes, but I think it suits her loud personality (and current behaviour!)

Surf brand-ish

I’m probably kidding myself, but I think Milly’s new sweatshirt looks a little like one of the surf brands. I was having trouble finding ribbing for the cuffs and band, so I ended up buying some stretch velvet. It is sparkling in the photos with the flash, but it doesn’t really sparkle in normal light, it just has a slight sheen to it that helps it match the marle of the pink part.The pink fabric was a gift, ages ago, from Belinda, in an EB Valentine’s day swap, along with the heart buttons and applique!

 

Misc.

I have been in an odd frame of mind the last few weeks. For some reason I fell into thinking I couldn’t blog XY&Z because I haven’t got around to photographing AB&C… consequently nothing has been getting blogged. So, here is what I have photos of, the rest will just have to wait!

First, some froggy pants for Milly with a matching T-shirt. I am a bit wary of making t-shirts ‘cos I find it so hard to get a professional finish on the neck bindings with my little old machine, but I had this piece of dark green knit lying around which went with the pants and it is pretty hard to get a green t-shirt for a two year old girl otherwise. It looks black in the photo but is really a lovely forest green. I’m so pleased with how well the applique has turned out. I used double sided iron-on to stick it to the shirt then zigzagged around the edges with my machine. The fabric of the applique is lovely too – it’s from Fabric Tales, a gorgeous Japanese online fabric store.

Secondly, the alpaca jumper for Milly which I promised myself would be finished a week from when I blogged about it, and sure enough it was finished but took 2 months to be blogged. I bought this alpaca a year ago for my birthday and didn’t intend to knit something this big. I didn’t want to make a trip back to Hahndorf where I bought it so I found a red wool that is almost a perfect colour match, although the alpaca is much lighter in weight – can you see the difference? (Actually you can in this photo but not in daylight).

And the last thing I have photos of is this outfit of stripy cuffed pants and matching apron. I had it all finished and ironed ready to photograph. Milly was desperate to wear it, then she weed in it two seconds later *roll eyes*. So through the wash and back on without a press, never mind!

Is that Octopusses or Octopi?

Liam kept saying Octopusses, and I kept telling him it’s Octopi, but it doesn’t look quite right written down! Anyway, there is only one Octopus on his new PJs, which are made from some lovely batik I’ve had lying around for ages – I always loved it but wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. Liam helped design the 8 legged creature.

This is not my own sewing but she looks so lovely I can’t leave her out – tonight was Laura’s dance concert so here she is in one of her 3 gorgeous costumes. All the costumes are beautifully made by the mother of the dance teacher, and by my count there would be over 1000 costumes!!

And here is the toiletries bag I made this afternoon. It is a present, but I decided since I wont say who it’s for that I will post a picture of it anyway. It’s a Laura Ashley print, with an overlay of clear plastic. I would love to have a go at one of these with piping ‘like the bought ones’ but I fear that would be mighty fiddly, hmmmm.

 

How not to save money…

I decided that as I have spent so much money on fabric lately, I really ought to prove that sewing saves me money, by recycling some old jeans into a pair of overalls. The plan was going well – take a pair of old jeans, some paisley corduroy I bought for $2 / metre at the end of winter, use an Ottobre pattern that I already have, use old sample swatches for the applique – alas I had forgotten the pull of ‘the perfect button’… I am such a sucker for a beautiful button!! Don’t go near Lincraft anybody, they have the most gorgeous range of new buttons. So all up – overalls, about 50c, buttons $7 *blush*.