Lovely Clover

Facebook is a dangerous thing.

Last year Rathdowne Fabrics and Remnants posted a pic of several gorgeous wool fabrics they had just put into stock, I promptly bought two of them and have finally completed a garment using one.

It's the Style Arc Clover Cape.

See the little spots on the buttons, totally a coincidence of course!

This fabric 'spoke' to me as soon as I saw it - even though blue and brown tones together are not something I would have said I love.

Last winter I cut the cape and lining out and had only sewn up the collar stand and the pocket flaps before the weather changed, and so I put it away...

Double breasted and lined with some fabric I bought from Tessuti a while ago

As the weather recently turned cold again I dug it out and took it to Sewjourn a few weeks ago where I finished it off.

It is super warm and oh so comfortable to wear.
I love the arm slits as it gives you the freedom to move around in a way that other capes, which are secured under the arms, don't.
It also allows you to slip a bag onto your shoulder underneath it which I find really handy.

The arm slit is on the left then the pocket is concealed behind this flap

The wool was lovely to sew with and I was able to get the seams all nice and flat using my much-loved steam iron.
The top-stitching foot on my machine made it easy to get the lines all nice and even.

What mum doesn't need pockets!!

As this was quite thick with multiple layers in places, I left my Bernina dual feed on for pretty much all of it and the fabric just cruised through - no issues at all, not even when doing the buttonholes.

A less than wonderful shot I know!! 

I will get many years of use from this cape and possibly get to making another one for me as it's such a comfortable and versatile garment to wear.
I just throw it over whatever I have on and head out into the cold.
To say I love it would be an understatement!

Updated to add some 'modelled' pics.
These are taken from a funny angle as my photographer is quite short!

Excuse the creases - didn't think to press it!!

Staking my claim

I'm jumping on the Bloglovin' bandwagon and have claimed my blog over there.

I hope that you will continue to follow along with my blog by clicking that little button with the blue plus sign over there on the right under the WHO, WHAT, WHERE and WHY section.

If I'm not back in a few days maybe send a search party as I could be buried under this mountain of zips, part of a huge haul of sewing gear that I am sharing with a few lovely friends.

This is just some of the dress zips, there are also open ended, chunky and jeans zips!!

PS - Follow, follow, follow, follow should be sung to the tune of "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" from The Wizard of Oz for the most mirth!!

Beach portraits

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

I took these shots a few weeks back with the intention of posting them, so while too late for the "Che and Fidel photo a week challenge", here they are anyway...

Thoughtful and pensive shot in the dunes.

Super new skill that she is developing daily.

Believe me the water was cold - I didn't want to dip my toes in either!!

A cat and two kids at the beach.

A few dance moves, no matter where we are.

Having a headstart sometimes helps!

Unless...

If you're a fan, you will know the title of this post refers to a line from the book/movie The Lorax by Dr Seuss, a lovely tale about caring for our environment and planet written decades before it was 'fashionable' or spoken about much.

Miss G's special friend turned five today (happy birthday gorgeous boy!) and celebrated with an amazing Lorax party (keep an eye on Wendy's blog for the details, soon I am sure).

Miss G had chosen this green for a dress and when the party theme was announced I knew it would make a perfect Lorax dress.

I may have to prise this dress off for washing...

I planned on applique for the Truffula trees in fabric but when we were in art with the older girls a few weeks back the small kid spotted the wool tops being used and announced they would be perfect.

I remembered I had some gorgeous Corriedale wool tops from Winterwood in my stash and so put them to good use - dry felting them onto some wool felt first, then stitching them into position by hand.

She was right, they are just the thing for fluffy truffula trees!

A long-sleeved T will make this dress transseasonal

The Lorax character was not part of the original plan but again the little Miss spoke up and said he was needed, so I traced the character and then cut him in some wool felt (again from Winterwood) and then I stitched on his face and used fabric glue to secure him to the dress.

Every green dress needs a pink zip right??!!

For a pop of fun and colour I added an exposed zip on the back. I've never done this before but it worked a treat and I will definitely do it again.

I used this tutorial at My Little Nook and it was fabulously easy to follow.

And also for fun I embroidered another line from the movie along the hemline in orange thread...
"I am the Lorax I speak for the trees"

The tree trunks were created using black fabric marker on white fabric then Vleisofixed to the dress before being edgestitched, all prior to putting the hem binding on - yeah it was a fiddly dress to make!

She loves it and it might be hard to get it off her to wash so if you see us around wearing it you'll know why...

The pattern I used for the dress is a great basic A-line that can be embellished as you choose.

I have made her one before but not shown you as it's something I tested for Toni - but she said it would be OK to share it with you.

A basic dress like this gives you the freedom to embellish or use a feature fabric for the entire dress and keep it simple.

There's been lots of 'grown-up' sewing happening too - I will be back much sooner than last time to share some new things with you.

In the meantime remember this:

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

16/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

The weeks seem to be flying past and I seem to only blog my photos each week, still that's better than nothing I suppose!

'Middle' Miss had a big week.
She took out third place in the school cross-country for girls in her grade - no small feat when there are about 50 competitors in there, and she's not a particularly competitive child.

We think the lure of the medal did it.
She wore it all evening, even when she had changed into her PJ's and put it back on after school the next day too.

Surprise medal

'Big' Miss is conquering riding her new bike brilliantly.
There's nothing this kid won't have a go at.
When she's on the seat her feet can't touch the ground, something not many seven-year-olds would be comfortable with.
She takes a spill and gets right back on.
I admire her determination and courage, all done with a cheeky, shy smile.

Outdoors girl

'Little' Miss seems to be riding off away from, me day by day.
While this is just a photo, it shows what I often feel, that Little Miss Independence is leaving me behind all too quickly.

Bicycling Bush 'baby'

Playing along again with Che and Fidel.

15/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

I had a few to choose from this week, it was hard.

Playing is thirsty work

The quietly satisfied smile of someone who just found another corner!

Her version of heaven, post a trip to the library.

Playing along with Che and Fidel again.
I missed last week, we had the wonderful joy of a shared bout of gastro for the holidays...
Nothing much fun about that!

Finally some sewing!

I have actually made a bunch of things in the past few months - not that you'd know it from this blog!

Here's one thing...

This long-limbed-lovely started gymnastics this year and wanted a new leotard, so we went to the fabric shop where she chose the exact colour she wanted and also a sparkly butterfly for the front.

To say she loves gym would be the understatement of the year!

This is made in a stretch velour - so soft and stretchy, it must be lovely to wear.

Every gymnast needs a leotard with a 'skirt'

She wanted the same leotard as her last one, just in a new colour and of course with added length.

There's a little room through the back for when she puts her hands up and stretches.

This pattern is from Ottobre 1/2007  and I have made it before here and here in different colours and with different sleeve lengths.

I think I had brain-fade when cutting this though as I cut a size based on her height - and whenever I do that they are always too big through the body as she's quite petite in build.

What I should have done (as I did before) was cut a smaller size and add length.

Not sure what I was thinking - but it meant I had to take out about 1.5 cm on each side through the waist to get it to fit her!

Then I had to tighten the leg elastic as it was too loose so wasn't holding when she exercised.

And here is the perfectly matched butterfly she chose - not what I would go for - or what I tried to steer her toward but she loves it and is very happy with the end result.

With the new term of swimming nearly upon us, coming soon - more bathers!!