Jane and friends

Amitie had a sale a while back.

I couldn't get there on the actual day of the sale (which is probably just as well as the lady there told me the line of fellow addicts waiting to pay for goods extended the length of the shop - not good toddler territory!), but I did pop in the day after and picked up these bargains for 50% off!!

These Dick and Jane panels are destined for library bags as birthday gifts and appliques for shirts, skirts and pants. But what to do with this??

It's actually panels to make an alphabet book for 'Tiny Tots'.

Do you think it should be made into a book?

Or panels on clothing?

Or something else entirely?

What would you do with it?

Oh, and please excuse the creases, I haven't washed it yet - therefore not ironed!

Hello Kyoko

I'm back!!

With new camera in hand and stacks of new sewing to show you.
Firstly, the sewing.

I have a couple of new patterns to play with. These two from Modkid's Patty Young.
I love her stuff.

These struck me as versatile pieces that could be adapted for summer or winter wear.

So here's the first, a Kyoko made in lightweight denim and my favourite red pinspot with navy grosgrain ribbon on the obi-style sash.



I chose to keep it pretty simple with regard to fabric combinations and I am really happy with the result.

Despite there being a decent amount of binding to make, doing it was really not as 'bad' as I had expected - in fact I cut way too much and have enough for another top.

The instructions are clear and easy to understand and I will let you know about the fit tomorrow when my model has a chance to try it on.

Check out other Kyoko designs here - including the dress length version.

Now, the camera.

I know for all you serious photography chicks that DSLR is the way to go, but at this stage of my life I don't feel that I have time to develop the skills that would justify a fancy (and let's face it, expensive!) camera like one of those.

So this is an 'in-between' model.
Many more features than our old camera, but not a DSLR.

I found out tonight, while taking a few practice snaps that I can fix red eye on the screen before even downloading the pics.

Which is great as red eye seems to be a problem in this household.
(Can someone tell me is it a blue-eyed person thing as our bluest eyed child seems to be the worst??).

It also has a fabulous 20x zoom, perfect for sneaking up on unsuspecting kids doing cute stuff without allowing them to see me and get all 'posey'.

And of course you can take 'movies' on it, and stills as you are recording a 'movie'
I'm pretty happy - can you tell??

Flying high

Still no camera here, but it made me think about things I have not yet blogged, and should have!

Remember these little fellas?


This is the resulting mobile I made for Miss G's room before she was born.

A mobile is a hard thing to photograph, so the pics are not that great.

I have been hoping the man of the house would lower the mobile for me but as that still has not happened I thought I would share the pics with you anyway.

This was a lovely project to work on as each of the birds is hand-sewn so I was able to do them in the car, at the hairdresser or just on the couch in the evening.

The pattern is available on the Spool sewing blog (in the sidebar, scroll down a little) which is where I saw it.

The branch came from a tree in our garden and then my father-in-law and I played around and balanced the birds and attached them with fishing line.

When it is in motion it has a lovely, gentle swirling action - which tends to almost hypnotise the youngest in the house.

She loves it - looks up at it when she's lying back feeding just before bed and now chats away to the birds when I lie her down to sleep.

We interrupt this program....

I know, I've been quiet.

There has been sewing - quite a lot actually.
A bag for a birthday, some lime green hessian undies that have to be seen to be believed, adorable felt bunnies stitched by hand with these two lovely ladies and some little booties for a cute babe that lives in my house.

But I can't show you any of them.
Our camera has taken its last photo and til we get a new one I feel a little lost posting.

Hope to be back soon.
With pictures as well as words.