My Creative Space

This week I am back at the machine with a vengeance!

Kate has been inspiring me with her versions of the Dortje pants.
So I grabbed some cord and poplin and have set to work to make some pants for kinder.


Yep - they are kinda bright - but I think that clothes for play should be fun and colourful as well as comfortable and practical.

I don't believe in children being dressed as miniature adults - there's plenty of time for that later in their lives.

Now is the time for them to embrace being bold, bright and full of fun.
That's my philosophy anyway.

With regard to the same/same look of the pants - don't blame me - the girls picked the colours themselves.
That said - it makes it a much faster process when the same colour overlocker and top-stitching cotton can be used!
There is method to their madness after all.

I also want to tackle a few Insa skirts and Imke tops from this fabulous book, which is where the pants pattern is from.

But they might be a while away, so don't hold your breath waiting!

Go on over and visit some of the creative spaces on Kirsty's huge list of players.

There's sure to be something there for everyone!

Nappy/Diaper Wallet Tutorial

I posted a month or so ago about the simple nappy wallets (diapers for those of you reading from the US) I have been making for friends and family and have finally had time to get the tutorial together to share with you.

These are quick and easy to make but super-handy for on-the-go nappy changes without having to lug an entire bag around with you.

And the best part is they don’t use up much fabric – you could even patchwork a few coordinating pieces together and use even smaller scraps.

So here we go:

(Please excuse the lousy pics - I only have time to do this in the evening - so they are a bit dull)

CUTTINGCut two pieces of fabric 58cm wide x 28cm deep.
They can be different colours if you like – one is for the lining, the other is the outer.

(This makes a roomy wallet – able to fit nappies, wipes, nappy sacks and anti-bacterial wipes, if you want a smaller wallet keep the same depth but make it slightly narrower, maybe 54cm x 28cm).

Cut two pieces 20cm x 5 cm in the same colours – this is the strap that closes the wallet.
(there are two sets here - you just need one in each fabric!!)

PUT IT TOGETHER
Body
Place the two body pieces right sides together.
Sew around the outside using a 1cm seam allowance, leaving a 6cm gap along one of the short ends for turning.

I left it on the long edge in this pic - so it doesn't really matter -but it's a little neater if you leave it on the short edge.

Clip corners and trim the seam then turn inside out.
Poke the corners out using a chopstick or something similar.

Press well and in doing so iron the edges of the opening under so they will be caught in the next step.

Topstitch both the short edges closed, just a few millimetres from the edge.

Strap
Place the two pieces together and sew around two long and one short edges, leaving one end open for turning.

Clip and trim seams then turn inside out.

Tuck the edges of the open end under, press well, then topstitch close to the edge around the entire strap.

ADD THE STRAPPin the strap to the main body of the wallet positioning it centrally top to bottom and 22cm in from one end along the width.

(Ignore the strap at the top of this pic - it was the second one for the other wallet I was making and was just in the shot by accident!!)

Pin in place then sew a 4cm square with a cross in the middle along the end of the strap that is toward the centre of the wallet.

Try to stay on top of existing topstitching for neatness – I probably should have used coordinating rather than contrasting thread for this!

MAKE THE POCKETS
With the lining fabric facing up, fold the short ends toward the middle.
Based on the items I put in it I make the pockets 11-12cm each. This leaves around 6-7cm in the middle between the two pockets.

Pin in place and try closing it with your items in the pockets first to make sure it all fits. If not adjust the pockets and test again.

Once you are happy with the fit of things, stitch along the two long edges securing both the pockets in place as you do.
Do this fairly close to the edges, maybe 3-4mm.


SNAP IT UPSecure your snap or velcro on the free of the strap.

Then fold the wallet up and mark where the corresponding snap/velcro should go on the body of the wallet. (mine is about 6cm from the folded inside edge of the pocket).

You're done!!

Fill it up and toss it in your handbag, the glovebox of the car or give it to Grandma to keep at her place ready for when you drop in.
I hope you find this handy and let me know if you find any errors with my instructions so I can fix them.

Also I have no problem with anyone selling items made using this tutorial – after all it’s a pretty generic item, but please link back to my blog if you do make one up based on this idea just as a courtesy.

Thanks.

A fruitful swap

I found something growing at my place...

My new pear pincushion!

The postie was very kind to me last week with a lovely parcel from Lauren arriving on Friday.

It was my pin-cushion for the super-swap Kate organised.

Lauren was very kind and also included a packet of yummy chocolate eggs (lucky I photographed them when they came, they didn't survive the weekend!) and very thoughtfully sent some foot fizzies to provide some relief for my dodgy ankle.

Lauren hit the nail on the head perfectly for me as I bookmarked an apple and pear pin-cushion tutorial when I was looking for patterns to make for my swappee.

Now I won't have to make them up because she's done that for me.

Thanks Lauren, I love it.

Also a big shout out to Kate for organising this mammoth task and fitting it in among her own sewing, blogging, parenting, farming, baking and everything else she does - well done to you, and thanks.

My Creative Space

I've been getting things finished...

The mushroom house pincushion is finished and waiting to be sent...

I used a great tutorial from here.

I've completed the garden for the fabric dollhouse I plan to make for Miss G's second birthday, with carrot patch and pond with a water lily.

It's from the tutorial by UK Lass in US - it's also in the One Yard Wonders Book if you have that.

Nikki made some rippers if you want to check them out.

They actually go quite nicely together, but I'm only sending the pincushion for my swap!

Check out what more than 100 other crafty types are up to by visiting the list at Kirsty's place.

Magnificent mail

When you're small there is nothing better than getting the mail, my older two girls race out each day to check if the postie has been.

But as you get older and realise that too often the mail means more bills, the gloss wears off.

Yesterday though - the mail was magnificent.

First up a parcel from Susan which contained, among other goodies my fabulous sparkly-lettered name badge for the Sew It Together blog meet.

It was beautifully packaged but I was in such a hurry to get into it that I pulled it all apart without taking a photo.

You can see it here with the cute swing tag Susan made and attached to the 'brown paper package tied up with string'.

One of my favourite things of course.

Susan also included other goodies (oops, I feel bad - sorry Julie you just got your badge!), some excellent Kikki K number tags (which I have used here to indicate my age of course!) and a book which she rightly thought might be just what I need while off my feet.

Very thoughtful, thanks Susan.

The other parcel was a package of goodies from Toni of Make It Perfect with some patterns, including the lovely Blossom skirt, some ribbon, a sweet embroidered pencil-case/pouch, very sweet little magnets, some made with buttons and a piece of my very most favourite Laura Gunn birdcages fabric.

Thanks ladies for making my day!

Here is the progress on my pin-cushion for the big swap, and since this pic, it has progressed a little further.

It's due to be posted on Friday and so far I am right on track - just one more row of stitching to be completed tonight.

My recipient lives on a farm, so I added a pair of red gumboots to the design.

(I don't think that narrows it down too much - there are lots of country gals in the swap)

Oh and thanks for all the 'ankle love'.

The crutches are gone as of last night (hooray) and I am slowly making my way around the house again.

Miss A asked when I would be 'hooman' and I think I will be human again within another week or so!

Name tag revealed

Now that it has arrived at its destination, I thought I'd share the pics with you of the name tag I made for Julie for the upcoming Sew It Together sewing weekend.

Julie makes dresses under licence from Izzy and Ivy - and this is a miniature of the Ava design.

I spent some time checking on her blog to see what the dresses looked like and then set to cutting out tiny pieces of fabric to get it made.

Having time on my hands (while I have been off my feet!) meant I had lots of time to fiddle with the small pieces such as the shoulder frills and the like.


And I have to say that my tiny iron was a huge help in pressing the small dress parts together.

Julie has blogged it and is very happy with her little badge so that makes me happy and glad I had the time to make her something special.

Not long to go now til the big weekend.
Check out the other gorgeous name tag creations in the flickr group here.

About a boy...

Toni at Make It Perfect has been busy again with a new pattern (does this woman never sleep!), this time one for the boys!

In typical Toni style this is a really cute, functional and deceptively easy to make cap.

It has a nice wide brim for sun protection and velcro back so it is adjustable.

Of course I made the 'About a girl' version of her pattern by making it up in some Sandi Henderson Farmers Market fabric.

The pattern also comes with a really cute satchel which any small child would love for toting things around.

Sorry to say I am too late in blogging this for you to enter the giveaway for a copy of her pattern, but check out her blog anyway as there are always new things coming along.

My Creative Space

Has small goings-on happening.

I've finished my badge for this swap, I can't reveal much as it is a miniature item relevant to the swapee - and I want it to be a surprise.

I've also made a start on my pincushion for this mammoth swap arranged by Kate, over 100 swapees - what an effort!

And I am pleased to say that while this was the view from the couch yesterday morning...

The cast has now been removed and I am much more mobile, with a foot that will soon be working well enough to sew at my machine again.

Oh and eventually walk too!

To check out all the other crafty chicks pop over to Kirsty's - she always has something cool going on.