Mini chef

The small kid made me lunch today.

Pizza - delicious, if a little salty...

Hot stuff!!

While I didn't get my Mod's x 2 finished in Cam's bag adventure, the event was just what I needed to get me into gear.

I've made really good progress on the first one and got all the supplies and hardware needed for the second, which brings me to the title of this post...

I was very keen to make a Mod like Nikki's - I love the look of that red microsuede and she says it's quite achievable, so I headed off to Rathdowne but found that the red microsuede is not exactly readily available, but rather hard to come by.

Several trips later - SUCCESS!!  They had just got a roll in and instead of the $75 per metre that Warwick fabrics would charge it was $35 - and as luck would have it they had 40% off furnishing fabrics - my lucky day.

It's Hot Stuff though - if you want some get over there soon... it wasn't a very big roll!

Then I found the perfect fabric to line it with.

This 'Love Classifieds' print is part of Spotlight's new newsprint range - just perfect for the young single teacher.

I hope she has a sense of humour as some of the ads are a little quirky!
I thought it would be fun, let's hope come the end of the year she agrees.

Avian love

There are always things I remember I haven't blogged and I meant to, this is one of them...

Remember when Wendy organised a fabulous market and Full Circle Exhibition back in July, well it was a smash hit and the exhibition was amazing - there were so many and varied entries.

There were paintings, ceramic pieces, organic works and of course stitched items.

I brought home a little bit of loveliness for myself, made by one of my SIT buddies, Hilary.

Once day when my new sewing room is ready I am going to have a little display of gorgeous things such as this and the mini quilt I got in one of the SIT swaps from a far away sewing friend, Helen.

Things that, when I see them, will remind me that this sewing gig I am in is all part of a community of people.

That should make me smile.

Petite satchel

This wasn't the bag I planned to make when I signed up for Cam's Choose your Own Bag Adventure - but I had forgotten I promised a birthday bag for another of my nieces (I have five of them!) - so I had to get that done first!!

This is Nikki's Small Tote made as a satchel.

It's the little sister to the bag I made myself a little while back, the perfect size for an eight year old.

While it doesn't look square in these shots I can assure you it is!

The colours are not at all what I would have gone with but the recipient was most adamant about her choices so I went with them.

The flower is a brooch - so she can leave it on or take it off as the mood suits her, I just thought it needed a little something on the front to break the solid 'dotty' effect!

Still not sure if it's a bit much - but the new owner can decide...

Inside I put a zippered pocket and I have also made a very basic zip coin purse for her because everyone needs a purse in their bag.

It also has a magnetic clasp hidden in there - I need to practice these a bit more - and it looks like I will get plenty of opportunity to as I have requests for three more of these! (surprise, surprise!)

Constructing this bag was made easier with the assistance provided from my AMAZING new steam iron.

Many thanks to the very kind enabler who put me onto a great deal for this lovely new gadget, it makes the finish on things incredible.

I know Lara is enjoying hers too and if we all bring them along to Sewjourn later this year we might just have our own steam room!!

Hula Dogs

There's nothing like a nice quick sew to get you feeling enthusiastic again, and the Oliver+s Hula Hoop Skirt is just that.

I made this Friday night - with the intention of donating it to our kinder for an upcoming trivia night. But there's something about those dogs and this kid that I couldn't bear to separate the two.

It's a really sweet little skirt that is fully reversible and in true O+s fashion, beautifully finished.

It took me longer to cut than it did to sew and there's no need for an overlocker as all the seams are fully enclosed, so no French seams required either.

Lara whipped one up recently too - it's a winner with small girls it seems!

I was thinking boots and tights for with this, but Miss G styled herself and felt her 'school shoes' with white ankle socks were a much better choice with her new doggy skirt.

I can live with that.

Unseasonal swimwear

If you live in Melbourne or anywhere nearby you will know that it has been a very wet, bleak and grey winter here, so swimwear might seem like an unusual thing to be sewing....

Dull photos due to dull days! (not the subject matter, the lighting!!)

All our girls are part-fish I think as they are all very capable swimmers and so regardless of the season Miss G has weekly swimming lessons.

She and Miss L were in need of bathers so I took some of Miss L's old ones and traced and cut around them.

I worried they were too short in the body, and they were so I added the band to the top before adding the straps.

Even after this - they were still a little too short and so got handed down to a very pleased Miss G!

I also did the elastic when the girls were in bed and so it's a little too tight around the legs, these really are not the greatest bathers!!

What ratio do you use for elastic in opening such as the legs here?? 3/4 or 2/3?? I need a formula to record and refer to instead of just having a guess.

I used the leftover piece of strap to make the bow on the front - which usually sits quite nicely but of course I forgot to 'style' it before trying to grab these shots in fading light.

I have some lovely lycra I picked up at Rathdowne Remnants a while back that I can't wait to turn into more bathers.

Maybe I should get some tips from the swimwear queen, Cindy.

Check out all the amazing swimmers she made her kids over summer.

I am going to tackle some more in the coming weeks in preparation for school swimming lessons. 

Some Kwik Sew ones and also some from various Ottobre editions.

So stay tuned for more...

Triple treat

I've been a bit slack updating my reading list for the year so thought I had better do a quick update on what's been on the bedside table of late.

I alluded in my first post to the book I was reading as being my favourite to date and it was wonderful.

Classic Australian author Peter Carey wrote one of my all-time favourite books - Oscar and Lucinda and I know with one of his books I will always get a read that I can really sink my teeth into filled with emotion and intrigue.

This was no exception.

The Chemistry of Tears follows a story within a story - about a young Horologist (check it out and learn something new for the day!), Catherine who while grieving the sudden death of her married lover, is attempting to piece together a clockwork 'toy' or automaton that had been commissioned many years earlier by a man named Henry Brandling, for his sick son.

Throughout the course of the book you get to know these two characters and, for want of a better pun, find out what makes them tick. (click on the Horologist link and you will get it!!).

If you are not afraid of a book that is a solid and hearty read rather than a light and frivolous one, then grab a copy of this book.

Next up I read a trilogy by Jo Nesbo - The Oslo Trilogy; made up of the following three books; The Devil's Star, The Redbreast and Nemesis.

I bought this through the Kindle store on Amazon and read them on my iPad and while I am still a fan of the written word coming in book form it was a convenient way to lug around what would have been a big physical book.

     

I had earlier read another of Jo Nesbo's books and and they are a fast and exciting read - very much along the lines of the Millenium series.

There's a brash but loveable alcoholic cop called Harry Hole (unfortunate name I know!) and he is an intense and honest character who is seeking to solve the crime of his police partner's death several years earlier, along with trapping a serial murderer and not getting himself into too much trouble along the way.

These books are quick and thrilling to read but no literary masterpiece!

And the most recent read was the latest release from another favourite author - Anne Tyler. 

One of the very first posts I wrote on this blog way back in 2007 was on another of her books 'Digging to America".

In that post I explain why she is a perennial favourite of mine, and it still stands.

This book didn't disappoint.  She writes in such a personal way - you feel you know her eccentric and quirky characters.

This one deals with a man suddenly widowed and how he believes he sees and can communicate with his late wife.

It brings him to a series of realisations about him and his own strengths and weaknesses, and about the relationship he and his wife had.

Don't go in expecting a fast-paced thriller - this is not what Anne Tyler is about.

Instead expect her to build such depth of character that you feel you are in the person's life - if just for a short time.

So there you have it - the list so far.

Rudely, I didn't get back to the ladies who commented when I first posted this list so I will now.

Jacinta recommended 'The Book Thief' and I second her recommendation - it was a wonderful book that I thoroughly enjoyed, quite intriguing.

Add it to your list!

Lizzie had the great idea of listening to books on her iPhone, while quilting - now that's what I call multi-tasking!!

As a librarian, Bronwyn has the book world at her fingertips - got any recommendations for us Bronwyn??

Amy is aiming to tackle 50 books this year and with a new baby on the way might find herself in for midnight reading!

Megan also enjoyed The Help - and I agree with her - read the book first. I find all too often that movies don't do books justice.

AJ - what have you been reading?? It's tricky to fit in reading time along with all else that family life brings.

Feel free to leave your recommendations in the comments - I love hearing what other people are reading too.

Shirt graffiti

We've been having lots of conversations here lately about what constitutes art, as opposed to graffiti.

I'm not sure into which category the girls would put me painting all over their T-shirts - but I suspect it's graffiti!

I have a new tool to assist me in 'graffitiing' old and/or plain T's - this book, Stencil Me In.

It comes with 28 reusable stencils of varying size, in lots of great designs that will suit children and adults.

Images that can be used on a variety of projects - be they cushions, bags, clothing or of course you can use them on surfaces other than textiles!

I decided to try something new this time to assist with a clean finish.
I sprayed the back of the stencil with quilt basting spray to hold it in position.

It worked a treat - even for this very intricate design - I am really pleased with how sharp the results are.

Quilt basting spray is repositionable too - so if you put it in the wrong spot - just peel it off and try again.

I'm off to get  few more paint colours as I can see this book being experimented with a lot in the coming months.

My Best Friend

This little girl is twirling her way around Maryanne and Caroline's blog over at 'Sew Together' today.

I am very pleased to be doing my first ever guest post as part of their 'My Best Friend' series, where I talk about what helps me out with fabric selection.

Head on over and check it out.

Spin, spin, spin

You know everything on my blog comes in threes by now right??!!

Twirl to your heart's content!

This one came with a matching headband - because I like things to match!

I refuse to pay $15 or more for something that is so simple to make.

A little fiddly, but not at all hard I have to say.

I'll do a tutorial for you on this one sometime soon, she's had lots of compliments on it as she insists on wearing it everywhere!

Perfect for a special occasion

That's it for now for twirly ruffled skirts, we are all twirled out!

PS - I also made the headbands the girls were wearing in the other shot with their skirts. I've included the link to Make It and Love it if you want to make your own.

Birthday baby

She keeps telling me she's a big girl now - definitely not a baby, but as I am sure most of you would say of your youngest child, she'll always be my baby!

Our adorable Miss G, with her gold curls and big blue eyes turned four recently and we celebrated her loveliness with family, cake and face painting.

She certainly laid down the gauntlet when it came to the cake - she wanted a replica of her furry friend Pepsi - A Border Collie she informed me...

Can't tell you how long it took to make the eyes so they were not too 'creepy' looking!!

This video shows just some of the reasons we love her so much, she is destined for the stage this child.

Some taken recently (Somewhere over the Rainbow) and some, such as the reading passage, taken when she was just two years old.

Happy birthday gorgeous girl.

French Connection

I was lucky enough to be an aunt for a number of years before having children.

It's a great luxury to be able to spend time with nieces and nephews alone, and I know now as a parent just how valuable that time was to my sisters and sisters-in-law too!

One of my five gorgeous nieces turned 13 last week and has a love of all things French at the moment, so I couldn't resist this fabric when I saw it at GJ's a few weeks ago.

The ruffles are even - I  just should have 'groomed' them better for this pic!

I went with a basic cushion with a zip at the bottom so it can be taken off for washing, one with three ruffles across it the other with a bow.

The ruffles were done using 'The Beast' and now that it and I are friends it is perfect for jobs such as this - the ruffles are so neat and evenly spaced - almost like little pleats.

This second one was done using this tutorial and I love the effect - very classic I think - well suited to the Parisian fabric.

A French-themed gift tied with a bow.

We teamed these up with a framed version of this Audrey Hepburn quote from Almond Tree Frames - something I think is a great quote for a newly-teenage girl.

Here's hoping she likes it all!

From Russia with love

This post really should be headed 'From Grandma with Love', because once again that's what this quilt is.

I love the colours of this quilt - red with a pop of aqua is always a winner.

The smallest kid just had a birthday (more on that later...) and in honour of the occasion my Mum made her a quilt - much like she did for Miss L and Miss A's birthdays back in March.

A little bit of Denyse in there too.

The small kid has always had a bit of an affinity with babushkas and so when Mum saw this pattern it was a bit of a no-brainer as to what design to make for her.

Mum wanted to add a little more though and so with Dad's assistance, she designed and made up this little minaret-style tower as well.

Love the chevron striped roof on this little tower.

It looks amazing and she carried the theme through to the backing.

After scouring the shops for the perfect fabric she had seen (in Alaska of all places), Mum gave up looking and contacted the store in Alaska and had these little colourful dolls on black sent over.

She was right - it is perfect.

Of course every gorgeous quilt needs an equally gorgeous pillow slip, so here it is!

Teamed with a solid red pillow case this looks fabulous on her bed.

There is plenty of hand-stitched detail in this quilt and the small child and her beloved dog were happily tucked up under it on the night of her birthday, happily exhausted!

Thanks again Mum - it's gorgeous and she loves it, and so do I.

Given that Miss G is the last of the eight grandchildren to receive their quilt, now Mum might actually make a quilt she can keep for herself!

Frills and flounces

The girls had a celebration at school during the week for having attended 100 days of school.

Of course they asked for something new to wear and of course, I obliged!

Headband flowers are the satin flower from Make it and Love it, easy and effective.

I picked this ruffled fabric up a while back at Spotlight because I've seen all sorts of great projects on the web using ruffled fabric but it's expensive to ship from the US because of the volume of it.

You can have the ruffles falling straight down or hanging in this curved/looped fashion as shown below.

I decided to make another of the full circle skirts from Dana of Made It.

That way I could get the ruffles to run in a variety of directions, some up and some down around the skirt.

This is a really full skirt that is light and 'fluffy'!

Cutting it for a full circle with the way this fabric is constructed means you are left with a few little untidy bits on the hem which bothered me at first.
It would be near impossible to hem this fabric but when the skirt is hanging it's the unevenness is not very noticeable at all.

This skirt is really good 'bang for your buck' sewing - it looks far more impressive, and difficult, than it is!

Two skirts and two headbands completed in one Olympics watching evening - not bad going.

Third skirt is on its way - cream with black edging - my local Spotlight store still had some in stock - luckily for me.

Sweet Finch

I make a lot more than I blog lately, this little top being a case in point.

I made this, and another exactly the same (well apart from the buttons...) way back in November last year - at Sewjourn.

This is the Finch top - one of the collection of patterns from Clever Charlotte that I have accumulated.

A cheesy grin!

It's a gorgeous pattern - one I would definitely like to make again.

It's fully lined and has this really lovely racer-back shape to it.

Try to imagine it in summer without the necessary layering!

I liked the top in the fabric that the Clever Charlotte girls used so much, that I ordered it as well when I ordered the pattern.

Perfectly colour coordinated crochet flower hairclip by this clever lady.

The buttons are just for show - for easy on and off.

To make it quick and easy to get on and off I used velcro under the shoulder tab rather than proper buttonholes - the buttons here are just for show.

I also chose to omit the bow - I might do it on the next one but perhaps a little smaller - it's a bit oversized for me I think.

Definitely check them out - they are really classic kids patterns that are stylish but not too cutesy.