Coming up....

In 2009 and 2011 I participated in Blogtoberfest - the challenge being to blog something every day.

It's on again, and I have signed up to join in the fun.

It's a great challenge to do.
I found it made me think more about a lot of issues around having a blog, such as: why you blog; what you blog; what you want to blog;  the direction you want your blog to take; whether you blog for you, friends, family or to attract readers.

It made it more fun once again for me - not a chore at all - and it inspired me to create, so that I had more things to blog about!

Aside from that I have met some fabulous bloggy friends along the way from joining in.
Some people run giveaways, others just join in for the fun of it.

Cathy has this year handed the reins over to Kat at I saw you Dancing.
Curlypops has worked her magic with a blog button once again and Kat has a dedicated Blogtoberfest page with all the details.
So if you feel inclined to join in - pop over and sign yourself up.

Or come back tomorrow for the first of many Blogtober posts.

What can you expect from me: Some summer sewing; lots of pics of my family; the latest books from the bedside table and a whole lot of other blatherings I am sure!

The fun starts tomorrow, but you can always come late to this party - there's no pressure.

Stretchy sewing

There has been lots of lycra on the machine lately, as all the girls seem to have grown out of their bathers and are in need of new ones.

We are spending a week of the school holidays somewhere warmer than home and that of course means swimming for my little fish!

This bunch of lycra is from Rathdowne Fabric and Remnants (the blue solid, dot, stripe and red with gold dot) and The Remnant Warehouse in Sydney (pink with white dot).

Each piece of lycra from Rathdowne cost me less than $9 and from each piece I will get 4-5 swimsuits.

Good value I think, don't you!

These are a mix of two Kwik Sew patterns and a singlet pattern from Sewing Clothes Kids Love.

I'll be back with some shots of them 'in action' at a later date.

I hope you are finding time to put your feet up these school holidays, and perhaps getting some sewing in.

Books eight and nine...

Wow that actually feels a bit depressing to write that these are only books eight and nine for the year - there was once a time (in another life!!) when I would have read that many books in as many weeks...

Anyway - I digress...

Books eight and nine - a mix of fiction and non-fiction.

First up - Forbidden Lessons in a Kabul Guesthouse by Suraya Sadeed.

Despite the title leading you to think it may be some sordid lesson that a young girl is taught I had read the cover notes on this one to know that it was not going to be the case - but that rather the lessons that are forbidden are actual teaching or class/school lessons.

This book is all about one woman's efforts in securing aid for the people of Afghanistan.  Providing the most basic of needs such as blankets and food and education - things we take for granted every day.

It talks of how the Taliban invaded the country and took away the most basic of rights from al the women in the country and details her struggle as an Afghani born woman living in America when the two countries are suddenly at war.

I often find biographies to be a little self-indulgent (which I guess they are by nature), you know - lots of "I did this, then I did that" sort of stuff.
This one had a little of that but it also contained a really interesting insight into the country of Afghanistan and a little of its history and also talked of how the country was almost inadvertently caught up in the war with the USA because it was where Osama Bin Laden chose to hide out.

It made me feel very grateful to live where I do - in a country where, as a woman and mother of daughters, I know that we are free to live, learn and exist in a free and open manner - not feeling that we need to be hidden away or that we are in some way lesser citizens than our male counterparts.

I also really enjoyed learning a few facts about a country that I know little of, always a lovely 'side-effect' of reading a book!

Then it was on to a work of fiction by another favourite author (I know, there are a few!).
While Chesil Beach is a real stretch of coastline in the UK, On Chesil Beach is a work of fiction by the wonderful Ian McEwan - who you might best know him from the book and subsequent movie Atonement.

This is not written in the page-turning style of Atonement - but more a slow paced reflection of lives and relationships, and how things that remain unsaid may sometimes better have been spoken.

It details the events of the much anticipated (by the groom) and much dreaded (by the bride) wedding night of a young couple in the early 1960's - as the sexual revolution is awakening.
What should be the beginning of their new life together actually marks the end.

Ian McEwan has a way of getting inside his character's heads so that as you read this book you can feel the pain that each of these young people is experiencing, and you squirm with them when you read what is happening in their relationship - wishing that each could know what is going on inside the head of the other!

While very different books I really enjoyed both of these, and depending on your interests, they are both worth a look.

Keeping it neat

My friend's gorgeous boy turned one today and along with a few things he will enjoy I included things to make his mum's life a little easier, and with four kids aged from six to one I am sure every little thing helps!

These little bibs were made using Nikki's Fabulous Fifties Bib pattern.

It's available as a PDF download so it's great for instant gratification!

The bib provides really full coverage so little people are less likely to end up wearing their food...

I lined it with some cotton waffle fabric and added an outside layer of plastic so it is wipe clean.

I have a third one nearly done for another friend - and it was such good fun choosing boy fabric combinations, something I don't get to do very often.

I chose not to add the optional pocket as I am not a fan of digging food out of a pocket, I'd rather just clean it off the floor later!
But I liked the way the contrast panel at the bottom looked so I still added that on.

And I did lengthen the ties at the neck by 5cm when I was making it.

It would have been a far more difficult process had I not been sent a walking foot from the lovely Carmel a while back - otherwise plastic can be a little troublesome as it sticks to the bed of your sewing machine.

To make it easier to sew when the entire piece of plastic is facing the bed of your machine - put down some baking paper and sew through it as you go - it just tears off later.

I do think a tailors awl when sewing binding is the way to go to get a good result.

These are a very sweet little gift and if you were making them as shown in the pattern with fabric and towelling backing they would sew up in no time at all.

I hear, I say

I haven't done one of these posts for a while, where I post about odd things I either hear my kids say or hear myself say when talking to them, but this one was too good not to share...

Today I asked the small kid what was on her arm, it looked kind of like paint or glue.

Her reply... "Oh that, it's elephant snot."

Clearly I was wrong, very wrong.

She delivered that line completely straight faced, offering no further explanation as to how said snot might have got on her arm.

A career on the stage lies ahead for her I am telling you!
(and a world of pain for me I fear...)

The BEST DRESSed girl in town

The sun has been shining, we've been looking in the summery dresses for things to wear - and so here's something you haven't seen before...

I tested this pattern for Nikki back in the colder months and the small child is delighted to be able to finally wear it!

This is the Best Dress pattern - a divine dress for little girls that is modest, sweet and age appropriate, something that you can struggle to find these days - especially in store bought items.

Made with some Denyse Schmidt quilting cotton from Spotlight

As is always the case with Nikki's patterns - there are many different options you can choose from when constructing this dress.

You can select from a tie or belt at the back; pin-tucked bodice or no pin-tucks; full gathered skirt or flared skirt and cap or gathered sleeve.

Mix and match them to your heart's content and the options are endless.

This little dress has the pin-tucked bodice with the more full, gathered skirt and the gathered sleeve, and the tie in the back. 

It's a gorgeous girly dress; soft, feminine and sweet.

There's an invisible zip in the back and while I am (still) not a big fan of putting in zips, Nikki's instructions make it fuss free and this one very nearly is, invisible.

The pattern ranges from sizes 5 to 10 and it is definitely something you should add to your summer sewing list.

You can grab a copy from the lovely (and VERY efficient) Cam at Curlypops.

you won't regret it and your little girl will be able to twirl to her heart's content.

Check out Lara's winter versions here and some more that Nikki has made with different options here and here.

Lots of sewing...

But nothing that I got to keep!!

I've been a bit snowed under with silent auction sewing and helping organise or kindergarten trivia night.
So while I got to enjoy some sewing time, there is nothing much to show for it as it is now all in new homes.

There were three paired lots of boys T's with stencilled robots and appliqued stars with detachable capes on them.

A new hula hoop skirt that matched the swinging girl T you see below that made a cute little set.
Sweetly it went to one of Miss G's little kinder buddies and she was delighted that they will have the same skirt (albeit in different colours) to wear together.

I also did a few of these 'formal' T's and they were a bit hit, in small sizes and large.

Then there was also a ruffle joy skirt with a matching appliqued T sold as a set.

Thankfully the bidding on the lots was quite competitive and they all went for great prices, which is nice...

Another lovely friend made a gorgeous blanket and yet another donated some beautiful fruit trees.

People's generosity is really heartening sometimes.

The night was a big success - and now I have my evenings back, for a while at least!

Being part of the kindergarten community is important to me - I believe strongly in volunteering for roles within groups such as this as I believe this is what keeps them rolling along.

But it does take a substantial investment in time, energy and emotion depending on the role you take on.

I am thinking I might have a year off from kinder committee next year - though there is one lovely member of our committee trying to convince me to stay on in a smaller role. 

Her arguments are quite convincing.... just not sure if my family would disown me!!

I find it hard to say no to such things as I feel there are far too few people prepared to put their hands up and make a commitment. Then having made such, some people almost need to be dragged along in order to get things done or to voice an opinion or to offer support/feedback...

What about you, are you part of a committee?

How do you manage your time and involvement in such things?

Do you ever feel disappointed with the lack of commitment from people who form part of communities such as this??