Best tip EVER!!

Carmel posted the other day about a nifty way to control and contain all those annoying loose threads that always seem to hang out of your bobbin box, well out of mine anyway...

She linked back to the original source of the idea and I have to say it's so simple but really, really handy.

What you do is cut this plastic tubing into very small pieces and then slit one side so it can be wrapped around the outside of the bobbin, thus securing the cotton.

I had attempted to buy little clips in the past that did exactly the same thing - but they were all sold out and I was supposed to be put on back order, but they never eventuated.

I sent 'The guy who lives here' to the hardware store (yeah right, like he had to be asked twice!), and while he couldn't find the dimension Carmel used, he came home with 20mm tubing and it wraps around and back onto itself where it just sort of sticks.
So it works brilliantly.

Whoever thought I would want to be heading off to the hardware store again... but here goes!

Something old, something new

I love the way you can add so much more to an outfit when you have girls - a hair clip here a headband there...

Miss L received the kind gift of a hair clip that is a perfect match for her new dress from the lovely Wendy.

These little clips come as alligator clips and on bobby pins - we are trialling them for Wendy - they certainly get put through their paces in this house I can tell you.

Wendy has loads of colours and styles to choose from.

She was wearing this dress (again!) today while she carried her dolly around as part of a game. 

The doll carrier is nearly three years old, I made it way back here and it's still used now, which is part of what makes making things so rewarding.

Gorgeous Steiner doll made for her at birth by her aunt.

By the way - did you notice that big gap in the front of her teeth!!  

The other front tooth is very loose too - Christmas pics this year could be interesting...

Sunny Sunday performance

Today was a gorgeous day. 

So a backyard performance was staged.

There was a costume change and a meeting was held to decide the content.

It included hula hoops, ribbons and random dance moves.

A small cat even decided to get in on the action when the ribbons began to twirl.

The Mama-made blackboard bunting made an appearance (have I shown you this yet...)

Perfect way to spend a sunny Sunday.
What did you get up to??

Coming up...

I've loved this border print since I first saw it, but initially it sold out really quickly and I hadn't got my hands on any...

From Sarah Jane's Children at Play range, 'On Parade'

The lovely Belinda mentioned she was buying some and ordered for me too.
It's every bit as lovely as I'd hoped it would be - the colours are really pretty.

I know, white and a small kid; not a great idea.
But I couldn't resist.
After all, there's a finite timeframe that small girls can get away with wearing a cute party-parade-themed border print for, and I suspect that deadline is fast approaching.

So I have something pretty planned for it...

Perhaps tomorrow will include some sewing.

PS - Hi Liz :-)

Fallen fairy...

This isn't the greatest pic - I had to sneakily take it without her noticing me...

I looked outside on the deck on the weekend when the girls were playing an imaginary game and this is what I saw.

This kid rarely stays still, so I watched for a minute and when she did not move I started to get a little concerned.

In the end I put my head out the door and asked the other two girls if she was OK.
Their response...
"Oh yeah, she's just dead."
"A bad witch came and killed that beautiful fairy, but she'll be all right later."

Whilst I am not loving this particular storyline,  I do love that they make up 'worlds' and plots and adventures together.

And I am pleased to say that this beautiful fairy was indeed all right later.

What great tales have been told at your place lately??

Random kindness

There are few things I love more than a giving a gift you know the recipient will love.

You know, the sort where you can hardly contain yourself as you give it to them and want to help them rip it open...

The other thing I love is the 'random' gift.

The one that is not for any occasion, just because you saw it and it spoke to you of someone else.

I've been lucky enough to receive two such gifts in the past six or so months.

Things that friends have seen and that have made them think of me, and they were both kind enough to buy them for me and give them to me, for no reason.

Just because.

This little book is not only a book that has a Heather Bailey fabric pattern as the cover (as if that's not enough!!), it is also a book of words, 'Words to make you sound intelligent' no less!

If there are two things I love, it is words and fabric!
I'm known by some of my friends as "The Grammar Queen"... need I say more!

Tan saw this and the combination of fabulous fabric designer and quirky words made her think of me.
And that alone makes it special.

Another non-sewing or blogging girlfriend saw this for me earlier in the year and after first having to enquire what it was (!!) when she realised it was a tape measure and that it was covered with little drawings of fashion through the decades, she knew it would be something I would love.

And I do.

So much that I don't actually use it - it just stays in my sewing room to be admired and to look pretty!

Perhaps the best thing about both of these gifts is that whenever they catch my eye, they make me think of the girls who gave them to me, and how lucky I am to receive the gift of their friendship in an ongoing manner.

And for that I am truly grateful.

xx

Pop along...

Have you got plans for this Saturday??
No??

Or plans you are prepared to break for a little crafty shopping treat?
Yes??

Do yourself a favour and head on over to the Pop-Up shop being held at Olive Grove Studios in Brunswick.

Wendy, Anna and Cam will all be there showing their wares along with Felicity of Flicketty Splits!

Wendy will have lots of new goodies such as these little lovelies:

Super-cute hairclips on little paperdoll bookmarks

Pocket buddies for keeping love notes, secrets or teeth!

Wendy does gorgeous colour combos for her skirts

As well as gorgeous baby onesies, crocheted hairclips, bibs, sweet little girl skirts and fabric covered notebooks among other things.

Cam is going to have necklaces, cushions, original design fabric (oh lovely fabric!), patterns, iPhone/gadget pouches and much more.

You can check out all her wares here:

http://curlypops.bigcartel.com

Just one of Cam's fabulous gadget pouches

Ahhh - the red reel - *Love*

Look at that for a pile of loveliness

Then you can treat yourself to something from Anna of Polly Pratt - why not grab a Wendy dress and get ready for summer.
Or choose from her collection of gorgeous soft toys, brooches and necklaces.

I can't make it - so pop along and soak up some of their loveliness for me - won't you.

Friendly finds

You may have noticed something small, red and stripy peeking out from beside the lower left hand side of my new Billy cupboards in this post about my sewing room makeover...

Let me introduce you to my newest, and what is sure to become one of my most favourite sewing tools; it's my new (to me) sleeveboard.

I'm very lucky to have a friend who is a seasoned op shopper and to whom, not a week earlier, I had mentioned that I would really love to get a sleeveboard, because there are so many little things that it would make much easier to iron.

Nikki and Lara have taught me the merits of such small pieces of equipment (among many other things of course!), and the impact they can have on the finished quality of your sewing project.

Lo and behold if she didn't see one, in mint condition in her op shopping travels during the week!

I am in ironing heaven with this and my new super fancy steam iron as recommended by another friend.

And look at this, it is even collapsible, making it easy to store.

Do you have a simple gadget that makes sewing a breeze??

Learning by accident

A while back on Facebook Lisa of Crafty Mamas started a conversation about Cuisenaire Rods - something I vividly remember from school when I was a kid.

They are a great way to teach math concepts - in a way that the child enjoys, so they almost don't realise it's learning or 'work'.

They come in a box of their own but she wanted to sort them according to their size

For those not familiar with them they are small timber rods that have been dyed or painted (in my opinion the dyed ones are better quality!), and where each colour represents a different number.

The smallest of the blocks is a white cube, and each rod thereon gets incrementally larger, in proportion.

So the 'two' rod, the red one, is exactly twice the size of the one; the seven is three of the ones plus a four or one five plus one two.

They all work off multiples of that basic block, the one.

Mathematician in action!

It means a child can visually see that four plus three equals seven, because if you lay a four rod and a three rod next to a seven rod they are the same length - showing they are equal to each other.

My clever little chick decided to use them to show me how to work out area, I'm telling you - Prep is not what it was when I was at school!!

She drew three completely different shapes and then using the rods to fill them, determined which had the greater area.
All for the fun of it.

Working together, me on my sewing and her on her area project.

I also love that she set herself up to work on her little 'desk' close to where I had set up my sewing "so we can both do something fun together" was her explanation.

If you want to grab a set (of the good ones!!) visit Windmill Toys, they have the best of everything play and education based I reckon!

Finally....

getting into some sewing!!

For me, for me!

A light and summery top - come on sun!

I'm doing view B - the top on the right, in this 'wings' fabric that I got off the Spotty bargain table ages ago.
If I mess it up or hate it, well I've only blown $5 so that's a good thing.

Thanks for all the Billy love in my last post.

I also think it's hillarious that there were another three confessed 'Billy' lovers who have them in their craft rooms.
Cam, Lizzie and Shell; I think you all have great taste!!
And Carmel - go on, do it, you won't be disappointed!

I *heart* Ikea

Yes I know - I fell of the Blogtoberfest wagon in a big way this week...

But I have been working on a pretty big project in my sewing room, though my machines haven't been used at all.

The 'guy who lives here' and I had a frank discussion one night which went along the lines of:

"Honey I know my sewing room is a mess and I have too much stuff, but I really have nowhere to store it...."

We've reached an unspoken agreement, we went to Ikea and set up some new storage on the proviso I not go out and buy a whole lot more...

I can live with that!

So here's the before...

This dresser was packed tight with the stuff that wouldn't fit into the shelving...

The various books and patterns on top of it were a sliding avalanche waiting to fall...

And the stuff that wouldn't fit into the dresser was, well piling up on the floor...

Then there was the lovely 'Huggies' box storing the rolls of interfacing and tracing paper and some fabric rolls too...

So that was before and this is after!

This replaces the brown buffet, floor to almost ceiling storage!

(Now get ready for some photo overkill!)

Two x Billy bookshelves with doors does the trick

There is space for everything - books, fabric, patterns, toys - you name it and it is probably in there somewhere.

I spent ages putting everything in, pulling it out and adjusting shelves to fit so I have got maximum usage from the space available.

'Special' fabrics - Heather Bailey, Heather Ross, Aneela Hoey, Oliver + S and Anna Maria Horner 

There's even a special spot for the two lovelies Jodie made.
And boxes for patterns on top.

This is the left hand side, still some labelling to be done on the pattern boxes but I am nearly there.

I now know where everything is and as these are not deep I can get my hands on it all very quickly and easily.

To say I am happy with the end result would be an understatement!

I can now walk down the side of the sewing table...

And even the old 'Huggies' box is gone!

Small but simple change with a sturdy plastic bin for the rolls to go in

In the interests of full disclosure I will still show you the mess on top of the open fabric shelf  which needs to be addressed...

And the pile of mess on the back half of my sewing table which includes work in progress!

See Maryanne, there's plenty of mess still to be seen!!

But I am getting there!

Each 'Billy' was $179 including doors and door handles.  Then we added in the Kassett magazine holders and boxes for probably about another $100 I think, maybe a little more...

Bec and Sophie have both said they have Billy in their sewing room too - so they seem to be the sewing cabinet of choice!

Well worth the money spent and the hours required to sort and store it all.

One day the old timber table and chairs will go as we have our eyes on another Ikea desk that would be perfect, but as it has sentimental and 'family political' attachment it might be a while down the track...

Technology - the great helper

I think advances in technology should actually make life easier.

I sometimes feel that being so 'available' and 'connected' actually makes life a little harder. People seem to get annoyed if they have emailed/called/text you and you haven't responded within a short time frame.

But what if you are in a movie, out with friends or enjoying some quiet time with your family and *gasp* don't have your phone with you, or you have chosen not to check it.

For a brief time a few years ago, I didn't have a mobile phone and I felt, well, liberated.

Don't get me wrong I am a total tech geek - I love to know how things work and I love to have the answers to most questions I can ask right there are my fingertips. 

It's just that there are times when I sort of wish things could be a little more simple.

Anyway I digress...

I have to say this is an example of technology making things easier, much easier in fact.

Perched on my sewing table the iPad can be of great assistance - technology at its best!

I know that in my Nicole Mallalieu A-line skirt pattern there is a great tutorial on putting in an invisible zip and had it been handy that is what I would have reached for...
But rather than have to hunt through the pattern boxes and piles of projects on the go, I instead turned to my iPad.

The Colette tutorial on installing an invisible zip is simple, clear and easy to follow.

It makes putting in an invisible zip hassle free - even for those of us a little terrified of doing it (though the fear is abating!).

What is your favourite tech tip that helps you with your craft?
Is there a website or an app that you want to point us all toward...

PS - I've sort of dropped off the KCWC wagon this time - life got in the way - in a good way though.
One of the projects, other than enjoying the sunshine and spending time with my family is a bit of a sewing room makeover!  Hooray!!

KCWC - Day 4

There wasn't much to see here from Day 4 of KCWC - I traced a pattern out - that's pretty much it, oh and I read the pattern...

I plan to make up for it over the weekend, but I think I might even be skipping my hour today Day 5.

So instead I thought I'd show you the pattern I am making next and also the fabric I am making it in.

Oliver + S croquet dress and some bright spots!

I'm debating whether to try this cute sleeve application...

What do you think?
Will the detail be lost in the 'busyness' of the fabric or should I give it a go??

How's your KCWC coming along?

KCWC - Day 3

Let's call this one, the day when things didn't quite go to plan...

The plan was to trace and cut the beautiful Croquet dress by Oliver + S. 

The reality was, after school the girls mentioned something about the Sea/Hawaiian themed school disco being on tomorrow night, not next Thursday as I had firmly fixed in my head....

Strips of silver lycra on elastic and a Brooklyn tank ready for the disco

The girls had previously asked if they could wear the mermaid costumes I made for their fifth birthday, which was fine by me.
They have grown taller but not wider, so the issue was the tops were not really appropriate to wear out in public and also they needed bather bottoms to go under the scant skirts.

I had already calculated that Miss L's new two piece bathers were ready to go - but Miss A needed a new top (she's going to wear L's blue bather bottoms under her pink skirt - shock horror!).

And so the reality tonight became cutting and sewing up another little lycra singlet top and also creating the six silver sparkly arm bands they requested to go around their wrists "for when we are dancing".

And yes I said six - because of course the smallest kid (who's not going to the disco) had to have a pair too.

The catalyst for such armwear?? The 'big' grade six girls wore them in black recently for the school concert when they were dancing.
Obviously they made an impression, I hope these ones do too!

How was your day today - did everything go to plan or not so much??

No new patterns in this lot (no I am not going to count the armbands!) so I still have to bust out at least one new pattern for the month.

KCWC - Day 2

Day two of KCWC saw me make up this little jacket - for Miss L to throw on over her new dress when  the weather is a little cool.

This still needs a press-stud at the neck on the binding - but that's pretty close to a finish I think!

She's pretty pleased, even though the poor kid was freezing!

This is also from the Summer 3/2012 edition and this jacket is design number 31 and it is called 'Lime Juice'.
I made the same size as the dress, 134cm. The sleeves are a little long and I told her I'd shorten them but she asked me not to, so when she raises her arms they don't pull halfway up to her elbows.

Using a twin needle makes for a neat and tidy finish.

It was incredibly easy to make and the only changes I made were to omit buttons and buttonholes as I doubt she will ever wear it buttoned up anyway, and also to do the neck binding in a woven fabric the same as the shoulder straps and waistband on her dress, rather than the prescribed knit.

I did all the internal seams on my overlocker, with cuffs, hems and the button placket top-stitched using a twin needle because I like the finish it provides.

Incredibly I had this knit in my stash - I can't believe how well it matches the dress colour.

Of course if I was clever with the needles like Rachel or Kylie I could knit a cute shrug or cardigan which would look even better... (might take you up on that swap Kylie!)....

Day three of KCWC will involve the tracing and cutting of the croquet dress that I was supposed to do yesterday - until the jacket caught my attention!

This is another never used before pattern so that's two patterns busted out of my stash and two garments in two days.

I'm on a roll...

KCWC - Day 1

Well I am covering three categories with this post; it is Day one for KCWC, Day 9 of Blogtoberfest and pattern one of my pattern stash-busting

I spent the first hour of KCWC putting the finishing touches to this little summer dress for Miss L.

It's none of the patterns I showed you on the stash-busting post though - it comes from one of my beloved Ottobre magazines. So it still counts, as it's a pattern I have never used and was even from a magazine I have never used.

These colours make me feel summery, even if the temperature is not yet!

This is made from some Paula Prass Flights of Fancy fabric that I have been hoarding for ages, waiting for just the right project.

The dress has lots of lovely details that made it fun to make, pleats, invisible zip, piping on the princess-line seams and cute little gathered shoulder straps.

Flat piping highlights the princess-line seams of the bodice

I enjoy having a challenging project on the go - it makes me feel like I am really making something special for my little girl.

I chose to do the straps and waistband in contrast, so I omitted the piping from above the waistband as I felt it would have been lost, given they would have been made in the same fabric.

Now that invisible zip is perhaps the most invisible one yet.

I don't want to get ahead of myself but after procrastinating a bit about the zip I went ahead and did it and it went in perfectly on the first attempt. Phew!!
Could it be that I am getting the hang of them at last...

Here is the design in the Ottobre magazine

The dress is design 30 'Trumpet Flower" from the Summer 3/2012 edition of Ottobre. See this post for details of how I store my Ottobre patterns once I have traced them out.

I made the 134cm as Miss L is 131cm tall , but then I took a total of 4cm out of the bodice to get it to fit her! I should have made a smaller size and lengthened it but luckily it was relatively easy to alter.

Lining gives the dress nice body and adds to the twirl factor

I used a very boring white waffle for the lining.
It's not something you would traditionally use for a lining as it's a little heavy but I had it on hand and I wanted to be sure the dress would not be see-through.

It does provide the dress with a lovely fullness and it's nice and soft against her skin.

Here's the edition so you know what you are looking for!

Today I am planning to trace the next dress out - a Croquet dress, and also cut a cute little jacket to go with this dress.
The fabric for the jacket is what I used for the background in the dress shots, so I know it is going to match really well.

The girls are back at school today after our term break so I will try to get some action shots at some point...

How'd you go on Day 1 of KCWC, get much done??