Splash!

Coles Creation bathers, pair number two.

This pattern is a definite winner.

                   

These were made to compensate for the fact that the last pair didn't fit her and so went to her sister...

She's very happy with my colour combo of dots and bright pink, and I have to say I am too! 

               

These are the size 14 to 16 and I added an extra 1.5 inches to the upper green spotted band as I know this kid is long in the body. 

I was amazed recently to find they despite having the same leg length as her twin sister, she is 2.5cm longer through the back. 

The fit is perfect. She doesn't pull at them at all and there is great coverage across her bottom. 

The best thing is that when getting dressed for the pool the girls are choosing their Mama made bathers over the purchased ones every time, so I think I am on a winner.

If you haven't tried making swimwear, why not? 

Next up I am thinking I might tackle some for me...

They will be a little more complicated I know with the need for soft Bra cups and the like, but what have I got to lose? 

All fabric again from Rathdowne fabric and remnants, perhaps a trip to look for some fabric for me might be in order, yes??!

Holiday reading

I love the luxury of being able to sit and read an entire book in a short period of time, as in days rather than over weeks, and this book really kept me turning the pages. 

It's set largely in Germany and then London pre-World War II and tells the story of cousins who are part of the resistance movement that existed in Germany and then later in exile and all they tried to do to warn the world of the inherent danger Hitler represented. 

Despite having read Holocaust texts quite widely I knew little of the resistance movement and so found this a really interesting read. 

While this is a work of fiction it is based on a number of real events and people, with a number of the characters using their real names used throughout the book. 

These people fought so hard to get the message over to British authorities as to the actions Hitler was taking, even as early as 1933, and I can only imagine the abject despair and frustration they must have felt when eventually all the horrors

of his reign were revealed. 

The story is told from two perspectives, that of one if the women as an elderly lady living in Sydney and from that of the lover of her cousin while in exile in New York in the late 1930's. 

It has left me wanting to learn more about these brave people and also a bit embarrassed that I never knew more of those who tried to let the world know what was coming, to no avail. 

There is a quote within the book whereby one person says that they don't think anyone would believe some of Hitler's

actions pre-war, something that certainly rings true when the full extent of his actions was revealed post-war. 

It's not a light and happy tale, but certainly one that leaves you thinking. 

A Cole's creation

Swimsuit number two.

This pattern is the 'Cole's Corner and Creations Patterns' One 4 All Stylish Swimsuit, and there are several different variation for this one piece swimsuit.  

The combinations that you can make are many and there's something to suit all tastes.

This was meant to be for Miss A - and despite measuring her and then also adding 1.5 inches to the middle band (the floral section over the pink band) to make them longer, they were still quite snug on her, so Miss L happily inherited them.

For the record I made the 10/12 and will now cut out the 14/16. My girls are very long in the torso and so this often affects the measurements.

This is the Retro view with the flat bodice and finished with a halter neck.
You can add ruffles to the bodice or you can add a skirt with or without a ruffle on the bottom.
The straps can be left loose as a halter neck or crossed at the back or left straight.

The binding has elastic through the middle of it so the fit around the back and the bodice is lovely.

As these were on a white background I again chose to layer a white lycra underneath, baste and treat the pieces like one.

Again all the lycra was from Rathdowne Fabric and Remnants, probably from their remnant bins, and quite possibly on special.

I should also say that a remnant from this store is not a small piece, they are all over 1 metre, which for bathing suits, particularly for children, is plenty.

Here are a couple of modelled pics of the first pair I made, as soon as I got the camera out for her sister she put them on and came out so I am taking that as a success!

The fit on these is great too - she says they are a little too big in the bottoms but I think they are just right.

One more pair to come and I am thinking I might combine the green dots with the bright pink for something fun.

What do you think??

PS - In putting the link to Rathdowne I noticed they have some new fabric in from Seafolly!  Now I am tempted to pop in and see what else they have in stock...

Calling Summer!

It's been a long cold winter here in Melbourne and as we are very close to the end of the school term I just can't wait for the warmer weather and the school holidays, HOORAY!!!

My children are part fish (or mermaid they would say!) and with school swimming lessons coming up in term four and school holiday intensives as well, there will be lots of swimming in our future.

As always, the bathers from last year either no longer fit or have faded/fallen apart due to repeated exposure to chlorine. So last night I realised I had better make a start, on six new sets of bathers.

I've used this pattern a number of times before - I think I first saw it on Beccasauras's blog and since then I know Lara has made a number of pair.

I measured the girls and actually CUT THE PATTERN (yes you read right Lara!) in the Large and made up these green ones but after a fitting this morning I decided the older two girls would be better going up a size, so I popped into Spotlight and grabbed another copy of the pattern to cut at the XL size.

In the past I only used this pattern for the bottoms but this time I made the top and the boy-leg shorts. The top has a little gathering in the bust and so I didn't think it would look great on a 3 or 4 year old, but it is perfect now and all the girls want one.

Because of the white dots being a little see-through I decided to line the shorts and I also lined the bust section of the top.

To do the shorts I just baste the pieces together on the edges and treated it all like one piece when constructing.

I got all the fabric from Rathdowne Fabrics and Remnants who really have the most amazing array of swimwear lycra and when they have a weekly special you can pick it up at 30 - 40% off. This piece was quite large and was labelled at $8 (so I probably paid about $5) and there is enough for one more pair.

Excellent value.

I used my overlocker for the seams and my machine on a long zig zag for the hems and elastic.
The other thing I used, and would highly recommend, is this little gadget.

It's called the 'Turn It All' and it is brilliant for turning out little thin straps and ties such as the neck ties for these bathers.

I got mine online from The Haby Goddess and can't recommend it highly enough - I use it all the time.

One pair down five to go... wish me luck!

A magnificent villain

Let me clarify that title - I am not saying I am a magnificent villain - but rather that Malificent, the wicked fairy from Sleeping Beauty is a particularly magnificent villain.
So when the school trivia night was on earlier this year with the theme of 'Heroes and Villains' I chose to go as a villain.

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you'll know that this all took place a while ago - but I thought it might help someone who needs a costume idea.
I won't attempt to catch up on all my sewing over the last few months - just a few things here and there...

I thought it would be a pretty easy costume to make and there was not much too it.

I felt that the horns were the major part of the costume so I started with them.
I scrunched up some newspaper and then using packing tape, taped it into shape with the curves and pointed ends.
Next I fastened these to a headband using felt and lots of hot glue from the hot glue gun.

Lastly to get the gnarled finish to them I cut bias strips of fabric - the same as what I used for the cape and wrapped them around the horns and base.

They were quite tall and it was a little hard to look down when I had them on but they certainly had impact - and left no doubt as to who I was.

I also made up a cape using pattern Simplicity 8289 - which I have had for ages and is a good one to have in the stash, I suspect it is out of print now.

I made the cape up using black satin outer and deep purple lining.  To get the pointed collar I modified the shape of the collar and lined it with very firm interfacing.

 It didn't really stay up exactly the way I had hoped but it was pretty good.

I couldn't find a black bird so I asked Mr Google and found a pattern to make a crow (sorry can't find the link now), but I should have left the legs black or grey as my crow looked a little too cheerful!

Then just a simple long black dress that I had in my wardrobe, some pointed eyebrows and darkened cheekbones and we were good to go.

Filling the void

Hello!!

Yeah, it's been a while...

This year has taken us by storm. Lots of things new and, mostly exciting, things have happened.

It took me a while to get into the swing of being a stay-at-home parent with no kids at home during the day.

Someone turned six!

Once I got used to that I found my feet and a number of job opportunities each as diverse as the next have, serendipitously, come my way.

I've become part of some really wonderful communities; at school, groups that are an extension from school and of course my gorgeous crafty friends and am enjoying some amazing friendships and experiences  from such.

We did the snow in style, with snow cones!

We've had road trips and holidays and play dates, seen stage shows and exhibitions, celebrated birthdays, had dress up days, taken up new hobbies and interests and welcomed a new fluffy member to our family, and these three fabulous people continue to make my heart sing and amaze me every single day.

Our new family member at the beach for the first time

And then of course there's been sewing - quite a bit of sewing, none of which is never enough, and most of which I don't have photos of.

Bright eyed and enthusiastic about the world and learning like never before

But I have missed this little space.
A place to share and to record my experiences and to offer advice or opinions or just have a little rant as the case may be.

I plan to be back here more often in the future.
I hope you might be too.

Keeping it clean

Clean, neat and tidy for art at school of course - what did you think I meant??

The smallest needed an art smock for school so I let her loose in the stash and didn't even baulk when her love of all things green lead her to some of my Sandi Henderson stash.

Long enough to cover her dress so there should be no accidental spillages.

I used the ever-reliable Oliver+s smock pattern - from Leisl's book, Little Things to Sew, a brilliant book full of well considered projects that are beautifully executed.

I made the large - I have made the mistake before of making a smaller smock only to have to make another the following year.

Two size 16 snaps keep it secure.

Because it's still a little large I added two snaps at the back so it keeps it a little more secure on her shoulders, when she's bigger she can just do up one snap.

Painting the toadstools in the garden...

She is absolutely loving school - I've never seen her so happy and full of joy.

She bounces around the house singing at every opportunity - it makes my heart feel warm.

Oh, and the poses and props in these photos were entirely of her own doing!

I've also made a couple more back to school items - a new library bag for both her and her little friend.  Both were very happy to have their names on them, it's still a novelty.

We teamed it up with classic Roald Dahl for a nice little birthday gift that both the birthday girl and her lovely mum appreciated.

Excuse the late night dodgy iPhone pic!!

See how they grow...

It's that time of the year again, school's back!!

This year our littlest has donned a uniform and headed off to join her big sisters and she couldn't have been more delighted about it all.

Having all three children in one place - one drop-off and pick-up point will make life much easier for me, also the fact that there is now one fair, one concert, one art show, less committee involvement and also longer hours.

That said, I will greatly miss my chatty little buddy who has happily trailed along with me over the past few years to all the events.

I'm looking forward to her having things to call her own, and I know she is too.

I'll leave you with comparative pics taken over the last three years;

Prep, three year old kinder kid, Prep

Grade 1, four year old kinder kid, Grade 1

Grade 2, Prep, Grade 2

It's an exciting year for all of us, and we can't wait to sink our teeth into it!

The 52 Project

'A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014'

There's a little bit of mischief in this one...

I started this project last year with great intentions - but I found that I didn't want to 'force' the portraits of the girls and that at times that is what I would have had to do to get a portrait of them every week.

Waiting for the waves to come into the sandcastle...

That said I could have done better than I did!

Hard at work on something for yourself, honing your skills

"Go on puss, jump - it's safe. I'll catch you"

So I am having another go at it - I've started off slow as much of our summer has been spent with either water or sand - or both. Not the ideal environment for a camera.

A Scrabble champ in the making

This means a lot of our summer fun has been enjoyed but not captured in a photograph.

No more training wheels

These two are demons in the surf, taking on bigger and bigger waves each day

I've decided to share a few pics from the last four weeks - encapsulating 1 - 4/52.

I promise I will try harder from here on...

Slippin' and slidin'

Water baby all her life

Make a kite from a paper bag then fly it on the beach; instant fun.

In another few days the girls go back to school and the routine returns.
In some ways we all need that, but boy it's nice just to disappear into the waves and sand for a few days.

How was your summer holiday?

Developing skills

This year is a year of big change for me.

The smallest kid will be heading off to school soon and there is much I want to achieve this year; some goals family-related, some personal and some business/career related.

One of the personal things I want to do is develop my photography skills, learning to use my camera in a more manual way to achieve better results.

Very nicely, and without prompting I might add, the guy who lives here got me a walk-around Melbourne Photography tour as part of my Christmas gift.

It was on last Sunday which, thankfully, was a day post the big heatwave we have been experiencing here.

One of hundred of locks on the Southbank bridge

We had a lovely morning walking to various locations around Melbourne and taking photos under direction/with the guidance of our tour leader.

He had lots of useful tips on composition and how to use various functions of the camera such as exposure compensation, shutter speed and aperture as well as discussing means of storing photos.

 I learned that, like anything, you need time to practice what you are doing and that it is only in doing so that you will improve.
That trial and error is a good thing and you should take lots of shots in different locations.
Also to look at things from a different angle.

It was a very enjoyable and informative three hours spent walking around and snapping a variety of images and I would highly recommend the tour if you are keen to expand your photography skill set.

The tour I did was run by Happier Snappers and booked through Ted's Camera Stores.

First book of the year

Every year I get at least one book for Christmas and as I no longer buy as many books as I used to, this always feels like a bit of a treat for me.

This year much to my delight, I was given,  Tim Winton's latest - Eyrie.

Tim Winton tends to polarise readers across the country,
There are those who can't fathom why he is revered as one of the country's greatest writers and there are others who hang on his every written word.
I am somewhere in the middle.

It's been five years since his last novel, Breath, which I didn't enjoy at all and which made me a little wary about Eyrie at first.
However, with memories of The Turning and also Cloudstreet, my two favourite of his novels large in my mind,  I delved on in.

Surprisingly, for me at least, it turned into quite the page-turner and rather than savouring his prose-like style, I ploughed through quickly, felt quite sad when I quickly reached the end.
Winton is known for his incredibly descriptive way of writing and using similes far more than most novelists. As I was reading it I did think that it would be near impossible for a reader from any country other than Australia to understand his writing - it is so very colloquial.

I also felt that there were a few references that dated the story - as someone in their 40's I got them but there would be many readers younger than me that might have been left a little baffled by some of the content.

The story centres around down-on-his-luck environmental campaigner, Tom Keely, and the reintroduction into his life of someone he knew as a child and who now has run into difficult times.
Barely able to control his own life which is spiralling out of control, Tom takes the woman, Gemma and her young grandson, Kai under his wing.

That's about as much as I will tell you as I don't want to give anything away - least of all the ending!

Suffice to say I really enjoyed this book.
I love the descriptive means by which Winton writes - he has a way of making me feel like I am actually there with him on a beach or watching a bird soar through the sky.
As a character I found the flawed Tom Keely likeable and I wanted him to 'have a win'.

There are a number of thinly-veiled, or in some cases not at all veiled, barbs at the mining industry in WA, Winton's home state, and the impact of this on the environment.

If you get the chance grab this book and settle in for an interesting read.

I'm now about to dive into Barracuda by Christos Tsiolkas, author of The Slap.

How about you - what are you reading??
All recommendations greatly appreciated.

Feathered friends

School holidays provide the opportunity to slow down and do things that you might not otherwise get to do.

For me that means having time to do some sewing with the girls.

We started these sweet toys earlier in the week - on the first of five days where the temperature peaked at around 44 degrees celcius (around 110 farenheit!).

It seemed like a good activity for indoors, in the air-conditioning.

Introducing Polly penguin...

and Danielle Duck.

Penny penguin...

The pattern is from the Queen of softies - Jodie of Ric Rac, and there is also a cute little owl as well as the duck and penguin.
Jodie is known for spending literally hours and hours, perfecting the shapes and features of her toys. Apart from always looking amazing they also come together in a logical and easy manner.
You can see them all here on Etsy or in her pattern shop. (this is not a paid endorsement - I just love Jodie's work!).

The pics below are just to show you what I am sometimes up against when trying to get good photos!

The two seven-year-olds managed really well with the sewing for this toy - only needing assistance once or twice.

I relinquished control and didn't re-cut squarish edged circles or re-stitch areas of beak that may have been slightly missed - and I am glad I didn't because these toys each have their own character (design features) and are really a reflection of the girls' work.

As a result, they are incredibly proud of them.

Each time they asked me what to do next, I referred them back to the pattern and so they also learned a lot as they made the toys.

Jodie's instructions are very straight-forward and explain why you are doing certain things too so the child learns as they sew - they had no trouble reading the entire pattern and I just explained any terms they didn't understand.

The small kid tracing penguin's feet

The smallest kid did remarkably well too - on a number of occasions I was told that I needed to leave her alone, she was fine!

She is a bright little button and so follows instruction really well.  I could put in two pins and ask her to sew only between them and she did this with ease, so was able to do the bulk of the sewing herself.
I helped with things like the feet and wings but she sewed on the beak, eyes and tummy all by herself.

Using my 'good' machine was a treat for all.

Watch out for your fingers!!

This is a beginners pattern and it was a wonderful thing to make with the girls. They learned new skills and expanded their sewing vocabulary while having fun.

I asked them at one point would they like to go to the pool and they said no they wanted to sew - good girls!!

They are now all tucked up in bed with their new toys, but not after taking to the trampoline with them and teaching them to fly!