Sewing

My skirt

October 25, 2012


Photos of me don't feature highly on my blog...I mostly sew for my kids but have decided to start trying to sew a bit more for myself too (if I can find the time).  This is me in a skirt I made this week. 


I didn't use a pattern - just traced it from a skirt I have and made it shorter and added these cool pockets.  The idea was inspired by this skirt I have pinned on one of my boards.
 
The stretch denim is from The Fabric Store and is nice and comfy.  I am vowing to wear more skirts and dresses this spring and summer instead of my staple outift - jeans and fitted stretch top!
 
Linking up here today.

Collections

Colourful collections and some pencil tins

October 18, 2012

 
 
The girls and I started collecting little bits and pieces from around the house yesterday and in the spirit of Kootoyoo, I took this fun photos.
 


 

We then played shops and I became the "copsheeper" while the girls filled their baskets with colourful wares.

 
I also made these this week - some little tin can covers for pencils.


My budding artist at work...
 
Linking up here today.

Baby

kcwc: Day seven - Emily's nightie

October 14, 2012


On my final day of sewing for the Kids clothes week challenge I made this little summer nightie for Emily.  She generally wears wondersuits to bed but with the weather warming up I thought a nightie would be cute.


I used an old Style pattern of Mum's - just a basic peasant style with elasticated bias around neck and arms and a small button opening at the back.  I threaded elastic through the bias binding and secured it with machine stitching at each end of armholes and neck.

I love nighties. My three girls all went off to bed tonight in a homemade nightie!

Project details
Pattern - Style 2361, View 4
Fabric - Japanese lawn from Spotlight on special for $10 per metre
Cost - $5
Time taken - Just over an hour

I've had lots of fun this week sewing for the challenge.  I have also enjoyed discovering some new sewers.  You can check out the Elsie Marley flickr pool for hundreds of creations made this week.

kcwc

kcwc: Day five - Frenchie stripes

October 12, 2012


Here is day four's efforts - a stripey green top for Issie.  Love the pose?! - Actually I think Isabella looks stunning in this pic - but I shouldn't brag! The next one is even better...


Two words come to mind...Blue steel.

 
I have had this green stipey interlock on my fabric pile for a while now and have admired this pattern since my sister made it a while back for my niece in black and white.
 

I love the wider neck opening (which is faced - so no binding) and the gathered raglan seam.  This one was sewn betwen Isabella's quiet TV time (while her younger sisters sleep) and late afternoon play with playdough.   Didn't think I would get it photographed by the day's end but daylight savings gave me some extra light before dinner to take a few quick snaps!


Project details:
Pattern - French Stripey, Ottobre 1/2011 (smallest size was 128cm. Isabella is 105cm tall so I scaled the pattern down by four increments and it turned out great)
Fabric - 100% cotton interlock from Rathdowne Remnants
Cost - $6 per metre, I only used about 50cm, so grand total of $3 for this baby!
Time taken - Just under an hour of sewing time

This pattern actually goes up to 170 cm tall so I think I will be using it for myself in the future.


Dresses

kcwc: Day four - Blue stripey dress

October 11, 2012


I am super happy with my day four efforts.  This dress turned out really well and was fun to make.

 
In true Melbourne form, the weather today was typically unspring like and very windy.  This was the only shot I got of the dress sitting still.  Too cold to photograph my delicate model outdoors, we opted for the loungeroom...
 
 

Project details:
Pattern - Happy Homemade Vol. 2, View R, Size 4.
Fabric - Brushed cotton blue stripe.
Cost - $14 per metre - only used just over a metre.  Buttons are vintage from my stash.
Time taken - Exactly one hour of sewing time.  Having finished the green spotty dress yesterday, this one was a lot quicker as the patterns are similar.

Dresses

kcwc: Day three - Green spotted dress

October 10, 2012

 
I enjoyed making this little green dress for Juliette for day three of the kids clothes week challenge. 

 
I used size 2 although I think it is quite a large size 2.  Juliette is almost 2 and half.  I also took about 10 cm off the hemline and the dress is still quite long. It might still fit her next spring which would be a bonus.
 
 
 
Project details:
Pattern - Happy Homemade Kids Vol. 2 (By Ruriko Yamada), View b, size 2
Fabric - 'Spots and stripes' in bright green with watermelon spot
Cost - Fabric was $10 per metre, I only needed about 80cm although pattern called for 1.25 metres - not sure why! So cost was $8.00.  Buttons from stash
Time taken - Approx. 1.5 hours of sewing time
 
I have to sneak this photo in!!
 
 
Linking up here today.
 

Baby

kcwc: Day two - Two little bibs

October 09, 2012


I'll be posting on projects the day after I sew them as I do most of my sewing at night so they will be photographed the following day.

On my first day of the kids clothes week challenge I made these two bibs for Emily.   I love a project that decreases (ever so slightly) the size of my scrap box.  I have had the main pieces of fabric for these bibs in my stash for about four years.  They were both not wide enough for a real garment but could be used here.  I traced the bibs from one of Emily's that I always reach for because of its good shape and closeness to her neckline (so no food slops on her collar!).  The one on the left is backed with polar fleece and the one on the right with jersey.  I like something soft on the underside to mop up any mess on little baby faces!  I made the binding myself which added some time to putting these together.

 
Emily is pretty happy about her new bib and it is now in the wash!
 
Project details:
Pattern - traced from own bib
Fabric - all from stash
Cost - I didn't outlay any cash for these babies but they probably cost around $2 per bib
Time taken - about an hour and a quarter for both bibs (applying the bias was fiddly!)
 
A sneak peek at my next project....
 
 
A dress for Juliette which I will hopefully have pressed and photographed for tomorrow's post!
 

kcwc

kcwc...I'm in

October 06, 2012

I check out elsie marley's blog every now and then and was having a look the other day and realised that I might be able to join in on one of her biannual sewing challenges: sewing for children for one hour a day for seven days.  kcwc, or kids clothes week challenge has run for a couple of years apparantly and sounds like a cool way to get inspired by and share with others.  I pondered over whether I might be able to manage the commitment with three little girls plus a 500 + page book (The Book Thief) to read for my book group in under a fortnight.  Anyway, I decided to give it a go! I'm excited.

I jotted down some ideas and have come up with the following plan:
  • Pattern tracing and cutting and fabric cutting (1 hourish - a new word)
  • 2 bibs with home made bias for Emily (I hourish)
  • 1 short sleeved night ie for Emily (1 hour)
  • 1 cotton dress for Juliette (1 hour)
  • 1 cotton dress for Isabella (1.5 hours)
  • 1 three quarter length stretch top for Isabella (1 hour) 
I have my patterns chosen but not traced and cut.  The seven hours is to encompass all elements of putting the clothes together (aside from fabric shopping).  I wonder how accurate my time estimations will be.

I am most excited about making this dress for Issie...

 
Which comes from this gorgeous book...
 
 
I love Japanese pattern books, and the bonus with this one is that it is translated into English!
 
If you are keen to join in the challenge, just click on the kcwc link above or on my buttons bar on the right for details.  It starts this Monday:)

Bolero

A little bolero

October 04, 2012

 
I have had this little bolero on the go for Emily for a while now and finally finished it yesterday.  I thought it would be a good 'in between' cardigan for days where a heavy knit are too much.  It was quick to knit up and I enjoyed crocheting the little picot edging to finish it off.  The pattern didn't call for a button, but I decided to put one on.  I just made one of the picot loops bigger to fit the button through.
 
 
Here is Emily lounging with her friend 'Claudia Cloud' that a friend from home made for her.

 
Emily is seven months today and is sporting two cute little bunny teeth on the bottom.  She is an absolute delight and loves to be amazed by the goings on of her two older sisters.

Project details:
Wool:  4 ply Bambino Merino wool in cream and baby blue
Pattern:  Baby Bolero, Style D from Cleckheaton Book Number 951 (a gorgeous book with lots of great patterns)
Size: 6 months

More creative spaces here.