Surfing Space Robot Cargo Pants

My mother in law know I like nothing better than new toys to play with. Last year for Christmas she sent me a box of notions which was awesome. Just basics, like every colour of thread in the rainbow and new pins, but its so nice to have these things on hand.

To celebrate the halfway mark in this pregnancy she sent me two books of kids sewing-
Cute Clothes for Kids by Rob Merritt

and

Sew Baby by Choly Knight

I'll eventually do a bit of a review of each of those, but for now I have the first project from CCFK. Its just a pair of pants, admittedly, but the styling in the book shows so many detailing ideas that take it a little beyond the usual. I traced one of the pocket shapes. Its just a patch pocket, but the extra flap (purely decorative) on the front just adds a little extra. And since I'm banned from ruffles (boo-hiss) I used bias tape to add the stripe and the tab under the pocket.

The waist is easily adjustable, using buttonhole elastic, and the hems are loosely tacked up, as until babys is here I have no faith in my sizing! I debated the button hole, well- mainly the button, but I figure I'll have the pants on a setting that just keeps them on, so the button wont be pressing in too much. Its not like baby will be doing much! In pants that take less time I've just been leaving a gap so I can get in and adjust the elastic if necessary, but I'm not sure if this will fall into the too-hard basket and they just wont get used... which would be a shame because we all know how much I love this fabric!

To put the buttonhole elastic in I simply sew 2 buttonholes slightly larger than the elastic, one on each side of the centre back, in the main portion of the facing. I then sew the casing closed all the way around, sew a flat button at centre back then feed the elastic through. 

So hopefully I'll get some wear out of my efforts. 

Target have a sale on at the moment, so I've been stocking up on plain singlets to go with all the funky patterned bottoms I seem to be making!

Sew Grateful Freebie - Pin-Up Apron

Do you remember the hot apron I made?
Well, I immortalised the pattern and here it is for you to make your own!

You can download the pattern from here

It goes together pretty easily. I didn't take photos while I was making it, but I'll go through the steps.
A little boring maybe, but it should come together quite easily. The only weird thing is the pattern lay out- there are three portrait pages (match the numbers), and one horizontal which fits underneath (match the letters)

1. Cut out fabric- You'll need one front piece, one back piece, two for the main waist band (these can be the same as the rest or contrasting, and you can chose the sweet heart shape or just straight), and four rectangles 7.5cm x width of your fabric (for easy tying). These can be as long or short as you want really, as long as you can tie them!
2. Interface the waistband pieces. 
3. Sew one waist band piece to each front and back piece. Hmmm. Probably have put some notches on. The base of the wasitband goes along the shortest curve of the main apron! You might find it easiest to not pin this, and instead sew slowly and keep adjusting the fabric so that the straight waistband sits nicely against the curved apron top.
4. Put the font and back pieces right-side together and sew across the top (carefully following the sweetheart shape, and around the main apron panel  leaving the sides of the waist band open to allow turning out and insertion of waist ties.
   If you're adding trim, this is when you should add it! I find it easiest to baste the trim onto the edge of the right side of the back panel  so that the edge you want sticking out is on the inner most edge (i.e. not sticking out yet). Then place the front panel on top, right sides together- you shouldn't be able to see any trim!
5. Clip the seam allowance and then turn out through one side of the waist band. Ease any curves out by rolling with your fingers and then pressing. You might need to use a blunt pencil, small crochet hook/point turner to make the most of the sweat heart waist band.
6. Sew up ties- place two long thin rectangles rightside together, and sew along 3 sides. You can shape the end of the ties if you wish, I do! Then clip the corners, turn out and press.
7. Fold under the seam allowance on the waistband, insert the raw end of one tie in each side and sew in place. There should be no raw edges visible, they should all be inside the apron.
8. Top stitch along waistband and out along ties. 

I hope that makes sense! Let me know if you have any issues, and I'd love to see your finished aprons!

If you enter the giveaway you could have your very own Firemen! Go now, you know you want to! The pattern will still be here but the giveaway closes on sunday!

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

No... its another sorbetto! Honest.
Though when does a pattern get so far removed from its original that its just its own pattern?
I made this a couple of weekends ago but havn't got around to wearing it. We're having some really cold weather here in Perth (less than two degrees in the mornings!) but I decided this top goes nicely with the cream jacked lilac scarf, so I'd finally give it a go.

I've had this fabric in for about a year... its really soft and drapey, and I love the colours and pattern. I got it in the sale at Spotlight for about $4 per m, which is awesome considering how nice it feels and how epic-ly wide the bolt is. It was earmarked for a dress, but since I'm aiming to sew more things I will wear I decided to make a top for now. There is plenty left for a dress when I finally get around to it!

I love the way the print works, just about catching the blue stripe again just off the shoulders.

So... how did I change it?

• The usual addition of a couple of inches to the length and bust darts that are more like the size 18 on the pattern.

• No centre pleat (just fold that portion off the pattern when you lay out)

• I faced the neckline with hidden bias tape for the first time. I think I stretched it while I was adding it, but I like the way it turned out.

• I made the back slightly longer than the front.

• I added kimono sleeves. Now, this picture looks really dodgy, but its basically what I did! I just eyed them in, and after cutting out the front I realised that there was no way the sleeve would fit if I cut the back out the same, so the back sleeves are an odd shape to add in some extra material. You can't see, because I matched the prints up, but if you look close from above the shoulder seams don't go straight across the top.

All the internal seams are french, as this fabric frays really well. So well that I managed to trap lots of frayed material into my french seams, so spent a while after it was done snipping visible threads from the outside...

The hems are done with my narrow hem foot.

Heres the back, and also my office!:

Yes, I know its a mess. 

I'm a student...

And since you made it so far, heres another taste of "practical fashion"

Riding my bike to uni at 6am, in the dark, on the coldest and shortest day of the year:

It worked! My ears and nose and neck stayed toasty warm :)

Itty bitty baby dress

Some non selfish sewing for once!

Some friends of ours just had a little girl after a difficult pregnancy. It gave me the perfect excuse to make some tiny baby clothes to ooh and ahh over. There are so many baby projects out there, and with no babies on the cards for a few years yet, making gifts is a good way to quieten the biological clock for a while!

They're also goof for trying out techniques on small scales and using up ends of material, and they take no time to sew so they're a good quick fix!

These are probably totally impractical, but its always good to have some pretty dresses, right?

And at least they aren't pink and frilly! My aim was to make baby clothes without the baby feel, as I don't think the parents are into that kind of thing. They are all based on the FREE itty bitty baby dress pattern at made-by-rae.

The first dress is fully reversible...
White bodice with a box pleated blue and orange skirt on one side.

And this lovely brown and brights elephant print on the other.

The other baby dresses

Making the pattern reversible

To make it totally reversible, I followed the instructions given by Rae which makes a lined bodice.

I tried to chose fabrics that would work together as you will see some of both bodice fabrics on the ties.

When I was ready to sew the skirts on, I pinned one to the outside and one to the inside of the bodice, making sure that you have the fabric you want on the right side, and facing the right way.

 (I'll admit I got a phone call from the hubby while pinning this together and when I had sewn and turned it out, the orange was inside out... easy to do!)

Then sew through all four layers (skirt 1, two sides of bodice, skirt 2).

When you turn it out, the dresses fold down over the seam. 

Fold under a little of each skirt, and sew together to hem both sides at once and close up the skirt.

Try and use a thread colour which either contrasts or matches with both fabrics.

Mini Pudding bites in 5 easy steps!

These are another festive favourite of mine, and so easy!

Mini Chocolate puddings

100g dark chocolate

400g fruit cake 

1/3 Cup Orange juice (mixed with your favourite tipple if you want)

50g or so white chocolate, for coating

Red and green decorations 

Dark fruit cake is probably more festive but it is very rich, especially in our climate! So this year I used a light fruit cake and it seems good so far.

1.   Melt the dark chocolate and crumble the cake into it. Pour the juice over and mix well.

2.   Chill until firm.

3.   Roll into small balls. These are probably about an inch in diameter.

4.   Melt the white chocolate, and either dip the top of each ball in, or pipe in a "custard" pattern,  for stereotypical Christmas puds.

5.   Top with something festive! These are red and green jelly beans cut in half, or you could use sprinkles, or glace cherries and mint leaves. What ever works!

Christmas Gingerbread

I make gingerbread every year for Christmas, often as gifts to hang on the tree.

The last few years I've made a big batch of christmassy shaped biscuits to take into work and share around, especially as I'm work through the holidays.

I use the following recipe:

• 
  
• 125g butter, at room temperature
• 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
• 2 egg yolks
• 375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour
• 1 tbs ground ginger
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Depending on my audience I add double the ginger (I love ginger!) and this year I added some chopped "naked ginger" for an extra layer of flavour.

Cream the butter and sugar, add the yolks and golden syrup and beat some more, then add the dry ingredients. It doesn't feel like it will make a dough, and the dough ends up quite brittle, but after 30 minutes rest in the fridge it should be right to go.

Make a hole in the top of your shapes for ribbon if thats your plan. These were just for eating :)

I cut out snowflakes, stars, doves, angels, christmas trees and bells.

Bake at about 180oC for about 10 minutes,until they're are still soft but slightly browned.

Turn out onto a rack to cool, and they'll harden up but still have some give to them.

Cook for longer if you like them with bite!

I love the combination of ginger and white chocolate, so I coat most of them in melted good quallity white chocolate, leaving some bare for those who don't like it. I love the look of the draped chocolate as you pull them out of the gooey molten white chocolate.

Try not to eat them all until you've given them out as gifts!

Welcome to Christmas!

The house is all decorated and more or less ready for Christmas!

I'd seen lots of felt wreaths on Pintrest and loved their look, like these:

(click for links)

I spent many hours cutting out a couple of hundred circles from felt to match our colours.

You need patience! Luckily the circles don't have to be too perfect, and you fold them into quarters and pin them into a Styrofoam wreath base. I made this with thin acrylic felt, as it was all I could easily get my hands on. I think it would be more luxurious made of good quality felt, but I still love it!

Shame about the door colour! Hopefully it will change over the course of the next year.

Do you have a wreath on the door?
Whats it like?!

Festive Lamp Tutorial

December 1st... first day of summer :)

I started decorating the house last night. I'm excited!

And I wanted to share with you what I did to festive up an old lamp shade.

Simple lamp Hack

We bought this lamp from IKEA years ago, but it doesn't really have a permanent home in our new house. Its unexciting, but served its purpose. 

As its going to be pushing 40oC this weekend, I thought that using snow crystals in our decorating might keep us in a cool state of mind, if not body!

First step is to cut out some snowflakes!

Be creative or use a template.

I printed this one out in a couple of sizes, so the flakes looked consistent.

Print it as pale as your printer will allow, as you can see the black lines through mine!

Once you have a few (I used two big and 4 small), stick them to the inside of the lamp shade.

I watered down some craft glue, as I'm not too fussed about being able to remove them again.

You could use the reposition-able spray glue if this is an issue.

Leave to dry and turn on!

The snowflakes are revealed. 

Today is a balmy 33oC and lovely (though there appears to be a few more clouds in the sky). Glorious day for a swim, and I knocked out 2km! Think thats the first time since I was in swim squad as a kid! Looks like my broken arm is recovering nicely!

Button Snowflake tutorial

It's been a busy two weeks! More onthose soon, but more importantly it's less than a month til Christmas! If you're as excited as I am you'll love this:

How cute is this button snowflake?!

Click on it for the tutorial!

More when I'm not posting from my phone...

Christmas Cushion Tutorial

A basic envelope cushion tutorial.

So, some background. This will be our 5th Christmas down under, and I think I'm finally getting used to it not being winter! Just. But because its not cold and cosy, Christmas decorations that are warm and cosy don't really work, so we're learning about new ways to decorate that reflect the different style of Christmas.

This is also our first Christmas in the new house, which is quite exciting!

Our decorations have been a rich mix of red and purple so far, but this year we've decided to go for a fresh new look, in blue, with pink and purple.

I'd been eyeing up all the pretty Christmas fabrics in store, and while most of them were red and silver and green and generally didn't fit in with our plans, I kept seeing this very cute blue bird fabric, and when it had 20% off, I decided to get a metre and think of something to do with it! I figured it would lend itself well to some seasonal throw cushion covers, to add a subtle Christmas hint to our sofa.

Make your own!
You will need cushion insert, fabric, and optionally also a button, sewing machine with buttonhole foot, plus thread and pins etc.

1

Cut fabric to fit. My inserts were 50cm, and my fabric was 1m by 112cm wide, so I cut it in half, to make two strips 50x112cm. Longer would be better, or smaller inserts, but thats what I had, so thats what I worked with!

2

Hem (at least one) one short edge. These will become the opening for the insert. I didn't have much length to play with so I kept it to just one, as the other won't be seen.

3

Fold and pin. You want to end up with a square roughly the same size as your insert. Fold so the right sides are facing with the hemmed edge on the inner layer if you only did one. My flaps were roughly 40cm and 20cm in from either edge:

4

Pin and sew the edges closed. Sew straight across the top, making sure you capture both layers of flap. Its a good idea to re-enforce the opening by re-sewing the segments where the flaps meet.

5

Turn the right way around and in theory you're done!

But at this point mine looked like this, because I didn't really have enough length for the plumpness of my insert:

So I decided to keep it a bit more contained with a button.

6

Decide which button you want to use and mark it onto the material with tailors chalk.

7

Attach your buttonhole foot, and measure the length of hole you need to make. Set the foot onto your material so that the front is just beyond where you want the button to sit. Sew across the top, sides and base.

8
Pit a pin at one end of the button-hole to be, then use a stitch ripper to open up the hole. The pin stops you from going to far.

9

Sew on button. Make sure it actually fits first though!

10
Done!

Much better!

the making of Flag Poi

One of the things I'm getting into at the moment is Poi Spinning.
I love the dancing side, and saw this amazing video and was inspired to make my own:


So a quick trip to the fabric shop and here we go:

1) Cut fabric triangles:

2) Sew up edges.

3) Pull chain through all thr way down leading edge and some way across the base, leaving some "flap" but making it hard for it to coil up. I used a safety pin to pull it through.

4) Sew chain on so doesn't slip while spinning.

5)Spin!