Sewing Adventures - Pink Sleep Shorts

 It took me a concerted effort to conjure up the motivation for this next project. Last month I managed to get myself to my local Spotlight store to buy the elastic I needed. An error was made at the cutting table, I thought I asked for 1 meter plus 5 cm, but apparently I asked for 1.5m so I now have 45 cm of expensive elastic I have no use for. The error discouraged me, so I left making the shorts undone for another month. It was disheartening that I had made an error. Maybe I was too tired, and I really didn't want to screw up the cutting of the material if I went ahead to make the shorts. Sewing is not like crochet, where if you make a mistake you just unravel the yarn and you have the material unphased to use again. When you cut material there is no going back!

It reminds me of why I don't like to cook. Just a few weeks ago I felt confident enough to cook a dish I used to make a lot, sausages in tomato with zucchini and onion. But the sausages were over cooked and the onions were under cooked. I was so sure I had cooked them long enough, but that wasn't the case. The onions were so bad, I threw the left overs into the compost, and that's saying a lot because I always prefer to eat left overs and not waste them! Not wasting food is one of the simplest things we can do, for the environment as well as for the household budget.  David usually does the cooking in our house, because he is so damn good at it, my guess his success rate is well over 90%, when the chance of success when I cook is considerably lower. The fear of failure is real, and it can be crippling, so much so that stuff doesn't get done, or like the cooking, it gets passed onto my husband.

I have a lot of material in my stash. I don't know what I was thinking to buy so much. Well I do, it happened when I first became unemployed. I fancied with all this new time I would get into crafting, and I did with crochet, but not so much with sewing. I just haven't had as much success with it, and I really worry about making mistakes with the cutting. As it was with these pink sleep shorts, I made them very big, because when I cut them I was very careful not to make a mistake, and too big is better than too small! I have needed some more sleep shorts for the summer, but when I looked into buying something I just couldn't decide because I didn't really like what I could find. So I made these, and I am triumphant! Another task completed when trying to fight a low mood! Huzzah!

homemade sleep shorts

Outfits for a pair of dolls

With the joy of owning a new sewing machine, comes the urge to make useless things like dolly clothes! I made a top and skirt outfit twice in different material. The top has two darts in it, it fairly simple to do. I like how these turned out, although the seams are a little rough. I don't know how doll clothes makers can make such tiny seams look so neat! These are a bit rough at the back too, but I just used tiny pieces of iron on Velcro, so the clothes stay on well enough. I don't know why I'm making these clothes, they aren't good enough to give away! Maybe if I make some more I will get better at it!

outfits for a pair of Barbie dolls

Doll's Floral Skirt

Isn't this skirt cute? This is the 3rd thing I've made with my new sewing machine, and I'm rather pleased with how it turned out. I like how the pleats worked out. Its a little rough at the back, but its ok! I wish I had someone to make doll's clothes for, then I would know what to make. But my son isn't really interested in Barbie! I will just have to make whatever takes my fancy!

a cute floral skirt for a doll

Doll's Red Floral Dress

This is the second thing I've made with my new sewing machine, after the Kaftan I posted about yesterday. I was inspired by a post I found on sewing doll's clothes. It was a bit tricky to make, and I was rather pleased how it came together. I used iron on Velcro to fasten the back. But now it is on it doesn't look like much. Maybe a red bow about the middle will make it look better?

Red Floral Strapless Dress for a doll

Doll's Palm Tree Kaftan

The first thing I made with my new sewing machine is this Palm Tree Kaftan for a doll. It just basically 2 squares with some edging. I cut the material just so the palm trees would be on the front. I think this is a piece of material my mother gave me, amongst many pieces she has given me. I've rediscovered just how much material I have in my stash and wonder how I will ever use it all! This kaftan doesn't take up much at all!

this Palm Tree Kaftan is perfect for a summer outfit!

My New Sewing Machine

I mentioned the other day how I suddenly have felt like making doll's clothes. Well when I went to start at the sewing machine, I found that my old Husqvarna had died! It is a 40 year old machine and maybe it needs servicing, but it is very old and very heavy, so I decided it was time to buy a new machine! I bought a Singer 3210 for $99 from Spotlight. Its just a simple machine and all I need for my purposes. I've already made some doll's clothes which I will post about soon, but so far so good! I just wish my eyes were better so I could thread the needle more easily!

a Singer Simple 3210 sewing machine

Yellow Toy Sack

Inspired by my old machine coming out of the cupboard, I made this yellow toy sack for my son. Its just a sack with a drawstring. I made it up quickly, trimming the inside seam with my pinking shears which I thought were blunt but were pleased to find they still work on light material like this. For the drawstring, I used a recycled tie from my collection of ties and laces. When I gave it to him, Tom immediately filled it up with toys from his kitchen collection. He loves it!

this toy sack was quick and easy to make

A Small Icepack for Tom

During the holidays, my husband and I finally tackled the spare room and cleared it out, making a car load of donations to the local Salvation store of mostly Tom's baby clothes and some toys. I could finally get into my sewing materials again and took the opportunity to make up a small ice-pack for Tom. Its just a small pillow filled with rice. As a little kid, he is always bumping himself and complains quite a lot when it hurts! He prefers to have an ice pack on his sore, rather than a band-aid, so it will be handy to have another smaller one on hand for him to use. I was pleasantly surprised to find my old sewing machine still works, and I still remember how to get it to run! Its such a great machine! I still love it, I will have to think up some new projects to make with it now its out of the cupboard!

a small rice-filled pillow to use as an ice pack

Toddler's Comfort Pillow with Slip

I've been meaning to do this project for a while, I'm hoping it will help Thomas with his sleeping. But finding an opportunity to drag out the sewing machine when one's major task is to care for said toddler is not an easy task!

toddler comfort pillowslip with bubble minky fleece and flannel for a nice soft texture

I bought the material weeks ago, but only got to make it last Tuesday when Thomas was having a fun day at the day care centre, which we call "Playcare" or "Playschool"! First I made the cover for the actual pillow using a scrap of bright material my friend Hazel gave to me, which was perfect for the job.

a bright cotton sea-theme fabric was perfect for the cushion

When it came to the slip, I realised the stretchy material of the green bubble fleece would not be easy to sew, I had to plan how it would fit with the flannel so it wouldn't stretch. I made up the slip, but it turned out wonky. Oh well, it will still do the job! I made sure the cushion was going to fit inside the slip before stuffing it with chunks of old pillow, then I sealed it up.

In the end, the slip measures 22 x 11 inches, or 56 cm x 28.5 cm (thanks to grandma's tape measure!). I had a pillow a similar size and shape when I was small. I remember I was so attached to it, it was very hard for me to let it go. I hope this pillow will bring comfort to my son as he grows a little bigger and learns to sleep better. And hopefully not for too much longer in our big bed with his mummy and daddy!

Ronda's homemade flower brooch

This just arrived in the mail, a special handmade gift from Ronda, an old friend of my mother's!

Ronda saw a photo of the first tea cosy I ever made on facebook and asked me to make her one, so I made her one and posted it to her. My second go at a tea cosy was a bit fancier, it was a reversible two way tea cosy with a Lady Grey side, and a Ladybird side. Ronda liked it so much she sent me a present back, which included her home made flower brooch!

How sweet, now I just have to find a special place to put it. I'm thinking my favourite sun hat could do with an embellishment like this!

Homemade Quilt for Thomas

On the weekend, we got a visit from Nanna and Poppy (David's dad Brian and his wife Freya) and they came with many gifts, including this special handmade quilt for Thomas!

How very special this quilt is, including a lively print of playing frogs and a print of blue hearts. I'm sure this quilt will get some use, probably in the cot as it's a bigger size than a bunny rug. Freya is very good at making lovely quilts. I think they would be too tricky for me to try, whenever I cut material it always comes out wonky. And once you cut it you can't save the material. That's why I like to crochet, any mistakes I make I can just undo and retry. I guess everyone gravitates towards the crafts that suite them the most.

Besides the quilt, Nanna and Poppy also brought a lot of fresh produce from Stanthorpe, including these tomatoes and zucchinis home grown in their very own garden. We've already eaten some in the few days since their visit, but I'm a bit worried that some might waste there is so much! They also gave us several jars of home-made pickles, again using fresh veggies from their garden. It must be so satisfying to eat from your own garden. I know it is and our own garden only has herbs and a lime tree!

They also brought this lovely posey of roses from their garden, now my kitchen smells like roses again! It's a pity they live so far away, it's a long three hour drive one way. Hopefully we'll see nanna and poppy again before too long.

February 2011

It's hard to believe I haven't posted anything for the whole month of February yet, so I better do it now while I have the chance!

It's been wonderful finally having Thomas at home, and David home from work too, so we can play happy families. Thomas has been doing very well, drinking his milk and putting on weight, what a good baby! But David had to go to work today, and I'm now on my own with the baby. He's still sleeping so I've got a chance to post up a couple of photos of things I made that I haven't posted yet.

We bought the bassinet when Tom was in hospital, it was lucky we had a chance to get some things, we also got his cot for when he grows. But the bassinet only came with a frilly quilt not a sheet, and the SIDS guidelines say to remove all the frilly unnecessary stuff. So I made a fitted sheet of my own. I did it very roughly, just hacked at a piece of printed cotton and sewed up the corners. Then I made a pocket around the inside edge, it was very rough with all 4 corners left open. Then I thread some elastic through the pocket with a safety pin. I even forgot I left the safety pin in the pocket and only took it out last night, sewing the two ends of elastic by hand. I was reluctant to use up any more material to make another sheet because Thomas won't be using the bassinet for long. Luckily my mum bought us a couple more.

I made this little white baby beanie when we were 'rooming in' with Thomas in the hospital. I must say the whole experience was very strange. They had us on an overflow ward, and there weren't many people there so they didn't pop in very much. They must have thought we were doing so well they just sent us home early. We were supposed to stay for two nights but only stayed for one. They couldn't find us a single room on the other floor where all the nurses were, and I think they realised it was useless to have me there without David. So far he has been doing all the midnight feeds, and we're not sure how that will work when he is back at work. We were very lucky last night, baby Tom went 7 hours between feeds, so we were able to get some sleep. I think that's pretty good for an 11 week old baby!

Well, thanks for the chat! It's been nice to pop in for a while to make a post. Baby Tom is stirring now and it's time for a feed, so I must go!

EDIT: I just have to add that about an hour after posting this, Thomas had been fed and was happily having some tummy time on a bunny rug on the lounge room floor. For the first time, he rolled over! He gave himself a real fright, bursting out crying. How cute and sweet that he should have a milestone today. I had to ring daddy straight away to tell him the good news so he doesn't miss out on too much.

Two Homemade Baby Wraps

These two wraps are about a metre square each and have a cotton print side and a flannelette backing. Hopefully these will come in handy very soon!

All these fabrics I bought from Lincraft and are about a metre square each. David and I just couldn't go past the cute purple sheep flannelette! Most of these fabrics I didn't buy on special, so now I'm wondering if it's worth making myself, or if it would actually be cheaper to buy pre-made wraps from the shops. That's why I've only made two like this, so I can wait and see if I actually use them.

Thomas is still a few weeks away from coming home, so we'll be able to see then. David are I are so very excited about how well Tom is growing and putting on weight, we just can't wait until he finally comes home. I hope we will be ready for him in time!

Pink Doilies my great-grandmother made

These are a pair of embroidered doilies my great-grandmother made which are edged with pink crochet. This is my post for this week's Pink Saturday hosted by Beverly @ How Sweet The Sound.

I remember these from my childhood. My great-grandmother was so very talented with this, there are many samples of her work in our family, these are the few I have in my possession. My great-grandmother (my mother's mother's mother Margaret) embroidered these, as well as the crochet edges. These two are starting to show signs of age, and I know they look like they are in need of an iron, but I dare not touch them!

Here is another doily, this one my grandmother Beverly embroidered. That is my mother's mother. The fine embroidery is so lovely, I hope one day to improve my skill with this, but I don't think I will get it this good.
I hope you enjoyed seeing these two samples of our very special family treasures made by my great-grandmother, and my grandmother.
<3 <3 <3

Be sure to check out other pretty pinks @ Pink Saturday!

Barbie's White Kaftan and Sunhat

Barbie with white kaftan and sun hat

Oh, isn't she gorgeous? This is the current base Barbie brunette model, only $9.95 from K-mart although other places ask for more. I think her flat feet are gorgeous, but of course getting shoes for her is hard so I made my own! Today I am tagging along with White Wednesday.

When my sister visited me last week with her beautiful 3 year old daughter, I had this doll ready to give in case my niece  liked it, which she did! As new, the doll only comes with a bikini, so I had to make a kaftan as David suggested! And because she is going to Darwin to live, she needs clothes for the tropics! Everyone going to Darwin absolutely must have a hat, so I made her a cute white hat to match the kaftan! The day after my niece left with this doll and the white outfit, I made another hat with white wool, this time with a wider brim.

I also made the cute pink scuffs which were very easy to make with a tiny bit of vinyl plastic and fine crochet cotton. As well as this special outfit, I gave my niece some of my other Barbie clothes, like a blue dress and a rainbow top which I don't have a foto of. So now I have an excuse to make more Barbie clothes!
Hurrah!!

Sunhat, using 2.5mm hook and medium yarn.
Top of Hat
1. small beginning chain then 12 trebles, sl st
2. ch 2, 2 trebles in ea treble, sl st
3. ch 1, (1 x double, 2 x double) to end (optional for a bigger hat, omit for a tighter hat)
Sides of Hat
4. ch 2, 2 trebles in same sp, sk 5 trebles (skip 3 two times then 4 in smaller hat), (3 trebles 1 ch 3 trebles in 6th treble) to end, 3 trebles in same sp as 1st ch 2, ch 1, sl st
5. (repeat row 4 which has 6 pairs of shells) ch 2, 2 trebles in same sp, (3 trebles 1 ch 3 trebles in next chain 1 sp) to end, 3 trebles in same sp as 1st ch, ch 1 sl st
Brim of Hat
6. ch 2, 4 trebles in same sp (9 trebles in next ch 1 sp) to end, 4 trebles in same sp as 1st ch 2, sl st (6 x 9 trebles)
7. ch 2, 2 trebles in same sp (1 treble in ea of next 4 trebles, sk 1 treble, 1 treble in ea of next 3 trebles, 3 trebles in next treble) sl st
8. for optional wide brim hat, 1 treble in every treble, except 3 treble in the 5th treble (middle)

Kaftan
To make the kaftan I merely cut a very simple piece out of very fine material and handstitched it. I did not double over my thread like I normally do to reduce the bulk, I also only fold the edges once instead of twice for the same reason. Although its a very simple pattern, it took me all morning to hand-stitch. But it was good to work out how to do, if I do it again it will be quicker and also, better!

Here is an image of our farewell party for the new Barbie that went to Darwin with my niece! For future reference she is Barbie in "A Mermaid Tale", also otherwise known as a Beach Barbie. In the picture you can see a baby doll, which I will be making an outfit for in a future post!

<3

Be sure to check out other beautiful whites @ Faded Charm, which is host to the White Wednesday blog party.

My selected highlights from this weeks party

• lots of cute white baby shoes @ juNxtaposition


• a beautiful smocked baby dress @ The Old Fashioned Baby Sewing Room


• gorgeous images of a white peacock and love-heart birdcage @ Life is What You Make Of It


• a pretty idea for a crochet summer top @ Olga's Home & Garden

David's Red and Blue Dragons

David just loves dragons! When I asked him why, he replied because they are strong and intelligent, and also because they are both beautiful and terrifying! Here I will showcase David's collection of Dragons. I couldn't decide if this collection is more red than blue, so I've decided it is equally both, which is why I've linked this post with two parties, Blue Monday and Ruby Tuesday. If you'd like to know more about Teena, be sure to check out his cooking blog.

This red dragon ornament was given to David by his sister. It lives beside my Chinese Tea Set which my mother gave me, and is decorated with blue Chinese dragons. Its considered good luck to face dragons toward doors to scare away any bad luck or negativity before it enters the house, as the red and blue dragons are doing here.

David's favourite t-shirt is worse for wear, it's his favourite colour blue with a dragon on the front! I wonder what the Chinese writing means?

The other weekend when we went to the Rocklea markets on Sunday and picked up some cute trinket boxes, we also grabbed this red dragon box. I don't know what's going to go inside it, but David just had to have it!

Besides the red dragon box sits his collection of dragon books - the Eragon trilogy. I haven't read it yet, maybe I will one day! We also own a copy of the Eragon DVD and are still eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel movies. This is a very special movie for us, it was the very first movie we saw together on our very first date on Boxing Day 2007! Awwww, isn't that romantic?!

Last Valentine's Day I made a gift using some cut out dragons. Should I tell you where these dragons came from? He had a couple of boxer shorts with dragons on them that were falling apart but he couldn't bring himself to throw them away, so I had to recycle the dragon print didn't I? LOL! I cut them up and made them into a bedside organiser! Hanging off the hooks are two dragon key rings he has been given, the one on the right I gave him a while ago now.

Another special dragon David owns is this red-winged dragon candle. I don't think we will ever burn it, its just too special!

I bought this dragon pendant in 2008 and he loved it, wearing it all the time until he woke up one morning with it bent out of shape! So now it is a little memento.

Finally, below is a picture of a delicately etched glass dragon. I bought this for David from a shop in Toombul when we lived on the Northside of Brisbane in 2007.

I hope you liked looking at pictures of David's red and blue dragons!

David has started his own cooking blog and is calling it "Teena's Home Cooking". If you like cooking, be sure to check it out!

<3

<3

<3

My selected highlights from this week's Blue Monday party

• a fun and inspiring blog @ Homemaking in High Heels


• more wonderful poetry as usual @ Rinkly Rhymes


• find out about Blue Hour in your city @ Boogieboard Cottage


• beautiful pictures of my favourite blue flowers @ How Sweet the Sound AND Home, Garden and Adventure

My selected highlights from this week's Ruby Tuesday party

• wonderful shots of garden flowers and birds, including hummingbirds @ Viewing Nature with Eileen


• amazing photography @ The Hidden Realm


• Taoist Temple photos and traditional ceremonies @ Everyday As It Comes


• traditional Ukrainian village house museum @ The island of the chanting Munchkin

Scented Bean Bags

I'd already decided to make these to use up a bunch of dried basil flowers, and cut up the squares last Thursday afternoon. This project turned out to be a way for me to practice my embroidery, and I'm pleased with how that's coming along.

Scented Bean ags numbered sides

On Friday morning I was looking through the Transformation Thursday's party link and found number beanbags at Lemon Tree Creations. I'd already planned my bags, so the ones at Lemon Tree are slightly different, but it's still good to see how they do theirs.

After I sewed the bags on my trusty Husqvarna 2000, I stuffed each one with three tablespoons of old lentils and dried basil flowers. I put 15 tablespoons of lentils and a big heap of basil flowers into a bowl, and then a spoon of lavender oil, so these bags smell lovely. A little aroma therapy there for the kiddies!

reverse sides of the scented bean bags

I planned to do my stitches in thick contrasting coloured cotton. When I went to embroider the "D" on a hanky for David, I had a vague memory of my mum teaching me a chain stitch and tried to replicate it but had a lot of trouble. So for this project I did some research and looked up images of basic embroidery stitches and found a very helpful page at Tipnut. The chain stitch in particular came back to me easily. I also found some youtube videos on how to make a lazy daisy and a french knot.

For this project I used the following embroidery stitches
running stitch
blanket stitch
cross stitch
chain stitch
lazy daisies
french knots

I Love my Husqvarna

Yes, it is true. I am having a hot and steamy secret love affair - with my sewing machine!

Of course, this does not mean I love David any less, how could I? "He da man!" (pretty much, pretty much). And there is no law written that a happily married woman must not love her trusted sewing machine dearly.

What an absolute treasure my old sewing machine is, and oh so lovely. A much-loved well-worn relic, it always works like a smooth charm whenever I feel brave enough to venture near it. I'm not sure why I don't use it more often, this wonderful refined beast intimidates me with its perfectness. It simply purrs as it glides the seams all my itself, all I have to do is turn it on! But so patiently it waits for me, never pesters me for attention. Just is always there for me when I need it.


And just like a good friend, if I'm making a mistake sewing something the wrong way around, it Knows it isn't the sewing machines fault. So it says nothing, and just keeps sewing, trusting I will see my own error sooner or later. My sewing machine ain't gonna tell me I'm wrong and remains silent. I've known people like that!

This machine came to me second hand by a friend of my mother who I believe didn't use it much, and I didn't realise straight away just how precious this thing truly is.  It's had two services so far, one in Darwin and one in Brisbane, I should try and find someone I trust here on the south side to do it, but I'm a bit nervous about that! We all know how I have 'trust issues'! How I would be lost without my Husqvarna, no other could possibly replace it.


Oh, I love my sewing machine!
/smiffle!

A trip to the Library and Lincraft

Every Wednesday I plan to post on my blog about venturing outside, sometimes tagging along with Outdoor Wednesday. Today I'd like to include some pictures of a particularly spectacular snowflake bush which is currently flowering and welcomes you as you drive into our apartment's complex.

When I turned up for my Monday morning 'meeting' I was unhappy to report that I had not managed to leave the house for the week, having found an excuse not to visit my family on Saturday as planned. So after the meeting I went to my local Lincraft store, and while I was there I poked my head in the library which is in the same building.

My visit to Lincraft went ok, it wasn't too busy so I was free to potter around in peace, and there was no waiting at the counter, which is a bonus for me. I bought some brightly coloured wool which was on special, I plan to make some children's beanies with it. In the photo you can see my first attempt which is too big and has to be undone. I also bought some new cotton for edging face-washers! They didn't have any white, so I chose a nice lilac-grey. I bought 1.7m of stretch velvet which I plan to make a skirt with. I also paid a couple of dollars for some crochet patterns, knowing I can get crochet patterns off the internet for free, but I liked this particular collection and want to try making the bolero.

I find going to the library a little overwhelming, which I know is silly! I went and picked up some brochures, one is a very helpful map of the local nature reserve which I hope David and I can go to soon before it gets too cold. I walked around the whole library then wondered what to do next so made myself sit down as I feel stupid walking around aimlessly! After I looked through the brochures I noticed some quilting magazines, so got up to look more closely to see if there were some crochet ones but they only had knitting. I then went and had a look at some more information displays but couldn't find anything about the craft group that's supposed to be there at the end of this month. I didn't feel up to asking anyone about it so I left. I hope to go back to the library again soon, it would be great if I could sit in on that craft group in a couple  of weeks.

Wish me luck!
<3 <3 <3

Scented Rice Pack, Ribbon Gift Bag and Flowering Rosella

Today, I made up an organza bag to go with the hot rice pack I made last week. Well, I don't think it's proper organza, just a nice white sheer fabric I've had hanging around for ages. I finished it off with some of the new pretty deep pink ribbon I got from Lincraft the other week. My old machine did catch on the fine fabric, so I'll probably have to get around to that service soon.

To make the scented rice pack, I used a cup of rice (I got 10kg when on special), and added a tablespoon of dried lavendar petals, some dried homegrown marjoram, basil flowers, and lemon myrtle along with a drop of rose fragrance oil. I used more of the soft red cotton material, although I know red is not the best colour for a relaxing eye pack, but it is nice and soft. And it smells simply divine, if I do say so myself! It would be handy as a relaxing eye pack, or you can heat up it up in the microwave for a minute on high to use as a soothing hot pack. Alternatively, you can put it in the freezer to use as a cool pack. These rice packs are very handy to have around!

Flowering at the moment is our new rosella plant which is really taking off in this humid weather. We can't believe we picked this one up in the bargain bin at our local nursery for only $1! Its got a heap of fruit on it now, and also some optimistic white meally bugs. I sorted those bugs out, so hopefully we will have some fruit to try and make rosella jam in a month or so.