summer sewin' - happens so fast

why yes, I do have the soundtrack of Grease running through my head, what gave it away :-)

The first month of spring is drawing to an end, so the summer sewing has began. First my (not so little anymore) baby boy requested an elephant for himself.

I had originally bought some really soft green and blue seersucker from Spotlight for some shorts for him, but Mr Giggles (the great guru of all things style related she says whilst rolling her eyes dramatically) thought it looked 'a bit girly' oh really ... hmmm let me count the ways ... anyway the topic was moot since my son requested his elephant to be made from this.

I managed to squeeeeeenze out a pair of sleep shorts using the pattern I made myself when I first started sewing, but lengthened it a bit and make an elephant from it. It's 'so cute' as my daughter puts it, whilst my son starts a drawn out explanation why it can't possibly be 'cute'.

I even added a back pocket to them. Obviously I didn't think about it until I had already sewn the inside seam, but nevertheless it worked out. Next time I'll attach it before :-)

The ears are from the left over brown flannel from his Jedi bath robe and it is really cuddly. It has graced his bed ever since it had one eye attached - I only managed to sew on one eye before getting distracted, so there where a couple of days when the heffalump was half-blind, but still very much loved.

PS.: Mr Giggles has acknowledged that he might have been a bit hasty declaring the fabric 'girly' :-)

Sewing is contagious - the sequel

Well, I haven't posted much this past month, because my baby sister has been visiting us from Vienna. We did a lot of touristy things, but she also got intrigued with the sewing machine (note to self: must really name the sewing machine otherwise she'll feel like she doesn't belong).

So after finishing the Dolman Sleeve Top, we went to Spotlight and she chose some blue seersucker and set to making her some PJ pants. She originally wanted to make a tunic, but I had no patterns here and she found the free one we printed out a little daunting.

It was fun and a little easier then with my son, because a, she didn't need a step under the foot pedal and b, her attention span was longer.

Why yes, I have started her on the bad habit of using ordinary pink chalk to trace. I have pointed out to her the various other pens and chalks I have and that for some reason or another I always seem to go back to the chalk.

The pattern came from the Sew Everything book and was for Yoga Pants originally. It was a fun thing to do. I did point out my lack of expertise, but we really did have a good time. She seemed to like the sewing (and tracing and ironing) and we shall see whether she'll go as far as purchasing her own machine (and iron). Sadly there is no finished picture - as I am getting old apparently I forgot to take one, so I leave you with a picture of another visitor to Tangalooma - an Australian Pelican (the largest species on the pelicans).

Tangalooma knitting

we rarely go on holidays (we drive to Mackay once a year to visit my mother-in-law), but my sister is down for a visit from Vienna, sooooo ... we packed up the kids and headed out across the bay from Brisbane. 45 minutes on a boat takes you to Tangalooma on Moreton Island.

It is beautiful and the main attraction is the wild dolphin feeding that happens each night. We fed a dolphin named Tinkerbell, who had a baby with her that stayed back though. We didn't get pictures whilst we were feeding, but we did get some earlier.

Whilst on the island I started a scarf for myself (yes, I know it is spring here and it'll be months before I need it) with some yarn I picked up on the fabric-a-brac. It is a cotton/soy mix in teal and it is beautiful to work with. I rarely do knit/crochet for myself and the joy I am experiencing with this project takes my breath away.

It is a pattern I thought of myself, but I have no doubt that someone somewhere has made that into a pattern before, after all there is only a limited number of possibilities how you combine knit and purl together ;-). Anyway, it has a garter stitch frame and then alternating knit and purl squares. I am really pleased with how it all worked out and I can't wait to wear it in winter (next year). This project is teaching me that I really need to do something special for myself occasionally to remind myself why I am actually doing the work. Yes presents and things for the kids and 'cake sewing' are nice, but just sometimes it is great to do something that is nice just for me.

Have a wonderful week everyone :-)

Dolman Sleeve Top

I did it ... I sewed a top with Jersey like material. I think it's actually interlock, but I am not sure. It was a mystery purchase from fabric-a-brac. I used the free Dolman Sleeve Top pattern from Cation Designs.

It came out alright, although the directions say that you should sew the sides with a straight stitch and the first time a did it and then tried it on the stitches ripped where the sleeve turns down the side. I just resewed it with a zigzag stitch and it was fine.

I might make one more version from it with a lower neckline, but it's getting warmer now so it's back to T-shirts.

Fabric-a-Brac Brisbane

A little late, but last weekend I went to the inaugural Brisbane Fabric-a-Brac organised by the wonderful StephC and what a great event it was. I didn't bring a bag, because I only came to look at the patterns ;-)

I am always drawn to black and white prints, but my favourite is the black linen that has embroidered flowers on it. I thought about it for some time, because black is not really a Brisbane colour, however in the end I am obviously quite weak :-)

I also picked up some Jersey to try both Cation's Dolman Sleeve Top and StephC's Blank Canvas T-Shirt. Not sure it's pure cotton, but it was cheap and I can practise without feeling guilty.

There are also some pink fairies and I didn't pick up any patterns, but I foresee hours of happy sewing in the near future :-)

For anyone interested in winning some fabric, StephC is currently holding a giveaway for some wonderful Jersey fabric in anticipation for the launch of her pattern company here at 3hourspast.